BusinessMirror February 09, 2023

GIVEN the latest labor data and recent economic developments, local economists on Wednesday said they are not confident that job prospects in the Philippines will improve in the coming months.

O n Wednesday, the PSA data showed there were 2.2 million Filipinos who were unemployed and 6.2 million who were considered underemployed in December. (Full story here: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/02/08/2-2-million-unemployed-6-2-million-underemployed-labor-force-survey/)

I n an email, former Labor Undersecretary Rene Ofreneo

told the BusinessMirror that foreign direct investments (FDI) could generate jobs but the recent pledges received from the President’s foreign trips may not be forthcoming.

“After the Christmas season and revenge spending last year by the repressed Covid consumers, there might indeed be a slowdown, lalo na’t walang bagong stimulus tulad ng elections. Agriculture continues to shrink,” Ofreneo said.

He said the Marcos administration must implement some “bold investment mobilization measures,” such as asking top

businesses to help raise government revenues.

T his, he said, could be done through at least one-off taxation as recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and asking them to invest on job-generating projects in industry and agriculture.

“ Wala pa naman tayong nakikitang concrete expression ng mga FDI pledges sa mga byahe ng Pangulo. Wala ring prospect for job creation this year under the Maharlika [Investment Fund],” Ofreneo added.

Ateneo de Manila University’s Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr. said, how-

ever, that jobs in the services sector and in Metro Manila could become available for Filipino workers.

L anzona cautioned that job generation in other sectors and regions could remain weak. This would also be affected by poor conditions due to the overall changes in technology.

“Government needs to focus on upskilling and improving the quality of education. Agriculture and industry should also be supported since this is where the relatively unskillled workers may still be employed,” he said.

See “Stimulus,” A2

PHL DOLLAR RESERVES HIT $99.72B IN JANUARY

THE country’s international reserves contracted 7.4 percent year-on-year in January, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

BSP data showed that the country’s Gross International Reserves (GIR) declined to $99.72 billion in January 2023 from $107.69 billion in January 2022.

R izal Commercial Banking Corp.

(RCBC) Chief Economist Michael Ricafort said this decline may have been caused by the weak peso.

“ The year-on-year decline in the GIR somewhat correlated with the relatively weaker peso in earlier months of 2022,” Ricafort said in RCBC’s Hexagon Perspective.

In the coming months, Ricafort said the GIR could be driven by Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) remittances, revenues from the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, higher exports, and foreign tourism revenues.

Other factors include foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, hot money inflows, proceeds from the proposed US dollar-bond issuances, and foreign borrowings by the national government in the first semester of 2023.

However, Ricafort said these drivers may be offset by the government’s plans to reduce foreign borrowings relative to domestic borrowings in the coming months and years to better manage the country’s foreign borrowings.

“[GIR growth may be] offset by the still relatively wider trade deficit/net imports compared to recent years and some net foreign debt payments, going forward,” he said.

The BSP said the GIR in January is higher compared to the end-December 2022 level of $96.1 billion.

The BSP said the January 2023 GIR level is 6 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4 times based on residual maturity.

See “PHL,” A2

MARCOS SEEKS STRONGER ECONOMIC TIES WITH JAPAN

By Samuel P. Medenilla sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he will forge more partnerships with other Asian nations to boost the Philippines’s international competitiveness.

M arcos also said his trip to Japan is part of a “larger foreign policy agenda” of his administration to strengthen security and economic bilateral relations with its Asian neighbors.

We will seek to further strengthen the bonds and friendship with the close neighbors, [which are] like-minded and future-oriented like us in many way and the more reliable partners of both in times of crisis and of prosperity,” the President said in his speech before his departure to Tokyo at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City last Wednesday.

S ince assuming the presidency last July, Marcos has already visited Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thai -

land, and China which are all in Asia.

Bilateral deals

DURING his visit to Japan from February 8 to 12, Marcos will be meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio for the signing of bilateral agreements on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, infrastructure, and digital cooperation.

Many of these MOUs [memorandum of understanding] and MOAs [memorandum of agreements], and other documents we

will be witnessing are in fact the product of our meetings in New York and also in APEC [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation],” he said.

The President said he will also be pursuing agreements on agriculture, renewable energy, digital transformation, infrastructure, defense and security.

I look forward to bringing home as they say, more of these agreements that will be of benefit to the transformation of our economy and to mitigate

See “Marcos,” A2

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) believes inflation may have already peaked in January 2023.

However, BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla told reporters on Wednesday that “surprise price shocks” could still happen in the coming months.

The pronouncements made by the central bank governor came a day after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that January inflation reached 8.7 percent, the highest in 15 years. It [inflation in January] was actually higher than the high end of our forecast. Most likely [peaked]. Of course, I can’t rule out another surprise supply shock,” Medalla said.

Based on PSA data, core inflation reached 7.4 percent. Core inflation is often considered an indicator of long-term inflation.

Core inflation, which excludes certain highly volatile food and non-food items, posted a 7.4 percent growth.

I n January 2022, it was only at 1.8 percent. Core inflation was at 6.9 percent in December 2022.

National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said this inflation rate was the highest since April 1999 when it hit 7.6 percent.

Mapa said the PSA and BSP recently made changes to the composition of core inflation. The PSA and BSP removed items that had volatile prices comprising 29.6 percent of the weight of items included in headline inflation.

He said some of the items that were removed were cereals, fish, meat, certain vegetables, electricity, diesel, and liquefied hydrocarbons, among others.

Cai U. Ordinario

‘BARGAIN CAPITAL OF MANILA’ People from all walks of life flock to Divisoria, dubbed the bargain capital of Manila. The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicated that over 8 million Filipinos were jobless or looking for better employment conditions in December 2022.

PHOTO BY NONIE REYES

Thursday, February 9, 2023 A2

Continued from A1

Th e latest GIR level is also more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 7.5 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.

The month-on-month increase in the GIR level reflected m ainly the National Government’s [NG] net foreign currency deposits with the BSP, which include proceeds from its issuance of ROP Global Bonds, the upward valuation adjustments in the value of the BSP’s gold holdings due to the increase in the price of gold in the international market, and net income from the BSP’s investments abroad,” BSP said.

Si milarly, the net international reserves, which refers to the difference between the BSP’s reserve a ssets and reserve liabilities, increased by $3.6 billion to US$99.7 b illion as of end-January 2023 from the end-December 2022 level of $96.1 billion. The reserve liabilities are composed of short-term foreign debt a nd credit and loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The BSP also said the level of GIR, as of a particular period, is considered adequate, if it provides at least 100 percent cover for the payment of the country’s foreign liabilities, public and private, falling due within the immediate 12-month period.

S hort-term debt based on residual maturity refers to outstanding external debt with original m aturity of one year or less, plus principal payments on mediumand long-term loans of the public and private sectors falling due w ithin the next 12 months.

Lawmakers agree to lift economic provisions that restrict FDI inflows

By Butch Fernandez butchfBM

Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz joveemarie

scheduled public discussions and dialogues in other parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

“ The proponents of the lifting of the economic provisions in the Constitution agree on one thing, opening the economy wide for inflow of foreign capital is the key to address the aspirations and ideals of Filipinos in present times,” Romualdez said.

Representatives--voting separately.

“ To accelerate economic growth, and fulfill its international commitment, the Philippines must amend its Constitution by removing these restrictive economic provisions to allow foreign businesses to directly invest in a more conducive landscape,” he said.

Padilla chairs the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said congressional deliberations on the proposed Constitutional amendments are more focused now on the need to encourage investments that would further stimulate economic activities, create job opportunities, reduce poverty and lower prices of goods and services.

Meanwhile, Senator Robin C. Padilla on Wednesday took the first major step towards amending the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, saying it would help the economy better respond to the needs of the times.

Romualdez made a statement following the Constitution Day celebration in Malacañang, with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as guest of honor.

Romualdez, who is Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) president, said the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments is currently conducting public hearings and consultations on proposed changes in the 36-year-old Constitution.

He said aside from hearings in the House at the Batasan complex in Quezon City, the committee chaired by Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has

“ That is why, when the President in his travels as the number one salesman of the country, we are often asked that after you have made so much progress and gains in opening up the Philippine economy, the last missing piece of the puzzle remains, how about your restrictive Constitution? That is why we in Congress are facing up to this question and to this issue that burns to our minds today and may actually open up the aspirations of the Filipino people for tomorrow,” he added. He highlighted the need for foreign direct investments or FDIs by citing data and the experiences of other countries, culled from the reports of the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department, which show how FDIs stimulate economic growth.

Amendments via Con-Ass IN Resolution of Both Houses No. 3, Padilla proposed the changes to the Charter via constituent assembly, with both Houses of Congress—the Senate and House of

Marcos…

Continued from A1

some of the challenges that we are facing in the new global economy,” Marcos said.

Imperial audience WHILE in Japan, Marcos and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos will

Stimulus…

Continued from A1

Unpaid family workers MEANWHILE , amid the return of the country’s employment data to pre-pandemic levels, over 400,000 Filipinos became unpaid family workers in December 2022, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The data also showed the number of unpaid family workers increased by 420,000 to 4.28 million in December 2022 from 3.86 million in December 2021.

“ The country’s digital transformation is reducing the number of middle level skilled jobs. Unless you have reached tertiary education, your only option is lowskilled jobs that are quite precarious,” Lanzona said.

Part of what can explain this also, PSA Assistant National Statistician Wilma A. Guillen told the BusinessMirror , is the holidays and Filipinos helping out in family businesses.

It is possible, Guillen said, that Filipinos who went home during the holidays helped out their families.

T he data also showed that there was a decline compared to the 4.38 million unpaid family workers in November 2022. National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said some of these workers may have shifted to other sectors or moved out of the labor force.

N onetheless, Mapa said careful study is needed to further explain the data. He added that the dataset on unpaid family work

The Philippines, with its complicated investment regulations stemming from the Constitution’s prohibitive economic provisions, is now lagging behind its neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in terms of foreign direct investment registry “despite its offer of tax holidays, and other fiscal incentives,” he noted.

Moreover, while the Philippines ratified international trade and investment liberalization treaties to secure foreign investments and foster economic cooperation, the Constitution’s current economic provisions “restrict certain activities of foreign investors on exploration, development and utilization of natural resources; ownership of private lands; grant of congressional franchises; ownership and operation of public utilities; ownership of educational institutions; and ownership and management of mass media and advertising,” the senator said.

also be granted an audience with Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

I will also invite them to visit the Philippines to be welcomed by the warm hospitality of Filipinos, who have endeared Japan and Japanese culture in their hearts,” Marcos said. He is also set to meet with Japan’s business leaders, where he will promote the country as a trade

was still fresh and has to be analyzed further.

Meanwhile, the PSA data showed there was a 704,000 decline in the number of employed Filipinos in December compared to November. The data also showed there was a 43,000 increase in unemployed Filipinos between December and November.

O freneo said this was “unusual” given the busy holiday season. The hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas usually generated a significant amount of economic activity thereby creating more jobs.

However, Lanzona said the decline may have been due to the post-Christmas period in December when some of the jobs generated to prepare for the holidays were shed once the presents have been delivered to friends and family.

“ The dramatic decline in joblessness last November was due to the holiday activities. But these were mostly in retail and linked to holiday consumption. When shopping weakened after Christmas, a lot of these jobs disappeared,” Lanzona said.

Government efforts

THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the top employment contributors in December 2022 include wholesale and retail trade, other service activities, and accommodation and food service activities.

T hese were boosted by the full resumption of commercial activities, pent-up demand, and holiday spending. However, these were tempered by losses in agriculture due to weather disturbances and the spread of

Continued from

“How much fish did we get supplied by municipal fishers? Zero to this day,” Buencamino said. “They could not meet the specifications.”

However, he said SCAP remains committed to the MOA as they see it as a long-term solution to ensure the industry’s sardine supply during the closed fishing season, when only municipal fishers are allowed to catch it.

“ We will not stop because the end view is to equalize the supply. We have a deal that we can perfect. We can improve it and sooner or later we can make it [work],” he said.

B FAR Spokesperson Nazario C. Briguera said the MOA between BFAR and the CSAP is a “collaboration in progress.”

Briguera said BFAR has already started conducting training on proper fish handling, food safety standards and processing technologies to allow municipal fisherfolk to meet the requirements of the canners.

He said BFAR will hold a “dry run” during the last week of the month to “ensure” that the implementation of the MOA “will bring about positive results” with the municipal fisherfolk being able to supply the canning industry successfully.

The DA-BFAR sees the agreement not as a stopgap measure during closed fishing season but a long-term initiative with the view of mainstreaming the municipal fisherfolk to the value chain of the canned sardine industry,” he said. Under the MOA, the municipal fishers will try to supply the threemonth requirement of the canning industry, which is about 72 million kilograms in total.

and investment destination.

“ In these meetings, I will be joined by my economic team and key private sector representatives, who have been and will be continuous partners in growing our economy,” Marcos said.

T he President said he will meet with the Filipino community in Japan so he could recognize their contribution in the country’s economic development.

infectious diseases among livestock and poultry.

We are steadfast in pursuing this year’s growth target amidst global and domestic risks to ensure that jobs are preserved and new employment is generated. Generating more and high-quality jobs in the agriculture sector and ensuring food security for Filipinos remain part of our top priorities,” Neda Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said.

N eda said as the economy further reopened, 1.7 million more Filipinos joined the labor force, raising the labor force participation rate to 66.4 percent from 65.1 percent in the previous year.

T he corresponding expansion in the services and industry sectors resulted in an additional 2.7 million employed persons year-on-year, bringing total employment to 49 million Filipinos.

As emphasized in the Philippine Development Plan 20232028, increasing the incomeearning ability of Filipinos entails developing their employability in the market. Alongside providing high-quality jobs, we must ensure that their skills are not just aligned with current indemand requirements but can also continuously keep up with the demands of evolving and emerging jobs,” Balisacan said.

Crucial to achieving social and economic transformation is the ‘transformation of talent’ that would create an agile labor force and sustain labor market gains. We will leverage our momentum to ensure the rapid and dynamic growth of our economy,” he added. Cai U. Ordinario

LAWMAKERS who are pushing for Constitutional amendments have reached a consensus to lift “overly-protective economic provisions” that restrict the inflow of foreign capital, the leader of the House of Representatives said on Wednesday.

The Nation

DMW eyes deployment ban of HSW new hires to Kuwait

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SENATORS on Wednesday revisited past deployment bans imposed by the Philippines on Kuwait with the view to ensuring that this time around, additional measures will be in place to prevent a repeat of abuse, even murder of Filipino household service workers (HSWs) in the hands of ill-suited employers.

P residing at the second hearing by the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, jointly with Foreign Relations panel, on the case of HSW murder victim Jullebee Ranara, Senator Raffy Tulfo said he would now push for additional conditions before Kuwaiti employers are allowed to hire OFWs.

T hese three conditions, which were not included when past deployment bans were lifted, are:

Conduct of neuro-psychiatric exams for employers to make sure they are not prone to abusing HSWs;

Police clearance;

Pre-engagement orientation to ensure the employers’ family is attuned to the rights of workers and employer responsibilities under both Kuwaiti and international law, and with Filipino culture.

Atthestartofthehearing,Tulfotold representatives of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) he was disappointed when Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople contradicted his recommendation to ban deployment anew in the wake of Ranara’s murder and more recently, the serious injuries

suffered by another Filipino maid who jumped from an apartment building to flee an abusive boss.

DMW Undersecretary Maria Anthonette Velasco Allones, representing Ople who is in Japan on official business, explained that Ople is not against a deployment ban per se, but simply wants to make sure such a move is grounded on hard data and “evidence-based.” Along this line, Ople dispatched last Tuesday a factfinding team to Kuwait to gather more information and the team is expected to render an initial report later this week.

A llones also told senators Ople is seriously considering a ban on deployment of new hires while talks on protection of migrant workers are ongoing between the Philippine and Kuwaiti governments.

L ater in the hearing, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva weighed in on a more deliberate approach to deciding a new deployment ban by noting that in the past, records of cases of abuse had been on a seesaw pattern, declining mildly when the bans were imposed, and then spiking anew when the recruitment spree was allowed anew.

V illanueva was aghast to note a “376 percent in welfare cases in Kuwait alone,” which to him signaled a persistent and alarming pattern of abuse.

S en. Francis Tolentino said it wouldn’t be surprising if more cases arise in a “never-ending” cycle of abuse until better measures are in place.

SC junks plea to extend medical assistance for ‘Dengvaxia kids’

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Supreme Court has junked the petition for mandamus filed by 70 children through their parents and guardians, together with Gabriela party-list group, seeking to compel the government to provide free medical services and treatment to children inoculated with the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine.

In a 28-page ruling penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the Court’s en banc held that granting the petition for mandamus would violate the principle of separation of powers between the three branches of the government—the Legislative, Executive and Judiciary.

“ Mandamus does not lie unless the acts to be performed are enjoined by law. The duty of respondent-government agencies to perform the acts must be clearly provided for by law. Neither petitioners nor this Court can order respondent-government owned agencies how to perform their functions with respect to any immunization program; otherwise, this Court will effectively usurp the power and prerogatives of the Executive in their enactment of their programs,” the Court declared.

L ikewise, the SC explained that

it does not have supervisory powers over Executive departments and agencies.

These administrative agencies possess the competence, experience, and specialization in their respective fields. On the other hand, this Court does not have the expertise to resolve these technical issues,” it added.

Furthermore, the Court pointed out that a petition for a writ of mandamus is a remedy intended to compel a government agency to perform its obligation to protect and preserve the environment.

“Clearly, the petition for a writ of continuing mandamus before this Court does not involve any ecological right nor does it alleges any right involving protection of the environment or he ecology. It mainly invokes alleged violations on the right to health,” the SC explained.

Thus, petitioners cannot resort to this kind of writ. Even if it does, the petition must be dismissed for insufficiency of substance. The acts sought by petitioners to be performed are not enjoined by law as a duty. They are ministerial acts,” it added.

I n their petition, Gabriela, the Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA) together with the mothers and guardians of 70 children administered with the vaccine are demand-

ing the government to provide free services, including, but not limited to, medical check-ups, consultations, medical treatment and blood tests to those vaccinated.

T hey added that these free medical services should continue until it would have been determined and declared by competent medical and/ or scientific experts that the health threats brought by the Dengvaxia, anti-dengue vaccine, have been minimized or eliminated.

T he petitioners also asked the SC to direct the respondents—the Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Education—to create a registry of children who were administered with the vaccine to facilitate the delivery of free health-care services.

A side from these, the petitioners are asking the Court to compel the respondents to publicly disseminate on a regular basis the report of the task force created and designated to monitor and review the schoolbased immunization program involving Dengvaxia and submit the same to the House of Representatives and Senate Committee on Health for monitoring.

T he petitioners said the government agencies should monitor children in all villages and regions who were administered with the vaccine.

However, the SC said the petitioners failed to raise scientific and empirical bases to support the petition. It noted that no studies and research were presented to show that the Dengvaxia vaccine failed to satisfy health standards.

“ There are no sufficient scientific grounds proving grave error in the Food and Drug Administration’s and the Department of Health’s approval and distribution of the vaccines,” the SC stressed.

Furthermore, the SC said the respondents have already met the relief being sought by the petitioners.

It noted that in their memoranda, the respondents claimed that they have been disseminating public information regarding the immunization program of the DOH.  L ikewise, the DOH has submitted their reports to Congress, while the FDA has been studying and reviewing the safety and efficacy of Dengvaxia.

T he DOH also told the Court that it has also been monitoring the children inoculated with Dengvaxia and has offered medical services to them for free.

T he SC added that a master list of children given Dengvaxia was also created but due to privacy concerns, it cannot be released to the public as advised by the National Privacy Commission.

Vittorio V. Vitug

PHL and China working on cooperation deal on nuclear energy, DOE official says

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday said the Philippines and China are working on a cooperation agreement on the use of nuclear energy, particularly small modular reactors (SMR).

“I think it’s government-to-government, with the DOE. We are not yet sure what will be the coverage of the energy cooperation,” said DOE Director for Energy Policy and Planning Bureau Michael Sinocruz during the Powertrends International Business Forum held on Wednesday.

T he Philippines earlier received

similar offers from other countries. “There’s US and South Korea also. There is SMR [offer] also [from] Russia and China. For China, we received a cooperation offer for nuclear after the state visit. In general, it’s a nuclear energy cooperation,” he said.

T he Philippines and the United States have initially discussed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement that will provide the legal basis for US exports of nuclear equipment and material to the Philippines.

T he agreement is in line with a US “commitment” to working with the Philippines to “increase energy secu-

EU delegates visit Clark and Subic for biz mission

CLARK FREEPORT—Some 14

European ambassadors led by Ambassador Luc Véron of the European Union (EU) Delegation visited this free port and Subic Bay Freeport Zone for their Business Mission to the Philippines recently.

T he said event was spearheaded by the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD) headed by its Executive Director Atty. Carminda Fabros wherein ambassadors from Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden attended.

C lark Development Corporation (CDC) Chairman Atty. Edgardo D. Pamintuan welcomed the delegation together with CDC Directors Atty. Bryan Matthew C. Nepomuceno and Maricris Ang-Carlos during a program held at the Quest Plus Conference Center-Clark.

“ We hope that there will be more investors from the European Union. We shall continue to cultivate our relationship with foreign communities to help us build a healthy business environment that protects and prioritizes the well-being of all stakeholders not only in Clark, but in the Subic-Clark-Tarlac corridor,” he said.

Meanwhile, CDC Vice President for Engineering Services Group Jose Miguel dela Rosa represented CDC President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera to present the Clark

Freeport Zone to the ambassadors. He discussed how Clark is positioned as a preferred business, tourism, and meetings, investments, conferences and exhibition (MICE) destination to become a catalyst of growth and nation building.

Dela Rosa also highlighted the various European companies that have invested in this free port and showcased the world-class facilities and services available in Clark, as well as its security and accessibility.

“ The security of the Clark Freeport Zone is one of its strategic advantages compared to other zones.

CCTV cameras are located in strategic areas and the main free port zone is also fenced,” he said.

Let’s talk about accessibility.

Foreign travelers have quick access to Clark either through Manila or directly from Clark International Airport. As you can see, it is also linked to other countries that could have access to the airport,” he added.

To further elaborate about the airport, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) Officer-in-Charge

Darwin L. Cunanan also prepared a presentation to show the world-class Clark International Airport to the delegation before heading for the tour.

T he visit of the EU Delegation to the Clark Freeport Zone and Subic Bay Freeport Zone aims to strengthen the relationship between the EU and the Philippines.

rity and deploying advanced nuclear reactor technology as quickly as safety and security conditions permit to meet the Philippines’s dire baseload power needs.”

State-owned power generation firm Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has also expressed interest to help the DOE’s push to add nuclear power generation into its energy mix.

T he South Korean firm had undertaken the first pre-feasibility study on the rehabilitation of the mothballed—Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in 2008 in partnership with the National Power Corp. (Napocor).

We have not yet decided

House bill pushes establishment specialty hospitals in the regions

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

whether we go for Korea on nuclear even with the rehabilitation of BNPP,” said Sinocruz.

T he DOE has been pushing for the development of SMRs in island provinces that have limited grid access. Given their size and relative transportability to provide nonintermittent power supply with low carbon and predictable supply cost, SMRs could go a long way in developing island provinces.

T he DOE earlier said provinces such as Palawan, Cagayan and Sulu have expressed their openness to the development of SMR utilizing nuclear technology in their areas.

Rep. Hataman proposes creation of Basilan agri and fishery college

TO boost agriculture and fisheries production in Basilan, a lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to establish a tertiary educational institution that aims to develop the two most important sectors in attaining food security.

Deputy Minority Leader and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman filed House Bill 7085 last Monday, which seeks to establish the Basilan Agriculture and Fisheries College and enable students from Basilan to study the latest trends and new technologies in agriculture and fisheries.

Agriculture and fisheries are two of the main sources of livelihood for Basileños. A college that specializes in these two sectors will greatly benefit not only the citizens of Basilan, but the economy of the whole province as well,” Hataman, former governor of the now defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said.

“ The state college will provide the necessary facility to enhance the desire of the people of Basilan for better education and develop the talents and skills of the youth in the province in the field of arts and sciences, teacher education, agriculture, aquaculture, engineering and technology, food technology, nutrition, as well as in vocational and other technical courses,” said Hataman.

According to the measure, the state college “shall primarily provide technical and professional training in sciences, arts, teacher education, agriculture, engineering and technology, fisheries, food technology, nutrition, as well as

short-term vocational courses.”

It shall likewise promote research, advanced studies and academic leadership in the stated areas of specialization,” HB 7085 read.

It shall be governed by a Board of Trustees composed of 11 individuals and chaired by the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). It shall also have the President of the College as vice chair, and the chairs of the committees on education and higher technical education of the Senate and the House, respectively, as two of the trustees.

T he rest of the board shall be composed of: the Regional Director of the National Economic and Development Authority; the Minister of Basic, Higher and Technical Education of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; the President of the alumni association; the President of the faculty association; the Chairperson of the supreme student council; and two prominent citizens of Isabela City or of the Province of Basilan.

T he Board of Trustees shall have the power to establish the following: an Institute of General Education Studies, a School of Agriculture and Aquatic Sciences, a School of Forestry and Environmental Science, a School of Engineering and Technology, a School of Education, a School of Business, a School of Veterinary Medicine, a School of Food Technology and Nutrition, an Indigenous Arts and Crafts Institute, and other schools and departments as the Board may deem necessary.

LAWMAKERS are pushing for the establishment of specialty hospitals across major regions in the country to bring quality health care closer to people residing outside Metro Manila.

House Bill (HB) 6857 filed by Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, and ACTCIS Reps. Jeffrey Soriano and Edvic Yap aims to establish these specialty hospitals in Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Southern Mindanao.

T he type of specialty hospital shall be determined by the Department of Health (DOH) based on its assessment of prevailing illnesses in particular locality.

S uch specialty hospitals include branches of the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and the soon-to-be established Philippine Cancer Center.

T he bill’s authors pointed out that existing specialty hospitals are all located in Metro Manila.

In order to afford the expertise of [these] hospitals’ medical professionals and its advanced amenities and equipment, patients are being encumbered by the additional expenses on transportation and accommodation for their medical needs to be catered, most especially those that are from far-flung areas or provinces,” read the explanatory note of HB 6857 or the proposed Regional Specialty Hospitals Act.

D uterte said their proposed law will “ensure that affordable, quality healthcare is accessible to most Filipinos.”

“ Many Filipinos flock to the specialty hospitals located in Metro Manila because they offer quality medical care and treatment that are more affordable than those available in private hospitals. Establishing branches of the Heart Center, the Kidney Institute and other governmentrun specialty hospitals in strategic areas in the country will help address the widening inequity in healthcare,” Duterte said.

Our proposed measure will bring specialty health care closer to people living in the prov -

inces,” Duterte added.

HB 6857 states that once it is enacted into law, the regional branches of specialty hospitals shall be built within three years.

O n top of operating as specialty hospitals, the regional branches are also tasked under the bill to promote, encourage and engage in scientific research on the prevention of heart, kidney, liver, cancer and pulmonary diseases.

T he regional branches should also aim to, among others, assist universities, hospitals and research institutions in the studies of these diseases; and encourage or undertake the training of physicians, other medical personnel and social workers on the practical and scientific conduct and implementation of services related to these diseases.

Under the bill, all tax exemptions and privileges enjoyed by the existing Metro Manila-based specialty hospitals shall also be availed by their regional branches.

The national government shall constitute the necessary land, building, equipment and facilities, to the regional branches of the specialty hospital, and shall pay such obligations for real, personal and mixed properties arising from such undertaking under a deferred payment arrangement within five years at a preferred rate of interest,” the bill read.

I t also appropriates P5 billion as the national government’s contribution for the “initial establishment, operations and maintenance” of the regional specialty hospitals. The succeeding budgets of the regional specialty hospitals shall be provided through the General Appropriations Act.

T he DOH has crafted a development plan for specialty care as part of the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) 2020-2040, which primarily includes the development of 328 specialty centers across different hospitals in all regions of the country.

In addition, no less than the Local Government Code [LGC] itself has devolved the health services to the local government units with the objective of making quality health services more accessible to every Filipino. The case of decentralizing specialty hospitals is no different,” the bill’s authors said.

SC: Too long, too late to prosecute JPE, others for coco levy fund mess

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the dismissal of the graft charges filed against former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and several others in connection with the alleged siphoning of coco levy funds amounting to P840.7 million.

I n a 52-page decision penned by Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, the SC’s First Division held that the Ombudsman violated the constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases of respondents Enrile, businessman Jose Concepcion, Rolando dela Cuesta, Narciso Pineda and Danila Ursua, warranting the dismissal of the graft charges against them.

T he Court also ordered the dismissal of the graft case against Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., Jose Eleazar, Maria Clara Lobregat, and Augusto Orosa due to their supervening deaths.

T heir criminal and civil liabilities, according to the Court, are distinguished by Article 89 of the Revised Penal Code.

However, for civil liability, the Court said the government may still file a civil against the respective estates of Cojuangco Jr., Eleazar, Lobregat and Orosa, “as may be warranted by law and procedural rules.”

I f a case has already been filed, the Court said the civil action “shall survive notwithstanding the dismissal of the criminal case in view of their deaths.”

In the case of Enrile, Concepcion, dela Cuesta, Pineda and Ursua, the Court noted that the preliminary investigation on the case started on February 12, 1990 when the complaint was filed, and terminated on October 9, 1998, when the Ombudsman approved the order dated September 25, 1998 of the graft investigating officer recommending the dismissal of the complaint on the ground of prescription of offense.

T he SC pointed out that under Administrative Order 1 of the Ombudsman, fact-finding investigation should not exceed the period of 12 months to 24 months depending on the seriousness of the offense.

“Consequently, the burden of proof shifted to petitioner Republic. However, petitioner Republic failed to discharge this burden, as petitioner Republic did not establish that the delay was reasonable and justified,” the SC explained.

“ While this Court has no doubt

that the Republic had all the resources to pursue cases of corruption and ill-gotten wealth, the inordinate delay in this case may have made the situation worse for respondents,” it added.

I n particular, the SC said the government failed to prove that it followed the prescribed procedure on the conduct of preliminary investigation and the prosecution of the case; the complexity of the issues and the volume of evidence made the delay inevitable; and no prejudice was suffered by the accused as a result of the delay.

With this case pending for over 30 years and possibly more without the assurance of its resolution, the Court recognizes that the tactical disadvantages carried by the passage of time should be weighed against petitioner Republic and in favor of the respondents,” the SC said.

Certainly, if this case were remanded for further proceedings, the already long delay would drag on longer. Memories fade, documents and other exhibits can be lost and vulnerability of those who are tasked to decide increases with the passing of years. In effect, there would be a general inability to mount an effective defense,” it added.

T he Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) had alleged that Cojuangco took advantage of his close relationship with then President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. for his own personal and business interests through the issuance of favorable decrees.

T he government later to entered into a contract with Cojuangco, through the state-run National Investment and Development Corporation (NIDC), with its corporation AII, under terms and conditions allegedly grossly disadvantageous to the government and in conspiracy with the other respondents who were then members of the UCPB Board of Directors.  Cojuangco, Enrile, Lobregat and the others were held criminally liable because they were members of the UCPB Board of Directors at the time.

T he government said they all had “personal interest or material interest in the transactions.”

T he NIDC and the UCPB board, according to the complaint, violated their duty as administrator-trustee of the Coconut Industry Development Fund when they conspired to siphon off of the CIDF funds to Cojuangco’s AII.

Philippines appeals resumption of ICC probe into deaths during anti-drugs ops

THE Philippine government, through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), has filed a notice of appeal before the International Criminal Court (ICC)-Appeals Chamber seeking the reversal of the January 26 Pre-Trial Chamber’s (PTC) decision authorizing the resumption of the investigation on the abuses and deaths related to the anti-illegal drug of the Duterte administration.

I n the five-page notice of appeal signed by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra and several other assistant solicitor generals, the government said it “disagrees with, and hereby rejects,” the conclusions made by the PTC that it has jurisdiction over the situation in the country and that the actions taken by the Philippine government with regard to the issue “do not amount to tangible, concrete, and progressive investigative steps” for the purpose of conducting criminal proceedings.

“ The Philippine government thus hereby requests that the implementation of the PTC Decision be suspended pending final resolution of this Appeal,” it added.

Earlier, the Department of Justice (DOJ) maintained that the ICC has

Consortium eyeing new Malampaya gas output; $13B in royalties remitted to NG

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

here to increase dramatically the gas production with the extended term of the service contract and resource availability, and more importantly, we are trying to make sure we produce the least cost to consumers.”

T he Malampaya project is one of the country’s most important power assets, as it produces natural gas for power plants that account for around 20 percent of the Philippines’s total electricity requirements. It began operations in 2001, with the consortium’s license for the project set to expire in 2024.

the review of the license extension is ongoing. “We are reviewing it for final approval,” he said.  Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla earlier acknowledged that the ongoing review is crucial to the country’s energy security as the “present Malampaya-Camago field is a finite one.”

T he Malampaya asset is a significant addition to Prime Infra’s growing energy portfolio as it reduces the country’s reliance on imported fuel and helps drive economic productivity and industrial growth.

lost jurisdiction over the country after Duterte decided to withdraw its membership.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said the ICC’s decision was an affront to the country’s sovereignty.

Definitely, I do not welcome this move. I will not welcome them [ICC] in the Philippines unless they make it clear that they will respect us. I will not stand for any of these antics that will tend to question our sovereignty. I will not accept that,” the DOJ chief said.

R emulla maintained that the Philippines has a functioning justice system and said the decision of the ICC to resume its “drug war” probe is an “irritant.”

T he Philippine government is expected to amplify its grounds against the PTC’s decision when it formally filed its appeal. DOJ spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano earlier said the ICC should give the Philippines more time to investigate the abuses and deaths associated with the drug crackdown of the previous administration.

Clavano said the DOJ probe on the drug war-related deaths is ongoing and Remulla has committed to pursuing each and every case. Joel R. San Juan

“ The SC [service contract] 38 has generated and remitted to the Philippine government some $13 billion since its inception,” said Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) President and CEO

Guillaume Lucci at the Powertrends International Business Forum held on Wednesday.

T he Malampaya gas field is operated through SC 38 granted to the consortium of Prime

TO remove the Philippines from the list of world’s biodiversity hot spots, Senator Cynthia A. Villar wants to include more protected areas (PA) through legislation.

Villar, chairman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, said there are still many places in the country experiencing high rates of habitat degradation and biodiversity loss.

I n her opening remarks during the Senate hearing on the country’s PAs, Villar lamented that hot spots have lost around 86 percent of their original habitat. “Hot spots are also considered to be significantly threatened due to man-made exploitation and by climate change,” said Villar.

Hence, there are still many areas in the country, such as wetlands, marine sanctuaries, tropical forests, watersheds, wildlife sanctuaries, among others, that remain underprotected and one certain way of affording protection to these areas is by designating them as PAs through legislation,” she added.

T he senator noted that adding more protected areas becomes even more urgent and relevant now due to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration,

Energy Resources Development

B.V. (Prime Energy)—a subsidiary of Razon-led Prime Infra— UC38LLC and state firm Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC).

Lucci said the consortium, which is seeking a license extension so it could still ensure gas supply from the depleting Malampaya gas field, assured during the forum, “We’re here to stay, we’re here to invest, we’re

which runs from 2021 to 2030.

T his was declared so that all nations can massively scale up the restoration of destroyed ecosystems.

T his is the opportune time, Villar said, to discuss the merits of the seven bills on six proposed protected areas.

T he following bills are:

Bill expanding the area of an existing legislated PA;

Senate Bill (SB) No. 354 and SB No. 1259 referring to the Paoay Lake Protected Landscape in Ilocos Norte;

SB No. 1536 referring to the expansion of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, a protected area in Las Piñas and Parañaque; SB No. 1691, which refers to the San Francisco Protected Landscape (commonly known as the Mulanay Watershed Forest Reserve) in Quezon Province;

SB No. 1725 referring to the Alibijaban Protected Landscape and Seascape also in Quezon Province;

SB No. 355 referring to the Taklong and Tandog Group of Islands Natural Park in Guimaras; and

SB No. 517, which refers to the Bantayan Group of Islands Protected Landscape and Seascape in Cebu.

T he extension of the service contract is also meant to improve the output of existing wells and develop nearby gas fields. “Our drop-dead day to produce new gas or new well is first quarter of 2026 and we hope we can actually accelerate that as much as possible while doing it safely and reliably,” Lucci said.

Department of Energy (DOE) Director for Energy Policy and Planning Bureau Michael Sinocruz, who was also present during the forum, said

Prime Infra’s investment in the expansion of Malampaya operations will also be critical in providing the necessary infrastructure that would support the development of natural gas in the area, one of the key points defined in the administration’s energy agenda.

“ The objective really is to produce gas, and ensure we have the least cost of gas in the country. We have a deep obligation to ensure that,” added Lucci.

PRC readies for PHL’s ‘big one’ after massive quake in Turkey

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

FOLLOWING the 7.8

magnitude earthquake

that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, February 6, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is gearing up to respond in the event that any place in the country may be hit by a tremor of similar magnitude.

T he PRC noted that Philippines ranks first in disaster risk, according to The World Risk Index 2022. It is also vulnerable not just to earthquakes but also to volcanic eruptions, storm surge, typhoons, floods, and drought.

As auxiliary to the government, the PRC has a Mass Casualty Incident, or MCI, protocol in place. We have trained emergency medical services and psychological first aid providers across the country, and they are ready to respond to people affected by an

MCI,” explained PRC CEO and Chairman Richard J. Gordon.  Gordon added that PRC responded to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol province in 2013 and to the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Abra province in 2022, the two most destructive earthquakes in the country in the 21st century.

A s part of its preparation for a huge disaster, PRC is revisiting the organization’s preparedness protocol for big disasters based on data on predicted impacts to life and property of a high-magnitude earthquake in Metro Manila.

T he PRC is also preparing for the logistical requirements to immediately deploy rescue workers and humanitarian aid to affected areas when needed.

Gordon underscored that the country must be prepared not just for a high-magnitude earthquake but also for its secondary effects, such as landslides, tsunami, and leaks in pipes carrying natural and other combustible or toxic gases.

Lawmakers question ‘conflicting’ PSA and BPI data on onion supply

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

LAWMAKERS on Wednesday questioned the data discrepancies between the Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI) and the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA), which they say might have resulted in possible hoarding and price manipulation on agricultural commodities, particularly onions and garlic.

D uring the motu proprio inquiry of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, Majority Leader Manix Dalipe questioned the contrasting numbers coming from these two agencies, saying the lower chamber will continue to find out what went wrong on the possible hoarding and price manipulation of agricultural products.

“If you cannot know how much supply you have then it’s very difficult for us to strategize, like if we need to import or not. Is our data artificial? Are you faking all these? May laman ba ang cold storage? This is possible, what if cold storages are empty and your reports say they are full what will happen to the market because of the wrong data?” Dalipe asked the BPI.

“ BPI should know this because you are our guide to make the right decision and data from the BPI

should be accurate to stabilize the supply,” he added.

T he Department of Agriculture (DA) said the country should be selfsufficient when it comes to onions since it produces 312,830 metric tons (MT) of the said agricultural product.

Meanwhile, local consumption of onions is only at 21,000 MT per month or 252,000 MT in a year.

However, due to lack of cold storage capacity for agricultural products, very few of the harvested onions are stockpiled.

A lso, Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta questioned the discrepancies between the data of the BPI and the PSA submitted to the lower chamber.

In 2020 our sufficiency level was at 113 percent, in 2021 at 120 percent and in 2022 at 120 percent. But our question is why we don’t have a supply of onions, we can clearly see that there is hoarding here,” he alleged.

“ We were being misled by the statistics you supply,” added Marcoleta.

F or his part, Arnold Timoteo of the BPI said the PSA is using a different methodology in computing its data.

The production data we have, we get them from LGUs [local government unit], and we consolidate all the data they submitted” he said.

“Based on our data for the second quarter of 2022, the sufficiency level

is at 210 percent, for the 3rd quarter it was down to 114 percent, for November, we suffered 17 days shortage,” he said.

Meanwhile, Reynaldo Vallesteros Jr. of the PSA said they based their data on the information they gathered from the production areas they visited. We will clear this data. We will verify our records and submit it to the lower chamber. For now we cannot confirm nor deny this,” he said.

But Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo expressed alarm at the data discrepancies between the two agencies.

From 2011 to 2021, the increase in annual demand is modest [at 5 percent] which is believable because of the population increase,” she said.

But from 2021 to 2022 there was a 39 percent increase in demand on onions. For me this is a big mystery. How will you explain that? It’s a miracle that from 2021 to 2022 something happened and we registered a 39 percent increase in demand to 363,000 MT in 2022,” added Quimbo.

Without clear explanation from the BPI, Quimbo believed that their data was “reengineered data.”

This is so alarming, all data on productions say there should be no shortage,” said Quimbo, “ang driver ng shortage ay lumalabas ay yung de-

mand pero may paliwanag ba kayo? kasi kung wala kayong maganda paliwanag ini-imbento nyo ang datos na to at and you are justifying ang taas ng sibuyas.”

Meanwhile, aside from addressing the persistent problem of hoarding agricultural products, House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Mark Enverga said farmers are asking government’s help to fight smuggling and unscrupulous trading, which resulted in fluctuating farm-gate prices and unstable market price, lack of harvest and available cold storage facilities, and the need for calibrated importation.

It is sad to hear that our onion farmers are discouraging their children to take on the task of being the next generation farmers and instead they would want their children to pursue different directions as farming is not a profitable endeavor,” said Enverga.

Earlier, Speaker Martin Romualdez asked profit-hungry traders manipulating or hoarding the supply and prices of agricultural products such as onion to “moderate their greed” or suffer the dire consequences. According to Romualdez, there is no reason for the prices of commodities such as onion and garlic to soar sky-high because there is sufficient supply based on the information reaching the House.

THE Malampaya consortium has turned over $13 billion to the national government (NG), representing the total royalties remitted since the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project in offshore Palawan started.

Sen. Villar pushes expansion of PA list, boost biodiversity protection

ChatGPT bot channels history

By Calvin Woodward & Josh Boak The Associated Press

But you haven’t heard that thought in a State of Union address from William Shakespeare: “Lo,” said the bard. “With kindness, love, and understanding clear, we shall conquer all, and have naught to fear.”

Nor from the noggin-knocking Three Stooges of last century’s fame: “We just put our heads together, come up with a plan, and bam! Problem solved!”

Let’s face it, State of the Union speeches are mostly rote. Presidents roll out a list of accomplishments, a few anecdotes about guests in attendance, a sober assessment of the problems of the day and a crescendo about glory times ahead.

To shake up the formula before President Joe Biden’s speech to Congress on Tuesday night, The Associated Press instructed the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT to work up State of the Union speeches as they might have been written by some of history›s greatest minds as well as some stooges.

AP ordered up 300-word versions, in contrast to Biden’s sprawling 6,400 words last year, and tapped a few people so iconic we know them by only one name. The virtual Greek philosopher Aristotle gracefully quoted Socrates, Cleopatra the historic Egyptian ruler asked for the blessing of the gods, Madonna cited her perspective as a mother and a woman in the entertainment industry.

ChatGPT was also asked to channel singer Elvis Presley, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, the groundbreaking NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk, the abolitionist Sojourner Truth, and baseball’s Yogi Berra, among other luminaries.

We also wanted to see what a bright, unidentified 10-year-old might say to the assembled lawmakers.

The app is part of a new generation of AI systems that can converse in human-like fashion and generate text on demand based on what they’ve learned from a vast database of digital books, online writings and other media. It petrifies teachers who fear their students will use it instead of their brains for school papers.

ChatGPT rendered Shakespeare’s State of the Union speech

in rhyme, scrolling on the screen faster than anyone could read it. The version channeling comedian Jerry Seinfeld captured his verbal mannerisms and signature phrasings.

“I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and I’ve realized that the state of our union is like a sandwich,” wrote the app-generated Seinfeld. “You’ve got the top bun, which is all the good stuff. You’ve got the cheese, the lettuce, the tomato, the mayo. It’s all delicious.

“But then, when you take a closer look, you see the bottom bun, and that’s where the real work is. That’s where the foundation is.”

Yada, yada yada.

For all the app’s smarts and speed, it wasn’t all-knowing. In the speech channeling King, it had the civil rights leader quoting himself. It conveyed none of Abraham Lincoln’s eloquence. And it declined to take a run at drafting 2023 Biden’s speech, instead serving up a rehash of his last one.

It also drew a blank when asked for a speech from George Santos, the new Republican congressman from New York who was caught fictionalizing his past. It seemed to sense, though, that there was something make-believe in the picture.

“George Santos is not a widely recognized public figure or historical figure,” the app responded. “There is no widely known information about a person by this name in the public domain. It’s possible that the name was created for a specific use or scenario, such as a fictional character or a person in a private setting.”

A look at some of the speeches ChatGPT generated:

William Shakespeare

MY Lords and Ladies, countrymen and women, Gather ye here today to hear what I say, In this great hall of ours, let us unite, And listen to the state of our fair state.

We stand today as one, in good health and grace, Prosperous and free, with a peaceful space, Our trade and commerce flourish, wealth abounds, With bountiful harvests, and peace surrounds.

But, lo, there are still challenges we face, For not all are equal in our fair place, We must work together to bridge the divide, And bring forth equality, from side to side.

Let us not forget, our soldiers

bold and brave, Who fought for freedom, and our country gave, Their lives and limbs, for our safety and peace, We must repay them with honors and release.

And so I say, let us work hand in hand, To build a brighter future, in this fair land, With kindness, love, and understanding clear, We shall conquer all, and have naught to fear.

And now, my friends, I bid thee all farewell, And trust that thou wilt work, with heart and will, For the good of all, and the betterment of man, Together we shall build, a stronger, better land.

Sojourner Truth

The 1800s abolitionist and evangelist born into slavery

AS a former slave, I stand before you today as a witness to the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality in this great nation. Despite the progress made since the abolition of slavery, I cannot help but feel a deep sense of disappointment at the persistence of racial injustice.

African Americans are still being denied their basic rights, facing discrimination and prejudice at every turn. This is evident in the disproportionate number of black people who are incarcerated, unemployed, and living in poverty. It is also evident in the ongoing struggle for voting rights, as Black citizens are still being denied the right to vote through various means, including gerrymandering and voter suppression tactics.

But I have not lost hope. I have faith in the resilience of my people, and I am inspired by the efforts of those who continue to fight for justice. I am heartened by the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and the many other groups who are speaking out against systemic racism and calling for change.

I call upon all of you to join me in this fight. We must not be complacent in the face of injustice. We must continue to stand up for what is right, even when it is difficult. We must continue to fight for equal rights for all, regardless of race, gender, or religion. Together, we can create a future

where all people are free from discrimination and prejudice, where everyone has the opportunity to succeed, and where justice and equality reign supreme. This is the state of our union, and it is a call to action. Let us work together to build a brighter future for all.

Jerry Seinfeld

GOOD evening, my fellow Americans. How’s everyone doing tonight?

I’m here to give you the State of the Union address, and I must say, I’m a little nervous. I mean, usually when I give a speech, I have a microphone and a stage and a live audience. But tonight, it’s just me and you, so I hope you don’t mind if I sprinkle in a few jokes to lighten the mood.

Now, let’s talk about the state of our union. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and I’ve realized that the state of our union is like a sandwich ...

We’ve got the top bun, which is all the good stuff. We’ve got the economy, which is looking pretty tasty. We’ve got low unemployment, and businesses are thriving.... I want to focus on the bottom bun. I want to focus on the foundation. I want to talk about the things that we don’t always see or talk about, but that are so important. I want to talk about education, and healthcare, and infrastructure. I want to talk about the things that make our country strong...

Let’s make sure that our country is a delicious sandwich that we can all be proud of.

Yogi Berra

Baseball hall of famer

IT’S like deja vu all over again, folks! We’ve been here before and we’re here again. The state of the union, it’s complicated, but we’re makin’ progress. We’ve got our ups and our downs, but we gotta keep swingin’ at those curveballs life throws our way.

Now, let me tell ya, we’ve been workin’ hard to make this country a better place for all of us. We’ve got a lot of people doin’ a lot of good things, and we gotta keep that up. And for those who ain’t doin’ so well, we gotta help ‘em

out. We’re all in this together, like a big ol’ family.

We’ve got a lot of challenges ahead of us, but we’ve also got a lot of opportunities. We’ve gotta take ’em both on, head on. And we’ve gotta work together, ‘cause ain’t nothin’ we can’t do if we work together.

So, let’s keep up the good work, folks. Let’s make this country the best it can be. It ain’t gonna be easy, but ain’t nothin’ worth doin’ ever is.

Katherine Johnson

A mathematician whose calculations enabled NASA to put the first Americans into Earth’s orbit and on the moon MY fellow Americans,

As a mathematician, I have spent my career using numbers and equations to solve complex problems and push the boundaries of what is possible. And as I look at our nation today, I see a problem that demands our attention and our action.

We are facing a crisis in mathematics education. Too many of our children are struggling to keep up, and too few are pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This not only undermines their future opportunities, but also threatens our ability to compete in an increasingly technological world.

But the solution to this problem is within our reach. We must invest in math education, from early childhood through high school and beyond. We must provide our teachers with the support and resources they need to help students succeed, and we must encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to pursue careers in STEM fields.

As we work to address this crisis, let us also remember the incredible potential of mathematics. Math is not just a subject to be studied, but a powerful tool that can help us tackle the greatest challenges of our time. Whether we are working to cure diseases, address climate change, or build a more just and equitable society, math will be an essential part of the solution.

My own journey as a mathematician has taken me from the halls

of NASA to the history books, but it all started with a love of numbers and a desire to use them to make a difference in the world.

And I believe that every child in America, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have the opportunity to discover their own love of math and use it to make a difference.

So let us recommit ourselves to ensuring that all Americans have access to a quality math education, and let us harness the power of math to build a better future for ourselves and for generations to come.

Elvis Presley WELL , hello there, my fellow Americans!

It’s great to be here today, talking to you all about the state of our union. Now, let me tell you, we’ve been rockin’ and rollin’ over the past year, and I’ve got some good news to share with you all.

We’re making progress, friends. Our economy is stronger than ever, our businesses are booming, and our country is more united than e ver. You know, when I look out into this crowd, I see Americans from all walks of life, all coming together for the greater good of our nation.

Now, I know some folks out there might say we’ve got some challenges to overcome, but I’ve got to tell you, I believe in the American people. We’ve faced tough times before, and we’ve always come out on top. And we’re gonna do it again.

We’re gonna keep on truckin’, we’re gonna keep rockin’ and rollin’, and we’re gonna keep building a better future for all Americans.

I’ve got faith in you, my fellow Americans, and I know that together, we can do anything.

So let’s get to work, let’s keep this train rollin’, and let’s make America great again. Thank you, and God bless America!

WASHINGTON—If you’ve heard it once in a president’s State of the Union speech, you’ve heard it 100 times: There is nothing the American people can’t do when they pull together.

Aristotle Ancient Greek philosopher CITIZENS of the Republic, I stand before you today to address the state of our great society. In the words of my predecessor, Socrates,

the ChatGPT page of the OpenAI website is shown in this photo, in New York, February 2, 2023. AP/RICHARD DREW

THE shadow of the hand of a Sotheby's employee is cast over a 17th-century calf bound 1623 copy of the First Folio edition of William Shakespeare's plays at the auction house's offices in central London, on March 30, 2006. AP/MATT DUNHAM

history to pen State of Union speech

the measure of a state is not the number of people in it, but the quality of life they lead. And it is with this measure that I assess the state of our union.

We must strive for excellence in all that we do, for it is this pursuit of excellence that will bring about true happiness and fulfillment. It is through virtuous action that we find our true purpose and meaning, and it is through the cultivation of virtue that we build a strong and just society.

But we must not simply aim for personal excellence, for a society is more than the sum of its individual parts. We must also strive for excellence in our relationships with one another, promoting justice and harmony among our citizens. Only then can we build a society in which each individual can flourish and reach their full potential.

It is our duty as citizens to actively participate in the governance of our society, to use our reason and our wisdom to help shape the policies and laws that govern us. And it is our duty to educate future generations in the art of virtuous living, to ensure that our society remains strong and virtuous for generations to come.

So let us work together, citizens of the Republic, to build a society that is truly excellent, a society in which each and every one of us can reach our full potential and find true happiness and fulfillment.

For it is only through such a society that we can truly say that the state of our union is strong and virtuous.

Thank you, and may the gods bless our great Republic.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

MY fellow Americans, We gather here today, at a momentous time in our nation’s history, to address the state of our union. And as we do so, I am reminded of the words of the great prophet Amos, who declared, “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

For too long, justice has been denied to too many in our society. For too long, righteousness has been an elusive dream. And it is time for us to awaken from this slumber and work together to build a more perfect union. We cannot be satisfied until every American, regardless of race, religion, or background, has an equal opportunity to achieve the American dream. We cannot be satisfied until every child, regardless of zip code, has access to a quality education. We cannot be satisfied until every worker, regardless of industry, is paid a

fair wage and treated with dignity and respect.

But let us not become discouraged, for we have made progress. We have seen a civil rights movement that brought about change, and we will continue to see change in our time. For as Dr. King said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

So let us bend that arc, together. Let us roll down justice and righteousness like waters. Let us create a society where every person is valued and respected, where every person has an equal chance to succeed.

And let us not forget, as we work for this noble cause, that we are all one people, bound together by our common humanity. For as Dr. King also said, “We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now.”

So let us come together, as one people, to build a better future for all. Thank you.

A 10-year-old HI everyone! I’m really excited to be here today, talking about the state of our country.

I think that overall, things are going pretty well. We have a lot of great things happening, like new schools being built, new parks being made, and new jobs being created. But there are still some things that we can do better.

For example, there are still a lot of kids who don’t have enough to eat, or who don’t have a safe place to live. That’s not okay, and I think we need to do more to help them. I think we should make sure that every kid has enough to eat, and that every kid has a warm and safe place to sleep at night.

Another thing I think we need to work on is making sure that everyone gets along. There’s still a lot of fighting and meanness, and that’s not cool. I think we should all be friends and help each other out.

Finally, I think we need to make sure that everyone has a chance to be happy and have fun. That means making sure that everyone has access to parks, playgrounds, and places to play. It also means making sure that everyone has access to books, computers, and other things that can help us learn and grow.

So that’s what I think about the state of our country. I think we’re doing pretty well, but there’s still a lot of work to do. But I’m optimistic, because I know that if we all work together, we can make things better for everyone.

Thanks for listening, and let’s work together to make our country the best it can be!

Mahatma Gandhi

MY dear friends, I stand before you today as a humble servant of the people, to address the state of our nation.

In the face of adversity, it is easy to lose sight of what is truly important. But I implore you, let us not forget the values that have guided us for generations. Let us not forget the power of nonviolence, the strength of truth, and the importance of compassion.

For it is only through these values that we can truly build a just and equitable society. It is only through these values that we can truly claim to be a great nation.

But we have much work to do. The poverty, the inequality, and the discrimination that still plagues our society must be eradicated. We must be unwavering in our commitment to justice, to peace, and to compassion.

And we must not be afraid to challenge the status quo, to resist the forces of oppression, and to stand up for what is right. For it is only by doing so that we can truly claim to be a great people.

So let us come together, my friends, and let us work for a brighter future for all our citizens....

And let us do so with nonviolence, with truth, and with compassion. For it is only through these values that we can truly claim to be a great nation, a great people, and a great civilization.

Thank you, and may God bless us all.

The Three Stooges

Of vaudeville, film and TV fame

MY fellow Americans, it’s a honor to stand before you today to talk about the state of our great union. And let me tell you, it’s been quite the ride so far! But we’re not ones to back down from a challenge, are we?

No sirree, not the Three Stooges....

But we can’t do it alone. We need the support of all Americans. ... So, let’s keep working hard, my fellow Americans. Let’s make this country the best it can be. And most importantly, let’s keep laughing and having a good time while we do it! After all, life is too short to take it too seriously.

Winston Churchill

20th century British prime minister and orator

MY fellow citizens, it is with a heavy heart and steadfast determination that I address you today. Our great nation stands at a crossroads, facing challenges that would test the mettle of any generation. But I have faith, faith in the resilience and courage of the American people, that we shall overcome.

We have seen the forces of division and despair seek to tear at the fabric of our society, but we shall not be swayed. We shall stand united, firm in our resolve to defend the principles upon which this great nation was founded. Freedom, justice, and equality for all shall not be sacrificed upon the altar of greed or hatred.

The road ahead will not be easy, and there will be obstacles, but we shall not falter. We shall continue to work tirelessly, to build a future of prosperity and security for all our citizens. A future where every American has the opportunity to fulfill their dreams, regardless of the circumstances of their birth.

It is time for us to rededicate ourselves to the ideals that have made this country great. It is time for us to come together, to set aside our differences, and work towards a common goal. A goal of a better future for all Americans, a future where our children and grandchildren can live in peace, security, and prosperity.

So let us stand together, my fellow citizens. Let us face the future with the same courage and determination that has made this country the envy of the world. Let us continue to move forward, always remembering that, “We shall never surrender.”

Thank you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Cleopatra

Queen of Egypt 51-30 B.C.

MY fellow Egyptians,

It is with great pride and humility that I stand before you today, as your Queen and leader, to deliver this State of the Union address. I am honored to serve the people of this great nation, a nation with a rich and proud history that has stood tall and strong for centuries.

In recent years, we have faced many challenges, but through hard work and determination, we have emerged stronger and more united than ever before. Our economy is thriving, our communities are flourishing, and our people are thriving.

However, we cannot rest on our achievements...we must remain vigilant against those who would threaten our security and our way of life. We must work with our allies to promote peace and stability in the world, and to defend our values and our interests.

But most of all, we must remember that our greatest strength lies in our people. It is the hard work, the ingenuity, and the determination of the Egyptian people that has always made our country

great, and it is their continued efforts that will keep us strong and prosperous in the years to come.

So let us continue to work together, to strive for a better future, and to build a stronger, more prosperous Egypt. Thank you, and may the gods bless Egypt.

Abraham Lincoln MY fellow Americans, It is with a heavy heart but steadfast determination that I stand before you today to deliver this State of the Union address. Our great nation is embroiled in a conflict that has tested the very fabric of our union, but I am confident that with the perseverance of our people and the grace of God, we will emerge from this trial stronger and more united than ever before.

This war, fought over the fundamental principles of freedom and equality, has taken a tremendous toll on our country and our people. But despite the hardships, we have not wavered in our commitment to preserving the Union and ending the scourge of slavery.

As we move forward, we must work together to heal the wounds of this conflict and build a better future for all Americans. We must work to reunite our divided nation and ensure that the blessings of liberty and equality are extended to all, regardless of race or station. We must also take steps to ensure that this dark chapter in our history is never repeated. We must ensure that the sacrifice of so many brave Americans was not in vain, and that we never again turn a blind eye to the injustice and suffering of our fellow citizens.

So let us come together, as one people, and work towards a brighter future for our nation and for all who call it home.

Thank you, and may God bless America.

Elon Musk

CEO of Tesla, SpacEx and Twitter, and one of the founders of Open AI, the research lab that created ChatGPT MY fellow Americans,

It is an honor to address you t oday, as your elected leader, and to deliver this State of the Union Address.... I am proud to announce a bold new plan to invest in the technologies of the future, and to create millions of good-paying jobs in the process. We must lead the world in the transition to a clean energy economy, and we must ensure that our infrastructure is the most advanced and resilient in the world... I am announcing a new initia -

tive to increase funding for space research and development, so that we can continue to explore the mysteries of the universe and maintain our position as a leader in space exploration ... But we must also address the inequalities that have been exposed by the pandemic, and we must ensure that all Americans have access to the opportunities of the future. That is why I am announcing a comprehensive plan to improve access to education, job training, and affordable healthcare.

Biden

Delivered by the app as a rehash of past remarks

It is an honor to stand before you today as your President and deliver this State of the Union address. This past year has been one of the most challenging in our nation’s history, but through it all, the American people have shown remarkable resilience, bravery, and compassion.

We have faced a once-in-acentury pandemic that has taken too many lives and disrupted our economy, but we are making progress. We have delivered vaccines to millions of Americans and are seeing cases decline, and we are working to reopen our schools and businesses safely.

But we cannot rest on our achievements. We must do more to rebuild our economy and make sure that the benefits of this recovery are felt by all Americans, not just the wealthy and well-connected. That is why I am proposing a bold infrastructure plan to create millions of good-paying jobs, modernize our roads, bridges, and highways, and make America more competitive in the global economy.

At the same time, we must address the long-standing injustices in our society, particularly racial and economic inequality. That is why I am committed to passing legislation to protect voting rights, advance racial justice, and ensure that everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream.

And as we look to the future, we must also address the existential threat of climate change. We cannot afford to wait any longer to address this crisis, which is already affecting communities across our country. That is why I am committed to achieving a 100 percent clean energy economy and creating good-paying jobs in the process.

So let us come together, as one nation, and build a better future for all Americans. Together, there is nothing we cannot achieve. Thank you, and may God bless America.

THE Three Stooges, Joe DeRita, as “Curly,” left, Moe Howard, center, and Larry Fine, act in a scene from their movie, "Have Rocket, Will Travel" in Los Angeles, California, on May 25, 1959. AP/ED WIDDIS

., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, addresses marchers during his “I Have a Dream,” speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, August 28, 1963.

Biden declares in State of Union America is ‘unbowed, unbroken’

By Zeke Miller & Seung Min Kim

Fears grow for untold numbers buried by Turkey earthquake

By Mehmet Guzel, Ghaith Alsayed & Suzan Fraser

The Associated Press

NURDAGI, Turkey—Rescuers raced against time early Wednesday to pull survivors from the rubble before they succumbed to cold weather two days after an earthquake tore through southern Turkey and war-ravaged northern Syria. The death toll climbed above 7,700 and was expected to rise further.

The last two days have brought dramatic rescues, including small children emerging from mounds of debris more than 30 hours after Monday’s pre-dawn quake. But there was also widespread despair and growing anger at the slow pace of rescue efforts in some areas.

“It’s like we woke up to hell,” said Osman Can Taninmis, whose family members were still beneath the rubble in Hatay, Turkey’s hardest-hit province. “We can’t respond to absolutely anything. Help isn’t coming, can’t come. We can’t reach anyone at all. Everywhere is destroyed.”

In Syria, residents found a crying newborn still connected by the umbilical cord to her mother, who was dead. The baby was the only member of her family to survive a building collapse in the small town of Jinderis, relatives told The Associated Press.

Search teams from nearly 30 countries and aid pledges poured in. But with the damage spread across several cities and towns—some isolated by Syria’s ongoing conflict—voices crying for help from within mounds of rubble fell silent.

The backdrop of the annual address was markedly different from the previous two years, with a Republican speaker sitting behind Biden and GOP lawmakers in the audience preparing to scrutinize both his administration and his policies. He sought to reassure the nation that his stewardship of the country has delivered results both at home and abroad, as he also set out to prove his fitness for a likely re-election bid.

The challenges for Biden are many: economic uncertainty, a wearying war in Ukraine, growing tensions with China and more. And signs of the past trauma at the Capitol, most notably the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, were unavoidable, with a large fence encircling the complex as lawmakers and those in attendance faced tighterthan-usual security measures.

Rather than rolling out flashy policy proposals, the president set out to offer a reassuring assessment of the nation’s condition, declaring that two years after the Capitol attack, America’s democracy was “unbowed and unbroken.”

“The story of America is a story of progress and resilience,” he said, highlighting record job creation during his tenure as the country has emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Biden also pointed to areas of bipartisan progress in his first two years in office, including on states’ vital infrastructure and high tech manufacturing. And he says, “There is no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress.”

“The people sent us a clear message. Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict, gets us nowhere,” Biden said. “And that’s always been my vision for the country: to restore the soul of the nation, to rebuild the backbone of America—the middle class—to unite the country.”

“We’ve been sent here to finish the job!”

The president took to the House rostrum at a time when just a quarter

Navy

of US adults say things in the country are headed in the right direction, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About three-quarters say things are on the wrong track. And a majority of Democrats don’t want Biden to seek another term.

He sought to confront those sentiments head-on.

“You wonder whether a path even exists anymore for you and your children to get ahead without moving away, I get it,” Biden said. “That’s why we’re building an economy where no one is left behind. Jobs are coming back, pride is coming back because of the choices we made in the last two years.”

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was seated behind Biden urged his conference to be respectful ahead of Biden’s address and in turn asked Biden to refrain from using the phrase “extreme MAGA Republicans,” which the president deployed on the campaign trail in 2022.

“I won’t tear up the speech, I won’t play games,” McCarthy told reporters, a reference to Pelosi’s dramatic action after President Donald Trump’s final State of the Union address.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who gained a national profile as Trump’s press secretary, was to deliver the Republican response to Biden’s speech. She was to focus much of her remarks on social issues, including race in business and education and alleged big-tech censorship of conservatives.

“While you reap the consequences of their failures, the Biden administration seems more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day,” she was to say, according to excerpts released by her office. “Most Americans simply want to live their lives in freedom and peace, but we are under attack in a left-wing culture war we didn’t start and never wanted to fight.”

With Covid-19 restrictions now

lifted, the White House and legislators from both parties invited guests designed to drive home political messages with their presence in the House chamber. The parents of Tyre Nichols, who was severely beaten by police officers in Memphis and later died, are among those seated with first lady Jill Biden. Other Biden guests included the rock star/humanitarian Bono and the 26-year-old who disarmed a gunman in last month’s Monterey Park, California, shooting.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus invited family members of those involved in police incidents, as they sought to press for action on police reform in the wake of Nichols’ death. The White House, ahead of the speech, paired police reform with bringing down violence, suggesting that giving police better training tools could lead to less crime nationwide.

Biden was shifting his sights after spending his first two years pushing through major bills such as the bipartisan infrastructure package, legislation to promote high-tech manufacturing and climate measures. With Republicans now in control of the House, he is turning his focus to implementing those massive laws and making sure voters credit him for the improvements.

The switch is largely by necessity.

The newly empowered GOP is itching to undo many of his achievements and vowing to pursue a multitude of investigations—including looking into the recent discoveries of classified documents from his time as vice president at his home and former office.

At the same time, Biden will need to find a way to work across the aisle to keep the government funded by raising the federal debt limit by this summer. He has insisted that he won’t negotiate on meeting the country’s debt obligations; Republicans have been equally adamant that he must make spending concessions.

On the eve of the president’s address,

McCarthy challenged Biden to come to the negotiating table with House Republicans to slash spending as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling.

“We must move towards a balanced budget and insist on genuine accountability for every dollar we spend,” McCarthy said.

While hopes for large-scale bipartisanship are slim, Biden reissued his 2022 appeal for Congress to get behind his “unity agenda” of actions to address the opioid epidemic, mental health, veterans’ health and cancer. He announced new executive action and call for lawmakers to act to support new measures to support cancer research, address housing needs and suicide among veterans, boost access to mental health care, and move to further crack down on deadly trafficking in fentanyl.

The president also called for extending the new $35 per month price cap on insulin for people on Medicare to everyone in the country. And he pushed Congress to quadruple the 1 percent tax on corporate share buybacks that was enacted in the Democrats’ climate and health care bill passed last year known as the Inflation Reduction Act.

The speech comes days after Biden ordered the military to shoot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew brazenly across the country, captivating the nation and serving as a reminder of tense relations between the two global powers.

Last year’s address occurred just days after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine and as many in the West doubted Kyiv’s ability to withstand the onslaught. Over the past year, the US and other allies have sent tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance to bolster Ukraine’s defenses. Now, Biden must make the case—both at home and abroad—for sustaining that coalition as the war drags on.

AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

divers begin pulling up Chinese spy balloon debris

white outer fabric and shell structure.

By Lolita C. Baldor & Tara Copp

Associated Press

The

WASHINGTON—Navy divers began pulling pieces of the downed Chinese spy balloon from the depths of the ocean floor on Tuesday, using sophisticated reconnaissance drones dubbed the Kingfish and the Swordfish to locate the debris.

After collecting all of the balloon’s white fabric and shell structure found floating on the surface, the Navy has now shifted to an all-underwater search for the remnants of the massive balloon that a US fighter jet shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, officials said.

Navy and Coast Guard personnel were using underwater drones to locate and map the debris field, and divers were in the water gathering up what they could, officials said.

The debris already collected was being hauled by small boats to a few area locations, including a Coast Guard station south of

Myrtle Beach, and, depending on the size, will eventually go either to the FBI lab at Quantico, Virginia, or other sites where experts can analyze it, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of an ongoing military operation.

The head of US Northern Command, Gen. Glen VanHerck, who is in charge of the recovery effort, and several Biden administration officials will brief members of Congress on the balloon on Wednesday and Thursday.

Lawmakers have raised a number of questions about whether the balloon was able to collect intelligence and transmit it back to China during the time it traveled eastward across the United States, after crossing the border from Canada into Idaho.

White House and Pentagon officials have largely avoided providing any details on the balloon’s capabilities.

Officials said Tuesday the US was very aware of the sites the balloon crossed over— including nuclear missile silos and other military

installations—and knows how to protect them from any intelligence collection. Even if the balloon was able to transmit, they said, it wasn’t getting any new or important information to send.

The officials were unwilling to provide any insight into what the US has been able to glean about the balloon’s collection and transmission abilities.

The balloon, an estimated 200 feet (60 meters) tall, was carrying a long sensor package underneath, which VanHerck estimated was the size of a small regional jet.

US counterintelligence teams hope to learn far more about the sensors and other equipment on the balloon as they retrieve it and study it.

The balloon debris is scattered in waters that are about 50 feet (15 meters) deep, but stretch across an area 15 football fields long and 15 football fields across, VanHerck said.

In new images released Tuesday morning, sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 can be seen leaning over a rigid hull inflatable boat and pulling in broad swaths of the balloon’s

Monday’s magnitude 7.8 quake and powerful aftershocks cut a swath of destruction that stretched hundreds of kilometers (miles) across southeastern Turkey and neighboring Syria. The shaking toppled thousands of buildings and heaped more misery on a region wracked by Syria’s 12-year civil war and refugee crisis.

Turkey is home to millions of refugees from the war. The affected area in Syria is divided between government-controlled territory and the country’s last opposition-held enclave, where millions rely on humanitarian aid to survive.

Unstable piles of metal and concrete made the search efforts perilous, while freezing temperatures made them ever more urgent, as worries grew about how long trapped survivors could last in the cold. Snow swirled around rescuers in parts of Turkey.

The scale of the suffering—and the accompanying rescue effort—were staggering.

Adelheid Marschang, a senior emergencies officer with the World Health Organization, said up to 23 million people could be affected in the entire quake-hit area, calling it a “crisis on top of multiple crises.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 13 million of the country’s 85 million people were affected, and he declared a state of emergency in 10 provinces. More than 8,000 people have been pulled from the debris in Turkey, and some 380,000 have taken refuge in government shelters or hotels, authorities said.

But authorities faced criticism from residents of hard-hit Hatay, sandwiched between Syria and the Mediterranean Sea, who say rescue efforts have lagged. Erdogan’s handling of the crisis could weigh heavily on elections planned for May, and his office has already dismissed the criticism as disinformation.

Nurgul Atay told The Associated Press she could hear her mother’s voice beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in the Turkish city of Antakya, the capital of Hatay province. But rescuers did not have the heavy equipment needed to rescue her.

“If only we could lift the concrete slab, we’d be able to reach her,” she said. “My mother is 70 years old, she won’t be able to withstand this for long.”

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said 1,647 people were killed in Hatay alone, the highest toll of any Turkish province. At least 1,846 people had been rescued there as of Tuesday evening, he said. Hatay’s airport was closed after the quake destroyed the runway, complicating rescue efforts.

In Syria, meanwhile, aid efforts have been hampered by the ongoing war and the isolation of the rebel-held region along the border, which is surrounded by Russia-backed government forces. Syria itself is an international pariah under Western sanctions linked to the war.

Volunteer first responders known as the White Helmets have years of experience rescuing people from buildings destroyed by Syrian and Russian airstrikes in the rebel-held enclave, but they say the earthquake has overwhelmed their capabilities.

Mounir al-Mostafa, the deputy head of the White Helmets, said they were able to respond efficiently to up to 30 locations at a time but now face calls for help from more than 700.

“Teams are present in those locations, but the available machinery and equipment are not enough,” he said, adding that the first 72 hours were crucial for any rescue effort.

The United Nations said it was “exploring all avenues” to get supplies to the rebel-held northwest.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the road leading to the Bab al-Hawa border crossing—the only terminal through which UN aid is allowed to enter the rebel-held area—was damaged by the quake, disrupting deliveries.

Dujarric said the UN was preparing a convoy to cross the conflict lines within Syria.

The UN already delivers aid across conflict lines to the rebel-held enclave. But it can’t move the quantities needed because of difficulties in arranging convoys with opposing parties, making aid deliveries from Turkey critical.

Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government has pressed for years for all humanitarian aid to be sent from within Syria, including to the oppositionheld enclave. The UN has increased cross-conflict line deliveries but not enough for the millions in need.

VanHerck has also said the recovery teams were taking precautions to safeguard against the chance any part of the balloon was rigged with explosives or was dangerous in any way.

A Navy warship, the USS Carter Hall, is heading the recovery effort, aided by three Coast Guard cutters—the Venturous, the Richard Snyder and the Nathan Bruckenthal—as well as the USNS Pathfinder, an oceanographic survey ship. A salvage ship is expected to arrive on Wednesday.

The Pentagon said Tuesday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requested a secure call with his Chinese counterpart, Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe, on Saturday after the balloon was shot down. China declined the request, said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.

“Lines between our militaries are particularly important in moments like this.... Our commitment to open lines of communication will continue,” Ryder said.

Turkey has large numbers of troops in the border region and has tasked the military with aiding its rescue efforts, including setting up tents for survivors and a field hospital in Hatay province.

A navy ship docked Tuesday at the province’s port of Iskenderun, where a hospital collapsed, to transport people in need of medical care to a nearby city.

A large fire at the port, caused by containers that toppled over during the earthquake, sent thick plumes of black smoke into the sky. The Defense Ministry said the blaze was extinguished with the help of military aircraft, but live footage broadcast by CNN Turk showed it was still burning.

Vice President Fuat Oktoy said at least 5,894 people have died from the earthquake in Turkey, with another 34,810 injured.

The death toll in government-held areas of Syria has climbed to 812, with some 1,400 injured, according to the Health Ministry. At least 1,020 people have died in the rebel-held northwest, according to the White Helmets, with more than 2,300 injured.

The region sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. Some 18,000 were killed in similarly powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999.

Alsayed reported from Azmarin, Syria. Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers David Rising in Bangkok, Zeynep Bilginsoy and Robert Badendieck in Istanbul, Bassem Mroue and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut, Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, and Riazat Butt in Islamabad, contributed to this report

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden called on Republicans in his State of the Union address Tuesday night to work with him to “finish the job” of rebuilding the economy and uniting the nation as he sought to overcome pessimism in the country and navigate political divisions in Washington.

PRESIDENT Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, listen. JACQUELYN MARTIN

Agriculture/Commodities

Govt urged to trim volume of sugar imports

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

AGROUP of sugar producers is urging the government to limit the proposed import program to just 350,000 metric tons (MT), and to ensure that planters and industrial users will get equal allocation.

I n a series of letters to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), the Confederation of Sugar Producers (Confed) proposed changes to the sugar import program of the government.

T he group recommended a 50:50 volume allocation for industrial users and producers and pushed for

the participation of all interested accredited sugar traders in the import program. We reiterate our position that the importation program should be implemented in an open, transparent and equitable manner,” the group said in its letter.

T he group said total import volume should be adjusted to 350,000 MT (300,000 MT refined sugar and 50,000 MT raw sugar) instead of the 450,000 MT earlier announced by some government officials.

It added that imports should arrive in two tranches: 175,000 MT in July or after the current crop year’s milling season and 175,000 MT in August or before the next

milling season.

T he group also urged SRA to adopt “transparent” import guidelines and to allow sugar producers and other interested accredited sugar traders to participate in the import program.

Sugar farmers and millers, through their federations, associations or cooperatives which are accredited sugar traders, or through other accredited sugar traders, should be qualified to apply for and import their allocation of 50 percent of the proposed volume,” it said.

T he group said the import allocation for sugar producers should be based on their share in the total sugar output in crop year 2021-2022. Meanwhile, industrial users’ import

volume allocation should be pro-rated and should be subjected to usual SRA requirements, such as excise tax or VAT payments, among others.

All applications for importation should be submitted within five days upon the effectivity of the appropriate Sugar Order allowing the importation,” the group said.

“A ll submitted applications should be opened at the end of the five days, and then published and made available to all applicants.”

Confed said the SRA should complete the evaluation and the awarding of import allocation within 10 days after the deadline of the import applications.

L ast month, Manila announced

that it is mulling over the purchase of as much as 450,000 MT of imported raw and refined sugar to further beef up its supply and temper retail prices.

Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board member Pablo Azcona, who represents the sugarcane planters, said the Palace has recommended the importation of 400,000 MT to 450,000 MT of sugar to ensure that the country will have a two-month buffer stock.

A zcona said the bulk of the imported sugar would be refined while part of the volume would constitute raw sugar since some refiners have requested to be allowed to import raw stocks. There are recommendations

to import from the refiners group. They are requesting to import but for arrival later this year. A little bit of raw sugar so that they can start their refineries early,” he said. Despite the recommendation to import sugar, Azcona said he still does not believe that the country is suffering from a “physical shortage” of the sweetener.

This importation program is normal. Every year, for the last 30 years, we usually import after our sugarcane harvest. There is always a shortfall that is needed to be filled until the next harvest, which is usually from June to October. That is the vacuum for our local production.”

Declaration of Tawi-Tawi as seaweed capital of PHL sought ARBs receive individual e-titles under World Bank-funded project

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—A Bangsam-

oro lawmaker is seeking the declaration of Tawi-Tawi as the seaweed capital of the Philippines and is pushing for adequate government support for residents who rely on the marine product for their livelihood.

Tawi-Tawi is regarded as the biggest producer of seaweed in the Philippines but its production techniques remain crude and many of its population still live below poverty line.

Member of Parliament Eddie Alih has introduced the proposal on first reading in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the interim Bangsamoro Parliament.

A s one of the authors of BTA Bill No. 101, he said seaweed farming has become the primary source of income for thousands of coastal households in the province and provides the bulk of the country’s seaweed exports. He noted that many farmers continue to live at subsistence level while tending to the seaweed industry in Tawi-Tawi.

“In support to the economic development of the province and promotion of the culture and traditions of the people, it is hereby declared the Tawi-Tawi to be the seaweed capital of the Philippines,” the bill’s introduction read.

T he Philippine Statistics Au -

thority said the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was the country’s primary fishery contributor in the second quarter of 2022, when output reached 346,421 metric tons (MT), or 28.6 percent of the country’s total production.

T he island provinces of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and Basilan have significantly contributed to BARMM’s fisheries production, the majority of which comes from aquaculture.

FAO crafts 10-year global initiative to fight antimicrobial resistance

THE Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations said it is currently preparing a 10-year global initiative to reduce the need for antimicrobials in agrifood systems.

FAO said it has also developed the first version of the International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring IT plaform to address existing information gap in agrifood systems.

Agrifood systems play a key role in limiting the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and FAO said it is committed to tackling what the UN lists as one of the top 10 threats for global health.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu attended the sixth meeting of the Global Leaders Group (GLG) on Antimicrobial Resistance last February 7 in Bridgetown, Barbados. It was the first time that members of the GLG, which is comprised of world leaders and experts, were able to gather in person due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The meeting covered critical AMR topics such as financing, research and development, integrated surveillance, the role of the private sector, AMR and the environment and galvanizing political action to address AMR.

“FAO is fully committed to working with its partners to create more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all,” Qu said. Such agrifood systems transfor-

mation can now be better supported thanks to the inclusion of the AMR in the Pandemic Fund, he added.

Qu highlighted the importance of a One Health approach to reducing the use of antimicrobials in the agrifood sector. One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems by recognizing that they are closely linked and interdependent.

FAO said it is hosting the AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform, a mechanism to promote collaboration among a wide range of stakeholders at all levels across the One Health spectrum.

Qu invited participants to a UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment scheduled for July 24-26 at FAO’s headquarters in Rome, in which AMR will be discussed.

A MR occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi become resistant to antimicrobial treatments to which they were previously susceptible.

I ncreasing use and misuse of antimicrobials and other microbial stressors (e.g. the presence of heavy metals and other pollutants) creates favorable conditions for microorganisms to develop resistance.

T his in turn poses serious threats to human, animal, plant and environmental health, food safety, food security, and pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

T he region produces seaweeds, frigate tuna (tulingan), round scad (galunggong), big-eyed scad (matambaka), Bali sardinella (tamban), eastern little tuna (bonito), skipjack (gulyasan), Indian mackerel (alumahan), yellowfin tuna (tambako/bariles) and tilapia.

T he Bangsamoro Organic Law that created the BARMM has mandated the Bangsamoro government to ensure, support, and promote economic prosperity and the pres-

ervation and enrichment of culture within its territorial jurisdiction, the BARMM information office said.

Every September, the province of Tawi-Tawi holds the Agal-Agal Festival, the only seaweed festival in the country. Seaweeds are locally called agar-agar or agal-agal.

The festival demonstrates how the community values the importance of the seaweed industry, which has long been a part of their way of life,” Alih said.

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

SINCE the implementation of the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project, 16,888 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) nationwide had already received their individual electronic land titles (etiles), according to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

A ll in all, the figure covers 18,802 e-titles for 23,898 hectares of agricultural lands nationwide, DAR Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Office and SPLIT National Director Joey Sumatra said.

T he World Bank-funded SPLIT project aims to improve land tenure security and stabilize the property rights of some 1.14 million ARBs nationwide covering 1.37 million hectares of land, by subdividing the previously distributed collective certificates of land ownership award (CCLOAs), and turning them into individual land titles for distribution to qualified ARBs.

So far, the DAR had validated 522,688 hectares out of the 591,572 hectares funded for parcelization, representing an accomplishment of 88 percent, covering 50,249 hectares of previously distributed CCLOAs.

Sumatra, however, said these newly validated agricultural lands are still subject to re-documentation

to complete the required documents for each ARB for submission to the Registry of Deeds (RODs) for eventual registration.

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III meanwhile announced that documents of another 38,196 hectares of farmlands are already submitted to various RODs nationwide and cleared for processing and generation of e-titles, which are expected to be released and distributed to ARBs within this year.

“Subdividing collective CLOAs for each individual ARBs undergoes a very rigid process and we cannot afford to make a mistake,” Estrella said.

T he DAR chief also said that another 107,344 hectares of farmlands have already been re-documented and are up for submission to the RODs for final evaluation and assessment.

T he agency needs to go through the process of data validation, which includes revisiting copies of CCLOAs with annotated ARBs, the approved survey plans, and the actual master lists of ARBs.

T he DAR-SPLIT validation team should establish who among the listed ARBs have already passed away, abandoned or sold their rights of ownership, are still in possession of their respective shares of farm lots and those merely squatting in the absence of any proof of transfer of rights of ownership.

Sugar’s rally to six-year high on borrowed time as glut looms

THE world should end this season with its first sugar surplus in four years, but you wouldn’t know it from how prices have surged.

F utures hit a six-year high last week, threatening more inflationary pain by increasing the cost of making baked goods, candy and soft drinks. While top exporter Brazil is set to collect a much bigger crop, those supplies won’t arrive until harvesting starts around April—and right now the market is tightening.

T hat’s because weaker output will likely force India to cap exports, while European production has been hit by drought and now faces uncertainty after a pesticide ban. Plus, Indian mills are diverting more cane to make ethanol and China’s reopening could lift demand.

T here are already signs that sugar’s rally is feeding through to higher retail prices for goods in grocery stores in the US and Europe.

“ The biggest concern is stocks are tight globally,” said Rahil Shaikh, managing director of trader Meir Commodities India Pvt. “As of now the curtains are down on additional Indian exports. If there is any shock from Brazil then the world market will be on fire.”

Here’s what’s happening in the market:

Indian exports

HOW much the No. 2 grower will export has been a key question. The Indian Sugar Mills Association last

week cut its shipment outlook to about 6 million tons for this season after bad weather hurt yields, indicating the government is unlikely to allow extra volumes.

Plus, India’s push to boost ethanol production could see more cane diverted to make the biofuel, rather than sugar.

Brazil’s crop BRAZIL should collect one of its best-ever crops, after drought and frost hurt previous harvests. But good weather would allow processing to start early, increasing competition for terminal space during the peak shipment period for record soy supplies—so producers and traders are bracing for port congestion. Limited export capacity may push up physical sugar premiums, said Ana Zancaner, an analyst for trader Czarnikow Group Ltd.’s Czapp app. An increase in fuel prices recently raised concerns that Brazil’s mills could turn more cane into ethanol, although sugar remains more profitable for them.

European headache

EUROPE is already having to import more sugar after a heat wave and drought hurt output. Now, a European Union ruling reinforcing a ban on neonicotinoids—a type of pesticide considered harmful to bees—further threatens production.

In a sign of tight supply, traders say some European food companies

are still paying more than £1,000 ($1,204) a ton for refined sugar in the spot market. That’s much more than usual, squeezing margins.

Other growers

BIGGER Thai supplies won’t be enough to fill the gap left by a smaller Indian harvest and any Brazilian shipment delays, said the Thai Sugar Millers Corp.

In the United States, beet-sugar supply disruptions boosted refined sugar prices, filtering through to candy and baked-goods costs. There’s also a smaller harvest in Mexico, the main supplier to the US.

Demand boost

CHINA’S reopening should increase demand, said Michael McDougall,

managing director at broker Paragon Global Markets. That’s happening as food companies that tapped stockpiles in recent years now jostle for limited supply.

T he tightness is a big worry for the food and beverage industry in top importer Indonesia, which exports goods like instant noodles and sugary drinks. It may have to turn to Brazilian and Australian sugar to plug any gap from India, the Indonesia Sugar Refiners Association said. What else?

EXCESSIVE speculation fueled the recent rally, and a likely surplus will probably lower prices, said Somit Banerjee, head of trading at Dubaibased refiner Al Khaleej Sugar Co. Bloomberg News

BUSINESSMIRROR FILE PHOTO

editorial

The freedom to fish in Philippine seas

IN October 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte announced his “separation” from the United States, declaring he had realigned with China, which assured him that the South China Sea dispute will be resolved via diplomacy.

Duterte’s Beijing-friendly postures, however, failed to change China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea. The Philippine government has filed 231 diplomatic protests against Chinese activities in the West Philippine Sea in the six years that Duterte was in Malacañang. China continued to disregard the Philippines’ national sovereignty and territorial integrity in pursuit of its expansionist policy.

From Bloomberg, February 5, 2023: “Two Chinese coast guard ships and two militia vessels tailed a Philippine warship near Mischief Reef in the South China Sea, the Southeast Asian nation said. The navy’s BRP Andres Bonifacio was conducting a patrol and search mission on Feb. 1 when it was monitored and tailed by the Chinese vessels near the reef, which is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, said Armand Balilo, a spokesman for the coast guard. The militia boats “even conducted an intercept course,” he added.”

As tensions continue to rise between Manila and Beijing because of China’s incursions in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, the US and the Philippines have agreed to resume joint patrols in the South China Sea. The decision was reached on Thursday between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, according to the Pentagon website.

The joint US-Philippines patrols were among the key recommendations by a US private group, whose members are composed of former government officials, security experts and members of think tanks, to the administration of President Joe Biden as America seeks to revitalize its moribund bilateral relations with the Philippines, which was strained during the Duterte administration.

Besides the joint patrols, the Department of National Defense said it has agreed to designate four more additional locations for rotating American troops under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

The announcements drew a fiery response from Beijing, which has long protested against the US military presence in the South China Sea. China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the US has “adhered to a Cold War zero-sum mentality” through a regional military expansion. “This is an act that escalates tensions in the region and endangers regional peace and stability,” Mao said.

The government’s announcement of a “restart” for joint maritime patrols with the United States has raised questions, including whether it could stop China’s incursions in the Kalayaan Island Group and West Philippine Sea (WPS).

While the country’s new maritime security arrangement with its treaty partner poses the greatest challenge yet to Beijing’s presence in disputed waters, the question remains: can it halt China’s march in those maritime waters?

(Read, “Can PHL-US joint patrols scale back China’s moves in Kalayaan, WPS zone?,” in the BusinessMirror, February 6, 2023)

For some legislators and even the Department of National Defense, the joint maritime patrols will limit, if not stop, Beijing’s unchallenged intrusions in the Kalayaan Island Group and WPS, and revert the use of its vast waters to Filipino fishermen.

“Senator Francis Escudero also emphasized that joint patrols would help reduce encroachments and acts of harassment in the area,” Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said, as he recalled reactions to the agreement announced in last week’s visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III.

It will also challenge China’s presence in Scarborough Shoal near Zambales, whose control it wrested from the Philippines in 2012 following a standoff. Beijing has sealed off the shoal from Filipinos who have made it their traditional fishing grounds for centuries.The agreement on joint maritime patrols was the most important arrangement so far that the country has notched with the US in years, returning US-Philippines defense relations to a significant level.

The joint patrols, seen to counter China’s incursions in the country’s exclusive economic zone, should help stop incidents of harassment against Filipino fishermen and other local vessels in the West Philippine Sea. After all, Filipino fishermen have the freedom to fish in our seas.

Inflationary screw-up

John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

EvERyThINg was normal until July 2022. For 25 years, Philippine inflation followed—lagging sometimes, leading occasionally—the price of Brent crude oil. A price chart of the two together is understandable to an eight-year-old child, let alone super educated economists. “gee Papa, the lines go in the same direction”.

After a spike in March 2022 following the Russian invasion, Brent hit another high in June and has been in a downtrend since then from $121 to $82. July saw Philippine inflation year-on-year at 6.4 percent. August came in at 6.3 percent even as Brent went to $96.

But September inflation went up to 6.9 percent (Brent at $85) and October inflation went to 7.7 percent.

In my column on August 8, 2022, titled “Inflationary psychology,” I wrote: “Production costs for agricultural products in the Philippines are primarily fertilizer and transportation. And both of these prices reflect the global price of crude oil. But inflation is not only an economic event. It is also a psychological event. Because there is a genuine “inflation psychology,” once prices start going higher, people believe that the trend will continue.”

“Even if oil and other input prices

One condition is needed to stop inflation psychology: “The only factor that will bring consumer prices down is “price competition” between suppliers and that may take a year or so to kick in”. Food costs have both local and imported supplier competition.

suppliers and that may take a year or so to kick in.” Food costs have both local and imported supplier competition.

go down, end-user prices may not follow. Inflationary psychology is why when prices go higher, they do not go back down as fast if at all.”

Brent is still in a downtrend and Philippine inflation is in an uptrend maybe even stronger than before. Why?

To combat “inflationary psychology,” we need to believe that we have seen the inflationary peak. I thought that was going to happen when Brent started a strong decline in early November. But November inflation came in at 8 percent with the uptick in the food inflation primarily influenced by the higher annual price increases in vegetables, tubers, and cooking bananas at 25.8 percent. The rice index only increased by 3.1 percent.

One condition is needed to stop inflation psychology: “The only factor that will bring consumer prices down is “price competition” between

Vegetable prices spiking, as exemplified by onions (not to mention salt to sugar), is the example. We import a lot of produce. However, there are imported onions through the front door and through the back door. Those suppliers are in competition. The legit importers must pay duty, which cuts into profit margins. The underground importers have to risk confiscation and fines. But the majority of end user prices are fairly much the same.

March 29, 2022: “Senators grilled officials for their supposed failure to stop the influx of imported agricultural products. Local vegetable farmers were losing an average of P2.5 million a day due to the influx of smuggled vegetables.”

September 28, 2022: “President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has strict orders to stop agricultural smuggling.” Cutting off the supply of smuggled goods should be benefi-

cial for honest importers. Except the number of “honest” import permits was reduced. But apparently, high prices are the fault of the “hoarders.”

Every grower of produce or livestock will hold products from the market if feasible to get a higher price.

Joseph and Pharaoh stored grain at “normal” prices for seven years to sell when famine had people selling their land to buy that grain.

October 4, 2021: “Farmers blame trade liberalization, urge government for stronger protection against agricultural imports both smuggled and legally imported.” Yet, January 28, 2023: “Philippines Posts Record Onion Harvest in 2022.”

Now the government intends to import onions. “We can’t sit idly because one of the drivers of inflation is the price of onions,” says the Department of Agriculture. However, “The purchase would be a “temporary solution” and there are no further plans to import for now.”

That’s great to know. So, the 50kilo bag of local onions I have been hoarding will still stay in the closet until all the imported onions are gone and then, like Joseph and the Pharaoh, I will make a financial killing. But the real question is, why is government so often on the wrong side of the trade?

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.

Did China’s balloon violate international law?

WAS the balloon that suddenly appeared over the US last week undertaking surveillance? Or was it engaging in research, as China has claimed?

While the answers to these questions may not be immediately known, one thing is clear: the incursion of the Chinese balloon tested the bounds of international law.

This incident has also added another layer of complexity to the already strained relations between the US and China. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s planned visit to Beijing has been postponed. And China has reacted to the shooting down of the balloon with diplomatic fury.

Both sides have long disagreed over the presence of US warships in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, which China claims as its own waters and the US considers international waters. Will the air be the next realm to be contested by the two superpowers?

A long military history HOT air balloons have a somewhat benign public image. But they also have a long military history that extends back to the Napoleonic era

in Europe during the late 18th century and early 19th century when they were used for surveillance and bombing missions. The early laws of war even included some specific measures designed to address the military use of balloons during armed conflict.

The modern military significance of balloons now appears to be understated, especially in an era of uncrewed aerial vehicles or drones, which have proven effective during the current Ukraine war.

However, while balloons may no longer be valued for their warfighting ability, they retain a unique capacity to undertake surveillance because they fly at higher altitudes than aircraft, can remain stationary over sensitive sites, are harder to detect on radar, and can be camouflaged as civilian weather craft.

Who has sovereignty over the air?

THE international law is clear with respect to the use of these balloons

China initially attempted to suggest the balloon malfunctioned and drifted into US airspace, claiming force majeure. If the balloon was autonomous, it would have been entirely dependent on wind patterns. However, a report in Scientific American said the balloon appeared to have a high level of maneuverability, especially when it appeared to linger over sensitive US defense facilities in Montana.

over other countries’ airspace.

Every country has complete sovereignty and control over its waters extending 12 nautical miles (about 22 kilometers) from its land territory. Every country likewise has “complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory” under international conventions. This means each country controls all access to its airspace, which includes both commercial and government aircraft.

But the upper limit of sovereign airspace is unsettled in international law. In practice, it generally extends

to the maximum height at which commercial and military aircraft operate, which is around 45,000 feet (about 13.7km). The supersonic Concorde jet, however, operated at 60,000 feet (over 18km). The Chinese balloon was also reported to be operating at a distance of 60,000 feet. International law does not extend to the distance at which satellites operate, which is traditionally seen as falling within the realm of space law. There are international legal frameworks in place that allow for permission to be sought to enter a country’s airspace, such as the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. The International Civil Aviation Organization has set an additional layer of rules on airspace access, including for hot air balloons, but it does not regulate military activities.

The US also has its own “air defence identification zone,” a legacy of the Cold War. It requires all aircraft entering US airspace to identify themselves. Canada has its own complementary zone. During the height of Cold War tensions, the US would routinely scramble fighter jets

See “China” A11

Ambassador

Xi woos Taiwan opposition ahead of pivotal presidential vote Vibrant Mindanao culture at the CCP Pasinaya

Chinese leader Xi Jinping appears to be recalibrating his hardline approach to Taiwan in the year before the island holds a presidential election that his government’s preferred negotiating partner has a shot at winning.

Kuomintang Vice Chairman

Andrew Hsia is expected to visit China on Wednesday, the latest in a series of friendly gestures between the one-time foes in the Chinese Civil War. Hsia is expected to visit several Chinese cities over nine days including the capital, where he’s likely to meet Song Tao, a former top Communist Party diplomat who now oversees affairs across the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing has also signaled it intends to resume imports from more than 60 Taiwanese food companies that were among exporters it barred last year. That move pulls back on an unofficial punishment China has used to show displeasure with President Tsai Ing-wen for activities such as fostering ties with the US.

“Now as Taiwan’s presidential campaign is about to start, it’s a good time for Beijing to lessen its sanctions against Taiwan because if it doesn’t, sanctions are going to be a major liability for Beijingfriendly politicians in Taiwan,” said Wen-ti Sung, a specialist on Taiwanese politics and cross-strait relations at Australian National University. “That’s what we’re seeing now.”

While it’s too early to say the extent of the shift, the strategy coincides with China adopting a more conciliatory tone in its dealings with the US and its allies since Xi and President Joe Biden met in Indonesia in November. The fencemending is aimed at addressing a collapse in public support across the developed world and refocusing on an economy that has been battered by three years of strict Covid Zero rules.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had been scheduled to visit Beijing to start this week, in the first such trip by a top US diplomat in more than four years. Blinken postponed those plans due to an uproar over a Chinese balloon that the US says was spying on the country. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao also met with his Australian counterpart Don Farrell on Monday.

When asked whether China is adjusting its approach to the island, Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said Wednesday at a regular press briefing in Beijing that her nation’s “policy on Taiwan is consistent and clear and won’t change based on Taiwan’s political situation.”

In a further sign of China’s apparent softer tone on Taiwan, the People’s Liberation Army command in the east—the military unit that would spearhead any invasion—released a video over the weekend intended to mark a Chinese holiday with the people of Taiwan.

It spoke warmly about the PLA protecting the well-being of the Chinese people over the long term and the good life of “the family” on both sides of the strait.

Yet, it mixed images of fireworks and relatives hugging with fighter jets and short-range ballistic missiles, a reminder of the weapons China fired over the island in response to then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit in August.

A possible visit by Pelosi’s Republican successor, Kevin McCarthy, may show how much China has calibrated in its approach.  McCarthy may visit the island either later this year or next year, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul said Tuesday. McCaul, a Texas Republican, said he would lead a bipartisan delegation to Taiwan this spring.

While it’s too early to say the extent of the shift, the strategy coincides with China adopting a more conciliatory tone in its dealings with the US and its allies since Xi and President Joe Biden met in Indonesia in November. The fence-mending is aimed at addressing a collapse in public support across the developed world and refocusing on an economy that has been battered by three years of strict Covid Zero rules.

The presidential election that Taiwan has scheduled for January 2024 is one reason for Beijing to adjust its game plan toward securing control over the democratically run island. Tsai is unable to run again due to term limits, opening up the field to new candidates including Vice President William Lai, a top challenger to be the DPP’s candidate.

Lai once described himself as a “political worker for Taiwanese independence.” That type of rhetoric angers Beijing, whose officials often lash out at the DPP for its “collusion” with the US, Taiwan’s main military supporter.

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yuih and Foxconn Technology Group founder Terry Gou are the KMT’s current front-runners, according to a poll last month by TVBS, a major Taiwanese broadcaster.

The KMT’s strong showing in local elections in November opened the door to it possibly claiming its first presidential election victory in a decade. Its efforts to win over voters would be aided by China overhauling its image in Taiwan, which in recent years has been marked by threats to invade, elevated economic and political pressure on Tsai’s government, and a crackdown on democracy protests in Hong Kong.

More than 78 percent of the public said they felt China held an unfriendly attitude toward Taiwan’s government, according to a survey that the Mainland Affairs Council in Taipei released in October. Some 61 percent said Beijing was unfriendly to the Taiwanese people.

Despite having lost to Mao Zedong’s Communists in the civil war in the first half of the 20th century, the KMT is Beijing’s preferred negotiating partner in Taiwan because they both share the notion that the island is a part of China.

That preference was on display in August last year, when the KMT’s Hsia visited China amid lingering tensions over Pelosi’s visit. Hsia shrugged off criticism of the trip from Tsai and some in the KMT to lead a delegation that focused on business-related issues.

Under Tsai’s KMT predecessor, former President Ma Ying-jeou, Taipei and Beijing eased decadesold restrictions on tourism and investment.

“Engaging in dialogue with the KMT allows Beijing to say that cross-strait dialogue is taking place even as it eschews dialogue with the Tsai administration,” said Amanda Hsiao, senior analyst at Crisis Group, a Brussels-based policy research organization.

“It also allows the KMT to present itself to Taiwanese voters as the party capable of delivering dialogue—and therefore a more stable relationship—with Beijing, which appeals to segments of the Taiwanese population.” With assistance from Argin Chang and Betty Hou

Dennis gorecho

Kuwentong peyups

The Pasinaya Open house Festival of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is still an effective platform in showcasing various cultures in the Philippines that have been made more beautiful and vibrant because of folk dances and music.

The colorful Mindanao culture again took center stage through dances like Pangalay and Kadal Tahu.

Commonly referred to as the fingernail dance, the Pangalay is a dance traditionally performed by the Tausug people during weddings and other festive celebrations.

It is characterized by hand movements that resemble the movement of ocean waves, enhanced by long, metal fingernails (janggay) worn by the dancers.

Dancers must have dexterity and flexibility of the shoulders, elbows, and wrists as the dance is performed to the music of the kulintangan, gandang, agong and gabang.

The hands are flexed at the wrists and fingers hyperflexed backward. The body is bent slightly at the hips and the knees and, viewed laterally, resembles the shape of the letter “S.”

Two men carry two bamboo poles on their shoulders with a solo female dancer keeping her balance on top of the two bamboo poles.

One amazing part of the show by the Tambuli Dance Troupe of Tawi Tawi was when the main female dancer gradually transferred from two horizontal bamboo poles to one

Tagum City’s Kuntaw Mindanao is a group of music artists known for popularizing indigenous music through its songs that fuses the indigenous sounds with various musical genres. Through their music, the group hopes to share their advocacy of promoting awareness and protection of the indigenous peoples’ rights and culture, as well as environmental protection.

arts and cultural presentations offered by CCP.

Since 2004, Pasinaya also aims to provide a platform for artists and cultural groups from different fields such as music, theater, dance, spoken word, and visual arts. It seeks to showcase talents while nurturing the broadest public and creating new audiences through interactions and performances.

pole that is in a vertical position.

With dancers wearing Malong and salakut (hat), the T’boli tribal dance Kadal Tahu mimics the hopping and flying behavior of the Tahaw bird to welcome a bountiful harvest during harvesting season.

Tagum City’s Kuntaw Mindanao is a group of music artists known for popularizing indigenous music through its songs that fuses the indigenous sounds with various musical genres. Through their music, the group hopes to share their advocacy of promoting awareness and protection of the indigenous peoples’ rights and culture, as well as environmental protection.

The Pangalay and Kadal Tahu movements were also incorporated in the choreography of the musical play Anak Datu, whose excerpts were shown during the People’s Gala.  It follows the historic lives and struggles of the Tausugs based on a short story for children by National Artist for Visual Arts Abdulmari Imao in 1968 in anticipation of the birth of his first son, Abdulmari Jr. (Toym) Imao.

It is a story about the son of a village chieftain in Muslim Mindanao during pre-colonial Philippines. Be-

fore the son was born, their village was raided by pirates. His mother gives birth under captivity. He grew up with the knowledge that his father was a former pirate from the land of the Tausug. When the old man dies, only then did the son learn of the truth about his real father.

The play is a collaboration of Chris Millado and Rody Vera that expands its narrative to two other timelines: the socio-political milieu of the Imao family; and the formation of the Muslim resistance in Mindanao, intertwined with incidents such as the Jabidah and Palimbang massacres.

The play is peppered with Toym’s artworks that showed the Japanese cartoon “Voltes V,” which is inseparable from the discussion on Martial Law and the Marcos regime.

In 1979, shortly before the series finale, Marcos issued a directive banning Voltes V and other similarly themed anime series due to concerns about “excessive violence.”

The directive also led to speculations at the time that the series was also taken off the air due to its revolutionary undertones.

“Pasinaya” means an inauguration or a grand opening of the many

With the “experience-all-you-can, pay-what-you-can” scheme, the largest multi-arts festival in the country once again filled various venues of CCP such as the Front Lawn, Liwasang Kalikasan, Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez and its surroundings, and the parade ground of Vicente Sotto Street.

The theaters inside the CCP were not used due to the closing of the iconic 53-year-old main building in January for a three-year renovation project.

This year’s  theme is “Piglas Sining,” which CCP Artistic Director Dennis Marasigan explained: “We are breaking away from the notion that the CCP is just the building. We are emphasizing that CCP can be anywhere.”

Pasinaya returned onsite on February 3 to 5, 2023 after being cancelled as a face-to-face gathering for three years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At least 3,000 artists participated in the 75 performances of 89 groups from Baguio to Tawi-tawi with an audience of more than 21,000.

Peyups is the moniker of University of the Philippines.  Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@ sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808 or 09088665786.

US-China goods trade hits record even as political split widens

Total merchandise trade between the two countries rose to $690.6 billion last year, exceeding the record set in 2018, Commerce Department data showed Tuesday. The data are not adjusted for inflation. The annual goods-trade deficit with China widened 8 percent to $382.9 billion, the biggest on record after the $419.4 billion shortfall in 2018.

The deepening trade ties between the countries risk being challenged by the widening split between Washington and Beijing, which have clashed on issues including human rights, trade and competition for technology and markets. The data also come at a particularly low point between the two amid the shooting down this week of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over US territory.

Washington is pressing ahead with plans to curb China’s access to sensitive semiconductor technology and is trying to get countries it considers allies to do the same.

It’s also working to lessen US reliance on China for merchandise, encouraging Western companies to invest in what Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has termed “trusted

China

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continued from A10

in response to unauthorized Soviet incursions into US airspace, especially in the Arctic.

Many other countries and regions have similar air defense identification zones, including China, Japan and Taiwan. Taiwan, for instance, routinely scrambles fighter jets in response to unauthorized incursions of its airspace by Chinese aircraft.

Testing the waters—and air SO, given these clear international rules, the US was on very firm le-

trading partners” such as India in a process known as friendshoring.

The value of merchandise exports to China climbed to an all-time high of $153.8 billion, while imports increased to $536.8 billion, just under the record set in 2018.

“It shows that consumers have minds of their own,” said William Reinsch, who served as a top Commerce official in the Clinton administration and is now a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. “At the market level, we’re still doing a lot of business, despite the efforts of both governments. The macro relationship hasn’t changed that much; we’re still trading a lot.”

Tariff strategy

THE Biden administration has kept in place a set of tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump and confronted Beijing over what it sees as human-rights abuses, unfair trade practices and threats to US national security.

But hundreds of US businesses big and small have made a fresh push for the removal of the levies—which

gal footing in its response to the Chinese balloon. Overflight could only have been undertaken with US permission, which was clearly not sought.

China initially attempted to suggest the balloon malfunctioned and drifted into US airspace, claiming force majeure. If the balloon was autonomous, it would have been entirely dependent on wind patterns. However, a report in Scientific American said the balloon appeared to have a high level of maneuverability, especially when it appeared to linger over sensitive US defense facilities in Montana.

The deepening trade ties between the countries risk being challenged by the widening split between Washington and Beijing, which have clashed on issues including human rights, trade and competition for technology and markets. The data also come at a particularly low point between the two amid the shooting down this week of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over US territory.

were instituted in waves starting in 2018—saying they have raised their input costs at a time of accelerating inflation.

As the White House reviews the tariffs, there’s little indication that the White House is inclined to significantly roll back the tariffs on the imports that span industrial inputs—such as microchips and chemicals—to consumer merchandise, keeping them in place as leverage against China and amid concerns that repealing them would be politically risky.

Chips flashpoint

THE chip industry continues to be a major flashpoint for trade tensions.

Though China is the biggest maker of phones and computers, US companies still control most of the underlying chip technology, and it tightened

Washington displayed a lot of patience in dealing with the incursion. President Joe Biden authorized military jets to shoot down the balloon, but it took some days before that could be done safely without endangering lives on the ground.

The balloon incident has clearly tested the Biden administration and the US response to China’s growing military assertiveness.

Similar events occur on a regular basis in the South China Sea, where the US Navy conducts freedom of navigation operations through Chinese claimed waters. The US presence is vigorously challenged

restrictions on exports of semiconductors last year. Beijing in December filed a dispute with the World Trade Organization trying to overturn USimposed export controls, which aim to limit the Asian nation’s ability to develop a domestic semiconductor industry and equip its military.

Officials on both sides are looking at ways to better manage the differences between the two powers, with Yellen and Vice Premier Liu He holding in-person meetings in Zurich in January. That followed face-to-face discussions held by Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping held in Bali, Indonesia, in November.

But the efforts to thaw relations took a knock after the Pentagon detected a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon lingering at high altitude over sensitive nuclear sites in Montana, which led to the postponement of a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Trading partners

CHINA maintained its third place among the top US trading partners for goods in 2022, accounting for 13 percent of total trade. Canada kept the top spot with a 14.9 percent share valued at $793.8 billion, while Mexico was second at 14.7 percent, or $779.3 billion.

The only change in the top-10 rankings relative to 2021 was Vietnam, which rose two spots to 8th position, with total trade of $138.9 billion.

by the Chinese Navy. China has also responded aggressively to the presence of US reconnaissance planes over the South China Sea, raising the risks of an accident that could spark a wider conflict.

What is remarkable about the balloon incident is China has asserted its physical presence well within America’s sovereign borders. How both sides respond in the aftermath will determine whether China-US tensions worsen further and if we can expect potential future provocations between the two sides in the air, as well as the seas. The Conversation

By Eric Martin & Ana Monteiro | Bloomberg Opinion

Trade in goods between the Us and China climbed to a record in 2022, a reminder that consumers and companies in the world’s two biggest economies remain deeply connected while their governments diverge on a range of economic and political issues.

A12

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

S

Members of the Sardines Canners Association of the Philippines (SCAP) have been seeking a price hike of P3 to help their business stay afloat.

SCAP Executive Director Francisco Buencamino said members of the group do not agree with the DTI’s decision on their petition.

“ That (P1.50 hike) is not acceptable,” Buencamino said during a media briefing organized by the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. on Wednesday. “I do not think my members will agree that it was right.”

Buencamino said SCAP’s petition for a P3 price hike was meant to offset the rise in the costs of their raw materials, such as tin cans and imported tomato paste, which have been affected by the weakening of the peso and global headwinds. For one, he said the price of tin cans have gone up by 37 percent year-on-year.

Buencamino said the SRP on canned sardines has been “stagnant” since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

He claimed that some sardines manufacturers have been pulling out their stocks from supermarket shelves as they have been required to strictly observe the SRP, which led them to incur losses.

Buencamino said canners are now mulling over selling their stocks to other channels, such as wet markets and sari-sari stores, to be able to recoup costs.

P rior to the pandemic, he said canners were able to somehow earn from selling sardines at P18. Today,

he said the pre-pandemic price of canned sardines is lower than the current production cost of canners.

ARDINE manufacturers will appeal the decision of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to increase the suggested retail price (SRP) for canned sardines by only P1.50.B ased on the DTI’s latest SRP matrix released on Wednesday, only five specific brands of canned sardines were allowed to increase their SRP by P1.50.

Under the new SRP matrix, the prices of canned sardines range from P13.25 to P19.58, similar to that in the August 2022 SRP matrix.

SCAP had wanted to increase the price of sardines to P21 per can.

[At P21] that is break-even or there is some profit already. We have to increase by P3 to cover the rise in the costs of our production,” Buencamino said.

He said the industry will suffer sustained losses if the SRP for sardines remains below P20. What we will do is that we have options of selling not through supermarkets but through wet markets and sari-sari stores because they do not go with the SRP,” he said.

B uencamino said manufacturers are subjected to various supermarket fees which they are shouldering and this expands their overall costs.He also revealed that some canners are now grappling with a shortage in sardines.

MOA

with BFAR

THE SCAP official said the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the SCAP did not deliver the requirements of canners due to issues related to the industry’s specifications.

H e said fishers who should supply the sardines to canners during the closed fishing season are unable to meet the required fish sizes and temperature. For one, he said the sardines being brought to the canners are larger than what they require.

T

By Andrea E. San Juan

T he DTI uploaded on its website on Wednesday the much-awaited SRP bulletin. Manufacturers have been requesting for the adjustments in the SRP for months. The latest bulletin, however, reflected tempered price increases.

In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, DTI-Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo said Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual opted to approve the price adjustments as the last SRP bulletin was released nearly six months ago.

This August 2022 suggested retail price bulletin, you would note

that almost 6 months na rin yan bago natin i-galaw ulit kaya nagdecide na si Secretary Pascual na igalaw ito because nasa ‘danger zone’ na rin ‘yung mga manufacturers natin,” Castelo said.

‘Pag hindi pa natin pinayagan, lugi na sobra sobra at hindi na nila kakayanin so baka magsara or magstreamline ng production ang mga manufacturers so kailangan po talagang i-galaw this year pero tempered pa rin siya,” she added.

B ased on the latest price list, the price of Pinoy Tasty went up by P2 to P40.50 from P38.50 while Pinoy Pandesal (10 pcs/pack) rose

by P1.50 to P25 from P23.50 . Bread manufacturers had initially asked for an increase of P4 last year.

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has approved the price increase requests of manufacturers of bread, sardines, luncheon meat, based on its latest Suggested Retail Price (SRP) Bulletin.It’s worth noting that bread manufacturers initially asked for a P4-increase last year. Philippine Baking Industry Group President Jerry Lao said in October the industry’s request for a price increase has been delayed for “six months already” because, he said, they wanted to help consumers stretch their purchasing power.

L ao said, however, the industry is already feeling the adverse impact of increases in the prices of sugar and fuel.

Meanwhile, Castelo said the DTI increased the price of canned sardines by P1.50. The figure is half of the P3 being sought by canned sardines makers.

L ast year, Canned Sardines Association of the Philippines (CSAP) Executive Director Francisco Bunecamino said the petition to increase the SRP for canned sardine by P3 was filed by his grop in July, months before the group warned of a “looming” raw material shortage in the latter part of the year.

B uencamino said the P3 proposed increase is a “very small portion” of the finished canned prices.

B ased on the latest price list, the SRP for canned sardines ranges from P13.25 to as much as P19.58.

M eanwhile, the price of one brand of luncheon meat increased by P3.50 to P39 from P35.50.

Castelo said the DTI did not yet consider the requests of other manufacturers for price adjustments as the agency is trying to balance the interest of consumers and manufacturers.

L ast January 24, the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc. (AmCham) urged the DTI to regularly publish SRP bulletins, noting that its member companies are struggling to continue production given the rising prices of raw materials and services.

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

REDUCING parking fees, imposing price control on essential goods, and providing aid to businesses can help minimize the adverse impact of high inflation on the country’s workforce, according to labor groups.

Federation of Free Workers (FFW)

President Sonny Matula said the government should consider rolling out non-monetary interventions to provide immediate relief to workers and employers from “price pressures.”

Such measures will complement their demand for minimum wage hike before the regional wage boards or in Congress, according to the labor leader.

He noted that reducing parking fees alone, which could be as high P60, can give workers substantial savings.

“ If that will be daily [reduced parking rates], it’s like giving workers a daily pay hike,” Matula said via SMS.

He also said the government should consider providing capital and subsidies to workers’ cooperatives and worker associations for their livelihood projects to help them generate additional income.

For its part, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said such technical aid should be channeled to grant facilities or low-interest lending to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“ Such assistance should be premised on the MSMEs retaining their current employees and/or hiring more workers,” TUCP Vice President Luis Corral said via SMS.

Worse employment indicators

THE labor leaders made the pronouncements after the BusinessMirror reported that some local economists warned that high inflation, which already reached 8.7 percent last month, and “bloated” wage increases could cause more job displacements.

I n its latest Labor Force Survey (LFS) report, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that the number of unemployed increased to 2.22 million from 2.18 million last December compared to November 2022.

T he number of underemployed showed an improvement as it decreased to 6.2 million from 7.16 million in the same period.

O rganized labor said they anticipate a rise in the number of unemployed and underemployed in the coming months without the needed government intervention, especially with the projected global economic slowdown this year.

I’m expecting tough times [for workers] ahead should the expected recession among many of our trade partners happen,” Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) Secretary General Josua Mata said.

“ This is why we have been insisting on the need for a robust public employment program,” he added.

Government response

TO sustain the positive gains in the LFS particularly on the improving quality of employment, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it is reviewing the effectiveness of its programs.

“Any decrease in employment rate, increase in unemployment level and increase in underemployment are indicators that will serve to propel us to review and assess our programs and strategies to do better,” Labor and Employment Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said via SMS.

He said they are currently consulting with the private sector on how to make their programs “more responsive.”

L abor groups have been seeking an audience with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. since last year so they can also provide inputs to the government’s labor policies.

BATAAN SUNSET The magnificent sunset in the coastal town of Morong in Bataan Province, which has become a favorite tourist destination because of its largely untapped beaches. JOEL PAREDES

‘Growth target attainable despite headwinds’

DESPITE higher interest rates and the threat of a global recession, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said GDP growth for this year could hit the low end of the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s (DBCC) target.

“Overall, it will be hard to match 2022 growth rates this year. More likely than not, growth will be within 5.5 to 6.5 percent—which is still an overwhelmingly positive performance,” Salceda said during the 2023 Economic Briefing organized by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on Wednesday in Taguig City.

T he chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means said the “key headwind” for 2023 will be inflation, which he said, “could dampen consumer spending and

erode wages.”

S alceda told reporters on the sidelines of the economic briefing that given the “renewed interest” in the country, a 6-7 percent GDP growth rate is “actually doable.”

T he lawmaker said the growth drivers for this year will be consumer demand and the country’s ability to “suck income” from abroad through the business process outsourcing (BPOs), overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and independent contractors or freelancers.

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said last December 2022 that she is confident that the government will reach the GDP growth target of 6-7 percent set by the DBCC for 2023 despite the external headwinds.

A ccording to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippine economy grew by 7.6 percent in 2022.

However, PSA reported on Tuesday that inflation reached 8.7 percent in January, the highest in 15 years or since November 2008 when inflation clocked in at 9.1 percent.

A teneo Center for Research and Development (ACERD) Associate Director Ser Percival K. Peña-Reyes told the BusinessMirror that should inflation continue to outpace the country’s GDP growth, this could lead to job losses.

If inflation continues to outpace GDP growth, it could dampen consumer spending and trigger a wage-price spiral,” Peña-Reyes told this newspaper. “Maaaring magbawas ng trabaho [Jobs may be shed]

if wages [production costs] go up.”

A s for the growth drivers, Salceda said businesses continue to expect demand. “Gross domestic capital formation in durable equipment continued to grow, especially in water transport and textile machinery.”

“ Nonetheless, signs also point to expectations of slightly slower growth in 2023 compared to 2022,” the lawmaker added.

Meanwhile, Salceda said revenge spending could “cool down” in the first quarter before recovering during the 2nd quarter of the year.

“ Remittance-driven consumption could slow on a quarter-onquarter basis. Historically, OFWs send less money during the first quarter of a new year than they did during the last quarter of the previous year,” he said. Andrea E. San Juan

DTI greenlights hike in SRP for bread, canned products

Labor groups pitch ‘non-fiscal measures’ to combat inflation

GROUP TO APPEAL DTI DECISION ON SRP OF CANNED SARDINES

Continued on A2

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies

B1

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Nickel Asia unit fined by BOC

By VG Cabuag @villygc

The company said it paid the penalty on the same day.

NKL owns four mines operated by its subsidiaries. These are: Rio Tuba mine in Palawan operated by RTN; Taganito mine operated by Taganito Mining Corp.; the Taganaan mine operated by Hinatuan Mining Corp.; and, the Cagdianao mine in Dinagat Islands operated by Cagdianao Mining Corp. The Taganito and Tagana-an mines are both in Surigao del Norte.

In its quarterly report last November, NKL said that despite the lower ore sales volume sold during the period, revenues rose by 2 percent owed largely to higher nickel ore prices and favorable exchange rates.

The Group’s operating mines sold a combined 12.44 million wet metric tons (WMT) of nickel ore during the first three quarters of 2022, compared to 14.44 million WMT in the same period last year, NKL said.

Govt orders APMC to stop operations

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against Altai Philippines Mining Corp. (APMC) in Romblon Province in connection with the alleged illegal construction of a causeway in its mine site in San Antonio, Romblon and other activities.

February 1

NKL said its unit Rio Tuba Nickel (RTN) Mining Corp. loaded nickel ores onto Marine Vessel (MV) Jin Yuan last February 6 without having received an Authority to Load from the BOC.

“On February 7, 2023, the BOC advised RTN representatives that loading should only commence upon RTN’s receipt of the Authority to Load issued by the BOC pursuant

to Section 16 of Customs Memorandum Order 22-2010 Revised Customs Port Operations Manual,” NKL said.

NKL said RTN received verbal instructions from the BOC last February 7 directing it to pay a penalty of P100,000.00 before it could resume the loading of ores onto MV Jin Yuan, a bulk carrier sailing under the flag of Hong Kong.

Saprolite, limonite

THE company has other properties in various stages of exploration for nickel, while continuing to seek opportunities in copper and gold. The company also exports saprolite and limonite ore to customers in Japan and China.

NKL was up 4.35 percent at the stock market after opening at P7.15 closing at P7.44 last February 8.

“The drop in sales volume was almost directly proportional to unrealized workable days caused by unfavorable weather that adversely affected the Group’s mining operations during the current period.”

The company said its revenues during the first three quarters of 2022 were P21.509 billion, higher by P480 million, or 2 percent, compared to P21.029 billion during the same period last year.

DOE to hold 2nd ‘green energy’ auction

THE Department of Energy (DOE) announced the conduct of a second green energy auction in the next few months to further boost the country’s renewable energy (RE) sector.

“To provide a robust and additional market for RE through a transparent and competitive bidding, the DOE is conducting the second round of the “Green Energy Auction (GEA) program’ by the second quarter of

2023,” said DOE Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla during a forum held last February 8. The first round of the auction was conducted in June last year. It generated almost 2,000 megawatts (MW) of capacities that were

committed to deliver energy from 2023 to 2025 at a competitive price lower than or equal to the Green Energy Auction Reserve (GEAR) prices set by the Energy Regulatory Commission. Lenie Lectura

The DENR also ordered its field offices in the Mimaropa Region to thoroughly investigate the alleged violations committed by APMC.

At the same time, the DENR also suspended the company’s ore transport permit in view of the non-operation of its causeway.

The DENR also denied APMC’s application for a Miscellaneous Lease Agreement for violating Commonwealth Act 141 (Public Land Act) and its related issuances.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office of Romblon was ordered to file appropriate legal actions, if warranted, on the alleged illegal cutting of trees without necessary permits and investigate the alleged destruction of seagrass and other marine resources as a result of APMC’s operations.

THE orders were contained in a document issued by the DENR last February 6 but officially released to the media only last Wednesday. It was coursed through the DENR’s Regional Offices of DENR, Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region IV-B MIMAROPA to.

Beginning February 1, the DENR EMB in Mimaropa has issued “Notices of Violation” to APMC for violating Section 4 of Presidential Decree (PD) 1586 (Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System), Republic Act (RA) 6969 or the “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990,” RA 9275 (Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004) and PD 705 for cutting trees without a permit.

“The DENR firmly assures the public, especially the residents of Sibuyan Island, that the Department continues to strictly implement environmental laws in order to ensure the safety of the community and promote inclusive development in the Province of Romblon,” a statement released by the DENR read. Jonathan L. Mayuga

NICKEL Asia Corp. (PSE: NKL) on Wednesday said it was slapped with a P100,000 fine by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for loading nickel ores onto a marine vessel sans the necessary government permit.

Metrobank extends ₧20.5B loan to Aboitiz Equity units

THE Ty family-led Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) announced it has extended P20.5 billion in loans to two business units of the Aboitiz family’s flagship holding firm Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV).

The bulk of the loans worth P15 billion was extended to Therma Luzon Inc., which is under AEV’s power business subsidiary Aboitiz Power Corp. while the remaining P5.5 billion was extended to LIMA Land Inc., a part of AEV’s infrastructure business subsidiary Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.

Therma Luzon aims to use the loan to refinance its general corporate requirements while LIMA Land aims to bankroll the expansion of its real estate business in the LIMA Estate ecozone. Metrobank handed Therma Luzon a custom-made artwork titled “Power.” “Power” is intended to be a

symbol of progress and AEV through Therma Luzon is a strong advocate of empowering Filipinos.

“The sculpture represented power to the people,” the lender said.

For LIMA Land, Metrobank gave a custom-made sculpture, “forged to symbolize the company’s pursuit for building infrastructures to promote growth and expansion aimed to improve the condition of the modern Filipino.”

Metrobank is the country’s second-largest private universal bank.

As of end-September 2022, its capital ratios are among the highest in the industry, with total capital adequacy ratio at 17.2 percent and Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio at 16.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the bank’s consolidated assets stood at P2.7 trillion, making it one of the strongest and well-capitalized banks in the country. Cai U. Ordinario

Allianz PNB Life puts up kiosks to sell insurance

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

ALLIANZ PNB Life Insurance

Inc. announced last Tuesday it put up kiosks it calls “Life Track Station” (LTS) at branches of the Philippine National Bank (PNB) where consumers can inquire and acquire insurance products.

Allianz PNB Life Chief Marketing Officer Gino Riola was quoted in a statement as saying that the LTS “serves as a physical reminder to PNB’s customers of the importance of protection and health.”

“Both organizations share the same customer-centric values, so we want to ensure that, through the LTS, PNB customers know that Allianz’s life-changing insurance solutions are available and accessible to them.”

Allianz PNB Life was born after the Munich, Germany-headquartered financial services company completed a 51-percent stake acquisition of PNB Life Insurance Inc., the life insurance subsidiary of PNB in 2016.

Allianz PNB Life Chief Distribution Officer Christopher Cabognason said the launch of the LTS is “a milestone for us… a symbol of our joint commitment to the customer… that we will hold the customer’s hand and, side by side, look at their financial future and help them create, accumulate, protect and distribute

BSP orders electronic money issuers to buff up war chests

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

outstanding E-money balance below P100 million may continue to comply with the liquidity requirements by holding eligible liquid assets.

EMIs shall be given one year from the effectivity of the revised regulations to comply.

“The revised guidelines reaffirm the BSP’s commitment to uphold the welfare of Filipinos by promoting a safe, secure, and inclusive financial system,” Medalla said.

Capital requirements

their wealth.”

“We will stand by them and let them know if they are on the right track in terms of prosperity, health planning and insurance planning,” Cabognason added.

One of the insurance products customers can avail at the LTS, according to Cabognason, is a 5-year renewable term insurance solution that provides life insurance coverage with protection against critical illness, accident and disability. Moreover, he said financial advisors will also be available for consultation to PNB customers who are interested in Allianz PNB Life’s insurance products.

Allianz PNB Life President and CEO Alexander Grenz was quoted in a statement as saying the LTS represents two things.

First is the good relationship between Allianz PNB Life and PNB, “which has enabled us to hit such milestones in the past few years even through the difficulties of the pandemic. Second is the way we put our customers first.”

“We succeed together because we share in our purpose of securing the future of Filipinos,” Grenz said.

“I think this launch is actually a testament to the never-ending innovations and initiatives that Allianz PNB Life has been embarking on together with PNB,” said PNB Head of Retail Banking Sector Adelia Joson.

Binance signals full audit remains some way off

Binance, the world’s largest digital-asset exchange, indicated a full audit of its assets and liabilities is some way off amid calls for more transparency following the collapse of rival FTX.

The company’s goal is to hire an auditor for the whole balance sheet but big accountants are still learning about the crypto sector, which lacks agreed standards for challenges like price volatility, Binance’s Asia-Pacific head Leon Foong said.

“It’ll take a longer time,” Foong said in an interview. “It shows you the limitations of the more traditional industries because there is a learning curve. Number one, it’s not their core competence. And number two, obviously there’s a lot of scrutiny if they get it wrong.”

Binance sits at the heart of a digital-asset sector facing mounting pressure for greater openness after FTX went bankrupt with an $8 billion hole in its finances. While Binance argues crypto audits are challenging, others point to Nasdaq-listed Coinbase Global Inc.’s annual statements by Deloitte as evidence that they can be done by major accountants.

Reserves report IN December, Binance released a socalled proof-of-reserves report based on a snapshot review by accounting firm Mazars Group. The step was part of an effort to try and reassure about customer assets. The report didn’t amount to a full financial audit and Mazars later suspended work for crypto outfits.

A Binance spokesperson late last year said that user assets “are all backed 1:1 and Binance’s capital structure is debt free.” The comments came just after a spate of outflows that month amid a lack of confidence in the crypto sector.

The exchange in the past month conceded that it mistakenly kept collateral for some of the tokens it issues in the same wallet as exchange-customer funds. It also acknowledged past flaws in the management of its stablecoin’s reserves.

Binance is working on separating the collateral and customer funds as quickly as possible, Foong said in the interview in Singapore. He added that the exchange is also seeking to produce an expanded proof-ofreserves statement. Bloomberg News

The Monetary Board approved the amendments to the guidelines which now require EMIs monthly outstanding E-money balance of at least P100 million to maintain liquid assets in trust accounts equivalent to at least 50 percent of their outstanding E-money balance.

They are also now required to cover the remaining balance with placements in bank deposits, gov-

ernment securities, or other liquid assets acceptable to the BSP.

“The amendments are geared towards equipping EMIs in attending to the evolving needs and behaviors of consumers and in responding to the existing and emerging risks in the financial sector, such as cybersecurity and money laundering,” BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla said.

The BSP added that EMIs with

MEANWHILE, BSP said the new rules set out higher minimum capital requirements for EMIs with largescale operations recognizing the higher risk exposures of said entities.

The issuance defines large-scale EMIs as those with 12-month average value of aggregated inflow and outflow transactions equal to or greater than P25 billion.

Under the guidelines, large-scale EMIs are required to maintain a minimum capital of P200 million while the minimum capital requirement for small-scale EMIs is P100 million.

Consistent with the application of the risk-based principle, the BSP lifted the P100,000 monthly aggregate load limit and now allows EMIs to set predefined limit and threshold per client category based on the results of their institutional risk assessment and customer due diligence process.

The amendments also simplified the classification of EMIs into two categories: (a) EMI-Banks; and (b) EMI Non-Bank Financial Institutions (EMI-NBFI), wherein the latter may include cooperatives. EMIs previously classified as EMI-Others will be grouped under EMI-NBFI.

The guidelines likewise expanded the definition of E-money to include those that may be transferred to other accounts as compared with earlier regulations limiting it to only those withdrawable in cash or cash equivalent.

In addition, the new rules broadened the acceptability of E-money to include merchants and issuers using the same mobile application.

Lawmaker proposes imposing tourist welfare tax

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

ASENIOR lawmaker is seeking the collection of a tourist welfare tax from foreigners, the earnings from which are to augment government funds for tourism-related services.

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay F. Villafuerte filed House Bill (HB) 5285 seeking the collection of a “tourist welfare tax” of $25 from every foreigner visiting the Philippines for tourism and leisure and staying here for a period of not more 60 days. The levy shall be tucked in the cost of his or her airline ticket.

The rest of the collections from this proposed entry tax for foreign tourists are to go to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) for improving services in tourism infrastructure. Collections would also go to tourism offices of local government units (LGUs) for developing or leveling up their respective tourist-friendly programs, said Villafuerte, who had served as three-term CamSur governor before his election as legislator.

In HB 5285, “this tourist tax shall be reflected in official receipts (ORs) issued by international and domestic carriers and which shall then be handed over to the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the development of tourist welfare services, improvement of Tieza’s services in tourism infrastructure and for upgrading the programs of LGU tourism offices in their respective localities.

‘Growing force’

UPON the proposal’s effectivity, Villafuerte said that LGUs are mandated to each devise a 5-year local tourism development plan, which shall include the adoption of measures that are geared towards the safety, security and welfare of tourists.

HB 5285 is pending with the House Committee on Ways and Means.

“Tourism has been a growing force in the Philippine economy,” said Villafuerte, whose province was, at one time, declared by the DOT as the country’s Number-1 destination. The declaration was during Villafuerte’s watch as governor.

The lawmaker noted that the tourism industry has contributed a total of P2.85 trillion to the local economy in 2016, almost

20 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). Villafuerte added that by In 2017, the DOT recorded over 6.6 million tourist arrivals, posting an 11-percent growth from the previous year.

The industry performed well in 2018 and 2019 with a respective rise of 16 percent and 17 percent in tourist arrivals, but the momentum was disrupted the following year with the advent of Covid-19, he said.

Thus, Villafuerte filed HB 5285 “to build on the growth of the tourism industry in the Philippines by generating funds for the improvement of tourist welfare services in the country.”

Entry, exit taxes

ANTICIPATING inflationary pressures in the future, Villafuerte said HB 5285 provides for an adjustment of the tax rate five years after the effectivity of his proposal.

The bill also includes a tax-refund option for tourists erroneously charged and, as an incentive to high-spending visitors, for those who have each spent over $10,000 or its peso equivalent in tourism receipts during their stay in the Philippines.

HB 5285 also exempts from paying this proposed tourist welfare tax foreigners who enter the country on work visas and tourists who stay for more than 60 days. This is “to encourage longstaying, high-spending tourists to visit the Philippines,” the proposal read.

Villafuerte said the government imposes a travel tax on Filipinos traveling abroad without a similar imposition to foreigners visiting the Philippines, while neighboring states tax foreigners, including Filipinos, flying into their countries.

“The fixed rate of $25 is proposed to be competitive with that of the current taxes other countries have set,” he said. “This is mainly based on the average rates of entry and exit taxes imposed by Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Hong Kong and China.”

‘Commonly collected’

VILLAFUERTE explained that the collection of entry and exit taxes has been imposed by other countries on visiting foreign nationals in order to boost their respective tourism development funds.

“This is more commonly col-

lected from travelers flying into a country, where the fee is incorporated into the airline ticket price. In this proposed bill, we follow the same standard of including the ‘Tourist Welfare Tax,’ as it called in HB 5285, in the airfare prices,” he said.

The bill requires all domestic carriers and international carries with flights to the Philippines to act as operators who shall incorporate the tourist tax into the cost of flights to any port of entry in the country and to oversee the collection of this levy accordingly.

As required by the bill, these operators shall register with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) as the withholding agent and remit the tourist tax collections to the BIR, as mandated by the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), as amended.

As for refunds, HB 5285 states that “any person who has erroneously paid or overpaid any tourist tax charged against them may lay claim thereof within three years from the time the erroneous payment or overpayment occurred.”

4.8 million

THE refund may be filed by the concerned tourist at the headquarters of either the DOT or TIEZA or in any of their local or satellite offices.

“Foreign visitors who have spent more than $10,000, or its equal in Philippine pesos, in purchases of goods and services with DOT accredited tour operators shall also be entitled to a refund of the tourist tax and may lay claim thereof,” says the bill.

The bill mandates the DOT, the Tieza and the BIR to coordinate with each other the implementation of this tourist tax as soon as it is signed into law and to supervise its collection.

The respective Secretaries of the DOT and Department of Finance (DOF), commissioner of the BIR and director of Tieza are directed to jointly promulgate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) within 30 days from its effectivity.

DOT Secretary Maria Esperanza Christina Garcia Frasco has told reporters that the government is targeting at least 4.8 million foreign tourists this year.

HB 5285 provisions

TO achieve its goals, House Bill 5285 proposes the following sharing of earnings from the would-be tax on foreign tourists:

n Thirty percent of the collections shall be devoted to initiatives on improving tourist welfare service such as existing and would-be Tourist Information and Assistance Desks, and on Tourist Police training and development program

n Forty percent for the DOT’s use to enhance its programs for improving services in airports and ports, road development projects and improvement of the country’s emergency response capability

n Thirty percent to the tourism infrastructure programs of LGUs to encourage the development of local tourism programs.

Meanwhile, the bill proposes to exempt the following from paying the “tourist welfare tax:”

n Foreign visitors travelling in the country for more than 60 days but not more than one hundred eighty 180 days

n Foreign visitors in the country engaging in official business and have been issued Work Visas or Permits

n Foreign visitors in transit to another destination and who are staying in the country for not more than 24 hours

n Foreign visitors traveling in the country for more than 60 days but not beyond 180 days

n Foreign retirees with valid Special Retiree’s Resident Visas issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI)

n Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) returning to the country permanently or for vacation

n Foreign students in the country for excursion or immersion who have been issued Student Visas

n Persons with disabilities

n Children under the age of 12 who are accompanied by guardians or adults and those under the age of 15 who have secured Waivers of Exclusion Ground from the BI, and allowed admission to the country

n Officials and heads of foreign States visiting the Philippines.

ELECTRONIC Money Issuers (EMI) are now required to maintain higher liquidity and capital requirements to promote their resilience and better protect the interests of electronic money account holders, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Health& Fitness

Climate change is slowly having an impact on human health—expert

By Rory Visco Contributor

West Nile Virus. i n creasing allergens contribute to respiratory allergies and asthma, water quality impacts could result in cholera and other kinds of water-borne disease. Water and food supply impacts can lead to malnutrition and diarrhea, while environmental degradation can result in forced migration, civil conflict and mental health impact. Extreme heat causes heat-related illness and death, cardiovascular failure, and severe weather can lead to injuries, fatalities, and mental health impacts.

got infected resulting to death, and that serious mistake where hospitals not geared up for infection control accepted Covid-19 patients.”

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Malaria is a lifethreatening disease caused by plasmo -

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

malaria-free while Oriental Mindoro, r i zal, a u rora, and Cotabato were declared malariafree in 2022.

a c cording to the Natural r es ources Defense Council (N r D C), global warming is created with the burning of “fossil” fuels such as coal, crude oil and gas. a lt hough these fuels answer the energy needs to produce light in our homes, run our cars and operate factories to produce our daily needs, it also fuels global warming by creating immense amounts of carbon dioxide emissions that a re then trapped in the planet’s atmosphere, thus creating climate change. This means the more carbon dioxide in the air, the hotter the climate gets.

i n h er presentation during the “Stop COV i D D eaths” webinar titled “Climate Change and post-Covid-19 Health Security” that was organized by the University of the Philippines and the UP Manila N i H N ational Telehealth Center together with the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), Dr. Susan Pineda Mercado, co-Chair of the National Panel of Technical Experts of the Philippine Climate Change Commission, said that fossil fuels create greenhouse gases that account for 80 percent of carbon dioxide leading to global warming and ocean acidification.

“The Philippines still has coalfired plants though they should have been phased out completely. Currently, the greatest emitter of fossil fuels in the world is China and unless the bigger countries bring down their emissions, we all suffer. The bigger countries are the ones that have to cut down on their use of fossil fuels though that’s really very contentious,” she said. r i ght now, Dr. Mercado said scientists are aiming for only a 1.5-degree Centigrade increase in temperature by 2030 but they themselves believe it’s not realistic with what’s happening today. They believe an increase of more than 1.5 degrees (some estimates peg it at four degrees) poses a scenario where only reptiles will be able to survive.

Climate Change: the impact on human health

SHE said that rising temperatures, extreme weather, rising sea levels and increasing carbon dioxide levels can result in air pollution, which increases the risk for asthma and cardiovascular disease, changes in vector ecology such as malaria, dengue, encephalitis, Hantavirus, r i ft Valley fever, ly me disease, Chikungunya, and

Slow-onset events—what to do next?

C l i M aT E change, according to Dr. Mercado, will bring about what is called “Slow Onset Events” or SOEs, events that happen so slowly that are hardly noticeable. These include increasing temperature, “desertification” where fertile land becomes a desert due to climate change and other human activities, loss of biodiversity, land and forest degradation, glacial retreat, sea level rise, ocean acidification and salination, where salt water intrudes into ground water.

Climate change is said to be the greatest threat to public health, a threat seen as an existential one due to concerns where humanity’s survival hangs in the balance. Thus, Dr. Pineda pointed out that there should be substantial investments in public health, particularly in the areas of surveillance, laboratories, vaccine production, workforce development and emergency management.

Some of the constraints at the early onset of Covid-19, she noted, was slow testing. “We had only one bio-safety level laboratory 3. Testing was slow since we were not prepared for an outbreak. There was also no local Personal Protective Equipment [PPE] production so health workers

She reiterated the need to create a good laboratory and surveillance network, which is what many countries have done already, to test and determine if there is a new virus or if there are mutations happening that could impact the country’s control measures. “Creating a good laboratory and surveillance network should be made a part of an overall plan for pandemic preparedness by putting in the necessary investments,” Dr. Mercado emphasized.

She also pointed to having a body of technical experts who are highly skilled in surveillance, a body that is somewhat similar to the US Centers for Disease Control and Protection, our own Philippine CDC. “We have to purposely be better at surveillance and start looking at how we’re going to manage all infections in the country and not just Covid-19.”

Dr. Mercado also suggested the “repurposing” of the Quezon i n stitute, which used to be the center for tuberculosis, into a National Center for Pandemic Preparedness and r e sponse, and to stockpile PPEs that can be given to health workers when they need it. Given the conditions of climate change, she said, another pandemic may hit the world again.

Many people, Dr. Mercado pointed out, don’t notice SOEs but they are slowly affecting people’s lives and they don’t seem to be acting as much as they should. “ it ’s happening so slowly that unless you step back, you don’t realize that the Earth is actually on fire or underwater in many places and you think it’s just something that happened to you today not realizing how widespread it is.”

dium parasites transmitted by the anopheles mosquito or rarely through blood transfusion and sharing of contaminated needles causing acute febrile illness and symptoms in the form of fever, headache and chills.

Untreated, P. falciparum malaria may progress to severe illness and possibly, death.

The Philippines carries a high burden of malaria disease in the past but with the unrelenting efforts of the Department of Health-National Malaria Control and Elimination Program (DOH-NMCEP) cases and deaths has been reduced significantly, that the country is now inching towards elimination.

Malaria-free

ExCEPT f or Palawan, DOH officer-in-charge Maria r o sario Vergeire said that 80 out of 81 provinces in the country are now malaria-free.

“

Ang criteria nito [Malariafree provinces] is the absence of local transmission of malaria for the past five years,” Vergeire explained in a media forum on Tuesday.

Vergeire said that since 1995, Cebu, Bohol, and Catanduanes were already declared

i n 2019, the DOH already targeted to reduce malaria incidence rate by 90 percent by 2022.

The DOH was able to realize the goal, through strategies which include early diagnosis and complete treatment, use of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying of insecticide.

Symptoms

Malaria is contracted from a bite of an infective female a no pheles mosquito that breeds in rivers and lakes.  it c an also be transmitted by blood transfusion, and possibly mother to child before and or during birth.

The symptoms usually start approximately nine to 14 days after the bite of an infective mosquito.

However, in some types of malaria, the symptoms may appear one to several months after the infective mosquito bite.

The symptoms include high fever, headache, chills and shivers, nausea and vomiting.

i n severe form, it may include severe vomiting and diarrhea, generalized convulsion, delirium and impaired consciousness, followed by coma and possibly death.

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

THE private sector is pushing pharmaceutical companies to apply for a Certificate of Product r e gistration (CPr ) in order to make Covid-19 vaccines available to the public.

This was the statement of Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion in response to a call for the business community to forego its plan on purchasing new vaccines meant to counter the stronger variants of Omicron.

Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Dr. Maria r osario Vergeire recently made an appeal for businesses to refrain from procuring them as they may lead more waste.

Tanco-led Maestro Holdings and RelianceUnited, a subsidiary of United l a boratories (Unilab), the leading pharmaceutical company in the Philippines and Southeast a s ia, has formed a partnership that would give members of pioneering health maintenance organization Phil c a re access to RelianceUnited’s full-service HealthFirst c l inic. The partnership affirms the two companies’ commitment to provide the best h ealth-care services to their clients and further cements their position as two of the most dynamic institutions in the country’s health-care industry. “It further reflects our commitment to not just provide quality and smarter health care to our members, but to also make it more accessible in terms of costs and location,” Phil c a re President and ceo Jaeger l . Tanco said.

“This is just the beginning of our wonderful journey as partners united in the mission to be a reliable health-care provider to Filipinos.”

RelianceUnited aims to provide simpler and better corporate healthcare to Filipino

employees armed with its comprehensive network of healthcare facilities, highquality service, and automated processes.

Phil c a re members can now enjoy consultations and laboratory diagnostic tests in HealthFirst c l inic branches in Metro Manila and c e bu. HealthFirst c l inic is located in Mandaluyong, c u bao, c e bu, a l abang, and e a stwood, with another opening in Bonifacio Global c ty in the first quarter of 2023.

The partnership also brings comfort and convenience to another level by providing Phil c a re members an exclusive cobranded area in HealthFirst c inic branches to save them from long queues, and by allowing them to easily schedule annual medical exams, and see lab results conveniently online.

“ Through the partnership, we get to further live out our mission to deliver quality, personalized care in a cost-effective w ay to Filipinos,” RelianceUnited President d avid San Pedro said. “With our pursuit aligned, I believe Phil c a re and HealthFirst will achieve more in the near future.”

‘WE h ave 6 million less smokers today because of tobacco taxes. This is equivalent to about 60,000 deaths prevented in 2022 alone. That’s a lot of lives saved, more than i think the medical community could think of saving in our lifetime, but it’s something our legislators did just by signing a law—they saved lives.”

This was the statement of Dr. a ntonio Dans, clinical epidemiologist from the UP College of Medicine, on behalf of the Sin Tax Coalition, at the anniversary of the Sin Tax r e form l a w or r e public a c t 10351, held from January 19-20, 2023, at the Edsa Shangrila Manila.

The broad coalition of civil society reformers that worked together to legislate an unprecedented number of sin tax increases came together to celebrate the reforms’ gains.

December 2022 marked the tenth year since the signing of the landmark Sin Tax r e form l a w, which was followed by a tobacco and alcohol tax increase in the T r ai N l a w in 2017, another increase in taxes on tobacco

and an introduction of taxes on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products in 2019 through ra 11346, and an increase in taxes on alcohol, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products in 2020 through ra 11467.

Tobacco tax champions from the a qu ino and Duterte administrations, including former Secretaries of Health Dr. Enrique Ona and Dr. Francisco Duque iii , a nd former Secretaries of Finance Cesar Purisima and Carlos Dominguez, were recognized for their instrumental roles in the tax increases which successfully tripled the budget of the Department of Health since 2012 levels and played an integral role in the Philippines’ credit rating upgrade in 2013.

The World Health Organization commended the group for the reforms which lowered smoking prevalence rates from 30 percent in 2009, before the reform, to 19.5 percent in 2021. These statistics indicate that the reform successfully raised prices on cigarettes, prevented new smokers from initiating smoking habits, and made current smokers quit.

“The private sector will no longer buy bivalent vaccines. This is not anymore in step with the waning demand because people believe they already have natural immunity,” the entrepreneurial czar said, while citing that vaccinations will be voluntary.

“What we are saying is that the pharmaceutical companies should be encouraged to apply for CPr s s o that they can be made available to the public, the same way that vaccines for pneumonia and shingles are readily available at the pharmacies,” he added.

Concepcion assured Dr. Vergeire that even if there will not be any procurement of the updated booster soon from the private sector, he hopes that such Covid-19 vaccine can become one of the regular vaccines in the country before 2023 ends.

“What we are looking at is the situation down the road, when we will need to renew our booster shots, like we do for the flu, and this is when people should have access to the Covid-19 vaccines. We see this happening toward the end

of the year, and maybe this will be a time when people will pay for their vaccines and the government doesn’t need to buy it anymore,” he said.

Avoid wastage

la S T February 6, Dr. Vergeire bared that around 26 million Covid jabs remain unused, 16 million doses of which are kept in the national warehouse, while 10 million are already distributed to different local government units. Such figure is on top of the 24 million doses that have already expired.

“ i agree that there is enough supply for the government; there is no issue there. We also are aware of the wastage and i believe we should save our taxpayers’ money for other things, like helping our economy become stronger,” Concepcion said.

The country may be “in a good place right now” in so far as the easing pandemic situation is concerned, “but that doesn’t mean that a CPr is no longer needed,” he pointed out.

i n a n interview during the l a ging Handa Public Briefing on Monday, the Go Negosyo founder said that the target of 1 million vaccines to be made available over-the-counter is “good enough” given the “waning interest in the vaccines because people believe they have natural immunity already.”

He agreed with Dr. Vergeire that available vaccines must be used, as “donations are coming and that will be more than enough.”

“But let’s give people a chance to protect themselves. We support the prioritization of the seniors, the health-care workers and those with comorbidities, but we should also look after those who may be outside of these priority groups but will nevertheless need protection,” Concepcion stressed.

EVERwondered why the world’s polar caps are melting? Did your heart melt when you saw a polar bear standing precariously atop a small chunk of ice that came from melted polar caps?

PHL is almost malaria free, says DOH exec

Private sector defers vax procurement; pushes for cPR to ensure availability

Unilab subsidiary Maestro Holdings teams up with RelianceUnited for smarter health-care services

PhilC Ar e President and CeO Jaeger Tanco with relianceUnited President David San Pedro

Sin Tax Coalition members with government champions and international partners from the World health Organization, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, and The Asia Foundation.

Health advocates celebrate 6 million less Filipino smokers on 10th anniversary of Sin Tax Reform law

The month to grow family love and laughter: Part I

grow love and laughter in the family. Let me start with the “why.”

Mental health problems have become a “closer to home” issue for many families. The extremely prolonged lockdown of children in the Philippines, out of physical school and face-to-face social interactions, has had different effects on each child.

FEBRUARY has always been a special month for me because it is my birth month. I have shared in a previous column how I was supposed to have another sibling before me, supposedly a boy, but my mother had a miscarriage. I heard my mother really wanted a boy, so she was a bit sad when I turned out to be a girl. I am not sure if that is the reason, but after I was born I was supposedly left in the nursery for almost a year. But thanks to the loving people around me, whom I have honored in my previous columns, I have always “celebrated” my birth each year with a combination of “poignancy” and gratitude. Special shout out to the midwives in the nursery, who were total strangers, but probably hugged me a lot and gave me a lot of warm care.

I have always associated February with the color red, not because of Valentine’s Day, but because it was my favorite color when I was growing up, and my birthday has always been the time when I magnify all that life has blessed me. Regardless of the state I am in a year, but especially when I face difficult years, my childhood of simple laughter is always something that I would go back to and draw strength from on my special day and for the coming year. Through the years during my birth month, I would visit my grandfather and grand aunt’s urn spots at the temple, or go to Tasty’s Dumpling by myself or visit the laundry and ironing area in my childhood home, where my nanny Manang Eyang and I spent the most time during my toddler and preschool years. This time of stepping back to my quiet space has always allowed me to cry again if I felt like it, then move on to gratitude, and always ending up with funneling all these emotions to grow more love and laughter with the people I love, especially my family.

This February, I found it timely to share my thoughts and practical ways on why and how to

When it comes to parenting, my children’s mental and emotional health has always been my main priority. I felt early on that patiently building “bodymind-heart” blocks for my children were equally, if not more important, than academic enrichment. My hope is for these efforts to help each of my children have strong inner cores, find their passions, and courageously go through life without limits.

This became even more important when I found out in 2018 from a talk I attended in New York that depression will be the No. 1 health issue by 2030, according the World Health Organization. I studied how my children could be prepared for the complexities of emotions they might encounter, especially during their adolescent years. My most critical take-home: Children are best supported by the warmth and security of family love, and the warm memories when they laugh and learn they get to “deposit” in their hearts and minds.

But before I go further, I want to share first that if we want to have emotionally strong children, we also need to work on being emotionally strong ourselves. One practical way is building our own “Joy Bank”. Try to list your happiest moments in your lives. This “Joy Bank” allows us to have a purse to draw from any small or major happy moments whenever we face difficult times. Secondly, face our hurts by listing them all down. Push to forgive those who have hurt you, but, more importantly, push to forgive yourself for allowing others to hurt you.

Before I end the first part of this column entry, let me share to you my speech to my friends on my 35th birthday. I was at one of the saddest points in my life but I pushed myself to see joy:

Since this will be my only party for at least another 10 years, allow me to be a bit poetic.

Yesterday, I said goodbye to what was. Today, I embrace the freedom to define what true family is. It is not blood. It is the genuine unconditionality of accepting who we are and being there for each other no matter what. I thank each and everyone of you for letting me realize that life is and will always be good.

Through the years, I lived by my many philosophies. All of you know my rigidity,

my intensity and my stubbornness. I have my own thought process and I value my personal bubble. So, I just want to thank all of you, especially my loving husband, for putting up with me. (He is) truly my rock.

“Lastly but definitely not the least, I would like to take time to thank my family, my kids, especially my dad, for being strong for us and for always believing in me. My sister Joan, who I am very proud of. And of course, my Amah, aunts and uncles, who have been great examples to me.

So, today, let’s raise our glasses because today is truly a new beginning of love and passion.”

How to create your retirement glide path

WHAT ROLE WILL WORK PLAY IN YOUR RETIREMENT?

SOME employers have phased retirement programs that allow people to cut back to part-time work while retaining a paycheck and benefits. Other companies don’t have formal plans but may be willing to accommodate an employee who asks, particularly if the worker is a high performer, says Joe Casey, a retirement and executive coach in Princeton, New Jersey, and the author of Win the Retirement Game: How to Outsmart the 9 Forces Trying to Steal Your Joy.

Phased plans give employers time to look for a successor while allowing workers to ease into retirement, says Melissa Shaw, a wealth management adviser for financial services firm TIAA in Palo Alto, California.

“They still have more freedom to start to enjoy and plan for the next phase,” Shaw says. “It’s a good way to transition.” If phased retirement isn’t an option, a parttime job or consulting work can help people keep a foot in the work world while they shape their postwork life, Shaw adds.

HOW WILL YOU STAY CONNECTED AND SHARP?

By Liz Weston NerdWallet

IN investing terms, a “glide path “ describes how a mix of investments changes over time. Typically, the mix gets more conservative—with fewer stocks and more bonds, for example—as the investor approaches a goal such as retirement.

You also can create a glide path into retirement by making gradual changes in your working and personal life in the months or years before you plan to quit work. Retirement can be a jarring transition, especially if you haven’t set up ways to replace the structure, sense of purpose and socializing opportunities that work can bring, says financial coach Saundra Davis, executive director of Sage Financial Solutions, a nonprofit financial education and planning organization in San Francisco.

“People are excited to leave [work], but then once they leave, they feel that pressure of ‘How do I define myself?’” Davis says. “’Am I important now that I’m no longer in the workforce?’”

WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR LIFE TO LOOK LIKE?

DAVIS suggests people start by thinking about what they want from retirement. That could mean visualizing your ideal day: where you’re living, what you’re doing, who you’re spending time with.

Free tools such as YearCompass and Unravel Your Year can help you identify what “sparks joy” for you and what you want more of in your life, Davis says. These tools allow you to reflect on your recent past and plan for the future.

“What are the things that have been calling you? What gives you energy?” Davis asks.

Your ideal retirement may well face roadblocks: a lack of money, ill health or the need to provide care for someone else, for example. But understanding what you really want from this phase of your life can help you figure out ways to get what’s most important, she says.

Just because you might have some limitations, either physical or emotional or financial, don’t assume that that counts you out,” Davis says.

Discuss your vision of retirement with your spouse or partner to “see if you’re on the same page,” suggests David John, senior strategic policy adviser for the AARP Public Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. Your significant other may have different ideas about when to retire, where to live and what they want to do with their time, and those should be discussed before either of you quits work, John notes.

We tend to assume that people agree with us, when we haven’t had a formal discussion about something, and that can prove to be a mistake,” John says.

NEDA recognizes deaf school with volunteer award

THE Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) under the auspices of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) recently recognized the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) of the De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) as the Regional Outstanding Volunteer Organization in the National Capital Region (NCR).

T he award was solely granted to the institution under the non-profit category of the Search for the Outstanding Volunteers (SOV) 2022.

The Regional Outstanding Volunteer Organization title, which was first received by Benilde SDEAS in 2019, commends the dedication of the school and its Center for Deaf Esteem and Formation (CDEAF) in its commitment to help Deaf scholars develop their faith, social responsibility, creativity and innovation through formation programs.

Motivated with the mission to promote inclusive education, it guides its learners to acquire knowledge, skills and values to achieve excellence with integrity both in their academic and personal lives.

The CDEAF is led by Director Dr. Bea Francisco, with program coordinators William I. Sidayon Jr., Michael Jose R. Autencio, Ma. Fe Andrea R. Faustino and Zernice Mae R. Cruz, along with trainers Ma. Lovella M. Catalan and Myra V. Medrana.

LONELINESS doesn’t just diminish the quality of your days—it also can diminish the quantity. Social isolation and loneliness significantly increase someone’s odds of premature death and are associated with about a 50 percent increased risk of dementia as well as higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many people underestimate the social connections that work provides, Davis says. They also may not anticipate how much their social circles can shrink over time as people move away or die. Davis recommends making friends of different generations to counteract that trend. Hobbies and volunteering are among the ways to find prospective friendships, she says.

But it can also help to find friends or mentors among people who have retired, Shaw says.

Senior centers, social connection sites like Meetup and the AARP Foundation’s Connect2Affect service are other ways to find potential social contacts. One of Shaw’s clients connected with a group of retirees at a gym before he retired, combining his desire to stay active and healthy with an informal support group, Shaw says.

Having others around you who have experienced retirement and who can provide support and tips and share ideas is extremely valuable,” Shaw says. AP

The organization likewise encourages students to become capable and valueladen Deaf leader-advocates by promoting volunteering through various community programs that benefit both the Deaf community and the general public.

Established in 2001, this year-long pursuit headed by PNVSCA and the National Volunteer Month Steering Committee validates and honors individuals, organizations and local government units for their “exceptional performance and achievements in empowering communities and contributing to the country’s developmental goals.”

It is conducted in coordination with NEDA Regional Offices (NROs), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA).

PNVSCA, a government agency that advocates and recognizes volunteer programs and services in the Philippines, closely works with various private and public sectors in the country in linking and ensuring that the diverse volunteering efforts and resources are “aligned with national priorities and assist especially the marginalized sectors and communities.”

PHOTO BY JONATHAN BORBA ON UNSPLASH

Ortigas Market Holds Medical Mission for Sanitation, Security, Traffic Personnel

Mang Inasal features fast rising star Jane De Leon in the new Ihaw-Sarap Chicken Insal campaign

MANG Inasal, the country's Grill

Expert, kicks off its year-long 20th anniversary celebration with a new Chicken Inasal campaign highlighting the product's unique Ihaw-Sarap taste and big serving.

The new campaign is topbilled by fastrising star Jane de Leon who will also appear in a TV commercial enjoying the two-in-one sa Laki, Tagos ang Ihaw-Sarap Chicken Inasal.

“Mang Inasal welcomes Jane de Leon to our family of endorsers as she perfectly embodies aspects of Mang Inasal’s brand personality," said Mang Inasal Business Unit head Mike V. Castro. "Jane is simple, fun, and passionate about what she does. And just like our Chicken Inasal, she is now part of our customers' daily source of happiness.”

Similarly excited with the partnership, De Leon admitted to being a Mang Inasal fan since childhood.

“Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal is one of my comfort food since I was a kid,” said De Leon. “I associate Mang Inasal with happy moments in my life and joining the Mang

TO thank the sanitation staff, security personnel and traffic enforcers who kept Ortigas Market clean and safe, DTC Promos Inc. and Getz Pharma held a Medical Mission on January 21, 2023 in Pasig City.

Under its health advocacy program, Galing ng Every Juan, Getz Pharma fielded doctors, clinicians and a pharmacist to provide laboratory, consultancy, spirometry, bone screening, health and nutrition counselling as well as free medicines to more than 100 beneficiaries from Pasig City, Ortigas Center Association (OCAI) and Ortigas Market vendors.

The Medical Mission is part of the commitment of DTC Promos Inc., the organizer of the Ortigas Market, to

promote wellness in the community.

Averell Gaspar, General Manager of Getz Pharma, explained that the medical mission was their way of thanking this sector and giving them access to free health care through a whole package of services offered during the event.

Lawyer Diego Luis Santiago, Pasig City Deputy Administrator, was also on hand to thank Gaspar, for the generous donations which also included food vouchers that could be redeemed in exchange for food and drink sold by the Market vendor partners.

The Ortigas Market opened last October 1, 2022 as a social enterprise of DTC Promos Inc., in partnership with the City of Pasig, Barangay San Antonio and OCAI.

The Market is open every Saturday

from 5 a.m. to 2 pm. Visitors come to the market to savor culinary delights as well as feast their aesthetic sense with unique crafts from all over the metropolis.

This project is made possible by media partners, Manila Bulletin, DWIZ, Home Radio, BusinessMirror, Pilipino Mirror, Cook Magazine, Health & Fitness and Philippines Graphic Magazine and Mayani.

The market is also supported by UNOX Ovens, SySu International, All About Baking, Gifted Minds PR Agency and other institutional partners.

For more information, visit the Ortigas Market FB Page or contact Joana Liza Canoy/ Mobile # 09616661912, Joshua Delos Reyes# Mobile # 09271850593 and Richard Bayles/Mobile # 09971743815.

Shop Safely This 2023: 5 signs your online transaction may be a scam

products or not as advertised. Legitimate websites and online shopping platforms have clear return or refund policy instructions. Check the reviews. Consider negative reviews and existing complaints on social media. Seller's details must be available. The seller must be available in different communication channels through social media, text, or the online shopping app. Legitimate sellers reply to queries and concerns promptly.

While there are measures to protect oneself against online scams, people will still fall prey to these scammers.

To safeguard Filipino online shoppers, FPG Insurance pioneered the creation of a tailor-made insurance product for a safer shopping experience.

Inasal family really puts my 2023 as my happiest.”

For 20 years now, Mang Inasal has been the go-to brand for Filipinos who want delicious and satisfying Ihaw-Sarap food and Unli-Saya experience. On top of their favorites is the flagship Mang Inasal product, Chicken Inasal, which they enjoy with unli-rice.

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National Health Insurance Month is observed every February to underscore its importance

FEBRUARY of each year marks the country’s observance of National Health Insurance (NHI) Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1400 s. 2007 which underlines the important role of social health insurance in every Filipino’s life.

The National Health Insurance Program, as a social health insurance (SHI) scheme, is a form of financing and managing health care based primarily on risk pooling. The SHI pools the health risks of the people on one hand; and the contributions of individuals, households, enterprises, and the government on the other. This system protects people against the financial burden of diseases and is considered a relatively fair method of financing health care.

The NHIP is guided by the principle of social solidarity or community spirit, where risks are shared among income groups, age groups, persons of differing health status and those residing in different geographical areas. This solidarity principle is best exemplified by the spirit of Bayanihan where everyone carries the burden towards achieving a common goal, which in this case is to provide every Filipino with adequate financial protection when seeking medical care through everyone’s contributions, big or small.

The Bayanihan spirit is best demonstrated in the PhilHealth program where the young is helping the old, the healthy subsidizing the sick, those earning more is subsidizing those who are earning less, and where the able subsidizes the poor and the vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

The theme for this year, “Pinalawak at mga Bagong Benepisyo para sa Mamamayang Filipino,” amplifies its commitment to continuously expand and to make the benefits even more responsive to the changing medical care needs of the Filipino people.

The observance aims to stimulate public awareness on the issues involving social health insurance and to encourage partners in fulfilling their respective roles to ensure the success of the NHI program, i.e., for Direct Contributors to religiously pay their contributions, for employers to remit and report their contributions on time, for health-care providers to file claims that are in order, among many others.

This is also an opportune time to inform the public of the essential role that PhilHealth plays in each family’s health as well as how social health insurance works to shield Filipinos against costly hospitalization. During the pandemic years alone, PhilHealth paid a total of P307.70 billion in benefits for over 33.93 million claims filed on behalf of the members and their dependents.

To further raise awareness on the NHI Month, PhilHealth is spearheading low profile but high impact activities such as a press conference to announce new and expanded health care benefits for rollout in 2023 and beyond, and a Social Health Insurance symposium involving internal and external stakeholders to showcase its various feats in the implementation of the NHIP especially during the pandemic years.

THE Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way Filipinos do shopping. The lockdowns have brought about an increase in online shopping transactions. However, this has also brought about an increase in digital fraud.

Based on the Global Consumer Pulse Survey by TransUnion, there has been an increase in digital fraud attempts against businesses and consumers in the country during the pandemic, with 44 percent of Filipino consumers targeted by digital fraud.

Recent cases of text phishing scams include pretending to come from legitimate companies, while some messages display the full name and address of users. These have sparked public concern. The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) reported that scammers had stolen millions of dollars from unsuspecting Filipinos victimized by both local and international fraud schemes in the last quarter of 2022.

Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky also noted that the country had the most phishing emails that target online payment systems in the Southeast Asian region for the first half of 2022 due to the increased number of electronic

commerce platforms for beauty, lifestyle, and technology, among others.

Despite the decreasing number of digital fraud cases in 2022, online scams and phishing will continue to remain prevalent if Filipinos remain less wary about securing their online shopping presence.

With these, here are some warning signs on online transactions and determine if it may just be another scam.

Check if the website's universal resource locator or URL has no "S" in its “HTTPS” domain. The S in HTTPS indicates that the website is secure. Any sensitive data, such as those handled by online banking services, email providers, retailers, etc., will be transferred safely from the buyer to the website. An HTTPS domain prevents websites from having their information disclosed to anyone.

Be wary of sites or sellers that ask for financial information immediately, such as banking details, card information, or other sensitive financial details, even if you still need to add to your cart.

Return policy should be clear. In compliance with the Consumer Act of the Philippines, consumers have the right to be compensated for receiving defective

“We’re really customer-centric - and what’s key for us is to really adapt and make sure that we’re always relevant in the changing times,” Sharon Navarro, Chief Underwriting Officer of FPG Insurance, said in a November interview as she expressed the need to protect Filipinos during this digital era.

Aptly called MyCyberProtect Mate, this insurance product protects online buyers from undelivered goods and losses due to unauthorized transfer of funds (online bank accounts, electronic wallets, or credit and debit cards) through phishing, malware, or electronic fund transfer. The product also covers identity theft, cyberbullying, and other applicable online fraud or scams.

People insured with MyCyberProtect Mate are given round-the-clock service through a dedicated team of cybersecurity experts to help those experiencing problems with their online transactions.

FPG Insurance is the first to offer a cybersecurity insurance product in the Philippines, focused on protecting Filipinos with innovative solutions. The company continuously raises awareness of this product, with upcoming partnerships to reach every Filipino, including those in the provinces.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), being the administrator of the National Health Insurance Program as provided for in Republic Act 7875 as amended, spearheads the nation’s observance in parallel with its 28th anniversary on February 14.

The state insurer also enjoins government agencies including local government units, the mass media and the entire citizenry to support the celebration geared towards fulfilling the vision of providing all Filipinos with equitable access to adequate, affordable and acceptable health care services without resulting to economic hardship; now and into the future.

Powerbanks can be eco-friendly too with InfinityLab

How does InfinityLab do this?

ZERO Carbon Emission or Carbon

Free 2050 is the main goal of all nations. That may be 27 years away from now, but in line with this, the United Nations has encouraged all world leaders to help and embrace the 17 goals.

In Rio de Janeiro back in 2012, when the UN Sustainable Development Summit was held, it set this goal, which garnered support not only from 187 countries but also from millions of corporations to do their part in saving our Mother Earth.

InfinityLab has taken its course ahead by complying with the UN SDG. They have carefully studied and carefully selected the materials that they will be using, from manufacturing, to packaging, to recycling.

That is the complete cycle that they have in mind with 90% of it is completely recyclable.

INFINITYLAB has sourced out FSC certified materials. These materials are made from trees, such as wood, which can be 100% completely recyclable or partially recyclable. FSC is a third party organization that regulates and certifies trees that can be used in producing wooden materials. Aside from that, the packaging itself is made from soy ink, which is plant-based, so it is totally made from nature and not from any chemicals.

InfinityLab is also designed with advanced technology that keeps you safe from overheating caused by charging and also protects the device from over voltage conditions. It is also slim and lightweight. So the next time you choose your powerbank, go for the brand that is totally eco-friendly. Get the InfinityLab powerbank.

For any other information you need about InfinityLab, please visit infinitylab. com.ph.

Need more information about these amazing products? Connect with us at Beyond Innovations and we will reach out to you.

GETZ Pharma GM Averell Gaspar and Ortigas Market Organizer Marissa Dames, welcomed more than 100 beneficiaries who availed of the package of free services including consultation, medicines, Laboratory at the Medical Mission held last January 21 in Pasig City.

Canada’s new ambassador presents credentials to BBM

Pacific Strategy, which identified the Philippines as a key partner. In the coming year we will be working hard to advance its implementation in diverse areas such as defense and security, trade and investment, environment and climate change, and human rights.”

Hartman also cited that in 2024, both countries will also mark 75 years of diplomatic cooperation, which he considers a significant milestone in their historic and comprehensive relationship.

THE new Canadian envoy highlighted the depth, breadth and unlimited potential of his country’s bilateral links with the Philippines, as he presented his diplomatic credentials to President Ferdinand R.

“Our countries are bound by extensive people-to-people ties. We are further linked by our shared commitment to peace and stability, democracy, and a rules-based inter-

national order,” Ambassador David Hartman said in his meeting with the Chief Executive on January 31 at Malacañang Palace. “Together we are working to address shared pri-

orities, like the fight against climate change, poverty reduction, economic recovery, supply-chain resilience, food security, and responsible oceans management.”

Today there are nearly 1 million Canadians of Filipino origin. The diplomat noted that they “who now live and work in our country have been a welcome addition to Canadian society, recognized for their hard work, diligence, and warmth. The bridges these ties have built span the Pacific, setting the stage for the continued growth of [our two-way] relationship.”

The future, he asserted, is one filled with opportunity. “In November 2022 Canada launched its Indo-

Taiwan touts its tourism potential in Traveltour ‘23

Prior to his appointment as ambassador to the Philippines, Hartman served as director-general of Global Affairs Canada’s South Asia Bureau. He previously was executive director of GAC’s Greater China Division, acting director-general of the Invest in Canada Bureau, as well as director of the Trade Commissioner Service’s business sectors division responsible for the aerospace and defense, automotive, and information and communication technologies industries. He joined Canada’s foreign service in 1998.

Hartman has a Master’s degree in History from the University of Ottawa, and a Bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University. He is also a graduate of the Public Sector Leadership and Governance program from the former institution, and the University of Oxford’s Advanced Management and Leadership Program.

US Peace Corps volunteers return

ON January 30 American volunteers arrived in the country to resume the United States Peace Corps’ work in the sectors of education, youth development, and coastal resource management to benefit communities in Luzon and the Visayas. The 37 newly arrived volunteers are the 279th US Peace Corps batch to serve in the Philippines since 1961. At the invitation of the Philippine government, they will fulfill a set of roles requested by host-communities for the coming 27 months. These include joint teaching of English in public elementary and secondary schools, serving as youth-development facilitators in Department of Social Wel-

fare and Development-accredited organizations and residential shelters, while aiding local governments in establishing marine protected areas and implementing coastal resourcemanagement plans.

Starting this they will be deployed to their permanent sites in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, La Union, Laguna, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Camarines Sur, Bohol, Cebu, Capiz and Negros Oriental. They will undertake two months of language, technical and cultural training prior to deployment.

Additional volunteers will arrive in the Philippines in May, August and September, as the US Peace Corps

ramps up its operations anew this year.

“We are thrilled to welcome the first group of American Peace Corps volunteers to the Philippines since the start of the pandemic,” US Peace Corps country director Jenner Edelman said. “We are ready to meet this historic moment with our community partners and staff.”

The US Peace Corps suspended its global operations and repatriated American volunteers from more than 60 countries, including those from the Philippines, in March 2020 due to the onset of the Covid-19 health crisis. Despite their absence, US Peace Corps staff continued to work closely with the Philippine government and

other local partners to vaccinate over 27,000 Filipinos against the coronavirus, support nationwide distance learning, prepare schools for safe resumption of face-to-face classes, introduce alternative income-generating activities to communities recovering from the pandemic, and strengthen community-level volunteerism.

For decades the US Peace Corps has engaged in critical global health-care work, and the pandemic was no exception. According to the US Embassy in Manila, volunteers will continue to work with community members to make progress against the biggest development hurdle the world has faced in more than a century.

UNDP enhances DICT’s emergency responsiveness with new equipment

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Phils. held a ceremonial handover activity of disaster responsecommunications equipment on January 26 at the University of the Philippines-Diliman’s College of Science Amphitheater.

Under the “Immediate Response, Recovery, and Resilience Initiatives in Typhoon Odette Affected Areas” project of UNDP, the transfer aims to ensure the assets’ continued use for DICT’s disaster and emergency response by strengthening its coordination and communications capacity.

In the event Dr. Selva Ramachandran who is UNDP Phils.’ resident representative, together with Undersecretary Manuel Anthony S. Tan and Assistant Secretary Wilroy V. Ticzon of the DICT, signed the Deed of Transfer of all disaster-response equipment and assets to the agency, as four remaining emergencyresponse vehicles were also handed over to the agency. They will be instrumental in addressing the needs of the affected areas in the aftermath of Typhoon “Odette” (international name Rai), where coordination and communica-

tions were severely disrupted.

“The Philippines is vulnerable to the effects of climate change and natural disasters. How do we lessen the burden on our people? The government is proactively working hand-in-hand to provide better disaster preparedness, speedy emergency response, and faster recovery time,” said Tan.

Dr. Ramachandran pointed out in his message that UNDP will remain committed to assisting national and local governments in building resilient communities, and in strengthening their adaptive capacity to climate-related natural hazards: “I… would like to commend the [DICT’s proactive stand…that played a key role during ‘Odette’s onslaught],’ and we hope…this joint endeavor will help in coping with future disasters.”

Ticzon also reaffirmed the DICT’s vow to disaster response and improving equal access to emergencies: “[We have a collaborative engagement with UNDP in carrying out disaster response and recovery work toward community resilience, with a goal of improving equal access to sustainable basic service through the provision of various emergency-response equipment. They will enable us to seek recovery, while planning the restoration of bypass services,] infrastructures and other measures in resiliencebuilding.”

In 2022 UNDP delivered the first set of assets and equipment to DICT, including six pick-up trucks, 20 units of mobile radio-communication systems, 40 units of very small aperture terminals or VSATs, 50 units of gen-

erator sets, 30 units of rugged tablets, 40 units of satellite phones, and one base transceiver station.

In coordination with DICT’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Division, the items have been distributed among the department’s regional and provincial offices, as well as six severely affected local government units to provide rapid response in terms of emergency telecommunications.

The project aligns with a component of the DICT-UNDP’s “Connectivity, Capability and Resiliency through Free Wi-Fi for All” project, which seeks to improve disaster preparedness and response for emergency connectivity and communications. More disaster communications equipment will be deployed under it, such as generator sets, satellite phones, and base transceiver stations.

Pursuant to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Memorandum Circular 1, series of 2019, the DICT is designated as the lead agency for the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster, and is mandated to strengthen the ICT capacities at the national cluster level down to local levels to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impacts of disasters.

FOR Representative Michael Peiyung Hsu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Teco), the Year of the Rabbit bodes good fortune for Taiwan’s tourism sector.

T his was well manifested during last week’s 30th Traveltour Expo of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association or PTAA, where the islandstate brandished its beautiful attractions with an imposing exhibit at the SMX Convention Center.

A ccording to Hsu, Taiwan is targeting to welcome some 300,000 Filipinos this year, on the strength of its visa-free travel privilege until July 31. He is optimistic that the concession would be extended beyond the said date.

T he Teco representative, however, articulated his hopes that the Philippine government will reciprocate the same travel benefit to Taiwanese tourists, whom he estimated would only total to about 200,000 by yearend.

T he official bared that there are already “78 flights per week” operating between the Philippines and Taiwan, which exhibits and heightens the enthusiasm of both peoples in discovering each

other’s attractions.

For further appreciation of its republic’s alluring destinations, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau is currently embarking on a 16-country tour this year, holding 20 workshops in the process. The Philippines was its first stop, where it rolled-out an array of Taiwan’s outstanding cultural and travel products.

Since Taiwan’s border reopened on October 13, 2022 the number of Filipino visitors to Taiwan has grown rapidly to 29,831. Total number of arrivals in 2022 reached about 65,000, according to Teco.

T he Taiwan Tourism Bureau also held two tourism workshops on February 3 at the Conrad Manila Hotel in Manila and February 7 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu to forge closer bilateral cooperation for operators of both sides through travel marts and product briefings, so that Filipinos can find out more about the exciting facets of Taiwan. As shared by Teco, Taiwan has tremendous resources for its tourism sector. In a recent report, CNN Travel listed Kenting Basha Bay, Wanlitong Beach and Longpan Park as some of its most underrated tourist hotspots. Rizza T. Danila

Logo-making contest launched to showcase PHL-Morocco links

THE Philippine embassy in the Kingdom of Morocco unveiled a logo-making contest to increase the locals’ awareness about the two countries’ bilateral relations, which is set to reach its golden anniversary in 2025.

In an interview, Ambassador Leslie Baja said the diplomatic relations started on April 10, 1975. However, the Philippine embassy in Rabat was shut down 27 years ago due to budgetary concerns.

“The embassy reopened only in 2020…So, in this sense, [for] the last two years, we had a lot of catching up to do,” Baja said.

Nonetheless, the Philippines signed a number of agreements with the North African country, the first of which happened in 2004.

“It is the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. We hope to have that…hopefully running this year,” the Filipino envoy shared. “This is a high-level commission chaired by the foreign ministers of the [two countries].”

The country, he added, was able to sign more pacts with Morocco during former secretary of foreign affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr.’s visit last year.

They include an air-service agreement; those on the hosting of political consultations; memorandum of

understanding between the Foreign Service Institute and the Moroccan Academy for Diplomatic Studies; as well as the agreement between the Moroccan Press Agency and the Philippine News Agency.

The contest is the first activity that the Philippine embassy is jointly organizing with its Moroccan counterpart to move forward toward the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“[This…competition…is open to all residents of Morocco and the Philippines…,” Baja said. “Deadline of submission is on the 30th of June of this year.”

He noted the winning entry or chosen logo will be used for both embassies’ year-long anniversary celebration beginning April 10, 2024 up to April 10, 2025.

“Some of the mechanics that we have identified, is that the logo must be emblematic of what the Philippines and Morocco have, and reflective of their relations for the last 50 years,” the Filipino envoy said. “We look forward to some creative submissions.”

Both embassies are giving a P50,000 cash prize, or its equivalent in Moroccan dirhams, to the winner. Ma. Teresa Montemayor/PNA

Marcos Jr.

HARTMAN (foreground, second from left), with President Marcos Jr. (third from right) RADIO TELEVISION MALACANANG/CANADIAN EMBASSY

REPRESENTATIVE Michael Peiyung Hsu of Teco (fourth from right) raises his glass to the success of the Manila leg of Taiwan’s 2023 tourism workshop with Taiwan Tourism Bureau officials and stakeholders. MIKE POLICARPIO

RESIDENT Representative Selva Ramachandran (center) hands over the remaining four emergency-response vehicles to Undersecretary Manuel Anthony S. Tan and Assistant Secretary Wilroy V. Ticzon. UNDP

Sports

B8 Thursday, FeBruary 9, 2023

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

DUTCHMAN

GUIDO VAN DER VALK checked an impending skid with a brilliant windup, birdying the 18th to salvage a 74 and snare the lead as erstwhile co-leader Jay Bayron wavered in a disastrous finish halfway through The Country Club (TCC) Invitational in Santa Rosa, Laguna, on Wednesday.

Van der Valk had already stepped out of the players’ tent ruing his day-long struggle on TCC’s tricky surface long before Bayron came in ruffled by the winds in the last flight with a 76, virtually unaware that he had taken control of the field at three-over 147 and 36 holes away from completing a back-to-back championship in the Philippine Golf Tour’s centerpiece event. I hit it pretty good today [Wednesday] but didn’t really hole enough putts inside 8 feet,” said Van der Valk, whose flubbed par-saving putts on Nos. 9, 11, 13 and 16 put to naught his 20-foot birdie on the par-5 second hole.

But he hit a good drive on the 18th then defied the wind and the menacing lake with a superb 5-wood approach from 205 yards to within five feet for birdie and a 36-38, virtually matching Bayron’s closing feat Tuesday that shoved the latter to the first round lead in this P6 million championship.

W ith Bayron blowing a gutsy even-par card with three straight bogeys from No. 13 and a mishap on the closing hole, Van der Valk took charge by one over Clyde Mondilla, the very player he nipped in winning this event, previously billed as the Don Pocholo Memorial, in 2020.

Mondilla, who played in the threesome of Van der Valk and Michael Bibat in the first two days, also left early with 75, and like the Dutchman, the 2019 Philippine Open champion here struggled on the greens and believed he had dropped out of the shared lead.

He was right, but he was also right behind the new solo leader.

“ Mabigat ung 3-over pero pwede pa din, may two rounds pa,” said Mondilla, who assembled a 148. “I need some luck on putting.”

Despite his 75, the Del Monte ace stood just one stroke adrift of Van der Valk, setting the stage for a rematch of the 2020 championship with Zanieboy Gialon joining the featured

Swimming trials for Cambodia SEAG extended to 4 days at New Clark City

TAKES CHARGE

threesome in today’s (Thursday)

pivotal round.

B ayron’s fumbling finish and a four-over card dropped him to joint third at 149 with Gialon and Shin, whose even par 72s proved as the best in another punishing day and after 36 holes of the championship.

Gialon, runaway winner at Caliraya Springs last year, missed joining Mondilla at second with a last-hole bogey, while Shin, the 2018 TCC champion, squandered his bid for joint lead with a double-bogey on the layout’s signature par-3 17th.

I aimed for the pin but hit it fat and hit the water,” said the longhitting Shin, who rebounded from a bogey on No. 2 with birdies on Nos. 5, 7 and 10. “I need to play better (in the last two days) and try not to make any bogey.”

Gialon, meanwhile, stressed the need to sharpen his short game to contend for the record P2 million top purse, saying: “I need my pitch-andputt game to click.”

GUIDO VAN DER VALK has taken control of the field at three-over 147 and 36 holes away from completing a back-to-back championship. ROY DOMINGO

LEBRON PASSES KAREEM RECORD

LOS ANGELES—LeBron

James became the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) career scoring leader on a step-back jumper late in the third quarter, passing Kareem AbdulJabbar’s record during his 38-point performance in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

James surpassed the mark held since April 1984 by Abdul-Jabbar, who watched the game from a baseline seat near the Lakers’ bench. Abdul-Jabbar then joined a clearly emotional James and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the court after the historic basket.

James’s mother, wife and children also sat courtside amid a celebritystudded crowd that rose in waves of anticipation nearly every time he touched the ball.

James didn’t let them down:

After scoring 20 points in the first half with a full showcase of the offensive talent that still shines blindingly after two decades in the

NBA, he set the new record with a 16-point third quarter capped by that pretty jumper.

“ I didn’t set this as a goal, so that’s probably why it’s so surreal and so weird to me,” James said. “I never talked about being the all-time scorer in NBA history…until my numbers started getting closer and closer, and I was like, ‘Oh wow, this is crazy. This is weird, but I guess I’m doing it.’” T he game was stopped for about 10 minutes while James hugged his family and participated in a brief ceremony with Silver and AbdulJabbar.

James said he almost never cries, but he acknowledged the tears in his eyes.

I just want to say thank you to the Laker faithful,” James said. “You guys are one of a kind. To be able to be in the presence of such a legend as great as Kareem, it’s very humbling.”

James has five 40-point games since turning 38 on Dec. 30, and he has scored 30 points in 10 of his 17 games since his birthday. But he scored only two points in the fourth

quarter, putting him atop the career scoring list with 38,390 points— three ahead of Abdul-Jabbar.

“ That was a great feeling, a great moment,” said teammate Anthony Davis, who managed just 13 points. “Well deserved to a guy who puts in so much work on and off the floor. It’s a real moment. Everybody was very happy for him.”

W hile James hit his mark, the Lakers took another discouraging loss in their attempt to avoid the humiliation of missing the playoffs for a second straight season.

S hai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and Jalen Williams had 25 for the Thunder. Oklahoma City never trailed in the second half, holding off the Lakers’ 14-4 rally in the final two minutes.

“ It was a blessing and an honor to be a part of it,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “He gave the people what they wanted, in true LeBron fashion.

... It (stinks) we didn’t get the win on a night like this, but there’s a lot of things to pull from it, a lot of things to take away.” AP

Cray leads PHL team in Astana Asian indoor meet

2017 Bhubaneswar (India).

By Josef Ramos

FILIPINO-AMERICAN Eric

THE trials for the selection of the members of the country’s aquatics team to the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games have been extended to a four-day event from February 16 to 19 at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac.

Valeriano “Bones” Floro, a member of the Stabilization Committee tasked to handle swimming in the country, said certified technical officials will supervise the trials that features 34 swimming events for men and women.

“We sought the help of the continental body, the Asian Swimming Federation, for these trials,” said Floro, also the deputy secretary general for international affairs of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). Registration and inquiries could be made through official email address aquatics.stab.comm@gmail.com. The technical handbook for the trials could be requested through e-mail.

D eadline for registration is on February 14.

The information kit and selection criteria were released at the start of the week and we are impressed that we received quite a number of inquiries and intent to participate from our athletes, clubs and coaches,” said Floro, who’s joined in the Stabilization Committee by Philippine Olympic Committee legal head Atty. Wharton Chan and Bases Conversion and Development Authority Senior Vice President for Corporate Services Group Arrey Perez. B esides swimming, the Stabilization Committee will also select members of the men and women water polo teams and athletes for the individual 3-meter springboard and platform for men and women in diving.

The swimming events for men and women are the 50, 100, 200, 200, 800 and 1,500 meters for freestyle; 50, 100 and 200 meters butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke; and 200 and 400 individual medley. M embers of the relay teams will be selected from the list of qualified athetes.

Q ualified athletes will undergo a four-week training program under the direct supervision of the Stabilization Committee.

The Cambodia SEA Games are set May 5 to 17.

Cray said he wants to improve on the men’s 60-meter bronze medal he bagged at the 2016 Doha edition as he emphasized on an inspired performance in the Kazakhstan capital.

“

Manila

braces for bigger Asics Rock ‘n’ Roll Series at Rizal Park

INSPIRED by its resounding success on its maiden Manila staging last year, the Asics Rock ‘n’ Roll Series Manila presented by AIA Vitality braces for a grand reprise with the highly popular night racing back as one race when it is staged on November 26 at the Rizal Park.

Bigger, louder and more amplified, the global spectacle that combines running, music and community promises to be bigger and better in scope and in terms of participation and organization. It will dot Manila’s heritage sites with booming live music and runners in colorful costumes. K icking off on February 16 all the way

Shauwn Cray and five other athletes are seeing action—all of them hoping to fill the big shoes of world No. 3 pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena—at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships that starts Friday in Astana.

It’s very important to compete here because I am representing the Philippines,” said the 34-year-old Cray, whose credentials include a gold in the men’s 400 meters at the

It’s always important for me when I’m running for the country with the flag on my chest and competing to the best of my abilities,” added the seven-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist who’s competing in Astana only in the 60 meters.

A lso on the team sent by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field

Association headed by Terry Capistrano are Janry Ubas (long jump), Sarah Dequinan (heptathlon), Harry Diones (triple jump), Leonard Gorospe (high jump) and Filipino-Spanish John Cabang Tolentino (hurdles). Obiena is skipping the Asian indoor because there are no airlines flying to and from Astana which could accommodate pole vaults.

to the last registration calls in November, the event features a variety of activities for the community—from training runs with seasoned marathoners and Asics coaches, medals and routes showcase, to the search for RNR Entertainers contest.

Not only will it inspire participants to keep up with their training prep, but it will also build a community that will bring the fun to the run.

We are just as excited as the rest to host this Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series for the second straight year,” said Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna during Wednesday’s press launch of the blue-ribbon event at Manila City Hall’s Bulwagang Gat Antonio Villegas.

and thunder of collegiate basketball.

Too, many of the athletes are gangly, awkward, or way too short. The taller, heftier, amply muscled species in the 12th grade who are at most 19 years old stand out, with some teams having the monopoly of these physically college-ready players.

Tomorrow’s stars today

IT’S like watching the future playing out before your eyes. A time travel of sorts or a peak into a crystal ball.

H igh school basketball has been going full blast at the Filoil Eco Oil Arena in San Juan City since January and will be playing out till March. It is also in play at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gym.

The crowd is way less than in the men’s basketball tournament. The smaller arena can only accommodate one snare and one base drum to provide the trademark sound

But the excitement of this younger tournament is not to be pooh-poohed. This is after all the “bridge tournament”— the junior version of the seniors tournament that basketball addicted fans rely on to appease their hoops hunger when the men’s tournament is over. They then feed their appetite some more when the pre-season games begin. (In fact, a pre-season tournament, Pinoy Liga—which features the Teams B of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and NC Double A schools—is already in progress.) By that time the next men’s tournament is set to begin. And they have survived from season to season.

But we digress. UAAP High School Basketball and the Juniors Tournament of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are in the spotlight at this time of year and are a must-watch. NCAA juniors action is televised by GMA from Tuesday to Saturday. Unfortunately, the UAAP version has no TV coverage.

Both leagues are premier resources for future stars of the collegiate leagues, the local pro league and now, even the other

Gomera books ‘double’ in Bais; Gauran shines

MCLEEN GOMERA nailed a third crown in as many starts, including a sweep of the boys’ 16- and 18-under trophies, while Therese Gauran shone in the girls’ side of the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala (PPSPEPP) Mayor Luigi Goñi national tennis juniors championships at the Bais City Tennis Club courts in Negros Oriental over the weekend.

Gomera lived up to his billing in the two top divisions of the Group 2 tournament but needed to grind it

Asian pro basketball leagues. Names that sound unfamiliar at present to mainstream basketball fans will be new basketball idols and household names a few years from now.

Consider these names that are buzzing around in basketball circles. Seven Gagate from La Salle Greenhills.

Andy Gemao from San Juan De Letran. King Pablo from LSGH. Lebron Jhames Daep from University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.

Trust that they won’t stay unfamiliar for too long, starting when they transition into the collegiate or seniors leagues and make names for themselves under the bright lights.

I n the UAAP, watch out for these high school players in the near or distant future.

The tall and solid Baby Tamaraws have John Rey Pasaol, younger brother of Meralco’s Alvin Pasaol and Dwyne Miranda, son of Far Eastern U head coach and former collegiate champion Denok Miranda.

The also lengthy National University Bulldogs have two guards dizzying up their opponents: point guard Reinhard Jumamoy from Cebu and shooting guard RJ Colonia.

For the Adamson Baby Falcons, Vince Reyes and Peter Rosillo can both load up their stat sheets with points, rebounds, assists and steals all in one game.

Look for the two M’s when watching De La Salle Zobel. Aljun Melecio’s younger brother Junjun is a deadshot like his

out before snaring the 16-under title, surviving fourth seed Kurt Barrera, 6-7(4), 7-5, 10-6, in the semis before subduing No. 2 Ariel Cabaral, 6-3, 4-6, 10-4, in another tense-filled duel. The rising Lanao del Norte star, however, settled down in the tougher 18-under category, holding off No. 4 Herman Illusorio, 6-2, 7-6(3), in the semis before blasting second-ranked Vince Serna, 6-4, 6-1, to complete a two-title romp following his victory in the 16-under division of the Masters Top 8 in Negros Occidental last month.

Kuya. Tall and hefty Rhyle Melencio is a factor in the paint.

The University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs have sweet shooting James Jumao-as and all-around Mark Llemit (who can score, rebound, assist, block and steal) in their arsenal.

A s for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, another Nieto brother— Lebron—is giving them  strength and a steady game. Kristian Porter, brother of PBA player Kris, can shoot and is a menacing presence down under.

T he UP Fighting Maroons have one rising star, 6-foot-8 tall, 17-year old Kobe Demisana, a Jr. NBA AllStar who represented the country in the Jr. NBA Global Championship. Diminutive Rocco Melicor may be too small for the pros, but he’s making waves for UP in the high school league.

Joachim Andrei De Leon and Vhon Roldan are the names to remember for the University of the East Baby Warriors.

R emember. Before Carl Tamayo, Thirdy and Kiefer Ravena, Kevin Quiambao, Mark Nonoy, Evan Nelle, Baser Amer, Ricci Rivero, Kai Sotto, RJ Abarrientos and many others became big basketball stars, they were the reigning stars in a young galaxy not so far away.

I f you want to enjoy tomorrow’s basketball today, check out juniors basketball right now. It’s one way to enjoy the stars better, longer. And a good way to think young.

KAREEM-ABDUL JABBAR (left) hands the ball to LeBron James after passing Abdul-Jabbar to become the National Basketball Association all-time leading scorer during the second half of the Lakers’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday in Los Angeles. AP

MANILA Mayor Honey Lacuna (second from right) joins (from left) Asics Brand Communication’s Faith So, Ironman Philippines founder and Ambassador Fred Uytengsu and Kats Cajucom, head of Health and Wellness of AIA Philippines, as they whoop it up on the stage of Bulwagang Gat. Antonio Villegas at the Manila City Hall. NONIE REYES