BusinessMirror December 06, 2022

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Cabinetlevel Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) maintained its GDP growth target for this year at 6.5 to 7.5 percent.

H owever, the DBCC revised downward its GDP growth target for 2023 to 6 to 7 percent from 6.5 to 8 percent on the back of global headwinds.

“ This momentum is ex pected to slightly decelerate in 2023 and range from 6.0 to 7.0 percent,considering external headwinds such as the slowdown in major advanced economies,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pan gandaman said at the DBCC press conference on Monday.

External headwinds

THE external headwinds include the expected global economic slowdown as projected by the mul tilaterals that could impact the Philippines, National Economic and Development Authority Un dersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said. This also includes China’s dynamic zero Covid policy, Edil lon added.

“ Nevertheless, growth is ex pected to pick up in 2024 to 2028 at 6.5 to 8.0 percent, as we push for government strategies and interventions of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028,” Pangandaman said.

“ These include modernizing agriculture and agri-business, re vitalizing the industry sector, and reinvigorating the services sector, among others,” she added.

G overnment’s economic man agers also revised upward their assumption for the country’s in flation rate this year to 5.8 per cent, from their July estimate of 4.5 to 5.5 percent “given the persisting high prices of food and transport costs.”

Nonetheless, inflation is ex pected to moderate in the mediumterm reaching 2.5 to 4.5 percent  in 2023 before returning to the target range of 2.0 to 4.0 percent  in 2024 until 2028,” Pangandaman, who chairs the DBCC, said.

CREATION OF SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND BACKED

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

CREATING a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) even if the Phil ippines does not yet have an aging society would still be a good move, considering that it will ensure future generations could still enjoy the country’s current wealth in the years to come, according to the Na tional Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

At the sidelines of a press briefing on Monday, Neda Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Rosemarie G. Edillon told reporters that in the 98 other SWFs worldwide, some were created by young societies.

S everal sectoral groups and econ omists, however, have joined the chorus of opposition to the creation

of a Maharlika Investment Fund, as proposed in a House bill.  Stories on page A14 and in Banking and Finance page, B3.

Edillon explained that the origins of the SWF initially was to preserve the wealth of resource-rich nations, especially if these resources are re newable. It has already evolved and attracted even countries who are not resource-rich such as Singapore.

The origins of the SWF is really the resource-dependent countries and [the] problem where [the re sources are not] renewable [such as countries that are] oil-rich, [those who have] minerals. [The intention is] just to make sure that the next generation will also have a share [of the wealth],” Edillon explained.

E dillon assured the public that the Neda, one of the agencies com prising the technical working group

(TWG) on the SWF, will ensure safe guards are in place to protect the interest of Filipinos.

We’re glad that its being discussed, especially it’s being discussed in Con gress. We are also part of the TWG. So in our discussion, there’s many of us agencies there, we will do our due diligence and make sure that the safe guards we think are important should be in the proposed legislation,” Edillon said.

Tolentino on BSP

AS for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi nas (BSP), Monetary Board Member Bruce Tolentino said at the briefing that in general the BSP will support government efforts to widen its fis cal space.

T he SWF, however, will have an impact on BSP’s role in terms of the See “Creation,” A2

fund won’t end up like 1MDB—DOF

THE proposed Maharlika In vestment Fund (MIF) will not suffer the same fate as the infamous 1MDB fund of Ma laysia because it will have enough accounting and transparency safe guards, economic managers and lawmakers claimed.

Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said the Philippines may miss a lot of opportunity cost if the MIF will not be enacted since there are a lot of projects that could pro vide higher yield for the national government.

S ome of the areas the MIF could invest in are infrastructure proj ects like tollways, which generates a steady flow of revenue, Diokno explained.

T he Finance chief said the MIF will allow the government to invest in full or partial in investment port folios that it would deem be benefi cial to the country.

D iokno disclosed that he ex pects the legislative measure to be enacted into law as early as middle of next year.

Safeguard mechanisms

DIOKNO emphasized that the MIF will have the necessary safeguard mechanisms, such as internal

Neda: PDP adoption to blunt risks from global recession

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

CHINA’S spiking Covid-19 cases and zero Covid policy are among the identified headwinds that may significantly affect the country’s economic performance next year, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

I n a press briefing on Monday, Neda Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Rosemarie G. Edil lon said China will impact the Philippines through the overall health of the global economy and tourist arrivals.

H owever, Edillon said the government hopes the Philip pines would still be compensated through the rise in domestic tour ism receipts as well as the oppor tunity to attract some investments from China.

We hope to be more than com pensated by the domestic tourist arrival and at the same time, as you may have observed, we have

Continued from A1

use of Gross International Reserves (GIR) which has already seen a decline to $94 billion as of end-October 2022 (Full story: https:// business mirror .com.ph/2022/11/18/

been relaxing travel restrictions even for international travel. We want to make it very easy,” Edillon explained.

“ We also see opportunities with respect to this China assumption because even Apple is looking to relocate its manufacturing. So we hope that we can corner some of those investments and that has also been factored [in the revised assumptions] and particularly in the PDP [Philippine Development Plan],” she added.

Edillon said global headwinds, as previously disclosed by multilateral development banks such as World Bank and the Asian Development

bsp-reports-lower-bop-deficit-inoctober/) from close to $110 billion in 2021.

Tolentino said the BSP has recent ly been intervening in the foreign ex change market to address volatilities in the exchange rates. The US dollar peaked at P58.994 on October 11 but slowly declined to P56.02 on Monday.

Bank, pertain to the global reces sion in 2023.

T he recession could affect the Philippines, but Edillon said strong domestic consumption would buoy the economy. She added that with the recession, the government also expects inflation to slow, giving consumers a reprieve from high commodity prices.

T he slowdown in inflation, Edil lon said, is expected to be caused by the slowdown in oil prices, one of the main drivers of inflation in the country. The Philippines is a net oil importer.

“ We’re hoping that the global oil prices will stabilize by next year. Although there will be a slowdown of household consump tion, admittedly, we think that it will improve consumer senti ments because there are other sectors that need to ramp up its economic activities such as recre ation, tourism,” Edillon said.

With many things happening, the holiday economics for instance, these will actually help prop up consumption this year,” she added.

We’ve expended some ammuni tion and we’d like to try our best to preserve that ammunition for future battles,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino said the SWF will also impact its supervisory role in moni toring banks. In the case of the coun try’s SWF, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the

Ukraine war

NONETHELESS , Monetary Board Member Bruce Tolentino said in the same briefing that in terms of commodity prices, there are still upside risks and one of them is the war in Ukraine.

Nobody knows how long the ef fects of that will be on food prices as well as oil. So we need to be care ful in making the forecasts for next year,” Tolentino said.

However, Tolentino said, one good thing about what has hap pened in the past quarters is that economic growth has been robust. He said that could help “keep the [inflation] numbers steady.”

E dillon also said another main economic driver for next year and a factor that will cushion the im pact of the global recession is the beginning of the implementation of the PDP.

T he Neda official said a draft PDP has already been submitted to the President last week. The Neda will make the formal presentation to the President on December 16.

LandBank of the Philippines (LBP) are proposed to be part of it. He said the BSP will ensure that DBP and LBP investments, including those that would potentially go to the Maharlika Fund, are within the rules set for investments which also apply to all banks nationwide.

Opportunity cost

MEANWHILE , Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso said the opportunity cost of not creating the SWF includes not having enough resources to put up new or expand industries.

Veloso said the SWF could help the government raise sufficient capital expenditures to bankroll its investments in local industries that would generate more jobs and boost the economy.

T his, he said, would also raise gov ernment taxes as new businesses and expanding enterprises would tend to raise tax revenues. Veloso noted that this will serve as the fuel driving the Philippine economy in the years to come.

However, according to the Sover eign Wealth Fund Institute (SWFI), and SWF is a government-owned investment fund or entity that is commonly established from balance of payments surpluses and official foreign currency operations.

T hese funds can also be created using the proceeds of privatizations; governmental transfer payments; fis cal surpluses; and/or receipts result ing from resource exports.

T he SWFI, however, said sover eign wealth funds exclude foreign currency reserve assets held by mon etary authorities for the traditional balance of payments or monetary policy purposes.

It also does not include stateowned enterprises (SOEs) in the traditional sense; government-em ployee pension funds (funded by employee/employer contributions); and assets managed for the benefit of individuals.

Back burner

MEANWHILE , Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President George T. Barcelon said on Monday the idea of setting up a sovereign wealth fund should be put on the “back-burner” for now.

My concern is...put this in the back-burner in the meantime, be cause we don’t want to go into some thing that might affect our credit standing,” Barcelon said in a televised interview on Monday.

T he head of the PCCI, who was recently appointed as private sec tor representative to the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) by President Ferdi nand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said he fears that this is a primary concern “because as far as the two govern ment agencies [are concerned], they are donating a big chunk for this sovereign wealth fund.”  With Andrea E. San Juan

Global risks...

D ubai crude oil price per barrel this year is also now projected to hover around $98 to $100 per bar rel and is expected to taper down in the succeeding years ($80 to $100 in 2023; $70 to $90 in 2024 to 2028).

T he DBCC also adjusted up wards its peso-dollar exchange rate assumptions for 2022, 2023 and 2024 as the currency continues to depreciate “due to heightened global uncertainties and aggressive monetary policy tightening of the US Federal Reserve.”

“ This is expected to range from USD 54 to 55 in 2022 and further increase to USD 55 to 59 in 2023.

Nonetheless, the peso is expected to appreciate and stabilize at USD 53 to 57 in 2024 to 2028, with the BSP’s policy normalization measures and expected pick-up in foreign exchange inflows,” Pan gandaman said.

E xports of goods are now seen to grow 4 percent from 7 percent previously while imports of goods are expected to rise by 20 percent

Maharlika...

auditors, Commission on Audit and Congress oversight, to ensure its prudent use.

There are 98 [sovereign wealth funds] in 70 countries. B akit naman pinagpipilitan iyong isang failure, di ba?” he told reporters in a press briefing on Monday, referring to Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal.

“ That is not going to happen here,” he added, referring to the 1MDB graft and corruption, that led to the jailing of its former prime minister.

T he proposed MIF would source its initial total budget of P275 bil lion from state-run pensions and financial institutions.

U nder House Bill 6398, P125 billion would come from GSIS, P50 billion from SSS, another P50 bil lion from Land Bank of the Phil ippines and P25 billion from the Development Bank of the Philip pines. The national government will also contribute at least P25 billion to the MIF.

Salceda’s proposal

ALBAY 2nd District Rep. Joey S. Salceda, who chairs the House Committee on Ways and Means, proposed on Tuesday additional safeguard mechanisms to the MIF to make the proposed legislation “more airtight.”

S alceda proposed adding a pro vision making at least one of the independent directors an SSS or GSIS member or pensioner, to ad dress concerns on representation in the fund’s governance.

S alceda also introduced an amendment to the bill that “all transactions of the MWFC shall abide by the arm’s length principle and the prudent person rule.”

He also recommended limiting the exemption of the MIF from the

PHL...

Continued from A14

In August, the DA revealed the country would suffer a shortage of key ingredients in making Filipino dishes, such as white onion and garlic, as total supplies, even with imports, are insufficient to meet overall de mand for the commodities.

T his year the DA decided not to issue import permits for another round of white onion importation to prevent farm-gate prices from being depressed.

A griculture Assistant Secre tary Kristine Y. Evangelista ex plained that they are persuading industrial users, such as restau rants, to use red onions instead of white onions as a solution to the current supply woes.

We have to import white on ions but our direction right now is to convince institutional buyers to buy red onions,” she said.

T he country’s total onion im ports from January to September

from an earlier estimate of 18 per cent this year.

T he economic managers now expect total revenues this year to reach P3.515 trillion from P3.304 trillion, driven by bet ter collection performances of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs. To tal disbursements this year also inched up to P5.017 trillion from P4.954 trillion.

Given the revised revenue and disbursement program, the DBCC revised its deficit projection to 6.9 percent of GDP for 2022 but main tained its target deficit for 2023 to 2028, which shall progressively decline from 6.1 percent of GDP in 2023 to pre-pandemic level of 3.0 percent of GDP in 2028,” Pangan daman said.

T he DBCC has also announced the cap for the proposed national budget for 2024 at P5.750 trillion, which is 9.15 percent higher than next year’s P5.268 trillion national budget.

procurement law to “pertaining to minimum prescribed periods for stages of procurement and to restrictions on foreign or foreignowned contractors.”

Of course, we are always open for discussions and for enhance ments to the bill. This is legis lation. As TWG Chair, my job is to refine the proposal. Any rea sonable input helps,” he said in a statement on Monday.

T he House Committee on Ways and Means approved on Monday the tax provisions of the MIF.

S alceda said the tax provisions ensure that the benefits of the tax savings go purely towards the investment fund, increasing potential returns for the SSS and the GSIS.

Some P680 million in tax sav ings will inure to the fund every year as a result of this exemption. That goes towards making the SSS and GSIS funds more robust. That means more funds for pensions,” he added.

Presidential accountability

FORMER president and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria MacapagalArroyo pointed out that the Presi dent will be “ultimately account able” for the MIF since he will chair its governing board.

“ The success of any fund, sover eign or private, lies in the quality of its management.  In the current version of the Maharlika Wealth Fund, the President of the Philip pines chairs its governing Board,” she said.

“ This is a powerful statement that the highest official of the land will hold himself as ultimately ac countable to the Filipino people for the performance of the Fund,” she added.

J asper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

declined by more than half yearon-year to 26,110.021 metric tons from 53,463.693 metric tons last year, based on Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data.

T he Philippines self-sufficien cy ratio (SSR) in onions last year fell to a three-year low at 68.2 percent, PSA data showed. This meant that nearly 7 out of 10 on ions consumed in the country are locally produced.

T he PSA defines SSR as the “mag nitude of production in relation to domestic utilization.” It is the extent to which a country’s supply of commodities is derived from its domestic production or the extent to which a country relies on its own production resources.

T he Philippines produced 218,047 metric tons of onion last year and imported 101,681 metric tons of the commodity, based on PSA data.

NPCS rakes in ₧619M in revenues for PNP

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday reported it has gener ated more than P619 million in revenues for the last four years with the implementation of the National Police Clearance Sys tem (NPCS).

P NP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the fund gen erated by the NPCS is one of the income-generating contri butions of the police in raising funds for various projects of the national government.

He said the P619,136,280.00 was generated through the issu ance of over 4.2 million police clearances.

A police clearance serves various administrative pur poses and applications in pub lic and private transactions.

It is one of the major require ments for job applications and certain government transactions.

E ven foreigners are also required to secure one for lo cal employment and business operations.

Just recently, the PNP ini tiated the mandatory applica tion of police clearance to all workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO).

Based on the latest data, a total of 12,169 police clearances were issued to POGO workers from September 25 to November 30 this year.

“All intents and purposes of this clearance were served, the PNP arrested 294 persons with outstanding Warrants of Arrest while attempting to secure National Police Clear ance in PNP offices across the country,” said Azurin.

T he PNP started using NPCS in 2016 based on the order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

C urrently, there are three pending bills in Congress that seek to establish a national police clearance system and the cen tralization of data on criminal records. Glen Jacob Jose

Azurin orders crackdown vs e-sabong ‘guerrilla’ ops catering mainly to OFWs

By Glen Jacob Jose

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Monday ordered all police commanders to intensify the crack down against the reported “guerrilla operations” of online sabong

A zurin’s order came as reports indicate some online sabong sites continue to run illegally despite a presidential directive to stop the online gambling activity also locally known as e-sabong.

“

There was already a presiden tial order [from former president Rodrigo R. Duterte] to stop all esabong activities. But we monitored that there were guerrilla operations

of e-sabong until now,” Azurin told reporters in a news briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

T hen president Duterte issued the order to stop all online sabong opera tions after the controversial abduc tion and disappearance of at least 34 cockfighting aficionados. They remain unaccounted for until now.

W hile the major operators of esabong have already ceased their operations, there are still some small groups and individuals that continue to use the online platform for cock fighting betting.

A zurin said that he also re ceived reports that the guerrilla online sabong operations have been mainly catering to overseas

Filipino workers (OFW).

So I directed all units, regional directors, the provincial directors and even the Criminal Investiga tion and Detection Group [CIDG] and IG [Intelligence Group] to work together to hunt down all these personalities involved in the op erations,” he added.

W hile the CIDG has already filed cases against at least 15 personali ties in connection with the missing sabungeros, most of the abduction cases remain unsolved.

“I took note of recent develop ments that unfolded in our continu ing investigation of 34 persons who have been missing for over a year now. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. no

less, has expressed concern on these cases that he ordered the DOJ to get to the bottom of these disappearances of cockfight gamers,” said Azurin.

He said the new evidence un covered by CIDG has led to the fil ing of criminal charges against two suspects Julie Patidongan a.k.a. Dondon and a John Doe, for the al leged kidnapping of a Bulacan-based gamer in Laguna.

“ It is only a matter of time be fore we can eventually crack these cases and prosecute the main ac tors,” said Azurin, adding he had already added manpower to con tinue the probe into the cases.

I am making available the servic es and expertise of all PNP National

Support Units to assist CIDG in suc ceeding investigations in support to parallel efforts of the Department of Justice,” said Azurin.

T he CIDG filed the charges on Thursday before the National Pros ecution Service of the Department of Justice.

T he charges were based on the complaint of the kin of victim Mi chael Bautista of Barangay Poblacion 1, Daang Barrio Road, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, who has been miss ing since April 28, 2021.

“As soon as I assumed the position of Director of CIDG, one of my priori ties was the continuous investigation of the missing victims…,”CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee vowed.

Bantag appears at DOJ’s PI, but files for transfer of case to Ombudsman

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

SUSPENDED Bureau of Correc tions (BuCor) director general Gerald Bantag finally appeared before the Department of Justice (DOJ) to seek the inhibition of the panel of prosecutors conducting the preliminary investigation (PI) on the murder charges lodged against him and several others in connection with the killings of veteran radio commen tator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the case.

Bantag’s lawyer Rocky Balisong sought the inhibition of the DOJ prosecutors and the immediate transfer of the investigation of the murder charges before the Ombuds man, which, he said, has the primary jurisdiction over his client under Ar ticle 11, Section 13, paragraph 1 of the Constitution.

B antag’s camp also cited Section 15, in relation to Section 11 of Re public Act 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of 1989, which gives the Om budsman the power to investigate cases falling within the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.

A side from this, Balisong also accused the DOJ of being biased against his client, thus, warranting the inhibition of the DOJ prosecu tors from conducting the PI for the purpose of determining whether there is a probable cause to elevate the case for trial.

Bantag’s camp cited the recent pronouncements of Justice Secre tary Jesus Crispin Remulla accusing the former BuCor official as the one who may have ordered the killing of Mabasa and Villamor.

He noted that the investigating prosecutors are under the control and

supervision of the justice secretary.     Investigators, on the other hand, said Bantag had a clear motive to or der the murders.

In the case of Lapid, investigators pointed to his continued exposé on alleged irregularities committed by Bantag in his radio commentary pro gram “Lapid Fire” as the motive.

For Villamor’s death, authori ties said the motive was to cover up the murder of Lapid.

Remulla earlier said Lapid’s “Cin derella Man” story could have trig gered Bantag to order his killing.

T he DOJ secretary said it was nar rated to him that Bantag skipped the

graduation ceremony of the Univer sity of Perpetual Help for its studentinmates held last September 9 at the National Bilibid Prisons after learn ing that Lapid went to his house that day to examine and take pictures of his house and vehicles.

Remulla noted that the event was very significant for BuCor for Bantag to be absent.

Bantag’s absence, according to Remulla, was an indication that the former BuCor chief was very mad.

I hope the investigating panel will study it very carefully because we have laid a very solid ground for them to inhibit from this case. Aside

from the issue on impartiality, the issue on jurisdiction is a serious matter which should be considered by them,” Balisong said.

Balisong, however, said his client is prepared to file his counter-affida vit on the murder charges before the panel in case it decides not to grant the motion.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie Guhit said the submission of Bantag’s counter affidavit was held in abeyance pending the resolution of the motion to inhibit.

Guhit said the complainants were ordered to comment within seven days on the motion, after which,

the panel would issue a resolution on the motion.

The continuation of the prelimi nary investigation will be dependent on the resolution on the motion for inhibition,” he said.

A lso during the preliminary in vestigation, Bantag’s camp filed a written request for clearer copies of some of the documents submitted in support of the complaints.

Guhit said the panel has fur nished the respondent with the documents he requested.

L apid’s brother Roy Mabasa said he would oppose the motion of Ban tag, which, he said, is only intended to delay the proceedings on the case. “We will file our opposition by next week,” he said.

B antag and BuCor deputy secu rity officer Ricardo Zulueta were charged as principals by inducement in the Lapid killing.                       A lso charged in the Percy Lapid killing as “principals by indispens able cooperation” were Bilibid in mates Denver Batungbakal Mayores, Alvin Cornista Labra, Aldrin Micosa Galicia and Alfie Peñaredonda.

For Villamor’s death, Bantag and Zulueta were charged as principals by inducements, while inmates Labra, Galicia, Mario Germones Alvarez and Joseph Medel Georfo were charged as principals by indispensable coop eration and inmates Christam Dizon Ramac, Ricky Lamigo Salgado, Ron nie Pabustan de la Cruz and Joel Alog Reyes were charged as principals by direct participation.                     Me anwhile, Zulueta again did not attend the hearing and was not represented by a lawyer.

The inmates, according to Guhit, appeared in the preliminary investi gation via video conferencing with the assistance of their respective counsels.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Monday reported it has logged 7,731 Covid-19 cases from November 28 to December 4, 2022, lower by 4 percent as compared to the previous week.

According to the DOH, the average cases per day are at 1,104.

T here were 134 deaths recorded but only 19 occurred from November 21 to December 4.

A s of December 4, there are 595 severe and critical Covid-19 patients admitted in the hospitals.

O f the 2,413 ICU beds for Covid patients, 534 (22.1 percent) are occupied.

Meanwhile, the DOH said that over 73 million individuals or 94.27 percent of the target population have been vaccinated against Covid-19, while 20 million individuals received their booster shots.

On the other hand, 6.9 million senior citizens or 79.37 percent of the target A2 population have been given their primary series.

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

THE government is considering the construction of high-rise buildings for public housing amid limited available land space for such projects.

P resident Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. made the announcement dur ing the initial turnover of house and lot units by the National Housing Authority (NHA) in Naic, Cavite on Monday to qualified beneficiaries.

He said the lack of available space in urban areas might compel the government to build structures, which are higher than their typical mid-rise public housing, which are five to six stores.

Maybe we can go into a high rise instead. We are studying if this can be done on a case-to-case [basis],” Marcos said in Filipino.

T he Department of Human Set tlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) earlier announced its target to construct a million public housing units a year during the cur rent administration or a total of 6.5 million by 2028.

T he department is currently lob bying for a P36 billion budget to meet the target.

Marcos also said he will be com ing out with a new executive order to reserve idle government lands for housing projects.

T he President stressed the need to build public housing within his term of office to ensure all infor mal settlers will be sheltered dur ing his term.

There are so many of our citizens, who have no home and are forced to become squatters. This is wrong. We should not be doing this to our citizens,” Marcos said.

M arcos attributed the short

age in local housing to the lack of initiative from the previous administrations.

H e recalled that during the term of his mother, Former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos as the head of the defunct Ministry of Human Settlements, the government was already making headway in ad dressing the country’s housing needs through the Bagong Lipu nan Improvement of Sites and Services (BLISS).

“But it was neglected. That is why there is now a [housing] shortage. So we really have a significant catch up to do,” Marcos pointed out.

A s of last Monday, Marcos said the Department of Housing and was able to construct and distrib ute around 30,000 housing units in 13 regions.

T he recipients of the said units, the President said, will also be pro vided with livelihood.

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday joined the rest of the government, civil society, and the entire country in the National Observance of Human Rights Consciousness (NHRCW).

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said this event is fortuitous as its coincided with the 74th anniver sary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHD) with the theme “Pagtaguyod at Pagsulong ng mga Karapatang Pantao tungo sa Matatag na Pundasyon ng Kapay apaan, Katarungan, Kalikasan, Kaunlaran, at Bayanihan.”

He also added that Philippine government can take pride that the PNP is very progressive in terms of human rights advocacy where neces sary mechanisms have been set into place to ensure that human rights are protected, and violators are pros ecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

By law and by demands of faith and morality, we in the law enforce

ment are called upon to uphold civil, political, economic and socio-cultur al rights. We do so, not only because the law demands it; we must uphold human rights simply because it is the right thing to do,” Azurin stressed.

A mong the highlights of the cel ebration is the recitation of “Pan unumpa Ng Kawani Ng Pamahalaan Bilang Tagapagtanggol Ng Karapa tang Pantao” led by Police Briga dier General Vincent S. Calanoga, Chief, Human Rights Affairs Office.

A zurin also gave recognition to six PNP personnel who have contributed their time, knowledge, expertise and resources in support to the PNP Hu man rights development program.

He also reminded all uniformed personnel that as police officers, they have the sworn obligation to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights as the core of maintaining peace and order, ensuring public safety, and up holding the rule of law in the country.

SUSPENDED Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Chief Gerald Bantag attends the preliminary investigation on the Percy Lapid case at the Department of Justice building on Padre Faura, Manila on Monday, December 5, 2022. Bantag sought the inhibition of state prosecutors from the proceedings, adding Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla has shown biases against him. PNA/YANCY LIM

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

BusinessMirror

pines (NGCP) said.

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Luzon grid was placed on “yellow alert” on Mon day afternoon, the Nation al Grid Corporation of the Philip

T he grid operator issued the alert notice from 1 to 4 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. A yellow alert means insuf ficient operating power reserve.

T here were four power plants

that went on forced outage and three experienced below-capacity genera tion. The generators that went on shutdown are Calaca 2 (300MW), GMEC 1 (316MW), Masinloc 3 (355MW), GNDP 2 (668MW). The de-rated plants are Masinloc 1

(250MW), Masinloc 2 (285MW), Sual 1 (310MW).

In all, 2,080 MW was shaved off from the grid resulting in thin power reserves. The NGCP said peak de mand stood at 10,548 MW, while available supply reached 11,572 MW.

e-governance

Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla assured the public that there is no fuel supply constraint after these power-generating plants went on forced outages. T he DOE has coordinated with the Manila Electric Company to ad

NGCP hoists ‘yellow alert’ in Luzon as 4 power plants conk out DICT

vise its Interruptible load program (ILP) participants to be prepared with their manual load dropping as a precautionary measure.

In this case, the ILP participants may run their facilities to allow more grid capacity to serve other customers.

Labor group Kapatiran files for ₧100 wage hike in NCR

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

CITING what they described as the unabated rise in cost of liv ing, which is expected to last until early next year, a labor group filed for a P100 minimum wage hike petition in Metro Manila on Monday.

K apatiran ng mga Unyon at Sa mahang Manggagawa (Kapatiran) chairperson Rey Almendras said they decided seek a new wage hike in the National Capital Region (NCR) ahead of the anniversary period of the pre vious wage order in the region, Wage Order (WO) No. NCR-23, due to “ur gent and reasonable grounds.”

able Board that a P100 wage increase be granted to all workers regularly employed in non-agriculture and agriculture sectors, in service/retail establishments, and manufacturing industries in NCR through a new Wage Order,” the group said in its wage petition.

High inflation

‘GET online, don’t get in line,”

ICT Secretary Ivan John Uy’s declared as the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) formalized its partnership with other government agencies for a better and unified gov ernment system.

A s part of its efforts to digitalize the government, the DICT on Friday signed a memorandum of understand ing with partner government agen cies to collaborate in developing an e-government system that aims to maximize efficiency and eliminate long queues in public transactions with

the government.

ICT Chief Ivan John Uy led the ceremonial signing, together with Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Herminio Bagro III, Department of the Interior and Lo cal Government Undersecretary Lord Villanueva, Government Service In surance System President and Gen eral Manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso, Social Security System President and CEO Michael Regino, Land Bank of the Philippines President and CEO Cecilia Borromeo, Mindanao De velopment Authority Chairwoman Belinda Acosta.

W O NCR-23, which granted minimum wage earners a P33 pay increase, took effect last June 4.

“ Wages can no longer keep up with the rise in prices of goods. Inflation was already at 7 percent that is why the prices of goods are so high,” Al mendras told the BusinessMirror in a text message.

B ased on their computations, Almendras said the P570 minimum wage for non-agriculture workers in NCR already lost P76 of its “real value” when adjusted to the current consumer price index.

“Premises considered, Petitioner most respectfully prays to the Honor

UNDER the rules of the National Wages and Productivity Commis sion (NWPC), a regional wage board could only issue a wage order once every 12 months, unless there is a so called supervening event such as an extraordinary increase in prices of petroleum products and basic goods and services for an extended period in its jurisdiction.

T he concerned Regional Tripar tite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPB) could determine a super vening event.

K apatiran said inflation in the country has been on the rise since the third quarter of the year.

It cited government data which the 6.5 percent inflation in Septem ber alarmingly accelerated to 7.7 per cent last October.

T he labor group is now also plan ning similar wage petitions in the RTWPBs in Cebu, Negros, Panay and those in Mindanao.

Implement compliance to enable trust and drive value

ated by a company prior to adoption to ensure that the interface is intui tive, configurable, and scalable.

Integration

responsibility.

Insight

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on Monday reminded that passengers should not be charged with extra fees at ports after receiving complaints of alleged charging of ad ditional payment amid expected influx of passengers at terminals during the Christmas peak season.

On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, several passengers at Matnog Port re ported to PPA Port Police the charging of extra P20.00 by the third party opera tor, which is currently being investigated according to Bicol Port Manager Ma. Magnolia S. Requejo.

“ We have observed the charging of the booking services fee at dawn of No vember 30, 2022 and almost all buses are apparently charging this to their passengers,” said Port Manager Requejo.

“ We have discussed this undue charg ing being done to bus passengers at the port with Provincial Administrator of Sorsogon, Mr. Erick Ravanilla and they said that they are also conducting an in vestigation on this as they do not approve any extra charges for bus passengers at the port,” added Requejo.

According to PPA General Manager Jay Santiago, it is important for passen gers to know that such charging of extra fee is not authorized by PPA and that payment on this does not go in anyway to PPA or to the local government unit.

“It should be clear to passengers that it is not PPA that charges extra fees to those who are using the port, there is no extra fee that needs to be charged to passengers as port fees are already fixed and we do not add any much on it,” said Santiago.

L ast May, the daily passenger average at Matnog Port was recorded at 10,000 at the height of the national and local elec tions, higher than the highest number logged since the start of the pandemic with 5,000 daily average passengers in December 2021.

By Henry J. Schumacher

COMPLIANCE

is everyone’s responsibility, from senior leadership to middle managers and front-line workers. However, too often the compliance team is seen as the sole gatekeeper of ethical business.

T here is a need to embed ethics into the employee mindset and how to make compliance an inherent way of doing business. Let’s have a look at the key drivers necessary to operationalize compli ance into your business:

Adoption

Integration

Engagement

Insight

Adaptability

Adoption

Ease of access and usability are paramount considerations in adop tion. Compliance processes must be both accessible to an organization’s rank-and-file and be susceptible to regular utilization. While technol ogy can automate and streamline compliance processes in a host of instances (including third party risk management, for example), technologically driven compliance solutions should be carefully evalu

INTEGRATION of complianceconscious processes and procedures into the operational fabric of the organization is critical to mitigate the potential for ethical and legal infractions. A virtual prerequisite for integration, however, is com plete compliance program transpar ency. Too often, an organization’s various divisions operate as infor mation silos, where critical compli ance-relevant information remains shielded from broader public view. Such territorial practices completely undermine the compliance func tion’s ability to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Integration also requires that the organization’s compliance risk profile is consolidated into a holis tic enterprise-wide risk assessment. This enables the organization to vi sualize more effectively—and con sequently prioritize—the totality of its unique risk factors, thereby ensuring that scarce organizational resources are allocated on a more objective, data-driven basis.

Engagement

ENGAGEMENT is another criti cal element of an effective com pliance program that focuses on the extent to which an organiza tion’s employees operationalize compliance concerns. To facilitate such engagement, the compliance program should be designed to maximize practical considerations wherever possible. This includes in tegrating compliance controls into existing business processes in the least obtrusive manner possible. Engagement also requires that the compliance function be dedicated to consistent communication of compliance expectations and so licitation of stakeholder feedback.

Solicitation of feedback is a rec ognition that compliance is a shared

AN effective compliance program is ultimately driven by the power of data. A lack of meaningful insight into the major risk factors facing the organization is a recipe for the execution of a fragmented and in coherent compliance strategy—one that fails to meet regulator expecta tions and is ineffective in ultimately detecting (and potentially prevent ing) legal violations. Accordingly, the compliance function of the organization must be dedicated to data collection, aggregation, and analysis whenever and wherever possible to inform decisionmakers about enhancing potentially defi cient internal controls or devoting additional resources to mitigating a particular risk.

T his insight is only possible, however, where compliance data is routinely collected and easily acces sible, making the utilization of an integrated compliance management platform the ideal solution.

Adaptability

ADAPTABILITY refers to the ability of the compliance program to expand or adjust over time as additional con cerns materialize and new regulato ry requirements arise. An adaptable program is one that evolves almost organically in response to new con cerns. These programs articulate broad, values-driven principles that are reflected in all operational practices and are capable of being expanded in response to emerging regulatory requirements.

In conclusion: Now it is time to start driving ethical change, with the goal to operationalize compli ance, enable trust and drive value.

I hope that this focus on compliance being everyone’s responsibility was helpful. Should you need assistance in implementing the suggestions, let me know; I will get you in touch with experts; contact me at hjschum acher59@gmail.com

Sen. Cynthia Villar outlines farmers’ gains in composting

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SEN. Cynthia Villar aired high hopes Monday that everyone will share her intense passion in promoting composting with the almost triple increase in the cost of chemical fertilizers.

Noting the spike—from P934 average in 2019 to P2,134.64 aver age in 2022—Villar projected this “will minimize the farmer’s use of costly fertilizers.”

T he senator pointed out that “with the country’s dependence on im ported fertilizers, the current global demand greatly affects the entry of fertilizer imports in our country.”

She observed that this “caused lim ited local fertilizer supply that influ enced the escalation of local prices.”

D uring the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) cel ebration of the World Soil Day 2022 on Monday, Villar reminded that the World Soil Day is held an nually to “focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable man agement of soil resources.”

S he pointed out that the global theme for this year’s celebration, “Soils: Where food begins,” was intended to “raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems.”

Villar assured “this can be done by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.”

For its part, the Food and Agri culture Organization noted that if the soils are not managed sustain ably, fertility is progressively lost, and soils will produce nutrientdeficient plants.

“Soil nutrient loss is a major soil degradation process threatening nutrition. It is recognized as being

among the most critical problems at a global level for food security and sustainability,” Villar said.

In her hometown Las Piñas, Villar recalled she started her composting project in 2002 that enabled the local government unit to save more than P300 million annually from recycling 75 percent of their wastes, where 50 percent are kitchen and garden wastes into organic fertilizer.

She reported that the Villar SI PAG, the Corporate Social Responsi bility of Vista Land, has established 118 composting facilities—67 in 20 barangays in Las Piñas and 50 in Vista Land communities nationwide. The senator noted that composting contributes to the promotion of or ganic farming in the Philippines as farmers are among the main benefi ciaries of this compost.

The project touches the lives of many vegetable enthusiasts inter ested in home gardening, the farm ers and private individuals for they can avail of free organic fertilizer together with vegetable seeds for their farms or backyard garden,” Villar, who sits as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

She recalled that just recently, the Villar SIPAG’s Las Piñas Kitch en Wastes Composting project won the Energy Globe Award after being recognized as one of the “World’s Best Environmental Projects” after being recognized for its significant contributions and sustainable ef forts to protect preserve and save the environment.

A t the same time, Villar also thanked the BSWM for helping promote composting. She said the P1.1-billion fund for a composting program, which formerly remained unused, has now moved with the BSWM completing the procure ment process.

42 CAAP-run airports placed on high alert for holiday rush P

ALL the 42 airports operated by the Civil Aviation Author ity of the Philippines (CAAP) are now on high alert for the upcom ing holiday season, an executive said Monday.

“CAAP has tapped the Office of Transportation Security [OTS] and the Philippine National Police Avia tion Security Group to provide addi tional personnel and to strengthen security measures before the upcom ing rush of passengers,” CAAP spokes person Eric Apolonio said Monday.

C oordination with airline op erators and other government agencies operating at the airports was also done.

OTS Administrator Ma. O Aplasca said that since they only have a few personnel in CAAP airports, there will be longer working hours for the screening personnel to cope with the increased volume of passengers this Christmas season.

C AAP advised travelers not to bring prohibited items, and to stow all belongings in their carry-on baggage for faster processing at the screening checkpoints.

According to Aplasca, passengers should take note of prohibited items such as guns, sharp pointed objects, chemicals and other toxic substances.

Meanwhile, CAAP said it is opti mistic with the uptick in the travel demand, and cited a 7- to 10-percent annual increase in the passenger vol ume being recorded previously.

From January to October this year, CAAP airports welcomed 16 million passengers. A probable big ger passenger surge is expected this holiday season.

L ast year, a total of 5,136,075 pas sengers traveled to CAAP airports. Of this, 1,007,842 traveled in De cember. PNA

Parts of Metro and Cavite waterless from Dec. 5 to 8

ARTS of the National Capital Region (NCR) and Cavite prov ince will go waterless for a few days as the Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) has scheduled a water interruption due to its network main tenance from December 5 to 8.

In an advisory, Maynilad said the maintenance activities are part of its continuous effort to improve water services in the West Zone.

T he affected areas are:

B arangays 28, 33 and 34 in Calo ocan City from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. of December 5, specifically inside the Dagat-Dagatan Sewer and Treat ment Plant.

Barangays Molino II and Molino III in Bacoor City from 10 p.m. of Dec. 6 until 4 a.m. of December 7, particularly in Molino Road corner Molino Boule vard in front of Mang Inasal.

Barangay 166 in Caloocan City from 8 p.m. of December 6 until 4 a.m. of December 7, specifically in Llano cor ner T. Samson for leak repair activity.

Barangays 12 and 14 in Caloocan City from 11 p.m. of Dec. 6 until 4 a.m. of December 7, particularly in Alima sag (Pagui-Kanduli).

NBI pressed to move vs Holiday Season online bank fraudsters

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

ACONSUMER group is asking the National Bureau of Inves tigation (NBI) to go after on line syndicates who are expected to take advantage of the Holiday Season to commit massive fraud that targets bank accounts of Filipino employees.

In a letter to NBI Director Medar do de Lemos, Action for Consumer ism and Transparency For National Building (ACTNB) Secretary General Jake Silo expressed alarm over me

dia reports that international bank fraud syndicates are expected to conduct their illegal activities in a massive scale as millions of Filipinos begin receiving their 13th month pay and bonuses.

At the same time, the group noted that more overseas Filipinos going home for the holidays, bringing with them the money they saved, while those who may unable to come home will certainly remit money to their loved ones through banks.

In other words, there will be plenty of money going around this

December. This is the perfect storm for foreign and local syndicates to pull off the perfect heist,” the group added.

T he group also said online syndi cates are also expected to go all out in their illegal schemes before the SIM Card Registration Act is fully implemented next year.

T he law was passed to address crimes using the platform including text and online scams by regulating the sale and the use of SIM cards by mandating registration to end-users.

It is a now or never situation

Davao de Oro’s executive-legislative agenda eyes agri-investment, eco-agri tourism devt

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—The recent executive-legislative agen da (ELA) meeting in Davao de Oro had built a consensus for a long-term work of encouraging more investments in agriculture as well as eco-tourism activities.

T he joint focus by the execu tive department and the legislative branch was finalized in a commit ment that both branches would co operate on the agenda for the next two years.

T he officials envisioned Davao de Oro to be the leading agri-invest ment and eco-agri tourism destina tion in Mindanao by 2040, “With God-loving, culturally inclusive, and empowered stewards of resources

living in safe, clean, and resilient ecosystems enjoying a progressive and competitive economy sustained with good governance.”

T he ELA is divided into five parts: social services, economic development and poverty reduc tion, physical and infrastructure development, environmental man agement and local administration and financial management.

Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gon zaga and Vice Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy led the commitment signing of the Davao de Oro ELA 2023-2025.

Gonzaga has asked for coopera tion and support as the provincial government “implements the proj ects as stated in the ELA.”

“ We need your utmost coopera tion. We need your prayers that we be united to have a smooth sailing in running the ship toward our destined

port in 2025,” she added.

Gonzaga said the ELA was “a ve hicle steered by the officials towards a better province in 2025.”

It’s the boat. It’s the ship. It’s the very vehicle that we will ride as steered by the Governor, Vice Governor, and SP Members,” Gonzaga said.

Uy has expressed the full support of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to the current administration.

We in the SP, on behalf of all the board members, since they are main characters on this, will give our 100 percent support to our new governor in her direction, vision for our prov ince, and to the initiatives towards a more improved province of Davao de Oro,” Uy said.

Uy added the ELA marked the beginning of more cooperation and collaborations between the executive and legislative bodies.

PBBM cites fisheries hub for improving lives in SEA

ILOILO CITY—President Ferdinand R. Marcos

Jr. underscored the role of the Southeast Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in improving the lives of millions of people in Southeast Asia (SEA) and its continuous commitment to 10 other member-nations in the region.

Marcos, represented by lawyer Demosthenes Escoto, Officer-inCharge of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), served as keynote speaker during Monday’s opening of the 45th meeting of the SEAFDEC Program Committee (PCM) here, hosted by the Aquaculture Department (AQD).

He said the organization served as an important forum where member-nations pursue scientific research and share knowledge and responsible management of fisheries and aquaculture resources.

“Southeast Asia’s continuing economic growth recovery is a vivid reminder of the pivotal function that the region’s fisheries and aquaculture has been performing in recent years,” Marcos said in his statement read by Escoto.

Marcos said in the next three

days, the activities of the various departments of SEAFDEC will be reviewed and evaluated to make sure that their programs complement and do not duplicate and assist in the program formulation of member-countries in various fields of fisheries.

T hese programs also aim to reach an agreement for their longterm development plan and ensure that the needs of all membercountries are justly reflected in the proposed programs of activities and financial allocations of the various departments, he said.

In a news conference, Escoto said the current administration is trying to invigorate the fisheries sector in the country, including aquaculture, in pushing for food security as one of its major thrusts.

Aquaculture contributes around 52 percent to the country’s fishery sector.

One of the major collaborations is on legislated hatcheries; the government is targeting the establishment of 54 legislated hatcheries all throughout the country that would propel sufficiency as to fish fry and that would promote at least a substantial contribution of the aquaculture sector to food

Senate, House ratify bicam’s version of ₧5.268-T budget

Pimentel recalled that while the Ex ecutive proposed P10 billion, the House cut this down to P5 billion, and the Senate later concurred in this huge cut.  Lawmakers at the time were concerned over persistent reports that instead of helping formerly rebel-controlled com munities transition to peace, the NTFElcac would be just like a huge pork barrel for local officials and security agencies, with little transparency and accountability.

Angara, however, explained that the P10-billion budget as initially proposed

was not restored by the bicameral panel. The bicameral panel, he said, approved a final P6-billion budget for NTF Elcac; with over P3 billion of the outlay placed under “unprogrammed appropriations.”

To Pimentel’s insistence that the P219-billion hike in unprogrammed appropriations actually bloated the budget to P6-trillion, Angara stressed the long-held fiscal doctrine that un programmed appropriations are never counted in the national budget because they are contingent on the availabil ity of funds, usually intended to be

financed by loans.

A ngara also credited “the Senate leadership and the majority, as well the Speaker of the House,” with shepherd ing the 2023 GAA, pointing out that “the approved budget bill will ensure that the government would be on track.”

At the same time, the senators prod ded an oversight committee to be on guard, suggesting to have “a scorecard so we can monitor; then we can know what targets are not met,” even as they aired hopes that “the budget be imple mented well by the Executive.”

security,” he said.

SEAFDEC is assisting the BFAR in feasibility studies, training for hatchery operations and research and development.

Escoto said in two to three years’ time, all the target legislated hatcheries are expected to be established and operational.

SEAFDEC/AQD chief Dan Baliao said in addition to legislated hatchery, they are also into establishing a feed mill to have cost-efficient feeds, which when completed will complete the aquaculture component.

He said that 60 percent of production cost goes to feeds alone, deterring aquaculture production.

“We have to come up with formulation that will cost less but efficient. So we have formulated feeds that cost lower than the commercial feed cost. In 2023 we hope that most of these feed mills will be constructed, that depends on the government support,” he added.

T he PCM is an annual gathering for the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center in South East Asia to review the past achievements and future activities that will be implemented by the department. PNA

for them and this is why we see the recent rise in unabated SMS scams, which we feel will lead to getting people OTPs and consequently ac cess to the victims’ bank accounts,” the group stressed.

We humbly request for the NBI to start going after these criminals. We hope that leading to the holidays, authorities arrest as many as they can to not only weaken their net work, but also to send the message that the government is serious in its crackdown against online financial scammers,” it added.

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

FARMERS and residents of Barangay Cahilan II and three other barangays in the town of Lemery, Batangas can now safely cross a dead river to bring their ag ricultural products to the nearest market following the competition of a P13.4 million bridge project of the government.

T he Tulay ng Pangulo Para sa Kan ularang Pang-Agraryo (TPKP) project is being implemented by the Depart ment of Agrarian Refrom (DAR).

T he project was turned over to local officials that include Barangay Chairman Benito Tolentino of Cahi lan II, who expressed his gratitude to the DAR and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the completion of the project.

“ We are all very happy that we can now cross the other side of the road even through heavy rains,” Tolentino said, disclosing “that the river used to overflow during the rainy season so that people could not cross to the other side of the road.”

T he newly constructed bridge would be a big help not only in bring ing their products to the market but also during emergency disaster evacuation instances.

“ Thank you very much. You can expect that we would take care of this bridge so we can benefit from it for a much longer period,” he added.

Engr. Marilou C. Baslan, Provin cial Agrarian Reform Program Of ficer II, led the turnover ceremony with Lemery Municipal Mayor Ian Kenneth Alilio, representatives from the local government unit (LGU), DPWH and DAR regional and pro vincial officials and personnel, of ficially receiving the project.

Baslan said the Cahilan II Bridge will link barangay Cahilan II to the economic mainstream and open op portunities for the agrarian reform beneficiaries and other farmers to enhance their agricultural produc tivity and household income.

Congratulations to all of you. This bridge is a symbol of love of the DAR, DPWHandLGUofLemeryforthefarm ers and residents of Cahilan II and other neighboring barangays,” she said.

Lemery, Batangas farmers benefit from DAR’s Tulay ng Pangulo proj

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Opec+ maintains oil shipping targets as Russian price cap stirs uncertainty

By David Mchugh AP Business Writer

FRANKFURT, Germany—The Saudi-led Opec oil cartel and allied producers including Russia did not change their tar gets for shipping oil to the global economy amid uncertainty about the impact of new Western sanc tions against Russia that could take significant amounts of oil off the market.

The decision at a meeting of oil ministers Sunday comes a day ahead of the planned start of two measures aimed at hitting Rus sia’s oil earnings in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Those are: a European Union boycott of most Russian oil and a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian exports im posed by the EU and the Group of Seven democracies.

It is not yet clear how much Russian oil the two sanctions measures could take off the glob al market, which would tighten supply and drive up prices. The world’s No. 2 oil producer has been able to reroute much, but not all, of its former Europe shipments to customers in India, China and Turkey.

The impact of the price cap is also up in the air because Rus sia has said it could simply halt deliveries to countries that ob serve the limit. But analysts say the country would likely also find ways to evade the cap for some shipments.

On the other side, oil has been trading at lower prices on fears that coronavirus outbreaks and China’s strict zero-Covid restric tions would reduce demand for fuel in one of the world’s major economies. Concerns about reces sions in the US and Europe also raise the prospect of lower demand for gasoline and other fuel made from crude.

That uncertainty is the reason the Opec+ alliance gave in Octo ber for a slashing production by 2 million barrels per day starting in November, a cut that remains in effect. Analysts say that took less than the full amount off the market because Opec+ members already can’t meet their full pro duction quotas.

An Opec+ statement Sunday pushed back against criticism of that October decision in view of the recent weakness in oil prices, saying the cut had been “recognized in retrospect

by the market participants to have been the necessary and the right course of action towards stabilizing global oil markets.”

The White House, which has pressed for more oil supply to keep gasoline costs down for US drivers, at the time called the cut “short sighted” and said the alliance was “aligning with Russia.”

With the global economy slow ing, oil prices have been falling since summertime highs, with international benchmark Brent closing Friday at $85.42 per bar rel, down from $98 a month ago. That has eased gasoline prices for drivers around the world.

Average gas prices have fallen for US drivers in recent days to $3.41 per gallon, according to mo toring club federation AAA.

While US, European and other allies seek to punish Russia for the war in Ukraine, they also want to prevent a sudden loss of Russian crude that could send oil and gasoline prices back up.

That is why the G-7 price cap allows shipping and insurance companies to transport Russian oil to non-Western nations at or below that threshold. Most of the globe’s tanker fleet is covered by insurers in the G-7 or EU.

Russia would likely try to evade the cap by organizing its own insurance and using the world’s shadowy fleet of off-the-books tankers, as Iran and Venezuela have done, but that would be costly and cumbersome, analysts say.

The cap of $60 a barrel is near the current price of Russian oil, meaning Moscow could continue to sell while rejecting the cap in principle. Oil use also declines in the winter, in part because fewer people are driving.

“If Russia ends up taking off more oil than about a million barrels per day, then the world becomes short on oil, and there would need to be an offset some where, whether that’s from Opec or not,” said Jacques Rousseau, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners. “That’s going to be the key factor—to figure out how much Russian oil is really leaving the market.”

The Opec+ statement set its next meeting for June 4 but said the coalition could meet at any time to address market developments.

AP Business Writer Cathy Bussewitz contributed from New York.

China eases controls, gives no sign when ‘zero Covid’ ends

By Joe Mcdonald The Associated Press

BEIJING—China is easing some of the world’s most stringent anti-virus controls and authorities say new variants are weaker. But they have yet to say when they might end a “zero-Covid” strategy that confines millions of people to their homes and set off protests and demands for President Xi Jinping to resign.

On Monday, commuters in Bei jing and at least 16 other cities were allowed to board buses and subways without a virus test in the previous 48 hours for the first time in months. Industrial centers including Guangzhou near Hong Kong have reopened markets and businesses and lifted most curbs on movement while keeping re strictions on neighborhoods with infections.

The government announced plans last week to vaccinate mil lions of people in their 70s and 80s, a condition for ending “ze ro-Covid” restrictions that keep most visitors out of China and have disrupted manufacturing and global trade.

That spurred hopes for a quick end to “zero Covid.” But health experts and economists warn it will be mid-2023 and possibly 2024 before vaccination rates are high enough and hospitals are pre pared to handle a possible rash of infections.

“China is not ready for a fast reopening yet,” Morgan Stanley economists said in a report Mon day. “We expect lingering contain ment measures.... Restrictions could still tighten dynamically in lower-tier cities should hospital izations surge.”

The changes follow protests demanding an end to “zero Covid” but are in line with Communist Party promises earlier to reduce disruption by easing quarantine and other restrictions. The chang es have been highly publicized in a possible effort to mollify public

anger, but there is no indication whether any might have been made in response to protests in Shanghai and other cities.

China is the only major country still trying to stamp out transmis sion while the United States and others relax restrictions and try to live with the virus that has killed at least 6.6 million people and in fected almost 650 million.

The protests began Nov. 25 af ter at least 10 people died in a fire in an apartment building in Urumqi in the northwest. Authorities de nied suggestions firefighters or victims were blocked by locked doors or other anti-virus controls. But the disaster became a focus for public frustration.

Ahead of the protests, the Com munist Party promised to make “zero Covid” less costly and dis ruptive but said it was sticking to the overall containment strategy. The party earlier announced updates to the strategy to make it more focused. Authorities began suspending access to buildings or neighborhoods with an infec tion instead of whole cities. But a spike in cases starting in October prompted areas across China to close schools and confine families to cramped apartments for weeks at a time.

Authorities say they are “fur ther optimizing” controls and warn the country needs to stay alert.

China faces “new situations and tasks” due to the “weakening of the pathogenicity” of the latest Omi cron variant, a deputy premier in

charge of the anti-virus campaign, Sun Chunlan, said last week. She said China has “effective diagnosis and treatment” and has vaccinated more than 90 percent of its people.

The ruling party is trying to balance “epidemic prevention, economic stability and security for development,” Sun said Wednes day in a conference with health officials, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Despite the changes, Beijing and other cities are telling some residents to stay home or enforc ing other restrictions on neighbor hoods with infections.

Travelers at the Chinese capi tal’s train stations and three air ports are required to show a nega tive virus test within the previous 48 hours. Elsewhere, Guangzhou and other cities said areas deemed at high-risk for infection still face additional curbs.

A negative virus test within the past 72 hours still is required to enter public buildings in vast metropolis of Chongqing in the southwest, a hotspot in the latest infection spike. Dining in restau rants in some parts of Beijing still is prohibited.

A newspaper reported last week that some Beijing residents who have mild or asymptomatic Co vid-19 cases would be allowed for the first time to isolate themselves at home instead of going to one of China’s sprawling quarantine centers. The government has yet to confirm that.

Forecasters say the struggling economy, already under pressure

from weak demand for Chinese exports and a government crack down on debt in the real estate industry, might be contracting this quarter.

Regulators have responded by freeing up more money for lending and are trying to encourage pri vate investment in infrastructure projects. They have eased some financial controls on real estate developers to reverse a slump in one of China’s biggest industries.

“Policymakers are focus ing their efforts on spurring growth,” Eurasia Group analysts said in a report. “However, even if China’s transition away from a strict zero-Covid policy is more decisive and accelerated, meeting public health milestones like in creasing elderly vaccination will take months.”

On Monday, the government re ported 30,014 new cases, including 25,696 without symptoms. That was down from last week’s daily peak above 40,000 but still close to record daily highs for China.

Xi’s government has held up “zero Covid” as proof of the su periority of China’s system com pared with the United States and Western countries. China’s official death toll stands at 5,235 since the start of the pandemic versus a US count of 1.1 million.

China also has suffered a pos sible rise in fatalities among peo ple with cancer, heart disease and other conditions who struggled to get care while hospitals focused on treating virus cases. Data on those deaths haven’t been reported.

Indonesia’s Mt. Semeru eruption buries homes, damages bridge

By Agoes Basoeki The Associated Press

Flash flood kills nine at church gathering in South Africa

By Mogomotsi Magome The Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG—At least nine people died and eight others were missing in South Africa after a flash flood swept away members of a church congregation along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg, rescue officials said Sunday.

The dead and missing were all part of the congregation, which was conducting religious rituals along the river on Saturday, officials said. Rescue workers reported finding the bodies of two victims that day and another seven bodies when the search and recovery mission resumed Sunday morning.

The teams were interviewing people from the congregation to establish how many others were unaccounted for.

Religious groups frequently gather along the Jukskei River, which runs past townships such as Alexandra in the east of Johannesburg, for baptisms and ritual cleansing.

Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said Sunday that officials had warned residents about the dangers of conducting the rituals along the river.

“We have been receiving a lot of rain on the city of Johannesburg in the last three months, and most of the river streams are now full. Our residents, especially congregants who normally practice these kinds of rituals, will be tempted to go to these river streams,” Mulaudzi said during a news briefing.

“Our message for them is to exercise caution as and when they conduct these rituals,” he added.

SUMBERWULUH, Indonesia—Improved weather conditions on Monday allowed rescuers to resume evacuation efforts and a search for possible victims after the highest volcano on Indonesia’s most densely populated island erupted, triggered by monsoon rains.

Mount Semeru in Lumajang district in East Java province spewed thick columns of ash more than 1,500 meters (nearly 5,000 feet) into the sky Sunday. Villages and nearby towns were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun, but no casualties have been reported.

Hundreds of rescuers were deployed Monday in the worst-hit villages of Sumberwuluh and Supiturang, where houses and mosques were buried to their rooftops by tons of volcanic debris.

Heavy rains had eroded and finally collapsed the lava dome atop the 3,676-meter (12,060-foot) volcano, causing an avalanche of blistering gas and lava down its slopes toward a nearby river. Searing gas raced down the sides of the mountain, smothering entire villages and destroying a bridge that had just been rebuilt after a powerful eruption last year.

including from Sumberwuluh village.

Lumajang district chief Thoriqul Haq said villagers who are still haunted by last year’s eruption fled on their own when they heard the mountain start to rumble early Sunday, so that “casualties could be avoided.”

“They have learned an important lesson on how to avoid the danger of eruption,” he said

while inspecting a damaged bridge in Kajar Kuning hamlet.

He said nearly 2,000 people escaped to emergency shelters at several schools, but many were returned to their homes Monday to tend their livestock and protect their property.

Increased volcanic activity Sunday afternoon prompted authorities to widen the danger zone to 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the crater, and scientists raised the volcano’s alert level to the highest, said Hendra Gunawan, who heads the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center.

People were advised to keep off the southeastern sector along the Besuk Kobokan River, which is in the path of the lava flow.

Semeru, also known as Mahameru, has erupted numerous times in the past 200 years. Still, as is the case with many of the 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, tens of thousands of people continue to live on its fertile slopes.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 270 million people, sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of fault lines, and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.

TheAssociatedPresswriterNiniekKarmini inJakarta,Indonesia,contributedtothisreport.

A WOMAN has her routine Covid-19 throat swab at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing on Sunday, December 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from Covid-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. AP/ANDY WONG

Semeru’s last major eruption was in December 2021, when it blew up with a fury that left 51 people dead in villages that were buried in layers of mud. Several hundred others suffered serious burns and the eruption forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people. The government moved about 2,970 houses out of the danger zone,

VILLAGERS inspect the damage as houses are seen buried in volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Semeru in Kajar Kuning village in Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia on Monday, December 5, 2022. Indonesia’s highest volcano on its most densely populated island released searing gas clouds and rivers of lava Sunday in its latest eruption. AP/IMANUEL YOGA

RESCUERS carry the body of a flood victim that was retrieved from the Jukskei River in Johannesburg on Sunday, December 4, 2022. At least nine people have died while eight others are still missing in South Africa after they were swept away by a flash flood along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg, rescue officials said Sunday. AP

editorial

Will PHL buck global trend of falling wages?

THe pandemic has triggered one of the worst jobs crises in the world. Two years later, many of the challenges it created still persist. Sadly, new challenges also emerged—like skyrocketing food prices as a result of highly volatile developments such as the Russia-Ukraine war.

The severe inflationary crisis amid a global slowdown in economic growth caused a disastrous fall in real monthly wages in many countries. According to a new International Labour Organization report, the crisis is reducing the purchasing power of the middle classes and hitting low-income households particularly hard. The ILO’s Global Wage Report 2022-2023: The Impact of inflation and Covid-19 on wages and purchasing power estimates that global monthly wages fell in real terms to minus 0.9 percent in the first half of 2022—the first time this century that saw negative global wage growth.

“The multiple global crises we are facing have led to a decline in real wages and placed tens of millions of workers in a dire situation as they face increasing uncertainties,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo. “Income inequality and poverty will rise if the purchasing power of the lowest paid is not maintained. In addition, a much-needed post pandemic recovery could be put at risk. This could fuel further social unrest across the world and undermine the goal of achieving prosperity and peace for all.”

The cost-of-living crisis comes on top of significant wage losses for workers and their families during the Covid-19 crisis, which in many countries had the greatest impact on low-income groups. The report said that rising inflation has a greater cost-of-living impact on lower-income earners. This is because they spend most of their disposable income on essential goods and services, which generally experience greater price increases than non-essential items. Estimates show that despite nominal adjustments taking place, accelerating price inflation is quickly eroding the real value of minimum wages in many countries.

“We must place particular attention to workers at the middle and lower end of the pay scale. Fighting against the deterioration of real wages can help maintain economic growth, which in turn can help to recover the employment levels observed before the pandemic. This can be an effective way to lessen the probability or depth of recessions in all countries and regions,” said Rosalia Vazquez-Alvarez, one of the report’s authors.

In the Philippines, where ordinary workers suffered the adverse effects of the world’s longest Covid lockdown, economic recovery came sooner than expected. With the 5.7 percent growth in 2021 and the second quarter 2022 GDP growth rate of 7.5 percent, we have returned to our pre-pandemic robust growth path.

In 2023, the country is expected to buck the global trend of falling real wage growth. Employees in the Philippines can look forward to a median 5.5 percent increase in their salaries next year, up from 5.3 percent this year, according to Mercer’s annual Total Remuneration Survey 2022. The TRS surveyed 447 organizations across 11 industries in the country between April and June this year.

Floriza Molon, Mercer’s Career Business Leader for the Philippines, said: “Salary increases are gradually increasing now that business activities in the Philippines are picking up post-pandemic. But inflation hit a high this year and there was little to no real salary increase for employees. The situation will improve for 2023, as the market outlook is forecasted to improve with lower inflation rates. Employees will be able to benefit from some real salary increase, which will be welcome news for many.”

Across the industries surveyed, Shared Services is projected to offer the highest salary increment at 6 percent, with High Tech (5.8 percent), Life Sciences (5.8 percent) and Logistics (5.8 percent) following closely behind. Services (Non-Financial) (5.0 percent) and Chemicals industries (4.6 percent), on the other hand, are forecasting the lowest salary increments.

On industry salary trends, Molon said, “The Shared Services and High Tech industries are not showing signs of slowing down. As companies were forced to accelerate their digitalization plans during and post-pandemic, there continues to be high demand for tech-based products and services, which are in turn generating employment opportunities. But some industries like Services (Non-Financial) and Chemicals remain cautious about their 2023 outlook as business demand is just starting to pick up.”

The Mercer survey said voluntary attrition rate continues to increase this year due to a more buoyant labor market. Among the organizations surveyed, 36 percent plan to increase their headcount in 2023, while 38 percent intend to maintain headcount. The country’s unemployment rate is also trending down from a high of 7.8 percent in 2021. For 2023, the rate is seen going down to 5.4 percent as companies intensify their hiring activities.

Economic blueprint

We achieved the economic feat despite a series of global and domestic challenges, such as rising inflation caused by the Russia-Ukraine war and the lockdowns in China. The President and his economic team decided to fully reopen the economy, including the education sector, to unlock the country’s economic potential. The move resulted in many businesses resuming their operations and millions of workers returning to work.

I believe the robust expansion of the economy will continue in the fourth quarter, based on the hectic business activities happening around the country. Vehicular traf-

fic now matches the pre-pandemic level, and electricity consumption is at its peak. Many conglomerates and publicly listed companies posted record profits and revenues in the third quarter.

Many hotels and restaurants have also reopened, attracting swarm of customers who are willing to go out and spend once again. International tourism is on a rebound, with visitor arrivals reaching 1.9 million in the first 10 months of 2022, per the Department of Tourism’s tally.

The World Travel & Tourism Council confirmed the numbers, saying the appetite for international travel reached its highest point since

the start of the pandemic. Filipino travelers have been identified as among those raring to visit destinations overseas, according to the council.

The outlook for 2023 and beyond also looks promising. Local stocks and the peso have recently recovered, as business optimism sets in.

More importantly, the government has shown a strong resolve to sustain the economic growth by preparing a six-year economic blueprint.

The National Economic and Development Authority led by Secretary Arsenio Balisacan is about to submit the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023 to 2028 to President Marcos early this month to identify “actionable strategies” that will further improve the economy.

President Marcos, in his first State of the Nation Address in July, asked Neda to coordinate with other government agencies, local government units and the private sector in formulating the PDP. Neda hopes to complete the plan within the year.

A development plan contains the government’s strategy for the proper planning and execution of programs and projects to achieve the objectives. It will guide the entire bureaucracy in planning and developing

Don’t miss this disaster movie

and never will. And this is how money dies.” Buy and hold physical gold.

OuTSIDE THE BOX

That is not to imply in any way that I am smarter because of my decades of experience. But it does mean that I know things first hand and because of that, my perspective is different. However, if you want to understand how to handle “life,” I suggest disaster movies. I am not talking about “Titanic” or anything with Dwayne Johnson (sorry Rock). I am talking of films with plenty of what some like to call “toxic masculinity” even when the protagonist is a female, as in the Netflix-distributed Norwegian film “Troll.” These stories have two parts. The first is figuring out what is going on, and second how to survive it. “Deep Impact” and “2012” are good examples.

Both of those films, and others, begin with The Government not telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth and “Trust us; we will fix it.”

It is becoming obvious that the Covid pandemic and solutions were not exactly what the governments said they were, much like in the film “Don’t Look Up.” But I fear the Covid disaster movie is going to turn out to be much like “Sharknado” to what is coming next.

When trying to figure out what is happening about economics, you must always, always, consider the source. “Goldbugs,” “cryptonauts,” and “bankers” all have personal financial agendas. Egon von Greyerz, founder of Matterhorn Asset Management, has a perfect track record of wealth preservation, keeping clients’ money primarily in physical gold and silver held in its own vaults.

Von Greyerz says that the US dollar will go to zero and/or the US will default on its trillions of dollars of debt. “Printing more money to pay for previous sins has never worked

Brian McGlinchey is a financial journalist who does not offer personal solutions but is the disastermovie scientist that no one listens to. “In October, the US national debt reached $31 trillion. In FY 2022, the federal government spent $6.27 trillion resulting in a $1.38 trillion budget deficit.” McGlinchey says the “solution” is to reduce government spending like the $11.3 million to tell the Vietnamese people to stop burning trash. Godzilla (monster fight record since 1954 is 45-4-6) and government spending always wins.

Nouriel Roubini, “Dr. Doom,” writes last week, “These developments are coinciding with the return of stagflation (high inflation with weak growth). Today, we are facing the worst aspects of the 1970s (stagflationary shocks) alongside the worst (high debt) aspects of the global financial crisis. Equities will fall by about 30 percent in a mild recession, and by 40 percent or more in the severe stagflationary debt crisis that I have predicted for the global economy.”

How is the Philippines going to avoid the potential of an economic ELE—“extinction-level event?”

Read through the genuine experts’ comments and you find the doomsday factors. Elevated and increasing public and private debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio,

their programs.

The PDP will serve as the development blueprint for the next six years under the Marcos administration. More than a plan, it is a commitment from the government that it will stick to its development path and not suddenly change course midway so that it can consistently achieve its goals. All government departments and agencies are expected to follow the guidelines spelled out in the PDP.

This in turn will inspire the private sector to follow and support the government’s development path that will lead to business expansion, job generation and poverty reduction. Overall, it will provide cues on what the public should expect from the government until 2028.

The PDP is in line with the eightpoint agenda of the Marcos administration. Among the priorities of President Marcos, based on his past statements, are protecting the purchasing power of Filipino families, mitigating the scarring from the pandemic, ensuring sound macroeconomic fundamentals, creating more jobs by promoting investments and improving infrastructure, generating higher quality

See “Villar,” A13

low debt-fueled growth or no growth, and an increasing government budget deficit.

Private debt to GDP, 49 percent in the Philippines, is better only in Indonesia (29 percent) with Thailand at 165 percent, Singapore at 160 percent, Malaysia at 116 percent and even Vietnam at 130 percent. The Philippine government debt-to GDP is higher than usual but more than manageable at 64 percent.

The economy continues to grow and most importantly, Philippine economic growth is not debt-fueled. Loans for production activities went up by 12 percent in August from last year and accounted for 87 percent of total loan disbursements. The “rich” continue to increase use of their credit cards but the Non-Performing Loan ratio of Philippine banks dropped for a fifth straight month to hit a twoyear low of 3.57 percent.

The one ominous negative is the budget deficit from high pandemic spending. The deficit-to-GDP ratio as of end-June 2022 narrowed to 6.53 percent from 7.83 percent last year and is projected at 6 percent of GDP next year (DBS Bank). But if we are to stay out of fiscal problems, keeping the budget deficit in check is vital. Grab the popcorn.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

THE EnTrEprEnEur

Manny B. Villar

ASPeciAL advantage of being old is having a historical perspective. You read about the Moon Landing; i watched it in real time. You saw the Apple iie in the “Museum of Antique computers”; i bought one in 1983 for the 2022 equivalent of $4,000.

John Mangun

PR eSidenT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. started his first three months in office with one of the most impressive economic performances in any administration. Our gross domestic product expanded 7.6 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2022, which is the President’s first three months in Malacañang.

Supreme Court weighs ‘most important case’ on democracy

By Mark Sherman | The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court is about to confront a new elections case, a republican-led challenge asking the justices for a novel ruling that could significantly increase the power of state lawmakers over elections for Congress and the presidency.

The court is set to hear arguments Wednesday in a case from North Carolina, where Republican efforts to draw congressional districts heavily in their favor were blocked by a Democratic majority on the state Supreme Court because the GOP map violated the state constitution.

A court-drawn map produced seven seats for each party in last month’s midterm elections in highly competitive North Carolina.

The question for the justices is whether the US Constitution’s provision giving state legislatures the power to make the rules about the “times, places and manner” of congressional elections cuts state courts out of the process.

“This is the single most important case on American democracy—and for American democracy—in the nation’s history,” said former federal judge Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative who has joined the legal team defending the North Carolina court decision. The Republican leaders of North Carolina’s legislature told the Supreme Court that the Constitution’s “carefully drawn lines place the regulation of federal elections in the hands of state legislatures, Congress and no one else.”

Three conservative justices already have voiced some support for the idea that the state court had improperly taken powers given by the Constitution when it comes to federal elections. A fourth has written approvingly about limiting the power of state courts in this area.

But the Supreme Court has never invoked what is known as the independent state legislature theory. It was, though, mentioned in a separate opinion by three conservatives in the Bush v. Gore case that settled the 2000 presidential election.

If the court were to recognize it now, opponents of the concept argue, the effects could be much broader than just redistricting.

The most robust ruling for North Carolina Republicans could undermine more than 170 state constitutional provisions, over 650 state laws delegating authority to make election policies to state and local officials, and thousands of regulations down to the location of polling places, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law.

Luttig, who advised former Vice President Mike Pence that he had no authority to reject electoral votes following the 2020 election, is among several prominent conservatives and Republicans who have lined up against the broad assertion that legislatures can’t be challenged in state courts when they make decisions about federal elections, including congressional redistricting.

That group includes former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, law professor Steven Calabresi, a founder of the conservative Federalist Society and Benjamin Ginsberg, a longtime lawyer for Republican candidates and the party.

“Unfortunately, because of ongoing and widespread efforts to sow distrust and spread disinformation, confidence in our elections is at a low ebb,” Ginsberg wrote in a Supreme Court filing. “The version of the independent state legislature theory advanced by Petitioners in this case threatens to make a bad situation much worse, exacerbating the current moment of political polarization and further undermining confidence in our elections.”

The arguments are taking place a day after the final contest of the 2022 midterms, the Georgia Senate runoff between Democratic Sen.

Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker.

In that contest, state courts ruled in favor of Democrats to allow for voting on the Saturday before the election, over the objections of Republicans.

Jason Snead, of the conservative Honest Elections Project, said the case is an opportunity for the high court to rein in out-of-control state courts which are being pushed by Democratic attorneys to effectively create new rules governing voting, including the Georgia example.

“We’ve seen a fairly pervasive attempt to use courts to rewrite election laws if those laws don’t suit partisan agendas,” Snead said in a call with reporters. “That’s not something we want to see when it flies in the face of the Constitution.” He is among proponents of the high court’s intervention who argue the case doesn’t represent “a threat to democracy.”

The justices can instead write a narrow opinion that places limits on state courts without upsetting the choices New York and other states have made to restrict partisan redistricting, a group of New York voters wrote in a court filing.

The New Yorkers implicitly recognize that if the court gives more power to state legislatures over drawing congressional lines, Republicans may not necessarily benefit.

During the last redistricting cycle, states that used independent redistricting commissions rather than legislatures were largely Democraticdominated ones. Commissions drew 95 House seats in states with Democratic legislatures and governors, as opposed to only 12 in states with GOP control. A ruling that grants legislatures ultimate power over redistricting could eradicate those commissions and let Democrats redraw a major chunk of the House map.

“The bottom line is the impact of this fringe theory would be terrible,” said former Attorney General Eric Holder, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. “It could unleash a wave of gerrymandering from both parties.”

Even less dramatic changes may not necessarily tilt the GOP’s way on a national redistricting map that was essentially fought to a draw, and where state court rulings cost Democrats about as many House seats as Republicans.

The Supreme Court refused to step into the North Carolina case in March, allowing the court-drawn districts to be used this year.

Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas dissented. Writing for the three, Alito said “there must be some limit on the authority of state courts to countermand actions taken by state legislatures when they are prescribing rules for the conduct of federal elections. I think it is likely that the applicants would succeed in showing that the North Carolina Supreme Court exceeded those limits.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh has separately written about the need for federal courts to police the actions of state courts when it comes to federal elections.

Chief Justice John Roberts’ record on this question gives both sides some hope. In 2015, he wrote a strong dissent from the court’s decision upholding an independent redistricting commission in Arizona.

Roberts wrote that the Constitution does not permit “a state to wholly exclude ‘the Legislature’ from redistricting. “ Associated Press writers David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report.

Unenforceable tax assessment

The Supreme Court requires taxpayers to invoke the right not to be examined as soon as possible.

atty. irwin C. nidea Jr.

Tax law for business

Our courts have been consistently protecting the due process rights of taxpayers. Assessments have been declared void in many cases for failure by the BIr to observe taxpayer’s rights. For instance, if the revenue officer who conducted the tax examination is not cloth with a letter of authority (LOA), the tax assessment is considered void. Also, it is now well settled that tax examiners have the duty to give their reasons for denying the protest to a final assessment notice. Failure to do so would make a tax assessment void. But in one decision, the Supreme Court curiously hinted that a tax assessment although not void, may still be considered unenforceable. How can this happen?

A BIR issuance mandates that any reassignment/transfer of cases to another revenue officer, and revalidation of LOAs which have already expired, shall require the issuance of a new LOA, with the corresponding notation, including the previous LOA number and date of issue of said LOA.

Also, a revenue officer is allowed only 120 days from the date of receipt of an LOA by the taxpayer to conduct the audit and submit the required report of investigation. If the revenue officer is unable to submit his final report of investigation within the 120-day period, he must then submit a progress report to his head of office and surrender the LOA for revalidation.

Revalidation means making something legal or valid again. In other words, something has already died and is being given life anew.

The requirement that the revenue officer surrender the LOA for revalidation should be read together with the issuance that prescribes that revalidation of LOAs shall require the issuance of a new LOA. The old LOA should be surrendered because it has lost its validity and a new one should be issued as a substitute.

Clearly, the revenue officer assigned to conduct the audit must submit the report of investigation within 120 days. If the revenue officer cannot submit the report of investigation, he or she must submit a progress report and surrender the LOA for revalidation. Non-observance of this process would necessarily mean that the examination conducted by the revenue officer is without authority.

The Supreme Court has clarified that the failure to comply with the

Taxpayers must convey to the revenue officers that they are not allowing them to continue their examination beyond the 120-day period unless they can produce a revalidated LOA. It is best that such objection is in writing because it is the best evidence when push comes to shove.

120-day rule does not void an LOA. The expiration of the 120-day period merely renders an LOA unenforceable. The revenue officer must first seek ratification of his expired authority to audit to be able to validly continue investigation beyond the first 120 days. According to the Supreme Court, although the revenue officer is unable to conduct further investigation his/her authority during the first 120 days or the procedures he/she had already performed within that period is valid. He/she may instead render a report based on the results of his/her initial investigation from which an assessment may be legitimately issued. What happens if no progress report is submitted by the revenue officer from which an assessment may be derived?

If this happens, the assessment will have no leg to stand on. Also, if there is no revalidated LOA, any examination of taxpayer’s books of account that is beyond the 120-day period is considered unenforceable. Thus, any assessment resulting from

such examination is also necessarily unenforceable. Consequently, the BIR cannot enforce collection based on an unenforceable assessment. But there is a catch.

The Supreme Court requires taxpayers to invoke the right not to be examined as soon as possible. Taxpayers must convey to the revenue officers that they are not allowing them to continue their examination beyond the 120-day period unless they can produce a revalidated LOA. It is best that such objection is in writing because it is the best evidence when push comes to shove. If a taxpayer remains silent and just allow revenue officers to continue their examination despite an expired LOA, estoppel will kick in. An assessment that is supposed to be unenforceable will be allowed to stand.

It is not enough defense that the BIR violated taxpayer’s due process rights for a tax assessment to be declared void or unenforceable. It is also important that taxpayers know when and how to invoke these rights. But you cannot invoke what you do not know. So, as far as taxpayer’s rights is concerned, ignorance is not bliss.

The author is a senior partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices, a member-firm of WTS Global.

The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at irwin.c.nideajr@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 local 330.

As Musk is learning, content moderation is a messy job

By David Klepper & Matt O’brien | The Associated Press

NOW that he’s back on Twitter, neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin wants somebody to explain the rules.

Anglin, the founder of an infamous neo-Nazi website, was reinstated Thursday, one of many previously banned users to benefit from an amnesty granted by Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk. The next day, Musk banished Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, after he posted a swastika with a Star of David in it.

“That’s cool,” Anglin tweeted Friday. “I mean, whatever the rules are, people will follow them. We just need to know what the rules are.”

Ask Musk. Since the world’s richest man paid $44 billion for Twitter, the platform has struggled to define its rules for misinformation and hate speech, issued conflicting and contradictory announcements, and failed to full address what researchers say is a troubling rise in hate speech.

As the “ chief twit “ may be learning, running a global platform with nearly 240 million active daily users requires more than good algorithms and often demands imperfect solutions to messy situations—tough choices that must ultimately be made by a human and are sure to displease someone.

A self-described free speech absolutist, Musk has said he wants to make Twitter a global digital town square. But he also said he wouldn’t make major decisions about content or about restoring banned accounts before setting up a “content moderation council “ with diverse viewpoints.

He soon changed his mind after polling users on Twitter, and offered reinstatement to a long list

Villar.

jobs though innovation and digital technologies, creating sustainable jobs by promoting green and blue economy, upholding public order and safety and ensuring a level playing field by strengthening market competition.

The government’s ultimate goal is to reduce the national poverty rate to 9 percent by 2028. Neda believes the objective is achievable through faster economic growth, generation

of formerly banned users including ex-President Donald Trump, Ye, the satire site The Babylon Bee, the comedian Kathy Griffin and Anglin, the neo-Nazi.

And while Musk’s own tweets suggested he would allow all legal content on the platform, Ye’s banishment shows that’s not entirely the case. The swastika image posted by the rapper falls in the “lawful but awful” category that often bedevils content moderators, according to Eric Goldman, a technology law expert and professor at Santa Clara University law school.

While Europe has imposed rules requiring social media platforms to create policies on misinformation and hate speech, Goldman noted that in the US at least, loose regulations allow Musk to run Twitter as he sees fit, despite his inconsistent approach.

“What Musk is doing with Twitter is completely permissible under US law,” Goldman said.

Pressure from the EU may force Musk to lay out his policies to ensure he is complying with the new law, which takes effect next year. Last month, a senior EU official warned Musk that Twitter would have to improve its efforts to combat hate speech and misinformation; failure

of higher quality jobs and enhancing the social protection system.

While Neda has yet to release the final draft of the PDP, a part of it may mention the President’s housing program. The President has unveiled a plan to build six million affordable housing units in six years to substantially reduce, if not eliminate, the nation’s housing backlog. This will not only resolve the housing shortage, but will in fact generate millions of jobs and livelihood opportunities and create sustainable communities nationwide.

The PDP would also underscore

to comply could lead to huge fines.

In another confusing move, Twitter announced in late November that it would end its policy prohibiting Coovid-19 misinformation. Days later, it posted an update claiming that “None of our policies have changed.”

On Friday, Musk revealed what he said was the inside story of Twitter’s decision in 2020 to limit the spread of a New York Post story about Hunter Biden’s laptop.

Twitter initially blocked links to the story on its platform, citing concerns that it contained material obtained through computer hacking. That decision was reversed after it was criticized by then-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Facebook also took actions to limit the story’s spread.

The information revealed by Musk included Twitter’s decision to delete a handful of tweets after receiving a request from Joe Biden’s campaign. The tweets included nude photos of Hunter Biden that had been shared without his consent— a violation of Twitter’s rules against revenge porn.

Instead of revealing nefarious conduct or collusion with Democrats, Musk’s revelation highlighted the kind of difficult content moderation decisions that he will now face.

“Impossible, messy and squishy decisions” are unavoidable, according to Yoel Roth, Twitter’s former head of trust and safety who resigned a few weeks into Musk’s ownership.

While far from perfect, the old Twitter strove to be transparent with users and steady in enforcing its rules, Roth said. That changed under Musk, he told a Knight Foundation

the need for economic transformation to achieve a prosperous, inclusive and resilient society. It involves strategies that are forward-looking and still relevant to current issues, and promotes digitalization in government processes and domestic market.

The PDP will serve as a roadmap towards unlocking sustained and inclusive growth. It means strengthening the economy to make it more inclusive and resilient to unexpected shocks, such as weather-related disturbances and global crises.

To ensure that government

forum this week.

“When push came to shove, when you buy a $44 billion thing, you get to have the final say in how that $44 billion thing is governed,” Roth said. While much of the attention has been on Twitter’s moves in the US, the cutbacks of content-moderation workers is affecting other parts of the world too, according to activists with the #StopToxicTwitter campaign.

“We’re not talking about people not having resilience to hear things that hurt feelings,” said Thenmozhi Soundararajan, executive director of Equality Labs, which works to combat caste-based discrimination in South Asia. “We are talking about the prevention of dangerous genocidal hate speech that can lead to mass atrocities.”

Soundararajan’s organization sits on Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council, which hasn’t met since Musk took over. She said “millions of Indians are terrified about who is going to get reinstated,” and the company has stopped responding to the group’s concerns.

“So what happens if there’s another call for violence? Like, do I have to tag Elon Musk and hope that he’s going to address the pogrom?” Soundararajan said.

Instances of hate speech and racial epithets soared on Twitter after Musk’s purchase as some users sought to test the new owner’s limits. The number of tweets containing hateful terms continues to rise, according to a report published Friday by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a group that tracks online hate and extremism.

agencies comply with the plan, the President tasked Neda to oversee its implementation and periodically report to him and the Cabinet on its progress.

I believe the development plan will lift business confidence in the next six years and help the Philippines achieve its target of becoming an upper middle-income nation in the next couple of years and a highincome economy by 2045.

For comments, send e-mail to mbv_secretariat@vistaland.com.ph or visit www.mannyvillar. com.ph

PHL GOVT STANDS FIRM: NO ONION IMPORTATIONS

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Philippines stands firm that it will not im port onions as long as there is “available” local supply, and importation would be “last resort” to pull down the retail price of the commodity in the market.

A griculture Deputy Spokes person Rex Estoperez said the department would only autho rize the importation of the on ion if existing local supplies will not be released to the market to help ease the price of the com modity.

E stoperez noted that the country has an inventory of around 15,000 metric tons at present.

Importation is out of the question, we will not allow it. We do not have any plans,” he told reporters on Monday.

[But] if the [local] supply will not be released to pull down the prices, worse comes to worst, we will import,” he added.

E stoperez explained that lo cal producers should help bring down the price of onions, es pecially if there are available supplies in warehouses and

cold storages.

“ I was in Balintawak re cently and there were sacks and sacks of red onions which came from Nueva Ecija. Again, worse comes to worst, we will allow importation if they will not release the supply. Hu wag nila hintayin iyon [They shouldn’t wait for that to hap pen],” he said.

E stoperez made the remarks on the heels of the national government’s seizure of at least 100,000 kilograms of smuggled yellow onions valued at P30 million.

T he country is reeling from the prices of red onion, now fetching an average of P280 per kilogram—nowhere near the P180 per kilogram average price a year ago—due to supply problems.

I n October, the Department of Agriculture (DA) was forced to issue a suggested retail price (SRP) on red onion at P170 per kilogram in its bid to address the rising prices of the com modity in the market. (Related story: https:// businessmir ror .com.ph/2022/10/11/daissues-srp-for-red-onionssold-in-metro-wet-markets/)

See “phl,” A2

Senate, House ratify bicam’s version of ₧5.268-T budget

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM & Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THESenate ratified on Monday the P5.268-trillion general appropriations bill for 2023 as approved by a bicameral conference commitee, amid concern raised by Minority Leader Senator Koko Pimentel that this is “actually the country’s first P6-trillion budget” because of the huge (P219 billion) increase in unprogrammed appropriations, and what he called “big swings” or changes made by the bicameral panel version on certain items.

P imentel and Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros voted no to the budget bill.  Separately, the House of Repre sentatives ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the 2023 General Appropriations Act.

T he 2023 budget will now be transmitted to President Marcos Jr. for his signature. The amend ments made to the 2023 budget by the bicameral panel have not

been released yet by the House of Representatives. House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said the record-high P5.268-trillion 2023 national budget “would keep the country on the growth path.”

R omualdez said the committee’s version of the budget supports the Agenda for Prosperity and eightpoint socioeconomic program of the current administration.

“ With this budget, which is the

first full-year spending plan pro posed by the President, we hope to hasten our economic growth, which should benefit our people,” Romualdez said.

T he bicameral panel met Mon day morning at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City to approve its version of the proposed spending program for next year.

T he panel is jointly chaired by Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, House appropriations committee chair man, and his Senate counterpart, Sen. Sonny Angara.

Koko: Explain ‘big swings’

INTERPELLATING Finance Com mittee chairman Angara, Pimen tel asked his colleague to provide details of the items that saw these “big swings,” such as the P1.5-bil lion hike in the budget of the Don Mariano Marcos State University in Ilocos Norte.  Angara explained that the outlay for the State Uni versity’s Medical school caused the big increase in budget.

S everal other “big swings” or sudden budget hikes inserted at the bicameral level also involved outlays for state universities,

mostly pushed by congressmen, explained Angara.

In contrast to the big budget hikes accorded by the bicameral panel, Pi mentel also expressed concern over the sharp reductions in outlays of certain agencies, notably the P442million reduction in the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT); and the P2.2 bil lion lopped off from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

P imentel also lamented the transfer to “unprogrammed ap propriations”—meaning, no clear funding source—of the P431 mil lion he had pushed for payment of overdue retirement benefits for employees of the IBC network.

NTF-Elcac

EARLIER , Pimentel also expressed concern that the bicameral panel had acted “like a third house” of Congress because it restored the full budget proposed by the Execu tive for the controversial National Task Force to End Local Commu nist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), or P10 billion.

Continued on A5

groups, economists issue  joint statement on ‘Maharlika’

Biz

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

BUSINESS associations and groups of economists issued a joint “statement of con cern” on Monday on the proposed creation of a P250-billion sovereign wealth fund (SWF) using state pen sion funds and other government assets as seed capital, as envisioned in House Bill 6398.

T he Foundation for Economic Freedom, Financial Executives In stitute of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Management Asso ciation of the Philippines, Move ment for Good Governance, Com petitive Currency Forum, and the Filipina CEO Circle, were among the 12 signatories who expressed their reservations to the estab lishment of the Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF). Their reservations were based “on the principles of fiscal prudence, additionality, solvency of social pension funds, contingent liabilities, monetary in dependence of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), government in the economy, and transparency.”

For one, they said, the Philip pines suffers from trade and fiscal deficits, unlike other countries which have SWFs. “With economic recovery, the country is now ex periencing large deficits, reflected by the decline in international re serves. Massive public spending has increased the fiscal deficit to 8 percent-9 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from only around 3 percent before the pandemic, and the national government debt has bal looned from 40 percent to 64 percent of GDP. Government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) are no different; they are not gen erating large operating surpluses.”

Pension funds

THEY also saw “no need, or even justification, to pool the reserves of government financial institu tions (GFIs) and pension funds into larger amounts in order to earn higher returns. Requiring the Land Bank of the Philippines

(LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to fund the SWF on the ground that they invest in government securities is in no way a creation of wealth. LBP and DBP deposits exist because of the requirement for GOCCs to deposit their funds in government finan cial institutions. Hence, there is no creation of wealth, or generation of new deposits, but mere round trip ping, when funds of LBP and DBP are diverted to the SWF.”

T he groups stressed, as the goal of the state pension funds is pre serve their capital to give sufficient returns to their members, that they need to invest conservatively, in stead of “[exposing] their members’ retirement funds  to investments in assets with additional market risks and performance risks.” Investing in risky tools and assets will needlessly reduce the already short actuarial life of the pension funds, which cur rently stand at 40-43 years, which is less favorable than the international standard of 70 years.

O ther signatories to the joint statement include the Integrity Initiative Inc., Philippine Women’s Economic Network, UP School of Economics Alumni Association, and Women’s Business Council Philippines Inc.

BSP independence

WHILE the most recent version of HB6398 removes gross interna tional reserves as seed capital to the Maharlika Fund, it still requires the BSP to contribute 50 percent of its dividends. The groups reminded lawmakers, “Under the newly re vised BSP charter, whatever BSP declares as dividend should remain with BSP as equity infusion of the National Government to complete its P250-billion capitalization. In stead of putting in more capital to the BSP, the SWF bill, in effect, de prives it of quicker capitalization and in the process, undermines the BSP’s independence and its ability to discharge its role as the country’s central monetary authority and systemic risk regulator.”

B SP Gov. Felipe M. Medalla al ready expressed his own fear that

the MWF will go the way of 1Malay sia Development Berhad (1MDB), a sovereign wealth fund, of which some $700 million ended up in the personal accounts of then Prime Minister Najib Razak . (See, “BSP chief joins concerned groups on Maharlika Fund,” in thr Busi nessMirror , December 5, 2022.)

H B6398, spearheaded by House Speaker Rep. Martin Romualdez and Deputy Majority Leader San dro Marcos, also “fails to realize that sequestering the dividends of GOCCs to the SWF will also impair the National Government’s own ability to fund the fiscal deficit and increase the pressure to bor row more from both domestic and foreign sources. In the first place, we see no guarantee that this diver sion of funds will result in higher returns to the National Govern ment but instead more definitely result in higher interest rates and greater crowding out of private sec tor investments.”

In more ways than one, the pro posed SWF will create a platform for the government to actively par ticipate and intervene in the econ omy, a role which administrations since 1986 have tried to de-empha size, learning the lessons of statist interventionist economic policies which resulted then in high fiscal deficits, high debt, and large losses of government corporations.”

O ther provisions in HB6398 also removes safeguards for good governance, [signalling] a return to less transparent and central ized economic decision making as opposed to the market-oriented, decentralized private sector econ omy which has been the engine for growth in the last 36 years.”

T he groups suggested Malaca ñang and lawmakers instead “continue to implement existing initiatives to strengthen the ar eas of health, education and in frastructure, especially digital and agriculture, that can boost produc tivity and lower inflation. These initiatives can be executed within existing legal framework, without resorting to an untested approach with many potential infirmities.”

Semirara sets aside ₧5.6B for capital spending plan

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

Consunji-led semirara Mining and Power Corp. (sMPC) is allocating P5.6 billion for next year’s capital expenditure (capex) program.

Of the total amount, P4.1 billion will go to the mining equipment refleeting of its coal segment while P1.5 billion will be used for the planned maintenance activities of its power subsidiaries, SEM-Calaca Power Corp. (SCPC) and Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. (SLPGC).

SCPC owns and operates the 600-megawatt (MW) coal plant while SLPGC owns the 300MW coal

plant. Both are located in Calaca, Batangas.

The capex for 2023 is 8 percent higher than the P5.2 billion earmarked for this year.

As of the third quarter, SMPC has spent P3.6 billion of its 2022 capex. Around P2.2 billion went to the acquisition of mining and support equipment. The remaining P1.4 billion was used to repair and

replace plant components of SCPC and SLPGC. “We expect stable demand for coal and electricity next year so we’re continually investing in our production and generation capacities,” said SMPC President and COO Maria Cristina C. Gotianun.

SMPC has set a coal production target of 14.5 million metric tons (MMT) for 2023, roughly the same as its target of 14.5 MMT to 15 MMT for this year. In January to September, SMPC coal production reached 13.7 MMT.

The company posted a 250-percent increase in net income to P36 billion at end-September this year versus P10.3 billion in the same period a year ago. Of the amount, P10.2 billion was registered in the third quarter.

From January to September, average selling prices of Semirara coal

shot up to P5,224/MT due to the surge in global index prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In February, SMPC reported that it posted its highest-ever net income last year. It ended 2021 with a net income of P16.2 billion, a 393-percent leap from the previous year’s P3.3 billion, mainly due to an 8-percent rise in coal production, 16-percent jump in coal shipments and 71-percent surge in average coal selling prices.

Contributions from the coal segment grew by 535 percent to P11.4 billion from P1.8 billion while its power subsidiaries delivered improved performances.

SCPC contributed P3.3 billion in 2021, a 154-percent upturn from P1.3 billion the previous year. Meanwhile, SLPGC recorded a 1,563-percent rise in contributions to P1.4 billion from P87 million.

Exec: AFPI subsidizes beep cards

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

AF Payments Inc. (AFPI), the operator of tap-and-go payments solution beep, denied allegations of profiteering from the more expensive cards that it sells online, reiterating its clarification that cards being sold on train stations are “heavily subsidized” by the private company and the government.

AFPI President Jonathan Juan Moreno said the company has spent more than P300 million in subsidies since it started its operations in 2015. These subsidies are being granted as part of its concession agreement (CA) for the use of beep cards on rail systems in the Philippines.

For 2022 alone, it is expected to spend roughly P48 million in subsidies and is projecting this to almost double to P70 million by next year.

“These subsidies come in the form of the difference between our card acquisitions cost and our selling price. We purchase the card at about $2 to $2.60 —approximately P114 to P148.50— and sell it to rail operators (PTOs) at P50. The PTO further subsidizes P20 and sells it to commuters at P30,” Moreno said.

He added that in sectors not covered by the concession agreement such as bus, ferry, and retail, beep cards are sold at cost or at a price point that factors in the card cost and distribution cost, among others.

“Online channels, meanwhile, would have additional operating costs, packaging, VAT, and commissions to the online platforms, hence priced a little higher.”

AFPI recently announced that it has started selling the beep cards online for P188.

“As a response to a strong clamor from our customers to make beep card available online, AFPI allo-

cated 1 percent of its inventory for online sales. We estimated that this should be enough to fulfill the demand for online customers until the end of the year,” Moreno said.

“However, as of this writing, we may have to discontinue online selling anytime now as we are about to reach 1 percent of allocated cards to be sold online. We have not anticipated that the demand for cards online would be this strong.”

Moreno noted that 94 percent of available cards are being allotted for the PTOs.

“This is despite the rails only constituting 18 percent of our entire ecosystem’s acceptance points. We do this because the transaction volumes are currently concentrated in rail,” he said.

Moreno noted that there is a “global shortage” of chips needed to develop the tap-and-go cards. However, the company is positive that it will still meet its obligations

to deliver the cards to the government before the end of December.

“To end on a positive note, we are pleased to inform the public that this week, AFPI has delivered a total of 150,000 cards to the PTOs, effectively supplying 80 percent of the total orders of PTOs for 2022. We are awaiting the delivery of our additional orders in the next few weeks, to be able to supply the balance of 20 percent before the year ends.”

Last week, Senator Grace Poe called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to explain the scarcity of stored value cards, saying that such shortage has burdened “already weary commuters.”

A group has also alleged AFPI of profiteering from the shortage.

“We vehemently deny allegations of profiteering by taking advantage of the current global shortage of chips and selling cards at higher prices,” Moreno said.

Yamaha Motor PHL taps solar energy

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

YAMAHA Motor Philippines Inc. (YMPHI) has unveiled its 170-kilowatt peak (kwp) solar rooftop system in its manufacturing facilities in Lima Technology Center in Malvar, Batangas.

Yamaha Motor and Excell Energy and Powergen Corp. said Monday this “milestone” marks the first phase of the motorcycle maker’s “green electrification initiatives.”

YMPHI partnered with Excell Energy and Powergen for the solar project.

YMPHI General Manager for Production Engineering Arnel Recolizado said the project is expected to reduce its cost by “around P2 million” yearly.

“The system is installed on Yamaha’s Administration building and can generate up to 216 megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity per year. By replacing external energy supply with self-generated renewable energy, the company will be able to cut its electricity bills and its carbon footprint,” the company said in a statement.

As for environmental contributions, Yamaha said the solar rooftop system would prevent the burning of around 70 metric tons (MT) of coal per year and eliminate approximately 140 MT of carbon dioxide.

According to Yamaha, the amount of reduced carbon emissions is equivalent to 1,951 trees planted.

Meanwhile, the company said the solar rooftop system’s levelized cost of electricity is P2.27 per kilowatt hour (kWh), which it said is “way below” the current grid rate of about P11 to P14 per kWh.

Hiroshi Koike, president of Yamaha Motor, said its shift to renewable energy is in keeping with the company’s goal of curbing carbon emissions.

“As a global company, we are very conscious about our role and impact on society and the environment. We

take our responsibility very seriously. We are enormously proud of this milestone,” he said.

“While still relatively small, it somehow allows us to already realize our vision of contributing to Yamaha Group Environmental Plan 2050. This is just the beginning. By next year, the capacity will be expanded by 1 megawatt (MW).”

Excell Energy Chairman and CEO Sherwin Hing said the solar project has been completed “without any interruptions.”

“We are very honored to be given the opportunity to work with and green Yamaha. It is a global company with very high standards. Confidently, we are proud to say that the project has been completed without any accidents and interruptions while closely adhering to Yamaha’s installation standards. It has also passed the critical parameters for grid connection.”

YMPH was established in 2007 and enjoys one of the leading spots in the country’s motorcycle market. It engages in the manufacturing and assembly of motorcycles and distribution of spare parts.

The company said it completed a P2.6-billion expansion plan in 2021. This is aimed at “solidifying its market stronghold” and at the same time contribute to the country’s economic growth.

FOOD delivery service platform foodpanda said it supports government policies and regulations that further promote industry growth and development.

GLOBE Telecom Inc. plans to partner with various groups in different industries to “build ecosystems” that will result in new solutions that will benefit consumers.

During a press briefing at the Globe Business Leadership Innovation Forum 2022, Globe Business Enterprise Group Senior Advisor Don Rae said the company plans to build ecosystems around finance, health, education, and climate preservation by partnering with other groups.

He said Globe will be providing its partners with technical expertise in digital transformation to create new digital solutions.

“We’re putting down investments in all these areas. A lot of them, almost all of them are being done with partners because we can’t do everything ourselves—but we have capital, we have the know-how, we have assets, where we can be the start of all these things,” Rae said. He said partnerships that create “synergies” have become a focal way to navigate through the new normal. In fact, he said, the pandemic has caused rapid growth in collaborative initiatives, which “broke down barriers between businesses.” Lorenz S. Marasigan

In T ER n A TIO n A L Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) said on Monday the South Pacific International Container Terminal (SPICT) at the Port of Lae in Papua new Guinea is now capable of handling larger box ships thanks to its new pair of ship-to-shore (STS) cranes.

The company said the new PostPanamax cranes can service up to 6,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and has a reach of 17 rows across.

The new equipment are part of the ongoing initiative to strengthen and enhance the operational efficiency of the terminal, said Robert Maxwell, ICTSI South Pacific CEO.

“ICTSI is very proud to have delivered another major milestone in Papua new Guinea after delivering the country’s very first quay cranes at our SPICT facility. With improved productivity, the Port of Lae will soon become an important transshipment hub for the Pacific islands region,” he said in a statement.

With the new equipment, shipping lines can expect quayside productivity gains and shorter port stays. The terminal will soon be able to facilitate direct calls by larger vessels operating in the major trade routes, which in turn would reduce costs for both importers and exporters in the region.

“As we plant the seeds to create

sustainable port cities and communities, it is our hope that this new equipment will further sustain Papua new Guinea’s economic growth and expanding international trade over the coming years,” Maxwell said.

He added that once the STS cranes have been deployed, one of the mobile harbor cranes currently at SPICT will be transferred to Motukea International Terminal in Port Moresby, thereby also increasing the operational efficiency for both terminals.

Additional equipment such as empty container handlers are expected to arrive in both terminals in 2023, same as two additional rubber tired gantries for SPICT. Lorenz S. Marasigan

The app provider said a dynamic approach and active participation from stakeholders not only allow sectoral changes, but will also open better opportunities for players, according to foodpanda Philippines Finance Chief Lhecks De Castro.

De Casto said the company is supportive of initiatives to craft laws and policies toward regulation of the tech industry.

He said, however, that there is a need to “equalize” consumer protection with innovation while promoting the interest of tech platforms.

“Regulators should be more open to new approaches when it comes to regulating the tech industry to promote and welcome tech innovations fully. We can achieve this through innovative ideas and constant collaboration from all key players,” De Castro said during the recent Law x Tech & Capital Summit 2022.

He cited the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for its initiative that encourages this practice.

“The implementation of the sandbox regulatory approach is a testament to BSP’s thrust to work with stakeholders in crafting the appropriate regulatory measures.”

The sandbox approach is a standard framework for financial institu-

tions to offer services and products under a controlled and time-bound testing environment.

To ensure constant innovation and development in their products and services, De Castro said holds continuous dialogues with regulators to make the necessary tweaks and changes.

He added that the company always listens to the feedback of customers and other stakeholders, including their delivery partners and partner vendors.

During the summit, foodpanda declared its support of the government’s push for inclusivity by ensuring that through their platform, they add value to the changing needs of their stakeholders.

“For example, with our technology, we provide more ways to ensure more businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), will survive and thrive amid the new normal. An example is the vendor financing program wherein we look for lending and financing institutions and bridge them to our partner restaurants and merchants,” De Castro said.

This year’s summit delved on the interplaying roles of innovation, investment, and law in reshaping and redefining the tech and financial sector. Organized by law firms Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra, it gathered top experts from traditional financial institutions and start-up tech companies. Roderick L. Abad

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Banking&Finance

Weak peso boosts BOC’s revenue collection

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday said its revenue collection from January to November rose to a fresh record-high of nearly P800 billion, surpassing both its total collection last year and its target for the year.

A statement by the BOC revealed the agency’s total revenue collection during the 11-month period was at P790.301 billion. The BOC collected a total of P645.765 billion for the whole year of 2021.

“The Bureau marked its highest collection performance in history and reached this year’s revenue target of P721.52 billion as early as November 11,” the statement read.

“This means the Bureau is already P68.781 billion or 9.5 percent above its annual target as of November 30,”

it added. However, Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno noted that the weakening of the peso contributed to the higher valuation of imports and, therefore, bigger tax collections by the BOC. The peso remains the worst performing currency in Southeast Asia despite chalking up a strong close against the US dollar last Friday; thanks to higher inflow of remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Unionbank Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion has told the

BusinessMirror the real peso value of OFW remittances yielded an average of 7.6 percent in the January to September period and 12.3 percent year-on-year in September.

“Thus, the [Philippine peso] buying power of recipients of OFW remittances has been upheld despite rising inflation and higher commodity prices,” Asuncion told this newspaper.

The Customs bureau’s collection target this year was pegged at P721.52 billion. The BOC credited its success to all 17 Collection Districts,

which the agency said also achieved their cumulative revenue targets for 11 months. Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz attributed the higher collection by the BOC to reforms that “plugged revenue leakages.” The BOC earlier noted that digitization efforts of the bureau’s operations also contributed to the higher revenue generation.

In November alone, the BOC collected P76.77 billion, which was 26.68-percent higher than its target of P60.603 billion.

Christmas bonus Court convicts execs of shuttered Bataan rural bank

AMONG the many things that remind us that Christmas is around the corner, perhaps one of the most anticipated is the reflection of 13th month pay in employees’ payroll accounts.

We really look forward to it that even before its giving, most of us already know how it will be spent. It is fair to assume that this bonus is of great help to us, especially during this time of pandemic. But whether there is pandemic or none, we need to be able to properly allocate our 13th month pays to take advantage of it and enhance our financial well-being.

There could be a number of reasons as to why we feel at times that our 13th-month pay tend to just slide through our hands and realize we have spent much of it when it is a bit too late.

One reason for this is that this money is credited to our accounts in a lump sum manner and there’s an intense temptation of pinching a small amount from it to buy something here and there. Another possible reason is the “easy come, easy go” tendency with this money. This may be due to the illusion that we did not work hard for it since this is separate from our regular monthly salary wherein one can apparently feel the hardships of making money to a larger extent.

Emotions play an important role in this as well as we do not put much attention when it comes to spending money since Christmas season is generally a festive period of the year. And it is easy to get lost in the gyrations of sales and discounts not only in malls but also in online stores as well.

An essential step to effective managing and handling the 13th month pay is to change how we view it as we tend to think that this is money is free just from the name itself. However, we can change this perspective such that we will think that we still worked for it.

We can think of 13th month pay as the salary we get for working 1,960 hours in a year (40 hours a week by 49 weeks). If, for example, one earns

P30,000 a month, imagine that the 13th month pay is something like working for a year to get that P30,000. Framing it as something we worked hard for than free money or bonus will make us more aware of how we spend it.

A household can use a portion of the 13th month pay as means to decrease liabilities or debts say, for example, personal loans or mortgages (payment of principal). If the household has manageable debts, the 13th month pay can be used to secure additional insurance coverage in the form of cheap term insurance especially when the coverage of existing policies are insufficient to provide for the insurance needs of the household. Another use for it would be as source of additional savings (emergency funds) or investments.

Can we use our 13th month pay to buy gifts not only for ourselves but for others? Of course! Many people say giving is one of the spirits of Christmas and rightfully so. The important thing to remember is that buying gifts should be within the means and that obligations are not forgotten in doing so. It is highly recommended to consult with a financial planner to have a fuller picture of how 13th month pay fits with the financial situation of the household.

When the 13th month is deposited into your account, ask yourself this question: “How can I use this hard-earned money to improve my financial situation and then give happiness to others?”

Happy Holidays!

John Hero Salvador is a registered financial planner of RFP Philippines. To learn more about investment planning, attend the 99th batch of the RFP program on January 2023. To register, e-mail info@rfp.ph or send a text message to 09176248110.

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

TWO Bataan courts recently convicted former officers of the now-closed Orani Rural Bank (Bataan) Inc. (Orani RB) for violating banking laws and the Revised Penal Code, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The BSP said the banking laws that were violated by the officers of the Orani RB were The General Banking Law of 2000 or Republic Act (RA) 8791 as well as The Rural Banks Act of 1992 or RA 7353.

The officers of Orani RB were convicted for their participation in the creation of 10 fictitious loans amounting to P6.928 million by falsifying the loan and related documents of the alleged borrowers, discovered by the BSP during an investigation of Orani RB’s loan transactions after its closure.

“The BSP promotes good governance among banks in line with its broader efforts to ensure the soundness of the financial system and to protect the interest of the public,” the BSP said.

RTC-Balanga found the accused officers of Orani RB guilty beyond reasonable doubt of 10 counts of violation of Section 55.1(a) of The General Banking Law of 2000, as penalized under Section 36 of RA 7653 (The New Central Bank Act).

Each officer was sentenced to suffer the penalty of imprisonment of a minimum of two years and one day to a maximum of four years for each count.

RTC-Balanga also found an officer guilty beyond reasonable doubt of one count of violation of Section

26 of the Rural Banks Act of 1992 and was sentenced the same penalty. BSP said MCTC-Orani-Samal the officers guilty beyond reasonable doubt of falsification of commercial or public documents under Article 172(1), in relation to Article 171(2) of the RPC.

They each sentenced to suffer the penalty of imprisonment of three months minimum, to one year and one day, maximum, and to pay a fine of P5,000, which will be converted to imprisonment in case of failure of payment.

OFW retail bonds billed as ‘patriotic investment’

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SENATE Majority Leader Joel Villanueva backed the initiative of the Department of Finance (DOF) to launch retail treasury bonds (RTBs) intended for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), agreeing the move is “a great investment opportunity for the modern heroes.”

Affirming he “fully supports the DOF in its initiative,” Villanueva shared the view that “this dollardenominated security to be issued next year is great opportunity for our kababayans [compatriots] abroad to invest their hard-earned income in safe, low-risk, and affordable investment instruments.”

Villanueva assured in a statement he has high hopes for the dollar-denominated bonds, urging both the public and the private sectors to spread the word and support this offering.

“should

In turn, the lawmaker then called on the DMW to “enrich the country’s full reintegration program” so that OFWs would have more access to livelihood opportunities when they come home.

Moreover, the senator suggested that “other than offering livelihood packages, the program should include investment options such as government bonds and financial literacy training so that our OFWs could build their “retirement plan” when they return to the country.”

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

ADAY after its launch, more than 20,000 people already signed a petition to stop the passage of House Bill (HB) 6398 or the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF).

Launched on Change.org, the petition was started by David Michael San Juan, who cited 13 reasons why HB 6398 should be opposed.

As of 12 noon on December 5, a total of 22,662 have already signed the petition. The petition targets to gather 25,000 signatories.

fund in place and that the bill would only further bloat existing bureaucracy that gobbles up millions if not billions of unnecessary administrative expenses.

“The bill allows investments on “Financial derivatives.” These are high-risk investments! Have they forgotten 2008?,” the petition said.

Moreover, it said that the proposed measure has no mechanism to directly give profits to the people, especially the SSS and GSIS members, whose hard-earned money will be used to fund the MIF.

The senator said he expects this investment offering “to have the full support of the public.”

Villanueva suggested that “Filipinos should consider buying RTBs as a patriotic way of investing in the country’s growth and progress.”

Reminding that as the bond offering is targeted for migrant workers,

At the same time, Villanueva lauded the DOF’s efforts to make the securities more easily accessible to the public through homegrown digital platforms such as the Overseas Filipino Bank— a subsidiary of the Land Bank of the Philippines—making investing easier, convenient, and secure, even for firsttimers.

“By making retail bonds more accessible to more Filipinos, we will continue to move closer to our goal of financial inclusion for all Filipinos in the name of nation building,” he said.

SEC warns vs ‘Cashbaka’ scheme to milk investors

15 days.

THE national government on Monday borrowed P7.1 billion through the sale of Treasury bills (T-bills), less than half of the P15 billion that the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) intended to raise.

This now marked the fourth consecutive month that the Treasury was unable to fully award the sale of T-bills amid increasing demand by investors for higher yields.

The Treasury awarded in full the P5 billion-worth of 91-day T-bills with an average rate of 4.089 percent, slightly above the secondary market benchmark level of 4.145 percent.

The rates for the 91-day T-bill ranged from a low of 4.040 percent to as much as 4.125 percent. The offer was oversubscribed by nearly four times as total tender reached P19.096 billion.

The Treasury awarded P2.1 billion out of the P5 billion-worth of 182-day T-bills as yield averaged at 4.95 percent. The average yield was slightly higher than the 4.848 percent secondary market

benchmark level.

The sale of the 182-day T-bill was slightly oversubscribed as total tender amounted to P6.21 billion.

The auction for the P5-billion 364day T-bill only attracted P3.99 billionworth of offer with the Treasury not awarding a single amount as investors demanded higher than benchmark rates.

The average asking yield by investors for the 364-day T-bill was at 5.776 percent compared to the 5.241 percent secondary market benchmark level. Investors’ demanded a yield of as low as 5.198 percent to a high of 6.425 percent for the 364-day T-bill.

For this month, the national government aims to raise P135 billion from the auction of debt papers. The BTr said the government aims to raise P30 billion from auctions of T-bills and P105 billion from auctions of Treasury bonds. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/11/25/ngeyes-%e2%82%a7135b-via-sale-oftreasuries/) Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Among the reasons why the proposed measure should be opposed as cited in the petition was the allegation that the bill has no clear and solid provision for ample worker representation in the fund’s governing body.

The petition noted that the bulk of the fund will technically come from the pooled contributions of Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS) members.

The petition also stated that the Land Bank of the Philippines’s and the Development Bank of the Philippines’s funds would also be used for the MIF.

“That would drastically limit the funds which the said government banks could lend to micro, small and medium enterprises, the backbone of our economy, in terms of job generation, and ordinary citizens,” it stated.

The petition read that the GSIS and the SSS are able to invest pooled members’ contributions into so many things even without the sovereign

“Profits would instead be channeled to the government financial institutions. And the profits are not even guaranteed,” the petition stated.

As the bill allows the fund to draw from the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) or supplemental appropriations, this can possibly reduce available funds for vital social services such as healthcare, education and housing, among others, the petition read.

Moreover, the petition said the bill contains no provision to prioritize investments in “green” jobs creation, especially in the renewable energy sector, agricultural modernization, and industrialization, which could potentially limit any real national benefits from the fund’s operations.

In sum, the petition said the bill’s provision on rewards and incentives for bureaucrats “is capricious and dangerous without stronger provisions on public accountability of the fund’s administrators.”

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the public of an unlicensed scheme that promises high returns after purchasing cows.

The SEC’s Enforcement and Investor Protection Department identified the investment firm as the Cashbaka, which operates within SEC-Davao’s area of responsibility composed of the Davao region, Soccsksargen, Cotabato City and the Maguindanao provinces.

The regulator has already issued an advisory against Cashbaka.

“The Commission has received information that individuals or group of persons representing an entity named ‘Cashbaka’ is enticing the public to invest their money in the said entity with the promise of high monetary rewards or profits,” said the SEC.

The regulator said that Cashbaka is enticing the public to invest in the said entity by purchasing cows for a promise of receiving 150-percent to 200-percent interest within 30 days including a return of capital within

The SEC said Cashbaka “is not registered with the Commission either as a corporation or partnership and is not authorized to solicit investments from the public, not having secured prior registration and/or license to sell securities or solicit investments as prescribed under Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code (SRC).”

“The Commission further warns that those who claim to act as salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents of Cashbaka in offering and/or selling or convincing people to invest in the investment scheme allegedly of the said entity, through the internet or any other means, may be held criminally liable,” it said.

It warned that violators would be penalized with a maximum fine of P5 million or imprisonment of 21 years or both.

An online search of Cashbaka produced a link to a product of the Microdot Financing Corp. (MFC) spelled as “Cash Baka.”

According to the web site “Usapang Pera,” “Cash Baka’ is an online product that does not require collateral and guarantee.”

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace

the senator suggests the government

add more protections for OFWs.” The latter, Villanueva said, he had anticipated when he pushed for the passage of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Law.

personal finance

John Hero salvador

DOMESTIC STRENGTH This undated photo courtesy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shows (from left) Financial Stability Coordination Council Technical Secretariat Head and BSP Senior Assistant Governor Johnny Noe E. Ravalo, BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier, Insurance Commission Commissioner Dennis B. Funa, FSCC Chairman and BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla, National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. President Roberto B. Tan at the sidelines of a recent FSCC Executive Committee. Medalla highlighted the strong economic momentum of the Philippines despite challenges from the global environment. COURTESY OF BangkO SEnTRal ng PiliPinaS

From forms to colors to concepts

Bello, Jun Impas, Brendon Dinglasan and Grandier Bella.

Three women gossip about their observations in Velasco’s piece. Meanwhile, the surveying proves ceaseless by the multiple heads and personalities that share one body in the artwork of Medina. In the dramatic scenes of Cerda and Joquico, everyone appears preoccupied, save for one who breaks away from the scene, and with it, the fourth wall, to return the look to the viewer.

John, Paul, Ringo and George make another appearance in the psychedelic, cubic painting of Pelaez, while Tamondong presents a somber tone in his universe of geometric forms. In Kobusher’s artwork, the artist deforms pop culture characters once again. This time, it’s Popeye finally understanding how his crushed and twisted spinach cans feel.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Lindsay Price, 46; Judd Apatow, 55; Tom Hulce, 69; JoBeth Williams, 74.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Evaluate your current situation and consider what you can do to stabilize your life. Establish boundaries, and make your voice heard regarding your terms and what you are capable of and willing to do this year. Make your positive, energetic nature carry you from start to finish, and you will have an impact on those who work by your side. Your numbers are 5, 12, 24, 29, 33, 41, 48.

aARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll be a sponge for information, so take note of what others have to offer and use the information in a unique way that will make you stand out and receive praise for your contributions. Trust your intelligence and judgment. HHH

bTAURUS (April 20-May 20): You can lend a helping hand, but not at the expense of putting off your responsibilities. Refuse to let anyone guilt you into something you don’t have time to do or shouldn’t. HHH

cGEMINI (May 21-June 20): Negotiate on your behalf. You know what you want better than anyone, so speak up and make your voice heard. A partnership requires structure to ensure that balance and equality are maintained. Make contracts and money your priorities. Romance is encouraged. HHH

dCANCER (June 21-July 22): The tasks you agree to will change how you approach helping others. Don’t take on more than you can handle. Be resourceful and search for ways to slash your overhead with a budget, discipline and strategy. HHH

FOR the 2nd edition of The Manila’Bang Show that opens on Thursday, December 8, Art Elaan (@artelaan) presents three supersized, genre-classified group exhibitions, featuring top Filipino artists.

A figurative showcase offers the works of 13 artists, while six pop surrealists converge for a candy-colored presentation. There’s also a strong display by 12 abstractionists.

Manila’Bang 2022 will run until December 11 at Festival Mall, Alabang.

‘RIGHT INTO THE SOUL’

FIRST in the trio of group exhibitions is Right Into the Soul, a figurative group exhibition where eyes are everywhere. Subjects dart gazes right back onto the audience—each one telling a story through a mere glance.

The featured artists in this display include Lydia Velasco, Pilo Medina, Toti Cerda, Gerry Joquico, Ryan Marquez, Jojo Barja and Maxine Syjuco. Part of the fold as well are Fil Delacruz, Gino Nagret, Marko

Marquez and Barja deliver symbolisms through crumples and stains, as Syjuco, Delacruz and Nagret present surrealist realms. In Bello’s piece, a woman turns her back, while men fight to the end with death in their eyes in the artwork of Impas. Lastly, hyperrealism captivates in the pieces of Dinglasan and Bella.

With eyes from all directions in this showcase, the audience is not the only spectator. They, too, are being gazed at right into the soul.

‘SACCHARINE’

FILIPINO pop artists dish up sweet, vibrant pieces in the group exhibition, titled Saccharine

Norlie Meimban, Alburoto, Bryan Yabut, Nikko Pelaez, Christian Tamondong and Kobusher offer honeyed flavors of familiarity and a hint of nostalgia through artworks that bear their signature styles.

Meimban lets his doodles run wild on famous characters, fictional or otherwise. Alburoto brings to the fold his droopy-eyed characters, while Yabut recreates the iconic Abbey Road crossing, except in the stead of The Beatles members are Charlie Brown, Lucy van Pelt, Snoopy and Woodstock of Peanuts

‘IN A TENSIVE STATE’ ROUNDING out the presentations is a purely abstract exhibition featuring 12 artists.

Coeli Manese, Grae Joquico, Valen Valero, Dale Bagtas, Louie Ignacio, Ronnie Lim, Niccolo Jose, Sam Penaso, Meneline Wong, Lara Latosa and Naomi Banal offer their respective brand of non-figurative art. Each one is marked with a sense of tension, palpable and moving.

Manese’s faith-based abstract expressionism, for instance, draws in the viewer to embark on a journey of introspection. Joquico also moves the audience to another place, as Valero sharply cuts spaces and thoughts with a striking abstraction.

Bagtas cultivates a microscopic ecosystem. Ignacio inspires life that branches out and blooms. Flora is also presented by Lim, albeit in a cooler tone, while Jose makes wood dance with the softness of swaying flowers. Then Penaso’s painstaking piece scratches the viewers’ mind, which is then soothed by the flow art of Wong. Latosa brings her own waves and Banal sets colors for collision.

Additional information about the sets of shows and more is available on www.artelaan.com and www. manilabangshow.com. n

Exhibition by Norberto Roldan at Museo Iloilo and Kri8 Art Space

VIVA España/Long Live América is a diptych exhibition that straddles between two different locations in Metropolitan Iloilo chosen for their historical, cultural and political affinities.

Viva España will be presented at Museo Iloilo (built in 1971) located in the capital city. It is the first governmentsponsored museum outside Metro Manila.

The museum houses an outstanding collection of Iloilo’s cultural heritage. But what makes Museo Iloilo significant is its around 300 pieces of religious artefacts and figures from home altars of old, prominent and devout Catholic families in the province. The Ilonggos’ generous donations of Catholic material culture firmly and eloquently attest to the influence of 400 years of Spanish colonial rule on the Visayan region and its people.

On October 5, 1889, Maria Christina, then Queen Regent

of Spain, raised the status of the town to the Royal City of the South due to Iloilo’s economic development during the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1896, the Queen Regent named Iloilo “La Muy Noble Ciudad,” or “The Most Noble City,” in appreciation of the Ilonggos allegiance to Spain, and their chivalry to defend the “Queen City of the South” against the surge of the Philippine Revolution.

This section of the diptych is an attempt to “colonize” the space of the museum, retaining some selected pieces from its collection, and intervene in its present narrative.

Long Live América will be presented at Balay Sueño Annex. Balay Sueño, a 1940s ancestral house located at the corner of Benedicto-Washington Streets in Jaro, Iloilo, was built by Don Modesto Ledesma, an haciendero who served

as a mayor of Jaro in the 1920s. Once a separate city, it was merged with Iloilo City in the 1940s during the American colonial administration of the Philippines under its policy of Benevolent Assimilation. Jaro plays an important role for the Roman Catholic Church in this part of the Christian nation. It is where the Archdiocese of Jaro, the Metropolitan jurisdiction that encompasses the provinces of Antique, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental, is headquartered.

While this section of the diptych exhibition reflects the country’s American colonial history with snippets of Hollywood, cinema, American fashion, and America as a super power, it also attempts at self-reflexivity on the Filipinos’ love-hate relationship with America.

This exhibition by Norberto Roldan is on view until December 31 at Museo Iloilo and Kri8 Art Space.

eLEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take the high road, and look out for those who can’t fend for themselves. You’ll feel good and develop a friendship you can count on for your good deed. A unique experience will open your mind to a host of possibilities. HHHH

fVIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move. Change begins with you, and being proactive will show your ability to get things done. Spend less time complaining or criticizing and more time doing something worthwhile. Walk away from temptation. HH

gLIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Go directly to the source and ask questions. A business trip, meeting or lecture will reveal the truth. Creative accounting will help you end the year in an excellent financial position. HHH

hSCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Gather information that will help you with your finances. Tips that show you how to reduce debt or talks that help establish who pays what with those you share expenses with will encourage better days ahead and peace of mind. HHH

iSAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Back away from people pushing you to take on too much or indulge in something that is costly or might hurt your reputation. Use your power of persuasion to get help and clear up matters making your life difficult. HHH

jCAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Search for an easy way to make your home more efficient and your overhead less expensive. If you do the work yourself, you’ll save money and learn new skills that will benefit you. HHHHH

kAQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Consider what you can do, what you want to do and what’s mandatory, then proceed. Carry on, regardless of whether others agree with you. Ramp up your enthusiasm and energy, and you’ll dazzle anyone who questions how you choose to do things. HH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your persuasive charm and colorful way of describing what you want from others will capture attention and encourage others to pitch in and help. Be sure to offer incentives to the promises you make. HHHH

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are demonstrative, original and generous. You are stubborn and proactive.

H: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. HH: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. HHH: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. HHHH: Aim high; start new projects. HHHHH: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Proud to be Fil ipi nos i n entertain ment

‘Wakanda Forever’ is No. 1 for 4th straight weekend

NEW YORK—Black Panther: Wakanda Forever kept the box-office crown for the fourth straight weekend, and the comic holiday thriller Violent Night debuted with $13.3 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday. But the biggest talking point on the weekend was a movie conspicuously absent from theaters.

Had Netflix kept Rian Johnson’s whodunit sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in theaters, it would have been one of the weekend’s top draws. Last weekend, the streamer—in its first such pact with North America’s top chains—released Glass Onion in about 600 theaters.

While significantly less than the 4,000-plus theaters most big movies open in, the Netflix film reportedly grossed about $15 million—an enviable total for a medium-scaled release.

Netflix declined to release ticket sales and pulled Glass Onion on Tuesday, preferring to keep its release limited to a one-week sneak-peak theatrical run before debuting on the streaming service December 23. Netflix’s focus, its executives have said, is driving subscribers to its streaming service. On Wednesday, Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, acknowledged the company left “lots” of money on the table in the move.

So instead of feasting on Glass Onion, as ticket buyers did after Thanksgiving in 2019 when Lionsgate released Knives Out, moviegoers were fed mostly leftovers this weekend.

For four weeks, the Walt Disney Co.’s Wakanda Forever has ruled the box office. Ryan Coogler’s Marvel movie has totaled $733 million globally, including $339 million in overseas sales.

Violent Night was the only new wide release in cinemas. Starring David Harbour as a not-so-saintly Saint Nick, the Universal release got off to a good start.

Violent Night, which earned a “B+” CinemaScore from audiences, cost about $20 million to make.

Though Avatar: The Way of Water and other holiday releases, like Puss in Boots 2, Babylon and I Wanna Dance With Somebody loom in the coming weeks, theaters continue to see fewer films in wide release than they did pre-pandemic.

David A. Gross, who publishes the box-office subscription newsletter FranchiseRe, says that while there were 58 franchise films released in 2019, there have been only 32 in 2022.

There’s also been a dearth of family releases in theaters. After a muted debut last weekend, Disney’s big-budget animated fantasy adventure Strange World dipped to third place with a mere $4.9 million in its second week. Some of the season’s notable kidfriendly movies are streaming, instead.

The Roald Dahl adaptation Matilda the Musical, starring Emma Thompson, was made jointly by Netflix, Sony Pictures and Working Title Films.

Netflix has worldwide distribution rights to the film except for the United Kingdom and Ireland, where Sony put the film into theaters last weekend.

For two weeks, Matilda has been the top film at the UK box office, grossing $9.7 million over that stretch. In the US, Matilda begins steaming on Christmas. AP

FILIPINO entertainment producers and executives continue to raise our flag wherever they are based. Take for instance Walt Disney’s Asia Pacific senior vice president Jay Trinidad and independent US based movie producer Arsy Grindulo.

Many are happy that Disney’s premier streaming platform is now available in the Philippines. Disney+ was recently launched and its massive entertainment content is now available for subscribers.

Included are titles under Marvel Studios, Disney Animation, Walt Disney Studios, Pixar, Lucas Films, National Geographic and select titles from 20th Century. Even Asian entertainment content like concerts are easily accessible now.

Trinidad led the Philippine launch of this highly anticipated streaming platform.

“It’s my utmost pleasure to celebrate this wonderful occasion with my kababayans. I am so excited that many in our country can now access Disney’s incredible collection of entertainment content—from beloved classics to modern blockbuster hits, Disney+ titles can be enjoyed in just one click. Also, the platform upholds many time-honored Filipino values that continue to help shape the core of the younger generation.”

As a young man growing up in Manila, Trinidad recalled that he would go through traffic to go to a relative’s house just to be able to watch his favorite Disney movies, which were available on VHS tapes at the time. “Because of how life and technology have evolved, streaming allows many families to watch whatever they want anytime, anywhere, even while stuck in traffic,” he shared.

Trinidad has over 15 years of experience in

MEDIA giant GMA Network successfully held a seminar for its techno-creative personnel under the mentorship of seasoned Hollywood cinematographer Mark Irwin, CSC, ASC, his first training conducted in the Philippines.

Exclusively held for GMA (www.gmanetwork.com), the five-day workshop, which concluded on November 18, was attended by directors of photography and key technical staff from the network’s Engineering, Public Affairs, News, Entertainment, and Post-Production departments with the special participation of Sparkle artists Aidan Veneracion, John Clifford, Waynona Collings, Charlie Fleming and Bryce Eusebio.

With 50 years of experience in film, Irwin has worked on a wide range of films, such as Robocop 2, Scream, Old School, There’s Something About Mary, Scary Movie 3 and a hundred more from different genres. He is a member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) since 1970 and the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) since 1992.

“One of the things that I like about Mark Irwin is that he’s not secretive and he’s very much willing to share his knowledge,” said GMA Network head of studio and remote operations Jeffry Evangelista. “Even with his credentials, he’s still open to suggestions and to train people. There are also times when he encourages the participants to speak up,

technology and the consumer sectors spread through his stints in Taiwan, Japan and the United States. He has indeed come a long way from the three-year-old boy who was in awe when he visited Disneyland for the very first time.

HOPES FOR

HIGH

NEW PRODUCER ARSY GRINDULO has been living in the United States for more than 30 years, and he describes himself as an accidental producer.

“Finance is my turf but life offers us many surprises and from time to time, we take a detour and explore something new. In 2018, I was introduced by a colleague to his son-in-law who just tucked in a degree in film, and he asked me to read his screenplay Ascencion. I got hooked with the science fiction narrative and it got me started as a producer,” he said.

After learning the ropes, and knowing the nittygritty of film production, Grindulo gathered his sources and carefully selected the new members of his team and started the groundwork for a material,

titled A Mermaid for Christmas. “It’s a feel good movie for the entire family, especially for the Filipinos who perhaps are the earliest to celebrate the festive season of Christmas. Both the theme and the narrative are universal and I’m quite confident that it will be one of those feel-good movies we’d love to watch over and over again.”

Grindulo shared that he’d love to come to Manila next year and explore possibilities about producing a movie with local creatives and artists involved. “There are so many amazing talents in the Philippines that only need a bigger push and good breaks. I hope to open a few doors for them, especially if this movie becomes successful and makes money.”

A Mermaid for Christmas stars Hollywood actors Kyle Lowder and Jessica Morris. Lowder was part of the hit series The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of Our Lives, while Morris was the breakthrough star of the movie The Wrong Teacher. A special red-carpet premiere in Manila will happen tonight before the cinema release of the movie tomorrow, December 7. n

I’m not this fountain of knowledge that just says, ‘There it is, take it or leave it.’ I want to apply what they need through what I can provide. So, the hard part for me is to know what people don’t know and fill in those blanks.”

Stars converge at 27th Asian Television Awards; Filipino talents win

By Jt Nisay

IT was an alignment of the stars as the Asian Television Awards (ATA) mounted its first in-person showcase for the first time in two years at the Aliw Theater in Pasay City last week.

After staging the past couple of editions virtually, the two-part event tagged as “Asia’s Largest Entertainment Awards” welcomed showbiz personalities from Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The 27th iteration of the awards showcase will continue on Thursday, December 8, in Singapore.

Filipino talents were among the winners at the ATA’s opening run on December 1. TV host Maine Mendoza won Best Entertainment Presenter/Host for her program #MaineGoals on the Buko channel produced by Cignal TV, while singer-actress Gab Pangilinan was awarded Best Leading Female Performance (Digital) for her role in Still

The musical series also won Best Original Screenplay. The award was accepted by presenter and

she hosted.

his seminar was made possible through the coordination

As part of the network’s numerous ways of giving back to Filipino viewers, GMA has been continuously upgrading its equipment and enhancing its best practices in order to produce world-class content.

and host Eswari Gunasagar for her work on Fearless Heart.

Meanwhile, awarded the Best Drama Series was Through the Darkness from SBS Korea. The Best Direction trophy went to Myoungwoo Lee for One Ordinary Day from The Studio M, also from Korea.

The first live ATA in years also marked the return of the ATA Red Carpet. Spotted in their glamorous ensembles were Julie Anne San Jose from the Philippines; Sonia Chew, Michelle Wong, Shabir, Rae Saleha and Jae Liew from Singapore; Selena Lee, Benjamin Yuen and Bowie Cheung from Hong Kong; Jumpol Adulkittiporn, Hirunkit Changkham, Virawat and Korapat Kirdpan from Thailand; Taiwan’s Rexen Cheng and Vietnam’s Hyun Tran Thanh from Taiwan and Vietnam, respectively.

The awards will continue this Thursday in Singapore. Returning as hosts are Catriona Gray, Wallace Ang, Enchong Dee and Chua Qin Kai.

Meanwhile, set to perform are Wani Kayrie, Wren Evans, Filipino singer LU.ME, and the world’s first CryptoPunks NFT band Manifest.

accepted an award for the talent search Top Class, which

Gray also hosted the awards night alongside Enchong Dee and Asian stars Wallace Ang and Chua

Best Actor in a Leading Role for the Taiwanese crime drama You Have To Kill Me. The Best Female Actress in a Leading Role was presented to Singaporean actress

TAIWANESE actor Rexen Cheng accepts the trophy for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the Taiwanese crime drama You Have To Kill Me at the 27th Asian Television Awards. Singaporean actress Eswari Gunasagar won Best Female Actress for Fearless Heart SCREENSHOTS FROM YOUTUBE.COM/ @PTVPHILIPPINES

Seasoned Hollywood cinematographer Mark Irwin successfully holds training at GMA

MARK IRWIN (center) with Sparkle artists (from left) Aidan Veneracion, John Clifford, Waynona Collings, Charlie Fleming, and Bryce Eusebio, with director Jeff Evangelista.

A SCENE from A Mermaid for Christmas from Hollywood Filipino producer Arsy Grindulo.

Tagaytay Highlands is Pinoys’ top destination estate for holidays

Make your holidays ChristmaSAYA, ChristmaSARAP with grill expert Mang Inasal‘s month-long Ihaw-Sarap

LET Mang Inasal, the country's Grill Expert, turn your get-togethers and celebrations extra SAYA and SARAP this Christmas!

“This year, Mang Inasal wants to make the holiday season more festive and memorable as we treat our customers with month-long Ihaw-Sarap ChristmaSAYA Dine-In Deals plus more ChristmaSARAP meals perfect for their at-home, in-office, or outdoor parties,” said Mang Inasal’s Business Unit Head, Mike V. Castro.

Celebrate at your favorite Mang Inasal stores nationwide from Dec. 1 to 31 and save P20 by enjoying the Ihaw-Sarap ChristmaSAYA Dine-in Deals. Customers can choose from either a Chicken Inasal Paa or Pecho combo, with both options served with Unli-Rice, Extra Creamy Halo-Halo or Crema de Leche Halo-Halo, and a mediumsized drink.

ChristmaSARAP meals are also ready for families, barkadas, and workmates’ holiday parties with Mang Inasal’s takeout and delivery options.

Enjoy hassle-free reunions and gettogethers with Mang Inasal Family Fiesta, a special bundled group meal composed of char-grilled favorites including Chicken Inasal, Pork BBQ, or Grilled Liempo. Starting at P709 for takeout, customers can choose from four different combos to

make sure there’s something for everyone. Each bundle comes with a platter of Java Rice, toyomansi, chili, Chicken Oil, plus peanut sauce for the PBBQ.

Aside from Family Fiesta, also perfect for big group parties are Mang Inasal’s Siksik sa Sahog, Siksik sa Sarap Palabok, Extra Creamy Halo-Halo, and Crema De Leche Halo-Halo that is made special with leche flan, macapuno, and caramelized banana.

Visit any Mang Inasal store nationwide and see your nearest branches by visiting https://bit.ly/MangInasalBRANCHES. Place your delivery orders via the Mang Inasal Delivery App, http://manginasaldelivery. com.ph/, GrabFood, or foodpanda.

Want more Mang Inasal exclusives NOW? Visit www.manginasal.com for the latest updates, https://manginasaldelivery. com.ph for delivery deals, and follow Mang Inasal on social media!

THIS time of the year is what Filipinos consider as the happiest. Spending the holidays away from the stressful vibe of the big city, and finding peace and serenity in the countryside, easily comes to mind. Surely none offers this prospect more delightfully than Tagaytay Highlands, the country’s go-to holiday destination south of the metro.

The premier mountain resort community is primed to let its residents, their families, and their guests enjoy a relaxing holiday break. Whether ensconced in cozy log cabins or in luxurious, close-to-nature dwellings located in the Highlands’ exclusive residential enclaves, grownups and children will look out, not on smogshrouded cityscapes but on stunning vistas of tranquil Taal Lake, the legendary Mount Makiling, and Canlubang Valley shimmering in the horizon.

Old traditions die hard in this Yuletide destination. Resident families like to turn the holidays into a multi-sensory experience. As glittery lights and colorful ornaments spread holiday cheer, one enjoys the aroma of ham, pasta, and cakes wafting from the kitchen. And as in typical Filipino gatherings, the sound of laughter and merriment is music to one’s ears.

Festive Club events also await discerning homeowners who look

forward to a memorable holiday season at Tagaytay Highlands. Children can whoop it up at their very own “Christmas Party for Kids” to be held at The Sports Center Hall on December 17. On December 27 to 31, individuals and families can shop to their hearts’ content at the Christmas Bazaar to be set up in the Highlands Golf Parking Area.

To welcome the year with a bang, Tagaytay Highlands will have a New Year’s Eve Countdown at The Sports Center Hall on December 31.

Several Chapel events will likewise be in full swing, such as the Four Sundays of Advent Eucharistic Celebrations on November 27, December 4, 11, and 18; the Renewal of Consecration of Tagaytay City to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on December 3; the Lighting of the beautiful Tagaytay Highlands Christmas Tree on December 3; and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass on December 8.

Of course, the Filipino tradition of Simbang Gabi will be celebrated in the Highlands from December 15 to 23, and the much-awaited Christmas Day will be ushered in with masses on December 24 and December 25.

To wrap up the year 2022 with gratitude, members of the mountain resort community can go to mass on December 30, for the Feast of the Holy Family. The

chapel will also welcome the year 2023 with masses on New Years’ Eve (December 31) and New Year’s Day (January 1).

Filipinos heading to Tagaytay Highlands for a joyful and cheery time will be happy to know that the development has been awarded the Safety Seal of the City Government of Tagaytay for providing safety and security to its residents, guests, and staff.

Tagaytay Highlands’ developer, Highlands Prime Inc., a subsidiary of SM Prime Holdings, has also been named by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development as one of CALABARZON’s 2021 Outstanding Developers for Open Market Projects.

Tagaytay Highlands’ highly competent property management team ensures that all facilities and personnel will continue to adhere to safety protocols and sanitation procedures like hand sanitation, disinfection, wearing of face masks, and social distancing in public spaces.

Finally, the Highlands’ property management commits to remain efficient in delivering quick crisis responses during adverse natural and high-risk events.

Tagaytay Highlands is an exclusive mountain resort exclusive to its club members, homeowners and their guests, featuring a holistic leisure environment that defines a luxurious lifestyle set amidst breathtaking views of nature.

Filipino adolescents are the most physically inactive in the world, says Youth Physical Activity Report Card

FILIPINO adolescents are among the most physically inactive in the world, with only 15.4 percent meeting the global physical activity recommendation.

This was revealed in the Youth Physical Activity Report Cards released by The Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA), raising an alarm for stakeholders to work together to improve the physical activity levels of youth in the post-pandemic era.

Sponsored by Sun Life for five Asian markets including the Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, the Youth Physical Activity Report Cards are an evidence-based synthesis of children’s and adolescents’ behavior toward physical activity. By using a series of indicators related to individual behavior, settings, strategies, and other factors, the report cards provide insights and recommendations for improving the physical health of young people in Asia and around the world.

The 2022 Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents, which was led by the UP College of Human Kinetics, represents a comprehensive synthesis of scientific papers and related national-level surveys. The Report Card assigns letter grades to ten different indicators grouped into behaviors and characteristics (Overall Physical Activity, Organized Sports and Physical Activity, Active Play,

Active Transportation, Sedentary Behaviors, Physical Fitness) and sources of influence (Family and Peers, School, Community and Environment, Government).

The Philippines was graded an F in overall physical activity. In comparison, countries such as Finland and Slovenia scored an A-, due to various initiatives that promote physical activity among children. These include organized sports, active transportation, and a physical education curriculum, among others.

“Modern lifestyles, such as increases in digital screen time, the growing urbanization of communities, and the rise in automation of previously manual tasks, are contributing to a pervasive yet unequally

distributed public health crisis of inactivity that must be recognized as a global priority,” said Professor Mark Tremblay, President of the AHKGA and Senior Scientist at the CHEO Research Institute in Canada. “The inactivity crisis was further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, global conflicts, and severe weather associated with climate change.”

Tremblay warned that the lack of efforts to recalibrate the modern and pandemic influenced lifestyle of children and adolescents puts at risk their future health and wellbeing. “We hope this report will be a call to action for societies around the world,” he said.

“The results of the AHKGA study may be unsettling at first glance, but identifying the problem is the first step in addressing the situation,” Sun Life Chief Client Experience and Marketing Officer Carla Gonzalez-Chong said, adding that Sun Life, in a bid to help address the findings, will soon launch a health and wellness campaign and bring back its highly anticipated Sunpiology sports events.

“By supporting the Youth Physical Activity Report Cards by AHKGA, we hope to contribute to AHKGA’s overall ambition to encourage children to get moving through capacity building, advocacy, and awareness,” GonzalezChong said. “The effort is part of Sun Life’s Purpose to help people live healthier lives.”

Apple Reseller Power Mac Center launches ‘Presence and Presents’ holiday campaign this Christmas season

THIS holiday season, Power Mac Center (PMC) is inviting everyone to celebrate by making time for the people they treasure the most. Because showing up means showing love, the Apple Premium Reseller supports customers by launching its holiday promos and a special short film competition, wherein it will be giving away a brand-new iPhone 14 and more.

“Presence is the best present this Christmas—perhaps even more than any other occasion. This is the time when people are collectively feeling lighter, merrier, and more hopeful about their dreams. And so, we are honoring the best of the season by celebrating the stories of togetherness that are uniquely ours, as well as offering our customers great deals on Apple devices and accessories to gift themselves or their loved ones with,” said Joey Alvarez, PMC Director of Product Management and Marketing.

With the theme “Presence and Presents,” PMC’s holiday special has three parts: Unwrap Moments holds a short film competition highlighting the power of the iPhone camera; Unwrap Dreams features a special selection of holiday deals on Apple and non-Apple products; and Unwrap Treats rewards loyal customers via an exclusive deal for 1 Infinite Access members.

The short film competition is open to everyone in the Philippines who are at least 18 years old. Participants should use an iPhone to create a short film that captures the joy of togetherness for the holiday season. The entry should be able to answer the question “Why is presence the best present for Christmas?”

Shortlisted entries will be judged by PMC representatives and two of the most sought-

after Filipino filmmakers, namely, Antoinette Jadaone and JP Habac. Prizes up for grabs include an iPhone 14 128GB worth P61,990 for the Best Film (Grand Winner); iPad Air 5th gen 64GB worth P41,490 for the Best Film (1st Runner-Up); AirPods 3rd gen worth P12,990 for the Best Film (2nd Runner-Up); P5,000 worth of 1 Infinite Access points for the People’s Choice Special Award winner; and P10,000 worth of products each from partners Adam Elements, Energea, and Logitech for three special awardees.

Submission of entries is until December 20, 2022 at 11:59 PM. For full details, visit https://bit.ly/PMCUnwrapMoments.

PMC is offering huge deals bundled with your Apple device purchases. Until December 31, 2022, customers can enjoy up to 25 percent off on select premium iPhone cases and screen protectors when purchased with any participating iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Meanwhile, those buying iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 can score up to P2,000 worth of store credits which can be used to buy any available Apple or non-Apple accessories at all PMC and The Loop stores, as well as the Viber Store. Hurry, because this offer is good only until supplies last.

PMC’s participating premium partner brands are also slashing their prices up to a whopping 95 percent off on chargers, earphones, speakers, storage devices, and more. This offer is available at all PMC and The Loop stores, the Web Store at <https://bit. ly/3gqX6Wu>, Viber Store, and The Loop by Power Mac Center on Lazada and Shopee.

Members of PMC’s loyalty program 1 Infinite Access can get an additional 10 percent off and enjoy up to 95 percent savings on participating premium accessories at all PMC and The Loop stores.

All offers are valid on purchases paid via non-installment methods: cash, straight credit card, debit card, bank transfer, check, GCash, GrabPay, WeChat, AliPay, Maya, Hello Money, UnionPay, BDO Pay, ShopeePay, QRPH, Power Mac Center eGift Certificate, Home Credit with Interest, UpTrade trade-in value, BillEase, and 1 Infinite Access Points (1 point = P1).

FIRST BATCH OF ACCREDITED BUYERS’ REPRESENTATIVES FETED. The country’s first batch of Accredited Buyers’ Representative (ABR) designation course offering in Manila were feted during last month’s meet and greet of International Realtor Members (IRM) held jointly by the Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations Inc. and the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors (NAR). CREBA national president Noel Toti M. Cariño represents the Philippine real estate sector as 2022 NAR international director. CREBA is the exclusive NAR cooperating association tasked to promote and safeguard the NAR brand and Code of Ethics among real estate professionals in the Philippines.

TAGAYTAY Highlands continues to top discerning Filipinos’ wish lists as it lines up special holiday festivities for its residents, their families, and their guests. In this premier mountain resort community and go-to destination south of the metro, there will be a lot of family get-togethers amid scenic Taal Lake yet following stringent minimum health standards and safety protocols.

No longer the fringe: Small-town voters fear for the American way

By Tim Sullivan The Associated Press

HUDSON, Wis.—A word— “Hope”—is stitched onto a throw pillow in the little hilltop farmhouse. Photographs of children and grandchildren speckle the walls. In the kitchen, an envelope is decorated with a hand-drawn heart. “Happy Birthday, My Love,” it reads.

Out front, past a pair of cen tury-old cottonwoods, the neigh bors’ cornfields reach into the distance.

John Kraft loves this place. He loves the quiet and the space. He loves that you can drive for miles without passing another car.

But out there? Out beyond the cornfields, to the little western Wisconsin towns turning into commuter suburbs, and to the cit ies growing ever larger?

Out there, he says, is a country that many Americans wouldn’t recognize.

It’s a dark place, dangerous, where freedom is under attack by a tyrannical government, few officials can be trusted and clans of neighbors might someday have to band together to protect one another. It’s a country where the most basic beliefs—in faith, fam ily, liberty—are threatened.

And it’s not just about politics anymore.

“It’s no longer left versus right, Democrat versus Republican,” says Kraft, a software architect and data analyst. “It’s straight up good versus evil.”

He knows how he sounds. He’s felt the contempt of people who see him as a fanatic, a conspiracy theorist.

But he’s a hero in a growing right-wing conservative move ment that has rocketed to promi nence here in St. Croix County.

Just a couple years ago, their talk of Marxism, government crackdowns and secret plans to destroy family values would have put them at the far fringes of the Republican Party.

But not anymore. Today, despite midterm elections that failed to see the sweeping Republican vic tories that many had predicted, they remain a cornerstone of the conservative electoral base. Across the country, victories went to candidates who believe in QAnon and candidates who believe the separation of church and state is a fallacy. In Wisconsin, a US sen ator who dabbles in conspiracy theories and pseudoscience was reelected—crushing his opponent in St. Croix County.

They are farmers and business analysts. They are stay-at-home mothers, graphic designers and insurance salesmen.

They live in communities where crime is almost nonexistent and Cub Scouts hold $5 spaghettilunch fundraisers at American Legion halls.

And they live with something else.

Sometimes it’s anger. Some times sadness. Every once in a while it’s fear.

All of this can be hard to see, hidden behind the throw pillows and the gently rolling hills. But

spend some time in this corner of Wisconsin. Have a drink or two in the small-town bars. Sit with par ents cheering kids at the county rodeo. Attend Sunday services. Try to see America through their eyes.

There’s a joke people sometimes tell around here: Democrats take Exit 1 off I-94; Republicans go at least three exits farther.

The first exit off the freeway leads to Hudson, a onetime raggedat-the-edges riverside town that has become a place of carefully tended 19th-century homes and tourists wandering main street boutiques. With 14,000 people, it’s the largest town in St. Croix Coun ty. It’s also replete with Democrats.

The Republicans start at Exit 4, the joke says, beyond a neutral zone of generic sprawl: a Target, a Home Depot, a thicket of chain restaurants.

“For some people out here, Hudson might be (as far away as) South Dakota or California,” says Mark Carlson, who lives off exit 16 in an old log cabin now covered in light blue siding. He doesn’t go into Hudson often. “I don’t meet many liberals.”

Carlson is a friendly man who exudes gentleness, loves to cook, rarely leaves home without a pis tol and believes despotism looms over America.

“There’s a plan to lead us from within toward socialism, Marx ism, communism-type of govern ment,” says Carlson, a St. Croix County supervisor who recently retired after 20 years working at a juvenile detention facility and is now a part-time Uber driver.

He was swept into office earlier this year when insurgent rightwing conservatives created a pow erful local voting bloc, energized by fury over Covid lockdowns, vaccination mandates and the un rest that shook the country after George Floyd was murdered by a policeman in Minneapolis, just 45 minutes away.

In early 2020 they took control of the county Republican Party, driving away leaders they deride as pawns of a weak-kneed establish ment, and helped put well over a dozen people in elected positions across the county.

In their America, the US govern ment orchestrated Covid fears to cement its power, the IRS is buying up huge stocks of ammunition and former President Barack Obama may be the country’s most pow erful person.

But they are not caricatures. Not even Carlson, a bearded, gunowning white guy who voted for former President Donald Trump.

“I’m just a normal person,” he says, sitting on a sofa, next to a picture window overlooking the large garden that he and his wife

tend. “They don’t realize that we mean well.”

He’s a complicated man. While even he admits he might accurately be called a right-wing extremist, he calls peaceful Black protesters “righ teous” for taking to the streets after Floyd’s murder. He doubts there was fraud in the midterm elections. He drives a Tesla. He loves AC/DC and makes his own organic yogurt. In an area where Islam is sometimes viewed with open hostility, he’s a conservative Christian who says he’d back the area’s small Muslim community if they wanted to open a mosque here.

“Build your mosque, of course! That’s the American way!”

He believes, deeply, that America doesn’t need to be bitterly divided.

“Liberalism and conservatism aren’t that far apart. You can be pro-American, pro-constitutional. You just want bigger government programs. I want less.”

“We can work together,” he says. “We don’t have to, like, hate each other.”

Repeatedly, he and the county’s other right-wing conservatives in sist they don’t want violence.

But violence often seems to be looming as they talk, hazy imag es of government thugs or antifa rioters or health officers seizing children from parents.

And weapons are a big part of their self-proclaimed “patriot” movement. The Second Amend ment and the belief that Ameri cans have a right to overthrow tyrannical governments are foun dational principles.

“I’m not a big gun guy,” says Carlson, whose weapons include pistols, a shotgun, an AR-15 rifle, 10 loaded magazines and about 1,000 additional rounds. “For a lot of people that’s just a start.”

That cocktail of weaponry and politics concerns plenty of people outside of their circles.

Liberal voters, along with many establishment Republicans, worry that men in tactical clothing can now occasionally be seen at public gatherings. They worry that some people are now too afraid to be campaign volunteers. They worry that many locals think twice about wearing Democratic T-shirts in public, even in Hudson.

Paul Hambleton, who lives in Hudson and works with the county Democratic Party, found comfort in the midterm election results, which even some Republicans say could signal a repudiation of Trump and his most extreme sup porters.

“I don’t feel the menace like I was feeling it before” the vote, Hambleton says. “I think this election showed that people can be brave, that they can stick their necks out.”

He spent years teaching in small-town St. Croix County, where the population has grown from 43,000 in 1980 to about 95,000 today. He watched over the years as the student body shifted. Farmers’ children gave way to the children of people who commute to work in the Twin Cities. Racial minorities became a small but growing presence.

He understands why the chang es might make some people ner vous.

“There is a rural way of life that people feel is being threat ened here, a small town way of life,” he says.

But he’s also a hunter who saw how hard it was to buy ammunition after the 2020 protests, when fire arm sales soared across America. For nearly two years, the shelves were almost bare.

“I found that menacing,” says Hambleton. “Because no way is that deer hunters buying up so much ammunition.”

Empowered conservatives WHEN the newly empowered con servatives get together it’s often at an Irish bar in a freeway strip mall. Next door is the little county GOP office where you can pick up Re publican yard signs and $15 travel mugs that proclaim “Normal Is Not Coming Back—Jesus Is.”

Paddy Ryan’s is the closest thing they have to a clubhouse. One af ternoon in late summer, Matt Rust was there talking about the media.

“I think they’re an arm of a much larger global effort by very rich powerful people to control as much of the world as possible,” says Rust, a designer and product developer who can quote large parts of the US Constitution from memory. “And I don’t think that’s anything new. It’s always been that way,” from ancient Persian rulers to Adolf Hitler.

“Is that a conspiracy or is that just human nature?” he asks. “I think it’s just human nature.”

Today, polls indicate that about 60 percent of Republicans don’t believe President Joe Biden was le gitimately elected. Around a third refuse to get the Covid vaccine.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgia Republican known for her conspiratorial accusations and violent rhetoric, is a political star. Trump has embraced QAnon

and its universe of conspiracies. In Wisconsin, Sen. Ron Johnson, a fierce denier of the 2020 election who has suggested the dangers of Covid are overblown, won his third term on November 8.

This seems impossible to many Americans. How can you dismiss the avalanche of evidence that voter fraud was nearly non-exis tent in 2020? How do you ignore thousands of scientists insisting vaccines are safe? How do you be lieve QAnon, a movement born from anonymous Internet posts?

But news in this world doesn’t come from the Associated Press or CNN. It only rarely comes from major conservative media, like Fox News.

Where does it come from?

“The Internet,” said Scott Mill er, a 40-year-old sales analyst and a prominent local gun-rights activ ist. “That’s where everybody gets their news these days.”

Very often that means rightwing podcasts and videos that bounce around in social media feeds or on the encrypted messag ing service Telegram.

It’s a media microcosm with its own vocabulary—Event 201, the Regime, democide, the Paral lel Economy—that invites blank stares from outsiders.

While many reports are little more than angry recitations of right-wing talking points, some are sophisticated and believable.

Take “Selection Code,” a high ly produced hour-long attack on the 2020 election underwritten by Trump ally Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO. It has the look of a “60 Minutes” piece, tells a complex story and uses unexpected sources to make some of its main points.

Like Hillary Clinton.

“As we look at our election sys tem, I think it’s fair to say there are many legitimate questions about its accuracy, about its integrity,” the then-senator is shown saying in a 2005 Senate speech, question ing the reelection of former Presi dent George W. Bush.

Mi ller laughs.

“I’ll give the Democrats credit. At least they had the courage to stand up and point it out.”

The culture wars

CORNFIELDS come right up to the country church, deep in rural St. Croix County and just down the road from a truck stop Denny’s. The closest town, Wilson, is little more than a half-dozen streets, a post office and the Wingin’ It Bar and Grill.

From the pulpit of Calvary As sembly of God, Pastor Rick Man non preaches a Christianity that resonates deeply among this type of conservatives, with strict lines of good and evil and little hesita tion to wade into cultural and po litical issues. He pushed back hard against Covid restrictions.

It’s an outpost in the culture wars tearing at America, and a haven for people who feel shoved aside by a changing nation.

“If Christians don’t get involved in politics, then we shouldn’t have a say,” Mannon says in an inter view. “We can’t just let evil win.”

Religion, once one of America’s tightest social bonds, has changed dramatically over the past few de cades, with the overall number of people who identify as Christian plunging from the early 1970s, even as membership in conservative Christian denominations surged.

From churches like Calvary

Assembly, they’ve watched as gay marriage was legalized, as trans rights became a national issue, as Christianity, at least in their eyes, came under attack by pronounproclaiming liberals.

It’s hard to overstate how much cultural changes have shaped the right wing of American conser vatism.

Beliefs about family and sexual ity that were commonplace when Kraft was growing up in a Milwau kee suburb in the late 1970s and early 1980s, tinkering with elec tronics with his father, now can mark people like him as outcasts in the wider world.

“If you say anything negative about trans people, or if you say ‘I feel sorry for you. This is a clinical diagnosis’...Well, you are a bigot,” says Kraft, 58, a member of Man non’s congregation. “People with normal, mainstream family val ues—churchgoing, believing in God—suddenly it’s something they should be ostracized for.”

But in today’s world, words like “normal” don’t mean what they once did.

That infuriates Kraft, who energized the Republican Party of St. Croix County as its leader but stepped down last year after a quote on the party’s website— “If you want peace, prepare for war”—set off a public firestorm. He moved to a neighboring county earlier this year.

He ticks off the accusations leveled at people like him: sexist, homophobic, racist.

But such talk, he says, has lost its power.

“Now it’s just noise. It’s lost all its meaning.”

What people fear

THE plans, if they are mentioned at all, are spoken of quietly. But sit in enough small-town bars, drive enough small-town roads, and you’ll occasionally hear people talk about what they in tend to do if things go really bad for America.

There are the solar panels if the electricity grid fails. There’s extra gasoline for cars and diesel for generators. There are shelves of non-perishable food, sometimes enough to last for months.

There are the guns, though that is almost never discussed with outsiders.

“I’ve got enough,” says one man, sitting in a Hudson coffee shop.

“I would rather not get into that with a reporter,” says Kraft.

The fears here are mostly about crime and civil unrest. People still talk about the 2020 protests, when they say you could stand in Hudson and see the distant glow of fires in Minneapolis. That frightened many people, and not just conser vative Republicans.

But there are other fears, too. About government crackdowns. About firearm seizures. About the possibility that people might have to take up arms against their own government.

Those prospects seem distant, murky, including to the selfdeclared patriots. The most dire possibilities are spoken about only theoretically.

Still, they are spoken about.

“I pray it will always be that the overthrow is at the ballot box,” says Carlson, who seems genuinely pained at the idea of violence.

“We don’t want to use guns,” he continues. “That would be just horrible.”

JOHN KRAFT sits next to his yawning cat, Tux, at his hilltop farmhouse in Clear Lake, Wisconsin on September 28, 2022. Kraft loves this place. He loves the quiet and the space but looks beyond his rural community and sees a country that many Americans wouldn’t recognize. It’s a dark place, dangerous, where democracy is under attack by a tyrannical government, few officials can be trusted and clans of neighbors might someday have to band together to protect one another. AP/DAVID GOLDMAN

CRUISE FOR MBAPPÉ FRANCE TO QFINALS

DOHA, Qatar—It all seems so straightforward—laughable, perhaps—for Kylian Mbappé when it comes to the World Cup.

The France forward, who scored four goals when he led his country to the title four years ago as a 19-yearold phenom, put on yet another demonstration of how devastating he can be on the soccer field.

A fter it was over, Mbappé almost seemed to be chuckling as Robert Lewandowski came over to congrat ulate him.

M bappé scored two goals Sunday and set up another for Olivier Giroud to give France a 3-1 victory over Poland and move the 2018 champi ons within three wins of successfully defending their title. He already has a tournament-best five goals in Qatar as Les Bleus have reached the quarterfinals for the third straight World Cup.

The only objective for me is to win the World Cup,” Mbappé said.

Angels eye PVL crown against Cignal HD gals in Game Two

PETRO GAZZ coach Rald Ricafort expects his wards to flash their killer’s instinct anew as the Angels brace for a big Cignal fightback in Game Two of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference Finals at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City Tuesday.

Coming out better and stronger from a near-disastrous slip in the final day of the semifinals, the Angels hacked out a tough 25-21, 27-25, 3735 decision over the HD Spikers last Thursday to move a win away from sweeping their way back to the throne of the import-laced conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

Game time is at 5:30 p.m. with the Angels eager to finish off the HD Spikers behind their big-hitting import Lindsey Vander Weide and a fired-up local crew headed by Myla Pablo, MJ Phillips, Aiza Pontillas, Remy Palma and ace playmaker Djanel Cheng.

“Our lesson from Game 1 is that we let the third set slip our hands,” Ricafort said. “Complacency seems to set in when we win two sets.”

He was referring to his wards’ third set meltdown, also against the HD Spikers, in the last Final Four duel last week that had them sweeping the first two sets and moving a hit away from returning to the Finals after storming to a 24-21 lead in the third frame.

But Cignal import Tai Bierria willed her team back into the match with a cluster of hits and the HD Spikers forced a fourth set before eventually yielding the match.

But Cignal went on to clinch the first finals slot with a better tiebreak score than Petro Gazz, which, however, got a free ride to the title playoff after Chery Tiggo spoiled Creamline’s bid in the other semis duel.

The Angels also took the first two sets in Game One, but this time, they toughened up in a nerve-wracking third set while relying on Vander Weide’s fierceness to pound out the victory.

“The only thing I dream is this. I came here to win this World Cup. I didn’t come here to win the Golden Ball or Golden Boot. If I win it of course I’m going to be happy but that’s not why I’m here. I’m here to win and I’m here to help the French national team.”

L ewandowski, a two-time FIFA player of the year, scored from the penalty spot in second-half stop page time for Poland.

F rance will play England for a spot in the semifinals. The English team beat Senegal, 3-0.

Mbappé scored his first goal in the 74th minute when he was left unmarked to blast in a long-range shot following a counterattack. He added another in stoppage time when Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny could only get a weak glove on another powerful shot from the

man in the No. 10 shirt.

“ He can change a match in just a moment and he’s always playing with such joy and we all want to share those smiles with him,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “France needed a great Kylian Mbappé tonight and they got one.”

H aving also provided two assists, Mbappé has easily been the most productive player in Qatar.

A fter his latest exploits, Mbappé explained why he hadn’t addressed the media in Qatar before Sunday.

“I needed to focus on the tourna ment and my soccer,” he said through a translator, adding that he had volun teered to pay a French federation fine for his silence. “When I want to concentrate on something that’s the way I function. And that’s why I didn’t want to come speak to you before now.

I’ve been preparing for this tournament throughout the season, physically and mentally,” he added. “I wanted to be ready for this tournament and I am.”

M bappé celebrated his second goal by waving his arms for the crowd to cheer louder. Then he hoisted himself up onto the crossbar shortly after the final whistle in front of France’s celebrating fans.

M bappé already has nine career World Cup goals and if he stays healthy, he could probably play in another three editions of soccer’s biggest event—meaning he might approach the tournament’s career scoring record held by Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 goals over four World Cups.

“He hurt us today but I am cheering for him because he is a real star,” Poland coach Czesław Michniewicz said through a translator. “I’m talking about (Lionel) Messi, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, Lewandows ki. If someone is going to take over, I

Swim icon Buhain hails FINA order; PSI board of trustees seeks appeal

By Josef Ramos

SWIMMING icon Eric Buhain described the turn of events as “answered prayer,” Chloe Isleta’s mom thought Christmas came early and a head of an active member club of the Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI) saw a silver lining.

This as the members of the PSI board of trustees bared in a statement on Mon day that they will appeal FINA’s decision to no longer recognize them and be “given access to the complaints that were filed and be given the opportunity to respond to the same in accordance with the FINA Constitution.”

The decision of FINA to withdraw recognition [of PSI board] is a welcome development for Philippine swim ming,” said Buhain—a Barcelona Olympian, owner of 15 Southeast Asian Games gold medals and now a congressman representing the First District of Batangas—on Monday.

“FINA’s decision is an answered prayer by the Philippine swimming com munity,” said Buhain, also a founding member of the Congress of Philippine Aquatics Inc. or COPA, a swimming organization that has a membership of 174 clubs from all over the country.”

FINA is our hero and angel.”

The FINA withdrew its recogni tion of the PSI’s board of trustees and created a stabilization committee that will run the association’s day-today operations, amend its by-laws and conducting new elections.

The memo, which the FINA stressed as “effective immediately,” was dated December 3 and signed by FINA execu tive director Brent Nowicki was sent to the PSI through its president Ma. Lailani “Lani” Velasco. Copies of the FINA directive were also e-mailed to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and Philippine Sports Commission.

I thank the POC for keeping the peace within the sport, which allowed FINA to conduct an unbiased and independent assessment of the whole situation,” Buhain said. “Thus resulting in their decision of with drawal of recognition.”

Cecille Doromal Waller, mother of Isleta who won the country’s lone swim ming gold medal at the Hanoi Southeast

think Mbappé will be the player to be the best one (for) many years.”

No country has repeated as World Cup champions in six decades—since Brazil achieved the feat by claiming consecutive trophies in 1958 and 1962. Italy is the only other nation to have won two straight, in 1934 and 1938.

W hile Lewandowski is a prolific scorer himself, he’s never come close to winning a major title with a Poland team that struggles to get him the ball.

M bappé, by contrast, is supported by a large array of talented players— even though half a dozen top France players are out injured.

The French team took the lead when Mbappé threaded a pass to Giroud and the AC Milan striker quickly slotted the ball into the far corner. It was Giroud’s 52nd career international goal—break ing a tie with Thierry Henry on France’s all-time scoring list.

A fter Mbappé leaped into Giroud’s arms to celebrate, pumping his fists, Giroud held up seven fingers to the cameras—five on one hand and two on the other for “52.”

It’s all the more sweet for Giroud because he wasn’t even supposed to be a starter on this year’s squad until Bal lon d’Or winner Karim Benzema was ruled out because of injury. Giroud also scored two goals in France’s opening 4-1 win over Australia.

On a record-setting night for France, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris matched the national team mark of 142 appearances held by Lilian Thuram.

W ith two European teams playing, there weren’t all that many supporters of either country inside Al Thumama Stadium except for small pockets of France fans beating drums behind one goal and red-and-white clad spectators chanting “Polska” behind the opposite goal. There were also plenty of empty seats. AP

Asian Games last May, was as elated. Christmas came so early to the Philippine swimming community. Let’s rejoice,” said Doromal, who complained to the PSI on her daugh ter’s exclusion from the Philippine team to the world championships in Budapest last June.

“ I don’t have any idea who will be the next leader but what’s important is there’s a new hope that will be established from a new leadership,” she added.

Dr. Ireneo Bautista, team manager of the Alabang-based Wahoo Aquatic Club, said they welcome FINA’s decision and are hoping for “a former swimmer to lead the country’s aquatics association.”

“Let’s move on and elect a president who is an ex-swimmer that represented the country in international competi tions,” Bautista said. “One who has the heart to serve the swimmers.”

Buhain said the development is a relief for Philippine swimming.

Hidilyn to newbies: Be patient

EIGHT Filipino athletes are competing at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships in Bogota all wanting to be like their idol—Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo.

D iaz-Naranjo has a two-word advise to these promising weightlifters—be patient.

“They all have the potentials and the talent to become the best,” Diaz-Naranjo told BusinessMirror on the eve of the start of the world championships in Colombia’s capital on Monday. “All I can advise to my fellow weightlifters is to think long term.”

Patience is virtue and we still have a year and eight months to qualify [for the Paris 2024 Olympics],” she added.

Ne ver doubt Diaz-Naranjo.

Before winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo

Olympic debut in Beijing 2008 and disqualified (no lift) in London four years later.

But packed with two Olympic experience and older, wiser and stronger, she clinched silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Five years later—it could have been four if not for the pandemic—she struck gold ending the Philippines’s close to 100-year wait for that victory.

There’s no need to rush or force everything. We need to learn and gain experience,” Diaz-Naranjo, now 31, said. “Remember, it’s the Olympics you’re aiming for.”

Joining Diaz-Naranjo in the world championships set at Bogota’s Gran Carpa Americas Coferias are Rio de Janeiro Olympian Nestor Colonia (55 kgs), John Febuar Ceniza (61 kgs), Dave Lloyd Pacaldo (67 kgs), Asian champion Vanessa Sarno and Kristel Macrohon (71 kgs), Rosegie Ramos and Lovely Inan (49 kgs) and Elreen Ann Ando (59 kgs).

last year, she had to go on a long journey.

She was an unassuming and innocent-looking 17-year-old in her

Diaz-Naranjo is seeded No. 2 in the 55 kgs class behind hometown bet Rosalba Estela Morales del Aguila with both submitting entry weights of 210 kgs. These world championships are the first of six qualifiers for Paris 2024.

TOP 10 FINISH FOR BLU BOYS

THE Blu Boys may have missed the Super Round of the recent Men’s Softball World Cup but gave the country a reason to celebrate with their top 10 finish.

W ithout a win in their first five games marked with closed games against eventual third placer United States, 0-1 and Cuba, 1-3, the Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Boys posted back-to-back shutout wins over higher-ranked Denmark (No. 10), 8-0, and South Africa (No. 11), 4-0, for a respectable 10th place finish.

The Blu Boys were the lowest ranked qualifier at No. 21 among the 12 teams that played in the competition and are bound to improve on their world rankings.

C anada and Australia will dispute the  championship. The US finished off dethroned champion Argentina, 2-0, in the battle for third place.

As I said, our participation was a good opportunity for the boys to test themselves against the world’s best teams,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines. “I’m very elated with their performance particularly their games against Denmark and South Africa.”

A top 10 finish in a team sport in any world competition is always something to be proud of,” added Lhuillier as he made special mention of pitcher Leo Barredo who held his ground on the mount against the world’s best.

PHL-Korea in URCC 3V3 rumble at Cove

IT will be the Philippines’s best mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters against rivals from South Koreans in a 3-versus-3 format and Arvin Chan against Will Chope in the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) 81 Tuesday night at the Cove of the Okada Manila.

S ugar Ray “Mammoth” Estroso, URCC champion Caloy “The Bad Boy” Baduria and Boss Bullet Manlilic will showcase their fighting skills in the main event entitled Decades of Success.

But South Koreans Jeong Minhun, Choi Wontae and Jeon Youngjun reminded their Filipino opponents that they did not travel to the Philippines to lose.

“ We travel very far so we will do whatever it takes to bring home pride,” Minhun said.

E stroso and co. welcomed the challenge from the South Koreans, who stand tall at 6 feet, 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-7.

Anything can happen inside the cage,” the 5-foot-6 Estroso said. “Once we hit them with punches, they will experience how tough Filipinos are. We never backdown from any challenge or fight.”

U RCC founding president Alvin Aguilar believes the 3-versus-3 event would be challenging for team Philippines.

“ This will be a very challenging fight for the Philippines. I am also curious to see how Caloy Baduria will do in a 3-versus-3 format as this will be his first time this kind of fight will be held,” said Aguilar, who was joined by URCC global chairman Arnold Vegafria in Monday’s news conference at the Cove of the Okada Manila.

Veteran mixed martial artist Chan expects a difficult fight against American former UFC campaigner “The Kill” Chope in the interim URCC welterweight bout in the other main event presented by Okada Manila and supported by Winzir.

I fought a lot of fighters but I expect this to be more challenging,” Chan (9-5 win-loss card) said.

But just like the Koreans, the 32-year-old Chope (38-18) doesn’t want go home empty-handed.

“I want to take the belt to my wife so you need a lot of luck my friend,” he said. “But I have to be careful because

Arvin Chan has improved a lot.”

B oth Chan and Chope both made the welterweight limit of 169.6 pounds.

For inquiries about tickets sale, please go to www.urcc.online and download our app https:// apps.wix.com/place-invites/joinlp/b4e05b90-55a0-40a8-8fac17ccf4a2c074?ref=pre_banner_top which is available for iOS and Google.

THE Angels are expected to rely heavily anew on big-hitting import Lindsey Vander Weide.

FIL-AM REGULAR TILT ON Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong (center) poses with Fil-Am co-chairmen Anthony de Leon of Baguio Country Club (BCC) and Jude Eustaquio of Camp John Hay Golf Club, Camp John Hay COO Shean Bedi and BCC sports and games member Engr. Eliseo Lagman after the ceremonial tee Monday.

THE cast and organizers of URCC DOS 81 strike a pose at the Cove in Okada Manila.

KYLIAN MBAPPE scores two goals and sets up another as France moves to within three wins of successfully defending its title. AP

Josef Ramos