COVER - AmCham | Philippines...Mar 05, 2021 · business magazine published monthly by The American...

AmCham Philippines | March 2021 1

COVER

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International School Manila



www.ismanila.org

ISM offers a comprehensive curriculum based on world-wide research and educational best practices to students ages three to nineteen.

World-class sports and performing arts facilities support our extensive co-curricular program

and service learning is integrated in every aspect of campus life.

University Parkway, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 1634, Philippines

(632) 8840.8400

INSPIRINGIS Manila is


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Organizational Sections

08 AmCham Officers & Directors

08 AmCham Mission Statement

10 AmCham Corporate & Associate Partners

11 How to be an AmCham Member Partner

12 AmCham Chapters & Advocacies

14 AmCham Committees - Your MAIN Partner in Business

15 AmCham Committees

16 Members' Birthdays: February - April

44 AmCham Staff

44 Connect with AmCham

Business of Business

34 Cultural Transformation or Bust?

Cover Story

18 Gender Equality: Fact or Myth?

Company News

38 Eastern Communications' 2021 P2.8 billion expansion

40 P&G’s Share The Care - a new standard in the workplace

THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

The Fearless Girl embodies the spirit of female empowerment underlying the stories and messages in this issue celebrating Women’s Month. Gain insights from the Philippines’ Vice President Leonor Robredo’s pivotal pandemic response, the Global Women in Mining Summit initiative, and Jenny Barretto’s discovery of the Apolaki caldera, the world’s largest, in Benham Rise. Read on and be inspired by our female trailblazers.

ContentsMarch 2021 | Vol 96 | No 03

Image Source: Freepik.com

TO BE UPDATED 21

Editorial

06 All Things Equal

Feature21 The Message of Vice

President Leni Robredo at AmCham's Women's Month Celebration

22 The COVID-19 Pandemic Through Her Lense

25 Equality, Education, Empowerment!The Role of Soroptimists International

28 International Women in Mining

30 Discovering the World's Longest CalderaAn Interview with Filipino Marine Geophysicist Jenny Anne Barretto

37 10 Tips to Free Yourself from Technology

Image Source: Unsplash.com


EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Ebb HinchliffePUBLICATIONS CONSULTANT/EDITOR: Leslie Ann MurrayCOMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING MANAGER: Chi PenaADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS HEAD: Chet GuevaraCREATIVE ARTIST: Eya MartinezPUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Ernie CeciliaPUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Manuel Guillermo and J. Albert GamboaPUBLISHED BY: The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc.

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.

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 Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229 (C.P.O. Box 2562, Makati City 1265), Philippines; telephones: (632) 8818-7911 to 13;email: [email protected];website: www.amchamphilippines.com.Publication Registration No.: ISSN-0116-452X

GUIDELINES FOR ARTICLE SUBMISSIONSThe AmCham Business Journal welcomes articles of interest to our readers, who are primarily members of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. We look forward to your submissions and are keen to share them with our readers according to these guidelines:

Deadline, Length, and FormatArticles must be in Word (.doc/.docx) format and emailed [email protected]. To ensure objectivity and credibility, superlatives and awards must be cited from a third source.

Author IdentificationAlong with the article, add a biography with a maximum of 70 words. This should include the author’s present position, organization, and email address. Previous experience, educational background, and previously published articles can also be added.

Style and Editorial ReviewThe Journal endeavors to preserve your intended message; however, articles will still be edited for clarity and readability. Depending on the nature of the changes, the Journal will notify you of changes. If no response to these changes is made within three (3) working days, we will assume to mean acceptance. The Journal holds the right to final publication.

Images, Charts, and GraphsImages, charts, and graphs are encouraged. Images must be unedited and saved in JPEG format with a minimum 300 dpi resolution. Please include captions. Charts/graphs must be sent in Microsoft Excel or PDF format with a title.

Questions and Comments to the Editor

Any content that appears in the Journal may not be reprinted, copied, or reproduced without the written permission of the Chamber; upon such permission, acknowledgment must be given for any item reprinted, copied, or reproduced as to the source of the item.

For questions about the Journal, kindly email the team [email protected].

6 | Editorial

All Things Equal

Note: AmCham will not be consolidating orders or placing orders for the vaccines. Until further notice, we are working with Go Negosyo (https://www.facebook.com/gonegosyoofficial/) as the consolidator for the Novavax vaccine.

As Editor in Chief, I usually avoid using the first person in my writing but for this month, I am sharing my own, first-hand experience on gender equality. Hopefully, many of you can reflect on how your views may have changed, particularly on the lessons learned over the years.

I am fortunate to be a Baby Boomer. It has allowed me to see changes in society for over six decades, from the 1950s to the 2020s. Some may wish for the good ole days, or complain that change is too slow. Certainly, for gender equality in the United States - as well as the world- has truly been slow, but I have to admit in many ways though slow, it has been positive.

My first example came from my parents. They seldom had argu-ments in front of the children, but I remember in the late ’50s, my mother brought up the subject of her going to work during an even-ing meal. The reaction of my father was unforgettable to a young im-pressionable mind. His basic mes-sage was “...over my dead body. A woman’s place is in the home.”

This statement made an impression on me because, until that time, I thought my father could do no wrong and was one of the smartest people on the planet. I was truly sur-prised. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand his logic. Why should a woman stay home any more than a man should stay home?

Over the following weeks, my mother stood her ground. She eventually found part-time work outside the home, under the condition that she should never make more salary than my father. That also was something I couldn’t understand because I was wearing hand-me-down jeans from my older brother with patches ironed on the knees to make them “wearable”. My logic was the more money my mother brought in, the sooner I could have a new pair of jeans of my own (and perhaps a new baseball glove under the Christmas tree?).

Another interesting impressionable conversation hap-pened years later in Lubbock, Texas where I was liv-

ing and working at the time. The local newspaper, The Avalanche Journal Sunday edition was the go-to for job hunting. One Sunday during a visit, my sister-in-law from Austin observed that the newspaper had divided the job openings into two classifications: jobs for men, and jobs for women. I had been reading those ads for years and it never dawned on me that it was wrong.

She asked me, “Why male and female categories?” I re-plied with what seemed an obvious answer; because men were better at some jobs and females better at others. She then asked me to give her some examples of jobs women couldn’t do. And, hard as I tried, I couldn’t come up with many. As I looked at the job descriptions, I had to change my position and align with her. It was a game-changer for me on my attitude towards the gender gap in the workforce. I then committed myself to be more open

in my views on gender equality.

As I write this editorial in March 2021, I truly believe we are living in a better world than those times mentioned above, but I also realize we have quite a way to go.

In 2019, I was honored to be invit-ed to speak at a local Rotary meet-ing. I was made to feel like a VIP from the time I entered the room. As I stood at the podium, delivering my remarks, I noticed something odd. The only females in the room were the restaurant staff.

When I finished my speech and went back to the head table, I

inquired about the lack of females present. Imagine my shock and disbelief when the leader of the Club informed me that this particular Rotary club was male-only! I chuck-led and thought he was joking (after all, this was 2019, not 1919). Unfortunately, it was no joke. Hindsight is always good; I would never have accepted had I known of this club’s male-only membership rule. I continue to question the members of that Rotary as to their rationale.

There are excellent articles by Ernie Cecilia and Vice President Leni Robredo in this edition. Their words are perhaps more evocative than mine, but I do feel better by sharing a bit of my transformation from a “redneck” Texan to one that has little patience for discrimination whether it is based on the color of skin, religion, or - Heaven forbid - based on gender.

Ebb Hinchliffe, Editor-in-Chief

Why should a woman stay home any more than a man should stay home?


MARRIOTT HOTEL INTERNATIONAL

8 | AmCham Officers & Directors

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

Since 1902

PETER HAYDENCapital One Philippines Support Services Corp.President

AILEEN JUDAN JIAOIBM Philippines1st Vice President

ROBERTO BATUNGBACALDow Chemical Pacific Ltd.2nd Vice President

PHILIP SOLIVENCargill Philippines, Inc.Treasurer/Director, Ex-Officio

MARISSA DE UNGRIAS.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.RAFAEL S. FAJARDOProcter & Gamble International Operations (SA) ROHQKELLY E. PROCTORTexas Instruments (Phils.), Inc.CARLOS MA. G. MENDOZAJPMorgan Chase and Co.ANDREAS RIEDELPfizer, Inc.TONY RUTLANDFluor Daniel, Inc.RICK SANTOSSantos Knight Frank, Inc.FRANK THIELQuezon PowerDirectors

GEORGE M. DRYSDALEMarsman Drysdale GroupDONALD R. FELBAUMOptel LTD.Directors, Ex-Officio

EBB HINCHLIFFEAmCham PhilippinesExecutive Director

ATTY. AILEEN TOLOSA-LERMARomulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc de los AngelesLaw OfficeCorporate Secretary

JOHN D. FORBESThe Arangkada Philippines Project (TAPP)Senior Advisor

DR. FRANCISCO VILLANUEVAClark Development CorporationPresident, AmCham North Luzon Chapter

BRIAN CONNELLYMarco Polo Plaza CebuPresident, AmCham Visayas Chapter

LUIS BONGUYANIndividual MemberPresident, AmCham Mindanao Chapter

MARDIE C. TORRESAmCham FoundationManaging Director

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


BDO UNIBANK

bdo.com.ph

NORTH AMERICA DESK

Pair up your business acumen with our financial expertise. Let’s work together to set up and expand your business in the Philippines.

Contact BDO’s North America Desk today.

Facilitating cross-bordercollaboration

Regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

BDO Unibank, Inc. is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas with contact number (02) 8708-7087 and email address [email protected]. Deposits are insured by PDIC up to P500,000 per depositor. The BDO, BDO Unibank and other BDO-related trademarks are owned by BDO Unibank, Inc. For concerns, please call our Customer Contact Center at (02) 8631-8000.

ASC Ref. No. B061P120720BS

For more information, please contact AmCham’s Corporate Partnership Consultant.Email: [email protected] / Tel: (+632) 8818 7911 loc. 218

AMCHAM CORPORATE & ASSOCIATE PARTNERSAmCham Philippines is the longest-serving and most vibrant American Chamber in Asia, and is recognized as the voice of business since 1902.

The AmCham Corporate and Associate 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.

ASSOCIATE PARTNERS

CORPORATE PARTNERS

12 | AmCham News

Regular Firm Membership *A – Php 57,800 | B – Php 47,300(*+Php 12, 500 one time registration fee)

This membership is available to corporations, partnerships, proprietorships, and other business organizations and enterprises that are registered and qualified to do business in the Philippines, with 30% or more of the ownership held by American citizens and/or corporations.

In a partnership, the American partner/s must have a share of interest of 30% or more. In the case of nonstock corporations and un-incorporated associations, at least 30% of the voting members must be Americans.

In this classification, the firm shall be represented by an accredited individual who must rank as a senior executive but may not be necessarily be an American citizen.

Regular Individual Membership Php 34,700(*+Php 7, 500 one time registration fee)

This membership is available to individual persons residing in the Philippines who are American citizens and who are not eligible for any other membership classifications.

Associate Firm Membership *A – Php 57,800 | B – Php 47,300(*+Php 12, 500 one time registration fee)

This membership is available to firms that are qualified to do business in the Philippines, with 71% or more of the ownership held by citizens or corporations that are non-Americans. The firm shall be represented by an accredited individual who must rank as a senior executive and may be of any nationality.

Associate Individual Membership Php 34,700(*+Php 7, 500 one time registration fee)

This membership is available to individuals residing in the Philippines who are non-American citizens and who are not eligible for any other membership classifications.

Non-Profit and Government Membership Php 23,400(*+Php 6, 250 one time registration fee)

This membership is available to: non-profit, charitable, civic, educational, religious and eleemosynary organizations, associations and institutions in the Philippines. Under this classification, an individual accredited by the organization shall serve as a representative. Employees of the U.S. Federal Government can also avail of this membership category.

Non-Resident Membership Php 23,400(*+Php 6, 250 one time registration fee)

This membership is available to firms and individuals who are doing business outside the Philippines but would like to support the Chamber in its activities and events.

Additional Firm Membership Php 5,250

This membership is available to any employee of a firm member residing in the Philippines who wish to be recognized as an official member of the Chamber.

*A- Annual Revenue of US$ 5 million and above B - Annual Revenue of US$ 4.9 million and below

For queries please contact AmCham’s Membership Manager.Email: [email protected] / Tel: (+632) 8818 7911 loc. 207

12 | AmCham Chapters & Advocacies

THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC.(North Luzon Chapter - 2015)

DR. FRANCISCO VILLANUEVA Clark Development CorporationPresident

JOAN SABROSOChapter Office Manager

Claro M. Recto Highway, Clark Freeport ZoneMabalacat City, Pampanga 2010Telefax: (632) 8811 3081 • Mobile: +63 (927) 912 3248Email: [email protected]

THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC.(Visayas Chapter - 1987)

BRIAN CONNELLYMarco Polo Plaza CebuPresident

BRENDA LISENChapter Office Manager

RUTHCEL ARAGONChapter Marketing Manager

Unit 303, Clotilde Commercial CenterM.L. Quezon Street, Casuntingan, Mandaue City 6014Tel.: +63 (32) 316 1093 • Fax: (032) 232 2373Mobile: +63 (917) 323 1972Emails: [email protected]@[email protected]: www.amchamvisayas.com

THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC.(Mindanao Chapter - 1988)

LUIS BONGUYANIndividual MemberPresident

ANNIE QUITAYChapter Office Manager

2nd Floor, Door 207-208, Don Cesareo, Villa-Abrille BuildingJacinto corner Juan Luna Street, Davao City 8000Mobile: +63 (916) 876 7729Emails: [email protected]@amchamphilippines.com

THE AMERICAN CHAMBER FOUNDATION PHILIPPINES, INC.(Founded 1985)

EDWIN FEISTAdvanced Nutrition TechnologyPresident

MARDIE C. TORRESManaging Director

16th Floor, Sagittarius Conominium111 H.V. Dela Costa, Salcedo Village, Makati City 1227Trunkline: (632) 8816 3716 • Directline: (632) 8867 2426E-mail: [email protected]: www.amchamfoundation.com

FILIPINO-AMERICAN MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT, INC.(Founded 1986)

LT. COL. ARTEMIO MATIBAGPresident

LESLIE ANN MURRAYTrustee

DIVINA COMBESCoordinator

c/o The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc.2nd Floor, Corinthian Plaza Building, 121 Paseo de Roxascorner Gamboa Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229C.P.O. Box 2562, Makati City, 1265Tels.: (632) 8818 7911 to 13 • Fax: (632) 8811 3081Email: [email protected]: www.filipino-americanmemorials.org

AMERICAN DESK AT THE BOARD OF INVESTMENTS(Established 1992)

EBB HINCHLIFFEDirector

MC BENSALAmerican Desk Specialist

385 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati CityTels.: (632) 8895 8851; 895 3918 • Fax: (632) 8896 2315Emails: [email protected]@amchamphilippines.com

AmCham Philippines | March 2021 13 AmCham News |

14 | Header4 | Header

GET INFORMED. BE INVOLVED.STAY CONNECTED.

AMCHAM COMMITTEESYOUR MAIN ALLY

MARKETING OPPORTUNITIESPromote your brand among top executives and business movers via email blast and advertising on the AmCham Business Journal.

ADVOCACYAmCham works closely with the Philippine Government to address business issues on your behalf.

INFORMATIONStay up to date with the latest business and economic issues by engaging in meetings year-round.

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIESTap into AmCham’s solid network of over 700 members in the Philippines and abroad. Take advantage to meet and exchange ideas with industry leaders and key business personalities.

Join the AmChamCommittee Network today!For further information, you may contact us at (632) 8818 7911 loc. 226

/AmCham.Philippines

@AmChamPH

in/amchamphilippines/

www.amchamphilippines.com

Your MAIN Partner in Business

15AmCham Committees | 4 | Header

GET INFORMED. BE INVOLVED.STAY CONNECTED.

AMCHAM COMMITTEESYOUR MAIN ALLY

MARKETING OPPORTUNITIESPromote your brand among top executives and business movers via email blast and advertising on the AmCham Business Journal.

ADVOCACYAmCham works closely with the Philippine Government to address business issues on your behalf.

INFORMATIONStay up to date with the latest business and economic issues by engaging in meetings year-round.

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIESTap into AmCham’s solid network of over 700 members in the Philippines and abroad. Take advantage to meet and exchange ideas with industry leaders and key business personalities.

Join the AmChamCommittee Network today!For further information, you may contact us at (632) 8818 7911 loc. 226

/AmCham.Philippines

@AmChamPH

in/amchamphilippines/


INDUSTRY Chair 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 Arch. Jun Palafox, Jr.Jonah de Lumen-Pernia

KV Rojas

Financial Services, Taxes & Tariffs Atty. Jules Riego / Rombit Co Jeanne Moreno

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 Jeanne Moreno

Infrastructure & Logistics Jaime Faustino / Garrick Thompson Mark Rabago

Intellectual Property Rights Atty. Divina P.V. Ilas-Panganiban, LL.M.Atty. Princess Ascalon

Jeanne Moreno

Legislative John D. Forbes / Atty. Elaine Collado Mark Rabago

Manufacturing Dan Lachica / Chris Ilagan Mark Rabago

Pharmaceutical Andreas Riedel / Rose Lauren Mariano Lia Daus

Professional Women of AmCham Atty. Melanie Lagera / Rika Kamibayashi Jeanne Moreno

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 Jeanne Moreno

Trade & Investment Mario Biscocho / Douglas Fowler Mark Rabago

Young Professionals of AmCham Atty. Paolo Villonco / Paolo Abellanosa Peter Gonzales

Internal CHAIR CONTACT

Membership Roland dela Cruz / Martin Marty Vicky San Juan-CoChet Guevara

Kapihan Ebb Hinchliffe / Leslie Ann Murray Peter Gonzales

Networking / General Membership Meetings Ebb Hinchliffe Peter Gonzales

Communications & PublicationsErnie Cecilia

Chi PenaLeslie Ann MurrayEya Martinez

Corporate & Associate Partners Ebb Hinchliffe Christina Winton

AmCham Center for Training and Development (ACTDev)

Ebb Hinchliffe Mc Bensal

A C T I V I T I E S / A D V O CA CY / A F F I L I AT E C H A I R C O N TA C T

Business Leadership Program (BLP) Jun Salipsip / David Caldwell Pinky Jamili

Filipino-American Memorial Endowment (FAME)

Lt.Col. Art MatibagLeslie Ann Murray

Divina Combes

The Arangkada Philippines Project (TAPP II) John D. Forbes Mark Rabago

Washington Relations / AmChams of Asia-Pacific (AAP)

Rick Santos / George Drysdale Divina Combes

16 | Members' Birthdays

Fausto R. Preysler Jr. Edmun Liu 2

Patricia Celis 3

Gregorio Ortega Simon McGrath 5

Gregorio Gerry F. Fernandez

Gerard Thomas Padriga 7

Daniel Rosenberg 8

Corazon Dela Paz-Bernardo 9

Jeffrey Sosa

Melanie Pagaragan Haidee Enriquez 10

Aniceto V. Bisnar, Jr.

Jose Mari L. Chan John Brian Pallasigue 11

George Davies

Matilde Ortiz Andrew Ramos 14

Roland Dela Cruz 15

Felino Palafox Jr. 16

Isidro P. Valencia 18

Jose P. Leviste Jr. 19

Rick Santos 20

Myra Quilatan 23

Makiko Takaoka Robert Neal Siebert 24

Christopher Wichlan

Bettina Luz Braulio Lim 26

Patricia Matias Vicente P. Mercado 27

Rynor Jamandre 28

Jose Ingles 29

APRILMARCH

MAY

Judah Hirsch Cherry D. Ampig 1

Mariska Martha Olalo Danilo Teria

Jesus Tambunting 2

Maria Necita Geronimo Ferdinand Stolzenberg 3

Melder M. Relator

Alwin R. Sta. Rosa John Rice 6

Samrinder Nehria Bill Mallory

Robert W. Blume 7

Nick Gitsis Roberto F. Batungbacal 8

Tristan Arwen Loveres

Cyndy Tan Jarabata 10

Felip Calderon 11

Mildred Ramos Ferdinand Marañon 12

Lilith U. Montayre Cyril Natad 14

Charina G. Ocampo Cheryl Edeline C. Ong 15

Marie Elenita Olmedo Anders Hallden 16

Ian Frederick Grist Francisco Villanueva 19

Rico V. Domingo 20

Yari Miralao Sheila Marie Lobien 21

Lorenzo Manalang 23

Kenneth Go 24

Rebecca Ann K. Sy 25

Jamil Paolo Francisco Efren P. Belarmino 27

Roseller Lopez Goeran Soelter 28

Jerlyn Bernal

John F. Drake Emelyn Mauhay 29

Guillermo G. Tingcang 1

Manos Koukourakis 2

Terry Alan Farris 3

Bernard Benedicto 4

Wilfredo Placino 5

John Philip Orbeta Chris Burdette 6

Miguel Escueta 7

Florina Manabat 8

Greogory Kittelson Roberto Almazora 10

Aileen Clemente 11

Maria Lylah Ledonio 13

Kathryn Bellosillo 19

Maria Cristina Pizarro 20

Richard Strollo 22

Enes Berra Turgut 26

Micheal David Carson 27

Simoun Ung Krizia Chu- Tranquilino 30

Colin Healy Peter Y. Rodriguez

Fernando Martinez Emmanuel Bonoan


New AmCham Members,Representatives and Individuals

National Capital Region

Afni Philippines Inc. Khalid Khursheed Vice President of Operations

New Corporate Member

Newtech Pulp, Inc. Petra Bursian General DirectorNew Primary Representative

Paypal Pte Ltd. Steven Chan

Senior Director and Regional Head of Government Relations, Asia-Pacific

New Primary Representative

Sykes Asia, Inc. Shane BaetzVice President, Regional Support Services

New Primary Representative

Tech Audit Systems Company, Inc.

Arnel Angcos President New Corporate Member

North Luzon Chapter

Omni International Consultants,Inc./ Omni Insurance Brokers(Clark Branch)

Mary Evangeline dela Cruz Branch Manager New Member

Visayas Chapter

Radisson Blu Cebu Bjorn-Henning Buth General Manager New Representative

New Company AddressesVisayas Chapter

Author Solutions Phils. Inc. 18th floor Skyrise 4A, Cebu It Park, Lahug, Cebu City 6000 Cebu PH; New Tel. No. (032) 252-1000 to 1003, and Fax No. (032) 252-1004

Rider Levett Bucknall 9th Floor, Unit 2-901, OITC2, Oakridge Business Park, 880 A.S. Fortuna St., Brgy. Banilad, Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines 6014.

National Capital Region

Tim Kuehn Principal, Global Flight Consultants LLC New Individual Member

TO BE UPDATED

18 | Cover Story

Marilyn Loden, an American writer, management consultant, and diversity advocate coined the term “glass ceiling” in 1978 in a speech about

gender discrimination. In 1986, a Wall Street Journal article popularized the glass ceiling concept. Both Loden and the Wall Street Journal article theorized that there are invisible barriers in the corporate hierarchy that seem to prevent women from advancing in their careers beyond a certain level.

Glass ceiling

As I write this piece, World Data Lab reports that there are roughly 7,814,585,000 people in the world, 49.5% of whom are women. During the first industrial revolution, the men trooped to the factories. The women’s place was in the home. Since the middle of the 20th century, more and more Baby Boomer (1946-1964) women slowly but surely invaded the workplace. Despite the rhetoric, polemics, and, sometimes, lip service about diversity, inclusion, and gender equality in organizations, women in leadership roles are still a minority. In 2020 in the US, only 37 (or slightly over 7%) of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are women. Does this mean that the glass ceiling still exists?

On March 8, the iconic statue of Fearless Girl in New York City broke a makeshift glass ceiling, as part of the celebration of International Women’s Day. The statue de-signed by Kristen Visbal and built four years ago by State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), is symbolic of the new ground that women are breaking through the years.

SSGA President and CEO Cyrus Taraporevala spoke about the statue that “sent an immediate and unmistak-able message to the world’s business leaders: that having strong women in leadership matters. Since that time, countless women across the world have challenged con-ventional thinking – whether it is in the corporate board-rooms, Fortune 500 companies, or at the highest levels of government from the European Commission to the White House.”

Since 2017 when the Fearless Girl campaign was launched, nearly 1,500 companies were identified as not having a woman on their Board. Of those identified com-panies, nearly two-thirds have added a woman director.

Notable Women CEOs

Ten of the top 150 among the Fortune 500 companies in the US are run by the following women CEOs: Mary Barra of General Motors, Gail Koziara Boudreaux of Anthem, Inc., Carol Tomé of UPS, Corie Barry of Best Buy, Safra A. Catz of Oracle Corporation, Phebe Novakovic of Gen-eral Dynamics, Tricia Griffith of Progressive Corporation, Kathy Warden of Northrop Grumman, Lynn Good of Duke Energy, and Vicki Hollub of Occidental Petroleum.

In 2020, the Philippines topped the list of 32 countries with the highest number of women executives holding senior management positions.

Rounding off the top five countries with the most number of women executives in senior management positions are South Africa, Poland, Mexico, and Indonesia. Japan is at the last spot in a global survey with 4,812 respondents.

By: Ernie Cecilia, DPM

Fearless Girl is meant to "send a message" about workplace gender diversity and encourage companies to recruit women to their boards. The plaque below the statue states: Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference… (Image: Unsplash.com)

Gender Equality: Fact or Myth?


CALENERGY INTERNATIONAL SERVICES, INC.

CITY SERVICE CORPORATION

20 | Cover Story

Sticky floor and frozen middle

In reality, it’s not just the glass ceiling that’s the problem for career women. While there is almost an equal number of men and women entering the workplace, many women get stuck in entry-level positions. This phenomenon is called “sticky floor.” While women stay long in lower-level positions, mostly in support services, men often move up faster in technical, supervisory, and managerial positions.

The more highly educated and qualified women get pro-moted to supervisory and managerial positions by ages 25 to 45. Unfortunately, these are the child-rearing ages for women. Most women prefer their roles as mothers and wives to personal development for promotion to C-suite jobs.

The few truly career-oriented women in middle manage-ment somehow also find it hard to break the glass ceiling. Top management was always traditionally a “Big Boys Club.” Only those with “balls” (male or female) reach the summit. When, finally, women break the glass ceiling, some tend to fall off the “glass cliff.”

Perhaps, the relevant question is “How can women break the glass ceiling and not fall off the glass cliff?” Here are a few suggestions:

• First, mind the “sticky floor.” The stickiness refers to a situation where women get stuck in low-paying, low-mobility jobs, even as their male counterparts go up the ladder. Get trained and educated, and hone your potential for more responsible jobs.

• Create a cultural shift. Understand the issues sur-rounding the glass ceiling and the sticky floor. Talk about it, without antagonizing the powers that be. Create awareness of the disparities owing to gender in the workplace, until you form a critical mass that could bring up the issue for discussion at the Board, national or international level.

• Melt the frozen middle. Prepare yourself to qualify for middle management and beyond. Get sponsors within and outside your organization to push for ini-tiatives to promote qualified women to senior and top management positions – this helps women unfreeze the middle, and break the glass ceiling. But, perform beyond expectations consistently.

• Don’t fall off the glass cliff. “Glass cliff” refers to a phenomenon where women make it to the top of the organization, only to find themselves in precari-ous leadership positions where they are often led to resign due to unsuccessful stints. Women need sup-port and sponsorship, especially in male-dominated industries. The lack of support from powerful spon-sors could break their career. On the other hand, women could also fall off the “glass cliff” if they do

not possess the right skills and attributes to stay on top, other than the support of willing sponsors.

Here’s my take on the issue. There are two ways you can look at the glass ceiling. You can acknowledge its pres-ence and put up a fight. Or, you can forget it and just turn in your best performance – always!

Some women CEOs would rather be known for their ac-complishments than their gender – like Carly Fiorina of Hewlett-Packard, Meg Whitman of eBay, and Pat Russo of Lucent Technologies. In 2001, women CEOs occupy 12.5% of the top positions in the top 500 companies in America. Reports show that the figure has been deci-mated over the years. Catalyst, a research and strategy development nonprofit, recently reported that women hold only 6% of CEO positions at S&P 500 companies.

McKinsey Global’s 2019 survey involving 329 large companies with 13 million employees reveals that “un-conscious” gender bias is the primary reason, and this is true at all levels. Men occupy 62% of middle manage-ment positions, and 51% of entry-level positions; for every 100 men promoted, only 72 women are promoted. McKinsey’s Alexis Krivkovich, co-author of the study, said, “I certainly anticipated that … it would be most even (between men and women), but what the data show is the reverse – and that has implications for the rest of a woman’s career.”

Ladies, read my lips: Just because some women made it to the top doesn’t mean that your battle for gender equal-ity or equal opportunity is over.

For Laura A. Liswood, Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders, “There is no glass ceiling; it’s really just a thick layer of men.”

Marian Wright Edelman, an American activist for chil-dren’s rights said, I never thought I was breaking a glass ceiling. I just had to do what I had to do, and it never oc-curred to me not to.”

Ernie Cecilia, DPM, is a regular contributor to the AmCham Business Journal. Ernie is the chairman of the Human Capital Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; Co-Chairman of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines’ TWG on Labor Policy and

Social Issues; and past president of the People Management Association of the Philippines.

For comments or questions, please e-mail the author at [email protected].

Feature | 21

The Message of Vice President Leni Robredo at AmCham's Women's Month Celebration

“Happy Women’s Month to all the members and officers of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, and PMFTC! I hope you are all safe and well.

“In just a few days, we will mark a full year of life under lockdown. And yet, even as we speak, we continue to grapple with the challenges brought by COVID-19—around the world, healthcare

systems are buckling under tremendous strain; economies are shrinking; and entire populations edge closer to poverty and hunger.In particular, women are bearing the disproportionate brunt of the pandemic's impact.

“We see many working mothers struggling in Zoom meetings—worn out by wearing multiple hats as full-time parents, as caregivers, as homeschool teachers, and as homemakers.

“We see wives and even young girls trapped in quarantine with abusers.

“We see pregnant women deprived of proper healthcare because of lockdowns.

“More and more women are carrying a heavier load for families struggling to survive, giving more yet earning less, taking longer journeys to travel the same distance.

“In my message for your celebration of Women’s Month last year, I talked about our vision: A world where women from all walks of life are given the chance to succeed. In the year since, the task at hand has only become more urgent: To find and reach out to the last, the least, and the lost of our sisters, to empower and inspire them, and equip and enable them to do the same for others. Because this is what the pandemic continues to remind us: We operate under a single economic system, and the suffering of even the smallest part of this system contributes to the suffering

of all. Progress has and always will depend on ensuring that those in the margins—including women—can survive, and even thrive.

‘This is why while the pandemic forced the OVP to reorient many of its programs, the economic empowerment of women remained a cornerstone of our efforts. We are fortunate to have found so many partners in the private sector who share our vision, and who made our initiatives possible—whether it’s helping nanays jumpstart their businesses and reach bigger markets through our Workshop for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs, or helping micro- entrepreneurs, many of whom are stay-at-home mothers, establish an online presence, and harness technology through our Bayanihan Mart at iskaparate.com.

“Beyond plugging gaps and addressing specific needs, the private sector can play a much bigger role in advancing the welfare of women. You can show your fellow leaders both in the private and public sectors that empowerment, more than simply being the right thing to do, actually pays off. People live better. Work forces become more productive. Countries grow faster. The social floor is raised along with the bottom line for all. In the context of COVID-19, this means recovering, and actually building back better.

“To make all this possible, we need more of us to do the work: We need industry leaders like you to push more of your peers to nurture gender-responsive business cultures; to help build an inclusive and equitable economy; to let more women lead, participate, and access better opportunities.

“The road ahead remains long, but today’s event is proof positive that we are not alone. I have faith that, together, we can build a truly better normal—one that is more inclusive, that is truly equitable, that truly empowers women.

Again, Happy Women’s Month. Maraming salamat, mabuhay kayong lahat!”

22 | Feature

The COVID-19 Pandemic Through Her Lens

For some time, March has been known interna-tionally as Women’s Month; a month-long celebration of women’s contributions to

history, It traces its beginnings to Inter-national Women’s Day in 1911 which started as a women’s rights move-ment.

Over a century later, more and more women are making their mark and rewriting history with their names and accomplish-ments. Women all over the globe have broken stereo-types and gone beyond per-ceived boundaries. They are continuously using their voices, ensuring they are heard, and the road to women empowerment stretches onwards.

By: Jeanne Angela Moreno

The Chamber is committed to contributing to economic progress and nation-building through supporting and em-powering women who have

been the backbone of homes and businesses; celebrating

them as active contributors to development across all industries.

In this time of the pandemic, every-one is put to the test-- the capabil-ity to adapt and adjust efficiently. Women of today are not limited to

organizing a household. They go beyond that and engage themselves in the competitive arena outside

the home. Women in the profession arena, bear a heavy workload balancing

home and work life. With the current health

(From left to right): Coco Alcuaz of MBC, Jeanne Moreno of AmCham, Andreea Chiriac of PMI, Mia Lim of PMFTC, Patricia Celis of IBM, Anna Vergara of Sheraton, Nami Mendoza of American Airlines, KV Rojas of AmCham, Mike Hibo of AmCham, Atty. Princess Ascalon of IBM, Ebb Hinchliffe of AmCham, Corinne Renes of PMFTC.


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Security ConsultingSecurity Consultingwith Special Emphasis on EnergyAgricultural and Mining Sectorsin Mindanao

• Political/Security Risk Assesments• Counterinsurgency Collections• Crisis Management & Security Surveys

Image: Freepik.com

crisis women now must exert the extra effort to achieve their work-life balance. At the moment, the “home” requires more nurturing with the added adjustments to accommodate homeschooling and WFH (work from home) arrangements, to mention a few. Thus it is safe to say that women have greatly contributed to economic development and the welfare of their families during this time of the pandemic.

Despite these challenges and difficult times, women still thrive – and strive. Women must be celebrated for the many hardships they have surpassed, and the many achievements attained, to arrive where they are today. They have come a long way to acquire the respect they deserve, especially in the work-place. Nonetheless, there is still a long way to go to completely achieve gender equality. Equitable measures must be undertaken to empower and uplift women.

As a contribution, the American Chamber of Commerce, together with PMFTC, held the “Women’s Month Celebration: The COVID-19 Pandemic Through Her Lens” web event on 9 March via Zoom. This event celebrated the accom-plishments of women through talks on women’s empowerment by outstanding female leaders who have made their way to the top.

The engagement was able to gather women from various industries to discuss the importance of work-life balance and to impart advice on how to manage their personal alongside professional endeavors. They shared their success stories, best practices, and experiences during the health crisis to serve as mod-

24 | Feature

Jeanne Angela D. Moreno is an Industry Development Specialist of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. She is assigned to handle five committees which encompass five different business industries namely: the Financial Services, Taxes and Tariffs (FSTT); Information and Communications Technology (ICT); Intellectual Property Rights (IPR); Professional Women of AmCham (PWoA); and Tourism and Hospitality (TH). Jeanne organizes regular monthly meetings for each committee respectively, tackling the topics which are timely and relevant to that particular industry. You may reach her at [email protected] or give her a ring at 8818 7911 loc. 213.

els to other women. They definitely inspired their audi-ence, detailing their individual positive impact that the COVID-19 accelerated in precipitating their personal and professional growth.

The objective of the web event, to highlight female lead-ership, motherhood, daughterhood etc., was pleasantly achieved. Additionally, pressing issues that women face today were tackled alongside inspiring ways to overcome

them and move forward. “Women’s Month Celebration: The COVID-19 Pandemic Through Her Lens” aimed to provide an avenue for discussion and networking among women in the public and private sectors to gain new knowledge and harness their skills that will further empower women and convert most, if not all, to be an advocate of Feminism and extensively achieve Gender Equality.

25 Feature |

Soroptimist International, is a worldwide vol-unteer service organization for women who work for peace, and in particular to improve the lives of

women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. Through its General (Category One) Consul-tative Status as a non-governmental organization at the United Nations, the organization seeks equality, peace, and international goodwill for women.

The organization has its roots in the Soroptimist move-ment, started in the USA in 1921 by Stuart Morrow, and in particular in the Soroptimist Club of Oakland, California, founded that same year.

Sources agree that the Soroptimist movement was influ-enced by the existence of Rotarianism, but differ on the precise relationship between the two. For instance, in the US, Soroptimism was founded as a women's organization connected to the Rotary Clubs for men that promoted the support of professional women as well as the ideals of service and internationalism.

By contrast, the Soroptimist movement in Britain original-ly arose as a reaction against Rotarian and other mascu-linism among women who saw similar opportunities for service, but had no connection with Rotary men, or even if they did, were unwilling to accept the subordinate posi-tion implied by the structure of the Women’s group, Inner Wheel, of the Rotary movement.

Prior to WWII, Soroptimists worked to assist refugees fleeing unrest in central Europe. Many Soroptimists themselves ultimately fled from the Nazis' consolidation of power, to seek safety elsewhere.

After WWII, the movement expanded and by 1952, at least one club existed in Australia, under the auspices of the Federation of Soroptimist Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland, which included clubs throughout the Common-wealth.

At the World Summit for Social Development in March 1995, Soroptimist International advocated for girls and women to have universal access to basic education and equal access to higher education. It urged that summit to

Equality, Education, Empowerment! The Role of Soroptimists International

(The name "Soroptimist" was coined by combining the Latin words soror "sister" and optima "best", and can be taken to mean "best for women".)

ensure that specific measures to achieve that goal would emerge from the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, September 1995).

In the 2000s, Soroptimist International repeatedly reaf-firmed its commitment to the Beijing Declaration, which emerged from that conference.

At least as early as 2003, Soroptimist International had gained consultative status with The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), established in 1946 as one of the main organs of the United Nations, and also gained of-ficial relations with the WHO.

In 1966, Mariquita Castelo launched the Soroptimist International Phlippines Region (SIPR). From one club,

Image: Freepik.com

26 | Feature

Soroptimist Club of Greater Manila, composed of 16 members, has reached 96 clubs and 1921 members throughout Luzon Visayas and Mindanao.

Soroptimist International Philippines Region (SIPR) is part of SI of the Americas, SIA). The mission of SIPR is to improve the lives of women and girls, with a focus on the status of women’s equality through programs leading to social and economic empowerment, education, health, and on the preservation of the environment. Friendship links with clubs abroad bring international goodwill and understanding on mutual challenges.

SIPR programs are aligned with the theme of the United Nations, always focusing on women and girls. Every three years, there is a Federation Convention and these events provide and the opportunity for SIPR to adapt best prac-tices, as presented by the other regions.

SIPR is committed to the core values of: • Gender Equality: Women and girls - live free from

discrimination• Empowerment: Women and girls - free to act in

their own best interests• Education: Women and girls - deserve to lead full

and productive lives through access to education• Diversity and Fellowship: Women from varied

backgrounds and perspectives - work together to improve the lives of women and girls.

The SIPR Live your Dream award, seeks to support women who wish to finish their college education, provid-ing a grant of US$5,000 to the winner. The nominating SIPR club administers the winner’s tuition, transportation, books, and school supplies.

Alternately, the Dream it, Be it program is focused on the mentorship of high school juniors and seniors.

To combat human trafficking and modern slavery, each SIPR club has adopted and sponsored the Police Pre-cinct nearest them and established links with their Wom-en’s and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD), assisting the WCPD on issues like rape, incest, illegal recruitment, forced prostitutions and battered wives.

The Philippine National Police Summit takes place every other year and individual policewomen are selected and sponsored by SIPR clubs to meet in conference with ex-

perts on Child Concerns, Domestic Violence and Mental Health.

Each Club also adopts a barangay, and Livelihood train-ing within the barangay helps augment the income of participating families, and raises the self-esteem of the homemakers who become financially stable. Community trash is seen as a resource: segregation, recycling, and composting improves community hygiene. These activi-ties also promote better communication, and there are less teenage troubles, Green spaces are beautified and this latter helps the community in understanding and ad-dressing climate change.

Some clubs have established Libraries in their adopted barangays. Others help in the marketing of produce and food preserves, prepared and cooked by the women in these areas, and sold to provide income. Many home businesses begin in the humble barangay: partnerships, networking, and sourcing supplies trigger small and prof-itable undertakings.

The Sampaguita Society was also organized as an SIPR fundraising ladder, that is: one starts as a Friend, followed by Donor, Sponsor, Patron, Benefactor, and Philanthropist. Corporate entities are also approached and acknowledged at Conferences and District Meet-ings. These companies are given a detailed report on the projects accomplished, the number of participants and the timeline when a project commences till the conclusion of the specific project.

Many activities are submitted to Soroptimist International of the Americas and often Best Practices receive awards. Other countries and regions of SI have copied these projects, adapting them into their culture, tradition, and norms.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, many Soropt-mists from the Philippines would attend the UN Commis-sion of the Status of Women’s meetings in New York, to participate in the seminars, sessions and group meetings. However, due to the pandemic, such meetings are done online. Soroptimist programs and projects continue even in these uncertain times.

Soroptimists, here and worldwide, continue to serve and help empower women and girls to reach their highest potential.

Source:• Teresita B. Choa, Governor, Soroptimist International of the Philippines Region – 2000-2002

AmCham Philippines | March 2021 27| Feature

KMC Solutions

28 | Feature

K icking off International Women’s Month, the Inter-national Women in Mining Alliance (IWIM) Alliance held its first-ever virtual Global WIM Summit on

March 1-2. Through the wonder of technology, I had the pleasure of connecting with other IWIM leaders throughout the world without having to hop on a plane and despite our differences in time zones. The summit also combined live and pre-recorded sessions which made it possible to view sessions at leisure.

Diwata-Women in Resource Development, Inc, of which I was Founding President, is IWIM’s member organization in the Philippines. There are currently at least 37 IWIM organizations throughout the world.

The Alliance is a pioneering initiative that brings IWIM or-ganizations together to leverage their collective strength to provide a global, multilateral platform that will facilitate collaboration among them and promote the emergence of a strong, unified IWIM voice. Prior to its launch, the different IWIM organizations were under a loose umbrella, getting together only occasionally for teleconferences to exchange ideas and experiences.

By: Patricia Bunye

International Women in Mining

Last year, IWIM embarked on a strategic partnership with the World Bank on a research project to gather infor-mation to understand the opportunities and constraints women in mining organizations face.

Results of the research project have been collated in a re-port to be published online and presented at international mining conferences, starting with the Global WIM Sum-mit. It will also be presented at Mining Indaba, PDAC, the World Bank's 2nd Gender Conference, and other events.

In November last year, Diwata’s core group, led by our President, Atty. Joan Adaci-Cattiling, was interviewed by the World Bank’s researcher on the challenges we have faced, the lessons we have learned and our recommen-dations for strengthening IWIM organizations. Hearing excerpts of the final report, it was heartening to know that our sisters in other IWIM organizations face the same challenges, including difficulty in obtaining funding, de-pendence on the efforts of volunteers and getting mem-bers who are busy with their day jobs to engage.


One session that I would have wanted to attend, but missed was on role mod-els and mentors for women in mining.While women are very well represented in all facets of the mining industry (as geologists, mining engineers, metallur-gists, environmental scientists, commu-nity relations officers, lawyers, accountants, human resources

professionals, administrative staff, truck drivers, etc.), we want to see the numbers of women at the very top increase.

Recently, the Philippines topped Grant Thornton International’s 2021 Women in Business Report, a global survey among 29 economies on the role of women in senior management. While I do not have the figures for the mining industry, a quick “scan of the room” will show the male mining CEOs still outnumber the women. Thankfully, we have strong figures like Gloria Tan Climaco, Chairman of the Board of Filminera Resources Corporation and Mt. Labo Exploration and Development Corporation, and Diwata’s own Joan Adaci-Cattiling, President of OceanaGold (Philippines), Inc., as exemplars.

Before the March 2020 lockdown, Diwata was scheduled to launch its industry leaders' professional mentorship & networking program (with Gloria Tan Climaco as the first speaker) designed to benefit female professionals through interac-tion with respected resource persons, professional mentorship, and networking opportunities. While it is entirely possible to hold this activity online in the near future, we are still looking forward to in-person connections with our members soon, particularly young women mining professionals who will most benefit from the program.

In the eight years of Diwata’s existence, perhaps we have focused on the word “resources” in its name to refer to natural resources, but we have not lost sight of our equally valuable human resources. To build and sustain the mining industry, we must support the professional development and career progression of the women who hold up half the sky.

Patricia A. O. Bunye is a Senior Partner at Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia where she heads its Mining & Natural Resources Department and Energy practice group. She is also the Founding President of Diwata-Women in Resource Development, Inc., a non-government organization advocating the responsible development of the Philippines’ wealth in resources, principally through industries such as mining, oil and gas, quarrying, and other mineral resources from the earth for processing.

Image: Freepik.com

30 | Feature

Discovering the World’s Largest CalderaAn Interview with Filipino Marine Geophysicist Jenny Anne BarrettoBy: Marcelle P. Villegas

(Benham Rise - by Google Earth and UP MSI Geological Oceanography Laboratory)

The Apolaki Caldera is currently considered the world's largest caldera (or volcanic crater). It was discovered in Benham Rise by Filipina marine geo-

physicist Jenny Anne Barretto and her team.

The June 5, 2020 NetKapihan, an online talk show and forum in New Zealand, had Barretto as their special guest for their Philippine Independence Day special episode. (The show's host and producer, Mr. Rene "Nonoy" Molina invited the author to participate as a panelist for this live broadcast.)

The fascinating discovery of the world's largest caldera in Benham Rise made headlines in October 2019. The discoverer of this unique geological feature, Jenny Anne Barretto the Filipina geologist and marine

geophysicist works in GNS Science in New Zealand She is a graduate of MSc Geology from the National Institute of Geological Sciences - University of the Philippines where she was an instructor for five years.

Since 2007, Barretto has been assisting coastal States like the Philippines and the Sultanate Republic of Oman in delineating their continental shelves as defined in UNCLOS Article 76. She was a key scientist of the technical working group that successfully confirmed the continental shelf of the Philippines in the Benham Rise region. [1]

In 2019, Barretto and two colleagues published a paper in Marine Geology Journal in which they reported the discovery of the largest caldera in the world. They

32 | Feature

named this the Apolaki Caldera, a tribute to the god of sun and war in Philippine mythology. (The Filipino word Apolaki means giant lord). This caldera has a diameter of ~150 km, which is 90 km bigger than the Yellowstone Caldera in the US state of Wyoming.

Barretto’s paper, Benham Rise Unveiled: Morphology and structure of an Eocene large igneous province in the West Philippine Basin provides the details of the morphology and formation of the underwater feature of the Apolaki Caldera. The paper is co-authored by her colleagues Ray Wood and Dr. John Milsom.

In the Netkapihan June 2020 talk show marking Philippine Independence Day, Barretto spoke of the discovery and replied to questioins: “My co-authors and I were part of the Benham Rise continental shelf technical working group. Back in 2008, we only analyzed the bathymetric, geological and geophysical data for the purpose of proving that Benham Rise is part of the Philippine continental shelf. That is, by showing that Benham Rise is physically connected to Luzon,” Barretto said.

“The available data supports our interpretation of the existence of the caldera. However, it is not impossible that other scientists or even we - me and my co-authors - may find later evidence refuting it. It’s just how science works.”

Asked what are the possible mineral resources available in the area, and can the Philippines extract or mine these minerals from the depth (>-2500m) with

the mining technology we have available, Barretto replied. “With the presence of the caldera, exploration geologists will say that the possible mineral resources

The June 5, 2020 NetKapihan Zoom session with guest Jenny Anne Barretto (lower half of photo) with host Rene Nonoy Molina (upper half, center) and panelist Marcelle Villegas (upper half, right). Image: http://www.netkapihan.com

are volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits which are significant sources of metals (largely Cu, Zn, Pb, ± Au). I believe the existing technology is for deep-sea mining of seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits and not VMS deposits”.

“SMS deposits are the modern equivalent of the ancient VMS deposits. Since rock samples from Benham Rise indicated ages between 35 to 38 million years, and there is no known active volcanism on the Rise and vicinity, it is most unlikely to find active hydrothermal vents or chimneys which are targets for mining SMS deposits.”

Will the presence of the Apolaki Caldera put the Filipino fishermen in danger in the future?

She replied, “No. Available data show that volcanism ended on Benham Rise (including its spurs) about 26 million years ago. The threat of a volcanic eruption in that area is very low.”

Barretto also shared some of the challenges or difficulties she experienced as a geologist/marine geophysicist in the Philippines and how it compares to pursuing this career in New Zealand.

“Funding for research is always a challenge for scientists anywhere in the world, but more so in developing countries like the Philippines. Like anywhere, scientists in NZ need to write proposals and compete for government funding. However, here in NZ, there is more funding for research available and there is more support for scientists.”

Jenny Anne Barretto is a Filipino marine geophysicist based in New Zealand and works for GNS Science. In one of their expeditions, she and her team discovered what could be the largest caldera in the world – the Apolaki Caldera in Benham Rise.


Marcelle P. Villegas has 15 years of experience as writer/editor. She is a graduate of University of Sto. Tomas, College of Science. She is a former science teacher and currently a science journalist for Philippine Resources Journal, an Anglo-Australian publication about mining. Since 2016, she has been a contributing writer for AmCham Business Journal, occasionally covering events for AmCham’s FAME. In 2014, she started covering events for the Australian Embassy, US Embassy and history film company Spyron-AV Manila. You may write to Marcelle on [email protected].

This article, with more technical details about the Apolaki Caldera, were originally published by Philippine Resources Journal, Issue 3 – 2020 and Issue 1 – 2021 in this link -- https://www.philippine-resources.com/articles/2021/4/discovering-the-world-s-largest-caldera-an-interview-with-geophysicist-jenny-anne-barretto-part-2

Acknowledgement:Thank you, Ms. Jenny Anne Barretto and GNS Science, for this interview and for sharing with us your studies and discovery.

Reference:• [1] Retrieved from Jenny

Barretto’s LinkedIn page• [2] Yang, Angelica

(22 October 2019). GMA News Online. "After Pinay marine geophysicist discovers world's largest caldera: What is a caldera and how does it form?" Retrieved from https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/science/712584/after-pinay-marine-geophysicist-discovers-world-s-largest-caldera-what-is-a-caldera-and-how-does-it-form/story/

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“Working in NZ is also more relaxed. First of all, there is no need to beat the traffic getting to and from work. Even if the NZ pay in a government position is less compared to business or the industrial sector, it is still enough to provide a decent living. In the Philippines, I have to do consultancy work in addition to my teaching job in order to make ends meet.”

She encourages young people to pursue a career in geology or in any field of science: “You don’t have to be a genius or a math wizard to pursue a career in STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics]. Of course, may mean working harder, but if you have a passion for it, your love for learning and discovery will sustain you. Never stop being curious and take every opportunity to learn.”

34

getting the majority of employees back to the office until July 2021 or when the vaccine shall have caused some assurance of herd immunity. Reverting to old ways could re-disrupt the new ways of doing business in the new-found digital world.

Digitalization and culture

Telecommuting or WFH has developed a new workplace culture. Henceforth, it is no longer necessary for team mem-bers to be located in the same place to be able to work effectively. It has also blurred the demar-cations between profes-sional and personal lives. Of course, there is a cultural challenge in remote working, but both employers and em-ployees should be able to confront and surmount these challenges with effective coping mechanisms.

Let’s differentiate between digitization and digitalization. The first refers to “taking analog information and encod-ing it into zeroes and ones, so that computers can store, process, and transmit such information. Digitalization is using digital technologies and digital information to change aspects of a business (e.g., an operations pro-cess) or other aspects of life (e.g., how people interact).”

Digital transformation is about transforming business strategy, organization, and culture, and developing a sustainable capability to use digital technologies for productivity and innovation. As organizations adopt a digital transformation strategy, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) must work together to keep the culture alive by developing and implementing programs to clarify, enhance and sustain the new culture. Unless the employees fully imbibe the new culture, it will be difficult to ensure a seamless and productive operation under a new operating digital envi-ronment.

There is even more challenge for new hires. When or-ganizations begin to hire new employees to join a team instead of a department, and give them a generic position title like “Associate” or “People Leader,” and ask them to perform a variety of team roles that change from time to time without the benefit of the archaic and Jurassic job description, the pressure is greater for the CEO and

| Business of Business

The good news is that sooner or later, the pan-demic will end. The bad news is that the crisis has caused so much disruption that only the organiza-

tions that adopted new ways of doing things and have become agile, digital and resilient will likely succeed. Companies wanting to return to normal operations must rethink not only their strategies, but, more impor-tantly, their culture.

An anonymous writer, perhaps inspired by Peter Drucker, wrote, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast, operational excellence for lunch, and everything else for dinner.”

Culture

Simply said, culture is how we do things around here. Culture refers to the collective mindset, values and behaviors practiced by people in an organiza-tion, especially when the top honchos are not looking.

Hack Future Lab, a London-based think tank, recently surveyed 1,000 human resources (HR) leaders glob-ally. Overwhelmingly, “84% agreed that culture is critical for business success, 60% agreed that culture is more important than strategy, but more than 50% admitted that culture is not a strength or is not on the C-suite agenda.”

Like it or not, “culture is seen as incredibly important, but mismanaged and undervalued in most organizations,” the Hack survey concluded.

Before you send your hordes of employees back to their cubicles to resume their normal work, think again. The office structure deserted by employees to do remote working was of a brick and mortar structure. For twelve months, these employees worked from home (WFH). The workplace culture moved from the office to the home, and employees have adjusted to this new and now de-fault culture – WFH, video conferencing, and use of digital tools for connectivity with the supply chain, customers, and co-workers.

If you want to revert to the ‘old normal’ – office work, face-to-face meetings, etc. – think again. You can, but in the context of a new organizational culture. All over the world, many companies have adapted to a new normal. Even after the pandemic, progressive organizations like Facebook, Google, or Netflix seem to have no plans of

By: Ernie Cecilia, DPM

Cultural Transformation or Bust?

Image: Freepik.com

Image: Freepik.com


the world’s most critical issues being addressed.

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36

CHRO to instill a new organizational culture. Culture is felt, not learned through a briefing or orientation by HR. New employees who have no prior physical feel of the organization’s new culture will find it difficult to mold into it. This could delay their working productively or their melding effectively into their team.

Market culture

During the COVID-19 cri-sis, the market has under-gone some transforma-tion as well. Like it or not, the market has rendered incumbency, seniority or longevity irrelevant today. Customer loyalty is more fleeting now than ever before. Market leaders experience how their clients or customers shift to upstarts in the industry at the slightest provoca-tion. The market determines whether a business person will have a business, and whether the employee will have a job. The market demands customer value and is particular with a company’s value proposition. The most senior or leading industry player in the market does not always get the business.

Therefore, it behooves prudent employers to adjust their culture to put people first – employees and customers – and adapt to the market.

Henceforth, HR should hire only employees who can mold into the organizational culture – a culture of excel-lence, productivity, and innovation; a culture built around values of people-orientation, customer-focus, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. There must be programs to en-sure that the culture is understood and accepted by new and existing employees, and is reflected in the way they serve the customers.

Here is the hard part. Organizational culture must adjust to the market culture. Organizations must transition their systems to fit with the new culture. For example, as the market has rendered incumbency, seniority or longev-ity irrelevant, companies should no longer compensate employees for these. They need to transition into per-

formance- and productivity-based compensation sys-tems. Meritocracy, instead of across-the-board pay and benefits, will in the end attract topnotch employees who are like-minded as the organization’s leaders, who are comfortable with variable pay or pay at risk, or contingent pay based on value contribution. As the market practices deliberate differentiation before making wise purchase decisions, so must organizations in matters of employee compensation.

Unfortunately, the prevailing culture among employees of large, well-entrenched, successful, and paternalistic companies today is a culture of entitlement. Just be-cause they are employees, they feel entitled to continuing pay and benefits regardless of their performance or that of the company. Corollary to this entitlement culture is an “across-the-board” expectation, where employees feel that employers are obligated to give to Pedro whatever incentives, benefits or salary increases are given to Juan, regardless of the circumstances. In addition, employees feel that the longer they stay in a position or in the com-pany, the bigger their compensation should be, especially compared with new hires who create or contribute more customer value.

The challenge for the CEO and CHRO is how to rede-sign an organizational culture that will align with market culture and, at the same time, enable people to achieve their fullest potential or transform into the most excep-tional version of themselves. If you are a major player or pioneer in the industry, or a conglomerate that bought an old company lock, stock and barrel, how do you trans-form the tenured employees who are not as like-minded as your senior management team? As if this were not challenging enough, how do you transform into a digital culture after decades of being a successful brick and mortar business?

Patrick Whitesell, Executive Chairman of Endeavor Group Holdings, formerly known as William Morris Endeavor or WME, a global holding company for talent, sports and media agencies, has sent a strong warning, “You can have all the strategies in the world; if you don’t have the right culture, you’re dead!”

| Business of Business

Image: Freepik.com

Ernie Cecilia, DPM, is a regular contributor to the AmCham Business Journal. Ernie is the chairman of the Human Capital Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; Co-Chairman of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines’ TWG on Labor Policy and Social Issues; and past president of the People Management Association of the Philippines.

For comments or questions, please e-mail the author at [email protected].

37

10 Tips to Free Yourself from Technology

Feature |

I don’t know what it is about this new year, but it took me longer to find inspiration for my work and joy throughout the day. I wasn’t feeling energized when

I woke up – it’s like I was a zombie going through the motions. When thinking of reasons why my creativity was at an all-time low, I connected the dots back to what I think could be the source – screen time. As the temperature went down my screen time went way up. All this time spend on a device, whether it’s a phone,

By: Bea Lourdes Martinez

laptop, or TV, is slowly draining us as we watch other people living their lives rather than living our own.

With remote work meaning, we have to be virtual for at least part of the day, I’m making an effort to be better about turning things off. If you’re like me and need a little push to not press the “Next Episode” button on Netflix, here are some things that I’m doing to unplug. Here are my…

10 Tips for a Tech Detox

As we spent this past year being more isolated in our homes, the increase of time online and checking our phones has increased far too much. Of course, there are wonderful pros to technology – it’s one of the only ways we get a social connection during quarantine, it keeps us informed by watching the news, it is fun to watch that

No technology for an hour before bed. 1 2 Charge your phone at night in a room other than your bedroom.

3Instead of spending the whole weekend binge-

watching a series, pick either Saturday or Sunday and commit to being completely TV-free.

4 Put the remote away – out of sight. Like in a cabinet or drawer.

5Swap out the habit of turning on the TV at the

end of the day with turning on your favorite playlist instead.

6Commit to going outside for at least 30 minutes a day, while leaving your phone at home.

7Unsubscribe from unwanted emails once a month. 8

Dedicate parts of your house to be technology-free zones. Like your bathroom or bedroom.

9Eat meals without your phone. 10They say that the first 15 minutes of your day sets your mood for the rest of the day. Commit to not checking your phone first thing when you wake up. Instead, start your day with a healthy habit like meditating, stretching, or growing closer to your faith.

new movie or series that just dropped, and it allows you to read amazing articles such as this one! But we forget that this is also taking from being present. So, let this serve as a friendly reminder to unplug every day and get back to finding ourselves. Which of these 10 is your favorite?

Bea Lourdes "Eya" Martinez is an experienced Creative Artist with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organizations, cost-effective pre-media services, and events management. She has a strong media and communication professional expertise in branding, writing/reviewing articles, copyediting content, magazine layout design, logo design and print design with knowledge in software such as Photoshop, lnDesign, Illustrator, and Premiere. You may reach her at [email protected].

38 | Company News

Eastern Communications'2021 P2.8 billion expansion

Eastern Communica-tions, one of the premier telecommunications

companies in the country, is allocating a total of P2.8 billion capital expenditure as it further upgrades and expands its connectivity and ICT services nationwide this year.

The expansion plans will cover wider service areas, including Davao City, Cagayan De Oro, Dumaguete, Tagbilaran, Bacolod, Roxas, Kalibo, Caticlan, Boracay, Naga, Legazpi, Iriga, Sorsogon.

Eastern Communications has started laying fiber optic cables to address the requirements of companies in central business districts and has placed strategic hubs in various regional locations to better serve enterprises in the area.

While many of Eastern Communications’ ICT solutions are already available across the country, the company will expand more services to empower various locations in line with the Digital Cities program, a government initiative geared towards sustaining the rapid growth of the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector and promote countryside development.

“We commend the efforts of Eastern Communications to broaden and strengthen their network within and beyond Metro Manila as it is supportive of our goal to drive inclusive growth in the countryside through the Digital Cities 2025 program,” said Rey E. Untal, IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President and CEO.

“These expansion plans will provide Philippine-based businesses much-needed access to innovative services and faster, more reliable internet connection—critical tools to forge ahead in this New Normal,” he added.

The network modernization program started last year, and despite the pandemic, Eastern Communications continued its expansion project which will likely run throughout 2021.

The telco already concluded its network expansion in Iloilo and Tuguegarao.

“Eastern will continue this trend and we plan to be available nationwide in the next few years. This is an exciting time of growth for all of us and we, as a telecommunications company, look forward to being a big part of the Philippines’ stronger tomorrow,” said Eastern Communications Co-coordinator, Atty. Aileen Regio.

To learn more about Eastern Communications’ services, visit eastern.com.ph.

40 | Company News

P&G’s Share The Care - a new standard in the workplace

Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines recently launched Share the Care, a new industry-leading global parental leave program, marking an impor-

tant milestone in the decades-long Company’s journey to driving positive change in the space of Equality and Inclusion through real action. P&G’s Share The Care policy sets 8 weeks fully paid parental leave and offers all kinds of parents equal opportunity to care for and bond with biological or adopted children new to their family. New fathers are now enabled to share and sup-port in caregiving duties beyond the standard 7 days mandated by Philippine law. The groundbreaking pa-rental leave program applies to all employees who are welcoming new children to their families, regardless of gender or marital status. Meanwhile, birth or adoptive mothers continue to receive the 105 calendar days of fully paid maternity leave. This has been in practice at P&G since 2017, ahead of the 2019 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law.

The benefits of building equality into parental leave policy are far-reaching. Research has shown that

being at home with children for an extended period of time after birth can both strengthen the parent/child bond and have positive, long-lasting outcomes for child development, such as improved cognitive and emotional outcomes and physical health. Sharing the care has proven to have a positive impact on


mothers, considering that when their spouse or partner also takes parental leave, partner involvement in childcare and housework increases, mothers return to work more easily, female employment is higher, and the earning gap is lower. When all parents have access to paid leave, it’s healthy for children and also builds equality in the workplace.

The time to drive equality and inclusiveness into the workplace is now as the new “work from home” normal has meant that work and home are more blended than ever. There is now a real opportunity and responsibility for businesses to use what they have learned last year about agility and flexibility to push equality forward in the workplace and remove the barriers that prevent its advancement.

“P&G values equality and inclusion in the workplace. So we created Share The Care, our parental leave program that supports ALL P&G parents to have an equal opportunity to care for and bond with their new children. We want to lead the change in perception around parental roles, such as the outdated stereotype that women should be the sole, full-time caregiver in the early stages of a child’s life. We believe that

caring for home and family has no gender. Our bigger aspiration is to create a world free from bias, with equal voice and opportunity for all individuals,” says Raffy Fajardo, P&G Philippines General Manager.

Equality and inclusion have always been crucial values in the P&G culture. The Share The Care program is the newest launched program of P&G’s holistic and integrated campaign called We See Equal, which aspires to create a company and a world where equality and inclusion are achievable for all. The company is bringing these values to life in its policies and practices to make a meaningful impact for its employees, brands, partners, and communities. P&G is committed to supporting the individuality and uniqueness of its employees, and by being united in its

42 | Company News

values and goals people flourish, business thrives, and communities prosper.

P&G Philippines has also designed other programs that drive equality and inclusion in the workplace such as fully paid Flex Leaves, which is on top of the standard vacation and sick leaves. This provides employees with quality time to attend to personal needs and once-in-a-lifetime celebrations such as special birthday celebrations, weddings, big anniversaries, or a child’s graduation. P&G also recognizes domestic partners of all genders as policy dependents of employees, making them among the first employers in the country to do so.

The company also continues the implementation of its pioneering flexible work-from-home system that had

been established since the early 2000s and has been a great enabler for its employees to adjust to the past year and current situation.

“P&G will continue to create a workplace where employees have space and support to be their unique selves and are given equal access and opportunity to succeed. Equality begins at home and P&G is helping make it a reality. By setting a higher standard in both policy and practice, P&G aims to normalize parental leave and positively impact not only individual families and the company, but society as a whole,” concludes Fajardo.

For more information on P&G’s #ShareTheCare, visit https://us.pg.com/blogs/time-to-support-family-as-a-new-dad/

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.

Media Contacts:Procter & Gamble Philippines | Charm Banzuelo | [email protected] and Anna Legarda | [email protected] Inc. | Luckie Masbad | [email protected]


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44 | AmCham Staff

Assistant to the Executive Director Divina Combes

Human Resources / Administrative Officer

Rachel de Guzman

Accounting Manager Patricia Estrella

Accounting Head Elmer Yanuaria

Cashier Dominador Borres

Accounts Receivable Specialist Cristina Teves

Program Manager,Committees and Industry Relations

KV Rojas

Industry Development Specialists (IDS)

Events Specialist

Lia DausMark Rabago

Jeanne MorenoPeter Gonzales

Government Liaison Mark Rabago

Business Training and Development Manager

Mc Bensal

Communications and Marketing Manager Chi Pena

Layout Editor Eya Martinez

Membership Manager Vicky San Juan-Co

Advertising & Promotions Head Chet Guevara

North Luzon Chapter Office Manager Joan Sabroso

Visayas Chapter Office Manager Brenda Lisen

Visayas Chapter Marketing Manager Ruthcel Aragon

Mindanao Chapter Office 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 PejiErnie Aala

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