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Filipino Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Filipino Times
Business groups warn P200 wage hike may hurt MSMEs, push layoffs
Business leaders and industry groups are urging lawmakers to reassess the proposed P200 daily wage increase approved by the House of Representatives, warning of dire consequences for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as the broader economy. In a statement released Sunday, the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said it supports measures to improve the welfare of minimum-wage earners, but cautioned that a legislated P200 increase could do more harm than good. 'We call on the bicameral conference committee to conduct further consultations with all affected sectors, like employers, employees, consumers, and government agencies before reaching a decision,' MAP said. The group emphasized the importance of considering inflation and business sustainability in policymaking, especially as many MSMEs are still struggling to recover from recent economic disruptions. 'Our basic problem is not low wages, but high costs. We urge the government to focus on reducing food, power, transportation, and housing costs to make our country more competitive,' it added. The MAP also called on employers to share the burden, urging businesses to help workers by covering mandatory contributions and sharing at least 20% of their net income before tax. The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) echoed the concerns, warning that a mandated P200 daily wage hike could trigger layoffs, particularly in the MSME segment that comprises around 70% of retail employment. 'This will cause layoffs in the retail sector,' said PRA president Roberto Claudio, noting that salary distortions across company hierarchies could force businesses to increase pay beyond minimum-wage levels. The group reiterated its support for the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (PCCI) position to leave wage adjustments to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, which are mandated to assess economic conditions across regions. The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) also raised concerns over a one-size-fits-all approach to wage increases. 'We respectfully urge policymakers to consider a more balanced, consultative, and region-sensitive approach in determining wage adjustments,' said FFCCCII president Victor Lim. Last week, the House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 11376 on third and final reading, with 171 affirmative votes and only one dissenting. The bill mandates a P200 daily increase for all minimum wage workers in the private sector, regardless of employment status or industry. The bill also retains the authority of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards to implement additional increases as needed, under the existing Wage Rationalization Act. The Senate is expected to deliberate on the measure soon, with growing calls from the business community for a more deliberative and regionally responsive process.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chicago Sun-Times features non-existent books, people: How it happened
CHICAGO (WGN) — Chicago Public Media on Tuesday was quick to distance itself from content generated by Artificial Intelligence that cited books and experts who don't exist that made it into Sunday's edition of the Chicago Sun-Times. The AI hallucinations were included in a 60-page 'Best of Summer' guide that featured a summer reading list, summer food trends and a section on 'America's growing hammock culture.' 'This is licensed content that was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom, but it is unacceptable for any content we provide to our readers to be inaccurate,' spokesman Victor Lim told WGN via email. 'We value our readers' trust in our reporting and take this very seriously.' Speaking to 404 Media, Lim said the content was licensed from a company called King Features Syndicate, a subsidiary of Hearst Magazines. In a public statement, the Chicago Sun-Times said its partner confirmed 'a freelancer used an AI agent to write the article.' 'It is unacceptable that this content was inaccurate, and it is equally unacceptable that we did not make it clear to readers that the section was produced outside the Sun-Times newsroom,' the statement said, in part. Chicago Public Media owns the Sun-Times and local NPR station WBEZ. The content also reportedly appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Among the authors mentioned in the summer reading list is Chilean-American writer Isabel Allende. The guide suggests reading Tidewater Dreams, 'Allende's first climate fiction novel.' The book doesn't exist. Nor does 'Nightshade Market' by real author Min Jin Lee. An analysis by the technology website Gizmodo indicates that of the 15 works mentioned, all but five are fake. Readers looking to get a feel of 'what's hot on plates this season' were informed of social media's role in food trends, but the feature includes a quote from Dr. Catherine Furst, purportedly a food anthropologist. WGN and journalists at other organizations can find no confirmation she is a real person. Author Marco Buscaglia's byline appears on a feature story about hammock culture in America, but it appears to quote people and other publications that cannot be verified. Mentioned is Dr. Jennifer Campos, billed as a professor of leisure studies at the University of Colorado. She does not appear to be real. Author Brianna Madia is real, but a quote she purportedly gave to Outdoor Magazine two years ago appears to be made up. A review of Outdoor's archives turns up no content of Madia speaking about hammocks. WGN has reached out to Madia for confirmation. WGN has also tried to contact Buscaglia, whose name appears on some but not all of the features in the guide. The request has so far gone unanswered. The Chicago Sun-Times Guild, the union that covers the organization's journalists, said in a statement that it was 'deeply disturbed' by the inclusion of syndicated section that was 'produced externally without the knowledge of the members of our newsroom.' 'We take great pride in the union-produced journalism that goes into the respected pages of our newspaper and on our website. We're deeply disturbed that AI-generated content was printed alongside our work. The fact that it was sixty-plus pages of this 'content' is very concerning — primarily for our relationship with our audience but also for our union's jurisdiction,' the guild's statement said. 'Our members go to great lengths to build trust with our sources and communities and are horrified by this slop syndication. Our readers signed up for work that has been vigorously reported and fact-checked, and we hate the idea that our own paper could spread computer- or third-party-generated misinformation. We call on Chicago Public Media management to do everything it can to prevent repeating this disaster in the future.' 'We are committed to making sure this never happens again.' In its statement, the Sun-Times listed five actions it was immediately taken. In addition to not charging subscribers for Sunday's edition, the organization said it was removing the section from the e-paper version of Sunday's edition. The Sun-Times said it was updating policies to ensure third-party content meets the same editorial standards as in-house produced content. In the future, the Sun-Times said it will be more transparent and 'explicitly identify' third-party licensed editorial content. Finally, the organization said it was reviewing its relationship with its partner. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Straits Times
Forum: Digital records of past passport numbers can be retrieved on MyICA portal
Forum: Digital records of past passport numbers can be retrieved on MyICA portal We refer to Mr Victor Lim's letter 'Include all previous passport numbers in new passports' (May 6). In 2006, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) introduced the biometric passport with enhanced security features to comply with the standards and recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). This ensures that the Singapore passport remains a highly secured travel document which gives Singaporeans access to many countries without the need for a visa. In line with the ICAO's recommendation, every passport should carry a passport number that is unique and unrepeated. This is important for agencies to share information on lost and stolen Singaporean passports as part of the global effort to curb passport abuse. For Singaporeans who want their previous passport number to be indicated in their new passport, ICA can include the number in the current passport. Such requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Alternatively, Singaporeans who need their previous passport numbers for verification purposes overseas can access digital records of their previous passport numbers via the MyICA portal on the ICA website, under the 'MyTransaction' tab. The list can be downloaded and printed for reference. Mr Lim also encountered difficulties overseas while using his Apec Business Travel Card (ABTC), which still bears his old passport number. As each ABTC is tagged to a unique passport number, card holders must renew their ABTC if they have been issued a new passport. This can be done via the MyICA portal under the category 'replacement due to change of particulars'. Patrick Ong Senior Assistant Director, Strategic Communications and Media Relations Corporate Communications and Service Division Immigration and Checkpoints Authority More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
05-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Forum: Include all previous passport numbers in new passports
I wish to highlight an issue that many Singaporeans, especially frequent travellers and business people, face when travelling to Asean countries after renewing our passports. A new passport number is assigned each time a passport is changed or renewed. In many parts of South-east Asia, older passport numbers are still referenced, especially in dealings with banks, government offices and legal entities – for example, in bank accounts, vehicle registrations, company resolutions and legal contracts. This has caused considerable inconvenience when the new passport number does not match the number in the old government and legal documents. Recently, when I flew into Penang and produced my Apec Business Travel Card with an old passport number, the immigration officer told me that the card could not be used as the passport number on the card did not match my new passport number. Fortunately, my last previous passport number was included in my new passport, which helped me resolve the issue at the checkpoint. However, I've been told by the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) that it can include only the last previous passport number and not more. I once encountered a delay in selling my Malaysian vehicle because the ownership records referenced a much older passport number. I had to search through years of old passports just to prove my identity. To avoid such disruptions, I hope ICA can consider either including all previously issued passport numbers in the new passport, or issuing an official certification or document listing our full passport history. This would greatly help those of us conducting business overseas, especially in jurisdictions where identity card numbers are not accepted, and passport numbers are the primary form of identification. Many fellow businessmen share this concern, as we often have to update company resolutions or amend legal agreements because our identification number – the passport number – keeps changing. Victor Lim More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
