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VaxCertPH booth opens in Robinsons Malls

ROBINSONS MALLS are now hosting VaxCertPH booths, where overseas Filipino workers and Filipinos going abroad can secure their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination certificates.

The VaxCertPH booths are now open in Robinsons Place Imus, Cavite and in Forum Robinsons in Mandaluyong. The booths are located at the malls’ third level.

Robinsons Malls teamed up with the departments of Health, Interior and Local Government, and Information and Communications Technology to implement the VaxCertPH program.

The VaxCertPH platform serves as the country’s unified vaccine certificate system. The VaxCertPH is accepted in all countries.

Money service firms exempt from digitization requirement

MONEY SERVICE businesses that do not require their clients to open and maintain accounts with them will not be required to digitize their customer records, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said.

“It is hereby clarified that the guidelines on Digitization of Customer Records (DIGICUR) shall apply only to covered persons whose business involves customers who are able to open, keep, and maintain accounts, e-wallets, or other similar electronic products or services with them,” the AMLC said in an advisory on Monday.

Money service businesses include those engaging in remittances, cash transfers, and foreign exchange dealership.

“The DIGICUR does not apply to money service businesses as they generally do not maintain accounts or electronic wallets for their customers, thereby rendering inexistent the danger sought to be prevented by the DIGICUR, i.e., the immediate movement of funds from accounts subject of an investigation,” it said.

However, it said a money service business will need to comply with the DIGICUR if their business model includes these activities.

The AMLC said the DIGICUR is meant to keep the confidentiality of its investigations by preventing relaying information to customers that are under scrutiny.

It said the guidelines are also meant to hasten the retrieval of customer records of covered persons for prompt financial analysis, investigations, and legal actions by the AMLC.

Earlier this month, the AMLC extended the deadline for covered persons’ full compliance with the DIGICUR to September 2022. The deadline has been extended twice from the original April 2019.

AMLC Executive Director Mel Georgie B. Racela said they have heeded the call of various industry groups that requested for an extension due to their limited operations during the pandemic.

In the meantime, covered persons are expected to submit a quarterly report that will detail their progress in their digitizing customer records.

“While the extension [of the deadline] impairs the promptness of AMLC’s investigation, we cannot also be insensitive to the difficulties that this pandemic has brought to the operations of relevant covered persons, including banks,” Mr. Racela said in a Viber message. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Napocor launches carbon sequestration initiative

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE National Power Corp. (Napocor) has launched its “Energy Carbon Sequestration Initiative,” which encourages entities to help improve the nine watersheds it manages through reforestation activities.

In a briefing on Monday, Napocor Manager for Watershed Management Emmanuel A. Umali said the program promotes reforestation efforts across the watersheds, and can help firms with their carbon offsetting targets.

Areas covered under the carbon sequestration initiative are: the Upper Agno River watershed in Benguet and Ifugao; San Roque watershed in Pangasinan; Angat watershed in Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Bulacan and Rizal provinces; Caliraya Lumot watershed in Laguna; Makiling Banahaw watershed in Batangas, Laguna and Quezon provinces; Buhi-Barit watershed in Camarines Sur; Tiwi watershed in Camarines Sur and Albay; Agus River watershed in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte; and Pulangi watershed in Bukidnon. 

“We have about 56,000 hectares to be allocated to our partners,” Mr. Umali said.

He also encouraged members of the energy sector to join the new program.

At present, Napocor’s protection and reforestation projects are supported by the universal charge-environmental fund which stands at P0.0025 per kilowatt-hour. The charge is collected from electricity users every month.

“If we just rely on the funds coming from the universal charge, it will take us about maybe a thousand years before we can cover the entire 56,000 hectares,” Mr. Umali said.

Interested participants who wish to join the carbon sequestration initiative must be able to spend around P62,660 per hectare over the next three years, according to a sample costing provided by the government entity. More than half of the cost will go to maintenance and protection activities of the tree seedlings.

In July, the Department of Energy encouraged independent power producers to join Napocor’s carbon sequestration program through an advisory. — Angelica Y. Yang

Entertainment News (10/12/21)

CCP Arthouse Cinema marks Indigenous Month with free screenings

THE CCP Arthouse Cinema, a program by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Film, Broadcast and New Media Division, celebrates the Indigenous Peoples Month this October with free screenings of documentaries that uphold and demand the active inclusion, preservation, and respect for the Indigenous Peoples’ traditions, cultures, and rights. Featured films are Walai by director Adjani Arumpac and Kambalingan by director Terence Giourdan Gonzalves. The films are being screened for free until Oct. 15, at the CCP Vimeo Channel. The 60-minute Walai prods on the memories of four Muslim women who once lived in the infamous White House in Cotabato City. Meanwhile, Kambalingan is a short visual documentary on Marawi’s beauty before its destruction during the Marawi Siege, told through the recollections of Maranao refugees. To watch the films, go to vimeo.com/showcase/ccparthousecinema.

Essilor marks World Sight Day with concert

ESSILOR celebrates better vision with World Sight Day and their mission to help everyone in the world to “see more, be more and live life to its fullest” with a series of events. It will kick-off with the EssiLove Night, a digital concert featuring Ben&Ben to raise awareness about poor vision and the need for regular eye exam. The online concert treat will be aired live on Essilor’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/EssilorPhilippines) on Oct. 14, 7 p.m. Essilor also developed a Facebook profile banner that users can post along with their profile picture to raise awareness on better eye health. Viewers can get the chance to win giveaways from Essilor when they share a selfie while watching the EssiLove Night and post it using the hashtags #WorldSightDay and #EssilorwithBen&Ben or they can also opt to join the digital quiz, answering questions alongside the Ben&Ben performance. Essilor has also extended its Multi Pair promo where customers who buy one pair of prescription eyeglasses can purchase a second pair for 50% off until Dec. 31. They can visit and book an appointment online at partner optical shops at Essilor website www.essilor.com.ph.

Tale of the Nine Tailed on GMA Telebabad

SOUTH KOREAN drama series Tale of the Nine Tailed will begin airing on GMA Telebabad on Oct. 11, 9:35 p.m. The drama quickly gained a following in South Korea after its premiere in 2020, with its cast and plot which interweaves romance with Korean folk tales and horror elements. The series stars Lee Dong-wook, Jo Bo-ah, and Kim Bum, and follows a nine-tailed fox Leon, a mountain guardian spirit, who, after losing his mortal first love, gives up his position and spends centuries in human form in search of her reincarnation.

Netflix and Chills: Halloween Slate

NETFLIX is bringing equal parts chills and thrills this Halloween season with a slate of creepy movies for both adults and kids, and scary TV series throughout October.  Among the adult films that are now available are Nightbooks, about a boy and girls who are imprisoned by an evil witch in her contemporary New York City apartment; Intrusion, about the dangerous aftermath of a deadly break-in at a couple’s new dream home; No One Gets Out Alive, an immigrant’s nightmare starts when she takes a room in a boarding house; Escape The Undertaker, an interactive film featuring WWE Superstars where The Undertaker has set a trap for the decorated tag team The New Day at his haunted mansion; and, There’s Someone Inside Your House, where classmates are stalked by a killer intent on exposing their darkest secrets to the entire town. Available starting Oct. 13 is Fever Dream (Distancia de Rescate), a haunting story of broken souls, an invisible threat, and the power and desperation of family, based on the novel by Samanta Schweblin; on Oct. 15, The Trip (I onde dager), where a couple with murderous plans for each other head to a remote cabin, only to find themselves facing an even bigger threat. Available on Oct. 20 is Night Teeth, about two mysterious women out for a night of bloody party-hopping across LA; and on Oct. 27, Hypnotic, about a woman whose sessions under hypnosis have deadly consequences, and Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight Part 2, a continuation of the Polish slasher film, a perverse, ironic, grotesque and bloody story about looking for love and discovering one’s own self. For the kids there are: Scaredy Cats (now available), where a 12-year-old and her friends turn into cats to escape witches; A Tale Dark & Grimm (available Oct. 8), a take on Hansel and Gretel; and, Sharkdog’s Fintastic Halloween (available Oct. 15), in which Sharkdog must save trick-or-treating from a slimy sea monster. For those who want the scares to last longer than an hour or two, there are TV series like season 2 of Into the Night, the final season of Lucifer, the bloody K-thriller Squid Game, the miracles of Midnight Mass, and the murder mystery The Chestnut Man, all of which are currently available. Meanwhile, season 3 of You kicks off on Oct. 15, while season 2 of Locke & Key starts on Oct. 22.

PHL stars in AXN Asia’s My Hometown is G.O.A.T.

MANY travel plans have been put on hold, but audiences might be able to satisfy their wanderlust through AXN Asia’s newest original production. My Hometown is G.O.A.T. Made in collaboration with the Department of Tourism (DoT), the upcoming series will take viewers on a journey across the Philippines as it follows local celebrities who are on a mission to show exactly why each of their hometowns is the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.). The six-episode travel and lifestyle reality series will premiere regionally in Southeast Asia on Nov.  4, with episodes coming out on AXN Asia every Thursday and Friday at 8:30 p.m., and on the AXN Asia YouTube channel every following Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. The show will also be broadcast on AXN Taiwan and AXN Korea starting Nov. 8 and Nov. 13 respectively. In the show, three sets of celebrity adventurers, Miss World 2013 Megan Young along with her husband Mikael Daez, Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados, and basketball superstar Marc Pingris along with his Philippine Bikers Amazing “PBA” Moto Club crew JC Intal, Jayjay Helterbrand, and Rico Maierhofer, will share the reasons why each of their hometowns deserves to be added into the bucket list of any kind of traveler. They will also show audiences how to be safe and savvy when traveling in the Philippines in the new normal.

BLASTER joins Island Records PH, releases single

NEWCOMER BLASTER recently joined the roster of Island Records Philippines, a domestic label division under UMG Philippines. On the heels of the official signing, BLASTER (the lead guitarist and occasional vocalist of award-winning band IV of Spades) is releasing “Disko Forever” (Japanese version),” a retro-modern bop that blends the Manila Sound with bedroom electronica and avant-pop influences. Sung completely in Japanese, the new iteration serves as a warm-up track to the Tagalog version, which the young Filipino artist will be releasing soon. BLASTER’s “Disko Forever” is out now on all streaming platforms worldwide via Island Records Philippines and MCA Music, Inc.

Ultra Records marks 25th year with remix

MANCHESTER, UK-based duo Solardo (James Eliot and Mark Richards, aka MRK1) have been tapped by Ultra Records for their studio prowess to remix the track that started it all for the legendary label as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Released on Oct. 1 was Roger Sanchez’ “Release Yo’Self (Solardo Remix).” MK, David Guetta, Black Coffee, Nicole Moudaber and Carl Cox are just a few talents whose productions received early remixes from the duo. Solardo’s success didn’t go unnoticed and they signed to Ultra Music going on to release hits like “Be Somebody” (2018), “Move Your Body” (2019), “My Life” (2020), and arguably their most successful release to date, “XTC.” For a quarter of a century, Ultra Music has become one of the most respected electronic and dance music brands on the international scene. This year, Ultra Music celebrates its 25th anniversary with a commemorative remix package set for release Oct. 29 of which Solardo’s “Release Yo’Self” remix will be featured.

Zack Tabudlo’s releases new single   

RELEASED ahead of his debut album Episode, Zack Tabudlo’s new single, “Ba’t Ganto Ang Pag-ibig,” captures the conflicting emotions of love with earnest sentimentality. “You don’t know if you stand a chance [against] everyone else, but you genuinely just want the person to be happy,” Mr. Tabudlo said in a statement. “You will always be the one call away for that person no matter what.” “Ba’t Ganto Ang Pag-ibig” is out now on all streaming platforms (https://ZackTabudlo.lnk.to/BatGantoAngPagibig).

Timmy Albert releases new single

WHILE reminiscing about a bad break up, singer Timmy Albert wrote “TOTGA” which stands for “The One That Got Away.” The song describes the appreciation of the time and memories created between two lovers despite an abrupt ending. After almost a year following the release of his DISTANCED EP, Mr. Albert is back with “TOTGA.” “I’m really excited about what’s to come with Universal Records. I worked hard to get to this position and I’m ready to keep making music with all these talented people in the label,” Mr. Albert said in a statement. “TOTGA” is now streaming on iTunes, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube, and Spotify.

R&B artist Chlöe releases new single

AFTER gaining attention as part of a pop duo with her with sister Halle, R&B artist Chlöe proves that she’s ready to shine on her own with the release of her new single, “Have Mercy.” The song is the Grammy-nominated producer and singer-songwriter’s debut as a solo artist. Produced by Murda Beatz, Chlöe, Joseph L’étranger, FnZ, and BoogzDaBeast, the single debuted at No. 28 on US Billboard Hot 100. “Have Mercy” is available on all digital music platforms worldwide via Parkwood/Columbia/Sony Music.

Willis Towers Watson renews lease at W CityCenter

GLOBAL ADVISORY and brokerage firm Willis Towers Watson recently renewed the lease with W CityCenter in Bonifacio Global City.

Willis Towers Watson moved its main operations to W CityCenter when it expanded operations in the Philippines. The company now has over 1,400 employees for its business process outsourcing, brokering, and consultancy operations. 

“The pandemic has only furthered our efforts to maintain the safety and security of our tenants across all fronts. As we continue to strengthen our partnership with our clients, like Willis Towers Watson, we hope to also provide opportunities for growth and allow them to sustain operations efficiently in our properties,” W Group Chief Executive Officer Francis Wee said.

Net Foreign Direct Investment (July 2021)

FOREIGN DIRECT investments (FDIs) jumped to its highest level in 19 months in July when investors turned optimistic as the domestic and global economy appeared to have shown signs of recovery. Read the full story.

Net Foreign Direct Investment (July 2021)

How PSEi member stocks performed — October 11, 2021

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Monday, October 11, 2021.

Peso drops vs dollar as oil prices climb

BW FILE PHOTO
THE PESO weakened against the dollar on Monday as rising oil prices fueled inflation fears. — BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO weakened on Monday due to investor preference for the safe-haven dollar on inflation concerns as oil prices climbed further.

The local unit closed at P50.80 per dollar on Monday, depreciating by 22 centavos from its P50.58 finish on Friday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.

The peso opened Monday’s session at P50.55 per dollar, which was also its intraday best. Meanwhile, its weakest showing was its closing level of P50.80.

Dollars exchanged dropped to $784.55 million on Monday from $1.159 billion on Friday.

Inflation concerns due to the continued rise in international crude oil prices caused the peso to decline against the dollar, a trader said.

Oil prices climbed further on Monday due to low energy supply amid increasing economic activity, Reuters reported.

Brent crude rose $1.20 or 1.5% to $83.59 a barrel by 0656 GMT, extending last week’s 4% rally. Meanwhile, US oil inched up by $1.46 or 1.8% to $80.81 per barrel, the highest since late 2014.

The peso also weakened due to lower coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections in the country the previous days, which fueled hopes of a further reopening of the economy, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

Active COVID-19 cases rose by 8,292 on Monday to bring the total to 98,894, based on data from the Department of Health.

Mr. Ricafort expects the peso to move within P50.70 to P50.90 per dollar on Tuesday, while the trader gave a forecast range of P50.70 to P50.95. — LWTN with Reuters

PSEi surges to 7,100 level on improved sentiment

BW FILE PHOTO

THE main index surged to the 7,100 level on Monday on optimism about the economy’s prospects on the back of the improving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation in the country.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 217.15 points or 3.14% to close at 7,124.01 on Monday, while the broader all shares index climbed 85.38 points or 1.96% to 4,423.90.

This was the biggest one-day percentage increase since the 3.23% logged on June 2. It was also the PSEi’s highest close since the 7,140.29 recorded on Jan. 21, 2021.

Papa Securities Corp. Equities Strategist Manny P. Cruz said shares “leaped above the 7,100 level on renewed optimism in the economy.”

“Market sentiment was buoyed by news that NCR (National Capital Region) and nearby urban areas might become at low risk from the pandemic by the end of October amid decreasing infections,” Mr. Cruz said in a text message, adding that the market is anticipating eased quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila.

“The stabilizing supply of vaccines in the country, the continuous inoculation campaign, and the downtrend in cases, spark hopes that the local economy will be further reopened,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Senior Research and Engagement Supervisor Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said in a Viber message.

“Trading was strong… above the year-to-date average of P7.23 billion,” Mr. Tantiangco said.

Value turnover dipped to P11.76 billion with 2.44 billion shares switching hands on Monday, down from the P25 billion with 1.9 billion issues traded on Friday.

On Sunday, the Health department logged 12,159 new COVID-19 cases, bringing active infections to 90,927. The country’s positivity rate stood at 15.9%.

Fredegusto Guido P. David, a research fellow at the OCTA Research Group, told DZMM TeleRadyo they expect Metro Manila to be considered “low risk” for COVID-19 as the country logs lower cases.

The government is expected to announce new quarantine restrictions this week as the implementation of the Alert Level System in Metro Manila lapses on Friday, Oct. 15.

All sectoral indices posted gains on Monday. Property rose 167.65 points or 5.47% to finish at 3,229.50; financials went up by 65.98 points or 4.49% to 1,533.21; holding firms climbed 186.35 points or 2.74% to 6,986.53; mining and oil improved by 175.61 points or 1.80% to end at 9.902.01; industrials gained 183.64 points or 1.77% to 10,545.08; and services inched up by 2.93 points or 0.15% to close at 1,921.43.

Advancers outnumbered decliners, 122 against 60, as 58 names remained unchanged.

Foreigners turned sellers anew with P820.74 million logged in net outflows on Monday, swinging from the P1.47 billion seen in net purchases on Friday. Papa Securities’ Mr. Cruz said this includes the P769-million block sale of Wilcon Depot, Inc. stocks.

Wilcon joined the 30-member PSEi on Monday, replacing First Gen Corp. after the latter conducted a tender offer. — K.C.G. Valmonte

NTC urged to intervene amid delays in mobile portability

PIXABAY

THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) needs to step in and address the delays in implementing the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Act,  according to Infrawatch PH, a public-policy think tank.

It cited “process roadblocks” by some telecommunications companies and system glitches for the delay in rolling out number portability, which allows phone users to retail their phone numbers when switching providers.

“This is unacceptable because the government and the public have been expecting a seamless implementation of the MNP when it was officially launched at the end of September,” Infrawatch PH Convenor Terry L. Ridon said in a letter to the NTC dated Oct. 8. 

Infrawatch PH is requesting the regulator to initiate proceedings on the implementation of the MNP Act to address issues experienced by the public.

Infrawatch PH said telecommunications companies should not use system problems as an excuse for delaying the rollout, as these should have been fixed before the commercial launch.  

It said it is “a disservice to telco subscribers who expose themselves to coronavirus risks when they go to telco offices to port out of their existing mobile networks.” 

“Further, we are concerned that telcos are imposing internal process roadblocks to deter their existing subscribers from migrating to other telcos,” Mr. Ridon said.

Some companies were reported to be limiting the number of MNP appointments for clients and limiting the functionality of third-party services.

Infrawatch PH said it received a number of reports from Globe Telecom, Inc. subscribers who had trouble getting their MNP requests processed, while some who have successfully ported out of Globe “had been unable to use the full functionality of their virtual wallets such as topping-up their mobile load and receiving one-time PIN notifications.”

Infrawatch PH is also calling on the NTC to order telecommunications firms to “faithfully comply with the provisions” of the MNP, as well as impose fines should a company be found not complying with the act and its implementing rules.

“The NTC should nip these delays in the bud, which is why it should decisively act even no more than one week into the MNP’s full implementation. Because at the end of the day, the buck stops with the NTC if the MNP’s birth pangs remain unresolved for a longer period of time,” Mr. Ridon said. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Exporters told to make more use of EFTA privileges

EXPORTERS seeking to expand their markets need to take advantage of preferential access offered via the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), a bloc of four non-European Union states.  

“We have embarked not only an FTA, which is a good framework for business, but also on a long journey of developing trade relations,” EFTA Secretariat Trade Relations Division Director Krisztina Bende said at a recent webinar.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry, all industrial and fisheries tariff lines have duty-free market access to EFTA, while agricultural products such as frozen tuna, mackerel, canned pineapple, crude coconut oil, and fresh and dried bananas can benefit from significant tariff concessions.  

EFTA members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, and the FTA took effect in 2018.

EFTA Secretariat Senior Officer Ola Godø Andersen said around 13% of EFTA imports come from its FTA partners.

“While the current market share is small, the FTA sets a strong and rules-based framework to expand trade and investment relations and deepen the country’s foothold in Europe,” Mr. Andersen said.  

Imports from EFTA to the Philippines hit $300 million in 2019, while exports to EFTA amounted to $434 million in 2019 and $461 million in 2020.  

EFTA Secretariat Officer Bruno Hässig said Philippine imports to Switzerland have improved, exceeding $200 million in 2019.

“It has not decreased thanks to the FTA and hopefully will increase further. While Philippine exporters can benefit from reduced tariffs in textiles, clothing, and vehicles, the significant opportunity lies mainly in bringing agricultural products to Switzerland,” Mr. Hässig said.

“The tariff on average is about 45% — this is very dissuasive when you want to import. But when we negotiate FTAs, we do make important concessions, especially for what we do not produce, and here, tropical products, mainly many fruits and nuts that, for example, the Philippines exports a lot of,” he added.  

EFTA Secretariat Officer Inger Grengersen told exporters planning to ship to EFTA to ensure that their products or services are produced in accordance with government regulations on human rights, labor, and the environment.  

“The PH-EFTA FTA was also crafted to reaffirm the parties’ commitment to promoting trade and investment in a way that contributes to sustainable development,” Ms. Grengersen said.  — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave 

DoLE says employment program has put 780,000 to work

THE DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has generated more than half of its job generation goals under the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS).

“As of August 2021, we have already generated 780,111 jobs and most of these are under the construction sector, as reported by DPWH,” said Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay during a Monday finance hearing.

“The other jobs generated are more on public administration services and IT-related, like small enterprises upgrading programs,” he added.

The NERS program seeks to generate 1 million jobs from the private sector and 200,000 jobs from the government sector.

He noted that the 780,111 jobs were from both the public and private sectors. The public administration increase was for government intervention, while the information technology was for the new entrepreneurs under startup businesses.

The committee asked for a report of the breakdown of jobs generated, as well as its status, whether contractual or regular.

The NERS program started its operations in May, in an effort to precipitate the recovery of the labor market by creating a policy environment that encourages generation of and improved access to employment, livelihood, and training opportunities; improvement of employability, wellness, and productivity of workers; and provision of support to existing and emerging businesses.

The strategy will be implemented until 2022 in response to the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

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