Stylish living spaces at Amalfi

March 3, 2020 | 12:01 am

FILINVEST LAND, Inc. (FLI) unveiled a new model unit for its premiere residential mid-rise condominium Amalfi in Cebu City.

The model unit gives visitors a taste of what to expect when living at the Amalfi. The unit features a “modern glam” and European-minimalist aesthetic, with a combination wood, metal and glass elements.

The Amalfi is located within the master planned township City di Mare at South Road Properties (SRP), a joint venture project of FLI and the Cebu City government.

Under the Prestige by Filinvest brand, Amalfi offers two-bedroom and three-bedroom units.

“We are proud to launch the new three-bedroom unit that redefines luxurious condo living here at Amalfi. With an extensive 112 square meters (sq.m.) floor area, it offers more space for families to flourish,” Tristan Las Marias, Filinvest executive vice-president — chief strategy officer and cluster head for Visayas and Mindanao, said in a statement.

Amalfi now has three buildings, with the first two at the foot of the central amenity with direct views of the Olympic-size swimming pool and clubhouse. The third building faces the Amalfi Courtyard.

Nestlé Philippines says coffee project boosts farmers’ yield and income

March 3, 2020 | 12:01 am

FOOD and beverage maker Nestlé Philippines, Inc. said on Monday that its project aimed at increasing the yield and income of coffee farmers turned in positive results last year.

Dubbed Project Coffee+, the initiative resulted in an increase in the average farmer yield to 477 kilograms (kg.) per hectare (ha.) in 2019, or more than double the 235 kg./ha. recorded in 2018, the local unit of the multinational group said in a briefing.

The average net coffee income for every farm was at P39,129 for 2019, or more than twice the P18,363 the earlier year, translating in an increase in the average net farm income of farmers to P90,211 last year.

Farmers based in Bukidnon and Sultan Kudarat participate in training, particularly in agronomic practices, to increase income and yield.

Angel A. Bautista, Nestlé Philippines’ corporate affairs executive, said that the company continues to teach farmers on how to increase their yield, among others.

“Ang goal pataasin ang yield, pataasin ang income, maging entrepreneurial ang farmers, (The goal is to increase the yield, raise the income, and make the farmers become entrepreneurial),” she said.

The project is a component of “Nescafe Plan,” Nestlé Philippines’ long-term program that intends to promote sustainable farming and to help farmers increase their production and gain higher income from coffee farming.

It centers on improving the economic viability of smallholder coffee farmers through intensive education and agricultural training.

During the briefing, Nestlé Philippines also presented that coffee production declined by 3.5% annually in recent years, while consumption rose by 8.8%.

Because of the widening gap between production and consumption, coffee manufacturers are forced to import coffee beans from Vietnam and Indonesia.

Amid the decreasing coffee production, Nestlé Philippines believes that the local coffee industry can reach self-sufficiency in the near future.

The three highest coffee producing regions in the country are all in Mindanao, which accounted for 68% of produced coffee in the Philippines.

The regions of Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani, plus General Santos City), Davao Region, and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao contributed 37%, 16%, and 15% of green coffee beans produced respectively.

Nestlé Philippines’ Project Coffee+ also aims to increase the yield of coffee farmers to one metric ton per hectare from 2018 to 2020. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

How PSEi member stocks performed — March 2, 2020

March 3, 2020 | 12:00 am

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Monday, March 2, 2020.

Anti-red tape trials set for telecoms, pharma, food

March 2, 2020 | 10:20 pm

AN initiative to harmonize red tape elimination efforts will undergo initial trials on industries like telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and food, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) said in a statement.

It said the specific segments for trial implementation of the National Effort for Harmonization of Efficiency Measures of Inter-related Agencies (NEHEMIA) project are the “common towers and interconnectivity sector, housing sector, food and pharma sector, logistics sector, and energy sector.”

NEHEMIA seeks to coordinate the streamlining of all regulatory requirements across the various agencies with an interest in overseeing a given industry.

The program has been set a target of reducing time, cost, requirements procedures by more than half within a year.

In December, ARTA Director-General Jeremiah B. Belgica said that the sectors initially identified for the NEHEMIA project are deemed critical to achieving the administration’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda.

ARTA is currently in the process of implementing Administrative Order (AO) 23 issued by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Feb. 21. The order directs all agencies with front-facing dealings with the public to remove processes which are “burdensome” and to cite the legal basis for requiring submissions from applicants along every step of the transaction process.

Government entities subject to the rules of Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 need to submit compliance reports to ARTA within the next 60 days. ARTA will determine whether the agencies have complied with the law and orders to eliminate overregulation.

ARTA warned agencies to comply with the AO and raised the threat of sanctions, putting teeth into the red-tape reduction effort. — Gillian M. Cortez

Cayetano: Leave budget out of speakership power struggle

March 2, 2020 | 10:20 pm

SPEAKER Alan Peter S. Cayetano raised the prospect of the 2021 budget possibly being held hostage by an alleged power struggle in the House, threatening a repeat of the delayed 2019 budget which dampened spending and economic growth last year.

“Ano bang mangyayari sa October? ‘Yung national budget, that’s why ‘yung sinabi ko nga sa kanila, magpalitan tayo, pero ‘wag niyo i-involve ‘yung budget dahil taboo ‘yan e (What will happen in October? We will be preparing the national budget. That is why I told them I am open to a change of leadership, as long as the budget is not affected, because that would be taboo),” he told reporters Monday, in an exchange that was live-streamed on Facebook.

“May usapan na tayo na ‘yung national budget will be prepared by the Executive, will be fully backed up by the documentation and prioritization, and Congress will just make corrections ‘pag nakikita natin may gap. Pero hindi dapat gamitin ang budget as a spoils system or ibalik na nakatago ang pork barrel system na pinapangako ng kabila sa ibang mga kongresista (There is an agreement that the national budget will be prepared by the Execuribe, fully backed up by documentation and prioritization, and Congress will make corrections as necessary. But the budget should not be used as a spoils system or to revert to the old pork barrel system that the other side is promising legislators),” he added.

Mr. Cayetano said that he has “no problem” should Congress decide it wants a “new leader this early.”

“Now, if the majority of Congress agrees with them and wants a new leader this early, wala rin problema kasi ganyan ang nature ng ating democracy (I have no problem because that’s the nature of democracy). But sa aking personal analysis, ‘yung mga reforms na ginagawa natin ay suportado ng great majority ng mga kongresista (My analysis is that the government’s reforms are supported by the great majority of Congressmen),” he said.

Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel, who is also the spokesperson for PDP-Laban, said that the party has scheduled a meeting with Mr. Cayetano on the alleged plot to remove him.

He added that the political party has “no knowledge” of the plot and said that the group will not participate in any plan to remove Mr. Cayetano.

“As far as PDP-Laban is concerned, we have no knowledge of any plan to oust Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. And if ever there is a plan, PDP-Laban will not be involved or participate in any plan to oust Speaker Cayetano. PDP-Laban remains committed to support the leadership of Speaker Cayetano,” he told reporters on Monday.

PDP-Laban is President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s party.

Representative Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda of Albay said that the House leadership struggle is “an unnecessary distraction.”

“Unnecessary distraction that we can do without. Because we are right in the middle of almost all bills having their own momentum and suddenly we will be disrupted,” he told reporters Monday.

On Thursday, Mr. Cayetano said he received verified information about an attempt to remove him.

He added that about 20 legislators have been offered committee chairmanships in exchange for their vote to remove the Speaker. — Genshen L. Espedido

Second quarter start for construction of road linking CavitEx, Sangley Airport

March 2, 2020 | 10:20 pm

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it will start constructing the “coastal” spur road to Cavite province’s Sangley Airport by the second quarter of the year.

“The project will start by the second quarter. Actually nakabudget ito sa 2020 (it is part of the 2020 national budget),” Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar told reporters recently.

He said the spur road project, which will cost about P200 to P250 million, will be built “along the coast leading to connect to Sangley.”

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) announced in November that it submitted its own technical proposal to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to build a five-kilometer spur road from Cavite Expressway (CavitEx) to Sangley, Cavite.

In August, Roberto V. Bontia, president of Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. (CIC), said a joint proposal on the construction of the Sangley spur road with the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) was in the works for submission to the TRB.

The government inaugurated its P486-million Sangley Airport development project last month.

The airport will be expanded by Lucio C. Tan’s MacroAsia Corp. and its Chinese partner China Communications Construction Co. Ltd.

The consortium will have to buy Sangley Airport from the Transportation department before it can start working on the first phase of the project.

The first phase of the project, which costs $4 billion, includes the construction of the Sangley connector road and bridge to connect the Kawit segment of the Manila-Cavite CAVITEx to the international airport.

Phase 1 also involves the construction of the airport’s first runway, bringing capacity to 25 million passengers yearly, helping to decongest Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City.

The Cavite provincial government has set a target for full operations by 2023, with partial operations a year earlier. A fourth runway will be opened after six years.

The same consortium will work on the other two phases of the project, with the possibility of contract renegotiations.

The second phase, which will cost about $6 billion, involves the construction of two more runways bringing annual capacity to 75 million passengers.

The last phase is the expansion to four runways, which will boost capacity to 130 million passengers.

The Cavite government said the completion of the Sangley Point International Airport will pave the way for the phasing out of NAIA, which can be redeveloped. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Bill granting special powers for flagship projects hurdles committee

March 2, 2020 | 10:19 pm

THE HOUSE special committee on flagship programs and projects approved Monday a bill granting special powers to President Rodrigo R. Duterte to speed up the implementation of his “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

“Tulad po ng nag-declare tayo ng special powers para po harapin ang Taal, isang disaster, bakit hindi natin gamitin ang powers para sa isang opportunity? (We granted special powers to deal with the Taal eruption; why shouldn’t we grant powers to take advantage of an opportunity?)” Representative Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda of Albay, the bill’s author, said on the sidelines of a House hearing.

House Bill 5456 or the proposed Flagship Emergency Act was approved subject to style revisions and amendments.

The amendments approved by the committee are as follows: changing “emergency powers” to “special powers” and allowing the next President to have the same power to fast-track infrastructure projects, among others.

The bill also authorizes “special modes of procurement” and boosts the government’s eminent domain powers to address right-of-way bottlenecks in infrastructure projects.

According to Mr. Salceda, the Philippines needs to fast-track its infrastructure projects to “fill the gap” in external demand with the Covid-19 outbreak threatening to stifle economic activity.

“Lalong-lalo sa panahon na may (Covid-19) kung saan ang buong mundo po ay dumadaan po sa isang posibleng problema sa pagbagal ng ekonomiya, eh mas kinakailangan po na bilisan natin ang mga proyekto dito sa loob ng ating bansa para po mas matapatan o mapunuan po natin yung kakulangan po sa external demand (We need to compensate for weaker external demand by facilitating these projects at a time when the epidemic threatens to slow down economies all over the world),” he said.

He said the economy has the potential to grow by 10-12% if the infrastructure bottlenecks are addressed, Mr. Salceda said.

“Kung ang ating imprastraktura na sa ngayon ay nasa 5.2% of GDP, ang ganung klase pong infrastructure ay pwede po magpabilis ng ekonomiya between 10 to 12% (With infrastructure spending accounting for 5.2% of GDP, removing the constraints on infrastructure could bring growth to 10-12%),” he said. — Genshen L. Espedido

PHL at or near top of gender balance metrics in GDBA study

March 2, 2020 | 10:19 pm

A STUDY of workplace gender diversity in Asia puts the Philippines at or near first place on measures like, the narrowness of the gender pay gap, female representation in senior leadership, and overall gender balance.

The fourth Gender Diversity Benchmark in Asia (GDBA) study conducted by non-profit Community Business, which advocates for inclusiveness, and co-funded by Thomson Reuters, studied 4.8 million employees across 3,600 companies in the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.

In the first study to take in data from Philippine firms, the gender pay gap in the Philippines was estimated at 10.2% of total compensation, followed by Indonesia (17.9%), Singapore (24.8%), and Japan (26.8%).

The percentage of females in senior management in the Philippines was 33%, followed by Malaysia and Hong Kong with 26.7% and 24.7%, respectively.

Although the Philippines ranked highly across the three metrics, gender imbalances were observed in some sectors.

Women were heavily represented in human resources at 71% and finance at 69%. The share of women in information technology was 28%.

Women in the Philippine work force accounted for more than half of the total in the 20 to 39 age group. The proportion, however, “steadily” declines from age 40 and above, which the report attributed to the need for family members to care for the elderly.

University of the Philippines Journalism Professor Ma. Diosa Labiste told reporters on the sidelines of the event that the history of the women’s movement in the Philippines has positioned the country ahead of others in Asia.

“The growth of the women’s movements since the 1960s to 1980s paved the way for the country to have more laws that would promote equality, and also women support for universal access to education on many levels. [This includes] years of having feminist and women’s groups raising issues and consciousness among different sectors in society. These are the gains we are seeing now,” she said.

“Having women in the workplace assert themselves through associations and labor unions helps close the gender income gap. We have to credit the part of history where women also demanded the right to have equal pay and have fair and better and representation in all aspect of society,” she added.

Marla Garin-Alvarez, Asia Pacific diversity and inclusion lead at the Thomson Reuters, said the Philippines’ gains in workplace gender balance can be sustained.

“First, by looking at the new arenas where we need to make our presence felt. For example… women need to be more adept at technology to be able to lead in that space,” she said.

“Second, by supporting each other. The previous generation paved the way for the younger generation of women professionals, so that they could get the proper training, exposure and visibility, leadership opportunities in particular. Women at the senior levels should make use of their leadership position to make things happen for the women in the younger generation,” she added.

“In the Philippines, particularly among multinational companies, that is happening now. The challenge is for local companies to follow suit…in changing the way they hire, promote and retain women,” Ms. Garin-Alvarez said. — Carmina Angelica V. Olano

National gov’t outstanding debt rises to P7.76 trillion at end-January

March 2, 2020 | 10:19 pm

THE national government’s (NG) outstanding debt increased to P7.763 trillion at the end of January, with borrowing rising from both domestic and foreign sources, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said Monday.

BTr said outstanding debt rose 3.6% from a year earlier, and was up 0.4% from the 2019 year-end total.

“The level of NG debt reflects a P32.06 billion or 0.4% increment from the end-December 2019 level predominantly due to net availment of foreign financing,” BTr said.

Outstanding debt from domestic lenders accounted for nearly 66% of the total at P5.123 trillion. Domestic debt rose 4.4% higher year-on-year but was 0.1% lower compared to the end of 2019.

“For January, the (month on month) reduction in domestic debt was mainly due to the net redemption of government securities amounting to P3.86 billion, which more than offset the P0.03 billion effect of peso depreciation on onshore dollar bonds,” it said.

About 99.98% of domestic debt consisted of government securities while the remainder was in the form of loans.

Foreign sources provided the remainder, or P2.639 trillion, up 2.1% from the year prior and up 1.4% from the end of the previous year.

The treasury said the month-on-month increase in external debt was due to net availments of foreign loans worth P33.51 billion, as well as the “P2.72 billion effect of local currency depreciation on dollar-denominated debt.”

Loans accounted for 39.86% of the external borrowing total or P1.052 trillion while the remainder of 60.09% came from debt securities issues worth P1.586 trillion.

NG guaranteed debt stood at P488.294 billion, up 0.2% year-on-year and down 0.1% from the record level posted in December.

“The lower (month-on-month) level of guarantees was due to the net redemption of both local and foreign guarantees amounting to P0.46 billion and P0.39 billion, respectively,” the BTr said.

“This was tempered by local and third-currency exchange rate fluctuations that increased the value of external guarantees by P0.24 billion and P0.16 billion, respectively,” it added. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Tourist spending growth exceeds 20% in 2019 to $9.31B amid record arrivals

March 2, 2020 | 10:19 pm

THE Department of Tourism (DoT) said growth in visitor receipts, a measure of spending by international tourists, topped 20% in 2019 to $9.31 billion, after visitor numbers grew to record levels.

In a statement Monday, DoT said the rise in spending totals reflects above-target visitor numbers of 8.2 million in 2019, breaching the DoT’s target of 8 million.

The DoT’s Office of Tourism Development Planning, Research and Information Management (OTDPRIM) estimated that on average, daily tourist expenditure was $128.35 and $1,218.04 over the entire trip.

The DoT said South Korea remained the top source of visitors with an estimated total spend of $2.6 billion. Visitors from China spent $2.3 billion while visitors from the US spent $1.2 billion. It identified the other top sources of visitors as Japan, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, the UK, Germany and Malaysia.

Despite the current travel ban in China and the partial travel ban in South Korea amid the rising global cases of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“The Philippine tourism industry’s continued impressive performance dramatizes the dedication, hard work and resilience of its stakeholders through a most challenging year. We count on the same enduring qualities to get us through the challenges this year,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said. — Gillian M. Cortez

Employers urged to support working mothers’ start-up aspirations — LinkedIn

March 2, 2020 | 10:18 pm

WORKING mothers expressed high levels of interest in starting a business, and employers should be ready to support them in achieving these goals, LinkedIn reported, citing the results of a study.

According to the LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2020, the career networking company said 25% of working mothers in the Philippines expressed interest in starting their own businesses, while 16% valued job security.

LinkedIn said the main constraint for such workers is lack of time and money.

“Lack of time is a more difficult barrier for them compared to other respondents. They also experience related concerns such as lack of support in family commitments and weak networks as bigger hurdles compared to other respondents,” LinkedIn said in a statement Monday.

LinkedIn added that female workers in the Philippines are likely to leave employment after or in preparation for childbirth.

The Philippines’ female labor participation rate is 46%, lowest in Southeast Asia.

LinkedIn said 22% of working mothers in the Philippines are single, the second-highest level in the world. This poses a challenge for mothers who need to find a balance between family time and pursuing employment or business goals.

LinkedIn Vice-President of Talent and Learning Solutions for the Asia-Pacific Feon Ang said that addressing the gaps in providing women, especially mothers, with work opportunities should be a focus for employers, considering that this population can help fill the need for more talent globally.

“As industries face the global shortage of talent and skills gaps, it becomes more important for businesses to do more to encourage women to be a part of the workforce and help them reach their full potential. A diverse and inclusive workforce can be a huge advantage for businesses as employees can share and learn from one another’s perspectives, experiences and ways of solving problems.” — Gillian M. Cortez

DTI confident of prevailing in WTO dispute vs. Thailand

March 2, 2020 | 10:17 pm

TRADE Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo is confident the World Trade Organization (WTO) will allow the Philippines to make its case for retaliation in a 12-year trade dispute with Thailand.

“We are confident that the WTO and its members will uphold the exercise of substantive rights by a decent and responsible member (Philippines) which has been abiding by WTO rules,” he said in a statement Monday.

Thailand declined to discuss at the WTO its ongoing dispute with the Philippines over cigarette imports in a dispute settlement meeting Friday.

The Philippines first complained in 2008 of Thailand’s customs valuation of cigarette imports, which the WTO decided in favor of the Philippines in 2010.

The trade department said in November that it is considering retaliatory measures for Thailand’s non-compliance with the WTO ruling, saying that it may impose quantitative restrictions or tariffs on Thai automotive exports to the Philippines.

Mr. Rodolfo, who chairs the technical committee on WTO matters, said he does not want to preempt any WTO action. The WTO is currently studying Thailand’s objections to the meeting.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told reporters Monday that the Philippines wants official authorization from the WTO to impose countermeasures against Thailand.

“We just have to hear that go-signal from the WTO,” he said. Asked if he would consider unilateral countermeasures outside of the WTO, he said the WTO process must be observed to prevent back-and-forth retaliations.

“Kung may authority na binigay, walang (If authority is given, there won’t be) retaliation (from the other side) because you are authorized to do that.”

Mr. Rodolfo said the Philippines has been abiding by the rules of the organization.

“The Philippines is confident that the WTO and its Members will see through the tactics being used by the other Party in order to impair the country’s exercise of its substantive rights.”

He said the blocking of the meeting agenda halted discussions on the Philippines’ substantive rights.

“We are confident the WTO and its Members will see through this underhanded attempt to prevent our exercise of our right, by blocking even the very WTO Meeting where this would have been discussed,” he said.

“In a rules-based environment, those who break the rules and who go unpunished, derive the most benefits-at the expense of those who diligently abide by the rules.” — Jenina P. Ibañez