Data from travel and experience app Klook showed that Filipinos were the top buyers globally of Klook ticket bundles for Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” in Singapore, accounting for somewhere between 10% to 15% of the ticket bundles sold. In comparison, the percentage of sales from other ASEAN countries was only in the single digits per market.

“Philippines was a big chunk of that,” Michelle Ho, general manager of Klook Philippines and Thailand, said. “Malakas si Taylor Swift sa Pilipinas (Taylor Swift has a strong presence here in the Philippines).”

Klook told Rappler that at one point, over 10 million users entered their queue in the span of one second. And Klook’s infrastructure held up – something that not all platform can say. (READ: ‘Unprecedented’ demand for Taylor Swift tour crashes Ticketmaster website)

“That’s not normal. It’s not even normal not to crash when the spike is that high,” Ho told Rappler. “What was a success for us was even as a newbie in the entertainment scene, our app did not crash. We could hold a number of people on queue, and people were able to successfully book tickets on the app.”

It also looks like Taylor Swift was able to beat inflation as hundreds of thousands flocked to Singapore – her only stop in Southeast Asia – despite the pricey tickets. For instance, the cheapest Klook ticket bundle, which comes with two concert tickets and a room night in a 4-star hotel, reached $542 or almost P30,000.

“For a price point as high as that, sometimes you would think that demand will be very much affected. But that’s not true. We sold out in less than six hours,” Ho said on Tuesday, March 12. “People these days are willing to travel for new experiences, for experiences that they want to share with their loved ones.”

[ANALYSIS] Why airport ‘surot’ and Taylor Swift matter

Revenge travel ‘still very much alive’

Looking at the overall tourism landscape, Ho also noted that 2023 was a “great year for tourism recovery.” In the past year, Klook’s bookings tripled while its gross sales figures grew by four times between 2022 and 2023.

Filipinos also seem to be spending more on travel, as the average basket size of consumers grew by 21% based on Klook’s 2024 Travel Pulse study. For international travel, most Filipinos have a budget ranging from P15,000 to P50,000 for their overall spending. For local destinations, the average Filipino’s budget ranges from P15,000 to P30,000 for a four to six day trip.

“One could argue that: is this only about price increases, interest rates going up? But we’ve seen a double-digit growth, above 21%,” Ho said. “So it’s not really that the travel budget has gone down. But it’s really more about being intentional of what they’ve purchased.”

Filipinos who traveled internationally in 2023 and early 2024 usually visited nearby destinations, the most popular ones being Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and Thailand. Locally, the most visited destinations by Klook users were Tagaytay, Baguio, Batangas, Boracay, and Palawan.

Ho said that the results of their study showed revenge travel was “still very much alive,” with 92% of survey respondents saying they have plans to travel domestically in 2024 and 76% saying they have plans to travel internationally this year.

“People are traveling more. People are not choosing between domestic or international. They’re going for both if they can.” – Rappler.com

Revenge travel is here – so where do Filipinos go?

“US companies have realized that our chip supply chain is way too concentrated in just a few countries in the world,” US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Philippine business leaders in a forum in Makati City, on Tuesday, March 12.

Raimondo, who is in Manila for a two-day trade and investment mission, underscored that the US will lend a hand to the Philippines to double its semiconductor assembly facilities.

Electronic products are the Philippines’ top exports in terms of value, posting total earnings of $3.45 billion in January, representing 58.2% of total exports during the month.

The world relies on Taiwan, South Korea, and China for chips. Semiconductors are the backbone of modern electronics used in a wide range of devices, including transistors, diodes, integrated circuits, solar cells, and more.

“Forget about geopolitics, just at that level of concentration, you know the old adage: ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.’ Why do we allow ourselves to be buying so many of our chips from one or two countries?” Raimondo said.

She added that the Philippines is on “top of the list” of countries that could develop its semiconductors industry.

Raimondo’s investment mission is “historic” and the first of its kind for the Philippines.

“The message from us is: ‘We’re all in on the Philippines’,” she said.

Philippines’ potential

The Philippines is one of seven countries that the US has identified as partners to diversify its semiconductor supply chain.

Under the CHIPS and Science Act, some $52.7 billion is being used to lure chipmakers away from China, either back to the US or to allied countries, in the form of tax breaks and other incentives.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the US legislation would result in the Philippines to churning out some 128,000 semiconductor engineers and technicians by 2028.

The US is the Philippines’ top export market.

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The US and its chips

US President Joe Biden has been making sweeping efforts to slow down China’s technological capabilities.

The US Commerce Department issued a broad set of prohibitions on exports to China of semiconductors and other tech amid military tensions and the boom of artificial intelligence.

This export ban, alongside incentives for US chip makers to relocate to countries that it deemed friendlier, has been viewed as Biden’s clear strategy of capping China’s potential in various technological developments, including surveillance and military capabilities.

Japan, along with the Netherlands, agreed to match US export controls that limit the sale of some chipmaking tools to China, and has placed restrictions on the export of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to Beijing.

China said that the scheme “seriously violated” international economic and trade rules. – Rappler.com

Although Vita Coco Coconut Water is an American brand, it sources its coconut water from the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia. 

On Monday, March 11, billionaire Po family-led Century Pacific Food disclosed that it has entered into a new long-term contract with The Vita Coco Company to help meet the US brand’s need for 90 million liters of coconut water over the next five years. (READ: Century Pacific founder Ricardo Po Sr. dies at 90)

Century Pacific first entered into a partnership with Vita Coco in 2012 or over a decade ago, and has supplied it with its coconut water requirements.

As millions of consumers worldwide shift to healthier drinks, demand for coconut water has gone up, with both companies seeing a “significant increase in sales over the last decade.” 

Century Pacific said it has since become “one of the largest suppliers of Vita Coco, augmenting its capacity by 50% in 2022, to serve the brand’s growing needs.” 

It said the new agreement with Vita Coco will require a capital expenditure of $40 million, and is expected to create at least 1,500 jobs in manufacturing. 

It added that its previous agreement with Vita Coco was signed in 2020 and set for renewal in 2025. This new accord, Century Pacific said, is “incremental to the existing agreement.”

“The expansion of the multi-year agreement with Vita Coco conveys our mutual trust and respect for each other as business partners, a relationship built through consistency, collaboration, and excellence,” said Noel Tempongko Jr., vice president of Century Pacific’s Coconut OEM business. An OEM or Original Equipment Manufacturer business produces parts that another company needs. 

Tempongko said the new agreement will further support the  growth of the local coconut industry in the region. 

Jonathan Burth, chief operating officer of Vita Coco, said they “look forward to further solidifying our long-term partnership with Century Pacific.” 

“Our mutual ambition to serve consumers better with healthier products has taken us to new heights in innovation and quality. This agreement also creates an avenue by which we collaborate to make a positive impact on society and help build thriving communities among smallholder farmers in the Philippines,” Burth said. 

Century Pacific is now one of the Philippines’ biggest branded food companies. Its leading business is its tuna enterprise with its brands Century Tuna, 555, and sardines, especially after acquiring the Ligo brand in 2021. It is also in the meat business, producing canned goods such as Argentina Corned Beef and Meat Loaf. In 2001, it expanded into the canned milk market with its Angel and Birch Tree brands.

Second largest coconut producer

The Philippines is the second largest producer of coconuts in the world, and has around 2.5 million coconut farmers, many of them in Mindanao. 

Century Pacific said it works with local smallholder farmers, such as in General Santos City and in Sarangani province in central Mindanao, and creates market access for their products. 

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Other Vita Coco suppliers in Southeast Asia are Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. In South America, Brazil is a supplier. 

Vita Coco says its products are made by picking and cracking the “best coconuts before extracting the coconut water.” 

It says coconut water is “clear, fat-free liquid,” low in calories and cholesterol-free, and “naturally rich in electrolytes, especially potassium.”

“Once extracted, we filter the coconut water and standardize the flavor profile by adding Vitamin C and 1% sugar,” its website says. The coconut water is then pasteurized and packaged before being shipped. 

Vita Coco is the number one coconut water brand in the US and the UK, with a market share of 50% and 75%, respectively, the company says.

Vita Coco says coconut water is becoming a “staple in the fridge of our core consumers,” and has become an alternative to “sugary sports drinks.” It estimates the “addressable” US retail market at over $30 billion. 

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Vita Coco started when its founders Michael Kirban and Ira Liran met two Brazilian women at a bar in New York City. When they asked the women what they missed most about Brazil, they said it was “agua de coco,” prompting Kirban and Liran to draw up a plan to bring coconut water to the US.

Global pop icons such as Madonna and Rihanna have endorsed Vita Coco. 

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Vita Coco had net sales of $494 million in 2023, up 15% from the year prior. It had a net income of $47 million in 2023 compared to $39 million in 2022. – Rappler.com

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Raimondo is heading a two-day trade and investment mission, the first of its kind for the Philippines. The delegation includes executives from 22 companies including United Airlines, Alphabet’s Google, Visa, KKR Asia Pacific, and Microsoft.

The investments will span areas like solar energy, electric vehicles, and digitization, she said.

United said last week it would launch new flights from Tokyo-Narita to Cebu, Philippines, starting July 31.

US efforts to deepen economic ties with the Philippines come in tandem with increased cooperation in defense. Both US President Joe Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are keen to counter what they see as aggressive actions by China in the South China Sea and near Taiwan.

Speaking at a joint briefing with Philippine officials after meeting with Marcos at the presidential palace, Raimondo said Washington’s commitment to expanding trade and investment in the Philippines extends to the larger Indo-Pacific region through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework – a 14-nation US-led group.

Raimondo reiterated the United States has no intention of “decoupling” from China but it would not be allowed access to Washington’s advanced technology.

“My job is to protect the American people and to make sure that our most sophisticated technology, including semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence technology that we have and China doesn’t have, that they can’t access it and use it to enable the Chinese military,” Raimondo said.

She also reaffirmed the United States’ alliance with the Philippines, calling it “ironclad.”

The Philippines has a 73-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty with the US, making it Washington’s oldest treaty ally in the Asia-Pacific region.

After her Manila visit, Raimondo will travel to Thailand for two days of meetings. She will lead members of the US President’s Export Council to identify opportunities for the two countries to strengthen cooperation in areas such as manufacturing and supply chain resiliency. – Rappler.com

Inditex is an outlier among big clothing retailers in not publishing which factories it sources from. Regulators and investors want greater transparency and better disclosure from companies.

Clothing retailers, in particular, are under pressure to prove that there is no forced labor in their supply chains, and that garment workers are paid decent wages.

Chinese fashion group Shein has come under scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers over supply chain risks ahead of plans for a US listing.

In the European Union, disagreements have stalled proposed rules that would require all big companies to disclose whether supply chains harm the environment or use child labor. Proposed sanctions for not complying could include fines of 5% of revenue.

Fashion brands and retailers, including Adidas, H&M, Hugo Boss, M&S, Nike, Primark, and Puma already publish detailed supplier lists, including factory names and addresses.

Inditex publishes annually the number of suppliers it sources from in 12 core countries, but gives no information on individual factories.

Reuters asked Inditex shareholders what they wanted to see from the company in terms of improved disclosure.

In response, Dutch asset manager MN said: “In our engagement with Inditex one of the things we ask is if they could disclose a list of their suppliers and the geographical location.”

“Even though Inditex assures us that they have this data available, up until now Inditex is not willing to disclose this information unlike some industry peers who publish extensive supplier lists.”

MN, which manages Dutch pension fund assets, said it was important to have this insight to show whether Inditex has this information available, as well as for its own due diligence.

MN leads the Inditex dialogue for Platform Living Wage Financials (PLWF), a group of 20 institutional investors with combined assets under management of 6.58 trillion euros ($7.16 trillion). It works to promote higher income for garment and footwear industry workers.

Inditex, set to publish annual results on March 13, declined to comment on investors’ demands for it to publish its full supplier list.

“Inditex has a deep commitment to maintaining high standards in its supply chain, and believe that our industry-leading traceability system, which gives us maximum visibility of the supply chain, is key to this,” an Inditex spokesperson said.

Inditex founder Amancio Ortega holds a 59% stake in the company, with a 5% stake held by daughter Sandra Ortega. Together they are worth about $69 billion.

The five Inditex investors who responded to Reuters’ questions hold a combined stake of worth around $2 billion in the company, whose current valuation is about $140 billion.

None of the investors Reuters spoke to are considering divesting from Inditex.

MN said it advised its clients in December to divest from off-price retail chain TJX, which owns Homesense and TK Maxx, and they were divested as of January 1.

“Over the more than three years of engagement we have seen very little improvement on human rights due diligence in their global supply chain,” MN told Reuters.

TJX said it has strengthened its vendor code of conduct and expanded its factory auditing program in recent years.

More transparency

Inditex has an agreement with global trade union federation IndustriALL under which it provides it with its full list of suppliers. But IndustriALL wants wider disclosures from all companies, including Inditex, it said.

Know The Chain, a benchmarking initiative for companies and investors to address forced labour in supply chains, gave Inditex a lower overall score in its 2023 assessment than its 2021 assessment.

“The company is encouraged to strengthen its supply chain transparency by disclosing a full, rather than partial, list of its direct suppliers,” Know The Chain said.

Publishing its factories could bring more competition from Inditex rivals for the same suppliers, investors say.

Swetha Ramachandran, portfolio manager at Artemis Investment Management in London, wants to know what share of Inditex revenues is manufactured in each different supplier country. “It would help us determine their supply chain resilience,” she said.

Inditex’s published supply chain figures since 2019 show the company has cut suppliers in China and increased them in Bangladesh and Morocco. But it gives no details on the amount of products it buys from those suppliers.

Grace Su, portfolio manager at Clearbridge Investments, which holds Inditex shares, said she has asked for more clarity and supply chain disclosure.

“It’s very important because of all the scrutiny around ESG, and labor, and inputs. They claim to be a leader in this so it’s really important for them to actually have that level of disclosure.”

Inditex shareholder Schroders tracks companies’ awareness of manufacturing sites, and encourages apparel retailers, including Inditex, to be transparent, said Hannah Shoesmith, head of engagement at the firm.

Improved disclosure, among other environmental, sustainability and governance factors, could influence investment decisions, Marie Payne, responsible investment officer at Inditex shareholder Cardano, said.

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, which has a $1.4 billion stake in Inditex, said it engages regularly with the company on supply chain risk management, human rights and transparency.

It declined to give details of those discussions. The fund said regarding companies’ supply chain practices in general that “there are continued challenges, including when it comes to traceability and reporting.” – Rappler.com

“There’s a myth, there’s a mindset gap…. Well, it’s partially true,” said Ng, CEO of Mober, a logistics company with a fleet of EVs. 

In terms of operating expenses, an EV truck’s cost per delivery per kilometer is just P2, as compared to a diesel-run truck which costs between P12 to P14.

The cost of buying a truck that runs purely on electricity, however, costs almost twice as much as a regular truck that runs on fossil fuel. An EV truck could cost over P3 million, while a diesel-run truck costs P1.7 million. 

“When we offer our services, we have the same rates [with the diesel-run trucks], but we never ask for a premium,” Ng said in an episode of Business Sense.

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Charging EVs is another challenge altogether. 

Setting up Mober’s charging yard required asking the Manila Electric Company to install a new transformer. Each charger also needs a circuit breaker. Beyond the infrastructure, the problem was mostly paperwork.

With these challenges, Ng said that companies thinking of shifting to EVs will really have to commit.

“Transitioning to EV is not like just tokenization. It’s a commitment,” Ng said.

Opportunities

Ng sees more EVs in logistics, rather than those owned by ordinary car owners, plying the roads of Metro Manila in the coming years, as big companies pursue sustainability goals.

Mober’s client, Ikea, is aiming to be climate positive by 2030. Its more near-term goal is to reach zero emissions for deliveries by 2025. So far, Mober is the only startup offering EV delivery services. 

With Mober, companies like Ikea need not buy their own EVs or shell out cash for charging stations to achieve their sustainability goals.

In anticipation of more clients opting to shift to EVs, Mober is expanding its EV fleet. It recently raised $2 million in a seed funding round led by RT Heptagon Holdings. They are also moving to a bigger charging yard somewhere in Pasay City to accommodate more EV trucks and vans.

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Perks needed

The Philippine government is offering some perks to encourage people to shift to EVs, including zero tariffs for imports and coding exemptions. But the industry needs more.

Ng said that logistics companies must be incentivized to shift to EVs, especially since they can absorb the expenses needed to run purely on electricity. 

“On the consumer side, the main problem is range anxiety. What if I wanted to go to Baguio, is there a charger there? That’s one thing that’s stopping everybody from shifting to EV,” Ng said.

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But for vehicles in the supply chain, schedule and distance are carefully put into consideration, making it easier to schedule charging time, and effectively erasing range anxiety.

Companies also have the ability to spend on charging stations. For instance, Mober is looking at delivering all the way to Bicol and is considering setting up charging stations, one per 100 kilometers.

Government agencies and regulations will also need to catch up. Ng is lobbying for a temporary truck ban exemption for their six-wheelers to encourage other logistics companies to shift to EVs as well.

“If we really want to shift to EVs, I think logistics is the best area to start,” he said. – Rappler.com

On television, ratings often determine how long a show will last. Shows with high ratings, such as ABS-CBN’s FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and Batang Quiapo, last longer than those with low ratings since they’re able to get more commercials. Shows that don’t rate high often don’t last long, unless subsidized by another business unit or enterprise.

A case in point is the Jalosjos family’s recent decision to axe its noon show, Tahanang Pinakamasaya after just nine months. After showbiz veterans Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon left TAPE on May 31, 2023 and put up a new show on TV5, Eat Bulaga/Tahanang Pinakamasaya on GMA-7 aired fewer commercials. 

That TVJ’s Eat Bulaga! has lasted 45 years is testament to its commercial success. That TAPE’s Tahanang Pinakamasaya lasted only nine months is proof of its commercial failure. 

At its peak, Eat Bulaga! with TVJ on GMA-7 was rating between 10% to 20%, and often filled the limit of 18 minutes of commercials per hour, former GMA consultant Jose Bartolome, now a senior lecturer at the UP College of Mass Communications, told Rappler. 

Before the pandemic, a high-rating, non-prime time show could sell 30-second ad spots from P80,000 to P100,000, but if the show didn’t rate well, it got fewer commercials and the ad rate went down to half, he said. Revenues from these ads went to pay the talents and produce and air the show.

Post-pandemic, TAPE’s Eat Bulaga!, TVJ’s E.A.T. on TV5, and It’s Showtime on A2Z+Kapamilya Channel were in single digits, often unable to breach 5% in Nielsen television ratings as shown in a TV5 social media post above back in July 2023.

On the other hand, Kantar Media’s audience measurement as shown below, in December 2018, prior to the pandemic, Eat Bulaga! on GMA-7 and It’s Showtime on ABS-CBN’s Channel 2 were both above 10%. It’s Showtime’s ratings fell steeply after ABS-CBN was ordered to close its TV and radio operations by the Duterte administration in May 2020. 

Bartolome said this is a clear sign that fewer Filipinos are tuning in to television than before the pandemic, especially after ABS-CBN lost its free TV and radio business. Kantar Media managing director Jay Bautista referred to this as the flattening of the TV curve.

When asked whether GMA-7 would become the dominant free-to-air channel without ABS-CBN’s broadcasting, Bautista said: “Yes, because it snatched about 20% of the viewers who used to watch ABS-CBN literally overnight. From a 40% share of viewers prior to the shutdown, GMA currently averages around 60% share of viewing per day. No, because a lot of loyal ABS viewers have turned off their TV sets, which has literally almost flattened the curve of TV viewing across the country.”

Prior to Tahanang Pinakamasaya’s closure, among the three major noon shows, it was also TAPE that had the weakest presence on social media, which helped doom the program. 

TVJ’s Facebook page, for instance, has 2.1 million followers. It’s Showtime has 17 million followers, while TAPE Facebook had 337,500 followers. The celebrities on the stronger noon shows, such as Maine Mendoza on E.A.T Bulaga!, and Vice Ganda and Anne Curtis on It’s Showtime, also help multiply their respective shows’ reach. 

Deaths of CNN Philippines, PIE Channel

The closure of CNN Philippines last January also reflects the changing media and advertising landscape. Since many of its programs didn’t rate well, Nine Media Corporation couldn’t get enough advertisers to place ads on its shows. 

Nine Media’s capital deficiencies reached P226.2 million in 2021 and P465.2 millon in 2022, which prompted its owners to wave the white flag.

Pinoy Interactive Entertainment (PIE) Channel, which was backed by telco giant Globe Telecom, was in a similar situation last year.

PIE channel is a “TraDigital” venture between Kroma Entertainment, ABS-CBN Corporation as content provider, Globe Telecom Incorporated’s 917Ventures, and Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media Incorporated or BEAM TV. 

Last November, Kroma Entertainment announced that PIE would “transition to fully online platforms” starting January 1, 2024, and will drop “traditional TV and cable.” 

New media shift, influencer marketing

Carlo Hemedes, CEO of marketing agency Organic Intelligence Incorporated, told Rappler that many companies are now putting more resources to online marketing.

“The budget between TV and digital have now interchanged compared to five years ago. Even [ad] spend on OOH [Out-of-Home advertising] is much lower,” he said. 

The only exception is radio which, he said, “remains to be a stronghold for key provincial locations.”

(READ: The politics of radio: New station DWPM Radyo 630 is born)

Rappler’s sources in advertising agencies said many companies have “substantially cut their budget” on TV spots to half or even less than half after the pandemic and the closure of ABS-CBN’s broadcast operations. 

They noted that the cost of digital ads is much lower than TV spots. Before the pandemic, a 30-second ad in an ABS-CBN prime time show was around P300,000, while an ad in GMA Network was around P200,000.

They said companies have found “influencer marketing” more “effective and efficient” since it’s cheaper than advertising on TV. On television, viewers often switch channels to avoid commercials, while ads on social media have permanence. It’s also easier to target niche markets online than on television.

Among the Philippines’ top-tier influencers are beauty queens, actors and actresses. They’re paid big money to use their social media power to promote products and services. 

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Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach topped the Philippines’ highest earners through sponsored Instagram posts in 2021, according to a report by online financial service provider NetCredit.

Wurtzbach, who placed 41st in the worldwide rankings, reportedly had a calculated earning of $3,669,205 or approximately P216 million. 

Among Filipino celebrities, Wurtzbach was followed by Kathryn Bernardo, who reportedly earned $3,533,360 or around P208 million, and Anne Curtis at $2,936,119 or around P172 million. 

Kim Chiu, Andrea Brillantes, Catriona Gray, Liza Soberano, Nadine Lustre, Alex Gonzaga, and Marian Rivera were also in the Philippines’ top 10. 

There are middle-tier and lower-tier influencers who have lower rates.

Influencer marketing was also at play in the 2022 elections. A study found that an estimated P600 million to P1.5 billion was spent on online political influencers who campaigned for presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2022 Philippine national elections.

Up to P1.5 billion spent on online political influencers for 2022 PH elections – study

In terms of how much was spent on political influencers per platform, this study said Facebook influencers topped the list, with the total costs ranging from about P311.4 million to P939.4 million. They were followed by YouTube influencers, at around P213.5 million to P460.6 million, and then by TikTok influencers, at around P47.49 million to P94.3 million. Twitter influencers had the lowest amount spent at around P25.7 million to P42.2 million.

Although television is still the most important medium in the Philippines, its audience has fallen as more people turn to the internet for news.

Television as a source of news in the Philippines has declined from 66% in 2020 to 52% in 2023, according to Reuters’ Digital News Report 2023.

“Online and social media remain the most popular sources of news in the Philippines with our more urban sample, while TV and radio news remain important for those who are not online. TikTok has grown the fastest among the social media platforms, accessed for news now by 21% compared with only 2% in 2020,” said Yvonne Chua of the Philippine case in Reuters' Digital News Report 2023. 

So, expect the hardships to continue for TV shows that don’t rate, as online/influencer marketing continues to rise. – Rappler.com

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• TikTok influencers, some running for SK, using same scripts to boost gov’t messages?
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Laban TNVS president Jun de Leon said that Grab charges its operators around 21% in commissions. Operators also have to shoulder the 20% discounts granted to senior citizens, students, and persons with disabilities starting March 1, 2024. That means in some instances, Grab drivers might be left with just 59% of what they earned from a ride – not enough for the gas and time spent on a trip.

“‘Yung Grab ‘no, napakalaki po na kompanya niyan, pero kawawa po ‘yung mga sinasabing partner – pero hindi partner ang turing niya. Ginagawang gatasan ng Grab eh ‘yung mga drivers natin,” De Leon said on Wednesday, March 6, in a press conference that also included members of Manibela and Defend Jobs Philippines.

(Grab is such a big company, their so-called partners are pitiful – they don’t treat them like partners. Grab treats their drivers as cash cows.)

In response, the groups want the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to start regulating how much transport network companies (TNCs) like Grab and JoyRide can ask from their drivers and operators. The groups propose setting a commission limit of 10% to 12% across all TNCs to protect the livelihood of those working for ride-hailing and delivery services.

De Leon, along with Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena, said that they first petitioned the LTFRB about the matter in December 2022. LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III then promised to resolve the issue but the government agency has yet to take action.

There is no law or memorandum circular that limits the commission rates that a TNC can charge its drivers and operators.

Grab told Rappler that it holds consultations with its drivers and operators ahead of any changes to its commission rate, during which the ride-hailing giant takes note of their opinions to ensure that the platform still works to their interests.

Grab may recruit riders to prepare for its motorcycle taxi launch – LTFRB

Who shoulders the 20% discount?

Aside from setting limits on the commission rate, the transportation leaders also called on Grab to shoulder the 20% discount granted to students, senior citizens, and PWDs. At present, this is which is deducted from a driver’s earnings.

Prior to July 2023, Grab used to shoulder this 20% discount. After July 2023, Grab only shouldered half of the discount, and starting March 2024, drivers were required to fully shoulder the discounts.

According to Grab, their decision to let drivers fully shoulder the 20% discount is based on an LTFRB memorandum circular from 2018. MC 2018-004 directs “all public utility operators and drivers to grant 20% fare discounts to persons with disability” and further states that “in the case of transportation network vehicle services and taxi service, the full 20% discount on the total fare shall be given to the PWD regardless of the number of his/her companions.”

Grab initially shouldered the discounts to lessen the impact on drivers’ earnings, but the decision to let drivers’ shoulder the 20% discount was communicated to them since the second half of 2023.

Nevertheless, the Laban TNVS president argued that drivers cannot earn a living if they have to shoulder this discount on top of the hefty commissions that Grab charges.

“Kung driver ‘yun, may gasolina siya, at meron pa siyang boundary, tapos may 41% na ikakaltas sa kanya. Wala na po talagang matitira sa driver (If that’s a driver, they still have to pay for gas, and then their boundary, and then 41% will be cut from their earnings. Nothing will be left to the driver),” De Leon said.

Angkas to Angcars? Here are the challengers to Grab’s ride-hailing dominance

– Rappler.com

Prosple, a student careers website, has announced its list of top 100 employers for fresh graduates in the Philippines.

Here are the top 10 companies in 2024:

1. Unilever Philippines
2. Emerson Manila
3. Unilab
4. Oracle Philippines
5. AboitizPower
6. Home Credit Philippines
7. Security Bank Corporation
8. Emma – The Sleep Company
9. Meralco
10. Nestle Philippines

This year, Unilever Philippines took the top spot in the list, jumping all the way up from 22nd in the 2023. Emerson Manila, a technology and engineering company, jumped from 43rd in 2023 to second place in 2024. Unilab kept its place near the top, although it slipped from 1st to 3rd in 2024.

Much has changed from 2023 to 2024. For instance, one of the companies that made the biggest leap was Security Bank. In 2023, it was ranked at 71st place, but a year later, it leaped to 7th, making it the top-rated bank in the list. The next highest bank among the companies – China Bank – also moved from 79th in 2023 to 14th in 2024.

There were also companies that fell far from the top. In last year’s list, Canva ranked 2nd on the list of top fresh graduate employers, making waves online with its unique office perks. But in 2024, Canva slipped to 81st spot. ABS-CBN also witnessed a similarly big drop in ranking, moving down from 3rd place in 2023 to 62nd in 2024.

Here were the top 100 companies in 2023:

Companies are ranked by a blend of their student popularity and program quality based on metrics gathered on the Prosple website.

“Our approach combines the dual facets of popularity and quality to evaluate each employer’s internship and graduate programs comprehensively. Popularity, constituting 75% of the assessment, reflects the engagement and interest garnered through page views and applications across all Prosple platforms. The remaining 25%, dedicated to quality, is derived from Graduate Satisfaction Reviews conducted within the company, offering valuable insights into the employee experience,” said Prosple head of parnerships Yohanne Esguerra. – Rappler.com

LIST: Here are LinkedIn’s best companies to grow your careers in 2023

In the Philippines, chances are the viand for one’s meal is pork or has some pork in it. One of the most popular, of course, is the Philippine dish adobo, which can either be pork adobo or chicken adobo.  

Another mouth-watering pork dish, made famous globally by the late Anthony Bourdain, is lechon, which is often served in fiestas and big celebrations. 

Pork is so influential in Philippine cuisine that the country made the Guinness World Records for “most varieties of pork dishes on display” in one event. The title was achieved by the National Federation of Hog Farmers Incorporated at the National Hog Festival 2024 held at the Gateway Mall in Araneta City, Quezon City on Friday, March 1. The event seeks to support Filipino hog farmers and highlight Philippine pork cuisine.

“Filipinos are basically pork eaters,” said the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Hog Industry Roadmap 2022 to 2026. 

Pork is the Filipino family’s main source of protein, and is generally preferred over other protein sources such as chicken meat, beef, fish, and legumes. 

“The Filipino’s love for pork will remain because of the meat’s versatility as a preferred dish for nearly every memorable event with friends and family,” said Pilmico, a food and agribusiness subsidiary of the Aboitiz Group. 

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology said swine provides around 60% of total animal meat consumption of Fiipinos. Swine production ranks next to rice in terms of total value of agricultural production, it said in a 2016 article. 

On the average, Filipinos eat more pork than the world average. The Philippines’ meat consumption in 2021 was around 15 kilograms (kg) per capita compared to the world average of roughly 11 kg per capita. 

FAST FACTS: How much meat does the Filipino consume?

Before African Swine Fever (ASF) severely affected the country’s swine industry starting in July 2019, hogs were the number one livestock produced by the country. In 2018, for instance, the country’s hog production was 2.3 million metric tons (MT) followed by chicken at 1.8 million MT. 

Roughly 70% of hogs in the Philippines come from backyard or small producers, and 30% come from commercial farms. 

Pigs are sold in markets as live animal or as pork. Pork is processed into food such as ham, bacon, and sausages. 

The biggest hog producers are Western Visayas (11.8%), Davao Region (10%), Zamboanga Peninsula (9.7%), and Bicol Region (9.5%). These five regions account for 55.8% of production of backyard/small producers.

Commercial hog producers are concentrated in the CALABARZON or Southern Tagalog Region, led by Batangas province. 

The Philippines’ average annual inventory of hogs is 12 million heads. However, due mainly to the ASF, total swine inventory was down to 9.86 million heads in September 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 

Diversity and foreign influence

The more than 300 dishes prepared in the National Hog Festival 2024 represent the diversity of Philippine pork cuisine since most of the dishes were local. 

Among these are pork sisig, menudo, pochero, pork binagoongan, lechon, pork laing, embotido, pork adobo, pork sinigang, pork kinilaw, bagnet, lechon paksiw, dinuguan, pork tocino, pork morcon, pork dinuguna, pork menudo, pork afritada, picadillo, chicharon, and longganisa. 

Among the Chinese pork dishes were siomai, sweet and sour pork, char siew, and dumpling. 

Other Asian pork dishes presented were Indonesian Pork Satay, Vietnamese Pork Chop, Thai-style Grilled Pork, and Japan’s Tonkatsu. There were also German pork dishes. 

Among the companies, restaurants, and schools that joined the Guinness World Record attempt were: Tunglok Seafood, Chef Laudico Guevarra’s, Mesa, Tim Ho Wan, Pound x Flatterie, Hawker Chan, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Little Chinatown, Perpetual Help College Manila, Robina Farms, Universal Robina, Del Monte, and Cargill Philippines. 

A total of 341 dishes were displayed during the Guinness World Record attempt, 28 were disqualified. The total number of pork dishes that made it to the final list is 313.

Rappler obtained a partial list of the over 300 dishes. The list is still incomplete and includes 28 dishes that were disqualified since they were considered duplicates. We will update the list once we get the information. Some of these dishes contain the restaurant’s name. 

• Chopstick Siomai 
• Chopstick Lumia Shanghai 
• Sweet and Sour Pork 
• Braised Pork Belly in Sweet Soy Glaze, Burnt Leeks with Vikings Blend Coffee BBQ sauce
• Pan de Porchetta

• Sesame-Crusted Pork Chashu
• Japanese-Style Pork Belly Stew
• Sweet and Savory Skinless Pork Longganisa
• Filipino-style Pork Barbecue Skewers
• Pork Blood Stew with Ilonggo Sinamak (spiced vinegar)

• Glazed Spareribs with Atchara
• Minced Pork Sisig
• Mom’s Menudo
• Binuo
• Adobalut 

• Pork Barbecue (by Ericue BBQ)
• Sisig (by Ericue BBQ)
• Isaw (by Ericue BBQ)
• Grilled Adobo Tenga (by Ericue BBQ)

• Adobo sa Tanglad 
• Pochero 
• Pork Hamonado 
• Sous Vide Pork Ribs with Tamarind Jelly
• Pork Kulma 

• Crispy Binagoongan with Pineapple
• Adobo with Piña
• Slow-cooked Paksiw na Pata
• Pork Rolls in Pineapple Sauce
• Holiday Spare Ribs Caldereta

• Lasa Special Lechon Belly 
• Spicy Lechon Belly 
• Lola’s Pork Laing
  
• Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce (by Tim Howan)
• Char Siew (by Hawker Chan)
• Pork Cultlet Sliders (by Pound Flatterie)
• Crispy Pork Belly with Buro (by Mesa)

• Schweinhaxn (German Pork Knuckle)
• Ripperl (German Spareribs)
• Kasekrainer (Austrian Sausage) 

• Patatim 
• Roasted Pork Mammary Gland
• Pata con Bitwelas 
• Igado

• Pork Sisig (by Rapsarap)
• Sisig Empanda (by Rapsarap)
• Cheese Embutido (by Rapsarap)
• Embutido Sandwich (by Rapsarap)
• Dinuguan at Puto (by Rapsarap) 

• Toasted Alamang Pork Binagoongan
• Sisig with Gata and Aligue
• Ham Hock Broth Pork Sinigang
• Pork Adobo De Tablea
• Hamon de Pandan

• Pork Cordon Bleu 
• Pork Salisbury Steak 
• Vietnamese Egg Roll 
• Quezon’s Doña Aurora (egg dish) 
• Pork Humba 

• Indonesian Pabi Panggang 
• Indonesian Pork Satay
• Grilled Lucban Longganisa 
• Meatballs Marinara  
• Pork Birria (Mexican pork stew)

• Pork Pinsek (Fried Wonton) 
• Roasted Pork Tenderloin 
• Vietnamese Lemongrass Skewers (by Nem Lui)
• Vietnamese Pork Chop 
• Kinulob (Pork cooked in clay pot)

• Meatballs in Buffalo Sauce 
• Meatballs in Honey Garlic Sauce
• Meatballs in Butter Sriracha Sauce
• Meatballs in BBQ Sauce
• Meatballs in Teriyaki Sauce
• Meatballs in Honey Mustard Sauce
• Meatballs in Garlic Parmesan Sauce
• Meatballs in Balsamic Glazed sauce
• Meatballs in Cheesy Mornay Sauce
• Meatballs in Ginger Orange Sauce
• Meatballs in Honey Sriracha Sauce
• Meatballs in Sweet and Sour Sauce
• Meatballs in Lemon Pepper Sauce
• Meatballs in Sweet Thai Sauce 
• Meatballs in Fajita Sauce
• Meatballs in Cajun Sauce
• Meatballs in Spicy Peanut Sauce
• Meatballs in Ala King Sauce
• Meatballs in General Tso’s sauce 
• Meatballs in Bechamel Sauce

• Lazy Dumpling with Szechuan Vinaigrette
• Sweet and Sour Pork 
• Charsiu Pork
• Lechon Truffle
• Lechon Binagoongan Rice

• Pork Nilaga (by Hot Kitchen)
• Tokwa’t Baboy (by Hot Kitchen)
• Pork Lumpiang Shanghai (by Hot Kitchen)
• Pork Sinigang (by Hot Kitchen)
• Asadong Dila (by Hot Kitchen)
• Longganisang Kapampangan (by Hot Kitchen) 
• Pork Morcon (by Hot Kitchen)
• Chicharon Bulaklak (by Hot Kitchen)
• Kilayin (by Hot Kitchen)
• Pork Menudo (by Hot Kitchen)
• Porkchop Inasal (by Hot Kitchen)
• Hot Kitchen Pork Adobo (by Hot Kitchen)

• Pork Biñabasan
• Adobong Matanda
• Air-fried Pork Pata Lauya
• Pugon Liempo Wrap 
• Pork Buro 

• Pata Menudo 
• Piri Piri Pork Belly  
• Smoked Baby Back Ribs 
• Smoked Pork Sisig
• Pork Inasal Skewers 

• Twice-cooked Adobo and Black Beans  
• Caramelized Pork Spareribs
• Pork Kinilaw 
• Pork and Mushroom Stir Fry 
• Ground Pork Stir Fry 

• Meatballs in Mushroom Gravy 
• Skinless Pork Chorizo 
• Hawaiian Pork Kebab 
• Crispy Bagnet Binagoongan 
• Steamed Pork Belly Buns 

• Smoked Fried Pig’s Trotter 
• Pork Steak 
• Lechon Paksiw 
• Lechon Pork Belly 
• Extra Spicy Lechon Pork Belly 

• Lechon Pork Belly Sinigang 
• Spicy Stir-Fried Pork (Dwaejigogi-Bokkeum)
• Sticky Chinese Pork 
• Moo Ping (Thai-Style Grilled Pork Skewers)
• Pork Belly Adobo in Orange and Tablea

• Karimbuaya-stuffed Japanese-style Char Siu
• Chinese-style Braised Pork Trotters
• Pork Rib Sinigang sa Ube
• Tonkatsu
• Buta Kakuni (Japanese Braised Pork Belly) 

• Buta Shogayaki (Japanese Ginger Pork)
• Pork Asado Taco
• KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, Langka) 
• Dinuguan ni Lola Chit
• Lauya de Palanyag (Pork Stew) 

• Chinese Ham Siomai 
• Sweet Chili Corned Tocino   
• Tocino Embutido 
• Hamonadong Lechon Paksiw 
• Ginataang Lechon Paksiw 

• Lechon Paksiw with Bean Curd 
• Nilasing Na Lechon Paksiw 
• Lechon Paksiw with Salted Egg  
• Dinuguan Pizza
• Tocino Veggie Balls 

• Pancit Batil Dinuguan
• Chinese Ham Canape 
• Tocino Kariman
• Tocino Aglio Olio 
• Tocino Chayote Fritters

• Gatang Kalabasa Express
• Spicy Sitaw Express
• Ensaladang Talong Bicol Express
• Tocino Sweet Chili Satay
• Tocino Sweet Chili Kebabs

• Pork Ribs Sinigang sa Pakwan 
• Demonyong Crispy Pata
• Pork Morcon
• Modern Sinugba
• Sisig ni Mely

• Pork Dinuguan (by Cabalen)
• Pork Torta Kapampangan
• Pritchon Paksiw
• Pritchon
• Pork Steak Tagalog

• Thai-Curried Crispy Pork
• Moo Palo (Thai Pork Belly Stew with Eggs)
• Pad Kee Mao (Thai Drunken Noodles)
• Pork Satay
• Stir-fried Grilled Pork with Shrimp Paste

• Pork Sisig in Soft Taco
• Roast Pork in Truffle Mushroom Sauce
• Braised Pork Chorizo in Garlic Paprika Sauce
• Estofadong Pata
• Manila Ribs

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• Sisig Melt by (by Mouse Hole)
• Bacon Steak (by Mouse Hole)

• Waknatoy 
• Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce 
• Red Braised Pork Belly (‘HONG SHAO ROU’)
• Pork and Pepper Stir-fry (‘LAJIAO XIAOCHAO ROU’) 

• Everlasting (by Nanay Oning’s)
• Waknatoy (by Nanay Oning’s)
• Hamonado (by Nanay Oning’s)

• Kaldegado
• Fried Pork Belly with Plum sauce
• Coffee Pork Ribs
• Char siu

• Sweet and Sour Pork (by Little Chinatown)
• Braised Pork (by Little Chinatown)
• Pork Fried Wanton (by Little Chinatown)
• Braised Pork Knuckles (by Little Chinatown)
• Pork Patatim (by Little Chinatown)
• Pata Sibut Soup (by Little Chinatown)
• Pork Mushroom Soup (by Little Chinatown)
• Pork Tausi (by Little Chinatown)

• Spicy Sisig Baskets topped with Aioli
• Bacon Bagnet with Lechon Sauce
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin Inasal
• Lucban Hardinera (meatloaf)
• Tortang Giniling na Baboy

• Crispy Bagbagis (Crispy Deep-Fried Pork Intestine)
• Kanto-style Bopis
• Kanto-style Litid
• Manila’s Salmuera
• Pork Mechado

• Inihaw na Liempo
• Ilonggo Pork Pancit Molo
• Almondigas Agre Dulce
• Ginataang Baboy, Sitaw at Kalabasa
• Pork Afritada

• Pandacan’s Guiso
• La Union’s Adobong May Kape
• Ginataang Baboy at Langka
• Quezon’s Kilawing Baboy na may Atay
• Pork Tocino

• Kapampangan Asadung Matua 
• Kapampangan Quilain
• Quezon Sinantomas
• Ilocano Bagnet
• Pinatisang Pata ng Baboy

• Breaded Pork Chop with Mang Tomas Sauce
• Kapampangan Bulanglang
• Naga’s Kinalas
• Kapampangan Tidtad
• Kapampangan Ligang Babi Ating Bule

• Catbalogan’s Bola Catalana
• Picadillo
• Kapampangan Pistu
• Batangas Adobo sa Pula
• Rizal’s Ginisang Baboy, Ampalaya at Peanut Butter

• Crispy Pork Adobo Floss
• Hamon Bulakenya
• Marikina’s Waknatoy
• Marikina’s Everlasting Meatloaf
• Pininyahang Baboy

• Ilocano Dinakdakan
• Ilocano Insarabasab
• Ilocano Pinablad a Pusi
• Chicharon
• Pinoy-Style Chili con Carne

• Pinoy Pork Nacho Dip
• Pork Cheese Melt
• Almondigas con Champignon
• Angeleño Torta
• Ginisang Baboy at Sitaw

• Pininyahang Giniling
• Putong Babi
• Fiesta Giniling
• Nanay Josephine’s Pork Adobado
• Slow-roasted Pork Belly with Fennel

• Ground Pork with Basil
• Teriyaki Chops
• Pork Tocino
• Pork Tapa
• Ilocos Longganisa

• Chunky Pork Sisig
• Pampanga Longganisa
• Bagnet Kare-Kare
• Bicol Express
• Bistek Tagalog

• Bopis
• Crispy Pata
• Lemongrass Pork Chop
• Pork Bulgogi
• Pork Asado

• Adobong Bicol
• Grilled Pork Adobo with Beef Pares
• Grilled Pork Adobo
• Roasted Pork Mammary Gland with Liver Sauce
• Honey Glaze Pork Belly

• Tocino Creamy Mushroom Sauce
• Tocino Con Ampalaya 
• Tocino Salpicao 
• Pinyahang Tocino 
• Pork Dinakdakan ala Pobre  

• Callos
• Chicharon Bulaklak
• Salt and Pepper Pork
• Humbang Bisaya, a Twice-Cooked Pineapple and Mango Pork Stew
• Slow-Roasted Crispy Pork Belly Roll with Carmelized Four Seasons Sauce 

• Porchetta (Pork Roast) 
• Pernil (Puerto Rican pork dish) 
• Carnitas (Mexican Slow-cooked Pulled Pork) 
• Sinigang na Lecon
• Roast Pork with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
• Pata Macao with Bok Choy 

– Rappler.com

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