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Amman Mineral is the biggest newcomer to Indonesia’s stock exchange since GoTo Group in April 2022. IPOs in Jakarta have raised US$2.2 billion since the start of the year, surpassing activity in Hong Kong.

July 05, 2023 12:15 PM

The Thai man was seen remonstrating angrily at the tourist after a dispute over his final destination.

July 05, 2023 12:10 PM

Seoul said the rocket had little military value.

The blacklisting is the latest twist in a row that has seen Cambodia’s long-time leader Hun Sen, once a prolific Facebook user, switch to rival social media platform Telegram.

Hospitals must from next year submit birth records to the government, after the case of two infants stashed in a freezer exposed a gap in the law that was resulting in undocumented children.

MANILA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Year-on-year inflation in the Philippines slowed further to 5.4 percent in June 2023 from 6.1 percent in May due to lower food and transport costs, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Wednesday.

"This is the fifth consecutive month of deceleration in the headline inflation and the lowest in the past 13 months," PSA head Dennis Mapa told a news conference.

The PSA d

This week, Burundian authorities once again displayed their contempt for human rights by

More than three in four Malaysians have attempted to go cashless and almost all are now familiar with contactless payment systems, according to a study from global card issuer Visa Inc.

A WAREHOUSE in Barangay Opao, Mandaue City was destroyed by the fire at dawn Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

The damage was about P14 million.

The Mandaue City Fire Station got the fire alarm at 3:53 a.m., according to Senior Fire Officer 2 Antonio Montajes.

At 4 a.m., the fire was upgraded to the first alarm and then to second alarm at 4:33 a.m.

The fire was put out with the aid of firefighters from the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu.

According to an investigation by the Mandaue City Police Office, Xanda Traders leased the warehouse that was owned by James Tan of Hesreal Corporation.

Fire Chief Inspector Arniel Abella, fire marshal of Mandaue City Fire Office (MCFO), said they used aqueous film-forming foam to extinguish the fire because it could not be contained immediately with water alone.

Construction materials were kept inside the warehouse.

At 5:33 a.m., the fire was put under control and declared fire out after a minute.

According to reports, the fire was started when a transformer nearby exploded during a downpour.

The MCFO is now finding out the real cause of the fire. (BBT/TPT)

‘It’s just unacceptable’, said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, adding Australia ‘will disagree’ with China ‘where we must. And we do disagree over human rights issues’. Of the 8 suspects wanted under the national security law, 2 are based in Australia.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development issued the cease-and-desist order on Gentle Hands in Quezon City after an unannounced inspection led by Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian.

July 05, 2023 10:05 AM

He reiterated his willingness for talks without preconditions and a pledge to boost defences.

Dera's lawyer said his client had been allowed to leave NBI custody to get his gastrisis checked, but the Department of Justice said the trip was not sanctioned.

El Niño is still “weak” at the moment, according to Ana Liza Solis, chief of PAGASA’s climate monitoring and prediction section. But it is expected to become moderate or strong during the last quarter of the year. 

Neither India nor Brazil want to lose influence in the bloc, but observers say New Delhi’s recent tilt to the West mean its ‘makes sense’ for other BRICS members to back Beijing’s push to welcome Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and others into the fold.

NEARLY 50,000 families in Cebu benefited from emergency and recovery assistance amounting to P1 billion from the humanitarian organization, Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

This was announced by PRC’s chairman and chief executive officer, former senator Richard Gordon, during a press conference on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at the Fili Hotel in Nustar Resort and Casino in Cebu City.

Gordon highlighted the PRC’s achievements and completed projects in the past decade, particularly during the crises caused by typhoons Yolanda and Odette, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

PRC data showed that the close to 50,000 families received the P1-billion aid in the form of shelter repair, livelihood, cash grant and food items.

The PRC has spent P12 million for shelter repairs, P89 million for livelihood, P43 million for cash assistance and P2 million for food items.

A total of 8,741 houses were also built for the families who were affected by natural disasters which cost around P452 million.

In 2013, the PRC helped families displaced by typhoon Yolanda by building 8,671 houses in Bantayan Island, Daanbantayan, San Remigio and Bogo City.

This was part of the over P627-million relief and recovery aid the organization provided in the province.

The PRC also assisted 6,738 families in Cebu who were affected by typhoon Odette in 2021. PRC volunteers delivered bottled water and distributed cash assistance to the affected families. They also provided emergency shelter assistance to some residents of Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City.

Gordon said the PRC does not only provide emergency response and relief but also helps communities recover and rebuild after disasters.

He said it is important to ensure the continuity of the projects to enable the affected families to overcome the damage caused by disasters. (AML)

THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and Habitat for Humanity have identified Mandaue City as their pilot local government unit (LGU) for the countrywide implementation of the inclusive green housing microfinance program for low-income families.

This program gives low-income families access to credit to buy climate-resilient homes.

Rowena Dineros, OIC director for Public Housing and Settlements Service of the DHSUD, said they picked Mandaue City as the pilot LGU because of the City’s already strong adoption of green initiatives in its area.

In March this year, the Mandaue City Council approved an ordinance giving tax incentives to those who construct buildings that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and help minimize the impact of buildings on health and the environment.

Ordinance 163-2023, an amendment to City Ordinance 13-2015-1047 known as the “green building ordinance” enacted in 2015, was approved on its third and final reading on March 31.

The City also has a 500-unit socialized housing development project in Barangay Tipolo pegged as a green project.

“Mandaue is the ‘greenspot’ in the industry because they have been one of the early adopters. It’s a great foundation to start with,” Jessan Catre, Philippine country director of Habitat for Humanity-Terwilliger Center, said in an interview during the “Building a ‘Greenclusive’ Construction Industry” forum on June 24.

“With the mayor’s intent that green is inclusive, we look at Mandaue as a perfect area where national policies would be tested,” added Catre.

Catre believes having a local chief executive who is a believer in inclusive and green initiatives is critical in the fast adoption and roll-out of inclusive green microfinance programs, especially among low-income families.

Mandaue City currently suffers a 14,000 housing backlog.

“We will map out the areas where the green microfinance will be tested. We don’t want to go wide immediately. We will work with the Mandaue LGU and the concerned government agencies,” Catre said, adding that Habitat for Humanity also has a lot of partner microfinance institutions.

(Housing backlogs)

Nationwide, the country logs 6.4 million housing backlogs, of which 3.7 million come from the country’s lowest-income segment.

Green and inclusive finance focuses on all instruments, products and services that address climate change: mitigation and adaptation; solutions for waste, water and sanitation management; land management and ecosystem conservation; organic farming; access to clean and reliable energy; and energy efficiency.

It also applies housing microfinance practices with housing microfinance innovations.

Affordability remains a major block for many Filipinos to own houses, especially those considered climate-resilient ones.

This is the reason, DHSUD, according to Dineros, advocates for a public-private-partnership program for green and inclusive home microfinancing that targets informal settlers.

“Going green is not expensive... We can adopt ways and strategies to bring down the cost within their means. We can devise ways such as updating the housing microfinance product manual that sets the process and requirements for every household (on how) to avail themselves of this green technology under the microfinance program,” she said.

Dineros said green development involve projects that reduce the use of carbon footprints and make use of resources that promote sustainability and energy efficiency.

“These green technologies, I believe, should be available to all households in the country,” she added.

“Design should be for all,” Catre added.

“(This is) because right now professional architectural, interior design and engineering are usually for high and middle-income homeowners. Design is very important to be resilient and green. Services like these should also be made available to low-income homeowners,” Catre explained.

The forum was organized by key stakeholders in the region’s construction industry including the Cebu Contractors Association, Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, DHSUD, Philippine Institute of Interior Designers-Cebu Chapter and the United Architects of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter. (KOC)

THE origins of nepotism are as old as time. According to Wikipedia, the term originated with the assignment of nephews to important positions by Catholic popes and bishops and came from the Italian word “nepotismo,” which is based on Latin root “nepos” that means nephew. Since the Middle Ages and until the late 17th century, some Catholic popes and bishops – who had taken vows of chastity and, therefore, usually had no legitimate offspring of their own – gave their nephews such positions of preference as were often accorded by fathers to sons. Several popes elevated nephews and other relatives to the cardinalate. Often, such appointments were a means of continuing a papal “dynasty.”

In many family-owned businesses, nepotism is viewed in positive terms, often because it is a cheap source of labor and reflects a dominant culture that embraces “succession.” Sadly, it is a mistaken notion. For family enterprises to thrive, competence must be the main criteria for employment, followed by years of exemplary leadership and consistent high level performance.

Saving family business from the dangers of nepotism

To mitigate these negative impacts and make family-run businesses be mindful of the dangers of hiring family members, we assert that family businesses should strive to establish clear policies and procedures that prioritize meritocracy, transparency and accountability. By actively promoting fairness, providing equal opportunities, and valuing competence and performance, a family business can foster a healthy work environment, attract and retain talented non-family employees, and improve its overall competitiveness and sustainability.

I am sharing several family business covenants that promote professionalism over nepotism. I encourage owners and leaders to use this pledge as a guide to remind family members to lead and make decisions for the greater good.

I. As a family-run organization, we must be mindful that when we employ people who are related to us either by blood or marriage, it should always be based on the following non-negotiable metrics: Outside experience, credentials, exceptional work in the past and merit. We must reiterate that the family member’s last name is not a birthright and employment is never guaranteed.

II. As a family-run business, our very existence depends on the quality and integrity of our employees. As working family members, we must set the bar when it comes to hard work and professionalism. As leaders, we must be exceptional role models and lead by example in all facets of our personal and professional lives.

III. As a family enterprise, we must demonstrate our proactive attitude in discouraging nepotism. We believe that the only way to eliminate the old practices is to prepare and enforce key performance indicators (KPIs) that will apply to all family and non-family employees.

IV. Upon the acceptance of a family member, he or she must be required to sign a service agreement indicating the scope of work, title, position and compensation highlighting KPIs. Failure to sign the agreement within 30 days will be grounds to recall the employment.

V. Compensation must never be equal. It must be commensurate with the family member’s qualifications and contribution to the company’s productivity. Employee benefits and privileges must apply to all active family members commensurate to their position in the organization.

VI. We must always be mindful in treating family members joining the business like we would treat non-family employees. We consistently live to the same standards of work and performance of non-family employees. Absences and leaves must be duly recorded; no work, no pay instituted; and, for non-selling functions, time in and time out fully documented.

VII. It is against our policy to prohibit or decline a qualified job candidate on grounds of their relation to the owners and shareholders. However, we do recognize that encouraging employment of our relatives can have a negative impact on workplace productivity and fuel accusations of nepotism and favoritism. Therefore as working family members, we should always be role models and must expect to be treated less well than non-family employees.

VIII. As family members, we are committed to instill the following values that will transform them to decent, responsible, productive and competent professional employees -- honesty, integrity, dependability, respect for others, being industrious and doing one’s best in every endeavor.

THE Municipality of Cordova in Mactan Island has announced that it will now allow swimming in Bantayan Bay in Barangay Poblacion starting Sunday, July 16, 2023. The activity was banned 10 months ago after high levels of fecal coliform were discovered in coastal waters.

The announcement was made by Cordova Mayor Cesar “Didoy” Suan during the flag ceremony last Monday, July 3.

Suan said he hopes Bantayan Bay will be ready for bathing and swimming not only for the Cordovahanons but also for other visitors from other places.

On Aug. 15, 2022, Suan announced that swimming in the area was no longer safe after the Environmental Management Bureau 7 discovered the contamination.

In contrast to the allowed threshold of only 100 mpn (most probable numbers) per 100 milliliters (ml), the Cordova local government previously reported that the fecal coliform level in the area had reached 2,400 mpn per 100 ml.

Suan said the level of fecal coliform in Bantayan Bay has now dropped to 0.8 mpn per 100 ml.

“So, we will open it to the public by July 16,” Suan remarked.

To make sure that the area’s cleanliness is maintained, Suan has tasked the municipal tourism officer and other town officials to hold seminars for all stakeholders who are currently operating in Bantayan Bay, including boat operators and other individuals who offer swimming-related activities.

The local government clarified that no cottages will be allowed to operate in Bantayan Bay.

To avoid polluting the seawater, the local government will also install public comfort rooms at the Marine Watch Office.

“Kabaw ko, modagsa na ang bisita coming from different munisipyo or cities, kay nindot gyud baya ni atong lugar. So para magpabilin siya nga nindot ug limpyo, mag-seminar sa ta og two weeks para gikan sa basura, gikan sa pagpangihi, gikan sa unsa pa, nga atoang mapadayon nga limpyo atong lugar (I know that visitors coming from other municipalities or cities will flock here because our place is really beautiful. To maintain its beauty and cleanliness, we will hold a seminar for two weeks, from garbage to urinating and other things. We will continue to keep our place clean),” the mayor said.

Aside from beautiful beaches, the municipality has a sandbar and a mangrove forest that tourists can visit. (ANV / TPT)

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised on June 8 the status of Mayon Volcano in Albay to Alert Level 3 after it showed an “increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.”