China nears launch of first modern aircraft carrier

November 10, 2021 | 4:32 pm

CHINA is three to six months from launching its third and most modern aircraft carrier, new analysis shows, in what would be a milestone for President Xi Jinping’s effort to project power into the high seas.

The Jiangnan Shipyard near Shanghai has made “steady progress” this year on the vessel, known for now as Type 003, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in the report dated Tuesday. The center, a Washington-based think tank, added that satellite imagery shows “that the installation of the carrier’s main external components is nearing completion.”

The ship’s use of catapults “is a major leap forward for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy,” the report said, because it will be able to “launch fixed-wing aircraft with heavier payloads and more fuel, as well as larger aircraft.” That would put China — whose two active carriers use simpler, “ski-jump” flight decks — into an exclusive club with the US and France.

Mr. Xi has pledged to “basically complete” a decades-long modernization effort of China’s once infantry-dominated military by 2035, with particular focus on building a “blue water” navy. The new carrier would extend the PLA’s effective range further beyond the so-called First Island Chain, including Taiwan the Philippines and Japan.

The shipyard working on the Type 003 carrier is operated by Jiangnan Shipbuilding Group, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp., the world’s largest commercial shipbuilder. The CSIS report added that satellite imagery indicates that work on other military vessels at the facility has slowed in recent months.

The foreign capital flowing into Jiangnan and other shipyards on China’s coast may directly and indirectly support the PLA Navy’s modernization, CSIS said, adding that foreign companies may want to consider whether their vessels should be built alongside such warships.

While the Type 003 would be China’s largest and most modern warship, it’s likely to fall short of the capabilities of either the US’s Nimitz- or Ford-class nuclear-powered supercarriers. The vessel is expected to have conventional diesel propulsion and be closer in size to the Kitty Hawk-class carriers built by the US in the 1960s.

China also lacks the global port network needed to support large capital ships on extended missions. And it’s still developing reliable fifth-generation fighter jets to launch from its carriers.

The Type 003 is years away from going into active service considering “the technical challenges of building a modern aircraft carrier,” according to the center’s report. The US Department of Defense said in an annual assessment released last week that the carrier was expected to be fully operational by 2024. — Bloomberg

Billion-dollar solar power Ponzi schemer gets 30 years in jail

November 10, 2021 | 4:30 pm

THE CO-OWNER of a California-based solar company was sentenced to 30 years in prison for running a $1-billion Ponzi scheme that attracted big-name investors, among them Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

Jeff Carpoff’s DC Solar built mobile solar generators for sporting events and music festivals. It burnished its image with investors by wildly inflating the number of generators it had produced.

Money poured in through complex deals known as tax-equity funds. Mr. Buffett’s company invested $340 million. Other backers included Progressive Corp., East West Bancorp, Inc., Valley National Bancorp and Sherwin-Williams Co.

But DC Solar manufactured and leased only a fraction of the roughly 17,000 mobile units it claimed were in use, authorities said. Instead, the firm used money from new investors to pay off old ones, according to a statement from the US Attorney’s Office in Sacramento.

“Jeff Carpoff orchestrated the largest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California,” Acting US Attorney Phillip Talbert said in the statement.

Mr. Carpoff, 50, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, according to court records. At the same time, his wife, Paulette Carpoff, admitted to money laundering and conspiracy. She is scheduled to be sentenced next week.

Five others with ties to the company also have pleaded guilty in connection to the case.

“Mr. Carpoff sincerely regrets his failure to shut down his business when it became apparent that there was an insufficient leasing market for the mobile solar generators it manufactured,” said his lawyer, Malcolm Segal. “He has publicly apologized for his own errors and intends to continue to assist counsel for the investors in pursuing claims against the professionals who ‘found’ ways to avoid market reality.”

The government has recovered about $120 million in lost assets which it intends to return to investors, according to the prosecutors’ statement.

Mr. Carpoff was required to forfeit many of his assets including his collection of luxury and collector cars. An auction of the cars netted $8.233 million, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

The Carpoffs used some of the money they made from the Ponzi scheme to buy a minor-league baseball team and a NASCAR sponsorship. They also bought luxury real estate in California, Nevada, the Caribbean and Mexico; a subscription private jet service; a suite at a professional football stadium; and jewelry. — Bloomberg

Japan reports first bird flu outbreak of season

November 10, 2021 | 4:27 pm

TOKYO — Japan has detected its first outbreak of bird flu for the 2021 winter season, with confirmation of a case of “highly pathogenic avian influenza” at a poultry farm in the northeast of the country, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday.

About 143,000 egg-laying chickens are being exterminated at the farm in Yokote city in Akita Prefecture, the ministry said in a statement on its website, adding that restricted zones up to 10 km (6.2 miles) from the site have been established.

“Under the current situation in Japan, we do not believe that there is any possibility of avian influenza being transmitted to humans through the consumption of chicken meat or eggs,” the ministry said.

But an increase in the number of people in China getting infected from bird flu this year is turning into a source of concern among epidemiological experts, especially as the world slowly recovers from the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.

China has reported 21 human infections with the H5N6 subtype of avian influenza in 2021 to the World Health Organization, compared with only five last year, it said, with six dead and many of the others critically ill.

Outbreaks of bird flu have also been reported in recent days and weeks in Europe with farms in Poland the latest locations for infections, totaling 650,000 poultry.

Last winter, Japan had its worst season of winter flu on farms yet, with more than 3 million chickens culled and a quarter of the country’s prefectures affected.

Japan has an egg-laying flock of around 185 million hens and a broiler population of 138 million, according to the ministry of agriculture. — Reuters

Prince Harry says ‘Megxit’ is a misogynistic term

November 10, 2021 | 4:25 pm

PRINCE HARRY said on Tuesday that the term “Megxit,” a phrase used by the British press to describe the decision by him and his wife Meghan to quit their royal duties, was a misogynistic term.

Prince Harry was speaking by video on a panel called “The Internet Lie Machine,” organized by US technology and culture magazine Wired.

He said the word was an example of online and media hatred.

“Maybe people know this and maybe they don’t, but the term Megxit was or is a misogynistic term, and it was created by a troll, amplified by royal correspondents, and it grew and grew and grew into mainstream media. But it began with a troll,” Prince Harry said. He did not elaborate.

Harry and Meghan, formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, moved to California last year to lead a more independent life. Prince Harry has said that part of the reason for their departure was the racist treatment of Meghan, whose mother is Black and whose father is white, by the British tabloid media.

A study released in October by social media analytics service Bot Sentinel identified 83 accounts on Twitter that it said were responsible for 70% of the hateful content and misinformation aimed at Meghan and Harry.

Referring to the study, Harry said on Tuesday that “perhaps the most disturbing part of this was the number of British journalists who were interacting with them and amplifying the lies. But they regurgitate these lies as truth.”

Harry and Meghan have since campaigned against social media negativity that they say is affecting people’s mental health.

On Tuesday, Harry called misinformation a “global humanitarian crisis.”

Speaking of his mother, Princess Diana who died in a Paris car crash while being chased by paparazzi, Harry added.

“I know the story all too well. I lost my mother to this self-manufactured rabidness, and obviously I’m determined not to lose the mother to my children to the same thing.” — Reuters

China holds combat readiness patrol as U.S. lawmakers visit Taiwan

November 10, 2021 | 3:26 pm

BEIJING/TAIPEI – China‘s military said on Tuesday it had conducted a combat readiness patrol in the direction of the Taiwan Strait, after its defence ministry condemned a visit to Taiwan by a U.S. congressional delegation it said had arrived on a military aircraft.

The patrol was aimed at the “seriously wrong” words and actions of “relevant countries” on the Taiwan issue and the activities of pro-independence forces in Taiwan, a Chinese military spokesperson said in a statement.

Cross-strait tensions have been rising in recent months, with Taiwan complaining for a year or more of repeated missions by China‘s air force near the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.

Taiwan‘s defence ministry said six Chinese military aircraft entered its southwestern air defence zone on Tuesday, including four J-16 fighter jets and two surveillance planes.

Several Taiwan media outlets reported on Tuesday that unspecified members from both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate had arrived in Taipei on a U.S. military plane.

When asked about the visit, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters on Wednesday that Taiwan–U.S. relations are “very important” and that he respects “mutual visits between friends”.

The government will make “appropriate arrangement” based on each others’ need, he said, without elaborating.

The American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. embassy in the absence of formal diplomatic ties, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China‘s defence ministry said in a statement that members of the U.S. Congress had arrived in Taiwan by military plane.

“We firmly oppose and strongly condemn this,” it said.

A spokeswoman for China‘s Taiwan Affairs Office similarly condemned the visit, but played down the notion that war is imminent.

“We urge everyone not to believe or spread rumours,” spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian told a regular press briefing on Wednesday.

In Washington, the Pentagon said it was not uncommon for congressional delegations to be transported in military aircraft.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby did not provide details on who was on the flight, but said this was the second such congressional trip to Taiwan this year.

“It’s not unusual,” Kirby said.

China has not ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control, despite the island’s claim that it is an independent country that will defend its freedom and democracy.

In June, China‘s defence ministry denounced a brief weekend visit by three U.S. senators to Taiwan on a U.S. military aircraft, calling it a “vile political provocation” that was irresponsible and dangerous. – Reuters

U.S. judge denies Apple’s request for pause of ‘Fortnite’ antitrust orders

November 10, 2021 | 3:25 pm

A U.S. judge on Tuesday denied Apple Inc’s efforts to pause orders handed down after an antitrust case brought by “Fortnite” creator Epic Games.

The iPhone maker immediately said it would appeal the denial, aiming to stave off potentially significant changes to its lucrative App Store before a Dec. 9 deadline to implement the court’s orders.

Epic went to trial earlier this year over Apple’s practice of forcing developers to use its in-app payment system and to pay commissions to the iPhone maker. In September, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued a ruling that was mostly favorable to Apple.

But she expressed concern that Apple was keeping consumers in the dark about alternative payment methods and ordered Apple to lift its ban on in-app links, buttons and messages to users about other ways to pay.

Apple has appealed the judge‘s ruling, asking her to pause her orders while the appeals process plays out, which could take several years.

In a sharp rebuke to the iPhone maker, Gonzalez Rogers said that Apple’s prohibitions on telling consumers about other payment methods showed “incipient antitrust conduct including supercompetitive commission rates resulting in extraordinarily high operating margins” for its App Store.

She wrote that Apple’s own in-app payment methods would still be more convenient than third-party methods and that many consumers might still choose to use it.

“The fact remains: it should be their choice,” Gonzalez Rogers wrote. “Consumer information, transparency, and consumer choice is in the interest of the public.”

Apple said it will appeal Gonzalez Rogers’ denial to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which could grant Apple a temporary stay before the Dec. 9 deadline.

“Apple believes no additional business changes should be required to take effect until all appeals in this case are resolved. We intend to ask the Ninth Circuit for a stay based on these circumstances,” Apple said in a statement. – Reuters

Philippines flight school readies recruits as global travel sees brighter skies

November 10, 2021 | 3:23 pm

PAMPANGA – With travel demand expected to grow as countries rush to reopen to international visitors, an aviation school in the Philippines is stepping up its training to try to head off problems from a global pilot shortage.

Travel restrictions imposed to fight COVID-19 have caused major disruption to the aviation sector, with aircraft grounded worldwide and many pilots no longer flying, having been laid off, furloughed or forced to find employment elsewhere.

“The important thing for us to do is to get ourselves prepared and be ahead of the herd,” said Lev Albarece, head of training at Alpha Aviation Group, a pilot school with hubs in the Philippines, Britain and the Middle East.

“We have to be ahead of the line and be ready for the next hiring surge.”

Expanded vaccinations and an easing of restrictions in many countries has seen global demand for flights grow and airlines racing to restart routes after a lengthy hiatus.

Flights in the Philippines fell dramatically at the start of the pandemic, with no signs the country plans to reopen to foreign visitors or business travellers anytime soon.

Only 100 students have enrolled this year at Alpha’s local training facility, a third of pre-pandemic levels, with costly fees and job uncertainty deterring potential pilots.

But at Alpha’s school in Pampanga province, northwest of Manila, its full-motion Airbus flight simulators have been running all day to get trainees ready for real-world scenarios.

The programme involves simulators, classroom lectures, and flights in Cessna aircraft.

“Everything is uncertain. To me, there isn’t really a perfect timing to do everything,” said Casey Abadilla, 22, a flight student.

“Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith with the right amount of courage and hard work and hope for the best.” – Reuters

APEC ministers call for recovery support, curbs on fishing, farm, fuel subsidies

November 10, 2021 | 3:21 pm

WASHINGTON/WELLINGTON – Pacific Rim trade and foreign ministers on Tuesday pledged to sustain the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic while pursuing talks to curb subsidies for fisheries and agriculture at a forthcoming World Trade Organization meeting.

The ministers from the 21 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries said in a communique issued after a virtual meeting there was wide divergence in recovery across and within economies, with downside risks remaining.

“We need to sustain our economic recovery through continued policy support measures, while preserving financial stability and long-term fiscal sustainability,” the ministers said.

They also said they would facilitate trade in a broader range of medical supplies to fight COVID-19 and voluntarily work to reduce the cost of vaccines and related goods. They pledged to support WTO negotiations on a temporary waiver of intellectual property protections on COVID-19 vaccines.

The ministers‘ meeting is part of a week-long series of APEC conferences culminating in a summit on Friday into Saturday, hosted entirely online by New Zealand, a country with hardline pandemic control measures that has kept its borders closed to almost all travellers for 18 months.

While New Zealand has emphasized APEC support for boosting supply chains for critical medical supplies and efforts to decarbonize economies, tensions are expected over self-ruled Taiwan’s bid to join a regional trade pact in which China also seeks membership, and a U.S. bid to host the 2023 round of APEC meetings.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta told reporters at a news conference in Wellington there was no agreement yet on which country would host APEC in 2023, despite an offer from the United States.

China and Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) was not a core part of the discussions, New Zealand’s Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor said at the conference.

Taiwan’s has said it aims to use the APEC gathering to garner support for its bid to join CPTPP, while China, which has also applied to join the pact, opposes Taiwan’s membership.

“As a trade and economic forum all economies welcomed greater movement and reduction of trade barriers. CPTPP provides that but accession requests do mean that those applicants will have to look at standards required to ultimately become members and be accepted,” O’Connor said.

OPENING TRAVEL

With many economies in the region dependent on tourism, the APEC ministers said they would work to ensure safe travel in the region, with “tangible outcomes in 2022.”

The trade-focused group said officials would work to foster a favorable trade and investment environment and “ensure our trade and investment environment is free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable.”

The APEC ministers said they would engage at the WTO’s 12th ministerial meeting (MC12) at the end of November to modernize trade rules and deliver concrete results. They called for WTO countries to negotiate effective curbs on harmful fisheries subsidies at the meeting in Geneva.

“We recognise the need for a meaningful outcome on agriculture at MC12, reflecting our collective interests and sensitivities, with a view towards achieving substantial progressive reductions in support and protection,” in line with previous WTO mandates, the ministers said.

On climate related issues, the ministers said they would try to accelerate efforts to rationalize and phase out “inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption,” a goal first agreed by APEC leaders in 2010. – Reuters

K-pop megastars ‘bedazzle’ mega-sales, attract shoppers

November 10, 2021 | 3:05 pm

E-commerce giants are increasing audience engagement during mega-sales like 11.11 by bringing in big names from the entertainment world to “bedazzle” their events, according to media intelligence firm Meltwater.

“Shoppertainment” or partnering with K-pop stars like Mamamoo, BTS, Twice, and Treasure has been an effective strategy, resulting in nearly 1 in every 5 online conversations about mega-sales revolving around these South Korean bands.

“Online shopping has become a natural way of life for Southeast Asian consumers now,” said Mimrah Mahmood, senior director and partner at Meltwater Asia Pacific, in a statement. “But fatigue from the pandemic is causing them to seek out more engagement and novelty in their purchase journey.”

According to a new guidebook by Meltwater aimed at retailers, “consumers today are not only driven by prices and discounts, they are also seeking deeper, more real-time engagement in their online shopping journey — and they’re being vocal about this.”

Titled Unlocking E-Commerce Success in Southeast Asia, the guidebook studied trends based on online conversations across the region.

Retailers were also advised to explore livestream shopping, with influencers producing over 1.4 million conversations about the products they promote as of October.

Supporting these findings is Shopee’s 2020 data, which showed a 2.5-time increase in annual livestream viewership on its platform.

The report concluded that the post-pandemic e-commerce surge is real, with brands needing to adapt and keep up with shifts in shopper preferences to remain relevant.

Mega-sale events like 11.11 are as popular as ever among consumers in Southeast Asia. Meltwater found that, as of October 2021, the topic of mega-sales garnered over half a million conversations online, mostly taking place on Twitter and peaking right before a sale.

Citing Facebook and Bain’s SYNC Southeast Asia report, the Meltwater guidebook said the 70 million new people that began online shopping since the start of the pandemic have allowed e-commerce to “establish its dominance in the world shopping order.”

It then posited that an immersive and interactive shopping experience has become necessary to win consumers’ attention, shown in the 213% jump in social media conversations about livestreaming this year.

“This presents both an opportunity and a challenge for retailers — and the key to success is to stay ahead of these trends to continue engaging and attracting shoppers,” Mr. Mahmood said.

Meltwater’s study tracked mentions of e-commerce-related topics from millions of posts across Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, Reddit, blogs, forums, and online news sites between January 1 and October 14 using their media intelligence platform. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Unleash your inner artist and focus on the moment with vivo Y33s

November 10, 2021 | 3:00 pm

vivo Y33s PHOTO - Camera Sustaining — Game, play, watch, and do everything seamlessly with the vivo Y33s

Enjoy powerful photography features on a compact and accessible smartphone

Life is a constant series of experiences and it’s now easier to capture moments before they turn into memories with the wonders of mobile photography, case in point, the newest entrant to the vivo Y-series, the Y33s.

Focus on the moment
With its powerful photography capabilities such as a 50 MP main camera that provides clear photos in any lighting condition, the vivo Y33s (P12,999) captures images effortlessly even if you crop or zoom in. The built-in bokeh camera and Eye Auto Focus helps you capture your subject with clarity while providing artistic depth and quality. It also has a super macro feature that brings tiny objects to light, with images that stay sharp as close as 4 cm. For nights-out, Super Night Mode, together with its RAW-level super noise reduction technology, combines multiple frames into one to deliver clarity even in low-light.

Selfies to capture your vibe at the moment are also clear and vibrant with a personalized portrait mode. The front camera offers a selection of styles to suit your mood or outfit, with an option to add Face Beauty and bokeh functions for an effortless glam and natural look. Even selfies in low-light situations stay super clear and detailed with the Super Night Selfie noise reduction technology and Smart Screen Flash that can light up your face against a background for a photo that’s rich in detail with natural-looking results.

Create amazing videos effortlessly
Shaky vlogging videos are a thing of the past with EIS Ultra Stable Video. Capture each motion while you’re on the move with the rear camera EIS that automatically kicks in to deliver steady results on the road. Face Beauty for Videos and Smart Editing turn your raw footage into beautiful reels that clearly capture facets of your fabulous life that you can easily share on social media. The AI Editor algorithm, meanwhile, identifies both faces and scenes within your video footage so that you can splice them together in one reel within your vlog template.

Reliable performance at an accessible price

Aside from its photography capabilities the vivo Y33s is backed by powerful technology that offers seamless and reliable mobile performance. The 6.58-inch¹¹ FHD+ in-cell display delivers bright colors and vivid details and there’s longer battery life which allows for uninterrupted streaming and longer game time.

It has a Helio G80 octa-core processor, with CPU clock speeds of up to 2.0 GHz. The GPU offers more power, higher image quality and stronger performance than its predecessor, making Y33s an outstanding gaming gadget. Its expandable 8 GB RAM also allows users to use and download apps simultaneously and seamlessly. Play in Ultra Game Mode for a full sensory experience as the cooling solution keeps the device cool even during heavy usage.

Get the vivo Y33s and focus on the moment and capture life in crisp images for P12,999, now available on vivo stores and kiosks nationwide and online via Lazada and Shopee. For more information and to get the latest updates, visit www.vivoglobal.ph and the brand’s social media pages.

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IGNITE CYBER 2021: Blazing towards recovery & growth

November 10, 2021 | 1:00 pm

As the challenging year of 2020 came to a close, 2021 ushered in the feeling of hope and recovery. Last year, IGNITE PH went online for the first time and focused on shaping the future of Innovation as the theme. This year, the largest international innovation conference in the Philippines is back again online this Nov. 16-19, 2021!

IGNITE PH will take on a new paradigm this year, as they discuss “Corporate Innovation Towards Recovery and Growth,” featuring new speakers from all over the region. This year, they partnered with Shell LiveWIRE, Japan External Trade Organization, ROHTO Pharmaceuticals, and Korea Tourism Organization to promote collaboration by providing global opportunities to the prospering startup ecosystem. In addition, they recently concluded their kick-off event, Road to IGNITE, a glimpse of IGNITE CYBER 2021 last Sept. 21-23, 2021, in partnership with JPX – Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Last October 2020, “IGNITE CYBER 2020 – The Special Edition” was a six-day event that gathered participants from the startup and innovation community in the country. IGNITE, the group composed of TechShake, Dentsu x, and Brainsparks, gathered audiences from the startup ecosystem. Despite the barrier that the pandemic prevented this event from being hosted physically, the team successfully continued in the spirit of innovation and collaboration online.

This year, the WILDFIRE Pitch Event, the most-awaited part of the IGNITE PH event, is also back to level up startups. The teams will be pitching to selected judges for the day. For IGNITE CYBER 2021, it will take place for three days with different themes. The first day will focus on Social Good, featuring Shell LiveWIRE, wherein AgTech (Agricultural Technology) startups from the Philippines will pitch. On the second day, Digital Transformation will be the scope featuring Richard B. Dasher, Ph.D., director of US-Asia Technology Management Center Adjust Professor at Stanford University under JETRO. On the third, it will be aligned with ROHTO’s vision, which is Health and Wellness. On the fourth and final day, it will feature Travel Tech Startups from one of IGNITE’s partners this year, which is the Korean Tourism Organization (KTO). These Korean startups will also be featured on the same day in partnership with Y&Archer and KTO.

Another leap for this year’s IGNITE is the most extensive innovation-centric business matching and networking event called “Match,” launching on the Brella app. The participants can maximize their event experience with the AI-powered matchmaking app that brings the right people together. As the team magnifies the importance of creating new opportunities and building relationships with the right people, participants can create their presence by showcasing their startup during the “Match” Virtual Business booths.

This event is made possible with the never-ending support of our sponsors and community partners, together with our media partners Inquirer.net, InqPOP, Focus Media, Adobo Magazine, BusinessWorld, SparkUp by BusinessWorld, Wheninmanila.com, Startup Recipe, and Malaya Business Insight.

Start the fire with #IGNITECYBER2021 and join the innovation towards recovery and growth. Check out IGNITE PH’s website for more details and getting tickets at a special rate! Visit now at https://www.ignite.ph/.

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

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Get ready for the Philippine’s first-ever Virtual Sustainability Career Fair this March 2022

November 10, 2021 | 11:00 am

Metamorphosis Group with the support of Sustainable PH and the Society of Sustainability Practitioners is hosting the Philippines’ first ever Virtual Sustainability Career Fair called the Virtual Career Academy (VCA) Summit 2022!

The VCA Summit is a 5-day annual event meant to invite employers and job seekers to come together and share mutually-beneficial opportunities in the sustainability practice. The event offers activities such as industry career talks to engage audiences, employer-hosted workshops and panel discussions to help employers and job seekers get to know each other better, free resume and interview coaching opportunities for job seekers to prepare for their job applications, and a raffle to end each day of the week with a bang!

The first ever run last March 2021 on Digital Transformation had Microsoft Philippines and Go Philippines as the co-presenters and boasted an outcome of 17 industry speakers, 600+ participants, 115,000+ people reached, 15,000+ engagements, 17+ companies and employers, and 100+ job openings.

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“Congratulations on the success of VCA so far, MG! Can definitely see how much of an impact you’re making for job seekers. Looking forward to continuously fortifying our collaboration in years to come. Cheers!,” shares Georgia Martelino, Philanthropies lead of Microsoft Philippines.

“It was awesome working with Metamorphosis Group for the VCA Summit, I had the opportunity to speak to aspiring candidates who are eager and motivated to be the best of themselves, and through our virtual booth and resource speaking, I hope that they have also understood more about cultivating an entrepreneur mindset,” expresses Robin Oh, head of Training Operations of Reactor School Singapore.

“The event was just grand! It was well-planned and well thought of. It did not just touch points but rather discussed the whole concept of digitization in the eyes of different industries. As a speaker, I enjoyed how relatable the topic was and how engaged both the panel and the audience were. Metamorphosis Group packaged the event with timely relevant topics that may be intimidating for most but turned it into something that almost felt like talking to a friend. Kudos!,” says Anna Sasaki, account manager of NextPay Philippines.

This year, Metamorphosis Group is aiming for a bigger and better virtual career fair experience for everyone! The same activities will be expected, but a much more meaningful and wider impact is promised.

“We’ve already reached out to multiple schools and industry sectors across the Philippines,” explains Danica Octa, president and CEO of Metamorphosis Group. “We want employers to get access to these talents that they wouldn’t normally know how to reach, and these talents want to be in an event where they can easily speak to employers so they can position themselves as really great candidates. Believe me, this is an event that is worth the investment! And to think that this is going to promote sustainability in the Philippine job market! This is truly a great advocacy.”

“The need for a more sustainable world today cannot be understated,” explains Shawntel Nieto, president of the Society of Sustainability Practitioners or SSP. “With this comes the desire people have to build careers centered on what they believe in alongside the need for companies to become more sustainable — in practice, vision, and values. We believe we have a multitude of both in the Philippines and we are so excited to bridge the two through our upcoming career fair.”

Employers might ask, why join the VCA Summit?

To EDUCATE! Share industry knowledge and secrets that the talent market needs to hear. Be known as an organization that educates.
To INSPIRE! Give hope to the talent market by showing them the many opportunities they can get into whether in your organization or the next. Be known as an organization that inspires.
To ENGAGE! Build relationships with the talent market and show them that they can trust you and that they can collaborate with you in one way or another. Be known as an organization that engages.

The Virtual Career Academy Summit 2022 will be running from March 21-25, 2022. Interested employers can visit the website with more details at https://metamorphosis-group.co/vca-summit or inquire at partnerships@metamorphosis-group.co.

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

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