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(BusinessWorld) THE Philippines registered the highest levels of stress regarding individual finances in the Asia Pacific, according to a survey commissioned by banking software solutions company Backbase.

In its “State of Banking and Financial Wellness in Asia Pacific” study released Wednesday, managing debt was reported to be a challenge for 70% of Philippine respondents, well above the average for nine economies of 49%.

“Compared with the rest of APAC consumers, Filipinos are the most stressed about their current financial situation. They also feel more anxious and uncertain. One source of this anxiety is debt,” according to the study.

The survey indicated that 51% of Filipino respondents were “stressed” about their current financial situation, while only 39% and 46% gave as their answers “comfortable” and “informed,” respectively.

“Surveyed consumers from countries with lower levels of financial literacy report feeling stressed and overwhelmed by their financial

situation. The research also reveals that consumers over the age of 50 are more anxious, uncertain, and pessimistic about their financial situation compared with other age groups,” it said.

Other top concerns for Filipinos concern building up savings, with 58% of those surveyed reporting struggles, while 52% expressed worries about planning for retirement.

The study found dissatisfaction with banks in terms of providing financial management tools, encouraging better financial habits, and identifying risk.

“While Filipino banks are focusing their efforts on providing financial literacy tools, less than 50% of Filipino banks are focusing on the other two needs. Banks that simplify financial wellness and provide personalized solutions will help to address debt and, in the long run, build customer loyalty,” it said.

The study found that 70% of Philippine banks reported difficulties in keeping up with customer expectations while sustaining their profitability and relevance, significantly higher than the regional average of just 63%.

“Another major challenge is increased competition and disruption from new industry entrants. In order to stay ahead, Filipino banks should follow the example of banks in other countries and learn from global experience,” it said… Read More

(GMA News) The Philippine government is set to start the vaccination of the general public by next month, with the expected arrival of over 61 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

In a taped briefing aired Saturday morning, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. told President Rodrigo Duterte that the arrival of over “61 million doses of vaccine [will be in] September and October” this year.

Likewise, Galvez said there are 12 million doses of Sinovac vaccine arriving this month and and another 10 million doses are coning in October… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — The country once again logged a new record for the highest number of new COVID-19 cases it recorded in a day with 26,303 more infections tallied on Saturday, the Department of Health reported.

The DOH case bulletin counted a total of 2,206,021 cases in the country with 8.4% or 185,706 active cases or people currently battling the disease. At least 85.3% of the active cases showed mild symptoms, 10.2% are asymptomatic, 2.56% are in moderate condition, 1.3% are in severe condition and 0.6% are in critical condition.

The death toll climbed to 34,978 – which is 1.59% of the number of cases – with 79 new fatalities. Meanwhile, 16,013 others recovered, lifting the survivor tally to 1,985,337 or 90% of the COVID-19 count.

The DOH said it reclassified 32 survivors into deaths after validation and deleted 52 duplicate cases, including 45 recoveries.

The total excludes data from two laboratories that failed to submit their reports on time, the department added. These laboratories contributed an average of 0.8% of tested samples and 1.1% of positive individuals in the last 14 days.

The positivity rate – or percentage of tested people with positive results – dropped from 28.8% based on tests on September 8 to 27.6% based on 75,688 tests reported on September 9. The rate has been higher than 27% since September 1.

According to US nonprofit Covid Act Now – which OCTA researchers use for reference – the positivity rate is at critical level if it is above 20%, meaning more coronavirus tests should be conducted. The standard positivity rate is below 3% to show there is sufficient testing… Read More

(Daily Mail) US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez has revealed she was told by a school teacher to give up on tennis because she would never make it to the top of the game.

The Canadian, who turned 19 on Monday, stunned world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka in a dramatic three-set semi-final at Flushing Meadows on Thursday night.

Fernandez will now face Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the first US Open final to feature two teenagers since 17-year-old Serena Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis in 1999 – before this year’s finalists were born.

Dropped from Tennis Quebec’s development programme when she was seven, Fernandez will now have the last laugh as she battles Raducanu for a winner’s purse of £1.8million.

And she revealed after her victory over Sabalenka on Arthur Ashe Stadium that she was urged to abandon her tennis dreams as a youngster but uses those doubts as motivation on the court now.

‘A lot of people doubted me, my family and my dreams,’ said Fernandez after knocking out second seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6, 4-6 6-4.

‘They kept saying “No”, that I’m not going to be a professional tennis player, that I should stop and just pursue going to school.

‘I remember one teacher, which was actually very funny – at the time it wasn’t, but now I’m laughing.

‘She told me to stop playing tennis, you will never make it, and just focus on school.

‘I’m glad she told me that because every day I have that phrase in my head saying: “I’m going to keep going, push through, prove to her everything I’ve dreamed of I’m going to achieve.”‘… Read More

(SPIN.ph) RAIN or Shine continues to keep its faith on veteran but injury-plagued James Yap, who the team still sees to be playing a big part in its playoffs bid moving forward in the PBA Philippine Cup.

Coach Chris Gavina slowly but surely integrated back the 39-year-old Yap in the Elasto Painters’ active roster at the restart of the season, and the two-time MVP has so far responded well to the call.

James Yap puts up season-high
On Friday, Yap had his most productive output of the season, scoring 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field as he helped the Elasto Painters beat his former team Magnolia Hotshots, 75-72, at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — President Rodrigo Duterte has extended for another year the country’s state of calamity status due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Proclamation No. 1218 — signed by Duterte on Friday — the national state of calamity will be extended until September 12, 2022, “unless earlier lifted or extended as circumstances may warrant.”

The document cited the continuous spike in coronavirus cases in the Philippines, which has now logged over two million infections.

“All government agencies and LGUs (local government units) are enjoined to continue rendering full assistance to and cooperation with each other and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate disaster response aid and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate the threat of COVID-19,” the proclamation further read.

Duterte first declared a national state of calamity on March 16, 2020… Read More

(GMA News) The country’s major telecommunications firms on Tuesday said they are preparing to provide assistance to areas that may be affected by Severe Tropical Storm Jolina.

Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. said it will deploy free calls, charging, and wifi services in Samar September 7 to 8, at 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The two stations are located in the Borongan Plaza in Baybay 3, Borongan City, Eastern Samar, and in front of the Municipal Building of Sta. Margarita in Western Samar.

“Globe assures the public that it is ready to assist as necessary to ensure continuous communications services,” it said in an emailed advisory.

“The company’s technical and support personnel are on standby. It also has generators for facilities in case of power supply interruption,” it added.

For its part, Pangilinan-led PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. are mobilizing personnel, equipment, and relief aid.

The group is also ready to deploy free calls, charging, and wifi stations to residents who will be affected by the storm.

“Quick response teams and mission-critical equipment have been prepositioned in provinces that are in the typhoon’s path, ready to repair communications that will be affected by ‘Jolina’,” the group said in a separate advisory.

“PLDT and Smart continue to engage local government units on how they can assist communities that are under threat by the typhoon,” the advisory read.

Jolina first made landfall in the vicinity of Hernani, Eastern Samar on Monday evening. A tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) 2 has been raised over the northern portion of Eastern Samar.

Shares in Globe closed Tuesday up by P90.00 or 3.33% to P2,790 apiece, while those in PLDT gained P10.00 or 0.68% to P1,472.00 apiece… Read More

(GMA News) More than half of Quezon City’s target population already received complete doses of COVID-19 vaccines since the city launched its immunization program in March.

On Facebook, the city government’s data on Tuesday showed that it administered 2,626,579 doses of various vaccines in its locality.

Of the number, 1,728,673 or 101.69% of the 1.7 adult population in Quezon City got their first dose while 897,906 or 55.90% received their second dose.

Overall, the city fully vaccinated 991,636 or 58.33% of its adult population. This number includes those who were injected with the single-shot Janssen vaccine.

“Malaking bagay ito lalo na ngayong may Delta variant. (This is a big help especially with the threat of the Delta variant.),” the city government said.

The Quezon City government, likewise, encouraged the public to secure reservations in the vaccine rollout by online registration at https://qceservices.quezoncity.gov.ph/qcvaxeasy.

Currently, Quezon City, the most populous area in Metro Manila, is vaccinating those aged 18 years old and above.

The Department of Health has yet to recommend the inoculation of children but it so far approved Moderna and Pfizer’s request to inoculate children using the manufacturers’ COVID-19 vaccines.

To date, over 15 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated, which is still not enough as the country seeks to inoculate 70% of its population. With the Delta coronavirus variant, however, the national government is mulling to raise its inoculation target to 80%… Read More