Shifts in consumer priorities amid the pandemic

IN a quick span of time, the pandemic has created a new consumer paradigm. According to Matt O'Grady of Nielsen Media, offering the content and means to assist the changing wishes of consumers has come to be crucial greater than ever. The manner groups have interaction with clients at some stage in this time might also have a long-term impact on how they're perceived.


Michael Fertik of Small Business Strategy stated that this additionally affords possibilities to deliver great customer support and stories, and show a brand's commitment in imparting answers. With those shifts taking place within the beyond months, what were the changes in consumer priorities that must be taken into consideration transferring forward?

According to Euromonitor, clients are anticipated to re-examine their priorities, and come up with new purchaser values and spending habits. They are predicted to reduce their spending, be more willing to shop on line than in-shop, and prioritize products that improve their lives at home and promote health and wellbeing. Consumer values also are observed to shift in having increased cognizance on own family and network, seeking authenticity at home reports that can't necessarily be bought by means of cash, accelerated interest towards health and wellbeing, maintain efforts on finding virtual answers and provide extra significance to affordability and fee for cash ― all of which are visible via Euromonitor as first-rate global factors that might final lengthy-term.

However, spending selections amongst customers is not anticipated to be the same for all and sundry as referred to by way of Nielsen's determined behavioral shifts in August 2020. There are consumers whose source of earning were negatively suffering from the pandemic, which grew to become them into "restricted consumers" who spend for number one needs. Meanwhile, there are "insulated customers" who can also adapt to their local conditions, although their supply of earnings turned into no longer disrupted via the pandemic. Nevertheless, Nielsen reviews that those modifications nevertheless provide possibilities for businesses to convert their tactics and offer more value for cash and efficiency, and perceive in which their groups high-quality aid these changing need.
Additionally, Nielsen emphasised the significance of reconsidering the rationale reset amongst consumers, mainly for groups who're searching for new ways to put their services and products presently. As customers re-compare the manner they store and what they purchase, it's far imperative to recognize the client panorama and feature an in-intensity understanding of what definitely subjects to them as a way to live relevant within the consumers' lives. Ultimately, know-how where the customers stand can also result in efficaciously resolving their pain factors, and convey them even more vast and significant customer reviews.

The police are massively losing in the courts

Police block marches, lock people in cauldrons and hand out mandates, claiming that spontaneous gatherings during the epidemic are illegal. This is not true. The courts do not leave a dry thread on police applications for punishment. Here are the justifications of the courts-strong
Since mid-November, the police have consistently used tactics to defeat women's strikes. It establishes the cordons on the route of the March by blocking streets. He locks people in cauldrons. He's trying to find as many people as possible. Prescribes penalties sends to the courts and epidemiological service of the petition for punishment.

Their actions are officially confirmed by the belief that law and justice forbid spontaneous gatherings during the epidemic threat. Such messages, however, are transmitted by the police through megaphones.In connection with these events,the situation with working capacity has also worsened.Many people are interested in online platforms,but most are used to physical work and do not want to delve into the details,although  deltamarket.net  have available and understandable information.

A few weeks ago, citizens of the Republic of Poland began issuing their counter-commissions during the demonstration, saying that "this meeting is legal" and the police have no right to issue mandates to participants.
General rules for restricting the rights to gatherings
peaceful assemblies perform an extremely important function in a democratic state, which does not mean that the right to organize and participate in them cannot be restricted. however, the legislator must adhere to certain rules.

Preferably:

In accordance with article 57 of the Constitution, the right to assembly may be restricted only by law;
restrictions must meet the conditions set forth in article 31, paragraph 3, of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, i.e. they can only be set by law and only when they are necessary in a democratic state for its security or public order
or for the protection of the environment, health and public morality or freedoms and rights of others; these limitations cannot violate the essence of freedoms and rights.
The Constitution also regulates in which extraordinary States the various rights and freedoms protected by the Constitution may be restricted. It defines negative and positive.

In the event of a natural disaster, he lists a number of freedoms that may be restricted, but among them there is no freedom of assembly. That is, even if you enter this state, you cannot enter such restrictions.

In the case of a state of emergency or martial law, the Constitution lists which freedoms may not be restricted. Among them, there is no freedom of assembly, which means that it can be restricted. And this possibility is provided for in the laws on martial law and the state of emergency.
The doctrine explicitly states that restrictions on freedom of assembly should be considered "as an absolute exception". in this context, restrictions on freedom of assembly, in particular, which lead to the freezing of public debate and forced silence on undisclosed phenomena, cannot be considered necessary.

Moreover, according to the european court of human rights, states should not only refrain from excessive interference with the freedom of assembly, but also impose on them a positive duty to ensure the effective use of this freedom.”

How does PiS impose restrictions?

Law and Justice has not yet introduced any of the emergency states. Neither a state of natural disaster, which is most appropriate to the actual state, nor a state of emergency, the introduction of which would allow the introduction of restrictions.

Instead of a state of emergency, the PiS created an unknown Polish Constitution "epidemic state" based on the provisions of the law on the prevention and control of infections and infectious diseases in humans. Article 46 of paragraph 4. as well as 46b of the law say that in the event of an epidemic threat, the authorities can impose a ban on holding spectacles and other public gatherings.

Nickel Asia suspends Surigao operations after coronavirus cases found

Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC) reported on Wednesday that its subsidiary Hinatuan Mining Corp. (HMC) suspended operations at its mine site in Tagana-an town, Surigao del Norte province starting October 27 after some employees tested positive for the coronavirus. In a disclosure, the listed nickel miner said the suspension would last until November 10 so it could implement coronavirus precautionary measures to minimize the transmission of the virus. "The potential impact [of the suspension on] NAC's financial results…is not expected to be significant, because HMC is already at the tail-end of its mining season and the last of its ore shipments have been loaded and the rest diverted to NAC's other subsidiaries, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corp. and Cagdianao Mining Corp." Nickel Asia said. Hinatuan Mining, it added, continues to implement the necessary measures to contain the transmission of Covid-19 in coordination with relevant local government units and agencies. Nickel Asia shares added 4 centavos or 1.06 percent or 4 centavos to close at P3.81 apiece on Wednesday.

Some encouraging news came from the Department of Transportation (DoTr) on Monday, when it reported that 124,443 jeepney drivers and operators have joined accredited transportation cooperatives for the consolidation of franchises as part of the government's Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). Although the figure represents less than half the estimated 270,000 jeepneys in the country, of which about 74,000 are in Metro Manila, it is nonetheless a firm rejection of militant efforts to thwart the government's efforts to upgrade the public transportation network.

The idea behind consolidating single operators into transport cooperatives is to pool the actual vehicles and their respective routes into practical units for financing upgrades of the jeepneys from the polluting, death-trap eyesores most of them are into modernized versions; and for rationalizing route franchises, removing duplicates, adjusting some routes and adjusting the numbers of vehicles plying routes to make them both financially viable for owner-operators and adequately meeting passenger demand.

To purchase the upgraded vehicles, members of the transport cooperatives, or the cooperatives themselves, can access government loans through Land Bank of the Philippines or the Development Bank of the Philippines. The arrangement at least partly solves one of the biggest complaints of the resisters to the modernization program that the cost of the upgraded jeepneys is too high for owner-operators to bear; the cooperatives can arrange the financing and then provide the vehicles to the owners on terms that may be easier to manage.

According to the DoTr, 1,316 cooperatives have been accredited since the program began in 2017. The economic stress of the coronavirus pandemic has apparently accelerated the uptake of the program: 84 new cooperatives, each with a minimum of 15 members, have been formed since July. In spite of activists noisily championing their "livelihoods," many drivers and operators seem to have concluded that getting on board with the modernization program offers better prospects than standing on Katipunan Avenue all day with a cardboard sign asking for handouts.

Although the advantages far outweigh the drawbacks, jeepney owners are not strictly required to join a cooperative or an "accredited consolidated franchise holder," as it's described by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). So long as the independent owner's vehicle passes the computerized Motor Vehicle Inspection Station test for roadworthiness, the LTFRB may issue it a renewable probationary authority, valid for one year, to continue operating.

An example to follow
The PUVMP is, by no means, perfect in execution — for one thing, the process of accrediting a transport cooperative is extremely tedious — but as a concept it is exactly the sort of thing the country should be doing with the "working poor" in several key sectors of the economy. In almost any kind of economic endeavor, efficiency and profitability are functions of scale. There is a hard limit on how much revenue can be generated by a unit of something, whether that is a passenger fare, or a kilogram of rice or fish or coconuts. An individual driver in one jeep or a farmer scratching a crop out of half a hectare of land probably doesn't have the access to resources to build scale on his own, but he can get the same effect by pooling what resources he does have and his output with others.

Advocates for livelihoods, however, have resisted this for the most irrational of reasons: it
is too expensive for the poor driver/farmer/fisherman to upgrade, so his economically unviable and undeveloped small state must be supported. Consolidation into transport or agricultural cooperatives solves the "cost" problem, yet the model is still bitterly contested, for no other apparent reason than a vacuous notion of autonomy — pitching in one's lot with others implies surrender of one's heroic independence. That, of course, is stupid; the fundamental assets of the poor driver or farmer do not leave his hands, but are simply deployed in a more structured and more efficient way.

By constantly barking about livelihoods and resisting any initiative to modernize, the activists who believe they are doing the downtrodden a favor are simply working to keep them in a depressed state. On a larger scale, they are preventing the country's collective assets from being used to their full potential.

Certainly, no one should be exploited or lose their right to make their own choices by any drive for "modernization," and it is the government's duty to ensure that does not happen and that such initiatives are clearly beneficial to their stakeholders. By resisting modernization, however, the defense of livelihoods simply prevents those it presumes to protect from choosing not to be impoverished.

UnionBank earnings slipped to P8.5B in first 9 months

Listed Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) saw its net income dip to P8.5 billion in the first nine months of the year on larger loan loss provisions.

In an October 23 statement that was released on Wednesday, the Aboitiz-led lender said the amount was 0.9-percent lower than the year-earlier figure.

For the third quarter alone, UnionBank's net profit was P4.2 billion, an 11-percent expansion from the year-ago amount.

The bank said the nine-month figure "already includes the extraordinarily high provision for loan losses, which could result from the Covid (coronavirus disease) crisis, that it set aside earlier this year."

Revenues in January to September grew by 33 percent year-on-year to P31.8 billion as net interest income improved by 36 percent to P21.4 billion "from the continued growth of earning assets and higher margins compared to the same period last year," it added.

Non-interest income increased by 26 percent to P10.4 billion, which UnionBank traced to higher trading gains.

Total deposits jumped 29 percent year-on-year to P539.9 billion.

Net interest margin for the first three quarters picked up by 92 basis points to 4.6 percent, which the lender attributed to the 33-percent year-on-year increase in current account and savings account deposits and lower funding cost.

As of September 30, assets were at P758.0 billion, 11 percent wider than last year's amount.

Despite the current weakened state of the economy, the bank said its latest financial results proved its success in digitizing the whole organization to the core and effectively "future-proofing the business" by giving it agility and scalability in the face of major disruptions, such as the pandemic.

"We took it to heart and embarked on a mission to transform our bank to be competitive in the [Fourth] Industrial Revolution by becoming digital to the core," Edwin Bautista, UnionBank president and chief executive officer, was quoted as saying in the statement.

"We may now look like a different bank, but our purpose remains the same: to elevate lives and fulfill dreams, with the goal to co-create innovations for a better world," he added.

UnionBank shares increased by 2 centavos or 0.36 to close at P55 each on Wednesday.

Semirara Mining income tumbled 64% in Jan-Sept

Listed Semirara Mining and Power Corp. reported on Wednesday that its net income after taxes fell to P3 billion in the first nine months of 2020 on reduced coal prices and volumes.

In a disclosure, the Consunji-led integrated energy company said the amount was a 64-percent decrease from P8.2 billion in the same period a year ago.

For the third quarter alone, net income dived by 71 percent to P7.5 million from P2.58 billion last year.

Semirara Mining attributed the reduction in the July-to-September profit to the "further decline in coal export prices and lower coal volume sold."

Coal sales dropped by 30 percent to 8.4 million metric tons (MT) in January to September from 12.1 million MT, while core profits of the firm's coal segment fell by 57 percent to P3 billion year-on-year.

The effective composite average coal price also decreased by 20 percent to P1,712 per MT from P2,133/MT.

"Coal production is not significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, as it posted 10.9 million MT from 12 million MT produced during the same period last year with [a] 9-percent drop year-on-year," Semirara Mining said.

Meanwhile, subsidiary Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. saw its core profit sink by 111 percent to -P0.23 billion from P2.08 billion year-on-year.

Total energy sold decreased by 23 percent to 1,045 gigawatt hours (GWh) from 1,357 GWh in 2019.

Composite average price is at P2.79 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in 2020 from P4.15 per kWh in same period last year.

Another unit, Sem-Calaca Power Corp., saw its core income surge by 120 percent from -P0.88 billion to P0.17 billion after completing its life extension program.

Its net energy generation rose by 139 percent to 2,310 GWh from 968 GWh a year earlier.
Total energy sold reached 2,146 GWh, up 56 percent from 1,380 GWh.

Semirara Mining shares lost 92 centavos or 7.89 percent to close at P10.74 each on Wednesday.

Pro-green groups welcome moratorium on new coal plants

Two groups on Wednesday commended the government's move to no longer endorse new coal power plants, saying it would promote competition and wider renewable energy (RE) use.

In separate statements, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) and Greenpeace welcomed the Department of Energy's (DoE) moratorium on greenfield coal-fired power plants or coal facilities that are yet to be constructed, which they said would pave the way for the country's transition to RE.

"By declaring a moratorium on new coal plants, [Energy] Secretary [Alfonso] Cusi is adhering to [the] DoE's mandate to enable competition in the energy sector and provide reliable and cost effective power, while giving preference to indigenous and clean energy sources," ICSC senior policy advisor Pedro Maniego Jr. said.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare the risks of overdependence on inflexible baseload plants, mainly coal, as well as the need for the country's transition to a modern, flexible power system utilizing renewable energy with near zero marginal cost," he added.
Greenpeace Campaigner Khevin Yu called the moratorium "one small step," and said that to "ensure the country's rapid transition to renewable energy, the DoE must take this further by enacting a permanent moratorium that includes not [only] coal, but also gas projects in the pipeline, and jumpstart a phase-out plan for existing coal and other fossil fuel facilities,"

Along with the moratorium, Cusi also announced that the country now allows full foreign ownership of large-scale geothermal exploration, development and utilization projects, which Maniego supports and Yu voiced dismay over.

Meanwhile, Infrawatch PH convenor Terry Ridon said "geothermal energy cannot be considered as a mineral resource," noting that "under the 1987 Constitution, a distinction is made between minerals and forces of potential energy, which is what geothermal energy essentially is."

"As such, the government cannot enter into financial and technical assistance agreements with foreign-owned corporations for the development of large-scale geothermal projects, he added."

Finance dept to LGUs: Tap govt financing, support

Local government units (LGUs) are urged to tap the various financing and other technical support that the government has made available.

During a webinar hosted by the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF), Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd said LGUs "play a key role in revitalizing our economy that has been battered by the [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic."

"They can help pump-prime the national economy through local public investments," he added as he encouraged local governments to utilize their borrowing capacity to bolster recovery programs.

For instance, the Finance chief said, Republic Act 11494, or "Bayanihan to Recover as One Act," granted additional capital to government banks to provide wholesale financing to rural lenders and microfinance institutions so they can expand lending to small enterprises.

"In addition to these credit facilities, the LGUs can deploy innovative solutions to maximize the use of their available funds," he added.

According to Dominguez, one way is for local governments to sign an agreement with the Philippine Guarantee Corp. to secure the loans they provide. They can also team up with Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) and the Development Bank of the Philippines to extend interest subsidies for borrowers in their respective communities.

For its part, the BLFG sped up the issuance of certificates on net debt service ceiling and borrowing capacity to local governments.

Dominguez said the overall process of application, evaluation and issuance of certificates was being done electronically. The department would also continue to provide training programs that aim to raise the competencies of local government treasurers.

"At both national and local levels, we need to optimize our revenue generation powers and improve tax administration. I urge the LGUs to adopt digital technologies for a more responsive governance and efficient delivery of frontline services," he added.

Meanwhile, LandBank President and Chief Executive Officer Cecilia Borromeo said her bank had extended loans to 43 provinces, 83 cities and 513 municipalities, with outstanding loans hitting P51.3 billion as of September 30.

And DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Herbosa presented his bank's Rehabilitation Support Program on Severe Events, which extends financing for rehabilitation efforts of both public and private institutions.