Facebook seeks accreditation to recruit in PHL for Singapore IT jobs

September 5, 2022 | 7:15 pm

REUTERS

META Platforms, Inc.-controlled Facebook is seeking accreditation to recruit in the Philippines for Singapore-based jobs, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.

Facebook has “requested accreditation as an employer, which speaks a lot about the excellence of our Filipino IT professionals,” Migrant Workers Secretary Susan V. Ople said at a news conference in Indonesia on Sunday, according to a transcript released by the Palace.

She said Grab Holdings, Inc., which operates a ride-share platform in the region, is also “keen on hiring from us.”

Ms. Ople said Singapore’s Ministry of Health has made contact with the DMW “to explore ways of recruiting or hiring more of our health workers for employment in Singapore.”

“Hindi pa kasi sarado iyong talks and iyong pipirmahan namin na document (Talks have not concluded and no agreements have been signed),” she said of the potential government-to-government hiring arrangement.

There are about 200,000 migrant Filipino workers in Singapore, 84,000 of them domestic workers, and the rest professionals and skilled workers, according to Ms. Ople.

She said the preponderance of of highly-skilled workers vis-a-vis those in domestic employment is not typical of countries where Filipinos are employed.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. left the Philippines on Sunday for his inaugural state visit to Indonesia. He is expected to head to Singapore on Tuesday.

Singapore has become the Philippines’ top trading partner in the region and the top source of approved investment in 2021, Mr. Marcos said in a speech before his Sunday flight. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Zooming in on per diem, prohibited inurements

September 5, 2022 | 7:15 pm

Non-profit organizations play a vital role in building healthy communities by providing critical services that contribute to economic stability and mobility. They serve to supplement the programs offered by the government. They may be considered the heart of the community, working across multiple sectors to meet the vital needs and enhance the quality of life of the community. They have the unique ability to serve as a bridge in the community by leveraging resources and expertise to build collaborations between private and public entities, professionals, and volunteers working together towards the common good.

The government recognizes the importance of non-profit organizations. Hence, they are given income tax exemptions under Section 30 of the 1997 Tax Code, as amended. To avail of the tax exemption, however, certain requirements should be complied with. Among these requirements is the inurement prohibition.

Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 051-14 provides that for an entity to qualify as a non-stock and/or non-profit institution exempt from income tax under Section 30 of the 1997 Tax Code, as amended, its earnings or assets must not inure to the benefit of any of its trustees, organizers, officers, members or any specific person. The following are considered “inurements” of such nature:

•The payment of compensation, salaries, or honorarium to its trustees or organizers;

•The payment of exorbitant or unreasonable compensation to its employees;

•The provision of welfare aid and financial assistance to its members;

•Donation to any person or entity (except donations made to other entities formed for the purpose/purposes similar to its own);

•The purchase of goods or services for amounts in excess of the fair market value of such goods or value of such services from an entity in which one or more of its trustees, officers or fiduciaries has an interest; and

•When upon dissolution and satisfaction of all liabilities, its remaining assets are distributed to its trustees, organizers, officers, or members. Its assets must be dedicated to its exempt purpose.

The purpose of inurement prohibitions is to prevent those in control of the organization from siphoning off the assets of the exempt institutions.

Accordingly, in various rulings, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) denied the request for tax exemption of non-stock non-profit organizations as it deemed that such institutions’ earnings or assets inure to the benefit of their trustees, officers, or members. It was noted, however, that a significant number of requests for tax exemption were denied because the non-stock non-profit organizations’ Board of Trustees are entitled to receive per diem or honorarium. The BIR deemed that giving such per diem or honorarium is considered distribution of equity (including net income) and is a form of private inurement.

In connection with the foregoing, I encountered questions from companies and organizations on whether the mere act of giving per diem to BoT, regardless of the amount, is considered private inurement to warrant the disqualification for tax exemption. Should it be considered an inurement prohibited under Section 30 of the Tax Code, as amended, only if the amount is exorbitant or unreasonable? Note that per diem is normally given to somehow compensate the BoT in performing his duties and responsibilities, which will redound to the benefit and welfare of the organization.

These questions have finally been addressed by the Department of Finance (DoF) in DoF Opinion No. 011.2022. In the opinion, the DoF clarified that the inurement prohibition under Section 30 of the NIRC, as amended, was specifically incorporated as a tool to ascertain that non-stock non-profit organizations are not used as tax shelters through tax exemptions granted thereto or for their officers or organizers to gain or benefit from the income or assets of such organizations, which should appropriately be devoted to the furtherance of the purpose for which they were organized.

Accordingly, the giving of reasonable per diem is not automatically an inurement in violation of the provisions provided for by law. All relevant facts and surrounding circumstances should be taken into account before these can be considered prohibited inurements. Moreover, the DoF opines that the exigencies of the operations of non-profit organizations also require them to incur reasonable expenses. However, such per diem to be granted must cover legitimate expenses arising from the performance of duties that will lead to the organization achieving its purposes.

Hence, in the opinion, the DoF reversed BIR Ruling No. 466-2014 (S3OF-0181-2020), which found that the provision for reasonable per diems in the Articles of Incorporation of the organization is an outright violation of the inurement prohibitions.

We are hoping that the DoF opinion can provide some clarity on per diem granted to board members. Such a policy should not result in outright denial of tax exemptions to non-stock non-profit organizations, especially if such organizations are able to prove that such amounts are reasonable and cover legitimate expenses incurred in the performance of duties that will lead to the achievement of the organization’s purpose. It would be much appreciated by these organizations if the BIR would further provide guidelines in determining whether the per diem given or to be given to the board members constitutes prohibited inurements. Such clarity would allow these organizations to focus on what is most important to them, i.e., promoting the welfare of the communities they serve.

Let’s Talk Tax is a weekly newspaper column of P&A Grant Thornton that aims to keep the public informed of various developments in taxation. This article is not intended to be a substitute for competent professional advice.

Edward L. Roguel is a partner of Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

NCAA Season 98 kicks off on Saturday at the Big Dome

September 5, 2022 | 6:01 pm

Games Saturday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
3:30 p.m. — EAC vs AU
6 p.m. — Mapua vs San Beda

LETRAN’S bid for a historic second NCAA basketball title in one year suffered an early blow as four of its players recently tested positive for COVID-19 that forced the whole team to go into isolation and the league to realign its Season 98 opening schedule.

Instead of the traditional opener that would have pitted the defending champion Letran against host Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), the latter has set the latter against Arellano University (AU) at 3:30 p.m. and San Beda with last year’s runner-up Mapua at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Letran will get to debut this season on Sept. 14 against Jose Rizal U at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

After sweeping their way to a second straight title last May, the Knights were being hailed as the heavy favorites to claim a three-peat feat and a second crown in the same year — a first in league history — as they would bring in an intact crew.

Renz Abando, the reigning Rookie MVP winner, however, decided to leave for greener pasture that left the defending champion, which already lost last season’s skipper Jeo Ambohot to the pros, a massive void to fill.

But after an unimpressive Abando-less pre-season and its recent COVID-19 quandary, Letran may face rough sailing.

League president Dr. Jose Paulo Campos of Season 98 host EAC said they will not be slowed down by the devastating effects of the pandemic and will continue plod on with its goal of living up to its season theme “Achieve Greatness Everyday.”

“For the past two seasons, we have seen the resilience of our member school communities and student athletes,” said Mr. Campos during yesterday’s briefer hosted by league television partner GMA 7 at the Novotel in Cubao, Quezon City.

“We continue to inspire everyone to do their best in everything they do, every day and we are honored and grateful that our new home, GMA Network through GMA Synergy, is with us every step of the way,” he added.

Apart from senior basketball, the country’s oldest collegiate league will have men and women volleyball, cheerleading, swimming, track and field, juniors’ basketball, beach volley, taekwondo, chess and All-Star basketball and volley games.

GMA will televise all games in basketball, which reverted to a double-round robin format from a single-round format in the pandemic-shortened Season 97 last May.

On Sunday, it be University of Perpetual Help and JRU tackling each other at 12 p.m. and College of St. Benilde and Lyceum of the Philippines U at 3 p.m. — Joey Villar

Ramirez formally turns over PSC flag to successor Eala

September 5, 2022 | 6:00 pm

PSC-turnover — PSC turnover ceremony where Eala received the PSC flag from Ramirez — PSC

THE PHILIPPINE Sports Commission’s (PSC’s) leadership was officially turned over to newly-appointed PSC Chairman Jose Emmanuel “Noli” Eala today, Sept. 5, 2022 at the PSC Main Grounds in Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Malate, Manila.

Former PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez formally turned over the PSC flag to chairman Eala to symbolize the passing on of leadership in simple rites that was conducted right after the agency’s flag-raising ceremony which was also attended by Commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo, members of the Management Committee, PSC heads, employees and staff.

Mr. Eala will serve as the 11^thchairman of the government sports agency since its inception in 1990.

During the turnover ceremony today, the following were among the strong points mentioned by the agency’s top sports officials:

“I wish to thank chairman Butch [Ramirez] for coming over today. He is someone I always believed to display the leadership of a true public servant. Quiet yet firm and dedicated. He just told me that he was there to help us. And what he has done for this commission will forever be remembered. Maraming Salamat po chairman Butch.”

“I wish to thank Commissioner Bong Coo for taking charge of the agency for the past few months. Without you, I’m sure it would have been harder for us. I also wish to thank Atty. Iroy for his invaluable help.”

“Four years of working, two years disturbed by the pandemic. It was a meaningful journey. Mr. Noli Eala needs our help, our support. For, if he succeeds, Philippine Sports Commission will succeed, and Philippine sports will succeed.

Among the immediate plans of Chairman Eala are:

• Complete the board membership

• Ensure that we are able to complete the mandate of the PSC

• Ensure that all national athletes are getting prepared for 2023 competitions

• Continue grassroots programs that will be extensive in partnership with various agencies

• Give the national athletes their benefits, to care for the athletes and to make sure that they will be provided with everything that they need so they can be successful

• Select the best parts of Project Gintong Alay and make sure that it is modernized to the current situation

• Ensure equality in support to regular athletes and para-athletes.

Yeng Guiao to develop Rain or Shine youth-laden core into playoff-ready unit

September 5, 2022 | 6:00 pm

AFTER turning former team NLEX into a playoffs contender, coach Yeng Guiao’s next job puts him in charge of building up Rain or Shine’s (ROS) youth-laden core.

Mr. Guiao made his way back to his old team ROS just three days after parting ways with the Road Warriors.

He signed a three-year contract in the presence of team owners Terry Que and Raymund Yu yesterday, signaling his second tour of duty for the franchise he first served from 2011 to 2016 and steered to the 2012 Governors Cup and the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup championships.

At the ROS camp, Mr. Guiao is tasked to help the E-Painters’ young guns like Rey Nambatac, Anton Asistio, Mike Nieto, Gian Mamuyac, Shaun Ildefonso, Andrei Caracut and Santi Santillan grow and develop into a playoffs-ready unit after the group missed the post-elims stages of the last two conferences.

The seven-time champion coach will get help from veterans Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga and Jewel Ponferada, the remaining holdovers from his old ROS crew, in doing this.

Mr. Guiao’s re-entry created a shakeup in the ROS think tank with erstwhile head of basketball operations Caloy Garcia set to serve as first assistant and former head coach Chris Gavina sliding to second assistant.

“Yeng (Guiao) is happy to be back and we’re happier to have him back,” said Mr. Yu, who initiated a blitz negotiation with Mr. Guiao over the weekend.

Mr. Guiao is expected to hit the ground running for ROS with the Commissioner’s Cup firing off on Sept. 21. The E-Painters will be reinforced by 6-foot-10 American-Nigerian Daniel Ochefu. — Olmin Leyba

‘TNT battled through pain, injuries and lack of key players,’ says Jayson Castro

September 5, 2022 | 5:59 pm

jayson-castro1 — PHILIPPINE STAR/ RUSSEL PALMA

TROPANG Giga’s Jayson Castro — PHILIPPINE STAR/ RUSSEL PALMA

TNT veteran Jayson Castro is optimistic the banged-up Tropang Giga will come out of their failed title defense in the PBA Philippine Cup a lot wiser and hungrier moving forward.

The Tropang Giga bravely battled through pain, injuries or banishment of key players and the absence of coach Chot Reyes but ultimately faded in the final push against the San Miguel Beer juggernaut, 119-97.

“The Blur” said he couldn’t ask for more from his teammates, who soldiered on despite missing Reyes (health protocols), Glenn Khobuntin (MCL) and later Poy Erram (ejected in the second quarter) and even had the upperhand after three quarters, 89-84.

Assistant coach Josh Reyes, who stood in for his boss and father, expressed a similar sentiment.

“We’re missing bodies, we’re missing rotation players that we’re not expecting to be missing. But I thought the guys played their hearts out. Now there’s nothing to do but get ready for the next conference. Hopefully, we’ll get another shot at it,” said the younger Mr. Reyes.

Mr. Castro himself was not 100 percent coming off a right ankle sprain sustained in Game 6 but still produced 32 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the decider. He dropped 19 in the third, allowing the Tropang Giga to wipe out an 11-point deficit and enter the payoff canto on top by five. — Olmin Leyba

AE Bob chess team rules Senator Manny Pacquiao Tuna Festival Chess tournament in General Santos

September 5, 2022 | 5:57 pm

AE Bob chess team routed Philippine Army, 3-0, and then edged Iligan City via tiebreak to rule the Sen. Manny Pacquiao Tuna Festival Chess team tournament in General Santos over the weekend.

Bob Jones Liwagon spearheaded the title-clinching triumph by stunning national champion and blitz king International Master Daniel Quizon on top board in snatching the champion’s purse worth a cool P200,000.

Also providing the crucial wins were Samson Lim, Jr. and Vince Duane Pascual, who turned back Vince Angelo Medina and Wenlan Temple on the lower boards, respectively.

Iligan caught up with Army on top with 12 match points apiece after edging GM Balinas squad, 2-1, on a win by Cecil Cuevas over Drigo Teves on board two and draws by IM Ronald Bancod and Julius Ablin with GM Joey Antonio and Michael Jan Inigo on boards one and three. They pocket P100,000 for their feat.

Finishing fourth and fifth with 10 match points each were Tiktokers composed of FIDE Master Arden Reyes and his younger brother Chester Neil and Rhenz Rheann Auza and Bukidnon comprising of Jeriel Manlimbana, Randolph Christopher Daluata and Bryan Jose.

Rounding out the top 10 were University of Santo Tomas, Ligon All Stars, GM Balinas, Negros B, MP Team and Army. — Joey Villar

Kyrgios stuns Medvedev to reach US Open quarters

September 5, 2022 | 5:56 pm

NEW YORK — Nick Kyrgios crushed world number one Daniil Medvedev’s dreams of a title defense at the US Open on Sunday with a 7-6(11) 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory to reach the quarter-finals and ensure there will be a new top ranked player when the tournament concludes.

In a meeting worthy of a Broadway show between two of the game’s biggest servers and most combustible personalities, it was the fiery Australian who was the better in the match’s biggest moments, showing off a renewed focus and fitness.

“It was an amazing match,” Kyrgios said in an on-court interview before a sold-out crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Daniil is the defending champion so there’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but I played really well. I’ve been playing amazing the last couple months and what a place to do it, packed house in New York”.

Kyrgios delights in shunning the norms of tennis and did so again in a bizarre moment early in the third set when he ran around the net to hit a ball that Medvedev had sent high in the air, leading Kyrgios to celebrate.

The play cost Kyrgios the point but seemingly raised his spirits as he would break for 3-1 and take the set with one of his perfectly executed drop shot.

“I would have probably been out every night before but now I’ve got a great girlfriend. She helps me, and my team.”

The 23^rd-seeded Kyrgios will be a heavy favorite to beat 27^th seed Karen Khachanov when they meet on Tuesday. — Reuters

Gauff races into US Open quarters with win over Zhang

September 5, 2022 | 5:56 pm

NEW YORK — American teenager Coco Gauff used her superior speed to overcome a second set deficit and pull off a thrilling 7-5 7-5 win over China’s Zhang Shuai to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open for the first time.

With Serena Williams’ loss on Friday night likely signaling the end of her legendary career, American tennis fans are eager to see someone emerge in her place and many have put their hopes on the amiable, hard-serving Gauff.

“It feels insane,” Gauff said in an on-court interview after sealing the win to set up a showdown with in-form Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia on Tuesday.

“I mean, Ashe Stadium chanting my name, I was trying not to smile on the bench on the last changeover, I was trying to stay in the moment. But in my head I was smiling.

“I can’t believe you guys were chanting like that. It’s crazy.”

In a battle between the youngest player left in the draw, the 18-year-old Gauff, and the oldest, the 33-year-old Zhang, it was the Chinese player who looked sharper at the outset, breaking for a 2-0 lead in the first set.

But 12th seed Gauff kept her poise to break back and fired a two-handed backhand winner to claim the first set and electrify the supportive crowd.

Zhang, a human backboard content to extend rallies from the baseline, grabbed a 5-3 lead in the second when she broke Gauff with a backhand winner of her own.

But Gauff again showed maturity beyond her years, winning the last four games highlighted by an electrifying point in the final game where she used her astonishing speed to slide from corner to corner to elicit an error from Zhang.

The crowd roared in approval after the point and Zhang covered her ears to block out the sound, which was amplified by the closed roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium due to rain.

Gauff sealed the nearly two-hour affair on an error by Zhang and the two exchanged a warm hug at the net.

With the win, Gauff became the youngest US Open quarter-finalist since Melanie Oudin in 2009.

She can expect her fans to return when she battles red-hot 17th-seed Garcia in the quarters after she defeated Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-4, 6-1. — Reuters

Thriving in a world of in-betweens

September 5, 2022 | 5:47 pm

The pandemic continues to place the world in a constant see-saw with the global numbers going up and down. It may be too early to call it, but we are breathing a little easier because the swings have been manageable (so far) and the periods when they happen are getting a little longer too. The vaccinations helped a lot and hopefully, the proof of life is already convincing enough for the remaining pockets of unbelievers to brave the needlestick and opt for the health safety net.

Humans seem to have an unending well of hope that springs even in the direst circumstances. We are more than ready to live again, prepared to cope with the risks that may still be present in the air because the alternative of a world paralyzed with fear is no longer an option. There is growing certainty that the likelihood of achieving the goal of zero transmission is no longer possible, even with stringent measures. COVID-19 will co-habit our world and we will just have to learn how to adapt to this endemic state.

The process of adaptation will be a series of actions to bring us from shaky to stable condition. We are in that place of uncertainties coming to terms with living in a different environment, deciding which old we can bring to merge with the new, and how we can fuse them to create our realities. In this transition, we will see new patterns of behaviors emerging, new processes developing, and new roles evolving.

This period will be a metamorphosis of sort, where changes that are introduced can help us build a stronger, more resilient, and better version of what used to be. History chronicled the numerous turbulences experienced by those who came before us where the human spirit rose and overcame. This experience in our generation should again display this resilience as we turn our attention to the huge task of rebuilding our world.

Business will play a significant role in navigating our own transition in this generation. We have a gut feeling that the definition of what constitutes progress and development will radically change but right now, we are living in the world of in-betweens. That means we connect the metrics we know while we collectively figure out what comes next. The big challenge for business organizations is managing these interim phases so that every aspect of the operation is ready for the changes, both in strategies and structures. The goal is to strengthen the fundamentals to survive and be ready to thrive way into a changed future. Some thoughts:

• Keep a close watch on the external developments and trends to identify opportunities, and audit the readiness of the enterprise to be a player in these arenas.

• Determine the structural changes, processes, and practices that may need to be introduced, enhanced, and updated.

• Get people to expect changes as an offshoot of new realities, to learn together and to work as a team to weather the unstable period.

• Prepare the workforce to reskill, upskill, and retool their capabilities for the changing demands of their jobs, or to take on new roles that may be created.

• Embed innovation and creativity into the organizational DNA to stay ahead.

• Lessen complexity and keep things simple — steering the organization can be done faster if we do not put this in an unnecessary maze.

There is a Latin phrase — duc in omnia — that means “to lead in all things.” It is a tall order because leaders, just like anyone else, can make many bad decisions. Learning continuously, being data-driven, and, mostly, by listening to as many inputs as possible with an open mind are some steps we can take to minimize them. When the window of awareness is broadened, when we process information and feedback and verify them, we improve the chances of finding the best solutions under various conditions.

Kafka on the Shore, one of the most renowned works of Japanese author Haruki Murakami, narrated the stories of Kafka and Nakata, the two lead characters that appeared to represent the two worlds of the conscious and the unconscious. The story implied that most people inhabit these two worlds, interchangeably, living in the borderline. The famous passage in the book is a good description of our pandemic experience:

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”

The crisis disrupted our lives, but from this disruption might arise clarity of thoughts to pave the way to do better. Ground zero is the best time to rise again. This is a chance to dismantle the barriers that hamper our shared purpose of living in a more just and humane society. We are in fertile ground to take risks, introduce innovations, support these with investments, and leave a legacy. The times call for leaders to rise to this challenge and be part of a better narrative for generation next. n

The 20^th MAP International CEO Conference happens on Sept. 13, Tuesday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Shangri-La at The Fort. This is presented by the Management Association of the Philippines in partnership with BusinessWorld, Converge ICT and First Philippine Holdings. We invite you to explore possibilities and identify new opportunities using the ideas and insights that will be shared by thought leaders from diverse backgrounds. We hope the “what ifs” will pave the way for innovations that can be part of the solutions moving forward. THE WINS OF CHANGE: Thriving in a World of In-Betweens.

Alma Rita R. Jimenez is chair of the MAP CEO Conference Committee, vice-chair of the MAP Health Committee, president and CEO of Health Solutions Corp., and former undersecretary of the Department of Tourism.

map@map.org.ph

alma.almadrj@gmail.com

Green skepticism: The bane of sustainable fashion?

September 5, 2022 | 5:47 pm

Eco-friendly. Green. Sustainable. You have probably seen these words, or their synonyms, used to market and promote many consumer products that you use daily. We have even seen them in the marketing campaigns of several well-known fashion brands such as Bayo, H&M, and Nike, as well as new and up-and-coming fashion labels.

Bayo’s #JourneytoZero discloses the company’s textile waste reduction efforts (https://bayo.com.ph/sustainability/). H&M has a Conscious Choice collection, which supposedly contains at least 50% of the more environmentally friendly materials (https://www2.hm.com/en_us/sustainability-at-hm/our-products/explained.html). Nike’s Move to Zero initiative includes its Recycling + Donation program, which encourages customers to drop off used athletic apparel and shoes at participating branches. Nike then sorts these items and either cleans and donates them, or sends them out to be recycled (https://www.nike.com/nl/en/sustainability/recycling-donation).

Perhaps, like me, you also have mixed emotions about these campaigns. On one hand, we applaud companies that take responsibility for their environmental impact. But on the other hand, we wonder how much impact these efforts really have on the planet. These sentiments constitute green skepticism — a person’s hesitance to believe in the environmental benefits of products labeled as eco-friendly or green.

Any skepticism is usually associated with a decrease in a consumer’s interest to purchase a product. As a sustainable fashion enthusiast, I was curious to know if this green skepticism prevents consumers from supporting sustainable fashion. So, I did what any nerdy aspiring researcher would do: look through the literature and do my own survey to better understand which factors lead to consumer skepticism towards sustainable fashion, and whether green skepticism negatively affects the intention to purchase sustainable fashion apparel. I created my survey on Google forms and requested several business ethics professors to share it with the post-millennial (Gen-Z) undergraduate students taking their ethics class. Here are the insights that I have gleaned from the over 300 responses I received, which sustainable fashion brands may also find helpful.

Previous incidents of greenwashing increase green skepticism. Greenwashing is defined by TerraChoice as “the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental performance and positive communication about environmental performance.” Consumers, particularly post-millennials in the Philippines, tend to be more doubtful of a fashion brand that has been previously criticized for deceptive or ambiguous marketing campaigns about its environmental and sustainability practices.

Perceptions that sustainability claims are self-serving increase green skepticism. According to a 2015 article published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management on the consequences of greenwashing, consumers tend to believe that company’s sustainability claims and campaigns are motivated by selfish intentions of corporate profits rather than genuine concern for the environment. In my own study, I have also found that post-millennial consumers who tend to believe that companies have self-serving motives are also more skeptical about these companies’ sustainability campaigns.

However, green skepticism does not deter purchase intention. Perhaps the most interesting finding in my own research is that green skepticism does not necessarily affect purchase intention negatively. The numbers showed a positive relationship between the two, i.e., a consumer with a high level of green skepticism is still interested in purchasing sustainable fashion apparel. According to a 2017 article published in the Journal of Business Ethics on the causes and consequences of green skepticism, this is because green skepticism may in fact prompt consumers to seek more information about the sustainability claims of a brand, which may in turn lead to purchase intentions.

How then should green skepticism be viewed? What I took away from my readings and my own study is that green skepticism is not necessarily a bad thing. It may even be the stimulus to get consumers to learn more about sustainable fashion. Thus, green skepticism may pique consumer interest, but sustainable fashion companies should allay any distrust in their claims. Sustainable fashion companies must be mindful of how they craft and disseminate their sustainability efforts and claims. Their messages must be clear and transparent to dispel any doubt that they might only be masking self-serving intentions.

Liza Mae L. Fumar is a PhD in Business student of De La Salle University, where she also teaches Human Behavior in Organizations and Corporate Social Responsibility and Governance. Her research interests include consumer behavior and green consumption.

liza.fumar@dlsu.edu.ph

Build-build-build, extended welfare, vaccine discrimination, and liberty forum

September 5, 2022 | 5:46 pm

There are as usual four topics in this column and we go straight to them.

ASSESSMENT OF DUTERTE’S BUILD-BUILD-BUILD
Dr. Epictetus E. Patalinghug, Professor Emeritus of UP Diliman (and my former undergrad Economics teacher in the 1980s), wrote a good paper: “An Assessment of the Infrastructure Program of the Duterte Administration” (funded by the UP Professor Emeritus Research Program, published August 2022).

The paper assesses the end-of-term performance (2016-2022) of the previous Administration’s Build, Build, Build (BBB) Program. It observed that the scope of BBB changed from 75 big-ticket projects to 112 less ambitious and more doable projects. The huge gap between the actual and targeted infrastructure expenditures in the early years of the program was a manifestation of the weak absorptive capacity of the implementing agencies.

Among the 15 railway projects examined by the study, only two were completed, and among the 10 unsolicited airport public-private partnership (PPP) projects, none was completed. While Duterte’s BBB saw an all-time high in infrastructure spending vis-à-vis previous administrations, still its performance was low compared to its targets.

The Marcos Jr. administration should go back to the conventional PPP scheme in building huge infrastructure. The private sector bears most, if not all, of the financial and technical aspects while government arranges right of way and other property rights related issues.

ENDLESS WELFARE SPENDING CONTRIBUTES TO ENDLESS BORROWING
The heavy government-imposed lockdowns of 2020-2021 resulted in the large-scale displacement of labor and businesses. Government borrowed heavily, averaging P2 trillion a year, to fund new welfare programs on top of existing ones. We look at health welfare and social protection. Health insurance (via PhilHealth) continues to rise while public health services jumped big time in 2020-2021, and there is a new health program not elsewhere classified (n.e.c.) of P180 billion next year.

Social protection spending more than doubled in 2020 over the 2019 level, led by spending on survivors, street families, and protection n.e.c. The problem is that lockdowns have ended this year and yet the huge social spending continues in 2022-2023 (see Table 2).

“We should measure welfare’s success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added… No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear.” — Ronald Reagan, former US President

May President Marcos Jr. and the economic team heed this advice from Mr. Reagan.

CONTINUING COVID VAX DISCRIMINATION
An unvaccinated Grade 11 student in one private school in Metro Manila was prohibited from attending classes for two weeks because one member of her choir group, who was vaccinated, tested positive. The school’s protocol for “Quarantine of asymptomatic close contacts of individuals with symptoms, suspect, probable, or confirmed cases: (a) Fully vaccinated asymptomatic shall quarantine for at least five days, (b) Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated asymptomatic shall quarantine for at least 14 days, from the date of the last exposure.”

This continuing vaccine discrimination by schools and offices is instigated by old, alarmist, scare-mongering, and heavy vax-pushing policies of the Department of Health (DoH) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). A vaxxed student tested positive and the unvaxxed one who is not sick is penalized. This is typical of a riddle with an obvious answer, “What product on earth blames its failure to protect on those who do not use it?”

The parents are hesitant to have their child vaccinated for at least two reasons. One, a trend of declining births and fertility in many countries especially in 2022 after the mass vaccination rollout in 2021. In the Philippines for instance, the average births per month were: 139,494 in 2019, 127,390 in 2020, 113,728 in 2021, and 93,430 in January-February 2022.

Birth rates in Q1 2022 vs. Q1 2021 were as follows: Taiwan -27%, Germany -12%, Netherlands, Estonia, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic -11%, Finland and Greece -10% (see https://petersweden.substack.com/p/birthrates-down).

Two, rising cases of heart- and thrombotic-related diseases post vaccination. There is one compilation that is regularly updated of about 1,000 studies and reports. For 1.) Myocarditis 226 studies, 2.) Thrombosis 150 studies, 3.) Thrombocytopenia 115 studies, and so on (see https://www.informedchoiceaustralia.com/post/1000-peer-reviewed-studies-questioning-covid-19-vaccine-safety).

These plus continuing reports of unexplained child deaths post vaccination should shake the DoH, the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., and Vice-President Sara Duterte, to stop the continuing vaccine discrimination, explicit and implicit.

Back to the school and the student. The school officials explained that they have to follow existing DoH and IATF protocols. They bent backwards and will provide one-on-one make up classes for the unvaxxed student who has been prevented from going to school even if she has zero symptoms, and was not sick the entire year. Good move by the school but continuing bad policies by the government.

ASIA LIBERTY FORUM, TAXPAYERS FORUM, ILLICIT TRADE FORUM
There are three international fora in Manila that I will attend: the Asia Liberty Forum (ALF) on Sept. 29-30 at Shangri-La BGC, sponsored by the Atlas Network and its local partner Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF); the Asian Taxpayers Regional Forum on Sept. 27-28, also at Shangri-La BGC, sponsored by the World Taxpayers Association (WTA); and, the Global Anti-Illicit Trade Summit, South-East Asia on Oct. 13, organized by The Economist.

The ALF is an annual event sponsored by Atlas that started around 2013 in Delhi. I attended only the ALF 2015 in Kathmandu, Nepal; ALF 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; ALF 2017 in Mumbai, India; ALF 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia; and ALF 2019 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) sponsored all my participation in those events except in 2015, when Media 9 and Business 360 magazine (Kathmandu) sponsored me. Thanks again, FNF and Media 9. The last time that Atlas sponsored me was for the Atlas Liberty Forum 2008 in Atlanta, and 2009 in Los Angeles, USA, when Jo Kwong was still the Atlas Vice-President and she would look for funding so I could fly and attend the events. After Jo left Atlas in 2010, there was no sponsorship for me from their organization.

WTA’s main advocacies are low flat tax and limited government. I have been an observer-ally of WTA since 2006 when it co-organized with the Korea Taxpayers Association (KTA) the regional meeting in Seoul, South Korea and they sponsored my trip. I attended other WTA regional meetings after that and my last participation were the meetings in Bangkok in 2017 and in Sydney in 2019.

This will be my first time attending the Anti-Illicit Trade conference. More illicit trade means a country is becoming more corrupt because the smugglers, criminal groups, and their protectors in government are having their way. Weak rule of law, high taxes, and weakening brand protection are among the major contributors to more illicit trade. In October 2019, I wrote a chapter in the International Property Rights Index (IPRI) 2019 entitled “Banning brand: Consumer and economic impact of plain packaging.” I presented it at the IPRI 2019 global launch in Manila, then in IPRI presentations in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Jakarta, all in one week.

The global lockdowns of 2020-2021 were a triumph of Big Governments and a retreat for individual freedom. The irony is that many free-market groups have supported the global narratives that: 1.) Government-imposed lockdowns and government-mandated vaccinations are necessary; 2.) Only the virus evolves and humans do not evolve to deal with it; and, 3.) natural immunity from natural infection should be distrusted and only vax immunity should be trusted.

May the liberty forum and taxpayers’ forum awaken many people from a long slumber to realize that individual freedom should not be sacrificed on the altar of global advances of Big Government.

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Minimal Government Thinkers.

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

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