Aquatics Center serves as host to PSI national tryout

October 20, 2021 | 7:29 pm

NCC-Aquatics-Center — THE New Clark City Aquatics Center in Tarlac will host the 2021 Philippine Swimming, Inc. national selection bubble from Oct. 22 to 24. — BCDA

THE New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac, will host the country’s national swimmers for the 2021 Philippine Swimming, Inc. (PSI) national selection bubble from Oct. 22 to 24.

The world-class and only International Swimming Federation (FINA)-approved facility in the country will see 71 local swimmers try out for spots in a series of international competitions, namely, the 15^th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates this December, and the 19^th FINA World Championships 2022 in Fukuoka, Japan, in May.

The event finally pushes through after it was postponed from its original schedule of Aug. 28 to 30 because of the rising cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) then.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the agency in charge of the NCC sports facilities, said it is ready to play as host in line with its vision for the sports complex and to further promote resiliency amid the challenging conditions with the pandemic.

“As a home for Filipino athletes, New Clark City is proud to host this swimming event and help the country’s hopefuls go for gold in international competitions. Through the PSI bubble, our countrymen can see that the country is on the path towards healing, with our athletes serving as icons of determination and strength despite the odds,” said Atty. Aristotle B. Batuhan, BCDA officer-in-charge, in a release.

Mr. Batuhan went on to say that in coordination with organizers, strict health and safety protocols will be implemented during the swimming tryouts, including limiting the movement of participants to the hotel and the training venue and vice versa.

PSI President Lani Velasco, for her part, said they are excited to stage the national tryouts in the confines of the NCC facilities and expressed hope that the three-day event will be a success.

“Aside from being a world-class facility, the New Clark City Aquatics Center is our venue of choice simply because of how BCDA manages it, especially given the current health crisis. While it is important for PSI to be able to host a national selection event for our grassroots swimmers, we also equally value the health and safety of our participants,” Ms. Velasco said.

The PSI national selection bubble is the latest sporting activity that BCDA will be hosting, following the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup last year, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup Qualifiers in June, and the PhilCycling National Trials for Road in July, which all took place at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Negros Occidental Beach Volleyball Club to join BVR on Tour restart

October 20, 2021 | 7:28 pm

BACOLOD’S Bianca Lizares will play for the Negros Occidental Beach Volleyball Club in the Beach Volleyball Republic legs this month. — BVR

THE Negros Occidental Beach Volleyball Club will make its debut in the Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) On Tour restart in Cagayan.

Team Delimondo’s Bianca Lizares and MJ Ebro will represent Negros Occidental in the two legs to be played in a bubble setting on Oct. 21-24 and 28-31.

Ms. Lizares is no stranger in club beach volleyball, having been part of the Sta. Lucia and Creamline squads. The Bacolod pride was a second runner-up with Jennifer Cosas in the 2019 Philippine SuperLiga, and a second-runner placer in the BVR on Tour Bantayan Island leg in 2018.

Ms. Ebro will partner with Ms. Lizares for the first time. A former Cignal HD beach volleyball player, Ms. Ebro is a part of the University of Santo Tomas beach volleyball program.

The team’s men’s squad, meanwhile, hopes to have an impact behind Deanne Neil de Pedro and Eljhay Ronquillo.

The Negros Occidental Beach Volleyball Club was formed only this year.

Houston Astros level ALCS, 2-2, with ninth-inning outburst

October 20, 2021 | 7:28 pm

BOSTON — Jason Castro hit a tie-breaking single in the Astros’ seven-run ninth inning as Houston rallied past the Boston Red Sox for a 9-2 win on Tuesday night, evening the American League Championship Series (ALCS) at two games apiece.

Castro’s two-out single to right-center field off Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) plated Carlos Correa to make it 3-2.

After Jose Altuve walked, Martin Perez replaced Eovaldi and immediately surrendered a two-run double to Michael Brantley. Yordan Alvarez, Correa and Kyle Tucker tacked on RBI singles to cap Houston’s rally.

Houston reliever Kendall Graveman (1-0) picked up the win after tossing two scoreless innings. Eovaldi was charged with four runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Altuve hit a tying solo blast into the Green Monster seats in left to make it 2-2 to open the eighth. The homer was Altuve’s 21^st in postseason play, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Derek Jeter for the third most in baseball history.

Alex Bregman added a solo homer for the Astros, who had been outscored 21-8 in back-to-back losses in the series. The Red Sox were 12-3 winners in Game 3 at home on Monday after registering a 9-5 win in Game 2 on Saturday in Houston. The Astros’ took the series opener 5-4 on Friday. Game 5 is Wednesday evening in Boston.

After falling behind 9-0 in back-to-back games, the Astros struck first as Bregman sent Boston starter Nick Pivetta’s ninth pitch of the game into the Green Monster seats in left field for a solo blast. — Reuters

Eighth-inning rally lifts Dodgers to Game 3 win over Braves

October 20, 2021 | 7:27 pm

LOS ANGELES — Cody Bellinger hit a game-tying, three-run home run and Mookie Betts delivered a go-ahead double as the Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for four runs in the eighth inning to earn a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS).

Five outs away from falling into a 3-0 series hole and trailing by three runs with little momentum offensively, the Dodgers got singles from Will Smith and AJ Pollock wrapped around an out to open the eighth against Luke Jackson (0-1).

Bellinger, whose miserable regular season included a .165 batting average and a .302 slugging percentage, crushed a 1-2 fastball into the seats in right field, milking his slow trot around the bases as he tied the game 5-5.

A single by Chris Taylor ended Jackson’s outing, with the Dodgers getting back to work against Jesse Chavez. Taylor stole second base, went to third on a groundout by Matt Beaty and scored on a double to right-center from Betts.

The Braves now have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven NLCS, just like they did last season when they eventually went up 3-1 before the Dodgers rallied to advance and go on to win the World Series. Freddie Freeman had three hits for the Braves after starting the series 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts.

For the second consecutive game, Corey Seager gave the Dodgers a 2-0 first-inning lead with a two-run home run, but the Los Angeles offense was reduced to a trickle despite working six walks against Atlanta right-hander Charlie Morton.

The Braves pulled ahead in the fourth inning on RBI singles from Joc Pederson, Adam Duvall and Dansby Swanson before a bases-loaded walk from Eddie Rosario gave Atlanta a 4-2 advantage. The Braves made it 5-2 in the fifth on another Duvall RBI single.

Dodgers starter Walker Buehler lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and three walks, with three strikeouts. Morton rallied from his slow start to yield two runs on three hits over five innings. He fanned five.

Eight Dodgers relievers combined to give up just one run on five hits over the final 5 1/3 innings. Evan Phillips went 1 2/3 scoreless innings and Tony Gonsolin (1-0) got the last out of the eighth inning. Kenley Jansen struck out the side in the ninth to earn his first save of the postseason. — Reuters

Mbappé-Messi double act earns PSG comeback win against Leipzig

October 20, 2021 | 7:27 pm

PARIS — Paris St.-Germain’s (PSG) Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi found their groove as they inspired their side to a 3-2 comeback victory at home to RB Leipzig in a Champions League thriller on Tuesday.

Mbappé was the first to strike and Messi had the France forward to thank for his second-half double after the Ligue 1 side had fallen 2-1 behind following goals by André Silva and Nordi Mukiele either side of the interval.

Mbappé, who missed a stoppage-time penalty, set up Messi for the equalizer and won the spot kick that the Argentine converted with an ice-cool chip after what had been a lackluster performance from the club’s new signing.

The result left PSG top of Group A with seven points from three games, one point ahead of Manchester City, who demolished Club Brugge 5-1 away earlier on Tuesday. Leipzig have no points.

“They pressed really hard and targeted Marco Verratti,” said PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino, who had to deal with the absence of the injured Neymar and suspended Ángel Di María.

“It was a very tough game, but the team showed their character again.”

Leipzig coach Jesse Marsch added: “There’s a massive difference between us and PSG, but the fact that we almost made it says a lot. We need to trust this young squad.”

Before Mbappé and Messi linked up like two old teammates, PSG often looked out of sorts, incapable of dealing with Leipzig’s high pressure game.

DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
Jesse Marsch’s side pressed hard from the outset and after eight minutes, PSG’s Keylor Navas had already made three saves.

It was a double-edged sword for the visitors, however, as PSG threatened on the break and they opened the scoring after nine minutes.

Julian Draxler flicked a Marquinhos long pass into the path of Mbappé, who dummied his marker before firing a low shot past Péter Gulácsi for his first Champions League goal this season.

Leipzig did not back down and in the 27^th minute Silva’s volley crashed against Navas’s left-hand post. A minute later, Silva turned Angelino’s cross in at the far post to give the German side a deserved equalizer.

Leipzig were the better team and Christopher Nkunku came close to giving them the advantage three minutes before the break when his low shot went just wide after a series of dribbles.

PSG started the second half well, with Messi finding space between the lines, but it was Leipzig who took the lead in the 57^th as Mukiele latched onto another Angelino cross at the far post.

The hosts continued to struggle, but a Tyler Adams back pass was intercepted by Mbappé who sped into the area and fed Messi, with the Argentine tapping the ball into the empty net after Gulácsi parried his shot onto the inside of the post after 67 minutes.

It was Mbappé who had set up Messi for PSG’s second goal in their 2-0 victory against Manchester City in the previous round of matches.

Seven minutes later, Mbappé was brought down by Mohamed Simakan and Messi converted the resulting penalty in clinical fashion before again pointing to his strike partner, who has set up his three PSG goals so far.

PSG were awarded another penalty four minutes into added time after a VAR review for a Joško Gvardiol foul on Achraf Hakimi, but Mbappé skied it over the bar, although that did not tarnish a sublime overall performance from the 22-year-old. — Reuters

NBA bets pile up on Lakers’ title; Luka for MVP

October 20, 2021 | 7:26 pm

BETS are pouring in on the Los Angeles Lakers to win the National Basketball Association (NBA) title and Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Dončić to claim the MVP award as the 2021-2022 season tips off on Tuesday.

The Lakers are the second favorite at most books at a consensus +400 behind the Brooklyn Nets. But several books are taking far more handle on Los Angeles.

Brooklyn opens the season on Tuesday at Milwaukee. The Nets are the prohibitive NBA championship favorite at +230 at BetRivers and DraftKings and +240 at BetMGM. FanDuel also puts the Nets in the role of favorites at +250.

BetMGM has the Lakers at +400 and the Golden State Warriors tied for third at +900 with defending champ Milwaukee. FanDuel has the Bucks third at +650.

BetRivers has significant liability on the underdog Chicago Bulls, who didn’t make the playoffs last season, but spent big to add Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso.

“Kyrie Irving’s absence has dominated the leadup to the new NBA season, but the Brooklyn Nets nonetheless remain one of the most popular bets to win the title. Only the Lakers have garnered more interest from bettors in terms of overall tickets,” said Mattias Stetz, the COO of Rush Street Interactive, which owns and operates BetRivers. “In terms of futures liability, the Bulls are at the top of the list, ranking third in handle behind the Lakers and Clippers at a current price of 60-1. The lion’s share of that action has come from our Illinois clients, who clearly like the offseason additions of Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan, as well as the long-shot value in a team they believe could make some noise in the East.”

The Bulls are +6000 at BetRivers and 14^th from the top of the futures board for the 2021-2022 title.

The largest bet placed at Westgate Superbook in the NBA title futures market was on the Lakers, a $100,000 wager at 7-2 odds.

BetMGM has expansive markets involving playoff seeding and total wins with the Nets the favorite to be the top seed in the Eastern Conference at -130. Brooklyn also is the top pick to lead the NBA in regular-season wins at +275. Milwaukee (+375), the Lakers (+650) and Utah Jazz (+650) are close behind.

Dončić stands at +500 in NBA futures at FanDuel, ahead of Kevin Durant of the Nets (+650) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (+750).

Lakers guard LeBron James and defending MVP Nikola Jokić are +1600 at FanDuel. — Reuters

Rice prices set to jump as fertilizer rally drives farming costs higher

October 20, 2021 | 6:55 pm

A WORKER holds up rice in Udon Thani, Thailand, Sept. 16, 2015. — REUTERS

THE MASSIVE rally in fertilizers is coming for rice, a staple food for half of the world’s population, with farmers in one of the top exporters bracing for exorbitant prices of crop nutrients in the coming planting season.

The cost of fertilizer in Thailand is on track to double from 2020, with prices now at 16,000 baht ($480) per ton compared with an average 10,000 baht last year, according to Pramote Charoensilp, president of the Thai Agriculturist Association, which represents rice farmers in the world’s third-biggest shipper.

“It’ll be a problem for rice farmers in coming months. Many of them have already harvested last season’s rice and are getting ready for planting so they’ll need fertilizer,” Pramote said in an interview on Tuesday. “A ton of fertilizer is now more expensive than a ton of rice.”

Rice is a food staple in many countries in Asia and surging fertilizer prices because of a global energy crunch are set to raise costs for many farmers in the region. In some countries, that may lead to governments having to step in to boost farmer subsidies in order to ensure essential supplies.

Like many other rice-producing nations, Thailand buys almost all of its urea, phosphate and potassium from abroad, including from China. That makes the country more vulnerable to changes in Chinese export policies, and the woes are exacerbated by rising logistic costs.

China is stepping up inspection of fertilizer exports amid concern over the impact of rising prices on domestic food security, according to a customs notice dated Oct. 11. China is a key supplier of urea and phosphate to the global market, including to India, Pakistan and Southeast Asian countries.

While floods spared most of Thailand’s rice fields and exporters still have a shipment target of 6 million tons this year, fertilizer costs will become a “big issue” for farmers already struggling with low prices, Pramote said. “The government should intervene.” Prices of Thai white rice 5% broken, a benchmark grade, have tumbled about 30% from a February high.

Fertilizer costs are having an impact elsewhere in Asia. Vietnam’s plant production department is encouraging rice farmers to cut fertilizer use by as much as half. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, Wilfredo Roldan, administrator of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, expects local rice and corn prices to rise as fertilizer accounts for as much as 70% of the production cost. — Bloomberg

Gates Foundation allots $120M for poor nations to get COVID-19 drug

October 20, 2021 | 6:54 pm

THE GATES FOUNDATION will allocate up to $120 million to help lower-income countries get an experimental COVID-19 drug being developed by US drugmaker Merck & Co, Inc. in the battle against coronavirus, it said on Wednesday.

The money will support efforts to develop and make generic versions of what could become the first oral antiviral medication for the disease if it wins regulatory approval, the foundation said in a statement.

“Today’s commitment will ensure that more people in more countries get access to the promising drug molnupiravir, but it’s not the end of the story — we need other donors, including foundations and governments, to act,” Co-Chair Melinda French Gates said.

Merck is developing the antiviral pill along with partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, to treat coronavirus infections that range from mild to moderate in severity and sought US emergency use authorization for the drug this month.

The step comes as low- and middle-income countries struggle to secure life-saving vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, particularly in Africa, where just about 5% of the population is immunized.

On Tuesday, Reuters reported that an effort led by the World Health Organization to win fair access for poorer countries aims to get antiviral drugs for as little as $10 per course for people with mild symptoms. Merck’s drug is likely to be one of them.

Launched in 2000, the non-profit Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the United States’ largest private philanthropic foundation and one of the world’s biggest, pouring about $1.9 billion into the fight against the pandemic since last year.

More than 241.58 million people have been reported infected with the coronavirus worldwide, and more than 5.1 million have died, a Reuters tally shows. — Reuters

India delays vaccine supplies to COVAX

October 20, 2021 | 6:53 pm

NEW DELHI -— India has delayed committing supplies of vaccine to the COVAX global sharing effort, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday, a day after one of its key backers, the WHO, said the agency could not “cut corners” to approve a domestically developed vaccine.

The world’s biggest vaccine maker resumed exports of COVID-19 doses this month for the first time since April. It has sent about 4 million to countries such as neighboring Bangladesh and Iran, but none to COVAX.

Delayed supplies to COVAX could disrupt inoculation drives in many African nations that rely on it for vaccines.

On Monday, in the run-up to an Oct. 26 meeting on Covaxin, India’s first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it could not “cut corners” in the approval decision.

One of the sources said it was “frustrating” that India had yet to confirm any supply to COVAX, despite a promise by the health minister last month to meet the commitment to COVAX and others during the quarter to December.

The sources, who have been briefed on the export talks, declined to be identified as they were not authorized to speak on the subject.

“We are still waiting for confirmation on when and how many doses we can expect when exports do resume, and are not aware of any specific delay,” COVAX co-lead GAVI, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, said in an email.

“Indian vaccines have a powerful role to play” in ending the pandemic, it added.

India’s health ministry, WHO and the Serum Institute of India (SII), which is the world’s biggest maker of vaccines, did not respond to requests for comment.

SII, contracted to supply hundreds of millions of doses of a version of the AstraZeneca vaccine to COVAX and countries such as Bangladesh, has more than tripled its output of the vaccine since April, to reach 220 million doses a month.

Indian government officials have said they are confident the WHO will soon approve emergency use of Covaxin, which accounts for 11% of the 990 million doses India has injected, with the rest mostly from AstraZeneca.

A few weeks ago, Adar Poonawalla, the chief executive of SII, told the Telegraph newspaper that the company would resume exports to COVAX in October.

“Initially these supplies will be small, but by Jan. 2022, once we have satisfied domestic demands … we will see large volumes go to COVAX,” he added.

Before India halted overseas vaccine shipments in April to fill domestic demand, it donated or sold more than 66 million COVID-19 doses, including Covaxin. — Reuters

BW Insights: Enabling Sustainable Food Choices and Consumption

October 20, 2021 | 5:26 pm

As the country continues to tackle the issues on food security, how should we address food loss and waste with the help of sustainable practices? How can we transition further to food sustainability — from farming and production practices to consumption?

Join the second and final session of BusinessWorld Insights’ “Cultivating Sustainability from Farm to Plate” series, presented by SM Foundation, as experts discuss the topic “Enabling Sustainable Food Choices and Consumption.”

This session of #BUSINESSWORLDINSIGHTS is supported by British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and The Philippine STAR.

Companies walk the talk as society shifts to sustainable food consumption

October 20, 2021 | 5:08 pm

By Patricia Mirasol

Companies are treating sustainability as a necessary aspect of their business framework, and not merely as a “nice to have.”

Shifting towards healthier food production and consumption is possible, according to Arlene Tan-Bantoto, Nestlé Philippines’ SVP and Head of Corporate Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, in an Oct. 20 BusinessWorld Insights webinar.

“Nutrition education; accessible, affordable nutritious products; and elevating the discussion on the issue are key drivers in this effort,” she said.

The multinational food and drink processing conglomerate, Ms. Tan-Bantoto added, is going beyond the farm-to-table approach by providing end-to-end sustainability actions that includes health education among the youth through its Nestlé Wellness Campus.

Food is the lever that optimizes human health and environmental sustainability, reported the EAT-Lancet Commission. Its 2019 report recommended transforming the global food system through sustainable food production and the adoption of a diet rich in plant-based foods.

Sustainable food production is achievable through responsible farm practices and animal welfare awareness, said Dr. Erasmus J. Paderes, senior vice-president for Animal Health and Feed Mill Operations of Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI).

BAVI cut its energy consumption by half by using renewable sources in its contract growing farms and processing plants, Mr. Paderes said. It also pioneered the country’s Zero Antibiotics Chicken production system in 2017, resulting in an 84% reduction in antibiotic use.

“We use antibiotics prudently, or [only when] the flock or broilers have bacterial disease,” he added, noting that antibiotic residues from the chickens do not pass on to consumers. “Our veterinarians use prescriptions to monitor the antibiotic’s usage and effect.”

For Gregory H. Banzon, chief operating officer and executive vice-president of Century Pacific Food, Inc., sustainability entails balancing the long-term, global view on healthy diets with the local context.

“We need to provide more affordable base nutrition,” he said. Century Pacific Food, Mr. Banzon told the webinar audience, considers their brands’ delivery of key nutritional requirements when measuring company performance.

The company is a leader in terms of tuna sustainability, Mr. Banzon added, and has also in recent years launched other sustainable ventures such as unMEAT, its plant-based meat alternative brand.

“We have a good experience with the technology behind plant-based products,” he said, pointing to unMEAT’s strong uptake in the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern markets. “We’re able to make the product look, taste, and smell like meat.”

As mentioned in the Oct. 20 webinar, Nestlé Philippines is likewise launching its own plant-based brand, Harvest Gourmet.

The trend towards sustainable food consumption has been reported since before the pandemic. A 2021 research paper, titled “Young people’s voices on climate anxiety, government betrayal and moral injury: A global phenomenon,” further notes a growing concern with the environment among young Filipinos.

The second and final session of BusinessWorld Insights’ “Cultivating Sustainability from Farm to Plate” series, is presented by the SM Foundation, and is supported by the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the Management Association of the Philippines, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and The Philippine STAR.

Taking steps to let Filipino women lead

October 20, 2021 | 3:46 pm

OVER the past year and a half, women leaders in the Philippines have become an example of resilience for various sectors of society.

“The COVID (coronavirus disease) crisis and its disruption has had an impact on how we work together and is a clear invitation for businesses to seize the moment, to rethink practices,” said Luc Véron, the European Union’s (EU) ambassador to the Philippines, at the virtual 2021 Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards. “With gender inclusion at the center of their strategies, it is a fact that companies with higher female representation at the most senior levels deliver better results.”

The World Economic Forum’s 2021 Global Gender Gap Report highlighted the Philippines’ progress in narrowing the gender gap in terms of economic participation and opportunities, particularly senior roles in business and leadership. This earned the Philippines a rank of 17^th out of 156 countries.

Organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in the Philippines, We Empower Asia, and the EU, the WEPs Awards on Oct. 15 named those who continue to help close the gender gap.

Here are the Philippines’ gender equality champions for 2021:

Leadership Commitment

Champion: Lynette V. Ortiz, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank
1^st Runner-up: Nina D. Aguas, Executive Chairman of Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd.
2^nd Runner-up: Rhoda Castro-Caliwara, President and Chief Executive Officer of Executive Genesis Services, Inc.

Gender-Inclusive Workplace

Champion: Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines, Inc.
1^st Runner-up: Nestle Philippines, Inc.
2^nd Runner-up: Accenture, Inc.

Gender-Responsive Marketplace

Champion: BAYO Manila, Inc.
1^stRunner-up: Kultura Store, Inc.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

Champion: Shell Companies in the Philippines
1^st Runner-up: Fujitsu Global Delivery Center Philippines
2^nd Runner-up: BAYO Manila, Inc.

Transparency and Reporting

Champion: Philippine National Bank (PNB)

Youth Leadership (Under 35)

Champion: Cherrie D. Atilano, President and Chief Executive Officer of AGREA Agricultural System International, Inc.
1^st Runner-up: Abetina Valenzuela, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Equilife Medical Equipment Supplies & Services, Inc.
2^nd Runner-up: David King Em Pangan, Co-founder and Managing Partner of InBestCap Ventures Holdings, Inc

Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Champions

Champion for Community Engagement and Partnerships: Edukasyon.ph
Champion for Gender-Responsive Marketplace: Villgro Philippines
Champion for Leadership Commitment: Felicitas B. Pantoja, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Coffee for Peace, Inc.

Gustavo Gonzales, the UN’s resident coordinator in the Philippines, stressed the importance of these figures in society: “A large number of women have dropped out of the labor force but, despite the situation, they provide some encouraging news showing again the resilience of women business leaders in the Philippines.”

POLICY AND INCLUSIVITY
As the Gender-Inclusive Workplace champion, P&G’s Philippine unit shared during the ceremony that stories of resilience start with leading by example — through policy.

“It’s more about promoting and championing industry-leading policies, inclusive programs, and equitable practices,” said Anna Legarda-Locsin, P&G Philippines’ communications director, citing for example the company’s Share the Care policy, which allows at least eight weeks of fully paid parental leave for employees of all genders.

Inclusive policies must also reflect an openness to self-assess, according to PNB, which won the award for Transparency and Reporting. Since 2018, their annual sustainability report has measured the bank to gender-equal standards by which they form initiatives.

Leia Michelle Regala-Teodoro, PNB’s corporate communications head, shared their mindset: “Including gender data in our sustainability reporting is important to reflect the level of support and commitment a company has for gender equality.”

She also added that women make up 25% of PNB’s board, 66% of their total workforce, and 60% of their managers.

“We’re very proud of this at PNB. We encourage organizations and companies to make a commitment to uphold gender equality by focusing on people’s capabilities and potentials, transcending gender stereotypes,” she said. “You get a larger pool of resources with bigger ideas, especially those that are into social media. If you just limit yourselves to a certain pool, you’ll only have one set of ideas.”

PUBLIC LEADERSHIP
The keynote speaker for the awarding ceremony, Vice-President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo, spoke of the potential of Filipino women to add more to the table — whether in the private or public sector.

“What our awardees today teach us is that there is a more humane, more effective way to show strength: by nurturing and empowering others, by being compassionate, by channeling quiet and determined courage amidst adversity,” she explained. “Being a women leader has its set of challenges. We ace multiple barriers, long-held cultural dictates, and deeply held prejudices.”

This is also the belief of Let Women Lead, a crowdfunding initiative launched on Oct. 13, which supports campaigns of female candidates in the 2022 elections.

First proposed a month prior by Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform (AWARE) co-founder Solita “Winnie” Collas-Monsod, the initiative allows Filipinos to donate any amount of cash to campaigns of female candidates.

“Women are underrepresented in society, and that underrepresentation costs the country so much,” said Ms. Monsod in Filipino at the project’s virtual launch. “I’m not saying we remove all the men; what I’m saying is to even out the odds. [Women] are roughly 50% of our population, and in 2019 only 20% of the candidates were women.”

With Let Women Lead, women in politics will no longer be impeded by lack of financing, she added. The initiative has collected P3 million so far and is currently backing Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel and Leila M. de Lima, senators seeking reelection, along with presidential hopeful Ms. Robredo.

AWARE also revealed that they plan to make the project a long-term one, in order to help future female leaders beyond the 2022 elections. — Brontë H. Lacsamana