Prime Sarmiento

China Daily • 6th June 2021

Philippines, Indonesia seek to shore up economies via tax reforms

Reeling from the impact of the pandemic, some Southeast Asian nations are banking on tax reforms to spur post-COVID-19 recovery and address bottlenecks that have long constrained their economic growth.

China Daily • 4th May 2021

Philippines struggles to rein in virus as health system under pressure

The country’s COVID-19 cases breached the 1 million mark on April 26 – making the Philippines the second worst-hit country in the Southeast Asian region. The huge caseload is overwhelming the public health system with the country’s hospitals overflowing with infected patients, thousands of exhausted medical staff and scarce supply of medicines and other equipment.

China Daily • 15th January 2021

ASEAN countries set to bounce back from pandemic

Southeast Asia is poised for economic recovery this year, with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and steady trade with China seen supporting growth even as the region battles the pandemic, analysts said.

China Daily Global Weekly • 6th November 2020

Lockdowns whet appetite for organic food

For the past five years, farmer Michael Christian Simon has regularly supplied organic vegetables to a steady clientele of more than 30 families in the Malaysian state of Selangor. "I started farming for my family, but I soon discovered that it's a viable and sustainable business," he said.

China Daily • 8th August 2020

Philippines pinched by squeeze on remittances

The coronavirus pandemic is putting a clamp on the flow of remittances from the Philippines' overseas workers, hurting families at home as well as government coffers.

China Daily Global • 8th January 2021

Optimism stays in frame for art scene

"The art market moves in tandem with the economy. What comes first is the foundation of Asian economic growth ... it doesn't look like it's affected too much (by the pandemic). And that's because of the strength of domestic consumption."

China Daily Global Weekly • 9th November 2020

Healthier alternatives

Lockdown measures in Southeast Asia have disrupted the supply of food from farms to cities and towns, with public transportation suspended and trading outlets shuttered. This situation has prompted urban residents to seek alternatives. One of the most popular options is to buy directly from farmers via e-commerce sites and social media. Meanwhile, others residents have started to grow their own vegetables at home.

China Daily Global • 2nd November 2020

Pandemic highlights plight of women

The plight of domestic workers reflects how the pandemic has been especially hard on women. Most of the domestic helpers are women and highly vulnerable to exploitation. But the pandemic’s harsh impact on women cuts across the social divide.

China Daily Global Weekly • 12th October 2020

Waiting to set sail

Avid travelers are a key source of hope for the global cruise industry, which has been paralyzed by the pandemic, with operators having to suspend tours. Asia is expected to remain a growth market, thanks largely to the region’s expanding middle class, which is increasingly willing to spend on travel.

China Daily Global • 9th October 2020

Operators offer touch of luxury as well-heeled clients take to the water

Luxury operators have arguably long provided packages that promote forms of social distancing - whether it is travel by private jets and yachts, staying in villas in remote destinations, or other customized services. As a result, the luxury travel industry is expected to be the first to recover from the pandemic.

China Daily Global • 5th October 2020

My home is my castle, and my workplace too

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we think about our employment.

China Daily Global Weekly • 9th August 2020

Rising to the challenge

Pandemic shows resilience of East and Southeast Asia and leaders’ decisiveness.

China Daily Global • 3rd July 2020

Technicians play crucial role in war on disease

The COVID-19 pandemic has finally given millions of healthcare workers the attention they deserve.

China Daily Global • 15th June 2020

Personal trials set aside in devotion to country

Aashreena Inderjit, 35, who says she always wanted to be a doctor, is aware of the sacrifices and hard work that come with her work in the state of Kelantan in northeastern Malaysia. Ten years after graduating from medical school she is taking care of pregnant women amid a global pandemic.

China Daily Global • 27th May 2020

Fears of 2nd wave mute Eid celebrations

The arrival of annual Eid al-Fitr after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan signaled the need for most Southeast Asian governments to impose stringent movement control measures to prevent another wave of COVID-19 infections, analysts said.

China Daily Global • 18th May 2020

Lockdowns put ASEAN's self-sufficiency in spotlight

COVID-19 has forced most Southeast Asian governments to lock down their countries to stem the rise of infections. But measures meant to ensure public health safety have also led to disruptions in food supply.

China Daily Global • 4th May 2020

SMEs in ASEAN get help in difficult times

Filipina entrepreneur Pacita Juan is relieved that she and her partners had the foresight to develop an e-commerce site for their organic-products retail chain. The founder and chairwoman of ECHOstore said the online shop keeps her business afloat at a time when the novel coronavirus outbreak has pushed the government to lock down the capital region of metropolitan Manila. But the higher online sales cannot compensate for the losses the company has incurred from the shutdown of all its physica

China Daily Global • 1st April 2020

Philippine mayors step up pandemic response in helping communities cope with lockdown

Trina Alejandra Firmalo-Fabic, a town mayor in the Philippines, was surprised when President Rodrigo Duterte announced on March 16 that he would lock down the entire island of Luzon. The one-month lockdown aims to stem the rising cases of COVID-19 infection in the Southeast Asian country.

China Daily Global • 22nd March 2020

SE Asia ramps up virus containment efforts

Southeast Asian countries are intensifying their efforts to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak, as confirmed cases surge and community transmission becomes more prevalent.

China Daily Global • 16th March 2020

HK-based MD offers classes on virus safety

The novel coronavirus outbreak has disrupted work schedules across Asia. To reduce the risk of contracting COVID-1 9, many people work from home; others have had to cut working hours as the outbreak has slowed business.