OCTOBER 2019 VOL 94 NO 10

BUSINESSPublished by The American Chamber of Commerce of theJournal , Inc. www.amchamphilippines.com CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PRACTICES

PREPARING FOR THE ULTIMATE ‘BLACK SWAN’ EVENT

CITIES, PEOPLE IN THE RACE AGAINST CARBON TIME BOMB

4 Contents October 2019 | Vol 94 | No 10

AmCham News 20 Editorial 10 AmCham Corporate Partners 12 How to be an AmCham Member/ Feature Corporate Partner 60 MassKara in 19 New AmCham Members 64 SOMA Pilipinas rises in San Francisco 32 DTI Strategies on Improving Global Competitiveness and Ease of doing Organizational Sections Business 06 About AmCham Philippines 42 The Arangkada Philippines Forum 2019: Turning on the T.A.P. (Tourism, 08 Officers & Directors Agribusiness, and Power) 14 Chapters & Advocacies 46 REAL OR UNREAL? How the AmCham- 16 Committees INTA Unreal Campaign Advances the 18 AmCham Staff Fight Against Counterfeiting Starting 68 Members’ Birthdays: October - November with the Youth 69 Guidelines for Submission of Articles 50 New AmCham Committee: Sustainability Committee 70 Index to Advertisers 58 3nd AmCham Foundation 70 AmCham Social Media Accounts Thanksgiving Night 58 The AmCham Board Meeting held in Upcoming AmCham Events Fluor Daniel, Inc. - Philippines (10/01) Community Marketing: How to Engage, Drive Value and Grow your Business of Business Business 56 School Achievement Does Not Always (10/03) The Power of Vocational Training Lead to Life Achievement and Lifelong Learning (10/03) U.S. Embassy Public Service Forum Contributed Article (10/03) JFC Networking Night 40 BPO Expansion Accelerates Growth of (10/07) California Wines Master Class ‘Next Wave Cities’ (10/11) The Future is NOW: Transforming 44 Making Progress Possible the Workplace for the Gen Z 3M 2025 Sustainability Goals (11/08) 32nd AmCham Foundation 45 Improving Lives through Sustainability Thanksgiving Night 54 Changing the System: Preparing OFWs (11/20) 96th Annual General Meeting to be Successful (12/04) AmCham Christmas Bash (12/06) Information and Communications Cover Story Technology Christmas Party 22 Preparing for the Ultimate ‘Black Swan’ Event 26 Cities, People in the race against Carbon Time Bomb 36 Climate Change and Sustainable Design Practices AmCham Philippines | October 2019 5

OCTOBER 2019 VOL 94 NO 10

BUSINESSPublished by The American Chamber of Commerce of theJournal Philippines, Inc. www.amchamphilippines.com THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

CLIMATE CHANGE AND This issue is focused on Environment. All aspects of degradation of the environment are evident worldwide: melting icecaps, rising SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PRACTICES sea levels, more violent storms, out of control forest fires, poor air quality, and drout.

PREPARING FOR THE ULTIMATE ‘BLACK SWAN’ EVENT Cover Design by Eya Martinez CITIES, PEOPLE IN THE RACE Photo by @jcomp | Shutterstock AGAINST CARBON TIME BOMB

MISSION STATEMENT The Chamber exists to serve the needs and wants of Filipino and U.S. businesses through the participation of members in promoting their long-term objectives, while fostering closer relationships between the two countries and contributing to the civic and economic development of the Philippines

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Ebb Hinchliffe PUBLICATIONS CONSULTANT/EDITOR: Leslie Ann Murray COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: Christina Tuguigui ADVERTISING HEAD: Chet Guevara LAYOUT EDITOR: Eya Martinez PHOTOGRAPHER: Roy Fulgado PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS: Manuel R. Guillermo and Ernie Cecilia PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Atty. Emmanuel T. Santos and J. Albert Gamboa PUBLISHED BY: The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. MEMBER: Publisher Association of the Philippines, Inc.

All rights reserved. AmCham Business Journal is a general business magazine published monthly by The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc., with offices at 2nd Floor, Corinthian Plaza, 121 Paseo de Roxas, corner Gamboa St., Legazpi Village, City 1229 (C.P.O. Box 2562, Makati City 1265), Philippines; telephones: (632) 818-7911 to 13; fax (632) 811-3081 / 811-3184; emails: [email protected] / [email protected]; website: www.amchamphilippines.com. Publication Registration No.: ISSN-0116-452X

All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not of The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. accepts no liability for the accuracy of the data or for the editorial views contained in the articles. Publication of unsolicited articles is at the sole discretion of the Publications Committee.

To adhere to publication deadlines, the Publications Committee reserves the right to defer for subsequent publication any submission due to matters of space or time constraints.

Further, the AmCham Publications Committee reserves the right to refuse any submission due to style or content, or context, which may be in conflict with AmCham mission.

No article or any content thereof may be reproduced in any manner or form without the prior written consent or authorization of The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc.

Entered as second-class mail at the Manila Post Office on May 24, 1921 and on December 10, 1945. Re-entered as second-class mail at the Makati Central Post Office on May 07, 1992 and under Permit #534 dated May 24, 1993. 6 | Header

8 | AmCham Officers & Directors

The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. Putting your Business Forward Since 1902

H.E. SUNG Y. KIM U.S. Ambassador of the Philippines Honorary Chairman

JAMES WILKINS GEORGE M. DRYSDALE Fluor Daniel, Inc. - Philippines Marsman Drysdale Group President DONALD R. FELBAUM Optel LTD. RICK SANTOS ROBERT M. SEARS Santos Knight Frank, Inc. American Historical Collection Foundation, Inc. 1st Vice President Directors, Ex-Officios

BRUCE WINTON EBB HINCHLIFFE Marriott Hotel Manila AmCham Philippines 2nd Vice President Executive Director

PHILIP SOLIVEN ATTY. AILEEN TOLOSA-LERMA Cargill Philippines, Inc. Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc de los Angeles Treasurer Law Office Corporate Secretary JOCOT DE DIOS General Electric Philippines RALPH REUBEN MORALES Texas Instruments Philippines Inc. WINN EVERHART President, AmCham North Chapter Coca-Cola Far East LTD. PETER HAYDEN BRIAN CONNELLY Captial One Phil. Support Services Corp. Marco Polo Plaza Cebu ARIEL LACSAMANA President, AmCham Chapter 3M Philippines MARK LWIN ATTY. LEONCIO VILLA-ABRILLE AIG Phils. Insurance, Inc. Casareo Villa-Abrille Development Corp. BELINDA RACELA President, AmCham Chapter Chevron Malampaya LLC SHANKAR VISWANATHAN MARDIE C. TORRES Procter & Gamble International Operations (SA) ROHQ AmCham Foundation Directors Acting Executive Director

2nd Floor, Corinthian Plaza Building, 121 Paseo de Roxas corner Gamboa Street Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229 Tels.: (632) 818 7911 to 13 • Fax: (632) 811 3081 Email: [email protected] • Website: www.amchamphilippines.com

10 | AmCham News

AMCHAM CORPORATE PARTNERS

AmCham Philippines has been the longest-serving and most vibrant American Chamber in . Recognized as the voice of business since 1902.

The AmCham Corporate Partnership offers companies year-round benefits, including expanded access to AmCham core membership resources for an enhanced leadership status within the community, as well as greater intelligence, access, influence, and exposure.

For more information, please contact AmCham’s Corporate Partnership Consultant. Email: [email protected] / Tel: (+632) 8 818 7911 loc. 218

12 | AmCham News

14 | AmCham Chapters & Advocacies

THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF AMERICAN DESK AT THE BOARD OF INVESTMENTS THE PHILIPPINES, INC. (Established 1992) (North Luzon Chapter - 2015) RALPH REUBEN MORALES EBB HINCHLIFFE Texas Instruments Inc. Director President MC BENSAL JOAN SABROSO American Desk Specialist Chapter Office Manager 385 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City Claro M. Recto Highway, Clark Freeport Zone Tels.: (632) 8 895 8851; 895 3918 • Fax: (632) 8 896 2315 Mabalacat City, 2010 Emails: [email protected] Telefax: (632) 8 811 3081 • Mobile: +63 (927) 912 3248 [email protected] Email: [email protected]

THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF FILIPINO-AMERICAN MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT, INC. THE PHILIPPINES, INC. (Founded 1986) (Visayas Chapter - 1987) BRIAN CONNELLY LT. COL. ARTEMIO MATIBAG Marco Polo President President LESLIE ANN MURRAY BRENDA LISEN Trustee Chapter Office Manager KV ROJAS RUTHCEL ARAGON F.A.M.E. Specialist Chapter Marketing Manager c/o The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. Unit 303, Clotilde Commercial Center 2nd Floor, Corinthian Plaza Building, 121 Paseo de Roxas M.L. Quezon Street, Casuntingan, Mandaue City 6014 corner Gamboa Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229 Tel.: +63 (32) 8 316 1093 • Fax: (032) 8 232 2373 C.P.O. Box 2562, Makati City, 1265 Mobile: +63 (917) 323 1972 Tels.: (632) 8 818 7911 to 13 • Fax: (632) 8 811 3081 Emails: [email protected] Email: [email protected] [email protected] ; [email protected] Website: www.filipino-americanmemorials.org

THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE AMERICAN CHAMBER FOUNDATION THE PHILIPPINES, INC. PHILIPPINES, INC. (Mindanao Chapter - 1988) (Founded 1985) ATTY. LEONCIO VILLA-ABRILLE EDWIN FEIST Casareo Villa-Abrille Development Corp. Advanced Nutrition Technology President President

ANNIE QUITAY MARDIE C. TORRES Chapter Office Manager Acting Executive Director

2nd Floor, Door 207-208, Don Cesareo, Villa-Abrille Building 16th Floor, Sagittarius Conominium Jacinto corner Juan Luna Street, Davao City 8000 111 H.V. Dela Costa, Salcedo Village, Makati City 1227 Mobile: +63 (916) 876 7729 Trunkline: (632) 8 816 3716 • Directline: (632) 8 867 2426 Emails: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.amchamfoundation.com

16 | AmCham Committees

COMMITTEE Chairman INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST Agribusiness Philip G. Soliven / Atty. Mel Hernandez KV Rojas Education Terry Farris Lia Daus Energy & Power Atty. Jocot de Dios / Frank Thiel Mark Rabago Environment and Urban Development Jonah de Lumen-Pernia Mark Rabago Financial Services, Taxes & Tariffs Atty. Jules Riego / Rombit Co KV Rojas Healthcare and Wellness Jaeger Tanco / Donald Felbaum Lia Daus Human Capital & Resources Ernie Cecilia / Grace Sorongon Lia Daus Information & Communications Technology Donald Felbaum / Frank Holz Mc Bensal Infrastructure & Logistics Jaime Faustino / John Peterson Mark Rabago Intellectual Property Rights Atty. Divina P.V. Ilas-Panganiban, LL.M. KV Rojas Atty. Princess Ascalon Legislative John D. Forbes / Atty. Elaine Collado Mc Bensal Manufacturing Dan Lachica / Chris Ilagan Mark Rabago Pharmaceutical Andreas Riedel KV Rojas Professional Women of AmCham Belinda Racela / Atty. Melanie Lagera Lia Daus Security & Disaster Resources Group Simoun Ung / Pete Troilo Lia Daus Sustainability Atty. Mimi Malvar / Mardie C. Torres KV Rojas Tourism & Hospitality Robert Blume / Dorothy Drysdale Mc Bensal Trade & Investment Douglas Fowler Mc Bensal Young Professionals of AmCham Atty. Paolo Villonco Mark Rabago

INTERNAL Membership Roland dela Cruz / Martin Marty Pam Santos Kapihan Ebb Hinchliffe / Leslie Ann Murray Mc Bensal • Networking / General Membership KV Rojas Meetings • Welcome Breakfast Pam Santos Chapters Ebb Hinchliffe Pam Santos • North Luzon Joan Sabroso • Visayas Brenda Lisen Ruthcel Aragon • Mindanao Annie Quitay Communications & Publications Manuel R. Guillermo Tin Tuguigui Ernie Cecilia Eya Martinez Chet Guevara Leslie Ann Murray Corporate Partners Ebb Hinchliffe Christina Winton

ACTIVITIES /ADVOCACY / AFFILIATE Amcham Foundation Edwin D. Feist Mardie C. Torres AmDesk at The BOI Ebb Hinchliffe Mc Bensal Business Leadership Program (BLP) Jun Salipsip / David Caldwell Pinky Jamili Filipino-American Memorial Endowment LT. Col. Art Matibag / Leslie Ann Murray KV Rojas (F.A.M.E.) The Arangkada Philippines Project John D. Forbes Mc Bensal (TAPP II) Washington Relations / APCAC Rick Santos / George Drysdale Divina Combes

18 | AmCham Staff

Assistant to the Executive Director Divina Combes

Human Resources / Administrative Offi cer Rachel de Guzman

Accounting Manager Patricia Estrella

Accounting Head Elmer Yanuaria

Cashier Dominador Borres

Accounts Receivable Specialist Cristina Teves

Program Manager, Vicky San Juan-Co Committees and Industry Relations

Industry Development Specialists (IDS) KV Rojas Mc Bensal Lia Daus Mark Rabago

Government Liaison Mc Bensal

Communications Manager Tin Tuguigui

Layout Editor Eya Martinez

Advertising Head Chet Guevara

Membership Manager Pam Santos

North Luzon Chapter Offi ce Manager Joan Sabroso

Visayas Chapter Offi ce Manager Brenda Lisen

Visayas Chapter Marketing Manager Ruthcel Aragon

Mindanao Chapter Offi ce Manager Annie Quitay

Publications Consultant / Editor Leslie Ann Murray

Corporate Partnership Consultant Christina Winton

Business Leadership Program Manager (BLP) Pinky Jamili

Receptionist Celine Laurel

Administrative Services Roy Fulgado

Librarian Aurora Galvez

Drivers Rick Peji Ernie Aala AmCham Philippines | October 2019 19

New AmCham Members For August 2019

National Capital Region

DKT Health Mr. Hyam Asher Bolande President & CEO Regular Firm A Eastern Petroleum Mr. Fernando Marunez Chairman & CEO Associate Firm B The Disruption Co. Mr. Manan Arvind Mehta Vice President Associate Firm B Associate Mr. Steve Acesor Individual Valens Research Ms. Kathlyn Yu Additional Firm Valens Research Ms. Arriane Mondido Additional Firm

Visayas Chapter

Property Specialist Resources Ms. Mia Faye Singson- General Manager Corporate A (Quest Hotel) Leon

Mindanao Chapter

ACTI Global Mr. Justine Foem Ros COO Corporate A Peligro 20 | Editorial

I recently reviewed a copy of the “Arangkada Philippines 2010 Recommendations for the Environment and Natural Disasters”. The first paragraph states:

”The Philippine environment has been under assault for decades from a fast-growing population and practices that degrade the country’s air, land, and water. Over half the country’s population lives in urban areas, where polluted air can be a silent killer, and solid waste management and sanitation are highly inadequate. There has been growing recognition of problems such bad habits have created and an increasing desire to introduce sound practices.”

That was almost a decade ago. One has to wonder if it wasn’t written yesterday, it all seems Torres. This committee will work hand in hand with too familiar to what we read of today. the Environment Committee which is Chaired by Coca-Cola’s Jonah Pernia, and Co-chaired with Obviously there has been some progress, but world-renowned architect, Jun Palafox. we have a long ways to go. The shutdown and cleanup of Boracay was a good start. While it may Combining the power of AmCham with the not be 100% effective as of today, the message leadership of these two committees, we truly this action sent to the world was excellent. Now believe we can make a sustainable difference in the on-going clean up of Manila Bay is progressing, the environment and the opening paragraph from a but this task will take a decade to complete. decade ago will become out of date in the coming years. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg. Places like El Nido, Puerta Gallera and Panglao, We encourage you and your organizations to Bohol are under the microscope. Hopefully they let us know what you are doing to preserve the will get their act together and won’t have to have environment in a sustainable manner. (Please a total closure before they straighten out their own submit articles for publication with photos and/ “cesspool”. or infographics, visuals to our Publications Committee, c/o Ms. Tin Tuguigui – email: No matter what actions are taken, all will be for [email protected]). naught if it is not engrained in the culture, starting with school children; kindergarten upwards. And When we combine our efforts, we can truly such training should start now. make a difference. Starting today! “Sustainability” is the key word and AmCham is proud to announce the roll-out of its Sustainability Committee. The official launch was on August 15th at the Conrad Hotel. The committee is chaired by Ms. Mimi Malvar of P&G, along with the Executive Ebb Hinchliffe Director of AmCham Foundation, Mr. Mardie Editor-in-Chief

www.amchamphilippines.com

22 | Cover Story

Recent earthquake disaster in Itbayat, Batanes. Preparing for the Ultimate 'Black Swan' Event By: Mike Mudd

‘Black Swan’ is an event that has a very The Manila Trench is the third deepest place low probability of occurring but a very on the planet at 10,500 meters, with an average high impact if it does. This is the nature of depth of 5,400 meters. It’s length runs for more majorA natural disasters such as Typhoons, which than 1000km up the Philippines west coast from can today be predicted with high accuracy. Mindoro to Luzon, and beyond to Taiwan.

Earthquakes are another matter altogether as There is a reason for this hydrographic anomaly; they arrive with virtually no warning at all. The a Philippine tectonic plate is colliding with the risk can however be estimated based on Plate Eurasian plate at the Philippine Mobile Belt; that Tectonics, a fairly recent but proven science and, is, the boundary between the Eurasian Plate and based on this recent science, there is a potential the Philippine Sea Plate. At the interface between magnitude 9 mega-thrust earthquake waiting to the two plates, the Eurasia plate is subducting happen very close to the Philippines. It’s just that (or sliding under) the Philippine plate and every we don’t quite know when. 500 years or so it slips. On a sobering note, the AmCham Philippines | October 2019 23

Manila Trench was classified as the ‘highest mega- thrust earthquake, tsunami risk source’ by the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) Post- Indonesian 2003 Tsunami Workshop in 2006.

The inference, in the papers presented at this workshop, is that a major Manila Trench event occurs every 500 - 1000 years; a blip in geological time but not so good if it comes in our lifetimes.

Chinese researchers writing in the journal Chinese Science Bulletin in January argue that archaeological and sedimentary evidence, backed up by brief mentions in the historical record, point to a massive wave hitting what is now Guangdong province around 1076 AD, during the Song Dynasty. Based on radiocarbon dating results of deposits, there are indications of three significant tsunamis that likely occurred in the periods from the 4th to 6th, 11th to 12th, and 15th to 16th centuries. The 1076 event was the most catastrophic for the southern coast and took 500 years to fully recover.

As this is an undersea subduction fault, vertical seafloor deformation occurs due to sudden top plate up-thrust, hence resulting in the displacement of the column of water above the fault, i.e. a tsunami.

By way of contrast, the well known San Andreas Fault in California is a lateral slip fault. In Photo by Sunyu Kim on Unsplash this instance slippage occurs when one side of the fault slides past the other in the opposite direction. Lots of shaking and damage, but even when the across the relatively closed and shallow South ‘big one’ hits (est. magnitude 8) it will still release Sea (SCS). Most of the tsunami’s energy will only about 30 times less energy than a magnitude be trapped within the SCS, rather like a big lake, 9.0 mega-thrust earthquake. with a bit of leakage at either end, so most of the energy can’t escape. It will be the Tsunami that The one in to watch is the will “keep on giving” - or “taking”, like a classic Cascadia subduction fault on the Pacific coast, Wimbledon volley in the finals and it will subside which will be the really big one; those are the ones relatively slowly as it runs out of energy. that make mountains - or massive tsunamis. The effects have been modeled by the Earth Along the 1000km long Manila Trench a Observatory in Singapore. Have a look at the Manila mega-thrust earthquake has the potential to Trench 9.0 in this link; it is scientifically as accurate generate magnitudes similar to the recent Japan as can be currently odelled; www.earthobservatory. and Indonesia events (magnitude 9.0 and 9.3, sg/resources/animations/modelling-tsunami- respectively). However, the ensuing tsunami will triggered-magnitude-9-earthquake-manila-trench- likely propagate and affect the bounding coastlines philippines. in a different manner. Major ruptures can travel at up to 10,000 km/h, This is due to the massive wave reflections with the tsunami generated by such a rupture such an earthquake will generate back and forth moving at 1,000 km/h in open water until it hits the → 24 | Cover Story

shallows, where it slows down and then heaps up On 8 May 2018, the ‘South China Sea Tsunami and causes the most damage. The 2018 Indonesian Advisory Centre’ was inaugurated in Beijing to Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami for example was monitor such an event, probably as a response to a magnitude 7.5 event, but it was offshore and the data from their survey ships in the SCS. due to a shallow bay nearby, this small open water tsunami reached up to 7m high, killing over 4,300 In the Philippines, the central Visayas will people. also be affected, but due to the sheltering effect of Mindoro/Negros/, it should not be A peer reviewed Malaysian paper predicts a anywhere nears as bad as further north. 12m+ open water tsunami from a magnitude 9 event in the Manila Trench. When it hits the shallows of Of course it could all end on September 9 this the Pearl River Delta /Hong Kong, there is only one year, if the rock (in the article cited below) arrives way it can go – up; as in Japan where the tsunami over where you live, in which case don’t worry about there reached 40m+ in height as it channeled into earthquakes and tsunamis... www.theregister. the bays - and 30m high in the 2003 Indonesian co.uk/2019/07/17/wasteroid_qv89_earth. event that was deadly as far away as Sri Lanka and India. Mike Mudd is the founder and Managing Partner of Asia Policy The same will happen in Manila Bay and Subic Partners LLC, an independent consultancy providing opinion and insight into digital transformation, security, privacy, compliance, Bay; Shanghai gets inundated too, a few hours standards and trade related business. later, as the wave travels up the Taiwan Strait. He has had a lifelong interest in earth sciences and has crossed So that is most of China’s commercial centers the Manila Trench more than 20 times on sailing races from Hong substantially damaged within 24 hours. This is a Kong to the Philippines. We are indebted to him for sharing this contribution to the risk that has now been recognized by China. AmCham Business Journal.

26 | Cover Story

Cities, People in the race against Carbon Time Bomb By: Ragene Palma Originally published at Rappler | August 29, 2017

Photo by Rafael De Nadai on Unsplash

How do we perceive our use of energy? A metropolitan lens on energy

As an urban planner, I can talk land use, I can Now, I live in the rapidly growing metropolitan talk green spaces. But energy? The closest I can of Manila, where the recorded average commute come to is that I switch on my lights, electric fan, time is 45.5 minutes, where malls are supersized, and laptop everyday. I know I’m tired of breathing in and where sprawl costs more than most of our car fumes during my ten-minute walk to the office. population can afford. I read that the Larcen C glacier just cracked—a part of Antarctica, no matter how tiny, is breaking Our metropolitan population is now at twelve apart. Environmentalists fuel the climate change (12) million, and continues to grow by the hundred fire with the “only one earth” messaging. The sea thousands. The National Capital Region is level rise, the pollution affecting our health, and pressured to accommodate fifteen (15) million at rising temperatures—all of these are happening daytime, and sees in-migration and reproduction because of you, and because of me. And the rest adding to the already high density. Mega-Manila, of our human race family. which includes the suburbs of neighboring regions, bloats at twenty-one (21) million people. I would need some engineers to get my calculations on power usage running, and Imagine how energy is consumed within the statisticians to correlate that to scientists’ 613.9 square kilometres of : All those environmental data. So let me talk about energy millions hustling and bustling every single day in the language I understand more: Through cities, to offices and back to their homes across city and through people who shape them. boundaries, burning fuel, hours, and productivity. Only a handful is conscious about how they leave The World Economic Forum reports how iPhones charging and engines running. energy is consumed for three things: Mobility, industry, and households. These are the basics Around one metric ton of carbon emissions that constitute the growth of a city. is on every Filipino’s shoulders and conscience AmCham Philippines | October 2019 27

annually. Electricity, gasoline, kerosene, and country. Population growth necessitates more diesel are used for daily life by most households, energy usage, and the demand continues to soar. particularly those in highly urbanized areas of the →

IN MEMORIAM Edgar L. Krohn Jr. September 23, 1928 - September 13, 2019

Past Vice President and Trustee of The Filipino-American Memorial Endowment, Inc. since 1998

A valued member of F.A.M.E., he was one of the few remaining keepers of first-hand knowledge of WWII in the Philippines; an inspiration to all in his mission to maintain this history and educate future generations through his experiences, in particular the urban Battle of Manila that took the lives of over 100,000 civilians.

Our sincere condolences to his family and may he rest in peace. 28 | Cover Story

Urban efficiency: How design and mobility affect energy consumption

The impact of an urban fabric has much to do with our energy demand and supply. Image Sources: (Left) Pinterest and (Right) Urban Design Studies Unit (University of Strathclyde)

I mentioned our malls are supersized. So are Life as it is demands more energy for us to our skyways, and our ideals. Urban sprawl is eating function. up our available land faster than we care to notice. One may ask what this has to do with energy. Sourcing for the lifeline

Using an urban planning perspective, it has The 2016 Philippine Power Situation Report everything to do with energy. provides a snapshot of how much energy we use up, and how suppliers cater to these needs. So far, This is a basic lesson of using up space. The what we know is that the residential and industrial goal is to make space efficient. In putting homes sectors keep causing the continued increase as close as possible to the school, grocery, church, of temperature and the need for more cooling and park, we are able to walk and lessen emissions equipment. by cars. Developers are not burdened with the costs of longer streets, while utility providers spend less This just confirms how our growing number of on shorter water pipelines and power lines. homes create the demand, and how factories, which naturally co-locate to where we are, add to energy Concisely, the more efficient our space and usage. Our food, clothing, basic necessities, and environment, the smaller our energy consumption. utilities become the very climate killers because we require them to be present. This is why the case of Metro Manila has too great a repercussion from urban inefficiency. Our Sadly, we continue to fire up coal, depend on destinations are too far apart. We take longer trips. oil, and harness natural gases. Our power comes We keep overscaling our cities, and we build grander from unsustainable sources. These make up for spaces as we move towards global standards. The 76% of the country’s electric supply. Geothermal facades of our mega-sized malls and preference for energy, hydropower, biomass, solar, and wind cement over green spaces speak for themselves. power put together make up 24%. AmCham Philippines | October 2019 29

Development priorities Thinking about it, how far down is energy in our personal priority list? With a poverty incidence One may think why coal and its family of fossil of more than a quarter of all , comprised fuels continue to win, and why we haven’t made mostly of farmers, fishermen and citizens that stride towards renewable energy sources. belonging to the vulnerable demographic, would This is despite the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, the common Filipino citizen be concerned about and our hypocritical signatures on the past how renewable energy over the food on his table? many United Nations Conventions, all of which Would we actually campaign for shorter roads and aimed towards sustainable environments. less car usage when in the first place, we look to the government to solve this for us? In fact, we’ve made some steps. 2014 saw us pushing for local energy sources, and the recent No. Installing solar panels would be the last years gave stronger voices for more incentives, thing on the minds of families who barely put 650 contracts on renewable energy, and stronger enough together to eat rice. As life ticks by, the promotions for our feed-in tariff system to carbon footprint aggregates, mostly unchecked by incentivize renewable energy. those who contribute to it. Life becomes business as usual. Providers turn to cheaper energy The pressing matter is how fast and how because they have to cater to millions, and to effective our baby steps carry us towards our lessen expenses by using the established means future. It is almost a decade since Philippine for distribution. legislation brought energy to the table. We have now added the Paris Agreement to our targets, and more importantly, our conscience. Joining the global response for renewable energy But going back, is there genuine consciousness, especially at the neighbourhood—even Our cities, and our very selves—we’re all on a household—scale, on our country’s energy race against a carbon time bomb. Think: It’s not situation? We have depended on our electric just us, it’s our neck on the line, but all of this? suppliers to make the move. How many of us This is on us. The Earth’s pressure is upon every have made the effort to harness renewable energy country right now to respond and get to the goal of in our own ways? Let alone cut down our energy living below 2 degrees Celsius. demand? →

Power sources in the Philippines. Image Source: 2016 Philippine Power Situation Report 30 | Cover Story

Global and local initiatives to move towards the use of renewable energy spur innovation, policy, and financing strategies. Image Source: UP Materials Science Society, Hybrid Cars, Union of Concerned Scientists.

Global neighbours have responded with policy: carbon footprint: “eating more plants, avoiding air Norway is banning oil, and is banning petrol and travel, living car-free, and having smaller families.” diesel car sales. In the financing world, we have introduced climate budgets. Even the smallest Lifestyle change takes a while, but starting product alternatives are being thrown out there by small isn’t so bad. After all, the energy problem students and entrepreneurs. Just earlier this week clearly reflects how we have already been living I saw an ad for solar paint, which uses hydrogen in the biggest irony of humanity: We destroy so fuel instead of fossil fuels. that we can live. Perhaps the planning lessons of mobility, biophilia, smarter systems, and the fact Sure, all of this is good, and competitive: that people drive the life of a city tell us that nothing Education and awareness, campaigns, slogans, is really an externality. Everything we do, no matter all of these introductions and how-to’s for solar how small, is connected with something much equipment, new charging stations, and the like. bigger than what we see, and what we choose to These efforts are innovative and commendable. see.

But we have to be strategic. The challenge is to Let me call on you to look at renewable energy create changes in energy demand and encourage beyond new technologies and beyond the pressure renewable energy supply. The outcome in mind is of climate agreements. Moving towards it takes to get to the lifestyle change of the 15 million in our our individual efforts to create substantial impacts, metropolitan, and how many more millions in our and that meaningful path towards saving the only cities, and billions more around the globe. home we have.

The strategy is to create synergies from all the efforts, systems from our disconnected networks, and mobility in everyday life. Change the city’s way of life, and move closer to one another. Through design, we achieve energy efficiency by creating Ragene Andrea Palma is an urban planner in the Philippines. She aspires for sustainable nodes and using neighbourhood models. practices and green spaces in Metro Manila. Ragene has written about various issues in Through households, we measure our the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Rappler, and consumption and life impacts. Studies show how The Nature of Cities (a New York-based idea hive for greener and better cities). She blogs four actions create the biggest impact to reduce about her urban planning experiences at energy demand and in the bigger picture, lessen the littlemissurbanite.wordpress.com.

32 | AmCham News

DTI STRATEGIES ON IMPROVING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS AND EASE OF DOING BUSINESS

(These are excerpts from DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez’s keynote speech at the AMCHAM General Membership Luncheon Meeting at Dusit Thani, Makati, on August 19, 2019.)

Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez making a point during his keynote address at the August General Membership Luncheon Meeting.

he American Chamber of Commerce is one On global competitiveness of the strongest partners of government, especially the Department of Trade and TIndustry (DTI), in creating inclusive growth and At present, the USA is one of the Philippines’ shared prosperity in the country. biggest trading partners. In 2018, the USA was our 3rd major trading partner, our top export market, I want to discuss how we’re improving the and our 4th top import supplier. Balance of trade Philippines’ competitiveness and ease of doing between our two nations registered a surplus for business, especially given the rising global trade the Philippines of over US$2.7B. Our exports grew tensions. by 9.13% from US$9.66B in 2017 to US$10.5B in AmCham Philippines | October 2019 33

2018. There is, however, a slight trade downturn this year in our trade engagements.

The Philippines today still enjoys the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, where around 3,200 products from the Philippines can enter the USA duty-free. Based on US trade data, Philippine exports to the USA under GSP increased by 16% from US$ 1.49B in 2017 to US$ 1.73B in 2018.

Soon, we shall begin formal talks on a possible Secretary Ramon Lopez with moderator Mr. Bobby Batungbacal. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the USA. This is expected to further enhance US investments; for count for majority of the approved investments, January to May 2019, the USA became our 2nd particularly outside of Metro Manila and mostly in top investment partner with US$84.9M in new support of the Build, Build, Build program. investments. To enhance our global competitiveness, the Foreign investments have helped the Philippines Philippines must diversify its markets. We in DTI become the fastest growing economy in Asia, and continue to identify new destinations for more second fastest in the ASEAN. Since 1991, the opportunities. At the same time, we also have to country experienced 82 consecutive quarters with ensure that our domestic base remains strong positive GDP growth. Since 2012, the Philippines’ and on the upswing to soften the impact of these GDP growth was consistently above 6%. trade disputes. Meanwhile, we hope to conclude trade negotiations with South Korea in November, While the rest of the world experiences a global when President Duterte is expected to visit Korea manufacturing slowdown, our Manufacturing for the 70th anniversary of the Philippine-Korean sector posted a 4.4% growth in the first half of trade relations. We also continue to seek solutions 2019. We did better than the rest of the world in to tariff issues in order to increase our access to this aspect. It is also a blessing that only 15% Japanese and Korean markets for agricultural of our GDP is accounted for by manufacturing products like banana, mango and pineapple. exports, especially at a time when only two of 11 trading countries posted a positive export growth, Finally on the subject of global competitiveness: and the Philippines is one. We strongly believe that innovation is the key to our country’s competitiveness. We’re glad to Due to strong investor confidence in the Duterte hear that the Philippines jumped to 54th place, Administration, approved investments grew to from 73rd place last year, among 129 countries PHP312 billion. Between January and July 2019, in the 2019 Global Innovation Index (GII) Survey. the Board of Investments reported an increase of We shall continue to support efforts to boost the 24% over the same period last year. Approved creation of an innovation and entrepreneurship foreign investments are up PHP 69.6 billion, a ecosystem, and accelerate and globalize our remarkable 342% growth over the same period startups, particularly the Micro, Small, and last year. While there is a tremendous growth in Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), to prepare our foreign investments, domestic investments still country for the 4th Industrial Revolution. → 34 | AmCham News

Secretary Lopez proposes a win-win solution to job contracting issues - regularize all workers either at principal’s or contractor’s side, and allow flexibility to contract out work for businesses. (Photo by Deviyahya on Unsplash)

It also helps that President Rodrigo Duterte The new Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Law recently signed Republic Act No. 11293, or the (R.A. 11032) will help promote good regulatory Philippine Innovation Act, as well as RA No. 11337, practices by reengineering government systems or the Innovative Startup Act. With innovation and procedures, and advocating government at the forefront and center of our policies and processes that are customer-centric. We now initiatives, the Philippines can adopt a culture of use GovTech, and we are streamlining and innovation, as we move forward towards being automating our processes. The EODB Law globally competitive. covers all government offices and agencies in the Executive Branch, including the national government agencies (NGAs), Local Government Ease of Doing Business Units (LGUs), government instrumentalities both here and abroad, and Government-Owned To further improve ease of doing business in and–Controlled Corporations (GOCCs). the country, we continue to push for policy reforms that will create a more attractive business climate Manila, Paranaque, and have for investors. In his SONA and recent addresses, already set up their own Business One-Stop and in keeping with his Ten-Point Socioeconomic Shops (BOSS) to accelerate government Agenda, President Duterte mandated that all transactions and improve ease of doing government transactions must be streamlined, business. Barangay clearances and City simplified, responsive, and client-friendly. business permits can now be applied for simultaneously, by synchronizing computers The Implementing Rules and Regulations of in all barangays within the city. This allows the R.A. 9485 or Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) have for real-time transactions – approval and been finalized, and we have just appointed a new payment of fees at city level for expediency. Director-General of the agency to implement this The barangays’ share of fees is transmitted law. Should you have any concerns, please feel to barangays later after completion of free to contact the agency. transactions. AmCham Philippines | October 2019 35

There are other developments to enhance ease of doing business. The Zero-Contact Policy is in place. The 3-7-20 rule is simple -- 3 working days for simple transactions, 7 working days for complex transactions, and 20 working days for highly technical transactions. As a result, month-long transactions in the past were now reduced to 5-10 days.

The Philippines has improved in seven of 10 indicators in the 2019 World Bank Doing Business Report. Due to technicalities, the World Bank did not get the correct data we submitted on Getting Credit, and we slipped 11 notches, where we could have improved five notches.

Two new laws can help improve ease of doing business. RA No. 11057, or the Personal Property Security Act of 2018, will impact our Getting Credit indicator after we establish a one-collateral registry. GRAB - contractual work. RA No. 11232, or the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines will impact two of the indicators— Other notable reforms are now pending in Starting a Business and Protecting Minority Investors. Congress, such as the Public Services Act, which is now certified urgent by the President, the Foreign Down the road, our end to end-to-end process Investment Negative List (FINL), the Retail Trade of starting a business (the SEC, DTI, Philhealth, Liberalization Act, and the Innovative Startup Act, local government, and the BIR) will all be in one which will all create a better environment for investors. office, and eventually soon in one smartphone – the One Business Portal. Our position on the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill is clear – make employees regular either at the Through its Inclusive Innovation Industrial principal’s or at the contractor’s side, but allow for Strategy (i³S), DTI can help those in manufacturing legitimate contracting of some parts of the business by providing incentives, free training (through processes. That is our win-win solution. I told the TESDA, which is now under DTI), and other human DOLE Secretary that the President has spoken, that capital support systems. the removal of the flexibility of business is really the one provision that was the basis for the veto. We will I know that you are interested to hear about the try to keep that flexibility of business in the new SOT Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization bill. (CITIRA) bill, which used to be the TRABAHO bill, or the sequel to the TRAIN Law. There shall be an In conclusion, DTI is committed to improve the overall reduction in the corporate income tax from Philippines’ ranking in World Bank’s Doing Business 30% to 20%, but the incentive system currently survey, boost industries’ competitiveness, and make enjoyed by some businesses shall now be time- them attractive to investors. This is also important in bound and performance-based. order to maintain the strong trade ties between the USA and the Philippines, despite prevailing global The real challenge, especially for those in trade uncertainties. Ecozones, is how to manage the transition. There seems to be a consensus about a longer transition President Duterte wants that investors should of 5 to 7 years. By that time, you will have an have utmost ease in doing business in the country. overall corporate income tax rate close to 20%. If you experience a problem here, you can complain If you convert your 5% GIE, this will help you get directly to him. The President has an uncompromising closer to the target tax reduction. With the taxes vision for a better life for the Filipinos. Please join us and incentives being rationalized, this Bill will prove in our sincere effort to create economic growth, and advantageous to more and newer investors. inclusive growth, and shared prosperity for all. 36 | Cover Story

Climate Change and Sustainable Design Practices By: Architect Felino Palafox, Jr. Research by: Caneel Chua (Communications Officer) and Sheer Grace Uyan (Communications Manager)

he world’s largest carbon sink is burning The Amazon Fires at an unprecedented scale, Greenland’s glaciers are melting faster than foreseen, and Tsea levels continue to rise. The world is witnessing climate change’s intensity more, than ever and the effects are being felt throughout the world.

If everything within the environment is connected, how are these changes affecting one another, how are they affecting Filipinos, and what can we do to prepare for it?

Global Warming Photo by Matt Howard on Unsplash

In August 2019, there has been an 80% increase in forest fires within the Amazon Rainforest in comparison to the same time period last year. According to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The damage has now covered an estimated 7,000 square miles of forest — equivalent to 25 Singapores. As the world’s largest carbon dioxide sink continues to burn, global temperatures increase even further.

Glaciers Melting Photo by Jasper Wilde on Unsplash Since 2002, Antarctica has been losing about The average global temperature has increased 134 billion metric tons of ice annually. Glaciers at the fastest rate in recorded history over the around the world continue to melt at phenomenal past 50 years. The increase of greenhouse gases speeds. The Greenland glaciers continue to and other pollutants in the atmosphere are the retreat, and the Alaskan glaciers are melting 100 main causes of global warming. Its effects include times faster than predicted, resulting to rising rapidly melting glaciers, increasing number of global sea levels. Research has shown that the wildfires, sinking cities, devastating floods in cities Greenland glaciers contain enough ice to increase and coastal communities and habitats, intense the world’s sea level by almost 20 feet. This is a heat waves, stronger typhoons and hurricanes, cause for concern of scientists, environmentalists, and stronger polar vortexes. and citizens across the world. →

38 | Cover Story

Flooding From an architect and urban planner’s perspective, climate change has a big impact on how we design and plan our buildings, communities, and cities. Natural hazards that our cities are susceptible to must be studied and addressed when creating plans.

Photo source: Google

On August 24, Laoag City in experienced flooding due to heavy rains from Severe Tropical Storm Ineng (Bailu), which prompted the City Council to declare a state of Rather than merely responding to natural calamity. disasters, urban plans must enable us to prepare for and mitigate the damages that natural disasters People in countries like the Philippines, where will cause. tropical storms occur frequently, have been adjusting to recurrent floods that are increasing in Through urban planning: severity and prove to be life-threatening. Those • high-quality infrastructure, residing in areas previously unaffected by flooding • efficient public services, now find themselves struggling to adapt to the • and sufficient allocation of resources, geared shifts in their environment as waters rise. The toward disaster preparedness and mitigation effects of climate change are constantly reflected can be prepared in advance. in our weather. The Philippines experiences an average of 20 typhoons annually, which increases the urgency to develop resilient cities through climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Sustainable Design

Through land use plans and zoning ordinances: • disaster-prone areas will be restricted from developments • flood management programs will be updated and strengthened, • correct easements for waterways can be implemented to prevent pollution, among AmCham Philippines | October 2019 39

others problems. Our reliance on information and communications technology (ICT) will increase even further because it will help us monitor, analyze, and coordinate data, so we can always be ready.

Through sustainable architecture: • we can incorporate features that will make structures disaster-resilient. • Other important structural elements that can help lessen the negative impacts of flooding include: • rainwater harvesting through cisterns, • easements from the high water mark should be • water retention pools, respected, among others. • grey water systems, and rain gardens. These are just some of the ways we can prepare Disaster mitigation strategies include: for the changes we experience due to climate • hazard mapping, avoiding establishing change, but ultimately, bioclimatic and resilient developments in hazard-prone areas, adhering architecture and planning must play a crucial role to the building code for safety standards, in the design of future cities. • raising homes in frequently flooded areas, • developing a family disaster plan in accordance With the help of advanced technology and with local emergency procedures, visionary design we can create cities that are self- • reducing the vulnerability of existing structures sufficient and disaster-resilient as a means to adapt through retrofitting, and thrive in our ever changing world. In the mean • no habitable rooms below the projected flood time, we must all do our part in fulfilling our role in line, stopping climate change from worsening. 40 | Contributed Article

BPO Expansion Accelerates Growth of ‘Next Wave Cities’ Submitted by: Santos Knight Frank

Rick Santos, Chairman & CEO, Santos Knight Frank

he outsourcing industry continues to expand These provincial operations’ direct hires are in new growth hubs outside Metro Manila forecasted to grow to 500,000 by 2022. as a more diverse group of BPO tenants Tchooses to invest in “Next Wave Cities,” says Third-party BPOs are typically the first entrants Santos Knight Frank, the leading commercial real into Next Wave Cities, while captive and shared- estate consultancy in the Philippines. services centers (those that support internal company operations) have traditionally stayed Around 25% of BPO industry employees are within the more developed hubs ofMetroManila currently based outside Metro Manila, primarily in and Cebu. Baguio, Clark, Naga, Clark, , Cebu, Bacolod, Puerto Princessa and Davao. The BPO industry “Recently, we have seen an interesting currently employs 1.3 million jobs directly and 4.1 development in which the mix of BPO tenants in million jobs indirectly. the Next Wave Cities is changing. While third-party AmCham Philippines | October 2019 41

BPOs and local BPOs have traditionally dominated the provincial markets, captive centers have now begun moving into cities such as Iloilo, Clark and Naga – which is a vote of confidence for those locations,” said Morgan McGilvray recently during the Annual Midyear IT-BPM Annual Updates and Trends, an event organized by Santos Knight Frank and AmCham Philippines’ ICT Committee and supported by BDO Unibank Inc. and AIG Shared Services (Philippines). McGilvray is a Senior Director for Occupier Services & Commercial Agency at Santos Knight Morgan McGilvray reports the latest movement of BPOs into Next Wave Cities. Frank.

Cost competitiveness, along with the presence we can expect this trend to accelerate urban of robust and dynamic talent, is a key ingredient development in the region and continue the rise to attracting BPO companies. In terms of cost of the Filipino middle class,” says Rick Santos, competitiveness, Metro Manila’s average rental Chairman & CEO, Santos Knight Frank. rate of PHP 1,100/square meter/month remains one of Asia Pacific’s most inexpensive, according Having the right infrastructure and ingredients to the Knight Frank Asia Pacific Office Rental Index to attract BPOs has benefited cities such as Iloilo, Q2 2019. where at least 69 BPO companies support around 27,000 direct hires. As one of the city’s biggest Meanwhile, average rents in “Next Wave Cities” employers, the BPO industry has spurred the range from only PHP 350 to PHP 550/square meter/ growth of the office, residential, hospitality and month in locations such as Iloilo, Bacolod, Clark, retail sectors across three business districts in the Cagayan de Oro and Davao. up-and-coming location.

“BPOs help create an ecosystem of growth, and Santos Knight Frank estimates at least 360,000 that is especially magnified in the provinces where sqm of new office supply in Iloilo, Bacolod, Clark, the industry spurs not only real estate expansion Cagayan de Oro and Davao City, which would but also economic development. As we see more provide a wide array of choices for BPO companies Next Wave Cities benefitting from decentralization, looking at regional expansion.

facebook.com/AmChamPH 42 | AmCham News

The Arangkada Philippines Forum 2019: Turning on the T.A.P. (Tourism, Agribusiness, and Power)

he Eighth Arangkada Philippines Philippines in recent years. With the upcoming Anniversary Forum of the Joint Foreign forum, the JFC continues its long-standing Chambers (JFC) of the Philippines will be contribution to policy discussion leading to Theld at the Marriott Grand Ballroom on November stronger economic growth and job creation. 21, 2019. The theme for this year is Arangkada Philippines: Turning on the T.A.P. (Tourism, In 2010, the JFC published Arangkada Agribusiness, and Power). The forum will Philippines, an advocacy paper promoting discuss key policies and projects that support seven sectors with high growth potential: high economic growth in these sectors under agribusiness, IT-BPM, creative industries, the Duterte Administration and the realization of infrastructure, manufacturing and logistics, Ambisyon Natin by 2040. mining, and tourism, with recommendations to build a more competitive Philippine economy. The forum is divided into three main panels The Arangkada Philippines Project of the JFC with the following topics: (1) Unlocking the has also produced ten policy briefs, seven policy Tourism Potential, (2) Agribusiness as Key to notes, and “Implementing the Ten Point Agenda Inclusive Growth, and (3) Challenges in the of the Duterte Administration,” all to improve the Philippine Power Sector. Policy briefs on each investment climate. All can be accessed in our will be launched and discussed during the event. website www.arangkadaphilippines.com. There will also be a special panel entitled “The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Build, Build, Build.” To register, visit http://www.arangkada. Over 600 business persons, industry experts, teamasiaevents.com or contact our Registration investors, diplomats, government officials, Manager, Khayzie Reyes at +63 (2) 847 3500 local and media are expected to attend this highly 306 or at [email protected]. anticipated annual event of the foreign chambers. To know more visit the official event website JFC advocacy efforts have contributed www.investphilippines.info/forum2019. You may significantly to the large increase in foreign direct also email to [email protected] investment and strong economic growth in the or call 751-1495. AmCham Philippines | October 2019 43 44 | Header AmCham Philippines | October 2019 45

→ 46 | AmCham News

REAL OR UNREAL? How the AmCham-INTA Unreal Campaign Advances the Fight Against Counterfeiting Starting with the Youth By: Bienvenido Marquez III, Divina Ilas-Panganiban and Jose Angelo Tiglao

ounterfeiting, by definition, is the act of one. The question really is - do consumers really imitating something authentic, genuine, or understand the effects of counterfeiting? real, with the intent to deceive the public Cinto believing that the product is “real”. This question has been the subject of a global campaign by the International Trademark In recent years, counterfeiting has become a Association (“INTA”) since 2012. INTA has been natural phenomenon with counterfeit goods being spearheading the fight against counterfeiting available almost everywhere you go. You visit a across the globe by spreading awareness on the store and see a fake bag: it looks like the genuine dangers and adverse effects of counterfeiting. article and it is difficult to say if it is the real product What’s interesting about INTA’s approach is that or a mere replica. However, identifying what is its awareness initiative is designed for young counterfeit from what is not is, arguably, only step consumers (ages 14 to 23), essentially the youth sector, through what they call the Unreal Campaign. Currently, the reach of the Unreal Campaign has encompassed several regions of the world, including North America, Latin America, , Africa, and Asia.

Through the Unreal Campaign, INTA aims to impart upon the young generation the importance of protecting the trademarks and brands of intellectual property owners, as well as the adverse effects of using counterfeit items in their daily lives. Eventually, the Unreal Campaign hopes to embed in the minds of the youth this early on of the dangers of counterfeiting and their crucial role in curbing the proliferation of this illegal activity.

AmCham: Joining the Fight Against Counterfeiting

On 23 August 2019, the American Chamber of Commerce, together with several leading intellectual property law practitioners in the Philippines, which include Bienvenido Marquez III (Quisumbing Torres), Katrina Doble (Villaraza and Angangco) and Regina Reyes-Rara (MarksPro), strongly supported by AmCham’s Intellectual Baguio City Night Market Property Rights Committee Chairpersons, Photo by Ronnel Ramos on Unsplash Princess Managuelod-Ascalon (IBM Philippines) AmCham Philippines | October 2019 47

Photo Source: www.google.com

and Divina Ilas-Panganiban (Quisumbing Torres), and make the consumers double think whether the conducted a talk to young grade school students product they are purchasing is real or not. of Gentry International School in Clark, Pampanga, as part of the AmCham-INTA’s Unreal Campaign. But, more than just identifying what is unreal, This is now on its third installment, following two the key takeaway that the young of today, such very successful campaigns in Asia Pacific College as the students of Gentry, should get from the and Enderun Colleges in the past years. Here, the Unreal Campaign is what happens when they buy speakers discussed several interesting topics such counterfeit goods? as an introduction to intellectual property rights, the purpose of the Unreal Campaign, as well as an in- To a young lad and gal, the effects of patronizing depth discussion on the dangers of counterfeiting counterfeit goods may be small and insignificant on and how we can involve the youth in addressing a personal level, but the Unreal Campaign seeks to the growing problem. break this notion and inculcate in the minds of the youth that, by purchasing and supporting these Although the students were very young, they counterfeit products, the true and rightful owners showed enthusiasm when asked to identify well- of these intellectual property rights are deprived known brands in the Philippines, which tells us from reaping the benefits of their hard work. that the youth know their brands well, arguably due to the integration of social media in their daily Even beyond that, other people are likewise lives. One of the main highlights of the event was affected, such as business that close down when the students were asked to identify whether because they have lost or are losing their business a certain product was counterfeit or not. To the because of counterfeit goods, therefore resulting surprise of AmCham speakers, not many were able to loss of jobs in these businesses. Finally, there is to clearly distinguish what was real from what was also a danger to the youth, as they mature into full- unreal. blown consumers, that they might suffer damage or injury arising from the use of these counterfeit This indicates, therefore, that counterfeiting items as these are not up to the standards required has truly evolved over the years, reaching the point by either law or industry to which the product that its methods can produce outputs that already belongs. (Harmful ingredients in cosmetics are an rival the appearance of real and genuine goods example.) → 48 | AmCham News

So, the next time you think of buying a product, also better ask yourself the very important question: “Is this real or unreal?”

Divina Ilas-Panganiban is a partner in Quisumbing Torres’ Intellectual Property Practice Group and co-heads the Technology, Media & Telecommunications Industry Group. She has 18 years of experience in the fields of intellectual property law, commercial law and litigation. She currently serves as the Vice- President and Director of the Philippine Chapter of Licensing Executives Society International, the Chairperson of the committee on Intellectual Property Rights, The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, and the Chairperson of the Committee on Intellectual Property Rights of the European Chamber of Commerce.

Bienvenido Marquez III is a partner and head of Quisumbing Torres’ Intellectual Property Practice Group. He also co- Photo by Adli Wahid on Unsplash heads the Consumer Goods & Retail Industry Group and a member of the Technology, Media Clearly, it would seem in such an approach that the & Telecommunications Group. sole benefit of counterfeiting seems to only be about He participates in initiatives of Baker & McKenzie International being able to purchase a product at a much cheaper of which Quisumbing Torres is a price than the original. However, in fact, everything else member firm. He is a member of results in negative consequences not only to yourself, but Baker & McKenzie International’s to others and to society as well. As consumers, we should Asia Pacific Intellectual Property Steering Committee, leading the encourage one another to patronize what is real, and anti-counterfeiting taskforce. discourage others not to consume those that are unreal. The youth, most especially, has the great opportunity to use their voice in leading this fight against counterfeiting Jose Angelo Tiglao is an associate in Quisumbing through their own little ways, starting off by choosing to Torres’ Intellectual Property and buy the real thing when they are tempted to buy something Information Technology Practice that is unreal. Group. He also works with the Corporate & Commercial, and Banking & Finance Practice For starters, try to educate yourself towards Groups.He ranked 6th in his recognizing the signs of the unreal; learn to distinguish batch upon graduation from De real leather from fake, read labels as to the ingredients La Salle University College of Law of a consumable product such as cosmetics and lotions, where he also received the Most Outstanding Thesis award for his and perhaps ask yourself, “If the cost is so low, can it be thesis on social media regulation the real deal”? in the Philippines.

50 | AmCham News

New AmCham Committee: Sustainability Committee

AmCham proudly launched its Sustainability Committee on August 15, 2019 at C Lounge, Conrad Manila with the theme Sustainability Through Partnerships. Undersecretary Philip Francisco U. Dy, Chief of Staff of Vice President Leni Robredo, spoke on behalf of VP Leni during the launch night.

AmCham would like to thank our exhibitors who joined the photo exhibit shown to our members and guests. These are 1) 3M Philippines; 2) Aboitiz Power; 3) AmCham Foundation; 4) American Airlines; 5) Asian Eye Institute; 6) BDO; 7) Cargill Philippines; 8) Conrad Manila; 9) Dow Chemical; 10) Hero Foundation; 11) MetPower; 12) Mondelez International; 13) Quezon Power; 14) World Vision; and 15) P&G.

The event was also made possible with our partners from 3M Philippines, American Airlines, Crown Worldwide Movers, Quantity Solutions and our wine partner, Forth & Tay.

The Chamber envisions the Committee to be the collective body for sustainable efforts and initiatives of the American and Filipino businesses in the country, and is not limited to AmCham members only but is open to committed organizations and individual working towards a #SustainableFuture. We have a stronger voice when we are united, and united we can achieve more.

AmCham attendees posted their pledge on how they can contribute to a sustainable future. The common responses are to reduce the use of plastics, segregate and recycle plastics, save energy and support the goals of SDGs. AmCham Philippines | October 2019 51

Our AmCham Board of Director, Peter Hayden and Bex Romero wrote on the ‘Greener notes’, post-its made from 100% recycled material from 3M Philippines and pledge their commitment to a sustainable future.

A token of appreciation was awarded to Usec. Dy after his talk of Angat- Buhay, a pioneer project of the Office of the Vice President.The token is a painting from AmCham Foundation scholars.

The attendees gathered and roam around the photo exhibit contributed by various members of AmCham depicting numbers of sustainable As a culmination of the event, AmCham guests and stakeholders formally efforts of their company. launched the committee through a traditional toasting. → 52 | AmCham News

At the end of the event of the event, AmCham gave eco-bags as a give- away that AmCham wish the members to use for their groceries or shopping to minimize the use of plastics.

As part of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 17th is the “Partnerships for the Goals”, which requires the combined efforts of the government, public sector, and civil society. All should come together for a sustainable business and healthful environment, as we gain more traction with the involvement of multi-stakeholders.

GOALS – What are our desired results?

AmCham has the power to put forward the collective efforts of American businesses and other related stakeholders on sustainability.

1. Call to Action - We are strongest when we’re united, thus we will make our voice the loudest to reach more people about the vital importance of sustainability

2. Position paper - To make the efforts concrete, the Committee shall create this for dissemination to public, private, and civil society

Sustainability Industry Development Specialist: Ms. KV Rojas 818 7911 loc. 217 [email protected]

54 | Contributed Article

Changing the System: Preparing OFWs to be Successful By: Aimee Gloria, Executive Director of Fair Employment Training and Assessment Center

lobally, migration is the new norm as more people than ever seek better lives outside their home countries. Today, there are 10 Gmillion Filipinos who live abroad - and more than 1 million Filipinos leave the country each year to work abroad. Remittances to the Philippines from around the world continue to grow and our total remittances received in 2019 (US$34 billion), received are only behind India (US$79 billion), China (US$67 billion), and Mexico (US$36 billion). Our Overseas Filipino Workers do everything to provide a better future for their families. Of the OFWs in Asia, 60% find work in the Middle East, followed by 11% are in Hong Kong, 6% in risks, and move abroad for opportunities. But, the Singapore and 6% in Taiwan. They work hard, take current system isn’t working in their favor. AmCham Philippines | October 2019 55

Many of our women OFWs about their goals and helping go into domestic work abroad, them plan their priorities for but the domestic work sector migration. Our trainees see is the most affected by debt themselves as professionals, bondage and forced labor issues. equipped with the hard skills Domestic workers are charged they need and prepared for the fees by exploitative employment changes that migration will bring agencies, landing them in debt to their lives. before even start working abroad, and making them vulnerable to Personally for me, as debt bondage and forced labor. Executive Director of FTC, what we’re doing is also about levelling All domestic workers must go the playing field for women. I’ve through an employment agency always believed in the power of to find jobs abroad. First-time women, and I’ve always believed workers need to also go through that Filipinas have it in them to be pre-migration training. However, the best versions of themselves, this is often inadequate and and to be who they want to be, another point where exploitative just as long as they’re given all the fees are charged to the worker. right opportunities. Last year, we Workers are vulnerable as they met with 100 FTC trainees who are thrown into jobs unprepared are working in Hong Kong. Some for what lies ahead. A large of them were already finishing percentage fail to complete their off their first contracts and some work contracts in full and must go were just a few months in. While through the job search process they were all at varying stages again. The current system is of familiarity and homesickness, profiting exploitative agents off it was encouraging to see that the churn of workers who fail in they continued to be motivated their migration abroad. to succeed and achieve the goals they set out for their families. The Fair Employment Training and Assessment Center (FTC) is a “Forced labor is a solvable non-profit training center that was problem” may sound very established to make the current optimistic but seeing the system work better for our OFWs. progress of our trainees and Since we started in 2016, we how supportive authorities in the have trained over 400 domestic Philippines has been over our workers and reduced their work, encourages us to continue vulnerability to early-termination to see this through here in the from jobs by more than half. Our Philippines. mission is FTC is to develop and deliver the premier model for OFWs training and impact the way migrant recruitment and training is done. To learn more about OFWs and migration for domestic work, please visit: We know how much this job abroad means to the women www.fairtraining.org and that we train. This is why we’ve designed our training to be www.fairfoundation.org.hk. practical and relevant. We begin each training session asking → 56 | Business of Business

Photo by Patricia Beatrix Villanueva on Unsplash School Achievement Does Not Always Lead to Life Achievement By: Ernie Cecilia, DPM

aren Arnold, a Boston College researcher, He observes, “… what makes students likely to found that of 81 high school class be impressive in the classroom is the same thing valedictorians whose careers she followed, that makes them less likely to be home-run hitters K95 percent went to college (with average GPA outside the classroom.” of 3.6). Sixty percent eventually had graduate degrees; 90 percent had professional jobs, with Barker feels that schools reward students who 40 percent in top-tier jobs. How many went on to consistently do what they’re told. Academic grades change or run the world, or even impressed the correlate only loosely with intelligence; standardized world? None, zilch, zero. tests are better at measuring intelligence quotient (IQ). Grades are at best predictors of self-discipline, conscientiousness, and ability to comply with rules. What schools teach Students often think their goal is to get high Eric Barker wrote “Barking Up the Wrong Tree: grades, not to learn. They conform, parrot the The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything teachers, and give answers that teachers want to You Know About Success is (Mostly) Wrong.” hear. AmCham Philippines | October 2019 57

Finnish children don’t start school until they’re 7. All children, bright or not, are taught in the same classroom. They rarely take exams, and aren’t asked to do homework. There’s only one mandatory standardized test, at age 16. Students are not measured during the first six years of education.

Here are some quick figures – 30 percent of children receive extra help during their first nine School vs. Life years in school; science classes are capped at 16 students to allow all students to perform daily Arnold believes that valedictorians “ … are experiments; elementary students have 75 minutes extremely well-rounded and successful, personally of recess, vs. 27 minutes in many countries; and professionally, but they’ve never been devoted 93 percent graduate from high school; almost to a single area in which they put all their passion. 60 percent go to college, while slightly over 40 That is not usually a recipe for eminence.” percent go to vocational schools. The difference between the weakest and strongest students is School has clear rules. Life often doesn’t. very negligible. Since 2001, Finnish children are School is a controlled environment. Like Forrest tops in reading, science and math. Gump’s mama said, “Life’s like a box of chocolates. You don’t know what you’ll get when you open it.” Teachers in Finland spend four hours in the classroom, and two hours per week for professional When there’s no clear path to follow, academic development; all teachers have a master’s degree, high achievers tend to break down. Shawn Achor, but are fully State-subsidized. With same number a researcher at Harvard, found out that “college of teachers, Finland covers 600,000 students, grades aren’t any more predictive of subsequent while New York has 1.1 million. Teachers are life success than rolling dice.” A study of over selected from the top 10 percent of graduates; 700 American millionaires showed their average in 2010, 6,600 teachers applied for 660 primary college GPA was 2.9. Many are even dropouts. school training slots. Ten years ago, a teacher’s starting salary is $29,000. Teachers with 15 years’ Barker continued, “The second reason is that experience earn 102 percent of what graduates schools reward being a generalist. There is little in other college courses make, even if there are recognition of student passion or expertise. The no merit pay increases for teachers. Teachers are real world, however, does the reverse.” given the same status as doctors and lawyers.

This means that if you want top grades but Finland spends 30 percent less per student you’re most passionate about math, you need to than the USA. The national curriculum serves only stop working on it alone, and try to also get high as broad guidelines. The school system is 100 grades in history, science and civics. This generalist percent government-funded. Finland beats other approach doesn’t lead to expertise. In real life, we countries in education with similar demographics. almost all go on to careers in which one prominent skill is highly rewarded and other skills aren’t that Education is a great equalizer – only if students important, although helpful. learn what and how they ought to learn.

For comments or questions please e-mail the Finland’s educational system author at: [email protected] In the 1970’s, Finland’s educational system was evaluation-based, just like those in other Western Ernie Cecilia, DPM, is a regular contributor countries. More than forty years ago, they decided to the AmCham Business Journal. Mr. Cecilia to change, and today Finnish students and their is the Chair of the AmCham Human Capital educational system are No. 1 in the world, while & Resources Committee; Co-Chair of the AmCham Publications Department; Co-Chair the US ranks #29. According to the ‘Business of ECOP’s TWG on Labor Policy and Social Insider’, here’s why: Issues; PMAP Past President. 58 | AmCham News

32nd AmCham Foundation Thanksgiving Night

he American Chamber Foundation with a sumptuous traditional roast turkey dinner, Philippines, Inc. (AMCHAM Foundation) is excellent entertainment, dancing and the traditional again hosting its annual Charity Thanksgiving Silent Auction of fabulous items. Tevent. The evening offers AMCHAM members another opportunity to get together to support a This year, get a chance to win great prizes in VERY worthy cause and, at the same time, have an the Grand Raffle draw! All of the proceeds from enjoyable evening being entertained by some top this event will go to the AmCham Foundation musical and showbiz talent. Scholarship Program.

Let us celebrate, be grateful for the blessings Tickets are now on sale - be sure to get yours we have received, and give back to the community before they run out! by raising funds for deserving underprivileged students giving them access to a better education, through the Foundation’s Scholarship Program. The AmCham Foundation’s commitment to assisting Filipinos in need is invigorated by The theme for the 32nd AmCham Foundation’s your support and participation. For Tickets and Thanksgiving Night is “The Greatest Showman”. Sponsorship please contact Candy Angeles- The event will be held at the New World Makati Gabriel, Events Manager at +632 867-2426 or at Hotel on November 8, 2019 and is highlighted [email protected].

The Amcham Board meeting last September Fluor opened its Cebu Office in 2011. In 2015 11, 2019 was held at Fluor Daniel Inc. office in FDIP moved into its own 12-story facility, Polaris Alabang, hosted by our President James Wilkins. Corporate Center in Alabang. Headcount peaked at 3,500 in the same year. Fluor Daniel, Inc. - Philippines (FDIP or Fluor Philippines) was incorporated in the country in It’s operations in the Philippines started 32 September 1987. At that time the office was at the years ago (1987), with offices in Alabang and Cebu Pacific Star Building in Makati. Headcount was City, with a combined population of more than then about 300. In 1999, FDIP moved to Alabang, 2,900 members (93% with college degrees, 62% Muntinlupa City and the Asian Star Building, in engineering [others in finance, IT, etc.], 37% are occupying 10 out of 15 floors of the building. female). AmCham Philippines | October 2019 59 60 | Feature

MASSKARA IN CALIFORNIA Text and Photos by J. Albert Gamboa

acolod City’s multi-awarded MassKara main festival at the Long Beach Recreation Park, Dance Troupe has invaded “the happiest organized by the Long Beach-Bacolod Association Bplace on Earth”– Disneyland! (LBBA). On August 1, the MassKara dancers performed In July 2018, the LBBA launched its first at the Disney California Adventure theme park in MassKara Festival in Long Beach – the first Anaheim, California. They were the first Philippine- time this world-famous Philippine festival was based group to perform in a Disneyland show. celebrated outside Bacolod. The event kicked off Also for the first time ever, Disney Performing Arts with an International Trade Finance Seminar and exempted them from its strict prohibition against a movie premiere of “Stateside” (a film on Pinoys masked non-employees inside the integrated in America) at the California State University Long resort. Beach (CSULB).

Prior to their Disneyland stint, the cultural Capping the celebration was a whole-day dance troupe had several performances in the San tourism and food fair at the Long Beach Recreation Francisco Bay Area as special guests of the Rotary Park with booths showcasing iconic Philippine Club of Daly City, the St. James Catholic Church products and the best of Filipino cuisine. A concert in Dolores Heights, and the newly reopened San of Fil-Am artists provided entertainment on the Francisco Filipino Cultural Center in the Mission bandstand, featuring Jet Montelibano and the District. Union Band; rapper Ruby Ibarra; singers Garth Garcia and Nathan Fasching; martial artist Ramiro These acrobatic dancers highlighted the second Estalilla; dancers from the Philippine Women’s MassKara Festival in the city of Long Beach in Los Club of Los Angeles; as well as actor Michael Keith Angeles County last August 2 to 4, particularly the of Disney Channel and Nickelodeon fame. gala ball at the Long Beach Marriot Hotel and the →

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ORIGINS OF THE MASSKARA Bacolod’s premier fiesta and will do so again this month for the MassKara’s 40th edition. The original MassKara Festival of Bacolod City was conceived as a “Festival of Smiles” in 1980. SISTER-CITY RELATIONS Founded by then Mayor Jose “Digoy” Montalvo, it was meant to be a healing event after 750 residents Incumbent Bacolod City Mayor Evelio “Bing” of the city perished in the M/V Don Juan maritime Leonardia was the city’s tourism officer during tragedy that year, including Mayor Montalvo’s wife, the early years of the MassKara, and he was mother-in-law, and two daughters. instrumental in establishing sister-city relations with Long Beach during his first term in the Since then, the MassKara Festival has become 1990s. In recent years, he has been sending trade a major tourist attraction in the Philippines every and tourism missions to promote Bacolod as an October. Last year, the LBBA sent a delegation to investment destination among the large Fil-Am communities on the US West Coast.

Originally established in 1994, the sister-city relationship between the local government units (LGUs) of Bacolod City in the Province of Negros Occidental and Long Beach City in the State of California became dormant for more than two decades.

MassKara Parade in front of Bacolod’s San Sebastian Cathedral. AmCham Philippines | October 2019 63

MassKara Festival at Long Beach Recreation Park.

REVIVAL OF BILATERAL TIES TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

Through the initiative of Joe Gamboa Synergies abound in this newfound friendship (California-based US citizen who grew up in Negros between the Philippines’ sugar capital Bacolod, Occidental) and Joey Montalvo (eldest son of the and the Pacific gateway to America. There is a MassKara’s “Founding Father”), the sister-city huge Fil-Am population in the Greater Los Angeles relationship was revived two years ago through the area, with many coming from the Western Visayas formation of the LBBA. region to which Negros Occidental belongs.

At Long Beach’s One World Trade Center in Long Beach hosts the biggest seaport along July 2017, Bacolod City Administrator and former the Coast, while the Bacolod-Silay airport is one Congressman John Orola signed a Memorandum of the busiest aviation hubs in central Philippines. of Agreement with Legislative Deputy Tyler Curley, Both cities are recognized as educational centers representing Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, in their respective regions. Among the LBBA’s to jump-start the re-activation of the sister-city plans is to link the CSULB with the University of relations. St. La Salle-Bacolod and the University of Negros Occidental through student exchange programs.

CROSS-CULTURAL BENEFITS With the revival of sister-city relations between Bacolod and Long Beach, opportunities to develop Dr. Mary Barton, Chair of the Sister Cities of business partnerships have increased among the Long Beach Inc., emphasized the cross-cultural two cities’ constituents. For instance, a Negros benefits to be derived in having sister-LGUs from chain of chicken “inasal” restaurants is planning to different continents. She said each LGU is allowed open branches in California via franchising or joint to have a maximum of 10 foreign counterparts ventures. under the auspices of Sister Cities International (SCI) headquartered in Washington, DC. Other LGUs in the Philippines should learn from Bacolod’s experience in leveraging its cultural US President Dwight Eisenhower created assets to attract investors and further expand its SCI in 1956 during the White House Conference economy. on Citizen Diplomacy. This non-partisan, non- profit network serves as the national membership J. Albert Gamboa is CFO of Asian Center for Legal Excellence, organization of 545 American cities, counties, and Director of Long Beach-Bacolod Association, and Chairman of states with 2,121 partnerships in 145 countries FINEX Golden Jubilee Book Project. He is also a columnist of across six continents. Business World, Manila Bulletin, and Manila Times. 64 | Feature

Cultural festivals provide an excellent chance to promote Filipino products and foster trade with the US, as exemplified by two Pinoy fiestas both SOMA PILIPINAS RISES happening every second weekend of August. These are the “Fiesta in America” at Secaucus IN SAN FRANCISCO Meadowlands Expo Center in New Jersey and the “Pistahan Festival” at Yerba Buena Gardens atop Text and Photos by J. Albert Gamboa the Moscone Convention Center in downtown San Francisco, which generate the largest number of Fil-Am participants in the East Coast and the West Coast, respectively.

Spearheaded by the Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE) since 1994, the Pistahan Festival’s theme for 2019 was “Crossing Barriers and Bridging Cultures.” FAAE President Al Perez said the annual Pistahan held at the heart of SOMA Pilipinas district is the Fil-Ams’ “pasalubong” →

an Francisco’s city council approved in April 2016 the creation of a new cultural heritage district called SOMA Pilipinas, consisting of S60 square blocks in the South of Market or SOMA neighborhood, with a combined area twice the size of San Francisco’s Chinatown district, the largest Chinese enclave outside Asia.

SOMA Pilipinas rose from the vestiges of downtown San Francisco’s “Manilatown” centered on the International Hotel, where many Filipinos stayed as transients from the 1920s until it was razed to the ground in the 1970s. The State of California has likewise officially recognized SOMA (From left to right): London Breed, Mayor of San Francisco City and County; Henry Bensurto Jr., Philippine Consul General in San Pilipinas as one of the 14 cultural districts in the Francisco; singers Billy Crawford and Morissette; Pati Navalta Poblete, US’ most populous state. Pistahan 2019 Hermana Mayor.

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Pistahan 2019 at Yerba Buena Gardens, SOMA Pilipinas District in downtown San Francisco. or souvenir gift from home for Northern California They were among the 80,000 people who attended residents. this year’s Pistahan Festival.

One of the Pistahan’s major exhibitors is SFFCC President Dr. Richard Kempis and the Filipino Food Movement (FFM), formed in Chief of Staff Teresa Dulalas disclosed that their 2013 primarily to promote the mainstreaming of non-government organization is volunteer-driven. Philippine cuisine in North America. FFM Director Nevertheless they work in close coordination with Pearl Parmelee, who also sits on the FAAE Advisory the Philippine Department of Tourism and the Board, is passionate about educating Americans Philippine National Commission for Culture and the on Filipino dishes. As a seasoned chef who taught Arts in sustaining the legacy cultural institutions culinary classes on various campuses of the and protecting the historic assets left behind in the University of California, she is a vocal exponent of defunct Manilatown neighborhood. the Pistahan and other Philippine-themed events in the Western Hemisphere. Together with other Fil-Am organizations in the Bay Area, SFFCC hopes to make SOMA Pilipinas Trish Posadas and Justin Santos, millennial Fil- a thriving community dedicated to increasing the Ams from Southern California who were born in the visibility of the 1.4-million-strong Pinoy Diaspora US to Pinoy immigrant parents, are rediscovering in California. their roots through the San Francisco Filipino Cultural Center (SFFCC) in SOMA Pilipinas. Since J. Albert Gamboa is CFO of Asian Center for Legal Excellence, their college years at the San Francisco State Director of Long Beach-Bacolod Association, and Chairman of University, they have been living in the Bay Area FINEX Golden Jubilee Book Project. He is also a columnist of where both now work as young professionals. Business World, Manila Bulletin, and Manila Times.

Pearl Parmelee’s FFM booth at Pistahan Festival. SFFCC Chief of Staff Teresa Dulalas with Fil-Ams Trish Posadas and Justin Santos. AmCham Philippines | October 2019 67 68 | Organizational Sections NOVEMBER

| Members' Birthdays National Capital Region Protacio Tacandong 1 Rodolfo Pallasigue 2 OCTOBER David Aboitiz 2 Don Derrick David Cruz III 3 National Capital Region Travis Coates 4 Marites T. Dagdag 3 Mark Serrano 4 Rosario Dumlao-Nulud 3 Jose Victor Emmanuel De Dios 6 Jocelyn Cariaga 5 Ernie Cecilia 7 Trent Frankum 5 Andrew Tioco 8 Tina Stockdale 8 William Garcia 8 Noel S. Villegas 9 David Sudolsky 8 Arthur R. Tan 14 Michael Russell 9 Mark Lwin 15 Joan Peñaflorida 9 Mary Rose Pascual 15 Valentin Parieto Jr. 11 James Nicholson 18 Troy Adam Lockyer 12 Nikki Tang 19 Leonara Carnites 12 Patrick D. Reidenbach 20 Vida C. Ty 14 Safdar Quraeshi 21 Aniano Bagabaldo 17 Jikyeong Kang 22 Allan Fernando Rillera 18 Mathew Slough 24 Aaron Key 20 Michael Yamazoe 25 Marivic C. Españo 24 Jerome L. Lorenzo 27 Joaquin Joson Co 28 Ruben T. Del Rosario 29 Joel Tan-Torres 28 Alonzo Q. Ancheta 30 Daisy Mae Tioseco 28 Andrew Minnitt 30 Mario A. Biscocho 29 Milagros Sering Picache 31 North Luzon North Luzon Arlene Aniciete 1 Eliza Calimag 22 Lars Wittig 13 Anthony De Leon 15 Visayas Brett Mcphee 22 Tony Uy Yap 1 Desiree Placencia 8 Visayas Harold Rainfroy 14 Eric D. Borja 4 Genevieve Barte 25 Ed Tongco 17 Joan S. Largo 24 Justine Jay S. Chua 29

Mindanao Adrian Zafra 7 Carlito Lim 14 Rosanna Fores 19 Benirando Claudio 21 Geraldine Quimosing-Tiu 26 Alvin Pinpin 28 Andrestine Tan 30 AmCham Philippines | October 2019 69

→ 70 | Organizational Sections

Index to Advertisers

American Airlines ...... 31 Kittelson & Carpo Consulting ...... 17

Belrewmond Corporate Center ...... 03 Marriott Hotel International ...... 07

BDO Unibank, Inc...... 11 Orion Support, Inc...... 55

CalEnergy International Services Inc...... 37 Philippine Retirement Authority ...... 15

Capital One Philippines Support Services Corp...... 65 PHINMA Microtel Hotel ...... 61

City Service Corporation...... 13 PMFTC, Inc...... IBC

Crown Worldwide Movers, Inc...... 09 Quantity Solutions, Inc...... 49

Emerson Electric Asia Ltd. - ROHQ ...... 25 Regus Tech Centre ...... 21

Fluor Daniel, Inc. - Philippines ...... 53 Truth Verifi er Systems, Inc...... 70

John Clements Consultants, Inc...... OBC Zuellig Pharma Asia Pacifi c Ltd...... IFC

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