TikTok Sounds used to spread COVID vaccine misinformation

July 15, 2021 | 12:01 am

A TIKTOK feature that allows users to add another person’s audio to their videos is being used to promote misleading and harmful content about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, a think tank said in a new report.

The London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) analyzed 124 videos that used speech from four original TikTok videos, including two that were removed by the company for breaking its COVID misinformation rules, to push misinformation and stoke fears about vaccine side-effects. The 124 videos had more than 20 million views.

“There’s a part of the content which is still able to travel,” said Ciaran O’Connor, an analyst at the counter-extremism think tank. He likened the spread of misinformation though TikTok’s “Sounds” feature to WhatsApp audio messages that proliferated during the pandemic.

Viral trends where users create their own videos by riffing off the same music or speech clip are a central part of TikTok. The popular social video platform, which saw explosive growth during the pandemic, said it reviews the audio of rule-breaking videos and may prevent these being used as Sounds by other users. It said these cases were caused by human content moderation errors. It also said Sounds can be reported on the app.

Audio from one video of a user implying the COVID vaccine’s fast development made it unsafe and making misleading comparisons to other illnesses has been used in more than 4,500 videos, ISD found.

TikTok said it had previously limited the distribution of videos using this Sound, rather than remove it completely, as it was only deemed to be potentially misleading. Even so, the top 25 videos on the TikTok page for this Sound have been viewed a total of 16.7 million times.

ISD found many of the videos used the Sound to signal support for the statement. TikTok said it took down some of the videos using the Sound and made the Sound more difficult to find in searches after reviewing the report’s findings. It removed the three other Sounds identified in the report.

“We strive to promote an authentic TikTok experience by limiting the spread of misleading content, including audio, and promoting authoritative information about COVID-19 and vaccines across our app,” a TikTok spokesperson said.

ISD found the app had added labels directing to authoritative COVID information on only two of the 124 videos. The company said this was because labels were only added on videos with specific hashtags.

TikTok last week announced changes to its content-moderation systems for certain content, moving to fully automated reviewing systems for categories like nudity and violent or graphic material. — Reuters

McDonald’s launches Bike & Dine in two Pampanga stores

July 15, 2021 | 12:01 am

MCDONALD’S Philippines launched “Bike & Dine” facilities in its CM Reto and Clark Gate branches in Pampanga, along with a plan to allow customers to “Ride Thru.”

“We recognize the thousands of [Kapampangans,] especially frontline workers, who have turned to biking as their means of transportation during this unprecedented time,” Margot Torres, managing director of McDonald’s Philippines, said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We saw this as an opportunity to provide them a way to enjoy their favorite McDonald’s meals conveniently, while ensuring that their bikes are safe and secure,” she added.

McDonald’s will allow bike-riding customers to “Ride Thru” to order their meals.

Meanwhile, the “Bike & Dine” facility is where cyclists can mount their bikes in racks attached to a ledge, which would also serve as their table, to enjoy their meals.

Ms. Torres was joined by Pampanga Governor Dennis Garcia Pineda and Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Vivencio B. Dizon during the ceremonial opening of the facility in the CM Recto store.

McDonald’s said “bike-friendly zone” Clark will be building more bike-related facilities in the future.

Meanwhile, there are now four McDonald’s stores with Bike & Dine facilities, with the other two in McDonald’s Vermosa in Cavite and McDonald’s McKinley West in Taguig.

It plans to roll out the Bike & Dine facilities to more outlets this year.

“We look forward to introducing this innovation to more bike-riding communities, where more customers can enjoy their favorite McDonald’s meals safely and more conveniently,” Ms. Torres said. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte

Improved Philippine ‘Market Potential’ ranking based on US study

July 15, 2021 | 12:00 am

How PSEi member stocks performed — July 14, 2021

July 15, 2021 | 12:00 am

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, July 14, 2021.

Peso retreats as Wall Street climbs on data

July 14, 2021 | 9:00 pm

THE PESO weakened anew versus the greenback on Wednesday due to gains in the US stock market following data showing quicker inflation in the world’s largest economy.

The local unit closed at P50.30 against the greenback on Wednesday, retreating by 30 centavos from its P50-per-dollar finish on Tuesday, data from Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.

The peso started Wednesday’s session at P50.05 per dollar, which was also its intraday best. Its weakest showing was at P50.33 versus the greenback.

Dollars traded increased to $1.173 billion on Wednesday from $801.5 million on Tuesday.

The peso weakened due to preference for the greenback after the gains notched at the US stock market, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

Meanwhile, a trader said the peso depreciated due to cautious sentiment following the release of data showing stronger-than-expected US inflation.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended lower on Tuesday after hitting record highs earlier in the session, with investors digesting a jump in consumer prices in June and earnings from JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs that kicked off the quarterly reporting season, Reuters reported.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.31% to end at 34,888.79 points, while the S&P 500 lost 0.35% to 4,369.21. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.38% to 14,677.65.

Data indicated US consumer prices rose by the most in 13 years last month, while so-called core consumer prices surged 4.5% year over year, the largest rise since November 1991.

Economists viewed the price surge, driven by travel-rated services and used automobiles, as mostly temporary, aligning with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s long-standing views.

For Thursday, Mr. Ricafort expects the local unit to move within the P50.10 to P50.40 levels, while the trader gave a forecast range of P50.20 to P50.40 per dollar. — LWTN with Reuters

PSEi climbs on bargain hunting, positive data

July 14, 2021 | 9:00 pm

PHILIPPINE shares climbed on Wednesday as investors went bargain hunting following improved remittances data and a surge in auto sales.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 40.28 points or 0.59% to close at 6,835.41 on Wednesday, while the all shares index improved by 11.72 points or 0.27% to 4,227.48.

“Market went bargain hunting today after it was substantially down yesterday as infection rates sustained its downtrend, thus government may further ease restrictions going to July 15,” Diversified Securities, Inc. Equity Trader Aniceto K. Pangan said in a text message on Wednesday.

“The PSEi closed higher as investors returned to the Philippines after US stocks pulled back after the June inflation data accelerated unexpectedly,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said in a Viber message. “Locally, sentiment got a boost from the improvement in remittances and auto sales data.”

Net foreign selling fell to P170.11 million on Wednesday from the P1.03 billion logged on Tuesday.

Cash remittances rose by 13% to $2.382 billion in May from $2.106 billion year on year, preliminary data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed. This was the fourth straight month of growth since January’s 1.7% contraction.

Meanwhile, vehicle sales surged by 44.8% in June compared with the same month last year. According to a joint report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. and Truck Manufacturers Association, the figure is equivalent to 22,550 units versus last year’s 15,578 units.

On the other hand, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended lower on Tuesday after hitting record highs earlier in the session, with investors digesting a jump in consumer prices in June, Reuters reported. Data indicated US consumer prices rose by the most in 13 years last month, while so-called core consumer prices surged 4.5% year over year, the largest rise since November 1991.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.31% to end at 34,888.79 points, while the S&P 500 lost 0.35% to 4,369.21. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.38% to 14,677.65.

Back home, most sectoral indices posted gains on Wednesday except for property, which lost 15.97 points or 0.49% to 3,234.87, and services, which shed 6.95 points or 0.43% to finish at 1,608.83.

Meanwhile, holding firms climbed by 76.99 points or 1.13% to 6,888.71; mining and oil rose by 87.92 points or 0.9% to 9,792.77; financials went up by 11.95 points or 0.81% to 1,476.31; and industrials gained 27.73 points or 0.28% to close at 9,608.12.

Value turnover declined to P4.37 billion with 1.02 billion shares switching hands on Wednesday, from the P5.78 billion with 1.89 billion shares seen the previous trading day.

Decliners beat advancers, 117 against 70, while 58 names remained unchanged.

“Market may remain on consolidation mode with a positive bias [on Thursday],” Diversified Securities’ Mr. Pangan said. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte with Reuters

PHL trade facilitation rating exceeds pre-pandemic score

July 14, 2021 | 8:42 pm

THE PHILIPPINES’ implementation of trade facilitation measures hit 86% in 2021 from 80.7% in 2019 before the pandemic, according to a global survey conducted by the United Nations.

The Philippines posted 100% scores in the transparency and formalities categories, maintaining its earlier performance, according to the United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2021 released Wednesday.

The survey tracks progress on the implementation of nearly 60 digital and sustainable trade facilitation measures. More than 130 countries were surveyed.

Measures covered include electronic exchange of certificates across borders, trade financing through single window systems, and measures targeted at small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), agriculture, and women.

In terms of institutional arrangements and cooperation, the Philippines improved its score to 77.8% in 2021 from 55.6% in 2019.

Scores also improved in the cross-border paperless trade category to 61.1% from 55.6% previously, and in the general paperless trade facilitation category to 85.2% from 77.8% in 2019.

The score for the trade facilitation for SMEs category was 33.3% this year from 26.7% in 2019.

The Philippines maintained its agriculture trade facilitation score at 83.3%.

The women in trade facilitation score improved to 33.3% in 2021 from 11.1% before the pandemic.

The average trade facilitation rating of Southeast Asia was 74.3%, up from 70% in 2019.

Singapore topped the region with a rating of 95.7%, improving from 93.6% in 2019, followed by Thailand with a score of 87.1% from 82.80% previously.

“Although progress in trade facilitation between 2019 and 2021 is significant, implementation varies widely across countries and regions,” Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, undersecretary-general of the United Nations and executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific, said at a virtual briefing Wednesday.

“Implementation of cross-border paperless trade remains a challenge everywhere. Even the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how useful it can be to exchange documents electronically to reduce physical contact and spread of the virus,” she added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

First 18 km of Central Luzon Link Expressway opens

July 14, 2021 | 8:41 pm

THE FIRST 18-kilometer section of the 30-kilometer Central Luzon Link Expressway project will be opened to motorists Thursday, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

“Bukas na ang opening kaya nagpa-final inspection na ako dito. Ang bubuksan bukas ay 18 kilometers (The opening will be tomorrow, so I am conducting a final inspection. The 18-kilometer section will be opened),” Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said in an announcement via social media Wednesday.

The section runs from the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx)/Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) connection in Tarlac City to the intersection of Aliaga-Guimba Road in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, Mr. Villar said.

The expressway will be “toll-free,” he said.

“DPWH is committed to complete the entire 30-kilometer expressway project within the term of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, with the 10.3-kilometer Cabanatuan Section under Contract Package 4 already at 88.7% while the Zaragoza Interchange Section under Contract Package 5 is at 26.9% and expected to make significant progress as site possessions are secured for the project’s right-of-way requirements,” the department said in a statement.

“Once fully operational, the P11.811-billion expressway is expected to shorten the usual travel time of 70 minutes between Tarlac City and Cabanatuan City to just 20 minutes,” it added.

The project is expected to become an east-west link for the expressway network of Central Luzon “to ensure continuous seamless traffic flow” from Metro Manila and vice versa passing through North Luzon Expressway, SCTEx, and TPLEx. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Five-month SSS benefit payouts top P90 billion, increase by 13%

July 14, 2021 | 8:37 pm

THE SOCIAL Security System (SSS) said it released P90.52 billion worth of benefits in the five months to May, up 13.3% from a year earlier, following an expansion in its membership base.

In a statement, the SSS said the payouts went to 3.46 million members of the pension fund for private-sector employees.

“Along with the rapidly increasing membership base is the constant rise of benefit releases to our qualified members, pensioners, and beneficiaries,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said Wednesday.

Social security benefits or P89.92 billion accounted for 99% of the total, while the remaining P608 million went to the employees’ compensation (EC) program.

Of the social security benefits, SSS released P53.74 billion in retirement payouts to 1.81 million members, and P23.72 billion in death benefits to 1.08 million beneficiaries.

It also issued P2.44 billion in disability benefits to 97,258 members, P5.99 billion worth of maternity benefits to 157,132 workers, P1.44 billion in sickness benefits to 147,210 members, P1.96 billion in funeral benefits to 84,530 claimants and P642 million in unemployment benefits to 47,764 members.

For the EC program, a facility which offers aid to workers who suffer work-related serious injury resulting in disability or death, the pension fund released P426 million worth of death benefits to 16,492 beneficiaries; P78 million of disability benefits to 2,044 workers, P98 million in sickness benefits to 11,663 members, P2 million worth of medical services to 393 members. It released P3 million worth of funeral benefits.

“On top of the regular social security benefits, employed and self-employed members are also entitled to receive EC benefits… We always reiterate in our promotional campaigns the primary responsibility of our member-employers, which is to report their workers and remit their contributions regularly to SSS,” Ms. Ignacio said.

The SSS has adopted electronic disbursement channels to fast-track its processes, especially for benefits. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Labs upgraded with US help improve ASF response

July 14, 2021 | 8:14 pm

IMPROVED LABORATORY facilities that were upgraded with US assistance have helped better contain the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak and the spread of other animal diseases, Agriculture Undersecretary William C. Medrano.

He said laboratories have been improved or established via a threat capacity-building program supported by the US Department of Defense’s Threat Reduction Agency.

“We can feel the impact of the laboratories that were strengthened, and they are now functioning well. They are reporting significant outputs in the early detection of diseases and also in the surveillance of diseases,” Mr. Medrano said in a television interview Wednesday.

The program, which started in September 2016, was valued at P1.1 billion. The US Embassy announced on June 17 that the final phase of the program was completed.

A total of seven regional animal diagnostic laboratories were either built or renovated under the program.

“These laboratories were really fitted out with state-of-the-art equipment for disease detection, diagnosis, and testing (to facilitate) early detection and testing of all transboundary animal diseases especially with ASF,” Mr. Medrano said.

Asked to comment further, Mr. Medrano said by mobile phone message that ASF cases have been declining compared to last year.

“From as high as 1,773 ASF cases in August last year, we now only have 251 cases (recorded) in the month of June and 48 cases as of July 9,” Mr. Medrano said.

On July 8, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar declared Lipa City and the towns of San Jose, Malvar, Rosario, Taysan, and Nasugbu in Batangas province to have fully recovered from ASF.

The declaration also reduces the classification of the six areas from red zones (infected) to pink zones (buffer). They can now start hog repopulation efforts and trade within selected zones.

ASF has depleted the hog inventory, resulting in an increase in pork prices. Measures taken by government to address tight supply include the implementation of lower tariffs for pork imports and the launch of credit programs to support hog repopulation. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Faster process implemented for dividing farmers’ collective titles

July 14, 2021 | 8:13 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said it will expedite the “parcelization” of collective certificate of land ownership awards (CCLOAs) for the distribution of individually-owned plots to farmers.

Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones said DAR Administrative Order No. 1 clarifies a previous administrative order on parcelization of all landholdings covered by CCLOAs issued by DAR to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

“This move is in line with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s marching orders for the department to finish the land acquisition and distribution balance by 2024, distribute all government-owned lands and parcel the CCLOAs to the farmer beneficiaries,” Mr. Castriciones said in a statement Wednesday.

“These guidelines aim to fast-track the parcelization of CCLOAs and the eventual generation, registration, and issuance of individual computerized titles to beneficiaries,” he added.

Mr. Castriciones said DAR provincial offices will conduct an inventory of all CCLOAs within their jurisdictions once the administrative order takes effect.

Following the inventory, the provincial offices will create a list of CCLOAs located within alienable and disposable lands and will be processed according to priority.

“The following order of priority will be 1. Land Bank of the Philippines-compensable lands distributed under the compulsory acquisition or voluntary offer to sell mode; 2. Government-owned lands which include lands within DAR settlement projects and lands turned over to the DAR by other government agencies and institutions are pursuant to Executive Order Nos. 407, Series of 1990, 448, Series of 1991, and 506, Series of 1994; and Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran lands distributed pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 2282, Series of 1983; 3. Landed estates; and 4. Lands under Voluntary Land Transfer scheme,” DAR said.

Mr. Castriciones said the administrative order was issued due to reports of disputes among agrarian reform beneficiaries with CCLOAs, including boundary conflicts, inclusion or exclusion of beneficiaries.

“If you own part of a CCLOA, it’s hard to make decisions on what crops to plant and how to plan your farm,” Mr. Castriciones said.

In October, the DAR’s Support to Parcelization of Land for Individual Titling project took effect with an approved loan package of P24.6 billion. The project seeks to provide financial support to accelerate the division of 1.3 million hectares of CCLOA agricultural land into individually-titled plots.

“In case of landholdings where there are agrarian reform beneficiaries who were awarded lands covered by a CCLOA and tilling a particular portion of land, the DAR shall parcelize the same based on the actual areas they are tilling provided that each area awarded to ARBs shall not exceed the three-hectare limit,” Mr. Castriciones said.

“Separate (titles) for each farmer-beneficiary are better because it enables them to have a clear and defined ownership of parcels of land,” he added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

PHL trade balance seen taking hit from higher oil prices

July 14, 2021 | 8:12 pm

HIGHER OIL PRICES will continue to degrade the Philippines’ trade balance and current account, though improvements are expected with a “slow” economic recovery, according to ANZ Research.

Other threats to the trade balance include disruptions to domestic production and physical constraints on exports, it added.

“These (constraints) are powerful enough to offset the impact of planned public infrastructure spending on imports,” Sanjay Mathur, ANZ Research Chief Economist for Southeast Asia and India said in a note.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the trade deficit stood at $2.76 billion in May, smaller than the $3.08 billion deficit posted in April but larger than the $1.31 billion deficit from a year earlier.

The current account was in deficit by $614 million in the first quarter, a reversal from the $225-million surplus a year earlier, according to the central bank.

The current account includes flows related to trade in goods and services; remittances from overseas Filipino workers; profit from Philippine investments abroad; interest payments to foreign creditors; as well as gifts, grants and donations to and from abroad.

Mr. Mathur said the impact of higher oil prices has been “particularly harsh” and is already reflected in the growth of imports even while the country had not yet seen a “meaningful” re-opening of its economy.

Imports rose 47.7% to $8.65 billion in May from a year earlier.

Despite the risk from higher oil prices, Mr. Mathur said trade is expected to improve. The Philippines will also benefit from the continued rebound of remittance inflows as well as receipts from the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, he added.

“The outlook for remittances and BPO revenues is also turning brighter as Middle East and European economies recover. Remittances from these two geographies had suffered the most last year,” Mr. Mathur said.

On Tuesday, the central bank said cash remittances rose 13% year on year in May to $2.382 billion. This marked the fourth consecutive month of remittance growth and was the largest expansion since the 18.5% posted in November 2016.

Mr. Mathur said the BPO firms are likely to get a boost from the recovery of economic activity in the US, as 60% of the local BPO industry’s revenue is generated by that country. — Luz Wendy T. Noble