In a rare interview since returning home to Davao City after his presidency on June 30, 2022, former president Rodrigo Duterte revealed on Wednesday that he is happy seeing his children perform their duties well as public servants.
“I supposed that they are doing well. I have not read or heard anything negative, probably they are doing their duty. Maligaya
ako dahil nakikita ko yung mga anak ko na nagta-trabaho,” Duterte said in an interview after the ground breaking and time capsule
Though leprosy was eliminated by the World Health Organization in 1998. The Department of Health through its National Leprosy Control Program wants to totally eradicate local transmission by 2030.
laying ceremony of Converge ICT Solutions’ Bifrost Davao Cable Landing Station in Bago Gallera, Davao City.
The former president also touched on the delicate topic of political dynasty saying in jest that there are already many Dutertes in the government. He believes it is a good thing he is already done with his political life.
“Marami na kaming Duterte mabuti na lang wala na ako. It sometimes go to the issue of dynasty. Much as I have already avoided this thing to happen. Hindi ko kontrolado ang panahon,” he said.
Although no longer as shocking as it would have been when spoken before the election campaign last year, the former presi-
FRODY, P10The town mayor of Datu Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur was wounded in an ambush in Pasay City around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, police said.
In a report, the Police Community Precinct Sta-
tion 9 of the Manila Police District said Mayor Ohto Montawal was hit in the hip and left arm and brought to a nearby hospital.
The attack occurred along Roxas Boulevard in Barangay 4, Pasay City.
The report quoted an unnamed witness as saying that the mayor’s HiAce van with license plate NCN 7620 was heading toward Gil Puyat Avenue in Pasay City when two assailants approached it and one of them fired at the
vehicle.
The attackers immediately fled afterwards.
The League of Municipalities of the Philippines held its general assembly on Wednesday in Manila. (Ferdinandh Cabrera/ MindaNews)
“In fact na eliminate na ang leprosy in 1998 as per the World Health Organization but further studies that were conducted Nakita na even though na-eliminate na ang leprosy in 1998, there are still new cases that were seen in just 10 years from 2008 to 2018 they saw 1,500-2,000 new cases of leprosy worldwide,” says Evelyn Uy Gepito, nurse coordinator of the National Leprosy Control Program in DOH Region 11 said.
Gepito said in Davao Region in 2022 they recorded 49 leprosy cases with Davao del Sur province logging 14 leprosy cases in 2022.
“Luckily, Nakita ni siya and natambalan ( luckily they were discovered and given treatment),” Gepito said.
She said the NLCP has three targets for 2030 which they hope will fully eradicate the disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. These targets are: Zero Transmission, Zero leprosy-caused disability, and Zero discrimination and stigma.
She said leprosy or
Hansen’s disease is curable through Multi-Drug Therapy which can be availed in health centers, the leprosy treatment is free as it is provided by the WHO.
Common symptoms of leprosy include the appearance of white spots in the skin similar to “anan” (tinea versicolor). And unlike an-an these white spots have no sensation.
“Even if you slice that skin with a knife you won’t feel pain,” Gepito said.
Another symptom are large protruding veins which could also signal leprosy.
“And the third one is the presence of bacilli upon examination using slit-skin smear,” Gepito said.
A person with leprosy can infect another individual thru exposure to droplets with the bacteria.
“We cannot get infected by shaking the hands of people with leprosy, as the mode of transmission is thru droplet with bacteria that causes leprosy,” Gepito said.
She said that people can go to their doctor or to health centers where they are assessed and given medicines if they are diagnosed to have the disease. Gepito said the leprosy medicines are free and are not sold commercially. (PIA/RG Alama)
The groundbreaking ceremony for Bifrost cable landing system (CLS) of Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. held on Wednesday ushers in the looming improvement of Davao City’s internet connectivity.
To rise soon on an 8,000-sqm lot in Bago Gallera, Davao City, the 745sqm, one-storey facility is tagged the first fully owned and operated cable landing station of Converge in the Philippines.
“This is the first cable started in Indonesia, and Singapore landed in Davao and connected to Guam and California. This is the first cable in the world connected to Singapore and the US. This is the biggest US technology. Each fiber has 16 terabytes of capacity and this is a six-fiber pair. This is a brand new and state-of-the-art, purely optical network, from international, domestic to your home,” said Dennis Anthony Uy, chief executive officer and co-founder of Converge, in an interview.
The Bifrost Cable System is a new trans-Pacific
cable system connecting Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, to the West Coast of North America.
“Bifrost Cable System is going to be the first submarine cable that connects Singapore directly to the US. In the past most of the submarine cables pass through east Asia, the South China Sea, or the west Philippine Sea, going to Japan and the US. This will be the first that goes to the bottom. Singapore becoming a major cloud data center hub it need to have an alternative route,” Jesus Romero, chief operations officer of Converge, told media.
When asked about the company’s capital expenditure for the project, Romero just said it’s a “nine-digit level US dollars.”
The CLS is expected to be completed (or ready for service meaning when can be used) in the third quarter of 2024.
“We are doing the groundbreaking but we actually started the cable landing station. As we FCONVERGE, P10
By MAYA M. PADILLOVice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte advised municipal officials on Tuesday to conduct a study of their locality’s strengths and the budget needed before rolling out tourism programs.
In her message during the 2023 League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) General Assembly at The Manila Hotel on February 21, 2023 Duterte said it is important to identify
the strength of the area as a municipality to invest the tourism budget in.
“Unang-una po sa turismo, kailangan nyo po ng pag-aaral. Hindi po pwede na kung ano yung gusto
ninyo na maging tourism program ng inyong lugar ay pwede na syang i-rollout. Kailangan po muna ay gumawa kayo ng feasibility study para po kailangan nyo ng budget para sa pag-aaral, para po makikita ninyo kung anong ano ang strengths ng inyong lugar,” she said.
She also said municipalities need a partnership with the private sector because it is where the money is.
Duterte cited Davao City’s strengths, which are peace and order and tourism.
“May I just share my experience as city mayor, hindi po ako ang pinakamagaling o expert as a city mayor pero meron din akong nine years na naging city mayor and one of the strengths of Davao City during my administration was tourism and peace and order. Sa amin po sa Davao
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWDXI) has commenced its validation and registration of a total of 73,598 potential household beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Set 12 in Davao Region.
Of the target beneficiaries, 14,655 are from Davao City; 12,047 from Davao de Oro; 14,020 from Davao Oriental; 13,614 from Davao del Norte; 8,980
from Davao Occidental; and 10,282 from Davao del Sur.
The target beneficiaries will fulfill this year’s 284,166 regional target household beneficiaries to be active in the program, bared DSWD-XI regional management quality assurance officer Arvin Kent Yu during the Kapihan sa PIA at NCCC VP Mall episode on February 17, 2023.
Ricky Tijon, DSWD-XI’s
regional beneficiary data management officer, said that the list of the potential beneficiaries is the result from the Listahan 3 or the third round of enumeration conducted last year.
These potential beneficiaries are identified either as poor or near-poor and belonging to different sectors of the society.
“Those list nga gibaba, katong 73,000, those are potential beneficiaries be-
longing to different sectors sa atuang community. So, naa diri ang mga fisherfolks, mga farmers, IP communities nga eligible sa atong program nga nipasar sa atuang gitawag nga eligibility check routine,” Tijon stated.
He said that there will be three phases of validation such as pre-validation, validation proper, and post-validation and will be FDSWD-XI, P10
Morebusiness process outsourcing (BPO) companies favor provinces as their next office than locating in Metro Manila, according to property services firm KMC Savills.
In a briefing in Taguig City Wednesday, KMC Savills research and consultancy senior manager Frederick Rara said there is a drastic movement of BPO companies outside the National Capital Region (NCR) as observed in the decline in vacancy rate in office
spaces in Cebu, Clark and Iloilo.
Iloilo alone has a vacancy rate of 5 percent, way below Metro Manila’s vacancy rate of around 20 percent.
“Metro Manila is rather bearish on our end. We are very bullish in the provin-
cial markets,” Rara said.
He added KMC Savills does not see the occupancy rate returning above 85 percent until 2025 even with the recovery of net absorption in Metro Manila office spaces.
The top submarkets may possibly avert a prolonged office oversupply, but Makati CBD (central business district) and Ortigas Center are still at risk if office demand from the BPO sector loses steam in favor of provincial mar-
kets,” KMC Savills’ fourth quarter of 2022 report read.
Rara said while rentals in Metro Manila office space are dropping to preserve occupancies, rental rates in provinces are moving towards PHP500 to PHP600 per square meter (sqm), nearing the rates of office space in Ortigas and Alabang.
He said prices in the provinces more than doubled in the past decade.
More Filipinos are expected to build up their savings this year as the revenge spending effect from pentup demand during the pandemic wanes, an economist said.
Currently, about 30 percent of households are setting aside funds for savings, which is seen to grow to about 38 percent, ING Bank Senior Economist Nicholas Mapa said.
“As we get on, as the world normalizes, we are expecting households to go back away from spending and back to that savings behavior... If this trend continues, this should tell us that households are getting past the splurge and going back to normal household savings,” Mapa said.
“A lot of consumer revenge spending might have been funded by peo-
ple dipping into their savings account, but in 2023, some of that households will likely rebuild some of that savings back up to pre-COVID levels,” he added.
Inflation, which was at 8.7 percent in January, is still expected to peak but Mapa said the bigger concern is that it could remain higher for longer or that its deceleration would be slow.
The PHP5.268-trillion national budget for 2023 contains line items that will help achieve the Marcos administration’s bid for an “inclusive and sustainable” economic transformation, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Wednesday.
Pangandaman issued the statement, as she called on the government leaders to lead with empathy to respond to the needs of the people.
awa at nagmamalasakit sa mga Pilipino (a budget that truly empathizes with, understands and cares for the Filipinos),” she added.
Pangandaman said the 2023 budget supports the Marcos administration’s eight-point Socioeconomic Agenda and is designed to cater to the objectives of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023 to 2028.
He said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas could still raise the benchmark interest rate by 25 to 50 basis points. However, the central bank said a non-monetary policy approach must be used by the government, such as addressing supply constraints, to make a dent to the heated inflation.
The BSP’s next monetary policy-setting meeting is scheduled in May.
“As leaders in government, it is incumbent upon us to lead with empathy. We must truly consider and respond to the needs of our localities,” Pangandaman said in a message at the League of Municipalities General Assembly at the Manila Hotel.
“With empathy for the needs of our people, the Department of Budget and Management prepared a national budget for economic transformation that is truly inclusive and sustainable — budget na tunay na dumaramay, nakaka-un-
She added that this year’s budget puts a premium on strengthening social protection, ensuring food security and establishing livable communities.
She also reiterated that the DBM would support the local government units (LGUs) in the process of the full devolution of functions.
Executive Order 138, issued by former President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2021, orders the full devolution of certain functions of the executive branch of the government to LGUs, in line with the Supreme
As the country finally ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) after two years, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual has encouraged Philippine-based businesses to take advantage of the benefits of the new trade pact.
Pascual told trade reporters in a virtual briefing Wednesday that the impacts of RCEP depend on how immediate businesses will act following its ratification.
Following Senate’s concurrence with the ratification of RCEP on Tuesday evening, the Philippines will deposit its instrument of ratification to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat. RCEP will enter into force 60 days after the receipt of deposit of the instrument of ratification.
“We really want to com-
Atleast 150 banana growers whose plantations were infected with Fusarium wilt or Panama disease shifted to corn farming in Davao del Norte province.
municate to our business community and the people in general that this RCEP just provides the enabling environment. How we behave given the new favorable environment will determine to what extent we can benefit from it. The government cannot regulate or order this. (But) we make sure that the environment is there,” Pascual said.
As Philippine-based businesses are anticipating the country’s participation to RCEP, the DTI chief said they have been preparing for the increased competition and have been planning how to take advantage of the new free trade agreement.
“More than that, I think investors that are eyeing the Philippines as production hub will now be implementing their intentions and plans to set up manufacturing hubs in the Philippines and making their investments in our country,”
P10
This came after they became the first beneficiaries of Governor Edwin Jubahib’s KAAGAPAY Corn Program that provides farmers with free corn seeds and fertilizers.
Each beneficiary received two bags of hybrid corn seeds, free fertilizer, and PHP4,430 from the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program for displaced or disadvantaged workers.
Jubahib underscored the importance of helping the farmers who have been struggling with the disease for a long time.
“The farmers affected by Panama disease have been perpetually asking for our help. We must help them, and that’s what we’re doing it with the KAAGAPAY program,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
Jubahib said the provincial government has seen the struggle of the banana farmers, especially in controlling the spread of Panama disease.
However, despite seeking expert advice from scientists in Israel, South
Korea and China, there is no definitive cure for the disease.
Senior agriculturist Alphabet Gulanes of the provincial agriculture office said about 50 hectares of farmlands will receive support consisting of seeds, fertilizers and marketing. Fusarium wilt is a soilborne pathogen, an invincible breed of fungi that are attracted to banana plants. It can live or exist in longtime dormancy of 30 to 50 years.
The move to import around 450,000 metric tons of sugar by the Department of Agriculture (DA) is aimed at managing inflation and building a buffer stock that will adequately meet the country’s sugar requirements, a senior Agriculture official said on Wednesday. In a press briefing at
Malacañan Palace, DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said they acted on the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to immediately address inflation due to supply issues.
“In response to the directive of the President to address inflation and create a buffer stock and giv-
en that sugar as one of the components of most commodities that drives the consistently high inflation rate, I acted with haste and interpreted the memorandum issued by the Office of the Executive Secretary as an approval to proceed with the importation,” Panganiban told the members of the Malacañang Press
Corps.
“With the urgency of the situation, I instructed three capable and accredited companies to proceed with the importation of sugar, provided that they agree to reduce the prices of sugar, sell the commodity in a price that is commercially acceptable in
Columnists:
“Si Inday talaga ang inano ko because I wanted Inday to continue what I have done for the country. Ayaw kong masira ang momentum.”
Truth sometimes is better off exposed in fiction.
Sabtana Kimani presented herself to serve as Village chief of a village in the small island nation of Kwidao. She was the popular choice among the aspirants, enjoying a huge support from the village folks.
Kwidao has a unique way of selecting its leader. The selection process goes through a stringent vetting process involving the elders of the village who cast their vote from among the candidates. Despite the role being a voluntary one, many villagers are interested in the vil-
lage chief position. To some, it is their way to power and popularity.
Not Sabtana. She is of genuine desire and passion to serve Kwidao.
The road to being the village chief, however, would not be a smooth one for Sabtana despite her impeccable track record and vast popularity. There were a few unkind souls who had other plans and wanted to stop her at all cost.
“By all means necessary.” The opposing camp declared.
As support to Sabtana snowballed, the unhappy campers hatched a plan.
They met one night and agreed to poison the villagers’ minds by spreading nasty lies. Hiding behind an anonymous letter, Sabtana’s foes spun a yarn depicting Sabtana as a woman with mangled morals and lack of education.
Some unhappy campers couldn’t fathom being away from the limelight, obviously eaten up by delusions of grandeur. They struck hard to bring her down.
Unfortunately, the demolition job was discovered. It also did not help that the character used to concoct the poison letter did not
have the best reputation in the community and was involved in several anomalous transactions in the past. The bomb exploded right on the faces of Sabtana’s foes.
The story being told here is fictional. A parody to be exact.
However, it has a lot of semblance of truth in our lives. I am sure many can relate to this in their own experiences. It is not uncommon that we hear stories like this here and there. It happens for as long as their is envy, hate, and greed for power. Add to that, delusions of grandeur.
People try to politicize things for their own selfish ends, to the point of lying to their teeth. They tell and retell the lies, one poison letter to another, believing that lies, when told repeatedly, become truths.
Envy, my friends, is a very demanding customer. It eats you up. Forces you to do the unthinkable and drives you to the limits of rationality. There is nothing wrong with ambition. Essentially, nothing wrong. It’s human nature.
But when ambition is borne out of envy, it can become the mother of crimes.
“Take a chance. All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.” - DALE CARNEGIE.
In the Senate hearing of the committee on justice, a delegation from the EU parliament sat down to discuss the EJK issues during the past administration.
Expressing their “deep concern” about the human rights violations, EU delegation head Hannah Neumann said they were “quite worried about the war on drugs and the extra judicial killings.”
Neumann, the chair of the EU subcommittee on human rights, shifted gears in her next statement, saying “we are relieved to hear that right now the Philippines is working towards rehabilitation and prevention.”
Neumann observed though that the prosecution is too slow because out of the 6,000 victims of EJK killings, only 20 cases have
been filed and only 3 were convicted.
An intense atmosphere occurred when a Spanish lawmaker and member of the EU questioned the resolutrion authored by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada that opposed the ICC probe on former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Dela Rosa did not like the interfering attitude of the Spanish EU member which he deemed off-tangent.
“Bakit naman pati yung resolution ni Sen. Jinggoy pinakikialaman pa. Too much na yan,” De la Rosa told senate reporters.
The senator from Davao was visibly offended and his reaction was innately Pinoy, right?
“Who is this guy who dares lecture us on human rights?”
De la Rosa reminisced about the more than 300 years of cruel colonization of Spain in the Philippines.
As a sovereign nation, our leaders - in the executive, legislative and the judiciary - should exhibit independent
attitudes and invoke the democratic way of life our government has been practicing since many decades ago.
The imposing attitude of foreigners who still think we are in our civilized infancy should conclusively end.
“How dare you” should now be our mantra when foreigners question our ability to govern and to dispene justice even if we accept the reality that ours is not a perfect society.
I guess we are just too hospitable and kind to a fault.
Pinoys have always displayed their Christian moral values even when our freedoms and our human dignity are being trampled in the process.
Who said Pinoy have short memories?
The Chinese, Koreans and all other Asian countries subjugated by Japan before and during the Pacific War never forgot what the barbaric conquering Kempetais did to their country.
Well, i’m just recollect-
ing and not really digging up what the sordid past has been.
We roll out the red carpet to every visiting dignitary, serve him/her the best reception, food and entertainment and all the amenities available.
And yet, we allow them to spat on our backs, kick our butts and bad mouth us when we are not looking.
Sen. Bato, for me, exemplified the real Pinoy (the character of Elias in El Filibusterismo) who will not let pass an offensive degrading word about his humaness.
And while he did not expect an apology, the former PNP chief said he acknowledged that while the illegal drugs campaign was legitimate, there were also abuses committed by erring policemen.
The wheels of justice may grind slowly but our justice system is functioning, is it not?
It may be a much abused cliche but Quezon’s “I prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos…” sounds like
the Balangiga bell that peals eternally in my ears.
The ICC position should be unanimously opposed by our people because it directly intervenes and interferes with our exclusive internal affairs.
It’s a pity that a few disgruntled members of the political opposition who are out to seek revenge are very eager to seek external help even if it meant selling their rights and demean their dignity as human beings.
We have to admit though that compared to highly-developed Western countries whose civilizations started from way, way back, we are still a young nation struggling to discover and find the right path towards effective, fair and just governance.
It could take another generation to reach that goal but believe me, Pinoys will get there eventually.
But be like Sen. Bato who stands his ground against foreign intervention. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.). GOD
Makes no surprise why this month’s Open House event at the Aeon Luxe Properties Inc. is laced with the Love Month theme. And why not? The best Valentine gift would be something you can share with everyone for a lifetime.
Like a unit at the iconic Aeon Towers or an investment at Aeon Bleu. All that happens with ALPI’s easy deals one will fall in love with.
On the 18th of February, ALPI staged its month-
ly Open House at Aeon Towers in J.P. Laurel Bajada, Davao City. As was in the previous Open House events, this one was a huge success, attracting over 100 attendees.
The February Open House set the stage for a unique opportunity for prospective buyers to tour around ALPI’s properties and experience the unique features that make them stand out. It is a chance to explore and picture themselves living in one of the modern and stylish units.
The highlight of them all? Closing the big deals with buyers.
February would not
disappoint. Love is truly in the air.
Several units were sold on the spot, with many others showing keen interest and following up for additional information. This result was not surprising, given the development quality and the demand for luxurious residential properties in Davao City.
Guests were served a variety of sweet treats and filled up on scrumptious refreshments as ALPI’s compliment to the guests.
The success of the Open House was evident in the number of deals closed with buyers during the event. Several buyers were able to find their dream
homes and take advantage of the exclusive discounts and extended promotions.
The event was a testament to the exceptional service and attention to detail that Aeon Luxe Properties Incorporated is known for.
Philippine Airlines is expanding its domestic flight route network with the reopening of flights from Clark to Caticlan (Boracay) and Busuanga (Coron) starting April 2023.
Effective April 01, PAL will resume services between Clark International Airport and Caticlan, the gateway to Boracay, via a thrice weekly frequency.
• PR 2376 departs
Clark every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 3:05PM and arrives in Caticlan at 4:20PM
• PR 2377 departs Caticlan every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 4:40PM and touches down
in Clark at 5:55PM.
Beginning April 04, PAL will restart services between Clark and Busuanga (Coron) via a four times weekly frequency.
• PR 2678 departs every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 3:05PM arrives in Caticlan at 4:10PM.
• PR 2379 departs Caticlan every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 4:30PM and touches down in Clark at 5:40PM.
“The revival of these direct flights will give travelers from Central and Northern Luzon a convenient new way to access Boracay and Coron, demonstrating Clark Airport’s position as a key jump off point to the country’s prime island destinations. Philippine Airlines hopes that the new routes will further bolster the full recovery of domestic tourism,” said PAL President and COO Capt. Stanley K. Ng.
“We will work in part-
nership with our stakeholders, including the Clark Airport authorities and the concerned local governments, to effectively build more connectivity between Clark and various regions of the Philippines,” added Capt. Ng.
For his part, Noel Manankil, President and CEO of Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD), the private consortium that manages the Clark International Airport said, “We are happy to welcome the resumption of these two routes from Philippine Airlines. We are proud to be PAL’s partner in making Clark International Airport (CRK) the gateway to these destinations, not only for travelers from Northern and Central Luzon, but also for foreign tourists wishing to experience the beauty of the Philippines.”
At present, PAL operates daily flights between Clark and Mactan-Cebu International Airport, as
well as international services from Clark to Seoul and Busan in Korea for the winter season.
Clark International Airport offers travelers the country’s newest terminal with state of the art facilities and amenities.
“We aim to leverage on the strengths of Clark and maximize its potential as another PAL hub for both domestic and international flights,” Capt. Ng adds.
The information or attachments in this e-mail are strictly confidential and are for the intended recipient only. Any unauthorized use, dissemination or copying of this message or the information it contains is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient or you received this by mistake, please notify the sender immediately, and delete the original message and attachments. For more information about Philippine Airlines, please visit http://www.philippineairlines.com
of diversification.
Sustainable investments worldwide are way within track to constitute 21.5% of total global assets under management (AuM) in less than five years.
With potential growth foreseen, Insular Life (InLife) recently launched an investment fund that supports Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-focused outcomes with the potential to earn monthly payouts—-Systematic Global Sustainable Investment Fund (GSIF). This is the first of its kind in the Philippine market.
“InLife customers will have the option to invest in globally-diversified portfolio that promotes ESG values.
Not only will they receive potential payouts, they will also take part in a portfolio with lower carbon intensity for the long term by supporting the growth of these companies,” said Gae Martinez, InLife Chief Marketing Officer.
InLife said in a statement that the company is now working on the GSIF hand in hand with BlackRock who are known to be the leading asset managers in the world and one of the leaders in championing ESG’s impact on investments. This partnership also opens opportunities for the group’s customers who would like to invest in global companies through BlackRock’s capabilities, to enjoy the benefits
It is projected to grow further as more stakeholders expect companies to play a role in advancing ESG principles, the statement said.
Earn Potential Regular Payouts Up to 6% Yield GSIF is the first to offer monthly payouts, with yields of up to 6% p.a. potentially that supports ESG
“It is a sustainable portfolio that generates income. With GSIF, you are uncovering ESG risks and opportunities, so that your portfolio is set up for long-term financial performance,” said Jose Paolo T. Puno, InLife Assistant Vice President for Product Development.
He added that GSIF is most suited for individuals who believe in ESG, are looking for medium to long-term investment opportunities and have invested on fixed-income instruments.
How Sustainable Investments Are Chosen GSIF has three equally weighted sustainable, systematic strategies -- sustainable developed defensive equity income, sustainable global growth equity income, and sustainable global investment grade and high yield bonds (at a maximum of 20 percent).
“It’s an investment approach that uses big data, technology such as machine learning and AI, and human
insights from experienced global asset managers. Our target fund manager is the leader in systematic investing that’s why they are the right partner,” explained Puno.
In a study by NYU Stern, the researchers found evidence that ESG factors could contribute to improved financial performance over longer time horizons. The GSIF target manager incorporates ESG insights when identifying the investment signals. Combined with the traditional sources of information and the experience and insights of the target manager, this human-machine approach enables a more holistic view of companies.
Income and Defensive
Growth
“We have seen investors put more emphasis on ESG integration into investment management in the past few years, and income funds have seen strong growth in the past five years. Aside from seeking ESG outcomes, the target fund strategy aims to provide defensive growth. GSIF is suited for customers with a moderate risk profile or those who are more aggressive but seek to balance their current portfolio with a sustainable allocation. It’s a win-win Fund for everyone,” Martinez said. GSIF is currently available through InLife’s Solid Fund Builder and Dollar Solid Fund Builder policies.
dent bared he would have wished his daughter Vice President Sara would succeed him.
“For example si Inday, si Inday talaga ang inano ko because I wanted Inday to continue what I have done for the country,” he said.
The reason for wanting VP Sara to succeed him in Malacanang is for continuity and keeping the momentum.
“Ayaw kong masira ang momentum,” he straightforwardly said. It can be recalled that the elder Duterte never endorsed any presidential candidate in the last elections.
He even criticized then candidate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as “a weak leader.”
As to his other children, Cong. Paolo Duterte and Mayor Baste Duterte, the former president had this
to say: “Baste is now the mayor and Pulong is the congressman, hindi ko kontrolado at hindi ko rin sila prinogram. Si Baste kay Inday yan, Pulong on his own. Yan talaga ang totoo.”
He also said that Mayor Baste is trying his best to be a good mayor of Davao City.
“We talked sometimes, mga tips lang kung ano ang dapat gawin,” he said.
Meanwhile, the former president said he may be joining the Araw ng Davao celebration this year.
“I would like to thank the people and congratulate the people of Davao for joining us in our journey towards governance at nakita naman natin wala akong masyadong problema sa pagdala sa gobyerno ngayon. Ang problema kasi mga anak ko but by any standard okay sila,” he said.
Pascual added.
In a separate statement, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the ratification of RCEP strengthens the Philippines’ position as an investment hub in ASEAN.
“With the country’s participation to RCEP, the Philippines has now further strengthened its position as an ideal investment hub in the region as we expand market access, facilitate trade and align our rules and procedures with participating economies,” he said.
Balisacan said this is in line with the overall targets of the Marcos administration’s medium-term plan of creating higher quality, resilient and sustainable jobs to achieve poverty reduction by attracting investments and boosting business expansions.
“With the strong support of Congress, yesterday’s concurrence to the RCEP Agreement is a testament to the government’s commitment to creating an environment conducive for trade and investments that are catalysts for job creation, skills development, and technology transfer as we seek to transform the Philippine economy in the next six years,” he added.
Support from the private sector
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the Makati Business Club (MBC) and the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (Conwep) also expressed their gratitude to the Senate members for concurring with the RCEP ratification.
“It’s a good development for our country’s economic trade opportunities. Certain products are given conditionalities to avoid negative impact to local producers,” PCCI president George Barcelon told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in a text message.
For his part, MBC executive director Francisco Alcuaz Jr. said the business group is confident that RCEP will accelerate job generation and economic recovery and will promote inclusive
speak, the cable chips are being manufactured in France and are being loaded. Once they’re loaded, they go out to sea and we will start laying the cable,” Romero said.
The infrastructure is envisioned to support the booming digital connectivity needs of the Asia-Pacific region.
“Converge invested in this cable about a minimum of 15 terabits of capacity and will be landing here in the beautiful city of Davao. The route of the cable is from Singapore to the US, it goes to the bottom and passes through Indonesia, the Philippines, and Guam. The natural landing will be Davao, which is like the economic hub also and some for Mindanao,” Romero added.
here, its tendency is people need the digital highway and they will put the digital data centers, so this is the storage at diyan ilalagay ang mga data para i-serve in the future to individual’s homes. Magkakaroon tayo ng digital infrastructure dito sa Davao City, which we build already the whole Davao regional highway, connected to the whole Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon. Davao in the future will have economic development tulad ng gumagawa ng call centers, software developments, magbi-build ng digital center storage, ma-e-encourage na sila mag-invest in Davao City dahil meron ka nang infrastructure,” Uy said.
utilizing bottom-up duplicity checking, from the province to the regional level, to ensure that the beneficiaries to be registered in the program are eligible.
He emphasized that they will be prioritizing households whose children are still studying, particularly those children in the elementary level. This is for the children to fully experience the Kilos
Unlad Framework, he said. Tijon added that DSWDXI is strictly implementing the “no document, no registration policy” to counter cases of duplicates.
He advised those qualified beneficiaries to visit their respective barangay hall to check if they are on the list of potential beneficiaries and to comply the necessary documentary requirements. (PIA-XI/Anton Oblianda)
growth.
Alcuaz said the Senate’s decision to favor the country’s participation to RCEP is a “clear signal” that the Philippines is open for business and jobs.
“We congratulate the Senate, President (Ferdinand) Marcos, DTI Sec. Pascual, former DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez, and the rest of the Economic cluster for taking another step to open foreign markets for Philippine businesses while improving the quality and affordability of local goods and services,” he added.
On the other hand, Conwep underscored the importance of RCEP market for the Philippine manufacturers.
“The RCEP member countries represent 19 percent of our total wearables exports to the world. If the Philippines fail to ratify the said agreement and form part of this major regional economy, the same can be diluted by other member RCEP countries,” Conwep said in a statement.
The consortium behind Bifrost includes Keppel Midgard Holdings Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Keppel Telecommunications and Transportation Limited (Keppel T and T), Meta, and PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin), a subsidiary of PT Telkom Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Uy said that the construction of the Bifrost CLS will open Davao City to investors including digital storage centers and software developments.
“When you have a cable landing station, the gateway to other countries
City dahil wala naman kaming magagandang dagat na gustong puntahan ng karamihan, tumutok po kami sa MICE market o yung Meetings, Incentive, Travels, Conventions and Exhibit,” she said.
She also said municipalities need ancillary services that come with services to and from the airport.
Thirdly, Duterte said municipals should study short and long-term plans for tourism.
“Kapag sinabi po natin
FOUNDERS – Cebu Country Club 290(150,140), Riviera 267(141,126), The Orchard 266(139,127), Villamor Airbase 247(130,117), WackWack 246(121,125), Negros Occidental 246(129,117), Alabang 245(122,123), Alta Vista 1 244(125,119), Valley 244(122,122), Sherwood Hills 243(132,111), Filam Hawaii 239(128,111), Apo 239(132,107), Pueblo de Oro 236(125,111), Guinhalaran 234(104,130), Eagle Ridge 230(119,111), Camp John Hay 229(124,104), Manila 203(103,100), Taotaomona 198(118,180), Coral Ocean Point 197(88,109), Bay City 153(86-67)
AVIATOR – SF Maharlika248(105,143), Mimosa 244(104,141), Iloilo 242(123,119), Zamboanga 237(113,124), Camp Aguinaldo 233(94,139), Cebu Country Club 2 229(114,115), Sarangani 227(110,117), Forest Hills 215(101,114), Team Tuga 207(104,103), Southern California Redhawk 205(99,106), Lanang 204(98,106), Boggie Bud-
dies Filgolfer 202(91,111), Bacolod 201(86,115), Baguio 195(87,108), Via Verde LA 190(93,97), Guam Seals 187(84,103), E-Yona 178(95-83), Bay Area Golf Org 2 174(83,91), Lumbia 171(78,93), Liloan 166(72,94), Iligan 157(73,84), Fort Bonifacio 157(74,83), SF Peninsula 151(73,78), Guam Compadres 124(70,54)
SPORTSWRITER –Club Filipino de Cebu 231(133,98), San Juanico 204(111,93), Rancho Palos Verdes 196(105,91), Club Intramuros 195(103,92), SFO Alliance 194(96,98), Ping Golfers 194(109,85), Paoay 191(103,88), Dirab 189(114,75), Edwin Andrews Airforce Base 187(98,89), MSU Marawi 186(107,81), SFO East Bay 186(93,930), Vancouver 185(95,90), Cotabato 182(86,96), Eagle Ridge Lagitek 181(91,90), PGA British Columbia 181(87,94), Van City 1 179(83,96), Leyte 176(114,66), Guam Seniors 173(111,62), Mabuhay Golf of SFO 165(83,82),Camp
Uy also said Converge will be coming out soon with a middle-class package and the prepaid package fiber for homes.
“The important thing is how you can bring the connectivity to the individual Filipino users regardless of economic status. Digital access is not essential anymore, it’s a right already. We need to find a way, to bring the low-cost and segmented market to the Filipino users,” he said.
The groundbreaking and time capsule laying ceremony on Wednesday afternoon was graced by former president Rodrigo Duterte. By Maya M. Padillo
na long term, yun po yung mga plano na iniiwan ninyo labas o beyond your term. Sabihin na natin nakabuo ka ng 9 years, kailangan po yung plano ninyo na long term ay umaabot po sa susunod na mayor. Dahil napakahalaga po ng continuity ng mga programa ng isang local government unit para po hindi nasasayang ang inyong mga investments sa inyong tourism program at naiinstitutionalize ninyo ang lahat ng inyong mga ginagawa,” she said.
Evangelista 160(88,72), Seatle 150(83,67), Honolulu146(74,72), Filam Fairfield 145(79,66), Up Tee Jots 141(86,65), Moffet Fields 2 105(60,45)
FRIENDSHIP – Malaysian Eagle Hunters 204(101,105), Davao 197(99,98), Canphil 194(112,82), West Highlands 189(97,92), South Cotabato 178(84,94), Engineers and Architects (Eagle) 176(70,106), EZ Par 171(70,101), West Covina Warriors 166(74,92), Veterans 166(78,88), Filam NJ 161(82,79), Fil Oz Sydney 160(63,99), Parbreakers 155(87,68), Mt Malindang 146(83,63), Van City 2 144(68,76), Travellers 144(45,99), Filam SFO 141(76,65), Moffet Fields 1 134(68,66), Pinoy Vancouver 131(62,69),Philam Central Florida 128(49,79), MSU Marawi 2 128 (61,67), Bennett Valey 126(61,65), Brotherhood Sharp 125(46,79), Sky West 122(58,64), Pittsburg Filam 119(64,55), Filcansa 118(73,45), Tri City 111(30,81)
The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) earlier said the industry targets 54 percent of its growth to be sourced outside NCR.
The ITBPO sector is eyeing USD59 billion in
revenues, employing 2.5 million Filipinos by 2028. Rara added the industry will overtake overseas Filipinos’ remittances in this decade, and will continue to be the growth driver of the country’s property sector and the whole economy. (PNA)
Court’s Mandanas-Garcia ruling.
Pangandaman noted that LGUs would get around PHP820.3-billion automatic appropriations as part of their National Tax Allotment and some PHP16.5-billion allotment for the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).
Under the LGSF, budgetary allocations are provided for financial assistance to LGUs, Growth Equity Fund and support to the Barangay Development Program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
Pangandaman also cited the DBM’s crucial initiatives that will help empower local governments in achieving resilience and autonomy.
Such initiatives, she said, include the institutionalization of the Philippine Open Government Partnership, rollout of the Participatory Budgeting Program, continued thrust towards the passage of the Progressive Budgeting for Better and Modernized (PBBM) Governance Bill, and implementation of the
the market, and that they will shoulder the cost of warehousing,” Panganiban said.
In a memorandum from the Office of the Executive Secretary dated Jan. 13, 2023, the DA was ordered to implement its recommendations to President Marcos, who is also the Agriculture Secretary, on the second Sugar Importation Program for the Crop Year 20222023.
The memorandum, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, said around 100,00 metric tons of sugar “shall be automatically classified as ‘B’ or Domestic Sugar” while a total of 350 metric tons “shall be made available to the domestic market or otherwise designated.”
“Relative thereto, the
DBM’s Digital Transformation Roadmap.
As the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government undergoes transition, the national government has also appropriated funding for its Annual Block Grant; Special Development Fund for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of its conflict-affected communities; and their share in taxes, fees, and charges collected in the region.
Pangandaman said all the DBM’s initiatives signifies the agency’s resolve to empathize with the needs of local governments and the Filipino people in pursuit of good governance.
“Through empathy, we will all be moved to work with the best of our abilities for the betterment of our municipalities and our country. Sa tunay na pakikiisa sa ating mga mamamayan, magiging tunay na tapat ang ating serbisyo sa ating bayan (Through cooperation with the public, we can provide genuine public service in our nation),” she said. (PNA)
DA is hereby directed to implement the abovementioned recommendations, to ensure adequate supply of sugar in domestic markets, reduce prices and manage inflation, subject to compliance with Republic Act No. 10659 or the ‘Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015’, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and other relevant laws, rules and regulations,” the memorandum read.
Panganiban said he selected from the list given to him three sugar importers, whom he considers “the most capable importers that we have”.
He noted President Marcos “was properly informed” when the imported sugar was shipped to the country on Feb. 9. (with reports from Stephanie Sevillano/PNA)
Naturalized player Justin Brownlee will lead the 12-man Gilas lineup when they play against Lebanon in the sixth and final window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Friday.
Joining him are Gilas mainstay June Mar Fajardo, current PBA MVP Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Calvin Oftana, and CJ Perez. Also included are
overseas-based Pinoys like Filipino-Aussie Jordan Heading, Dwight Ramos, siblings Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, and Ray Parks Jr.
Making his Gilas de-
A major shake up happened in the standings as action and hostilities continued on the second day in the Seniors division of the 74th PAL Interclub golf championship.
Golfers were able to capitalize on the playing conditions at both golf courses since the first day of the tournament was played under winter rules due to wet fairways caused by the heavy rains the night before.
Davao city Golf continued its strong charge in the Friendship division by gaining additional 88 points at the Alta Vista Golf.
The combined output of Ben Bonador ( 34 ) Robert De Leon ( 32) and Roy Quemada ( 22 ) was good enough to rank them second to the current leader Team West
Highlands. The Matina boys total of 187 points trailed the leaders by just two points after the halfway mark.
Team Rancho Palos
Verdes playing in Sportswriters division continued its slow climb to the top by scoring a big 91 points at the mountainous Club Filipino golf thereby placing them currently at second position for their total of 196 points.
Randy Caniogan carried the load with his 35 points and ably supported by Elias Arriba (29) and Abe Dizon (27) with Noe Taojo ( 25) that didn’t count.
Davao city Golf continued its strong charge in the Friendship division by gaining additional 88 points at the Alta Vista Golf. The combined output of Ben Bonador
( 34 ) Robert De Leon ( 32) and Roy Quemada ( 22 ) was good enough to ranked them second to the current leader Team West Highlands. The Matina boys total of 187 points trailed the leaders by just two points after the halfway mark.
Apo Golf and Country Club fell down 7 rungs as they failed to sustain the momentum they gained on the first day. Apo salvaged 132 points and held on to 4th position as darkness caught up with most of the afternoon flights at the Alta Vista Golf on the first day. As action shifted to the Club Filipino Golf on the second day, the Apo team however was able to produce only a measly total of 107 points from the output of Ramon Mackay (39), Larry Ba-
luso (38) and the 30s of Larry Miculob and Team Captain Oca Rebosura.
They are currently at 11th position with their 239 points.
Lanang Golf and Country Club playing in the Aviator’s Division likewise continued to struggle after scoring a respectable 98 on the first day at the Club Filipino . They failed to capitalized on the much easier Alta Vista Golf by scoring a disappointing 106 points with team Captain Paul Dacudao carrying the load with his 42 but didn’t got the needed support from Raymund Salvador’s 35, Bobby Te (29) and Pitoy Palma Gil’s 28 ( didn’t count). Their total 204 points ranked them temporarily at 11th position.
but is Ateneo-commit Mason Amos.
The nationals are out to get back against Lebanon, which beat them, 85-81, last August. But the Lebanese will battle
Gilas without their main man Wael Arajki.
Gilas, which is already assured of a spot in the FIBA World Cup, sports a record of 5-3 in Group E.
BY NEIL BRAVO
Davao City Golf Club made a significant move to second place of the Friendship division midway into the 74th Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub on a day the home squad Cebu Country Club siezed the overall lead from overnight leader Canlubang.
The Matina-based parbusters scored 98 points in the second round for a 36-hole total of 197 points in the PAL Scoring System. DCGC jumped one step higher from third place after a first round 99 points.
Lawyer Robert de Leon continued to play steady with a second round 32 points to back up Ben Bonador’s team-leading 34. Soc Cadayona added a 32 in the fourto-play-three-to-count format. Roy Quemada, the first round second best team scorer, limped home with a 22 and did not count.
The Davao squad now trails Malaysia Eagle Hunters who scored 105 for the day to go with a first round 101 for a two-day aggregate 204. Canphil Golf is at third with 194.
Rancho Palos Verdes also climbed from 8th to 3rd in the Sportswriters Division. The Cabantian-based divot diggers collected 91 points for the day for a 196 total. Club Filipino de Cebu stayed atop the leaderboard with 231 points.
Randolph Cadiogan paced RPV with 35 points, Elias Ariba had 29 and Abraham Dizon 27. No Taojo’s 25 did not count.
The other Davao team Apo Golf is in 12th place in the tough Founders division paced by new tournament leader Cebu Country Club. Playing under the radar, so
to speak, Cebu Country Club on Thursday pooled a second round 140 points built around the fourover-par 76 worth 50 points of Jufil Sato, to take the overall lead in the Philippine Airlines Interclub Seniors championship at the Club Filipino de Cebu layout in Danao.
Former pro Carl Almario marked his seniors debut with 49 points, and Cebu CC, playing in the lower Founders Division, counted the 41 of Kyu Ok On for a 290 total, now two points ahead of Canlubang, which remained on top of the centerpiece Championship division race after amassing 133 despite calling on skipper Tony Olives to play.
Zaldy Villa fired 48 points, Rene Unson accounted for 44 and Abe Avena contributed 41 as the defending champion Sugar Barons played well enough to keep its repeat bid alive even after Tommy Manotoc went home hours before the first round on Wednesday because of a family emergency.
Luisita thus gained ground on Cangolf after shooting a 137 for 283, with Ronnie Littaua shooting 47 and old reliable Rodel Mangulabnan 46 that went with Benjie Sumulong’s 44.
Third round action will still be at Club Filipino, an unpredictable up-and-down course with sleek greens where Cebu CC will now be grouped with players from Can-
lubang, Luisita and Manila Southwoods—1, 2 and 3 in the premier race.
“We didn’t play really well today,” Luisita non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova said. “With Tommy (Manotoc) out for Canlubang, it’s now a very wide-open race. Four teams now have a chance with Cebu CC joining the fight.”
Southwoods also threw its hat in the ring after a day-best 139 in the Championship flight even with spearhead Jun Jun Plana sitting it out for the second straight day.
“Plana playing the last two rounds certainly gives Southwoods two solid teams,” Hechanova went on.
Theody Pascual, Joseph Tambunting and Thirdy Escaño are the others suiting up for the Carmona-based squad in the final 36 holes.
Meanwhile, Riviera Golf zoomed to second in the Founders division after a 126 led by the 50 points of Kyung Young-kho for 267, one point ahead of Orchard, which tallied 127 built around the 45 points of Luis Sajorda.
Complete scores:
CHAMPIONSHIP – Canlubang 288(155,133), Luisita 283(146,137), Manila Southwoods 282(143,139), Delmonte 265 (139,126)
