Stop sale of counterfeit items, promote high-quality PH products

by Manila Bulletin

In its latest biennial report in December 2022, the European Commission’s Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List identified the Baclaran, Cartimar, Divisoria and Greenhills markets in Metro Manila, Philippines as offering a wide range of counterfeit goods on retail and wholesale basis.

This is the first time that Philippine markets have been cited in the biennial list since its launch in 2018.

In the report, the European Union said that the watch list is a selection of marketplaces and service providers reported by stakeholders. The name of each marketplace and service provider mentioned is accompanied by a short summary of the allegations of the reporting stakeholders and, where provided, a summary of the response of the mentioned marketplace or service provider to those allegations.
The latest report highlighted in particular shoes, with some stalls allegedly also running online shops offering counterfeit goods.

Filipinos are well aware of the robust trade in these four markets that are known to be sources of apparel and accessories, shoes, and other commonly used merchandise. Whenever balikbayan relatives visit, a trip to any or several of these markets is frequently included in their itinerary.

But it is the sale of counterfeit goods and pirated items that is most concerning.

According to the EU report, in April 2022 the National Bureau of Investigation seized more than EUR 1 million (₱59.5 million) worth of possible counterfeit goods in the Greenhills shopping center, coupled with the public pledge to take additional steps to curb further sales.

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) promptly vowed to help rid the four markets — and similar outlets — of outlawed goods and thus remove this glaring stigma on the country. IPOPHIL has called the attention of the concerned local government units, namely, Parañaque City (Baclaran), Pasay City (Cartimar), Manila (Divisoria) and San Juan City (Greenhills) to enforce the provisions of the Intellectual Property Code of 1997 and the Department of Interior and Local Government’s IP-related regulations.

ADVERTISEMENT

Business permits are issued by LGUs to stores that are allegedly serving as distribution points for illegal trade and commerce. Hence, non-enforcement of the law is clearly a mark of poor governance. Not wanting to be called out for inaction and ineptitude, local governments would certainly heed the IPOPHIL’s call for decisive action.

The patronage of counterfeit products caters to a lingering colonial mindset on the part of consumers that popular foreign brands are superior to Philippine-made products. Those who are more informed and enlightened know that in the global economy, such goods are actually manufactured in the Philippines and other lower middle class countries whose skilled workers are capable of meeting international quality standards.

Filipino consumers must be informed and educated to set aside their propensity to settle for counterfeit items. Efforts of Filipino enterprises to bring to the market high quality goods that meet global standards must be enhanced and encouraged.

 

In the Philippines, is it considered rude or impolite to call someone by their first name?

Dayang Marikit

Yes, but it depends on your rank, relationship and dynamics towards each other.

• It's not acceptable for children to address their parents and elders by their first names.
• Between siblings, elder siblings might take offense if younger siblings address them by their first names, they are rather addressed as (Kuya/Older Brother) and (Ate/Older Sister). The youngest sibling could be addressed as (Bunso) but it's perfectly acceptable to address them by their first names.
• In school and work settings, you would be required to address your teachers and work superiors as (Sir/Ginoo) and (Ma'am/Ginang). People would generally find it disrespectful to address your teachers and work superiors by their first names.

What would happen if the Philippines broke apart?

Bisaya

Proud Bisaya Ko

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

The most valuable thing we can have as Filipinos is unity. Our resilience

[1]

 and strength are found in our unity and togetherness. If the Philippines were to break apart, it would spell disaster for us all, as it would signify disunity amongst our people. Although many of us have different beliefs, cultures, customs, and lifestyles, it's important to remember that we're all Filipinos at heart with a shared vision for progress and development. We are bound by our national pride, which unites us from different islands and regions across the country. The betterment of our nation depends on each one of us embracing our differences while coming together in love, appreciation, and support. As long as we remain united, the potential of what we can achieve is limitless.

Footnotes

[1] 

The Spirit of Being Resilient in Filipino Culture

Keeping that apostolic fire burning

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

AS persons, we are meant by definition to care for one another. We are meant to relate ourselves with everybody else one way or another. No man is an island, it is said. That is why we are given the proper faculties—our intelligence, will, emotions, passions, appetites, etc.—so that we could do what we are designed to carry out.

And as persons created in God’s image and likeness, we are meant to help one another to achieve that ultimate dignity of ours—to be truly God’s image and likeness, sharers of his divine life and nature. We can say that our life here on earth is meant to work out the process of our own deification in and with God through Christ in the Spirit. This is what apostolate is all about.

We are reminded of this duty of ours in that gospel episode where Christ, followed by a big crowd from different places, started to preach and to perform some miraculous cures, including driving out unclean spirits from a number of persons. (cfr. Mk 3,7-12)

We need to be more aware and, more important, more adept in fulfilling this duty of ours. We cannot deny that instead of always being concerned with others, we have the tendency for a variety of reasons to be self-absorbed, self-centered and self-indulgent. We have to do something about his predicament.

The secret of having that apostolic fire burning in our heart is of course that of exerting the constant effort to identify ourselves with Christ, the pattern of our humanity. We can only be truly apostolic in a stable way to the extent that we identify ourselves with Christ. Thus, the apostolate can only be the effect and the overflow of our own sanctification, that is, of our own effort to be like Christ.

We have to understand that Christ is asking us to do our part, always together with him, just as he asked his apostles to do so. And that’s because, first of all, even if Christ being God does not need us to do this, he wants it that way since he is treating us the way he treats himself. We are his image and likeness.

It’s actually for our own good. Our involvement in the apostolate actually matures and perfects us as persons and as children of God. It detaches us from our own self-centeredness and self-absorption, and draws us to the dynamics of love and self-giving.

We have to remember that loving God who we do not see is accomplished by loving others who we see. An apostolate is that exquisite part of loving others since it involves not only caring for some material good for others, but rather for their ultimate spiritual good.

Secondly, God has designed and wired us to help one another not only in our material and temporal needs, but especially in our spiritual needs that are aimed to our supernatural destination, nothing less than our participation in the very life of God. We need to realize more sharply that we are actually responsible for one another.

Of course, this participation in the divine life can only happen with the grace of God and never just by our own efforts alone. That’s why the second person of the Blessed Trinity became man, Jesus Christ, who offers himself as our way, our truth and our life.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu 

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Top 10 Richest City In The Philippines 2023

NAIA ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE: A BIT CHAOTIC BUT HOW TO GET CLEARED QUICKER THROUGH

Jennifer Terri

191K subscribers

58,053 views Premiered Jan 1, 2023

58,053 views • Premiered Jan 1, 2023

Arrived recently in Manila and this is how it went... This is NAIA Terminal 3 arrival situation. All passengers bound for the Philippines must register to E-TRAVEL: https://etravel.gov.ph/ Source of Info: https://iatf.doh.gov.ph/wp-content/up... Philippine Exit Requirements for Foreign Tourists, Balikbayans, Duals, and Filipino Residents Abroad: https://youtu.be/Qb9bm73yQDY Going back to the US? UPDATED & COMPLETE TRAVEL GUIDE TO THE US FOR FILIPINOS & US NATIONALS: https://youtu.be/j00HglOrvNM Filipino Tourists departing the Philippines may be required by Philippine Immigration to secure travel medical insurance. For this, you may check out Safetywing: https://www.safetywing.com/a/24818256 Foreign Tourists, except those covered by Balikbayan Privilege, may be required by airlines and immigration show an exit ticket of not more than 30 days since arrival. You may rent a ticket here to satisfy this requirement for just $14: https://onwardticket.com/jennifer ( FYI - The links above are affiliate codes/links. This means I may get a reward at no additional cost to you when you use them. Thanks in advance because it helps support the channel :) Want to stay longer than 30 days? It’s easy!: https://youtu.be/FONR9zBwYUI

Tough truths for leaders: Why employees quit their jobs

By Jun Cuaresma

THE mere plan to hand over a resignation letter has become a common joke. There is truth behind it, however, whether one pushes through or not with plans to quit. In today's business environment plagued by the great war for talent, statements like this are cause for concern not just for people management and human resources leaders but also for all who share the responsibility of promoting employee engagement and talent retention.

Speaking of truths, here is a tough one to handle: A Gallup study revealed that nearly 50 percent of the US working population is on the hunt for a new job, with businesses seeing a higher number of workers actually quitting their jobs. What is more interesting is that workers across all job categories are looking for new work opportunities at the same rate. The figures are worrisome, with experts calling the phenomenon "The Great Reshuffle."

Why do employees quit? It is not just because of pay issues nor employees hating what they do. The real cause is more workplace related. A 2022 McKinsey survey highlighted that one of the top reasons employees resign was because of their bosses. Having "bad managers" drives staff away — not a good thing to hear when you are the boss. All is not lost, however — there are options that leaders can undertake to help their company address high attrition rates.

Implement people engagement

The same survey showed that when employees were interested and highly engaged in their work, they were more productive compared to peers who showed signs of disengagement. The solution seems simple at best: get staff more engaged in their jobs. But for this to work, managers must realize that the role of a leader extends beyond the completion of deliverables and proper delegation of work. An effective leader knows the importance of people engagement and the plethora of benefits it provides.

In a previous article, we emphasized that a toxic workplace is much more detrimental than we realize. For one, a toxic work culture contributes to stress buildup and work burnout (the latter considered as an occupational phenomenon by the International Classification of Diseases), which is caused by severe workplace stress that is not adequately addressed.

Beware of 'quiet quitting'

Another tough truth: quiet quitting is real. In its research, Gallup defined "quiet quitters" as those employees who do not aspire to achieve more, those who do not bother to go above and beyond in their duties, or those who are perfectly content to complete just what their job description covers. Nothing more and nothing less. This phenomenon is disconcerting considering that in this day and age, effective collaboration and leadership styles require an innovative and go-beyond mindset.

To solve this, HR (human resources) teams should be adept in implementing new policies to prevent employee disengagement and burnout. One strategy could be as straightforward as mandating regular manager-coachee sessions that will be helpful for managers in checking with members of their teams.

Find new ways to attract, retain talent

Simple enough? Think again. As changes to workplace arrangements are implemented, traditional approaches in talent acquisition and retention may no longer be as effective as before.

Look at the whole talent retention process as a classic push and pull between employer and employee. On one end, staff can be demotivated by factors including toxic work culture. To be able to tug and pull, and make staff stay, employers should be knowledgeable about demotivators as much as factors that motivate. Lessen demotivators by replacing these with engaging corporate acts — be it a higher pay, promotions or similar people engagement initiatives.

The next time you hear a joke about an employee planning to resign, do not take it as lightly. A myriad of factors makes employees quit their job, and it is not just HR officers who are responsible for finding ways to make staff stay. Ensuring the effective implementation of people engagement measures is the duty of every employee, managers and new hires alike.

Jun Cuaresma is the managing partner & COO of P&A Grant Thornton. P&A Grant Thornton is one of the leading audit, tax, advisory and outsourcing firms in the Philippines, with 24 partners and more than 1,000 staff members. We'd like to hear from you! Tweet us at @GrantThorntonPH, like us on Facebook at P&A Grant Thornton, and email your comments to pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com. For more information, visit our website at www.grantthornton.com.ph.

UP Concert Chorus celebrates 60 years with concert on Feb. 4

by Manila Bulletin Entertainment

A musical number from the UPCC 58th anniversary concert in 2020

The University of the Philippines’ performing group, the UP Concert Chorus (UPCC) or simply Korus, celebrates its 60th anniversary with a concert entitled “Sama-Sama Together” to be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, 5 pm at the UP Theater in Diliman, Quezon City.

Established in 1962 under the incumbency of UP President, General Carlos P. Romulo with Dean Ramon Tapales as UPCC’s first conductor, the UPCC has evolved into an internationally renowned and multi-awarded choir that has perfected versatility in singing classical, folk, pop and Broadway musical genres with their signature vibrant choreography under the stewardship of the much-beloved Dean Rey T. Paguio.

UP Concert Chorus Batch 2000s with Nanette Inventor and conductor Jai Aracama

An icon of stage performance that pioneered ChoreoCapella or choreographed a capella in the Philippines, it is the recipient of several distinctions, including the world’s best in folk choral performance at the 2012 Festival Internacional de Cantonigros in Spain, Grand Prix winner at the 6th International Krakow Choir Festival in Poland, and 2012 Aliw Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The anniversary concert features different UPCC batches from the 1960s to the present performing songs and choreography of various musical genres such as liturgical, classical, opera, Filipino folk, Broadway, and pop.

UP Concert Chorus Batch 1980s

“From Thompson to Fettke, from Abelardo to Lucio San Pedro to John Lennon, from VST to APO Hiking Society, from Gary Valenciano to Itchyworms, from Nonong Pedero to Willy Cruz to Ryan Cayabyab… we are going sing the songs by these remarkable artists. The concert is going to be a musical extravaganza to remember 60 years by,” says Atty. Noriz Reyes, chairperson of the UPCC 60th Anniversary Concert Committee.

Three celebrated conductors will be leading the choir, they are: Prof. Joel Navarro, Prof. Ed Manguiat, and current UPCC conductor Jai Sabas-Aracama. Mr. Rico Mortel will be directing the show.

UP Concert Chorus Batch 1970s with Prof Rey Paguio (in black shirt)

Among those who have confirmed to perform include singer-comedienne Nanette Inventor; Edru Abraham of Kontra Gapi; Becky Demetillo-Abraham of Inang Laya; broadcaster Kata Inocencio; celebrity voice teacher Kitchie Molina; Bob Serrano and Popo Suanes of the Tux; Zebedee Zuñiga and Sushi Reyes of Opera; lawyers Dot Gangcayco, Noriz Castillo, Gigi Dizon Reyes and Jenny Aldecoa-Delorino; doctors Tony Comia and Melfred Hernandez; international performer Jonathan Badon; stage actors Lionel and Cynthia Guico; Filipino-American musician Nhick Pacis; singer-actress Olive Isidro; speech language pathologist Kaye Tuiseco of the Ryan Cayabyab Singers, music teacher Emmy Cayabyab; public relations strategist Ritzi Ronquillo; Vallejo City Vice-Mayor Rozzana Verder-Aliga of California, and around 200 more UPCC alumni.

ADVERTISEMENT

Prof. Joel Navarro, himself a UPCC alumni, promises that the event will be a treat not just for those who are familiar with the UP Concert Chorus’ brand of performing. He says, “It’s a lifetime event that you will want to attend. It’s not just our story. It’s the story of how music can build a community, transform a people and move the world.”

Conductors Ed Manguiat Jai Aracama and Joel Navarro

UPCC Alumni Association President Atty. Dot Gancayco stresses that as their way of giving back to the Alma Mater the Korus, the proceeds of the concert will go to the Dean Rey T. Paguio Scholarship Fund.

For ticket details and inquiries, contact Lowell Reyes mobile 09228050471.

CCP turns to TikTok to champion Filipino arts and culture

by Manila Bulletin Entertainment

Photo shows TikTok Philippines Head of Entertainment Alex Soon (second from left, seated) and Head of Public Policy Toff Rada third from left, seated) together with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Atty. Krischelle Matas (CCP Legal Office), Alexander Cortez (CCP Technical Advisor for Artistic Matters), CCP Board Trustee Benedict Carandang, CCP Board Trustee Marivic del Pilar, CCP Artistic Director Dennis Marasigan (from left, standing), CCP Board Trustee and Vice Chair Michelle Nikki Junia, CCP President Margie Moran-Floirendo, CCP Board Trustee Junie del Mundo, and Atty. Lorna Kapunan (CCP Board Trustee) (from left, seated) during the memorandum of understanding signing.

TikTok Philippines, the leading destination for short-form mobile video, recently entered into an understanding with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to support the preservation and modernization of the arts and culture in the country by bringing traditions closer to the masses.

Through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), TikTok would organize specialized training and joint events with CCP, as well as promotions across different communication platforms.

This is in line with CCP’s thrust to provide avenues that encourage Filipino artistic expression and content creation through TikTok and other forms of new media, manifested through its project series such as Kanto Kultura, a celebration of culture and the arts featuring Filipino artists.