17 MARCH 2019

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10 BUSINESS Sunday, 17 March 2019 Daily Tribune 60% Filipinos worry of Nokor nukes ISSUES AND VIEWS Kumar Balani COMMENTARY “The issue of the growing arsenal of nuclear weapons by North Korea has worried people all over the world. NEW YORK, NY — Talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korean “Supreme Leader” Kim Jong Un abruptly ended during their second summit on 28 February in Hanoi, Vietnam without any sort of agreement between the two leaders. Kim Jong Un surprisingly thought, without any concession on his part, that President Trump would simply lift all US economic sanctions — that are hurting North Korea — just by asking. But the US, as expected and knowing Trump’s negotiating style, would not meet Kim Jong Un’s request to lift all sanctions on North Korea without first securing its meaningful commitment to denuclearization. President Trump remarked in his solo news conference before heading back to Washington that was unprepared to do that, adding “sometimes you have to walk.” We thought Kim Jong Un may have already learned something from the first summit on 12 June 2018 in Singapore, not to ask for any concession without offering something in return, especially with a tough negotiator like Trump. Remember that Trump also just walked away from a second White House meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Charles Schumer when they simply said “No” to his request to fund a border wall between the US and Mexico? Trump always ensures there are alternative means of obtaining what he wants. What that is going to be in this case may unfold in the near future. If Kim wants to stop US sanctions, change world perception of his country into a positive one and discontinue economic stagnation, he must come up with some offer. According to 2017 UN data, North Korea is one of the poorest economies in the world, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of just above $17 billion where the average person ekes out a living with $685 of income in an entire year, ranking 178 among 193 countries, or in the bottom eight percent. In contrast, South Korea “The most worried have been people in neighboring Japan where nearly three of four respondents are apprehensive, as there have already been six missile firings over Japan. had $1,578 billion in GDP where its average resident earned 44 times as much with $30,025 a year and ranked at the top eight percent in the world. This no-deal outcome does not mean the two leaders may not meet again in the future or that their negotiating teams may not communicate through other means. On the possibility of opening a liaison office in North Korea, Trump remarked to reporters that it was “not a bad idea” and Kim called such a next step “welcomable.” The issue of the growing arsenal of nuclear weapons by North Korea — the US military estimates it has 60 nuclear weapons — and its increasing capability to fire them by already having test-fired them repeatedly (numbering 117 such tests since 30 November 2017, according to a Wikipedia article) has worried people all over the world, including four among every six Filipinos, based on a three-month (14 May to 18 August 2018) survey by the Pew Research Center of people in 26 countries spanning six continents. The most worried have been people in neighboring Japan where nearly three of four respondents are apprehensive, as there have already been six missile firings over Japan. The second most recent one was on 29 August 2017, when a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile was fired over Hokkaido, Japan’s second largest island, by North Korea from Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, presumably using a mobile launcher. It traveled around 1,675 miles before crashing into the Pacific Ocean. Just a few days later on 3 September 2017, North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a thermonuclear bomb, also known as a hydrogen bomb. Corresponding seismic activity similar to an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 was reported by the US Geological Survey making the blast around 10 times more powerful than previous detonations by the country. Later the bomb yield was estimated to be 250 kilotons, based on further study of the seismic data. Another firing of the same type of missile followed on 15 September 2017 traveling about 2,300 miles before falling into the Pacific Ocean. The rogue regime also possesses the Hwasong-15 missile with a range of over 8,000 miles, capable of reaching any continent of the world, except Antarctica and South America. The least worried are the people of Russia, but even there 30 percent expressed concern. Among other interesting findings are that older people (50+ in age) are more worried — 66 percent — than younger ones (18 to 29 in age) — 42 percent. Among women, more than two-thirds (68 percent) said North Korea’s nuclear program is a major threat while less than half (49 percent) of men said that also. DTI’s food expo bolsters MSME We should buy Filipino-made products. It’s our own and we should patronize it. It’s time that we end importing products from other countries By Gene Beatrice A. Micaller “It’s not just an ordinary trade of products. It’s for the cuisines of the Philippines,” said Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez during the 2019 National Food Fair. Serving as an empowerment to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in partnership with Department of Tourism and La Germania, organized a food fair event that will not only showcase the best of the best of Filipino cuisines but also give chance to MSME owners to boost their network. “This food fair gives us one, exposure and second is [for] networking,” said Roger Monsale, owner of Koibito’s World of Gelato, one of the participants in the food fair. Showcasing cuisines from Luzon, Visayas and all the way from Mindanao, the DTI’s National Food Fair is an instrument for the agency to share opportunities to small entrepreneurs of the country to gain more exposure for higher profits. “We should buy Filipino-made products. It’s our own and we should patronize it. It’s time that we end importing products from other countries,” Lopez added. The expo will last for four days that will feature Island Kitchens (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao), Food Pavilions, Design Center of the Philippines Special (DCP) setting, OTOP hub and KAPEtirya/Coffee Pavilion. Island Kitchens will highlight renowned culinary professionals who will showcase Kapampangan delicacies. These respected cooking gurus are Cherry Tan, Don Edward Quito, Vince Garcia, Raymun Yabut, Boy Logro, Gabby Pratts and Anton Abad. Meanwhile, food pavilions will gather and exhibit a variety of Halal food spices and seasonings, fruit wines and other cacao products already displayed at the pavilion. Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman said that Halal, even though refers to food and beverages that are only permissible for Islamic tradition to eat, is not explicitly consumed by Islam believers. He added that the Halal industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world. Lopez also reiterated that Halal should not only be incorporated into religion. With a partnership with the DCP, the DTI was able to guide MSME owners on how to efficiently and creatively package their items. DCP is one of the leading agencies in the country driven to cultivate a culture that prospers creativity, value creation, and innovation. Lopez also reiterated that Halal should not only be incorporated into religion. One Town, One Product (OTOP) the Philippines is an integral part of the Food Fair that will give a spotlight to offering that can be found in pasalubong centers, airport terminals and tourist spots, supermarkets, weekend bazaars, public markets, Go Lokal! Outlets, Negosyo Centers and other locations frequently visited by consumers. “As we are already a participant for the past years, we find this food fair effective because it gives businesses like us enough exposure for us to gain more customers,” said Josie Mabuti, sales representative of Rejanos Bakery of Marinduque. As one of the few countries that produce the four main viable coffee varieties namely Arabica, Liberica (Barako), Excelsa and Robusta, the DTI sees KAPEtirya as an avenue to accentuate premium Philippine coffee blends and brands. With 16 regions participating in the annual food fair, the DTI is hopeful that the four-day event will be a fruitful instrument for MSME owners in boosting their businesses. China eases foreign investment rules China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) has passed the Foreign Investment Law, further easing rules to attract foreign investments to the country. The law was during the second session of the 13th NPC. More than opening up the market to foreign players, he added that the Chinese government is committed to protect the growing interest of foreign companies in investing in China. The government will further shorten its foreign negative list. “As China takes its own initiative to open up, we adopt the principle of competitive neutrality and treat both domestic and foreign enterprises as equal. Likewise, we also need to treat all businesses in the various types of ownership as equal,” he said. He said the government will further shorten its foreign negative list to allow more foreign investors to invest in various industries in the Chinese market. The Chinese government will also strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, particularly for technology firms that will invest in China. Li said the government will push for the creation of conducive business environment for micro and small enterprises. The Chinese Premier admitted that financing cost has been a challenge for micro and small businesses in China so there is the need to take “multi-pronged approach” to significantly ease these constraints for enterprises. “Our goal, is to further cut financing cost for micro and small companies by another one percentage point this year,” Li said. “We will encourage financial institutions to enhance their internal management system and provide more services to private companies and micro and small companies,” he added. Meanwhile, Lianghui or the Two Sessions concluded here Friday. Lianghui is the annual plenary sessions of the NPC and China’s top consultative body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Xinhua THE country's food sector takes centerstage in the ongoing Food Fair organized by the Department of Trade and Industry. SUNDAY GOSPEL First reading Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18 And he brought him forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven and number the stars, if thou canst. And he said to him: So shall thy seed be. Abram believed God and it was reputed to him unto justice. And he said to him: I am the Lord who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land and that thou mightest possess it. But he said: Lord God, whereby may I know that I shall possess it? And the Lord answered and said: Take me a cow of three years old and a she goat of three years and a ram of three years, a turtle also and a pigeon. And he took all these, and divided them in the midst and laid the two pieces of each one against the other; but the birds he divided not. And the fowls came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram and a great and darksome horror seized upon him. And when the sun was set, there arose a dark mist and there appeared a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions. That day God made a covenant with Abram, saying: To thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river Euphrates. Second reading Philippians 3: 17 — 4: 1 Be ye followers of me, brethren, and observe them who walk so as you have our model. For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping), that they are enemies of the cross of Christ; Whose end is destruction; whose God is their belly; and whose glory is in their shame; who mind earthly things. But our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren and most desired, my joy and my crown; so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. GOSPEL Second Sunday of Lent Luke 9:28b-36 Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.
Sunday, 17 March 2019 Daily Tribune TECHTALKS 11 The DICT is still waiting for Congress to officially approve Mislatel’s franchise before it can give out the necessary radio frequencies and for the National Telecommunications Commission to issue it a license to operate as a telephone company By Komfie Manalo Even before the third telecommunication player rolls out its network, the public is already feeling the benefits of Mislatel consortium’s entry as dominant players Globe Telecoms and Smart Communications have unveiled several announcements to improve their services. Businessman Dennis Uy, the Filipino partner of Mislatel, said during the latest “Straight Talk with Daily Tribune,” the two telecoms service providers have initiated service upgrades and promotions in anticipation of their coming. Mislatel is a partnership among Uy’s Udenna Corp. and Chelsea Logistics and state-run China Telecom. “The public will surely benefit with our entry,” Uy said. “As we speak, the two major players (in the telecom industry) have announced plans to improve their networks and services. And that is even before we start our service.” Indeed, Smart Communications, the wireless unit of PLDT, said it would spend P70 billion for 2019 to improve its network. In addition, the company entered into a partnership with Nokia to deploy a fifth generation (5G) technology and services in schools across the country. Smart and Nokia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development of 5G standalone (5G SA) solutions such as artificial intelligence, drones and Internet of Things applications for use in colleges and universities. “We are happy to partner with Nokia to help develop intelligent solutions and technologies for the benefit of the Philippine education sector,” PLDT-Smart chairman and chief executive officer Manuel V. Pangilinan said during the signing. For its part, Globe announced in February it would allocate a record P63 billion capital spending this year, or 45 percent higher than its previous spending in 2018 as the company pursue a more aggressive spending plan ahead of the competition posed by the coming of Mislatel and the increase in demand for bandwidth-hungry services such as Internet TV. Industry observers said the increase in CapEx (capital expenditures) by both Globe and Smart is not only geared towards meeting the growing demand but because of the reality, they cannot afford to be complacent with the entry of another player. Still on track Meanwhile, Uy said the consortium is still on track with regards to its rollout plan by 2020 despite the delays in the securing of local business permits to put up towers and other bureaucratic requirements. “We’ll encounter problems as we outsource to our subcontractors, but hopefully we can manage,” Uy said, adding that logistics and financing are not an issue. He said they expect the House of Representatives to resolve their franchise issue after the May midterm polls. “We need 26 to 30 permits to build one tower. If you put up a tower, we will need to get the consent of residents in the immediate area, permits from the local governments down to barangays, it’s not easy,” he said. On Thursday, the Department of Information and UY Telcos upgrade services ahead of third player Communications Technology (DICT) acting Secretary Eliseo Rio also backed Uy’s timetable and said the consortium has already started preparatory works on its network while waiting for the resolution on its franchise application. The DICT is still waiting for Congress to officially approve Mislatel’s franchise before it can give out the necessary radio frequencies and for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to issue it a license to operate as a telephone company. The public will surely benefit with our entry. As we speak, the two major players (in the telecom industry) have announced plans to improve their networks and services. And that is even before we start our service MISLATEL is still on track to roll out its network. Realme Phl sponsors Mobile Legends tourney Realme Philippines gears up with the Philippine’s biggest mobile gaming tournament, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Season 3 for the most epic gaming season yet. Expect exciting activities and activations from Realme and Mobile Legends and be ready to win big prizes. As the Epic Sponsor of the tournament, rising smartphone brand realme seals realme 3’s claim of superior budget smartphone performance. Realme 3, the latest device in the realme product portfolio, is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60 processor, giving users butter smooth gaming experience. In the series of weekly tournaments, fans can expect exciting activities and prizes such as smartphones and in-game diamonds. With the regular season starting on 23 March, everyone is encouraged to watch the upcoming livestream tournaments and get the chance to win brand new Realme 3 smartphones and other exciting prizes. “Realme 3 with its powerful Helio P60 processor and affordable price tag elevates the gaming experience of Filipinos. That’s why we have partnered with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League We are happy to partner with Nokia to help develop intelligent solutions and technologies for the benefit of the Philippine education sector Rio was quoted as saying, “Mislatel is already doing things. They have started with their rollout. They are already building towers and doing their layout. They are taking the risk, but they cannot operate until they get the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and frequencies.” 1,000 towers Uy said they plan on constructing up to 1,000 towers within a year as he expects to provide service to his first customer by June. The Philippines currently has one of the lowest cell site densities in Asia with an estimated 4,036 Internet users per cell site based on 16,600 total towers against 67 million internet users. Counting all the expected delays from the securing of permits, Mislatel still expects to serve its first customer within one year. “Even before Mislatel operations start, the telecommunications services from the duopoly have improved and that’s a good signal for consumers,” he said. “We are all consumers, subscribers; you see that they have announced that they have put in more capital expenditures. So that’s a good start. Hopefully, we can make a difference and try to get as many costumers as we can,” he said. “It’s not easy to enter this industry; it takes conviction and a lot of capital… looking at it the other way, that there’s only a handful who bid. So if we did not bid, then it will be a failed process. So nobody wins including the consumers,” he said. Season 3 to show the capabilities of this revolutionary smartphone. Expect exciting activities and activations from Realme and Mobile Legends and be ready to win big prizes,” shares Realme Philippines marketing lead, Eason de Guzman. Additionally, Realme Philippines encourages amateur and aspiring Mobile Legends players to join in its upcoming community tournament. Open to all members of Realme Philippines Community Official, the tournament registration starts on 22 March with the qualifiers beginning on 8 April and finals on May 2019. Grand winner of the community tournament will win P 25,000 and a Realme 3 smartphone. Grand winners of the MPL Season 3 are in for a big pot for they’ll be bringing home US$25,000 or roughly P1.2 million. Grand Finals will happen in May 2019 with the venue and date still to be announced. Tune in on Realme Philippines and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang official Facebook pages for more details. COOCAA TV. Coocaa enters Manila market With the mantra “change, innovate, explore,” Coocaa, the television brand in Lazada Indonesia, is now available for the Philippine Market. Purely targeting e-Commerce, Coocaa wanted to penetrate the younger generations who are now, more than ever, leaning towards digital life. And in the Philippines where e-Commerce platforms are widely utilized, the company saw great opportunities. “At this day and age, family quality time is most likely to involve electronic devices and all the technology that comes with it. We understand the vital needs of at-home connectivity and believe that Filipinos deserve to have an entertainment package that is both cutting edge and affordable and Coocaa makes that possible,” said Rock Zhang, general manager of Coocaa Philippines. Coocaa has three series under its portfolio namely Explore, Innovate and Change. Coocaa has achieved great grades, becoming the top TV brand in Lazada Indonesia and other countries. We are excited to be part of Coocaa’s new chapter in the Philippines. Its affordable prices and great technology have an easy appeal with the Filipino market, bringing all the excitement of a smart TV into numerous homes. Considered their most advanced offering, the S5G Explore series is available in two sizes: 50 and 40 inches, with both equipped with Google Assistant. Powered by Google, consumers can turn on and off the fan, activate humidifiers, or switch lamp color, all these made possible by AIot technology. Curious about the price? Well, it will not empty your wallet that much as the Explore series’ 50 and 40 inches TV are priced P22,990 and P13, 990, respectively. This portfolio is intended for the tech-savvy people who put more weight on the technical elements of a device. Now, Coocaa understands that their target market is very fond of watching movies and series. In fact, the Philippines market is one of the heavy subscribers to Netflix. To address this need among Filipinos, Coocaa launched Innovate S3N series. Unlike the first series, Innovate series has three variants: 32, 40 and 43 inches, with All built-in Netflix 5.1 feature for consumers to watch more than 700 movies and TV shows. “We wanted to focus (the Innovate series) on the fundamental design of a TV,” said Taylor He, Coocaa’s business manager, during the media launch on March 14. The Innovate series cost P9,990, P12,990 and P14,990. On the other hand, Coocaa put importance on consumers who are energy conscious thus giving life to the Change series that features a 32-inch basic TV costs of P7,490 only. Change series highlights an HD-ready panel, SRS Dolby Audio+ and 178-degree angle views. Not to mention, its energy saving technology. “Coocaa has achieved great grades, becoming the top TV brand in Lazada Indonesia and other countries. We are excited to be part of Coocaa’s new chapter in the Philippines. Its affordable prices and great technology have an easy appeal with the Filipino market, bringing all the excitement of a smart TV into numerous homes,” said the chief business officer of Lazada, Emmanuelle Chavarot. Starting 18 March, Coocaa’s official flagship store will be out and about on Lazada. Gene Beatrice A. Micaller
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Page 21 and 22: Dinah S. Ventura, Editor SPOTLIGHT

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