Home Blog Page 5134

Prop-tech firm expanding workforce in Davao City office

BW FILE PHOTO/ MMPADILLO

PROPERTY technology firm Poplar Homes is expanding its workforce in Davao City, where it has a full-scale office with teams for engineering, web development, sales, and customer service. 

Rico Mok, chief technology officer and co-founder of the company that used to be called One Rent, said for the engineering team alone, they are looking to double the number within the next quarter. 

Our engineering team is based here in Davao City, we have a team of about 40 peoplebeing web developers, people who create the products and its a true testament of what the team can do,he said in an interview last week.  

The company is on the lookout for talents from the city after recently securing $53 million in Series B funding, the second round of capitalization for a company that has passed the startup stage. 

Poplar Homes provides technology solutions to property owners and renters in several parts of the United States and is looking to expand its scope of services. It is also eyeing to cover more American states as well as enter the Asian market.  

We started our team here with customer service first and as we developed the team, we found out that the talents here are very diverse, not just concentrated on voice or non-voice,Mr. Mok said.  

And I came to know a couple of developers, meaning engineers, computer engineers and you know, they were very impressive and I see that they are better in some sense than our team in Silicon Valley, so we decided to create our team here as well.” 

The Davao City office, which serves as the companys Philippine base, was opened in June 2016. It currently employs about 250 people.  

For the human resource expansion, Mr. Mok said they are open to hiring fresh graduates as well as those who already have extensive experience in the industry. Maya M. Padillo 

LANDBANK conducting own probe into alleged loan scheme

STATE-OWNED Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) said late Monday that it is still looking into the supposed loan scam involving employees after a member of the House of Representatives sought an investigation into the issue.  

The Land Bank of the Philippines is conducting an investigation on the alleged loan scheme raised by the president of the American Boulevard Trading Corporation (American Boulevard),it said in an emailed statement. 

The Bank exercises stringent vetting processes in granting and implementing loans, based on its existing policies and all other pertinent banking rules and regulations.”  

ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Rowena Niña O. Taduran on March 30 filed House Resolution 2543 calling on the appropriate committee to investigate the supposed scheme wherein LANDBANK staff act as mediators for business loan applications and get a cut from the approved loan amount.  

(P)er the information supplied to this representations office, these go-betweensor agentspromise the fast approval of a loan in exchange for a 10% cut in the loan proceeds,Ms. Taduran said.  

The bank insidersallegedly received their cut but a significant part of the loan proceeds was not released,she said.  

According to the resolution, American Boulevard President Albert M. Ching and 30 other borrowers fell victim to the scam, with some being persuaded to loan as much as P100 million. 

The loan had led to the closure of American Boulevard, the resolution said, as the company was forced to default on payments to suppliers and other creditors.  

The resolution also said LANDBANK had already fired and pressed charges against the employees involved, but did not offer any redress to American Blvd. for the irreparable damage caused to it.Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan

Saudi Arabian arrested for overstaying in PHL

AGENTS of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested a Saudi Arabian national last week for overstaying in the Philippines. 

In a statement on Monday, the BI said the foreigner was arrested in his apartment in Cabanatuan City. 

Immigration Chief Jamie H. Morente issued an order to arrest the overstaying foreigner after coordinating with the Cabanatuan police. 

“Upon inspection, he was unable to present his documents,” Mr. Morente said. “It was later found out he possessed an expired passport, and it was confirmed that he is already overstaying in the country.” 

The foreigner’s passport expired in June 2020, according to BI records. 

The foreigner has been detained at the BI holding facility in Taguig while awaiting deportation proceedings. John Victor D. Ordoñez 

House probe sought on jailed ex-army general’s TV interview

PARTY-LIST representatives filed a House resolution Monday calling for a probe on an interview by a broadcasting network together with a member of the governments anti-communist task force of a jailed former military general who was convicted for the kidnapping and disappearance of two university students.  

House Resolution 2546 calls on the House Committee on Human Rights to conduct an investigation into Sonshine Media Network Internationals (SMNI) interview with convict Jovito S. Palparan, Jr. together with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), without permission from the Department of Justice (DoJ).  

In the interview, Palparan was freely given a platform to attack the trial courts decision convicting him,Bayan Muna legislators said in their resolution. 

They also cited that NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lorraine T. Badoy, who was one of the interviewers, even explicitly claimed that the interview (was) made to vindicatePalparan, who she falsely claimed as a victim of trumped upcharges.” 

SMNI is being used by the NTF-ELCAC for red-tagging programs against activists and progressives,the lawmakers added. 

Complaints have been filed against Ms. Badoy before the Ombudsman for allegedly spreading fake news and labeling groups and personalities as terrorists without proof, also known as red-tagging.  

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said via Viber on Tuesday that the department is still waiting for the Bureau of Corrections report on possible violations of prison rule by Palparan.  

Ms. Badoy and SMNI have yet to respond to requests for comment via Viber and email, respectively. Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan

Nesting season

DENR-REGION 12

AUTHORITIES called on communities and visitors along the Sarangani Bay protected seascape to be conscious about not disturbing marine sea turtles as they come onshore for the nesting season, which peaks between March to May.

N.Korea says it will strike with nuclear weapons if South attacks —KCNA

REUTERS

SEOUL  — North Korea opposes war but would use nuclear weapons if South Korea attacked, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said on Tuesday, in a warning that analysts said is probably aimed at the South’s incoming conservative president.

Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in the government and ruling party, said it was a “very big mistake” for South Korea’s minister of defense to make recent remarks discussing attacks on the North, state news agency KCNA reported.

South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook had said on Friday that his country’s military has a variety of missiles with significantly improved range, accuracy and power, with “the ability to accurately and quickly hit any target in North Korea.”

Both Koreas have increased displays of military strength after North Korea test-fired a range of increasingly powerful missiles this year. Officials in Seoul and Washington also fear it may be preparing to resume testing nuclear weapons for the first time since 2017 amid stalled negotiations.

Kim and another North Korean official issued earlier statements on Sunday condemning Suh’s remarks, and warned that Pyongyang would destroy major targets in Seoul if the South takes any “dangerous military action” such as a preemptive strike.

Kim’s criticisms are most likely aimed at South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who has called for a more muscular defense against North Korean threats, said Rachel Minyoung Lee, an analyst with the US-based 38 North project, which monitors North Korea.

“Yoon’s ‘preemptive strike’ comment made the headlines a few months ago, and Pyongyang is seizing Suh’s remarks to make a point to the incoming South Korean administration,” she said. “North Korea has thus far refrained from criticizing Yoon at any authoritative level, but it certainly seems to be laying the groundwork for it.”

The statements suggest Pyongyang is preparing the North Korean public for a possible shift in inter-Korean relations once Yoon takes office in May, Lee added.

A delegation from Yoon’s team was in Washington this week to meet with US officials, who reiterated their commitment to defending South Korea, according to a statement by the US State Department on Tuesday.

In her statement on Tuesday, Kim said Pyongyang opposes war, which would leave the peninsula in ruins, and does not view South Korea as its principal enemy.

“But if south Korea, for any reason — whether or not it is blinded by misjudgement – opts for such military action as ‘preemptive strike’ touted by (Suh Wook), the situation will change,” Kim added. “In that case, south Korea itself will become a target.”

If the South Korean military violates North Korea territory, it will face an “unimaginably terrible disaster” and the North’s nuclear combat force will have to inevitably carry out its duty, she said, noting that the South can avoid this fate by dropping any “fantastic daydream” of launching a preemptive attack on a nuclear-armed state. — Reuters

Shanghai’s 26M people in lockdown after tests uncover COVID infections

REUTERS

SHANGHAI — Chinese authorities extended the lockdown of Shanghai to cover all of the financial center’s 26 million people on Tuesday, after city-wide testing saw new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases surge to more than 13,000 amid growing public anger over quarantine rules.

The lockdown now covers the entire city after restrictions in the city’s western districts were extended until further notice, in what has become a major test for China’s zero-tolerance strategy to eliminate the novel coronavirus.

At least 38,000 personnel have been deployed to Shanghai from other regions in what state media has described as the biggest nationwide medical operation since the shutdown of Wuhan in early 2020 after the first known coronavirus outbreak.

The city’s quarantine policy has been criticized for separating children from parents and putting asymptomatic cases among those with symptoms. Some public health experts say it is no longer an effective strategy.

“I do not think this is a good idea as more than 24 months into the pandemic we know so much more,” said Jaya Dantas, professor of international health at Curtin University in Australia, adding that China’s “resource intensive” strategies to combat COVID-19 needed to be revised.

Members of the public shared videos across social media expressing concern about the lockdown.

Sun Chunlan, China’s vice-premier in charge of COVID prevention, urged grassroots Party organizations to “do everything possible” to help residents solve their problems, such as ensuring access to medicine, food and water.

Thousands of Shanghai residents have been locked up in rudimentary “central quarantine” facilities after testing positive, whether they are symptomatic or not.

Jane Polubotko, a Ukrainian marketing manager now held in the city’s biggest quarantine center, told Reuters it was unclear when they would be released.

“Nobody knows how many tests we need to get out,” she said.

In an interview with Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily on Saturday, Chen Erzhen, a doctor in charge of one Shanghai quarantine facility, said it was possible that China would revise guidelines and allow asymptomatic patients to stay home, especially if the number of cases continued to mount.

“The most important thing is the problem of personal compliance,” he said.

CASES SURGE
Shanghai imposed tough restrictions last week as authorities struggled to contain what has become the city’s biggest COVID-19 outbreak, after originally taking a more piecemeal approach.

“Currently, Shanghai’s epidemic prevention and control is at the most difficult and most critical stage,” said Wu Qianyu, an official with the municipal health commission, at a Tuesday briefing. “We must adhere to the general policy of dynamic clearance without hesitation, without wavering.”

Shanghai reported a record 13,086 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases on April 4, authorities said on their WeChat channel, up from 8,581 the previous day, after a city-wide testing program swabbed more than 25 million people in 24 hours.

The government said it had collected 25.7 million samples in 2.4 million test tubes on Monday, and almost 80% of the total had been tested by Tuesday morning. Any positive results are followed up at the individual level.

The proportion of asymptomatic cases is far higher in Shanghai than the rest of the world, which has been attributed to a screening process that catches infected people before they become ill. However, experts said it did not explain why symptomatic cases fell on Monday to 268, from 425 a day earlier.

Analysts outside China warn about the economic costs of the campaign to curb infections.

“What is most striking in Shanghai is the difficulty that the authorities are having in managing logistics, particularly conditions in centralized quarantine facilities,” said Michael Hirson, China analyst with the Eurasia Group consultancy.

“Given that Shanghai has a highly capable government, current problems pose a warning for local governments across China where capacity is not as high and major outbreaks could stretch resources further to the limits.” — Reuters

Cities driving climate change, but part of the solution — UN report

REUTERS

CITIES are driving the human-caused climate change that threatens the global environment, but also offer hope.

That is the overriding message of a chapter devoted to cities in a major U.N. report on climate change released on Monday, providing city planners around the world guideposts aimed at avoiding climate catastrophe.

“The fact that cities are responsible for more than two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions means that if cities do something, they can solve two-thirds of the problem. So that’s pretty exciting,” said Karen Seto, a professor at Yale University’s School of the Environment and one of two coordinating lead authors of the report’s chapter on cities.

Many cities around the globe have taken action already. Mexico City has banned plastic bags. Minneapolis, Minnesota, eliminated zoning for single-family homes to promote density. Paris has outlawed diesel cars.

“Every city can do something, and not every city’s going to do the exact same thing,” Ms. Seto said. “Not every city needs to look the same. Not every building needs to be a high rise.”

Cities, particularly the small and medium-sized cities of Asia and Africa that will see the most growth this century, offer the opportunity reduce reliance on automobiles, employ environmentally friendly building materials, and capture stormwater runoff, according to the report’s experts.

Cities can become havens of urban forests, street trees and green roofs, which will not only sequester and store carbon but also induce a cooling effect that reduces energy demand and energy use for water treatment, said the report, the latest from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Urban density also avoids rural and suburban sprawl, which is less energy efficient and destroys natural habitats.

“The 21st century will be the urban century, defined by a massive increase in global urban populations,” the report said, noting that 55% of the world’s population lived in urban areas as of 2018, a figure expected to jump to 68% by 2050.

At the same time, however, “the global trend of urbanization also offers a critical opportunity in the near term, to advance climate resilient development.”

The report focuses on mitigation, noting that alleviating climate change in cities will have an outsized effect on surrounding areas and help improve the mental and physical health of urban dwellers.

As with the global thrust of the overall report, the authors call on governments and industry to act with extreme urgency and make significant new commitments toward financing.

Urban areas generated 67% to 72% of carbon dioxide and methane emissions in 2020, up from 62% in 2015. Without any mitigation efforts, the raw amount of urban emissions could double from 2020 to 2050, the report said.

But with aggressive and immediate mitigation policies, urban greenhouse gas emissions could approach net zero by 2050.

As home to generally more prosperous people, urban cities emit more greenhouse gases.

Of the additional 2.5 billion people expected to live in cities by midcentury, 90% of the increase will take place in Africa and Asia, requiring more advanced economies and multinational companies to finance green development.

Capital will be needed to promote carbon sequestration, avoid emissions and reduced energy use.

Ms. Seto said she was optimistic because consumers and investors in the “global north” are demanding sustainability, and because the cost of new technologies such as photovoltaics and batteries for electric vehicles is going down.

“The cost of the status quo is worse than doing nothing,” Ms. Seto said. — Reuters

Qatar will host a World Cup, but not as we know it

DOHA — November’s World Cup in Qatar will be unlike any other finals that have previously taken place and the logistical challenges facing organizers, from providing enough accommodation to dealing with unruly fans, will only intensify.

The Gulf state will host the first World Cup in the Middle East, the first in a Muslim state, and no other tournament has ever been held in the northern hemisphere winter.

Qatar, which is roughly the size of Jamaica, is also the smallest state to have held soccer’s biggest event, with fans from the 32 competing nations set to watch games at eight stadiums clustered around the only major city — Doha.

On the plus side, that means supporters will be able to easily reach all the venues, raising the possibility of watching more than one match in a day — in contrast to recent tournaments in Russia and Brazil where flights were often needed to travel to each venue city.

But it is also means there will be a real squeeze on Qatar’s limited accommodation market, with organizers estimating 1.2 million fans to visit the country over the 28 days of the tournament.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who inherited the decision to allow Qatar to host the tournament after taking over from his scandal-hit predecessor Sepp Blatter, initially looked at the possibility of other countries in the region sharing hosting duties.

But while that option was eventually ruled out, Infantino is still keen to portray the tournament as a chance for fans to experience the broader Arab world.

“There will be accommodation for everyone who wants to stay in Qatar, but maybe somebody then wants to make a day in Dubai or Abu Dubai or Muscat or Riyadh or Jeddah or whatever in the region and they will have the opportunity to go and visit other countries throughout their stay in this region,” he told Reuters in an interview.

“That is certainly what we also recommend, because I think one of the biggest experiences in this particular World Cup… is an opportunity for people to come to a country and a part of the world that they maybe do not know,” he added.

It is a worthy suggestion but is one which is arguably only really an option for those with large pockets, and it contrasts with Qatari organizers’ efforts to make the World Cup accessible for fans with more modest budgets.

CAPPED ROOM RATE
Organizers have put caps on the room rates hotels can charge supporters, with three star rates capped at around $120.

Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy has promised 130,000 rooms, including hotels and 60,000 rooms in apartments and villas, plus around 4000 rooms on two cruise ships and the remainder in fan villages.

Officials are also trying to make sure that fans, used to enjoying plenty of beer with their football, have alternatives to the pricey expat hotel bars where a pint of beer can cost around $18.

Although alcohol is normally only available in such settings, special ‘fan zones’ will be set up across the country during the tournament so that supporters can watch games and drink for more familiar prices.

“Alcohol prices will be capped in the fan zones, similar to what was seen at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019 where a pint was around five pounds ($6.55),” said a source close to the discussions.

The fan zones — and other venues — will have to cope with fans from all 32 countries, in contrast to most tournaments where cities host just two nations at a time before games.

“I believe that having so many nationalities and people coming together and mingling together will be really beneficial, and will also move and elevate the World Cup into a big, big social gathering,” said Infantino.

That gathering might, however, require some skilled security and policing, given football tournaments have had a history of rival supporters clashing. — Reuters

Tigermania sweeps Augusta as Woods keeps Masters guessing

AUGUSTA, GA — Tigermania returned to Augusta National in full force on Monday as a cagey Tiger Woods kept the golf world guessing on whether he will be in the Masters field.

The Woods watch moved into overdrive as hordes of spectators flooded into Augusta National to catch a glimpse of the 15-time major winner who has kept fans in suspense, saying on Sunday his Masters participation will be a “game-time decision.”

While Woods gave nothing away on Monday, fans will not have to wait much longer to know his decision with the 46-year-old scheduled to hold a news conference on Tuesday along with the publishing of Thursday’s first round tee times.

After two years of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions that limited the number of spectators allowed onto the grounds, the galleries were back and so was the unmistakable Augusta National buzz amplified by the sight of Woods working the fairways.

The car crash that 14 months ago had threatened to take Woods’ right leg and left him in hospital for three weeks and then confined to a hospital-type bed at home for three months seemed a distant misfortune on a picture perfect Monday.

Playing nine holes during an afternoon practice alongside good friends Fred Couples and Justin Thomas, a relaxed Woods did not have the look of a man struggling to make a decision.

Rather, he had the self-assured air of someone who had made up his mind to be on the first tee come onThursday.

While Woods was tight-lipped, one of his playing partners is certain of what will happen on Thursday.

“I hope everything keeps going Tuesday and Wednesday and I’m sure he’s going to tee it up on Thursday,” said Couples. “It’s not shocking because he’s the greatest player to ever play.”

“If he can walk around here in 72 holes, he’ll contend. He’s too good.”

Woods has always maintained that he enters every event with the mindset to win it and his fellow golfers say not even coming back from a career threatening injury has changed that approach.

“What’s impressive is Tiger won’t play here unless he thinks he can win,” said three-time major winner Padraig Harrington. “He’s not coming to wave at the crowds.”

“He’s coming to try and win the tournament.”

“It looks like he’ll tee it up, and if he does, he feels like he can win, and that’s impressive.”

FIRST TOURNAMENT
If Woods, who was noticeably limping at the end of nine holes, does commit to play it would be his first official tournament since defending his title at the 2020 Masters, played in November due to COVID-19.

As delighted as Woods clearly is to be back playing, the excitement on Monday was surpassed by the fans.

Woods won the last of his five Green Jackets in 2019.

On Monday, they lined the entire length of the fairways and were packed 10 to 15 deep around the greens, a smiling Woods soaking up the attention as the cheers echoed through the Georgia pines.

“It’s history,” one fan screamed to another, as calls of “Go Tiger, Go Tiger” followed him.

His rivals are also not writing off Woods’ participation or even him winning a sixth Green Jacket.

“I’ve learned long ago never doubt the guy,” said Australian Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion. “It’s exciting that there’s the possibility he’s going to play this week.”

“I really hope he does. I think no matter what, it would just be epic.” — Reuters

ATP warns of stricter action for misconduct

MUMBAI — Tennis officials will dish out stricter punishments for on-court misconduct, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) warned players in an internal note on Monday as the men’s governing body also simultaneously reviews its guidelines to clamp down on repeat offenders.

Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios was fined $60,000 for a series of angry outbursts at the Indian Wells and Miami Open events, with many observers saying he should have been disqualified.

German Alexander Zverev was thrown out of a tournament in Acapulco in February after smashing his racket repeatedly against the umpire’s chair following a doubles defeat.

“Effective immediately and as we head into the clay court swing, the ATP officiating team has been directed to take a stricter stance in judging violations of the Code of Conduct,” ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said in the note, seen by Reuters.

“Additionally, we are also undertaking a review of the Code, as well as the disciplinary processes, to ensure that it provides appropriate and up-to-date penalties for serious violations and repeat offenders.”

Kyrgios was fined $35,000 after his fourth-round loss to Jannik Sinner at the Miami Open during which he criticized the umpire and smashed his racket.

The incident followed an outburst at Indian Wells where Kyrgios lost his temper after losing to Rafa Nadal, smashing his racket to the ground, which then bounced up and almost hit a ball boy. He was fined $25,000 for it.

The Australian earned over $350,000 in prize-money from the two tournaments after competing in both singles and doubles.

Olympic singles champion Zverev was handed a suspended eight-week ban for his expletive-filled Acapulco tantrum.

The ATP came under fire for what many pundits and fans perceived to be soft punishments from the governing body and in the note Gaudenzi told players “we all have a role to play to uphold the reputation and integrity of our sport.”

“The first three months of the season have seen an unusual frequency of high-profile incidents involving unsportsmanlike conduct,” added Gaudenzi, a former Italian professional player.

“These incidents shine a bad light on our sport. This conduct affects everyone, and sends the wrong message to our fans, especially young fans.” — Reuters

Nets need luck

Kevin Durant didn’t mince words when asked about the Nets’ fortunes — or, rather, misfortunes — after practice yesterday. “To be honest, I feel like our season was derailed by my injury,” he said in relation to the need for the black and white to go through the play-in tournament as opposed to living up to preseason expectations as title favorites. “So I’m not looking at it like we’re just not a good basketball team. It’s like there wasn’t a lot of continuity with me and Kyrie [Irving] out of the lineup. That’s just what it is. When we’re all on the floor together, I like what we got.”

Durant’s right, of course. There’s a reason he’s a National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player awardee, and it’s why the Nets went a heady 27 and 15 before he injured his left medial collateral ligament in a mid-January match against the Pelicans. That said, his absence over the next 22 outings wasn’t the only cause of their five and 17 swoon. There was Irving’s inability to suit up in games at the Barclays Center because of city protocols. There was likewise the problem of James Harden being James Harden, pouting and then heading out the door.

If there’s any consolation, Durant’s fit anew, and Irving’s unvaccinated status has become immaterial in the face of looser safety guidelines. And for as long as they’re both in uniform, the Nets cannot but be deemed a threat. How and when they will be at their best remains to be seen, however. Projected Big Three stalwart Ben Simmons remains sidelined and a big question mark for the rest of their 2021-22 campaign, while starter Seth Curry has been compelled to play with an ailing left ankle. Chemistry and conditioning issues have also cropped up, what with erstwhile rotation regulars going in and out of the roster.

The Nets still have four regular season matches to negotiate beginning with today’s homestand against the Rockets. Should they run the table, they may yet overtake the Hawks for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. They would need no small measure of luck, though, and with Irving still trying to get his sea legs after having been a part-time player for four-fifths of the season, they may find the going tough. Then again, they have Durant, and as head coach Steve Nash noted, “we have the belief and we’ll give it a shot.” And then the real work begins.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.