Category: Business Mirror

AN education expert underscored the importance of creating a culture of open communication amidst another school shooting incident in Zamboanga.

Rossana Llenado, founder of Ahead Education Group, said that schools must look beyond physical security and build a culture where students feel safe speaking up and more teachers become equipped to recognize concerning behavior.

‘School safety is not only about what we do when there is an emergency,’ Llenado said. ‘It is also about creating a school environment where students feel that they belong, teachers are attentive to their students, and concerns are taken seriously.’

As schools confront bullying, student conflicts, online threats and other forms of harmful behavior, Llenado says prevention must become part of everyday education.

A multi-awarded education advocate, Llenado started Ahead Education Group, which operates nine education brands. It has been recognized nationally and across Asia for excellence in education,

entrepreneurship and leadership. It is the country’s most awarded review center with over 35 recognitions.

Teachers spend much of their day with students and may notice changes in behavior, relationships or classroom participation. They should not be expected to diagnose psychological problems, Llenado stressed, but they can be trained to recognize when something is concerning and know when and how to refer it to school leaders or appropriate professionals.

‘Teachers can help create safer schools by listening more to their students but she also cautioned against creating stereotypes about students who may be considered ‘at risk’.’

‘We have to be careful that our efforts to prevent violence do not result in labeling children,’ Llenado said.

Parents are also part of the prevention equation. Regular communication between families and schools can help ensure that serious concerns do not remain unnoticed or unaddressed, Llenado added.

Llenado also said that digital citizenship should be treated as an essential part of education but she said that prevention comes down to relationships and building trust and open communication between and among the parents, school authorities, teachers and students.

‘Education is not only about academic achievement,’ Llenado said. ‘We need to prepare young people to become responsible members of society. Teaching them how to resolve conflict, respect others, ask for help and speak up when something is wrong.’

Llenado is starting a ReviewLab Scholarship Program in September to enable more students from across the country to get more access to review facilities. ‘We encourage our students to be the change the world needs. We hope that they can be a force of good for our country.’, she said adding that a culture of friendship and camaraderie and open communication are also instituted in Ahead.

BUSINESSES are seeking clearer and more consistent rules on how cross-border services are taxed, as a policy dialogue convened by Arangkada Philippines examined implementation issues arising from Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 5-2024.

The Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC), through its ‘Arangkada Philippines’ initiative, said greater tax certainty is needed because tax rules affect how companies structure transactions, plan operations and assess investments.

‘Arangkada serves as a vital bridge between government and business, creating a platform where practical policy concerns can be openly discussed and translated into clear, actionable implementation that supports both compliance and competitiveness,’ Arangkada Project Director Matthew Scalin said during the dialogue last Wednesday.

Issued in January 2024, RMC 5-2024 requires service fees paid to nonresident foreign corporations to be subject to Philippine final withholding tax and value-added tax when the services are used, applied or consumed in the country, even if the work is performed abroad.

The rule, which draws from the Supreme Court’s ruling in Aces Philippines Cellular Satellite Corp. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, broadens the basis for determining the tax situs of services from where the work is physically performed to where the resulting economic benefit or utility is realized.

For businesses, the change raises questions on how the rules should be applied to cross-border transactions, particularly where services involve operations spanning several jurisdictions.

The JFC comprises the American, Canadian, European, Japanese and Korean chambers of commerce and PAMURI, representing more than 3,000 companies operating across various sectors of the Philippine economy.

Arangkada will consolidate the issues and recommendations raised during the dialogue and pursue further discussions with concerned government agencies and stakeholders.

The initiative is part of Arangkada’s broader advocacy for policy reforms aimed at improving the investment environment and competitiveness of the country.

To balance financial sustainability with rapid package growth, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is shifting toward prevention by expanding the primary care system with the Department of Health (DOH) and securing adequate premium funding from both the government and contributors.

In her first news briefing last Thursday, newly-assigned PhilHealth President and CEO Beverly Lorraine C. Ho said a working primary care system will sustain the insurer’s sustainability, as better health promotion and prevention could reduce the number of patients requiring costly therapies.

To do this, the PhilHealth and DOH will scale up the health insurer’s primary care program it dubs ‘Yakap’ (embrace), which aims to provide members with preventive and outpatient services, Ho said. She added the program will be brought to schools and workplaces instead of relying on patients to visit clinics, as well as integrating other government health programs for a more unified health system.

This is part of PhilHealth’s new shared roadmap with the health department anchored on five pillars, such as bringing services close to people, strengthening primary care, expanding access to affordable care, cutting red tape and strengthening PhilHealth’s organization.

The PhilHealth will also crack down on fraudulent claims to ensure that funds are not wasted and that quality services are paid for, and will seek continued support from Congress to ensure adequate funding for premiums, particularly for indirect contributors.

‘[This is] also an appeal to the formal sector and the direct contributor that everyone has to pay their premiums consistently,’ Ho added.

Aside from improving primary care, PhilHealth plans to increase the number of hospitals offering No Balance Billing, including private hospitals willing to provide services at NBB rates.

The PhilHealth and the DOH will likewise seek to cut red tape for healthcare providers by streamlining their licensing and accreditation processes.

Ho said the agencies could eventually allow providers to submit requirements through a single platform instead of separately dealing with the DOH and the PhilHealth, although stronger information technology system would be critical to making the reforms work.

The insurer will also proceed with organizational reforms mandated by the Governance Commission for GOCCs, while seeking to give its employees greater responsibility and fair compensation.

Further, a ‘task-shifting’ mechanism is being studied to allow certain services traditionally performed by doctors or specialists to be handled by nurses or general practitioners where appropriate, Ho added.

The new PhilHealth chief she would not abandon reforms initiated under Edwin Mercado, who was recently appointed as health secretary.

‘We’re just going to build on the gains,’ Ho said. ‘We will actually just focus on better execution moving forward.’

‘Our main goal is to address challenges systematically in the fastest possible ways so that we reduce friction,’ she added.

MALACAÑANG on Thursday warned companies covered by the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law to comply with their plastic recovery obligations as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued 155 show-cause letters to potential violators.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the DENR is auditing companies’ plastic recovery rates to determine compliance with Republic Act 11898 or the EPR Act of 2022.

The law requires covered enterprises to recover or offset an increasing portion of their plastic packaging footprint, with the target reaching 60 percent in 2026, 70 percent in 2027 and 80 percent from 2028 onward.

‘Kapag hindi nag-comply, bibigyan po sila at papatawan ng penalty [Companies that fail to comply will be fined],’ Castro said, quoting the DENR.

The warning came as garbage, particularly plastic waste, clogged Metro Manila’s waterways and pumping stations, worsening the flooding woes.

During an inspection of the Tripa de Gallina Pumping Station in Pasay City, Marcos said even fully operational pumps could lose efficiency when garbage enters the system.

Castro said the DENR had issued 155 show-cause letters to potential obligated enterprises that failed to meet their EPR obligations.

She clarified, however, that the 155 letters do not necessarily mean the companies have already been penalized.

Castro also said compliant companies should be recognized, particularly those that exceed the required recovery targets.

According to DENR data cited by Castro, audited recovery rates in 2024 reached 59.98 percent for rigid plastics and 56.33 percent for flexible plastics, exceeding the 40-percent target applicable that year. With PNA

The Cebu Provincial Government has distributed at least P79 million in calamity cash assistance to thousands of households affected by Typhoon ‘Tino’ and the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Northern Cebu last year, with the latest payouts reaching victims in Mandaue City and Consolacion.

On Wednesday, Aug. 19, 1,126 households from 11 barangays in Mandaue City received P10,000 each, totaling P11.26 million, through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO). Each beneficiary also received 10 kilograms of rice from the national government.

The assistance was led by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro at the Barangay Ibabao-Estancia Gym as the provincial government continued its coordination with local governments to reach residents affected by the typhoon and flooding.

Also on Aug. 19, 340 Typhoon Tino-affected residents in Consolacion received P10,000 each, amounting to P3.4 million in provincial assistance, along with 10 kilograms of rice.

A separate relief effort provided rice to 3,125 farmers and fisherfolk in Consolacion.

Prior to the latest payouts, 873 residents of Liloan and Compostela received P10,000 each on July 13. The distribution covered 482 beneficiaries in Liloan and 391 in Compostela, bringing the assistance to P8.73 million.

On June 24, the provincial government distributed P9.93 million to 993 households in Danao City whose homes were severely damaged by Typhoon Tino. Each household received P10,000 and 10 kilograms of rice.

Livelihood support was also extended to farmers and fisherfolk, including farm equipment, fishing materials, fertilizer, and seeds. The Provincial Veterinary Office also provided 10 carabaos and 20 goats to the city government.

Three days earlier, on June 22, 37 households on Bantayan Island received P10,000 each, or P370,000, after their homes were damaged by the earthquake or Typhoon Tino. Rice, veterinary medicines, and assistive devices were also distributed.

On June 3, the provincial government provided P32.15 million to 3,215 Bogo City households whose homes were completely destroyed by the September 2025 earthquake. Each received P10,000 and 10 kilograms of rice, alongside agricultural, fisheries and livestock assistance.

The earliest payout in the series was on May 20, when 1,394 households in Medellin and Daanbantayan received a combined P13.94 million. The beneficiaries were among those severely affected by the earthquake.

The provincial government has also provided various livelihood inputs and livestock assistance as part of its broader recovery efforts for communities affected by the disasters.

The 2026 Sinclair National Art Competition (SNAC 2026) successfully launched at the Sinclair Pro Store in Del Monte, Quezon City, last July 31, 2026, bringing together artists, members of the media, gallery professionals, educators, and industry leaders in celebration of Filipino creativity and decorative art innovation. Leading the launch was Inv. Derrick A. Tan, President and CEO of Magna Prime Chemical Technologies, Inc., alongside distinguished judges-Mr. Francisco A. Valdecantos, Ms. Arleen Lipana, Mr. Romeo E. Gutierrez, and Mr. Eleazar Abraham ‘Abe’ L. Orobia. The event officially introduced this year’s competition, where Sinclair Makaw Microcement Lime Plaster and Effect Paints and Obra Viva will serve as the artistic media for participating artists.

Following the successful launch, the 2026 Sinclair National Art Competition is now calling for entries nationwide from August 1 to December 31, 2026. Artists are invited to compete in the Representational Obra and Wall Obra categories and explore new possibilities in texture, color, dimension, and surface design. With Inv. Derrick Tan’s vision of pushing creative boundaries and providing greater opportunities for Filipino artists, this year’s competition aims to make the competition even bigger, more innovative, and more inspiring.

PraXis, a member of the ICI Group, bagged the sole GOLD win in the Best Integrated Event Campaign category at the Marketing Events Awards 2026, for Nescafe Fusion: The Philippine Music Festival.

The category is among the toughest categories, rewarding work that fuses online and offline channels into one seamless experience, and NESCAFE FUSION delivered on all fronts.

NESCAFE FUSION set out to celebrate OPM. Competing media giants Played as One. Youth creators and students became advocates. School tours connected with communities. PR wove Fusion into entertainment programs. Event day was designed to delight from offline to online. DOT even joined the fold, bringing the celebration to a global scale.

‘The most powerful campaigns happen when strategy, culture and creativity move as one,’ said Gladys Basinillo, CEO of PraXis. ‘Impact multiplies.’

With gold now in hand, PraXis is ready to build the next big thing.

Kerwin Max S. Tan, Robinsons Land Corp.’s (RLC) chief financial, risk and compliance officer, has been named as CFO of the Year at the 25th Global Edition of the Asia Business Leader of the Year Awards held recently in Singapore.

Tan has overseen the company’s finance, risk management, compliance and capital market initiatives since 2016. During his tenure, RLC has undertaken several major funding and capital market transactions that have supported the company’s growth while preserving financial flexibility.

Among these was RLC’s P13.2-billion bond issuance in 2020, undertaken during the pandemic. In 2021, RLC completed the listing of RL Commercial REIT Inc. (RCR), whose initial public offering (IPO) raised approximately P23.5 billion, making it the Philippines’s largest real estate investment trust IPO.

RLC followed this with a P15-billion bond issuance in 2022 that attracted approximately P120 billion in bids, another P15 billion bond issuance in 2023 and an overnight block placement of RCR shares in 2024 valued at approximately P8.5 billion.

Together, these capital market transactions have helped fund RLC’s growth and reflect continued investor confidence in the company.

‘I see this recognition as a reflection of the work of the entire team. Finance is most effective when it gives the business a clear view of its choices, helps manage risk, and ensures that resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact. That has been our focus at Robinsons Land as the company has continued to expand across its portfolio,’ Tan said.

Across RLC’s operations, the finance function supports investment and funding decisions in its residential, office, mall, hospitality, logistics and mixed-use development businesses. VG Cabuag

Tan brings nearly three decades of experience in banking, treasury, operations, corporate finance, risk management and governance to his role at RLC.

The company said the award recognizes finance leaders for their contributions to sustainable growth, governance, innovation and business value.

RLC President and CEO Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio linked Tan’s contribution to the company’s ‘Vision 5-25-50 strategy,’ which targets P25 billion in net income by RLC’s 50th anniversary in 2030.

‘We are proud to celebrate Kerwin and this well-earned achievement. His consistency and discipline have strengthened the way Robinsons Land manages its finances and approaches major investment decisions, giving the company a strong foundation for growth while keeping risk and governance firmly in view.

The award also reflects the work of the wider finance team and the many people across RLC who contribute to that discipline every day,’ GoBio said.

VinFast Marikina is now a full-service automotive facility. Officially opened in May this year in partnership with Xentro Motors OPC, the 500 square-meter dealership now offers sales, Service, and spare parts – under one roof, expanding reliable EV ownership support in Eastern Metro Manila.

Located at 8 Mayor Gil Fernando Ave., Sto. Niño, Marikina City, VinFast Marikina showroom is now among VinFast locations with a fully operational 1S Plus facility, fully equipped to support customers beyond the vehicle purchase.

The showroom houses VinFast’s entire BEV lineup and is fully equipped to deliver top-tier sales, after-sales support, and comprehensive EV care. The state-of-the-art service center features a dedicated parts warehouse, in-shop wall chargers and outside charging stations, and three specialized working bays – including a vehicle lifter – outfitted with the complete set of advanced tools required for the brand’s complete EV lineup.

By bringing a wide range of services under one roof, encompassing routine preventive maintenance (PMS), general job services, car detailing and body repair services, insurance claims and renewals, customers in Marikina and Eastern Metro Manila can enjoy a seamless, hassle-free ownership experience long after the initial vehicle purchase.

The VinFast Marikina showroom also houses a comprehensive inventory of original spare parts – including PMS components, general mechanical and suspension parts, collision body panels, and essential fluids like coolants and brake fluids. The availability of these genuine supplies readily available brings timely and quality support closer to car owners, building confidence in VinFast vehicles.

Beyond sales and maintenance, the dealership is equipped with two wall chargers inside the dealership and six charging stations outside the facility, housing a total of eight EV Fast Charging Machines to give VinFast owners within Marikina and nearby cities a highly convenient and accessible hub to recharge batteries.

Xentro Motors OPC, supported by its parent company XRC Mall Developer Inc., Owned by Mr. Alexander M. Cruz, Xentro Motors operates within a broader network with a strong presence across North and South Luzon, contributing to the continued expansion of the country’s EV retail infrastructure. Together with partners like Xentro, VinFast is scaling its dealership and service network to improve accessibility and give Filipino motorists greater support and peace of mind as the brand’s footprint continues to expand nationwide.

Mr. Rhomel Franco, CEO of VinFast Philippines, said: ‘With the opening of our Marikina showroom, we are proud to bring VinFast’s premier full-service experience closer to motorists in Eastern Metro Manila. This reflects our commitment to making electric mobility more accessible while giving every VinFast owner the confidence that reliable support is always nearby. As our presence across the Philippines expands, we remain committed to investing in dealerships like this to better serve more customers and strengthen our growing community.’

Mr. Noel Ignacio, CEO of Xentro Motors OPC, said: ‘Marikina has long desired a complete automotive destination for EV owners, and that’s exactly what this full-service facility intends to deliver. With specialized EV servicing, advanced repair capabilities, and comprehensive parts warehouse all under one roof, motorists in Eastern Metro Manila now have a convenient, one-stop option for exploring ownership in a VinFast vehicle. We are thrilled to be part of this next step in making sustainable mobility more accessible in the Philippines.

This growth in full service centers comes as VinFast’s overall dealership network reaches 36 locations nationwide, with more dealership openings planned across key areas in the country in the coming months especially in areas such as Fairview, Cagayan de Oro, Pasay City, Batangas City, and Kawit, Cavite.

Approaching its second year in the market, VinFast continues to build a comprehensive EV ecosystem that integrates products, charging infrastructure, retail presence, and aftersales support. Alongside its expanding dealership and service network, the company is implementing ownership solutions such as battery subscription, a resale value guarantee program, and free charging within the V-Green network until March 31, 2029. This ecosystem-driven approach is designed to reduce barriers, improve ownership confidence, and enable a more scalable transition to electric mobility across the country.

VinFast Marikina is open to serve customers with the showroom operating from Monday to Sunday, from 8am to 6pm, and the service center open from Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 5pm.

Capturing a great shot is one thing. Capturing one while your subjects are speeding through a rollercoaster at up to 97 kilometers per hour is another.

Anne and BJ took on the TRON Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disneyland, one of Disneyland’s fastest and most futuristic attractions.

At the heart of the action, the vivo X300 Ultra’s 200MP 85mm ZEISS Gimbal-Grade APO Telephoto Camera brought the duo closer into frame, capturing their expressions and reactions as the ride raced through its futuristic track. Taken at 85mm, f/2.67, 1/200s, ISO 50, the shot showcases the vivo X300 Ultra’s dedicated telephoto camera in a challenging, fast-moving environment. Its 3° Gimbal-Grade OIS and 60 fps AF Tracking are designed to help keep moving subjects steady and in focus, making it possible to capture the rush of the ride while keeping Anne and BJ at the center of the frame.

The result goes beyond simply documenting a rollercoaster ride. At 85mm, Anne and BJ’s expressions become the story, the laughter, adrenaline, and split-second reactions captured as they hurtle through one of Shanghai Disneyland’s most thrilling attractions.

At 97 km/h, there is no time to stop, pose, or ask for another take. The moment happens once, and the camera has to be ready for it.

With its 200MP telephoto camera, high-speed AF tracking, and gimbal-grade stabilization, the vivo X300 Ultra is built to bring fast-moving subjects closer while keeping the action in sight.

The best moments sometimes happen from a distance, at full speed, and without warning. With the vivo X300 Ultra, you can zoom in and keep the excitement in frame.