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HR departments lag in use of digital documents, says study

UNSPLASH

Human resources (HR) teams are falling behind when it comes to digitizing documents and using e-signatures, according to a July 2021 Asia Pacific (APAC) study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Adobe, a software company that provides PDF (portable document format) solutions, among other things. 

“The recruitment and onboarding processes are highly digitized… but when it comes to daily tasks, digitization drops off,” said Sam Higgins, principal analyst of Forrester, in a July 8 webinar discussing the results of the study. Aside from impeding employee experience, paper-based document processes also impede business agility.  

As of 2021, 12% of APAC companies have fully digitized their document processes, up from 2% in 2020. 

According to the Forrester study, 64% of APAC sales professionals face inefficiencies from having to manually add information to documents that already exist in their systems, with 58% having to regularly rework these documents due to errors from manually transferring data. 

Organizations should adopt a “journey mindset” when digitizing document processes, said Mr. Higgins, referring to digitization throughout business systems instead of focusing on individual points of interaction. 

The study found that organizations that adopt this mindset and integrate digital document capabilities have a sales contract signing periods of up to 2.4 times faster. One in four also reported an increase in customer satisfaction from using digital document solutions. 

The study also found that digitization accelerated the realization of work-from-anywhere, with 51% of APAC organizations finding that digitizing documents improved collaboration in a hybrid working environment. Thirty-two percent also said it increased the employee engagement rate. 

“Automation frees people up [and] bumps up employee engagement, said Mr. Higgins. 

In the Philippines, the use of digital technologies is constrained by the country’s low high-speed broadband penetration. A September 2020 report by the World Bank noted that nearly 60% of households do not have access to the Internet, and are thus unable to reap the benefits of digitization.  

NO PRINTING NEEDED 

MTR Corporate Limited, Hong Kong’s mass transit railway operator since 1979, adopted a digital document solution this February. For recruitment purposes, its HR department uses Adobe Document Cloud (Adobe DC), which integrates PDF technology (Adobe Acrobat) and a signature solution (Adobe e-Sign). 

Among the solution’s key benefits, said Dr. Ted Suen, MTR’s chief information officer, are the management of multiple candidates through online appointments, and signed approvals that are returned within hours. The solution was also aligned with green initiatives as no printing is involved.  

“A lesson we learned is that you have to work with your legal adviser on what types of documents can be used for e-signatures,” added Dr. Suen. “You also have to enable a flexible recruitment process in applicable scenarios [that call for] a mix of e-signed and signed documents.”  

MTR also plans to digitize its tendering process, as well as the acceptance process of construction work. 

 To start the digital document process, Mr. Higgins suggested looking in high volume areas first. “Recruitment, HR, or sales, these are what people tackle first,” he said. “Anywhere you can improve customer and employee experience.” 

Forrester conducted an online survey in May 2021 with 600 APAC business decision-makers in human resources, sales, and legal departments with responsibility for digital document processing at their organization. — Patricia B. Mirasol 

Pfizer to seek US authorization for COVID booster shot as Delta variant spreads

Image via US Secretary of Defense/CC BY 2.0/Wikimedia Commons

Pfizer Inc. plans to ask US regulators to authorize a booster dose of its coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine within the next month, the drugmaker’s top scientist said on Thursday, based on evidence of greater risk of reinfection six months after inoculation and the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. 

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, however, in a joint statement that Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster COVID-19 shot at this time. 

Some scientists have also questioned the need for booster shots. 

Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, Mikael Dolsten, said the recently reported dip in the vaccine’s effectiveness in Israel was mostly due to infections in people who had been vaccinated in January or February. The country’s health ministry said vaccine effectiveness in preventing both infection and symptomatic disease fell to 64% in June. 

“The Pfizer vaccine is highly active against the Delta variant,” Mr. Dolsten said in an interview. But after six months, he said, “there likely is the risk of reinfection as antibodies, as predicted, wane.” 

Pfizer did not release the full set of Israeli data on Thursday, but said it would be published soon. 

“It’s a small data set, but I think the trend is accurate: Six months out, given that Delta is the most contagious variant we have seen, it can cause infections and mild disease,” Mr. Dolsten said. 

 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in their joint statement, said: “We are prepared for booster doses if and when the science demonstrates that they are needed.” 

Pfizer’s own data from the United States showed an erosion of the vaccine’s efficacy to the mid-80s after six months, Mr. Dolsten said, against the variants circulating there in the spring. 

He stressed that data from Israel and Britain suggests that even with waning antibody levels, the vaccine remains around 95% effective against severe disease. 

The vaccine, developed with German partner BioNTech SE , showed 95% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in a clinical trial the companies ran last year. 

Mr. Dolsten said early data from the company’s own studies shows that a third booster dose generates antibody levels that are five-to-10-fold higher than after the second dose, suggesting that a third dose will offer promising protection. 

He said multiple countries in Europe and elsewhere have already approached Pfizer to discuss booster doses, and some may begin administering them before a potential U.S. authorization. 

Mr. Dolsten said he believes booster shots are particularly important in older age groups. 

Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California, said basing the decision on waning antibody protection ignores the role of important other parts of the immune response, including memory B cells, which can make antibodies on demand when challenged by the virus. 

“You need better studies to be able to assert that. It isn’t just neutralizing antibodies,” Dr. Topol said. 

Pfizer has previously said people will likely need a booster dose, though some scientists have questioned when, or whether, boosters will be needed. 

Pfizer plans to launch soon a placebo-controlled efficacy trial of the booster with 10,000 participants. The study will run throughout the fall, Mr. Dolsten said, meaning it will not be completed ahead of the company’s filing with the FDA. 

Dr. William Schaffner, a vaccine expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said even if Pfizer succeeds in getting its booster authorized by the FDA, that would be only the first step. The booster would still need to be reviewed and recommended by advisers to the CDC. 

“It’s not automatic by any means,” he said. Dr. Schaffner said realistically, most of the public health bandwidth in the United States is still focused on encouraging Americans to get their first and second doses of the vaccine. 

Because boosters would drive increasing demand for vaccines while much of the world is still unvaccinated, Mr. Dolsten said Pfizer is looking at ways to boost production. 

It is already targeting production of 3 billion doses this year and 4 billion doses next year. Mr. Dolsten declined to give a forecast of exactly how many more doses the company could add, but said, “We can step up billion after billion in ’22.” 

Mr. Dolsten also said Pfizer and BioNTech are designing a new version of the vaccine targeting the Delta variant, but said the companies do not believe that the current version will need to be replaced in order to combat the variant. 

Pfizer expects the COVID-19 vaccine to be a major revenue contributor for years and has forecast sales of $26 billion from the shot in 2021. Global spending on COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots could total $157 billion through 2025, according to U.S. health data firm IQVIA Holdings. — Michael Erman and Julie Steenhuysen/Reuters 

Militia commanders rush to aid Afghan forces against Taliban

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — SOHAIB GHYASI-UNSPLASH

KABUL — A prominent anti-Taliban commander with private militia will help Afghan forces in their fight against Taliban insurgents to claw back control over parts of western Afghanistan including a border crossing with Iran, local officials said on Friday. 

A key district in Herat province, home to tens of thousands of minority Shi’ite Hazaras was captured by fighters of the hardline Sunni Muslim insurgent group on Thursday as part of their strategy to oust Afghan forces and hold sway over critical border towns and trade routes. 

A former minister Mohammad Ismail Khan and a survivor of a Taliban attack in 2009 was a key member of the Northern Alliance whose militia helped US forces in toppling the Taliban in 2001. 

Known as the Lion of Herat, Ismail Khan a veteran Tajik commander is scheduled to hold a gathering to prepare his forces to fight against the Taliban and defend his power base in Herat, an official said, adding that several erstwhile anti-Taliban commanders were supporting the over-stretched Afghan forces to defend borders in the West and the North. 

Taliban and Afghan government officials were not immediately available to share details about the intense clashes in Herat. 

Political members of the Taliban visiting Moscow assured Russian officials of their commitment to allow foreign embassies and aid groups to operate in Afghanistan even after the final exit of foreign forces. 

“All borders now in IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) control will remain open and functional. We assure all, we are not going to target diplomats, embassies and consulates, NGOs and their staff,” said Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban in a tweet. 

US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., has strongly defended his decision to pull military forces out of Afghanistan despite large parts of country being overrun by the Taliban saying the Afghan people must decide their own future and that he would not consign another generation of Americans to the 20-year war. 

Mr. Biden set a target date of Aug. 31 for the final withdrawal of US forces, minus about 650 troops to provide security for the US embassy in Kabul. 

A long-time sceptic of the US and NATO military presence in Afghanistan, Mr. Biden said the United States had long ago achieved its original rationale for invading the country in 2001: to root out al-Qaeda militants and prevent another attack on the United States like the one launched on Sept.11, 2001. The mastermind of that attack, Osama bin Laden, was killed by a US military team in neighboring Pakistan in 2011. — Reuters 

UK scraps quarantine for fully vaccinated Britons in boost for airlines

REUTERS

LONDON — Fully vaccinated Britons returning from medium-risk amber list countries will no longer have to quarantine when they arrive home from July 19, transport secretary Grant Shapps said on Thursday. 

The rule change will be a huge boost to airlines and the travel industry which have been brought to their knees by 15 months of restrictions. In Britain, 65% of adults have been fully vaccinated, opening up travel for millions. 

“I can confirm today that from the 19th of July, UK residents who are fully vaccinated through the UK vaccine rollout will no longer have to self-isolate when they return to England,” Mr. Shapps said. 

The need to quarantine on return had prevented a travel recovery. Under previous rules, those returning to Britain from its top destinations, Spain, France, the United States, and Italy, all had to self-isolate for up to 10 days. 

Shares in British Airways-owner IAG and easyJet both traded up 2% immediately after the news, which will also be welcomed by Southern European countries eager for UK tourist revenues. 

EasyJet said holiday bookings to amber countries surged 440% after the government announcement compared to the previous week. 

“We have been delighted with the customer response to the removal of Amber list quarantine for the fully vaccinated, so Europe has now turned Green for the double jabbed,” easyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said in a statement. “This means that millions will finally be able to reunite with family and loved ones abroad or take that long-awaited trip this summer.” 

The rule change only applies to amber list countries. For countries on the UK’s high-risk red list, fully-vaccinated Britons will still be required to self-isolate in a hotel. 

TIGHTENING RULES 

While Britain opens up, worries over the spread of the Delta variant from the UK could still derail a travel recovery. Italy, Portugal, and Spain have all recently tightened entry requirements for Britons, with Italy requiring five days of quarantine. 

Mr. Shapps said that Britons returning from amber list destinations would still have to take a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test before they arrive home and then a second test on or before day two. Children under the age of 18 will not have to self-isolate but will need to take tests. 

Bookings for the crucial peak late July and August holiday season, when the industry makes most of its profit, are expected to soar following the rule change. 

Airlines and holiday companies like TUI and Jet2 have repeatedly called for an end to quarantine but it will however remain in place for non-Britons for now, said Mr. Shapps, disappointing the industry. 

“We’re working to extend our approach to vaccinated passengers from important markets and holiday destinations, later this summer, such as the United States and the EU,” he said. 

He said he would provide an update in due course. 

British Airways (BA) said that while it was pleased with Mr. Shapps’s announcement, it wanted to see progress on scrapping quarantine for non-Britons. 

“The government needs to quickly extend this to all vaccinated travelers, agree a reciprocal deal with the US, add more countries to the ‘green’ list, and reduce the need for unnecessary, expensive tests,” BA chief executive Sean Doyle said. — Sarah Young/Reuters 

Ex-Colombian military, Haitian Americans suspected in killing of Haiti president

                                     Haitian President Jovenel Moise

PORT-AU-PRINCE — A heavily armed commando unit that assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moise this week comprised 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans, authorities said on Thursday, as the hunt went on for the masterminds of the brazen killing. 

Mr. Moise, 53, was fatally shot early on Wednesday at his home by what officials said was a group of foreign, trained killers, pitching the poorest country in the Americas deeper into turmoil amid political divisions, hunger and widespread gang violence. 

Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano said initial findings indicated that Colombians suspected of taking part in the assassination were retired members of his country’s armed forces, and pledged to support the investigations in Haiti. 

Police tracked the suspected assassins on Wednesday to a house near the scene of the crime in Petionville, a northern, hillside suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince. 

A firefight lasted late into the night and authorities detained a number of suspects on Thursday. 

Police Chief Leon Charles paraded 17 men before journalists at a news conference late on Thursday, showing a number of Colombian passports, plus assault rifles, machetes, walkie-talkies and materials including bolt cutters and hammers. 

“Foreigners came to our country to kill the president,” Mr. Charles said, noting there were 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans. 

He revealed that 15 of the Colombians were captured, as were the Haitian Americans. Three of the assailants were killed and eight were still on the run, Charles said. 

Jorge Luis Vargas, director of Colombia’s national police, said he had received information requests from Haiti on six suspects, two of whom had apparently been killed in an exchange with Haitian police. The other four were under arrest. 

The foreign ministry in Taiwan, which maintains formal diplomatic ties with Haiti, said 11 of the suspects were captured at its embassy after they broke in. 

Haiti’s minister of elections and interparty relations, Mathias Pierre, identified the Haitian-American suspects as James Solages, 35, and Joseph Vincent, 55. 

A State Department spokesman could not confirm if any US citizens were among those detained, but US authorities were in contact with Haitian officials, including investigators, to discuss how the United States could assist. 

Officials in the mostly French- and Creole-speaking Caribbean nation said on Wednesday the assassins appeared to have spoken in English and Spanish. 

“It was a full, well-equipped commando (raid), with more than six cars and a lot of equipment,” Mr. Pierre said. 

Officials have not yet given a motive for the killing. Since taking office in 2017, Mr. Moise had faced mass protests against his rule — first over corruption allegations and his management of the economy, then over his increasing grip on power. 

An angry crowd gathered on Thursday morning to watch the police operation unfold, with some setting fire to the suspects’ cars and to the house where they had hunkered down. Bullet casings were strewn in the street. 

“Burn them!” shouted some of the hundreds of people outside the police station where the suspects were being held. 

POWER VACUUM 

Mr. Charles said the public had helped police find the suspects, but he implored residents of the sprawling seafront city of 1 million people not to take justice into their own hands. 

A 15-day state of emergency was declared on Wednesday to help authorities apprehend the killers. 

Still, interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said on Thursday it was time for the economy to reopen and that he had given instructions for the airport to restart operations. 

Mr. Moise’s death has generated confusion about who is the legitimate leader of the country of 11 million people, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. 

Haiti has struggled to achieve stability since the fall of the Duvalier family dictatorship in 1986, grappling with a series of coups and foreign interventions. 

A UN peacekeeping mission — meant to restore order after a rebellion toppled then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004 — ended in 2019 with the country still in disarray. 

“I can picture a scenario under which there are issues regarding to whom the armed forces and national police are loyal, in the case there are rival claims to being placeholder president of the country,” said Ryan Berg, an analyst with the Center for Strategic & International Studies. 

Haiti’s 1987 constitution stipulates the head of the Supreme Court should take over. But amendments that are not unanimously recognized state that it be the prime minister, or, in the last year of a president’s mandate — the case with Mr. Moise — that parliament should elect a president. 

The head of the Supreme Court died last month due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) amid a surge in infections in one of the few countries yet to start a vaccination campaign. 

There is no sitting parliament as legislative elections scheduled for late 2019 were postponed amid political unrest. 

Mr. Moise just this week appointed a new prime minister, Ariel Henry, to take over from Mr. Joseph, although he had yet to be sworn in when the president was killed. 

Mr. Joseph appeared on Wednesday to take charge of the situation, running the government response to the assassination, appealing to Washington for support and declaring a state of emergency. 

Mr. Henry — considered more favorably by the opposition — told Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste that he did not consider Mr. Joseph the legitimate prime minister and he should revert to the role of foreign minister. 

“I think we need to speak. Claude was supposed to stay in the government I was going to have,” Mr. Henry was quoted as saying. — Andre Paultre and Robenson Sanon/Reuters 

Globe Business brings back Saludo SMEs Digistore Live Selling

Now in its third year, Globe Business’ Saludo SMEs campaign reaches new heights by recognizing the power of technology as a transformative tool for Filipinos.

Saludo SMEs continues to honor and pay tribute to Filipino MSMEs for their ability and determination to adapt and evolve during these unprecedented times.

Globe Business continues to innovate

Aimed at providing businesses with affordable and ingenious solutions to help them reach their full potential, Saludo SMEs keeps on inspiring and empowering Filipino entrepreneurs and enterprises through digital solutions.

After its successful run last year, Globe Business brings back its “Saludo SMEs Digistore Live Selling” today. The Facebook Live event, which is happening today at 7 p.m., will be broadcasted via the Globe Business Facebook page and will feature Globe Business clients, MSMEs from the DTI Negosyo Center, and partner organizations such as Let’s Eat Pare, Anvil Business Club, and Entrepreneurs’ Organization-Philippines.

With many businesses adapting to survive and thrive in the current digital landscape, the Saludo SMEs Digistore Live Selling event is an effective way to showcase Filipino MSMEs and their products to an audience that has gradually been getting used to digital shopping over the past year.

‘Tuloy Tayo’ sa Digistore

Embodying the message “Tuloy Tayo,” Globe Business’ Saludo SMEs campaign is only one of the many steps in cementing their role as partners for Filipino businesses. The Digistore will not only be featuring the MSMEs, but also their products for this special once a year event.

As an added treat, Globe will provide a handy merchant directory on their FB page for those who want to purchase something after the event. With the directory, “loading your cart” is definitely a breeze.

Done with shopping? Just get your GCash accounts ready. And since contactless payment is the future, all the featured stores will offer this convenient and safe mode of payment for their customers.

Support local

With all the exclusive benefits and the chance to support local businesses, who wouldn’t be excited?

If you can’t wait to start browsing and you’re too excited for the full list to be released before window shopping, here’s an exclusive look at some of the participating merchants that you can catch at the Digistore!

Stay tuned to Globe Business’ Facebook page to learn more about the campaign. Support your local SMEs by watching and shopping during the Saludo SMEs Digistore Live event at https://www.facebook.com/events/770236600277511.

  1. Silca Coffee Roasting Company

With over 30 years of history in every happy cup, Silca Coffee Roasting Company is vertically integrated from the tree to the cup, with its own farm, coffee milling and roasting facilities. For inquiries, follow Silca on IG @kickstartcoffe or check out https://www.silcacoffee.com/about/. You can also check them out on instagram at (@kickstartcoffee).

  1. Tiny Buds

When it comes to their precious little ones, parents trust only the safest and mildest baby products. Tiny Buds provides natural baby products — from bath and skincare to laundry wash. Check out Tiny Buds’ full catalogue at www.tinybudsbaby.com.

  1. Qoncept Furniture

Want to add a dash of personality into your living space? Check out Be Global E-Commerce Corporation’s funky furniture designs.

  1. Gerfina Food Products

Planning to start your own food business? Gerfina sells spices and salsas at wholesale prices. For inquiries, check out https://gerfinafoods.com/.

  1. Prism Cafe

In this cloud cafe, enjoy freshly brewed teas and coffees, pastries and desserts fresh from the oven, and most of all, products infused with love. Prism Cafe is here to satisfy your cravings from anywhere in the metro. Check them out at https://www.instagram.com/prismcafeph/.

  1. Sewn Sandals

Made from locally-produced materials like Abaca, Buri, Banig, Yakan, these wearable and comfortable sandals are perfect for staying comfy in this tropical heat. Sewn elevates the everyday tsinelas to a fashion statement. Check them out at https://sewnsandals.wixsite.com/sewnsandals/about-us .

  1. Dessert Factory Restaurant and Bakery

Craving for some comfort food and pastries? Don’t want to leave the comfort of your home to satisfy your cravings? Dessert Factory Restaurant and Bakery has your back! Customers can order through their Facebook page and their other delivery channels– and they accept GCash! Visit them here https://www.facebook.com/DessertFactoryCebu .

  1. Bernabest Food Products

Bernabest is here to serve only the best and nothing less–hence, Bernabest. The company behind the famous Siomai House and Empanada Especiale, their commitment to customer satisfaction can be seen in every steaming siomai and freshly made empanada. Check out their products here https://www.bernabest.com.ph/about-us.html .

 

 

Pag-IBIG Fund releases record-high P44B home loans in H1 2021, up 113%

Despite the pandemic, Pag-IBIG Fund achieved another record by releasing over P44 billion in home loans in the first half of 2021, top officials announced on Friday (July 9).

From January to June, the agency released home loans worth P44.34 billion – the highest amount ever released during the first half of the year – and more than double the P20.80 billion it released during the same period in 2020.

Compared with the P37.07 billion released during the pre-pandemic period of January to June 2019, when strict community quarantines in Metro Manila and parts of Luzon had yet to be implemented, disbursement in the first half of 2021 is higher by nearly 20%.

“This is an indication that the number of Filipino workers who are able to become homeowners via the Pag-IBIG home loan programs continues to grow. In these tough times, we remain steadfast in our commitment to answer President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for government agencies to provide social benefits to more Filipinos,” said Secretary Eduardo D. del Rosario, who heads the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees.

Meanwhile, Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti said that the P44.34 billion released in the first half of 2021 enabled 43,573 members to acquire their own homes. Out of the total amount, P4.66 billion was released to finance the acquisition of socialized housing. Of the total number of members who benefited from the agency’s home loan programs in the first half of the year, 10,640 or 24% belong to the minimum-wage and low-income sectors.

He added that with its home loan disbursement reaching a record high over the past six months, he expects to exceed by yearend the P86.74 billion home loans released in 2019, which is the highest amount ever released by the agency in a single year.

“With the way things are going, I’m very optimistic that by the end of 2021, we will surpass the total home loan releases of 2019, which is our best year yet. The P44.34 billion disbursed is especially important because we achieved higher figures this year compared to the same period before the pandemic happened. On average, we released over P7 billion in home loans every month in the first half of the year. If this trend holds and succeeding monthly releases remain higher than usual, home loan releases by the end of the year will likely breach the P90 billion mark and may even reach P100 billion. This translates to another ‘best year ever’ for us and, more importantly, even more members having a home of their own where they can be safe as the health emergency continues,” Moti said.

 

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Caseloads climb as Southeast Asia feels force of Delta variant

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

Having escaped the worst when the coronavirus pandemic erupted last year, Southeast Asia is now suffering record rises in deaths and cases, while vaccination shortfalls and highly contagious variants have derailed containment efforts. 

As countries like Britain, Germany and France prepare to remove most remaining restrictions after devastating outbreaks, governments in Southeast Asia have been tightening measures, hoping targeted lockdowns will act as circuit-breakers in arresting dramatic spikes after cases started rising in May. 

Indonesia, the region’s hardest hit and most populous country, recorded 38,391 cases on Thursday, six times the number a month earlier, in a week when it’s daily death toll as much as doubled from the start of July. 

Hospitals on the most populous island Java are being pushed to the limit, oxygen supplies are low, and four of five designated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) burial grounds in the capital Jakarta are close to full. 

Record deaths were reported on Thursday in Malaysia, and in Thailand, where authorities proposed internal travel curbs as the Delta variant wreaking havoc in Indonesia spread quickly in and around Bangkok. A new terminal at the Thai capital’s airport is being turned into a 5,000-bed field hospital. 

Neighboring Myanmar saw more than 4,000 new cases for the first time on Thursday and one of its deadliest days, while Cambodia has seen its highest number of cases and deaths in the past nine days. 

Health experts say a low level of testing in the region’s most populous countries Indonesia and the Philippines is also likely disguising the full extent of outbreaks, while Myanmar has seen a collapse in testing since February’s military coup. 

PANIC-BUYING 

Vietnam’s reputation as a coronavirus success story is under threat, with more cases in the past three days than during the first 13 months of the pandemic, although the record 1,314 cases on Thursday were a fraction of those in Indonesia. 

Fears of a lockdown prompted supermarket panic-buying this week in the epicenter Ho Chi Minh City, and a 4% plunge in its main stock index on Tuesday. 

The capital Hanoi halted public transport from places with infection clusters, to insulate itself from the outbreak in the southern commercial hub, where some of the country’s tightest restrictions were in force from Friday. 

Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist at Griffith University, said the region was struggling to cope with the Delta variant and were paying for inconsistencies in strategy and messaging, and enforcement of protocols. 

He also cited the need to broaden the range of vaccines to better protect populations, noting the dominance of the Sinovac vaccine, owing to China’s vaccine diplomacy when western brands were unavailable. 

“There’s definitely benefits to the vaccine, but there’s also the weak sides of it. Why? In handling the pandemic at a bigger scale … vaccines can’t stand alone,” he said. “Vaccines need to be diversified. Resources need to be diversified.” 

Vaccination rates remain low, with 5.4% of Indonesia’s 270 million population fully inoculated, about 2.7% of people in the Philippines and 4.7% of the population in Thailand. 

Malaysia has vaccinated 9.3% of its 32 million people and has introduced an enhanced lockdown in its capital and industrial belt. 

Indonesia and Thailand are considering booster shots with mRNA vaccines, like those of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, for medical workers who have mostly received the Chinese-made inactivated virus vaccines of Sinovac, amid concerns about their resistance to variants. 

Singapore is among the few bright spots, with authorities expected to further ease restrictions imposed when the Delta variant was detected, and complete the immunization of half of the population later this month. 

The city-state plans to allow fully vaccinated residents to attend larger gatherings like concerts, conferences and sports events. — Martin Petty and Stanley Widianto/Reuters 

Five years after South China Sea ruling, China’s presence around Philippines only growing

CATO, Philippines – Filipino fisherman Randy Megu has often braved the storms that spring up in the South China Sea, but these days he has a greater fear: seeing a Chinese maritime enforcement vessel on the horizon.

Five years after a landmark international arbitration court ruling repudiated China’s claims to the waters where Megu fishes, the 48-year-old complains that his encounters with Chinese boats are more frequent than ever.

“I was so scared,” said Megu, describing how a Chinese vessel had tracked his wooden outrigger boat for three hours some 140 nautical miles (260 km) from the coast in May.

He said other fishermen had reported being rammed or blasted with water cannons while working in what they considered their historic fishing grounds – which they had hoped to secure after the ruling in The Hague in 2016.

China rejected the ruling and has stood by its claim to most of the waters within a so-called Nine Dash Line, which is also contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In just one incident in March, the Philippines complained of incursions by what it said were more than 200 Chinese militia vessels into the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which extends 200 nautical miles from its coast.

Chinese diplomats said the boats were sheltering from rough seas and no militia were aboard.

“The data here is very clear,” said Greg Poling of Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Chinese Coast Guard ships and the militia are in the Philippines’ EEZ more than they were five years ago.”

A July 2020 opinion poll showed that 70% of Filipinos want the government to assert its claim in the South China Sea.

“We firmly reject attempts to undermine it; nay, even erase it from law, history and our collective memories,” Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin said in a statement last month.

The country has made 128 diplomatic protests over China’s activities in contested waters since 2016, and coast guard and bureau of fisheries vessels have conducted “sovereign” patrols in the Philippines’ EEZ.

But the Philippines has done little else to press its claim under firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte, who has made the relationship with China a plan of his foreign policy and said it is “inutile” to try to challenge its vastly bigger neighbour.

After some of his cabinet stepped up rhetoric over the waters early this year, Duterte barred them from speaking out.

“China is more in control. The only thing the Duterte government can point to is they haven’t had a major incident,” Poling said. “If you just keep surrendering to the bully, of course there won’t be a fight.”

The Philippine coast guard and ministry of defence did not respond to requests for comment.

China’s presence has also grown elsewhere in the South China Sea. It has continued to strengthen artificial islands equipped with secured ports, airstrips and surface-to-air-missiles.

Confrontations with Vietnam have set back energy projects. Malaysia has complained about the actions of Chinese vessels. Their presence have also drawn concern in Indonesia – even though it is not technically a claimant state.

Occasional freedom of navigation operations by the U.S. Navy have challenged China’s claims but show no sign of discouraging Beijing from deploying vessels around the Philippines or elsewhere.

Before his election in 2016, Duterte had said he would stand up for his country’s claims in the South China Sea.

He is due to step down at the end of his single six-year term next year, but talk that he could be vice president or be succeeded by his daughter have raised doubts that policies will change.

The fishermen of Pangasinan see little hope of a challenge to the Chinese vessels that now dictate their movements.

“Now, it is as if we are the ones stealing from our own backyard,” said 51-year old fisherman Christopher de Vera. — Reuters

Southeast Asia is world’s fastest-growing mobile wallet market 

Image via grab.com

Southeast Asia is the world’s fastest-growing region for mobile wallets, followed by Latin America and Africa & Middle East, research from London-based fintech company Boku Inc. shows. 

The number of mobile wallets in use will grow 311% from 2020 to almost 440 million by 2025 across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, reflecting an e-commerce boom, according to a global study on the industry, which was published on Thursday in partnership with Juniper Research Ltd. The usage in Latin America is set to expand 166% during the same period, while that in Africa and Middle East will grow 147%. 

Mobile wallets overtook credit cards to become the most widely used payment type globally in 2019, according to the report, and adoption accelerated during the pandemic. There were more than 2.8 billion mobile wallets in use at the end of 2020, and that’s projected to increase 74% to 4.8 billion by the end of 2025. 

The study found there are two distinct types of mobile wallets in the world. One is card-based mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, which are more popular in developed markets. The other is stored value mobile wallets like China’s AliPay and Grab Holding Inc.’s GrabPay, popular in emerging markets where credit-card usage is lower. 

In 2020, there were 55 stored value mobile wallets that processed more than $1 billion in annual transactions. Pakistan’s SadaPay is projected to be the fastest-growing mobile wallet in the world in the five years to 2025, followed by Mercado Pago and PicPay in Brazil. 

Chinese wallets are likely to have limited impact outside their home market, the study said. That’s despite Ant Group Co.’s Alipay taking stakes in international companies including mobile money platform bKash Ltd., and Tencent Holdings Ltd.’s WeChat Pay getting approval for use in Indonesia in 2020. 

“It seems unlikely that they will conquer emerging Asian markets as many once thought,” the report said, adding that their usage overseas was mostly limited to Chinese tourists. — Yoolim Lee/Bloomberg

Duterte ponders play for power as political exit looms

PHILSTAR

MANILA – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte might be barred from a second term in office, but don’t be surprised if he’s still running the country after a presidential election next year.

The popular Duterte gave the strongest hint yet that he might seek the vice presidency, saying on Wednesday that he was “sold to the idea” and thinking seriously about running for the largely ceremonial number two post.

For Christian Monsod, a lawyer and one of the framers of the 1987 constitution, Duterte’s real intent is clear.

“There is a plan to use a backdoor approach to stay in power,” he said.

Duterte, 76, is trying to circumvent the single-six year term limit, set by the constitution to stop power from being abused, said Monsod, a former election commission chief.

He suspects Duterte was asked by allies to choose a running mate to campaign with to help the candidate win the presidency. That president would then step down, allowing Duterte to reassume the post.

Duterte’s spokesman and his legal counsel did not respond to requests for comment.

Duterte, who has portrayed himself as a reluctant president with no desire for power, says he wants his media-shy longtime aide Christopher “Bong” Go to be his successor.

His endorsement in 2019 helped Go to become a senator, a job he combines with being Duterte’s personal assistant. Go says he is not interested.

Duterte’s daughter, Davao mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has outshone Go in opinion polls as possible presidential contenders. But Sara and her father are against the idea of her running.

Temario Rivera, head of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance, said Duterte’s motivation to remain in power is obvious – to avoid jail and courtrooms.

Political vendettas are common in the Philippines and former leaders, minus their immunity of office, have been prosecuted and even jailed after changes in power.

“The question facing him is what is the best strategy to deal with that existential problem,” Rivera said.

Duterte has repeatedly baited the International Criminal Court (ICC) and dared it to put him on trial for crimes against humanity. The ICC’s prosecutor has since sought the go-ahead to launch a formal investigation into the drugs war killings.

“The strategy for Duterte is to make sure that the opposition does not win,” Rivera said.

“The ICC can now proceed with their investigation in a clearer manner if you have an opposition president in power.” — Reuters

PHL exports, imports grow in May

THE COUNTRY’S TRADE in merchandise goods continued to rebound in May as both exports and imports grew, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported this morning.

Preliminary PSA data showed merchandise exports during the month went up by 29.8% year on year to $5.89 billion. This was slower than the revised 74.1% expansion in April but marked a turnaround from the 26.7% decline in May 2020.

Meanwhile, merchandise imports expanded by 47.7% to $8.65 billion, compared with a revised 152.8% surge in April and the 40.5% fall last year.

May marked the third and fourth consecutive month of growth for exports and imports, respectively.

The trade deficit stood at $2.76 billion in May. This was smaller than the $3.08-billion shortfall in April but was bigger than the $1.31-billion gap in May 2020.

Year to date, the trade balance widened to a $14.18-billion deficit, wider than the $9.95-billion trade gap in last year’s comparable five months.

For the same five-month period, exports and imports grew by an annual 21.4% (to $29.35 billion) and 27.6% (to $43.53 billion), respectively. Both figures surpassed the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s revised growth targets for export and imports at 8% and 12% for the year. — Lourdes O. Pilar

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