BusinessMirror February 28, 2023

BAP open to scuttling costs for small transactions

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) disclosed on Monday that the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) was receptive to bringing down transaction costs in lieu of lowering the reserve requirement ratio (RRR).

O n the sidelines of a forum hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on Monday, BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla said they will be working with the BAP to make transactions free of cost for small amounts.

Medalla said paying P5 to P10 per

transaction or as much as P15 to P20 per transaction is significant, especially relative to small transactions of around P200 to P500. The BSP is hoping that bringing down the RRR would encourage banks to waive the fees for these amounts.

“A recent example of this stronger guidance was provided in last week’s bankers’ night when we said we will reduce the RRR. We hope in return, the banks will waive all fees for small transactions when people make bank to bank payments,” Medalla said in his speech on Monday.

BSP SETS JAN

“ We’re literally bribing the banks to subsidize the small transactions. And from what I hear, the Bankers Association, they are receptive to this and I look forward to more and more digital payments especially by the poor using their accounts, which have grown significantly because of InstaPay and so on,” he added.

Medalla said the cut in the RRR could be to work toward bringing it down to 10 percent which is the target, or even down to single-digit rates. However, this cut may not be

done in just one reduction. He said the reduction may be done in several cuts and will be subject to the slowdown in the inflation rate. The cuts may only happen if the inflation rate is “clearly moving toward the targets” to avoid confusing the market.

T he BSP is still tightening monetary policy and is one of the central banks that posted the highest rate increases. To date, the Monetary Board has raised interest rates by 400 basis points.

FOR FATF GRAY LIST EXIT

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

O n the sidelines of a forum hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on Monday, BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla told reporters that countries who exited the gray list had to “do a lot” and that it took them years.

T he FATF flagged the country for supposed inadequacies in the effectiveness of the targeted financial sanctions framework (TFS) for both terrorism financing and proliferation financing.

Right now, the key month is January next year because that’s the time they will review it. Hopefully, we’ll be out [of the gray list]. But, of course there’s a possibility that it will take longer to get out. Some countries took four years to get out and they had to do a lot,” Medalla said.

Medalla said one country, Pakistan, was only able to exit the gray list after hiring 3,000 more workers to follow up all the investigations and file cases on terrorist financing.

“ We hope we are able to satisfy them with just better enforcement. We may have to hire people but obviously, it’s not going to be the AMLC [Anti-Money Laundering Council] that will hire people. Because if your problem is prosecution, filing cases, that has to be a line agency that has to do that,” Medalla said.

E arlier, Medalla said the main challenge in exiting from the gray list is enforcement since the country has already passed the necessary legislation, except for the amendment of the Bank Secrecy Law.

H e stressed that currently, there are few Filipinos being prosecuted and convicted for terrorism financing and proliferation financing.

PRIVATIZATION TO RAISE P130B FOR MAHARLIKA FUND

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SENATORS prodded economic managers on Monday to move fast on the privatization of assets that they described as “less controversial” sources of seed funding for the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), encouraged by an initial priority list that was provided them, which could raise a total of P130 billion in three years.

A t the third joint hearing led by the Senate Banks committee chaired by Sen. Mark Villar, officials of the Department of Finance were asked to list down the big-ticket assets that are deemed

CBRT 1st leg of Cebu urban renewal plan, says Marcos

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT

Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the soon to be constructed Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) will serve as the cornerstone of the urban renewal initiatives in Cebu City.

A t the ground breaking ceremony of the Package 1 of the project last Monday, Marcos said the Urban Realm Enhancement projects in the city will be focused “along the BRT.”

This will include the building of structures that promote nonmotorized modes of travel, like walking, like bicycle lanes,” Marcos said.

T he first phase of the project will include the construction of a 2.38-kilometer (km) segregated bus lane with four bus stations as well as a 1.15-km pedestrian improvement, which will link the CBRT System to the Port of Cebu.

T he Chinese contractor Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Co.Ltd. was awarded the almost P1-billion Package 1 of the CBRT last November.

T he CBRT is a three-phase project with a P16.3-billion funding approved by the World Bank and the French Development Agency in 2017.

convertible into cash for funding MIF in the next three years.

T his, as Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian noted that with P130 billion, there should no longer be a need to require government financial institutions to put up the initial fund for Maharlika.

More especially, added Gatchalian, there should be no need to bother the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to pour in its dividends into the fund, given projections that this would delay the mandated capitalization buildup of the BSP by nine years.

A sked for the initial priority list of doable privatization initiatives, officials cited mining rights, seen to bring in P100 billion; followed by the Food Terminal Inc.

(FTI) site in Taguig City, seen to fetch an estimated P22 billion; and other sources, P8 billion.

A lso at the hearing, BSP officials were asked how they arrived at the conclusion that they can live with a nine-year delay in their capitalization buildup timeline, given the real risk that shocks could emerge that would require a central bank with enough financial muscle to respond quickly and adequately.

“ What calculations did you make that made you willing to delay your capitalization buildup by nine years” if the BSP is mandated by the proposed Maharlika law to pour in its dividends into the Fund? asked Gatchalian.

See “Privatization,” A2

DESPITE missing its exit from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) gray list, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is still bent on accomplishing this by January 2024.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the groundbreaking of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) Project-Package 1 along Fuente Osmeña Circle in Cebu City on Monday February 27, 2023. PNA PHOTO/ REY S. BANIQUET

2 GERMAN AIRPORTS PARALYZED AS STAFF STAGE ONE-DAY STRIKE

PCC still searching for firm evidence of onion cartels

By Andrea E. San Juan

like that in writing.”

But, Aguinaldo said, if the evidence is there and there are people who are “willing to spill the beans,” then it’s something that can be pursued.

If the evidence is there, and I believe we are able to find evidence, then it should be done within the next two to three months,” the PCC chief stressed.

He said the antitrust agency is coordinating with all the different agencies involved since he said, “I don’t think a single agency can fix that.”

PBBM: More Kadiwa stores to be rolled out in poor areas

P600/kilo in December 2022.

T he agency warned that under the Philippine Competition Act (PCA), businesses found to have taken advantage of the situation may be fined up to P100 million, and even face jail time of up to seven years.

T he fines, it added, may even be tripled if trade of basic necessities, including agricultural products identified by the Price Act, are involved in cartel or abuse of dominance violations.

P CC’s newly-appointed Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo said there are no “firm” results yet because they’re still gathering a lot of information.

There are hearings at Congress that also provided a great deal of information and so our enforcement office is looking into it,” Aguinaldo

He was reacting to information provided by BSP that, if it were not required to contribute to the MIF’s seed fund, it could complete its capitalization buildup in eight years. But if it does provide initial contribution to the MIF, that timeline stretches to 17 years.

So many things can happen in 17 years,”  stressed Gatchalian,

said at a press briefing on Monday in Quezon City.  T he PCC head said the challenge with cartels or anti-competitive agreements is it’s quite difficult to prove “because you’re looking at having to prove an agreement actually exists among major players and usually you won’t find something

adding that it is “too long” a period to risk  having the central bank exposed with inadequate capital given what is happening in the world.

He noted that the size of the Philippine banking industry “was the main reason” for  ramping up  the BSP capitalization buildup program several years ago, and stretching this process over a long period

I n a statement it released on February 16, the antitrust body announced that it has been investigating the high prices of onions for a possible cartel since November 2022.

A ccording to PCC, it launched its market assessment as the onion retail prices have been observed at “unusual high range” and peaked at

would further put the central bank in an awkward situation of being dwarfed by the assets of the entities it regulates.

The NDC template

ALSO at the hearing, senators

Nancy Binay and Risa Hontiveros inquired at length into the mandate and operations of the National Development Corp. (NDC), which Minority Leader Koko Pimentel sought to be invited at the last hearing, saying it might be better

Meanwhile, Aguinaldo said “the kind of behavior we’re looking at is possibly hoarding as being the cause for the rise in prices. That’s one of the things we’re looking at.”

He said this could fall under anti-competitive agreements or abuse of dominant positions, adding that “it could fall under either one whether you’re looking at supply restriction.”

to boost the NDC resources instead of building from scratch a new entity like the Maharlika Investment Corp.

N DC general manager Antonio Mauricio described NDC as a nonbank government financial institution that, however, is provided with relatively meager resources.

“ If we give you P75 billion from Land Bank [of the Philippines], can you level up your operations?”

Binay asked of NDC officials, as a theoretical question.

A s the government’s main investment arm,  the NDC is under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and is chaired by the DTI secretary.

C reated in 1919 as a semiprivate corporation, it became a state corporation in 1936, mandated to pursue commercial, agricultural, industrial and national economic development under Presidential Decree 1648.

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Ferdinand

R. Marcos Jr. said ad -

ditional Kadiwa stores are set to be rolled out by the government including those which will cater to workers, to help the vulnerable members of society cope with high cost of living.

He said they decided to expand the duration of their “Kadiwa ng Pasko” program so it will continue beyond the Christmas season due to its popularity.

T he project, which is now dubbed “Kadiwa ng Pangulo,” is an initiative of the national government to provide access to affordable food and other basic necessities to consumers through a farm-to-consumer scheme.

“At patuloy po aming gagawin ito—patuloy naming gagawin, padadamihin, palalakihin natin, at pararamihin natin, mas importante ay paramihin lalo na sa mga lugar na talaganghi -

rap ang tao at hindi pa kaya ang mga presyuhan kung nasa palengke  (We will continue holding more and bigger [Kadiwa events] especially in areas, where there many poor people, who cannot afford the prices in the markets),” Marcos said at the Kadiwa market at the Cebu Provincial Capitol Grounds last Monday.

T here are currently over 500 Kadiwa events nationwide, according to the President.

H e said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is also planning a Kadiwa event together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), which will cater to workers.

So this is what we are trying to make now,” Marcos said.

L abor groups have been demanding government action to provide aid to workers to cope with rising cost of basic necessities, particularly food, through a minimum wage hike, price control, and tax exemptions.

D uring its first year of operation, the project is expected to provide a “faster and safer” mode of transportation to 60,000 passengers and provide better working conditions for transport workers.

“Apart from the greater convenience that it will bring to our people, I am sure it will also provide greater opportunities and improve the conditions of our current public transport drivers,” Marcos said.

I trust it will also support economic development through travel time savings, environmental improvements, and reduction of accidents among residents and visitors

[This] means it will cost us. Because now when we mop up liquidity, we have to pay the policy rate. But we don’t mind the higher costs [if] it means smaller transactions don’t have to be cash. I’m confident that it will happen soon. I’m sure the BAP will work out a proposal that we can all agree on,” Medalla said.

M edalla said the removal of transaction costs will only cover mobile-to-mobile or QR transactions. This is one of the ways by which the BSP aims to attain financial inclusivity.

T he BSP Governor earlier said  the banking community as well as the government may be able to “find a cost-sharing system” that will exclude small payments from fees.

Medalla said this is worth pursuing, provided that transactions are below a certain number or around three transactions per day.

E fforts to further digitalization, Medalla said, are under way. InstaPay and PESONet are “great successes” and more people are now using QRs to make payments.

Cai U. Ordinario

She added, “Baguio City, with all its colors, its people, its tradition, and your history and heritage combined, indeed has made and will continue to make a lasting imprint on our visitors’ memories and build a positive image of your city and our country. These aspects form part of the holistic approach the Department of Tourism wishes to pursue for tourism development. And we are very

Nonetheless, Medalla said, his meeting with the Department of Justice (DOJ) showed that if the country was “more diligent” in using a system to record these prosecutions and convictions, the numbers could be higher.

L anding on the FATF grey list does not automatically result in

of the city,” he added.  M arcos said the government will provide just compensation to property owners and relocation sites for informal settlers, who will be affected by the construction of the CBRT.

He also appealed for patience from Cebu residents who will be affected by the construction works of the CBRT.

“ I invite everyone to remain patient, to be considerate, as these temporary disturbances and interruptions are aimed at pushing long-term benefits for the city and for the province,” Marcos said.

T he parties re directed to enter into good faith negotiations as stated in paragraph 11.4 [d] of the PSA,” the appellate court stressed.

T he appellate court said  the provisions of the PSA mandates SPPC and Meralco to come up with a  satisfactory solution regarding the amendment of their PSA to SPPC’s commercial position prior to such change in circumstances, including an adjustment of the contract price.

sanctions kicking in, but could cause prolonged procedures in some financial transactions— something Philippine authorities are keen to avoid in order not to inconvenience, for instance, the millions of migrant workers whose remittances shore up the economy.

If they fail to reach an agreement within 60 days from the commencement of the negotiations, SPPC shall be entitled to terminate the PSA.

A ccording to the ERC, the  plea for price increase was denied because the agreed price in the PSA is fixed in nature, and the grounds for increase cited by SPPC and Meralco were not among the exceptions that would allow for price adjustment.

happy to find in Baguio a partner in this regard.”

Frasco was also in Laoag City with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday at the celebration of the Tan-ok Festival, a a dance-off among 23 towns and cities of Ilocos Norte. (See, “NZ govt keeps Level 2 travel advice for PHL after Kiwi slay,” in the BusinessMirror , February 27, 2023.)

Speaking further about the “Phil-

ippine Experience” program, to be launched this summer, the Tourism Secretary said, “We at the DOT will amplify our Philippine Experience caravans so that more provinces, cities, and municipalities  will have opportunities to be highlighted and more MSMEs [micro-, small, and  medium enterprises] will have a chance to showcase their products and services.”

T he “Philippine Experience” program was inspired by the Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo program pioneered by Frasco’s mother, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, to promote the products and tourism destinations in the province.

THE Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said its investigation for a possible cartel on onions may be done within the next two to three months, once firm evidence of such is found.

The Nation

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Suspected food poisoning in Sulu downs

100 victims

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

AT least 100 persons, most of them students, were rushed to hospitals over the weekend due to suspected food poisoning during an event inside an Army camp in Sulu.

T he military said 78 students and 22 adults experienced nausea, stomach ache and fainting after they consumed “ginataan” that was served by members of the 8th Field Artillery Battalion (8FAB), Army Artillery Regiment of the Army.

T he incident occurred on Saturday after the soldiers served snacks to the attendees of the 35th Joint Boys Scout and Girls Scout of the Philippines Institutional Camp at Camp Bud Datu, Barangay Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu.

A rmy spokesman Col. Xerxes

Trinidad said the victims were brought to Sanitarium Hospital, Integrated Provincial Health Office and Camp Bautista Station Hospital where they were treated.

“ The troops of the 1103rd Infantry Brigade and 8FAB have been constantly monitoring the status of the civilians in the said hospitals and assisted in catering their hospital needs,”

Trinidad said.

A s of Monday, Trinidad said 88 patients have been discharged while 12 students are still recuperating at the Sanitarium Hospital.

“ The remaining patients are in stable condition and will be under observation but will be expected to be discharged within the day,” he said.

Trinidad said food samples were sent to the Integrated Provincial Health Office on Saturday for examination. The health office also sent the food samples to Zamboanga City for further tests.

The Philippine Army will continue its effort to determine the possible cause of the incident while ensuring to cater to the needs of the patients affected,” the Army spokesman said.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Tuesday, February 28, 2023

A3

CA suspends court order for collection of ₧401-M taxes from Sagittarius Mines

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

ing the resolution of the main case.

T he CTA also enjoined the implementation of the order dated October 14, 2022 issued by the Koronadal RTC, which affirmed the municipal government’s collection of taxes against SMI under Municipal   Ordinance No. 66.

It sided with the company and held that the evidence contradicts the allegation of the Tampakan municipality that SMI committed fraud and misrepresentation.

It also ruled that the tax assessment issued by Tampakan local government unit (LGU) violated the procedural and substantive right to due process of SMI and called the amount crippling enough to cause damage to the project, its host communities and the Philippine government.

P52.7 million while its total current assets only amount to P154.9 million.

T he CTA held that the closure of SMI’s business operations would prevent it from complying with its obligations.

In this case municipal respondents are enjoined from interfering, impeding or otherwise closing down petitioner’s operations pending resolution of whether or not petitioner was validly assessed under Municipal Ordinance No. 66,” the CTA declared.

a contracting party together with the national government, the company has yet to operate and earn revenues after it has been stalled several years due to changes in the regulatory environment.

In a 19-page resolution, the CTA’s Second Division granted the urgent motion filed by SMI for the issuance of a suspension order (with prayer for issuance of a preliminary injunction and/or immediate issuance of a temporary restraining order) preventing the Tampakan municipal government from shutting down SMI’s operations in the province.

T he suspension order covers the collection of SMI’s supposed deficiency business taxes, mayor’s permit fees, and other regulatory fees as

contractor for taxable years 2013 to 2022 amounting to P401.45 million.

T he CTA also directed the respondent municipal government to desist from issuing, and implementing a warrant of distraint and levy, and/ or a warrant of garnishment on the properties of SMI and from collecting the assessed deficiency taxes.

Furthermore, the CTA granted the plea of SMI to restrain the Tampakan municipal government from enforcing any assessment based on Municipal Ordinance No. 66 pend-

T he CTA noted that if a collection of the deficiency assessment were made, petitioners would not be able to operate.

“In other words, should the municipal respondents enforce their collection despite the alleged invalidity of the deficiency assessments and surcharges and interests imposed, petitioner would not just be irreparably damaged, but would be crippled even before it all begins its operations,” the CTA declared.

It noted that SMI’s cash is only

T he SMI claimed that the Tampakan LGU, through its mayor and municipal treasurer, issued the tax assessment on the company after the examination of its submitted returns where a single entry on the sale and disposal of fully depreciated equipment, including office computers was the basis for determining the company as a contractor.

It added that the Tampakan LGU also declared the company as a contractor because it holds the contract over the mine site under the Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA).

However, SMI explained that the respondent LGU failed to distinguish that a contract holder and a contractor are two very different concepts, especially under the law and taxation.

I n fact, the petitioner added, as

Furthermore, the SMI said the collection of its alleged deficiency taxes is void for being based on a provision of Municipal Ordinance No. 66, which has already been repealed by Municipal Ordinance No. 67. However, the Tampakan LGU assailed the validity of Municipal Ordinance No. 67, insisting that it is not a duly enacted law since it did not undergo a public hearing and was not published in newspapers of general circulation.

On this issue, the CTA gave credence to the argument of SMI as the latter presented a duly signed certified copy of Municipal Ordinance No. 67 in contrast to the municipal government’s mere assertion that the latter is invalid due to lack of public hearing and publication.

In the absence of any irregularities on its face, or the presentation of proper evidence to assail the validity of Municipal Ordinance No. 67, this Court is inclined to assume the validity of the assailed Ordinance without prejudice to the final determination of the case,” the CTA ruled.

Manila lawmaker Chua pushes MMDA abolition Group seeks ‘paradigm shift’ in treatment of breast cancer

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

ALAWMAKER on Monday called for the abolition of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

In a privilege speech, Manila Rep.

Joel R. Chua said the MMDA should be abolished and what would remain only is a council of mayors of the National Capital Region (NCR) supported by a small secretariat.

He said dismantling the MMDA would align with the current Marcos administration’s National Government Rightsizing Program.

T he lawmaker said MMDA has encroached upon the jurisdiction of local government units (LGU) and national

government agencies (NGA), violated the Local Government Code, duplicated the roles of national agencies, has become a bloated bureaucracy, and wasted billions of pesos in public funds from unimplemented projects.

He also said the Supreme Court had long settled that MMDA has neither legislative nor police power.

Chua said Metro-wide concerns, issues, and situations can be addressed by a council of NCR mayors, who can have some of their decisions ratified by the legislative councils in NCR to have legislative character and effect.

He said the MMDA has been disrupting the lives of Manila residents through MMDA operations involving demotions of homes, clearing of roads and sidewalks, and traffic

management and enforcement.

He asserted that the MMDA’s roles and functions should be farmed out to NGAs and LGUs within Metro Manila, including Development Planning, Transport and Traffic Management, Solid Waste Disposal and Management, Sanitation, Pollution Control at Flood Control, Sewerage Management and Sanitation, Urban Renewal, Zoning and Land Use Planning and Shelter Services, Public Health and Public Safety.

C hua also noted how the MMDA bureaucracy has grown from 6,812 in 2011 to 9,767 in 2021 and that its total annual budget of about P10 billion from general appropriations and local sources is much larger than most budgets of national departments.

BARMM to wrap up consultations for proposed local governance code

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—Members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the regional government’s Parliament, would wrap up its public consultations on Bangsamoro Local Governance Code, the fifth of six priority codes that the autonomous government has promised Malacañang to enact by the first quarter.

T he BTA team that handled the consultations have finished the last leg on February 24 in Cotabato City, the seat of the regional government and the scattered barangays of North Cotabato which opted for inclusion in the territory of the autonomous region, and are collectively called Special Geographic Area (SGA).

T he BTA said local government officials and various civil society organizations in Cotabato City and the SGA “have expressed their full support for the passage of the BTA Bill No. 30 will strengthen the supervisory power of the Bangsamoro government through the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government.”

T he Bangsamoro Local Governance Code contains 221 pages divided into four books: general provisions, local taxation and fiscal matters, local government units, and miscellaneous and final provisions.

Member of the Parliament Matarul Estino said the salient features of the code includes devolution, official qualification and disqualification, distinction between local and regional autonomy, and proportion of regional taxes, fees, and charges collected.

C otabato City Mayor Mohammad Ali Matabalao voiced his support for the passage of the bill. “For local autonomy to be effective, it must amount to effective authority for local government units to decide matters concerning local affairs.”

Baina Samayatin, executive director of the Moro Women Development and Cultural Center Inc., also supported the bill’s passage as she “emphasized the importance of educating local governments about the importance of CSO participation in achieving transparent and accountable governance.”

Mahatma Sangacala, a member of the Local Executive Board of the United Voices for Peace Network, recommended the inclusion of civil society orgnizations in the Local Peace and Order Council.

D uma Mascud of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party in the

SGA said that after voting to join the BARMM, they had easier access to Bangsamoro government programs.

C harima Mentoc, the representative of the Bangsamoro women in the SGA said constituencies in the SGA would have more access to the program, services, and other benefits for the Bangsamoro people.

It will give us opportunities, provide enhanced safety and security, and other welfare that the LGU can offer. “We are very thankful now for what we have in the Special Geographic Area, but with our proposals, we envision more transparent, just, and progressive governance,” Mentoc added.

BTA Bill No. 30 defines the list of essential services provided by the province, city, municipality, and barangay to avoid overlapping functions and responsibilities.

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

THERE is a pressing need for a “paradigm shift” focusing on human resources rather than hard infrastructure in the treatment of cancer patients.

The country needs a peoplecentric not an infrastructure-centric approach for the treatment of our cancer patients,” said Aileen Antolin, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Kasuso Foundation on Monday at the Kapihan ng Samahang Plaridel at the Manila Hotel.

A ntolin said training and developing personnel is the most pragmatic approach in treating breast cancer patients, especially for those living in far-flung areas of the country. She added the hard infrastructure such as hospitals would end up as white elephants if there were no manpower to handle its operations.

Dr. Kenneth Samala, a consultant at the Medical Center Manila and Manila Doctors Hospital stressed the country has to step up to address the dearth of oncologists in the country. “At present, the country with a population of 110 million has only 300 oncologists, which unfortunately is Metro Manila-centric,” Samala, a trained oncologist from the University of the Philippines pointed out.

Samala added the country has to tackle the cancer problem, as an unhealthy citizenry would have a negative impact on the economy.

To address the huge gap, Samala urged local government units to send their trainees and scholarships to major hospitals in the country to hone their skills. Moreover, he asked local executives to offer scholarships

to deserving students.  The hub and spoke model can be a valuable platform where major hospitals in every region will functions as a command center where facilities will be available for the students,” he said.

Since the Philippines is a Third World country, Samala can study the Cuba health model that focuses on a proactive approach in delivering health-care services to the Cubans.

Samala said the Philippines could apply the Cuban grassroots health program by providing health-care training to barangay health-care workers on basic health practices. As far as breast cancer is concerned, Samala said barangay health workers could be trained to guide the female residents in a barangay the basic things on how to observe the changes on their bodies.

“Providing the barangay health workers the right tools would have a great multiplier effect towards a proactive approach in healthcare. Instead of just me teaching how to protect women from breast cancer, I now have a huge support group to help me in this huge undertaking,” Samala said.

E stablished in 1961, the Cuban government then led by Fidel Castro and Ernesto “Che” Guevarra developed the National Health System that saw the abolition of all private healthcare and expansion of public services. The Cuban health-care system is regulated and financed by the government.

A ntolin said Filipinos’ reactive attitude towards their health is one of the reasons behind the high mortality cases of breast cancer in the country. “In general, the Filipinos’ poor health habits is one major challenge,” she said.

PMA cites Defensor’s contribution as former CDC Board vice chairman

LARK FREEPORT—Former Vice Chairman of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) Gen. Benjamin P. Defensor Jr. (Ret.) was awarded by the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) during the PMA Alumni Homecoming held in Baguio City recently.

DefensorwasawardedwiththePMA

Lifetime Achievement Award for his

dedication as a public servant wherein CDC generated its highest revenue take over the past 20 years and became the top export revenue earner for Central Luzon under his stewardship as the vice chairman of the Board.

H is extensive career includes being designated as the Presidential Adviser of CDC in 2017. He was then appointed as a director, later

on elected as the vice chairman, and eventually became the acting chairman of the state-owned firm.

A side from Defensor’s achievements and experience in CDC, he became the 26th commanding general of Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the 30th Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. D efensor also created the Air

Force City in Clark Air Base, won the Best Air Base award, and set the record as the first Commander to win two best Air Base Wing awards in two consecutive years and in two consecutive commands.

T he said event was attended by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as the guest of honor and speaker who personally awarded Defensor

and three other officers of PAF as outstanding alumni of the PMA. Other PAF officers who were also awarded during the event are Lt. Gen. Stephen P. Parreño with the Outstanding Achievement Award as the commanding general of PAF, Col. Ann Marie T. Gerodiaz with the PMA Cavalier Award for Air Operations (Senior Officer), and Maj. James

Anthony A. Montejo with the PMA Cavalier Award in the field of Air Operations (Junior Officer).

T he PMA continues to fulfill its mission to develop cadets equipped with the character and knowledge of broad and basic military skills, and the education essential to the successful pursuit of a progressive military career.

THE Court of Tax Appeals (CA) has suspended the implementation of an order issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Koronadal City, South Cotabato, which upheld the bid of the municipality of Tampakan, South Cotabato to collect more than P400 million alleged deficiency taxes from Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI).

BSP chief Medalla pushes appointment of consumer advocate in SRA Board

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

the delay in the importation of sugar. This effectively raised the prices of the sweetener.

D ata from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that inflation for sugar, confectionery and desserts was at 38.8 percent in December 2022 and January 2023.

In a forum hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on Monday, BSP

Governor Felipe M. Medalla said members of the economic team such as National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan or Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno could be included in the SRA Board.

M edalla said having an SRA Board that is pro-producer is among the “protectionist policies” that should be changed in order to pre -

vent spikes in inflation. He said, “Protection should be a question of tariffs not bureaucracy.”

As I said, protection is already embedded in our system. Whoever is the head of SRA cares very little about consumers and cares more about producers. So somebody must balance the picture and I cannot think of two better persons than Arsi Balisacan and Ben Diokno,” Medalla said.

M edalla said the bias of the SRA board for producers caused

Based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all households, Sugar, Confectionery and Desserts account for 1.05 percent of the CPI, while for the poorest families, the commodity group accounts for a larger share at 1.4 percent.

“

When you have to close bottling plants because of the shortage of sugar, what you have is a problem which is the economy is growing rapidly and if you don’t import, you’ll have shortages,” Medalla said.

Our inflation is a combination of two things. One is that economic growth surprised everyone, meaning demand was growing stronger than expected but the biggest source of inflation of course is the supply side,”

Companies cannot ignore Generative AI

the BSP chief pointed out.

However, Medalla said the country’s inflation woes are already being dealt with. This gives the BSP enough confidence that inflation will be below 4 percent by the fourth quarter of the year.

Earlier, the BSP said it would be monitoring inflation on a month-onmonth basis to determine whether it will raise or cut interest rates.

O n the sidelines of the Bankers Night on Friday, Medalla said if it decides to raise interest rates, it might happen in the next monetary policy meeting.

Medalla reiterated that a zero and a 75 basis points or a jumbo interest rate hike would not be likely.

N onetheless, raising interest rates of above 25 basis points would be possible if February rates would be higher.

However, Medalla said if the month-on-month inflation rates would fall to negative territory, the Monetary Board might not even hike interest rates in its next meeting.

House panel okays bill granting P5K assistance to fresh graduates

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

THE House Committee on Higher and Technical Education has recently approved a bill granting P5,000 financial assistance to fresh graduates in search of employment.

T he committee approved House Bill 6542 or An Act Providing fresh graduates of Philippine tertiary education, universities, colleges and training institutions, of a one-time cash grant of P5,000, which they can utilize for job application, initial em-

ployment and settling-in, authored by Deputy Speaker and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar.

“ This is an assistance to graduates, an encouragement as they become part of the work force which is very relevant at this time. They can also utilize the amount, small it may be, in commencing a micro business or a start-up enterprise,” Villar said.

R epresentatives from various state agencies who attended the hearing expressed no objection to the measure, and suggested only minor amendments to improve the bill.

Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing, for her part, suggested including a provision that the method to disperse the cash grant should be coursed through ATM.

A Commission on Higher Education official said there were some 345,000 graduates in both public and private higher educational institutions in the 2020-2021 school year.

To avail of the cash aid, a copy of diploma or any valid proof of graduation issued by the educational institution shall be presented to the government agency or local government concerned.

T he proof of graduation should clearly state the date of graduation or completion and the course completed or degree earned, and should be signed by the institution’s duly authorized representative. Under the measure, an interagency monitoring committee will be created to be headed by the chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The body will formulate the implementing rules and regulations and monitor compliance by the various state agencies and instrumentalities.

By Henry J. Schumacher

READY or not, the generative artificial intelligence (AI) revolution is here. Any business involving words, images, sound, or code stands to gain from the new tech that Silicon Valley is calling “the next platform.”

What’s a platform?

IN the tech industry, a platform is any foundation (with disruptive potential) for building and running business applications—from the personal computer to the Internet to the iPhone. A new platform generally emerges once every 10 years.

What distinguishes generative AI from “next platform” candidates like the metaverse and blockchain is that users are eager to play around with these tools and stick with them.

While companies haven’t quite figured out how to make money from generative AI, business leaders are discovering new uses, almost guaranteeing profitability.

What’s the Tweet on Silicon Valley street?

THIS is what an actual tech-

nology revolution looks like. It’s not 10 years of trying to find use cases. It’s use cases being found and productized faster than you can track them,” software veteran Dare Obasanjo recently shared on Twitter.

Large language models like ChatGPT “represent the first tech advancement that has a potential to seamlessly deploy across 7 [billion] smartphones and thus can be a platform shift,” former Microsoft executive Steven Sinofsky also Tweeted.

AI won’t take your job.

Someone using AI might.

A robot probably won’t be sitting at your desk tomorrow. But the person competing for your next job will very likely know the concepts behind AI—and how to put them to work in their own career.

Best time to level up? Yesterday.

Second best? Right now.

Luckily, there are interactive lessons to help you ramp up fast on everything from AI and neural networks to data science, quantum computing, and beyond, so that you can stay ahead of the competition (even if it’s a robot).

I n conclusion, generative AI has moved the goalposts for data, bringing transformative efficiencies to content creation, market research and design. With momentum only growing, it is a business imperative to start off this data revolution on the right foot and utilize Generative AI to exceed your KPIs in 2023.

Your feedback would be more than welcome; if assistance is needed, let me know; you can contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com

South Cotabato is 6th PHL province to be ‘liberated’ from bird flu–DA

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Philippines is slowly gaining ground against avian influenza (AI) as the national government declared another province free from the dreaded transboundary animal disease.

T he Department of Agriculture (DA) formally declared South Cotabato as an AI-free province, the sixth province to regain its

freedom status since the resurgence of highly pathogenic AI strain in the country in February last year.

S enior Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban issued Memorandum Circular (MC) 10 that recognized South Cotabato as a bird flu-free province. The declaration on South Cotabato came a few days after the agriculture department announced that Quezon province has been freed from bird flu.

T he DA explained that it has not recorded a positive case of bird flu in South Cotabato province for more than 40 days after the last clean up and disinfection operations in the affected farms.

T he disease monitoring within the 1-kilometer and 7-kilometer surveillance zones surrounding the affected farms yielded negative test results for bird flu, it added.

The last HPAI H5N1 laboratory detection in South Cotabato was on 8 September

2022,” Panganiban said in MC 10.

T he DA noted that an area may regain its bird flu free status after a minimum period of 28 days, and after a stamping-out policy has been completed, disinfection of the last affected establishment was carried out and consequent surveillance demonstrated the absence of infection based on the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has earlier assured the public that the DA has sufficient funds to control and curb the spread of bird flu in the country. (Related story: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2023/02/17/pbbm-da-hasfunds-for-halting-bird-flu-spread/)

In a statement, the DA said it is committed to stopping the spread of HPAI that has killed at least 2 million birds since the dreadful disease resurfaced

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday said it has disbursed the P500million cancer assistance fund (CAF) to the health department.

In a statement, the DBM said the fund is part of its “comprehensive” fund releases at the start of the year as the CAF is part of the national government’s commitment “to boost the health and welfare of Filipinos suffering from cancer.”

“For many years, cancer has been one of the leading causes of death in the country. Sadly, Filipino families, even those in the upper-income brackets, are vulnerable to catastrophic health spending due to high treatment costs and limited coverage of cancer care under public programs,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.

Based on 2019 estimates, around 60 percent of the total public cancer expenditures come from out-of-pocket payments and private insurance. “Naiintindihan kong mabigat ‘yon sa bulsa at balikat ng ating mga kababayan,” Pangandaman added.

T he DBM said the CAF aims to “complement” and “supplement” existing financial support mechanisms for various cancer

in the country in February 2022.

The DA said the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has P177.78 million for its avian influenza protection program that will roll out mitigating measures before and during outbreaks of bird flu.

The authorities earlier assured the public that the impact of recent cases of bird flu on the overall poultry product supply of the country is insignificant. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2023/02/15/government-bird-flucases-under-control/ )

The agriculture department is also reviewing its indemnification guidelines, particularly the amount for each culled bird, in its bid to encourage raisers to report suspected bird flu cases to authorities. (Related story: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2023/02/16/ government-reviews-indemnificationscheme-for-poultry-raisers/)

care and control services that are not yet covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and only partially covered by the Malasakit Program.

“ The fund will defray outpatient and inpatient cancer control services, including but not limited to diagnostics, therapeutic procedures, and other cancer medicines needed for the treatment and management of cancer and its care-related components,” it added.

T he CAF also includes funding for the necessary diagnostics and laboratories in relation to eight priority cancer types: breast cancer; childhood cancers; gynecologic cancers; liver cancer, including colorectal and other digestive tract cancers; adult blood cancers; head and neck cancers, including thyroid; lung cancer; and prostate, renal, and urinary bladder cancer.

I hope we are able to shine a ray of hope to every Filipino battling the disease—the DBM is behind you and wants to give you a fighting chance,” Pangandaman said.

T he DBM said in 2022 it released P529.2 million for the CAF, P230.8 million of which was utilized by the DOH. The balance of P298.4 million may still be used until the end of 2023, it added. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

CONSUMERS need a champion to sit in the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board to ensure that prices of the sweetener do not affect inflation, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

PHLPost warns public against mail scammers

THE Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) issued another warning to the public to be aware of scammers impersonating a Post Office employee who will call or message using a telephone/mobile phone, e-mail, Facebook, video messaging, and other online platforms purposely to deceive the public that they have an alleged parcel to claim at the Post Office.

T he Post Office has been receiving reports lately on scam incidents through online, e-mail, SMS and calls. Scammers are allegedly using fake accounts in social media, emails, text messages or phone calls to lure victims of the supposed unclaimed package at its branches.  Some would even pose as postal employees.

Bogus tracking numbers of packages and other documents are also sent to the victims to make the transaction look legitimate. These documents can be validated with the Post Office.

The public is warned not to fall victim to scammers posing as Post Office employees.  They are not authorized to transact or solicit information from the public. Do not give personal information, and entertain these scammers. If a tracking number was given, please verify first, using the PHLPost Tracking System found on its Official Website. If the mail was sent to the Post Office, the tracking number should be nine (9) digits, with the last two letters being PH,” the Post Office said in a statement.

T he scammers are employing several tactics to gain access to personal information or other similar means. These fraudulent means include harassment, saying that their “unusual” package is being held at the Police Station and Post Office because of illegal content.

A s a precautionary measure, the scams can easily be spotted: (1) if the scammer fails to provide the address of their office; and (2) if they insist that you pay through online banks and money remittances.

T he public is advised to be careful in dealing with suspicious notifications and individuals asking for money. They may call the Post Office helpdesk, at 8288-7678, through e-mail at phlpostcares@phlpost.gov.ph or send us a message at Post Office Facebook page, or track your item at Post Office web site via www.phlpost.gov.ph.

Victims of online scams are also advised to report the incidents to the cybercrime offices of the Philippine National Police or National Bureau of Investigation.

House panel approves ‘hybrid’ Con-con proposal to amend 1987 Constitution

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE House Committee on Constitutional Amendments on Monday approved a bill accompanying the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6, calling for a Constitutional Convention (Concon) to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

T his unnumbered bill, if passed, will be the enabling law implementing RBH No. 6.

T he bill was approved by 17 and opposed by two lawmakers.

Under the proposal, the Con-con will be “hybrid” with 304 elected and appointed delegates with 1 delegate

elected from each of the 253 congressional districts.

T he measure said that 253 delegates will be elected in polls to be held simultaneously with the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 30, 2023.

T he bill, meanwhile, said 20 percent of the total number of Con-con delegates from various sectors will be jointly appointed by the Senate President and House Speaker.

T hese sectors include farmers, senior citizens, youth, urban poor and indigenous peoples.

T he bill said the convention shall meet in the session hall of

the House of Representatives on November 20. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall jointly preside at its opening until a presiding officer is elected by the convention among the delegates.

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno proposed to the House Committee on Constitutional Amendment a hybrid Con-con.

Puno, a former chairman of the Consultative Committee to Review the 1987 Constitution during the Duterte administration, said a hybrid Con-con would ensure that those tasked to amend the Constitution are independent and competent.

According to Puno, Con-con needs

more people with expertise in law, politics, and economics.

For his part, House Committee on Constitutional Amendments Chairman Rufus Rodriguez said the Con-con will be allotted a proposed P5 billion budget for its operating expenses.

T he bill also included a P10,000 per diem or daily allowance for each of the Con-con delegates.

But Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas questioned the huge cost to be incurred by the conduct of Con-con while workers have been clamoring for wage hikes and many have been asking for subsidies.

T he bill will be transmitted to the House Committee on Appro -

priations for the approval of its funding provision.

L ast week, the House of Representatives started the plenary debates on Resolution of Both Houses 6 calling for a Constitutional convention to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

T he convention is mandated, through a process of public hearings and deliberations, to submit the proposed charter change for the people’s ratification, which shall be held not earlier than 60 days nor later than 90 days upon approval of the amendments or revisions, and the same shall be valid only when ratified by a majority of the votes cast.

Aplasca vows to rid OTS of ‘scalawags’ Group calls for full-blast transition to renewables

By Nonie Reyes @Nonielonlon

THE Office of Transportation Security (OTS) has vowed to weed out “scalawags” within its ranks following reports of alleged extortion activities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) on social media.

“ The management will not stop performing its duties until we are down to the last scalawag within our ranks,” Office of Transportation Security (OTS) Administrator Ma. O Aplasca assured.

On February 22, 2023, a report on the alleged extortion activities of some OTS personnel surfaced on social media assigned at the Naia Terminal 2.

A video clip purportedly showed a departing foreign national requesting the security-screening officer (SSO) to return the money taken from him amounting to 20,000 yen or equivalent to P8,000 after passing x-ray screening.

T he OTS took immediate action to identify the SSOs in the video. Subsequently, they were relieved from duty and were placed under preventive suspension. Their identities, however, were not revealed as of this writing.

K im Marquez, OTS spokesperson, said investigators are now preparing to file appropriate administrative cases against the respondents, adding the office may also decide to lodge separate criminal charges against them in court.

This illegal act will not be tolerated and we will apply the full force of the law to penalize

the perpetrators to send a strong message that we are serious in cleansing our ranks,” Marquez said.

He added: “They [the erring OTS personnel] shall not only be dismissed from the service but shall also be put behind bars for their criminal acts that tarnish the reputation and integrity not only of OTS but the entire country in general.”

Since July 2022, the OTS internal cleansing program has already resulted in the dismissal of fourteen erring personnel, another three were suspended, while six cases are now being resolved by the OTS Legal Service, it was learned.

T hese cases range from violation of the OTS’s no tipping policy, violation in the proper disposal of intercepted prohibited items, extortion, rude behavior, and use of mobile phones while on duty.

R ecently, OTS personnel received their salary adjustment under the Salary Standardization law V (SSL V).

O TS personnel with Salary grade 4 receives a P15,586 pay; salary grade 11, P27,000; and salary grade 15, to P36,619 (SS0 supervisor).

Marquez said Aplasca would like to assure everyone that the OTS management would exhaust all available means to correct the lapses in operations by nurturing a new culture of professionalism, integrity and commitment to public service.

“ We, therefore, encourage the public to report or send us an e-mail at pio@ots.gov.ph, kapag may mga reklamo po sa mga tao naming,” Marquez said.

Sen. Grace Poe, meanwhile,

called the alleged extortion incident involving a Thai national at Naia infuriating and embarrassing, as she urged other victims to come out and file complaints.

Nung nakita ko iyong video na ‘yun, talagang nakakagalit at nakakahiya,” Poe said in a statement.

Isa na namang problema ito sa reputasyon ng Naia at ng ating airports,” she added.

Poe called on other victims of extortion or attempts by airport personnel to ask money, and those who have lost valuables in the process of baggage inspection and check-in to lodge formal complaints to determine the accountability of airport personnel.

Poe said the latest incident tarnished anew the already notorious reputation of Naia and could discourage tourists from visiting the country.

“Iyong turista na nga ang pumunta rito, iyong Thai national, ganito pa ang karanasan. Kung sino ang security na dapat poprotekta sa atin, sila pa ang gumagawa ng kalokohan,” she said.

Two months ago, she said one of her office staff lost a watch during baggage inspection.

“Ang ibang reklamo, pagdaan sa x-ray ng bagahe, paglabas, may nawawala na, parang may magician na now you see it, now you don’t,” she said.

T he senator said aggrieved passengers should come forward and have their complaints documented. Naia should also make available relevant CCTV footages to aid in the investigation of complaints, including the case of the Thai national.

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—A lobby group is urging the government to go full blast in transitioning to renewable energy (RE), stressing “it is time to break our relationship with fossil fuel industries.”

“More sustainable resources are already within our reach, yet we fail to explore and diversify our energy sources. There are existing initiatives and proposals such as solar, wind, and geothermal power that can actually help decrease the electricity rates of end-users and hasten our transition to renewable-energy,” the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) said.

T he group said it was joining with other advocates of RE “to call on our legislators to pass bills that expand opportunities to implement RE projects, such as improving the net metering program, establishing solar rooftop programs, and institutionalizing the Green Energy Auction Program.”

“It is time to modernize our grids to effectively install and distribute RE. But scaling up clean energy financing is crucial to make this possible,” it added.

T he PLCPD said, “As an immediate response to the impact of electricity price hikes, government subsidies should be also provided to aid poor households who are gravely affected by rising electricity rates.”

It cited the instance last month when Meralco “implemented another electricity price hike amid worsening inflation. The increase

applied was P0.6232 per kilowatt hour (kWh), an additional P125 in the monthly bill for an ordinary household consuming 200 kWh.” T his is consistent with the previous price hikes in 2022, like the one in November with the increase of P0.844 per kWh, equivalent to P17 for a household that consume 200 kWh, and in December, with P0.3297 per kWh or P66 (for 200 kWh). The increase was triggered by the increased charges of more expensive fuel used by Independent Power Producers (IPP) and the rise of Wholesale Electricity Spot Market prices due to tight supply conditions that caused preceding yellow alerts, particularly in the Luzon grid.

Similar to the red onion price hike also caused by excessive importation plus the persistence of illegal smuggling, electricity is definitely one of the top concerns of all Filipinos, the PLCPD said.

The group said for Filipino families that belong to poor households and only earn a minimum wage of P570 a day in Metro Manila, “This is an additional struggle to survive the daily expenses.” Even when prices of basic commodities, products, and services continue to increase, wages remain low. Worse, the minimum wage all over the country is still disproportionate and does not even reach 50 percent to 60 percent of the living wage.

Home-based workers suffer as they heavily rely on electricity as their capital to perform their jobs. Businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises too, are affected as they consume more electricity compared to an ordinary household.

PBIDC prods government to replicate Marikina bamboo reforestation project

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

AN official of the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday underscored the importance of a “whole-of-society” approach in addressing the shortage of classrooms and school facilities in the basic education sector. We want to make sure that we have non-government organizations, private institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners to bring in the additional funding for us to add more classrooms outside of the budget provided for by government, and this is something that all of us need to realize,” Undersecretary for School Infrastructure and Facilities Epimaco V. Densing III said during National Planning Conference on the School Building Program (NPC-SBP) in Subic, Zambales.

D uring the event, field offices welcomed the renewed partnership between the DepEd and the Depart -

ment of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in reinforcing the School Building Program (SBP) during the National Planning Conference on the NPC-SBP.

L ikewise, DepEd Central Luzon Regional Director May B. Eclar expressed gratitude to the national and regional officials, school division superintendents, legal and planning officers, and engineers for continuously supporting the SBP.

We are happy that the key players and decision-makers in our School Building Program from DepEd and DPWH are here to address the perennial issues and concerns pertaining to our School Building Program implementation,” Eclar said. For his part, DepEd SOCCSKSARGEN Regional Director Carlito D. Rocafort mentioned, “if there are state of the art and complete school facilities, the commitment of teachers will be renewed and the achievement of learners will also definitely increase.”

It may be recalled that Vice President and Secretary of Education Sara Z. Duterte, in her Basic Education Report (BER) 2023, acknowledged that “one of the most pressing problems” affecting teaching and learning is the lack of school facilities and infrastructures.

T he four-day conference featured discussions on the Basic Education Development Plan (BEDP) 2030 Commitments, Guidelines on the Implementation of BEFF, Securing Valid Site Ownership of Schools as Preliminary Requirements of the School Building Program, Standard School Building Designs, and Medium Rise School Buildings, among others.

Through this renewed partnership on SBP, especially now that the MATATAG Agenda has been launched, we in DepEd RO6 hope and believe that the nationwide gaps and shortages in classrooms and other school buildings will be fully addressed or minimized,” DepEd Western Visayas Regional Director Dr. Ramir B. Uytico emphasized.

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

THE Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) is urging the government to replicate nationwide the successful bamboo reforestation projects at the Marikina Watershed, which provided livelihood to indigenous communities and help prevent Metro Manila flooding.

T he 20-hectare Karugo and 10-hectare Puray bamboo projects in Montalban, Rizal are “ideal multi-agency collaboration that involves minimal budget” according to PBIDC vice chairman Deogracias Victor B. Savellano.

“Our best examples for bamboo propagation are those in Puray and Karugo. It’s something that’s not difficult to do. It is a joint effort among government, Rotary International, Indigenous People, and the community. It’s a beautiful model that should

be replicated all over the Philippines,” Savellano said in a statement.

R otary raised a minimal P1.5 million in district grants for the Karugo project.

Meanwhile, the Kilusang 5K or Kawayan: Kalikasan, Kaunlaran, Kabuhayan, Kinabukasan Foundation, founded by Savellano, has supported the organization of Puray and Karugo projects.

T he bamboo propagules, planted in 2022 in Karugo, are estimated to multiply to 142,000 bamboo culms in five years and 228,000 culms in eight years.

Now that Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual has reconvened PBIDC, Savellano said the council is now coordinating all bamboo projects and agencies. Thus, such replication can be implemented in every town in the country as what has been done by Savellano’s former constituents in Ilocos Sur.

PBIDC has adopted the Montalban projects for its own col -

laborative, cost-effective model.

“We tapped the two communitybased projects to establish nurseries and do plantation development,” said PBIDC Executive Director Butch Madarang. “Using the convergence formula through consultation with different agencies, we’re able to engage everybody. We have an inclusive perspective. Our formula is to tap different agencies’ resources.”

T he lead collaborator is the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which identified the project site. Kilusang 5K tapped the Philippine Bamboo Foundation and Bamboo Professionals Inc. to train on bamboo propagation the IPs belonging to the Samahan ng Kawayan sa Karugo Agri-Farmers Association and Tribal Council Assn. of Puray Inc. Instead of planting hardwood, which takes 10 to 20 years to harvest, bamboo was chosen, as it is harvestable in three years, generating income for the community.

DepEd official pushes ‘whole-of-society’ approach to address classroom shortage

Synergistic approach among hotels to drive

By Rory Visco Contributor

THE Philippine hospitality industry was one of the sectors that suffered a huge blow because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Staycations among domestic tourists, leisure stays by foreign travelers, including the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, were badly hit after governments around the world, including the Philippines, implemented various modes of lockdowns and community quarantines that restricted inter- and intra-country mobility.

Hotels were not allowed to accept guests, except those that functioned as quarantine facilities for travelers to the Philippines from overseas destinations. Even if there were guests, hotels and even resorts looked like ghost towns.

But these experiences may soon be a thing of the past. With the easing of mobility restrictions, slowly but surely, hotels are experi-

encing a resurgence, and will hopefully be buoyed upwards towards recovery through the MICE sector.

Things are looking up

FOR Cleo Albiso, Managing Director of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, year 2023 blessed them with a good start with good revenues across all their properties as they did well in the first quarter brought

about by everyone’s intense desire to continue doing business. “Corporate accounts are going back creating meetings and conventions. It’s been truly inspiring and we’re truly encouraged to keep our efforts going and rolling because business is coming back,” she said during the recent BM Coffee Club session on MICE Destinations in the Philippines.

Despite the challenges, she said businesses and the leads they were able to capture are really encouraging and enabled them to see something positive within the coming months ahead.

People – they need people

ALBISO pointed to staffing as one of the industry’s major challenges, though she admits running out of talent happens not just in the hospitality industry but also in other industries outside of it.

For the other guests in the BM Coffee Club session, namely Denise Olegario, Cluster Director of Sales and Marketing, The Ascott Limited; Anna Liza Vergara, GM of Sheraton Manila Hotel; Alex Aquino, Assistant Director of Marketing of Swissôtel Clark and Widus Hotel & Casino; and Carlo Cruz, Director for Sales & Marketing of Discovery Suites, they all agreed that manpower and staffing are of concern, most of which were lured by work in cruise ships. They said they can’t

be stopped but they are trying to make do with what they can and entice newcomers and associates who would like to try hotel jobs.

Olegario also pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic opened doors for Work-From-Home (WFH) setups, especially among the younger people. “But there’s no such thing as WFH for the hotel industry where workers spend long hours. But then again, servicing the hospitality industry was an option never seen before.”

For Vergara, another challenge to domestic staffing is the emergence of requirements in the global hospitality industry. “We’ve had associates who were offered packages that include (their) families. For a start-up family, this is a better option for them to move up. Staffing, work from home, all these we continue to juggle with every single day as we try to plant the seeds and show associates that there’s still good opportunities here,” she pointed out.

Cruz, on the other hand, said that aside from WFH, a lot of companies offer high-paying job opportunities, most even pay in dollars. “The competitiveness of the offers pushes hotels to offer more competitive salary packages, which is quite a challenge because we’re still in the recovery period and not yet in the pre-pandemic levels. Staffing is a challenge not just locally but globally as well,and is seen as a major hurdle in the recovery of the hospitality industry.”

Boracay Newcoast: The newest MICE destination in the Visayas

WITH the innumerable accolades that Boracay Island is consistently receiving, travelers from near and far flock to the destination for an experience of paradise. Over the years, visitors have regularly been Free and Independent Travelers (FITs), but over time, Boracay has gained traction with both the domestic and international markets of Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, Exhibition Events (MICE). While the island’s hospitality industry is prepared for tourist influx, Boracay’s MICE facilities are limited, and the rising demand for large-scale events became more imminent.

To address the community’s need, Megaworld Hotels and Re-

sorts (MHR) built Boracay Newcoast, the first and only masterplanned leisure-oriented township of the island. Situated northeast of Boracay, the 150-hectare development provides expansive grounds that feature facilities to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay for all types of travelers, including differently-abled and MICE guests.

Boracay Newcoast is home to over 1,000 room keys in Savoy Hotel Boracay and Belmont Hotel Boracay, MHR’s two accommodation establishments with exclusive access to the 300 -meter white sand Newcoast Beach.

Savoy Hotel Boracay is designed for the modern and hip traveler. Complementing its 559

guestrooms ranging from 27 to 55 square meters are 11 function rooms, which accommodate small to medium sized meetings and events. The vibrant setting of Savoy Hotel Boracay makes it perfect for young professionals and adventurous people that are looking for a fun experience on the Newcoast.

It also boasts of the country’s first and only concert pool arena, with a capacity to hold up to 300 persons.

Belmont Hotel Boracay, with 442 guestrooms ranging from 27 to 54 square meters, is home for travelers looking to escape the urban hustle and bustle. Equipped with four function rooms and meeting spaces that can accommodate 25 to 100 persons, the hotel exudes a

calm and peaceful ambiance well suited for individuals and families that welcome a beachside respite.

Both Savoy Hotel Boracay and Belmont Hotel Boracay have a fitness gym, a spa and a swimming pool, and share a retail area that features convenience in food, beverage, and clothing options. More restaurants, bars and other specialty stores are slated to open soon.

Larger event requirements can be accommodated at the Boracay Newcoast Convention Center (BNCC). With at least 2,378 square meters for at least 700 seating capacity. The BNCC is within walking distance to both hotels, and is situated at the heart of the Estate. For comfort, a complimentary shuttle

service is provided to transfer hotel guests to the BNCC and back.

Various affordable packages for MICE events at the BNCC are available starting at P935.00 to P2,585.00 per person, at a minimum of 200 persons. Live-in and live out rates for groups above 300 persons starts at P870.00 to P2,520.00. These banquet packages are bundled with tables and chairs, the use of a podium, an LED wall, standard Public Address system with two microphones, white board and markers, pads, pencils, and WiFi access for all attendees.

A s a tourist destination, Boracay Newcoast provides exceptional experiences for one and all. The famed Keyhole frames a

beautiful sunrise on this side of the island, a definite must-see. Various activities can be enjoyed at the Newcoast Beach, including kayaking and paddle boarding. For those who fancy motor rides, electronic bicycles and ATVs are likewise available for rent.

Boracay Newcoast is accessible via your choice of its own speedboat or shuttle service from Caticlan Airport, which is 45 minutes away. For your next MICE gathering, feel free to get in touch with them through bncc@megaworldhotels. com and bnccsales@megaworldhotels.com or call 09173262700.

Your perfect place for MICE in a tropical paradise

you and your attendees soon.

M.I.C.E.

CONFERENCES, EXHIBITIONS

Philippine preference as MICE destination

ance she said, was very timely as it gathered stakeholders and industry leaders. She thanked the local government of Malay, Aklan for its support, particularly Mayor Floribar Bautista and Felix Delos Santos from the Tourism office, working closely with the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 6 with Regional Director Crisanta Marlene “Krisma” Rodriguez. “We realized that it’s not enough to bank on leisure travelers to Boracay. MICE has to be established to create sustainability in the business so that when things happen and challenges come in, there’s the MICE business that we can turn to.”

She said what they’re trying to establish now is a synergy where hotels and venues get to promote that Boracay is an option for MICE.

Strategic location

AQUINO is glad that their location is very strategic, just a few minutes away from the Clark International Airport, an hour away from Manila or about two hours away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. “Clark is both a MICE and lifestyle venue, for sporting events, and even small and medium-size meetings. What’s good with Clark is we are the MICE center for the north, where even areas up north don’t have to go to Manila for MICE events, which also helps in its decongestion. The expansion of the New Clark City in Tarlac is also in the pipeline in the next 10 years.”

a preferred MICE destination, not just local or regional but also internationally.”

Though being a degree holder is a must, Olegario said a potential candidate may not exactly be a Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) graduate. She said they have colleagues who came from industries outside of the hospitality industry but are able to fit well.

Carlo added that what hotels look for now when hiring people is their flexibility, the ability to multitask, a skill the pandemic taught them, where people in operations

had to do different things, like those in sales and marketing deployed to other departments doing operations tasks. “These are qualities that can make hotels ‘pandemic-proof.’ Being able to do different tasks will be an advantage for future hoteliers or staff members.”

For Aquino, what they look for is the “heart for service,” which he said not everyone has, including attention to details. “Those are things where we have to educate our young

minds who may wish to go to the hotel industry. It’s not really for everyone. They must have the heart to service guests and clients beyond what are expected of them, always going the extra mile for them.”

Synergism is key for MICE growth

WITH regard to the MICE sector, Albiso said a lot of things are happening across the country. The creation of the Boracay MICE Alli-

Last year, Albiso said they opened the Boracay Newcoast Convention Center, which also provides support to their two properties there, the Savoy Boracay and the Belmont Hotel Boracay that has amenities to support conventions in Boracay.

Vergara, meanwhile, said they are closely working with one of their sister hotels, the Marriott Manila, with their combined room inventories that they can offer to their MICE patrons. “That’s the beauty of having two hotels in one complex. We can combine room inventories of both hotels to any clients.

Cruz said that in the Ortigas business district, they are benefiting more on medical conventions, where coordination with meeting organizers are also being done. The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA), he said, is trying to organize big conventions by being the lead coordinator with major conventions in Metro Manila and directly negotiating with them on behalf of the HSMA member hotels. “Hotels are becoming more synergistic in terms of approaching MICE. We’re still competing for the business but more like a friendly competition, helping each other because at the end of the day, we have one goal, which is to make the country

Vergara also emphasized that the reopening of the country’s borders and resurgence in corporate gathering benefited them. “At Sheraton we have a unique venue, a plug-and-play and flexible kind of place that’s been getting a lot of interest for social and corporate gatherings, especially our sister hotel, the Marriott Manila, which has the biggest pillar-less ballroom in the country. The synergy, the collaboration and the friendly competitor atmosphere are working for all of us because at the end of the day, it’s about having to cater to our guests and sustain the business.”

Olegario echoed everyone’s synergistic approach to MICE. “It is really about synergizing. The Tourism Promotions Board and the DOT have been very active in promoting the Philippines as a MICE destination. We now see a lot of interests coming from the international market. During the pandemic, domestic MICE was our go-to segment and helped us a lot when the business was just starting. Now, pharmaceutical and medical companies are slowly going back to face-to-face events. For us, now that we have our Bacolod property, the MICE industry is really something that we have to address.”

Marriott Hotel Manila is MICE ready with MGBX

By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

There is one hotel in the heart of Metro Manila that declared itself to be ready for MICE last year and that is Marriott Hotel Manila.

I n July 2022, Marriott opened and formally inaugurated its exhibition center called MGBX. This came seven years after it launched the Marriott Grand Ballroom (MGB). MGBX is a 4,400 square meter convention space located at the Level B1 of MGB. The “X” in its name stands for exhibition which also connotes “collaboration” and “partnership” where individuals, groups and industries can grow and unite. “ Since the launch of the Marriott Grand Ballroom in 2015 and prior to the start of the pandemic period, the growth in the scale and volume of MICE events in Metro Manila, was a great success story,” noted Bruce Winton, Multi-property Vice President –The Philippines of Marriot International. “ We simply identified a growing need with an under-utilized space and made the decision

to convert it into exhibit space to complement our abundant, luxury meeting spaces,” Winton said, adding that Newport World Resorts (NWP) has always been geared towards building the concept of a one-stop, nonstop tourism destination.

Strategic location

SINCE Marriott is strategically located across NAIA Terminal 3, Winton said their source markets for MGB and MGBX “are primarily domestic corporate, association, government and social events nicely complemented by international corporate and MICE events mostly from ASEAN countries and some broader regional markets in Asia Pacific.” “ We have experienced some world class, large scale, international events and the hosting of the 2022 WTTC Global Summit not only brought positive attention to the Philippines as a destination but also highlighted our continued capability to execute at the highest level despite the set-

backs of the pandemic period,” Winton noted.

“ We are confident that as the sector rebounds that Manila, in particular, will capitalize on growing its share in the region as we continue to offer more and more top class facilities and improved transportation and tourism infrastructure,” he added. W hile the country has not yet fully recovered from the

pandemic, Winton said that social and milestone events are back in full swing and corporate meetings are also starting to recover at a faster pace.

Periodic get-togethers

WITH more companies shifting more permanent to hybrid or work-from-home set ups, the impact of periodic, quarterly or annual get-togethers may just be -

come more important. “ We certainly hope so as the industry is such an important part of our economy. It makes such a huge impact on people’s lives, to the lives of our associates, our business partners, our communities and we are doing all we can to encourage the return of meetings and events,” Winton said. Not too many people know that companies that decide to

host events in Marriott are rewarded through Marriott Bonvoy, the largest and most looked up travel program in the industry.

“Not only can you have your fantastic milestone events but also get rewarded for doing them as well. This cuts across Marriott’s 30 brands in 140 countries and a growing members’ database of about 160 million,” Winton said.

LAST year, it was all about revenge tourism. Families and friends were finally able to travel, albeit domestically, and enjoy a holiday together. This year, it is about restarting and boosting economic and tourism activities throughout the country through MICE or Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions

CIA chief says Xi Jinping has some doubt on ability to invade Taiwan

By Hope Yen The Associated Press

Burns, in a television interview that aired Sunday, stressed that the United States must take “very seriously” Xi’s desire to ultimately control Taiwan even if military conflict is not inevitable.

“We do know, as has been made public, that President Xi has instructed the PLA, the Chinese military leadership, to be ready by 2027 to invade Taiwan, but that doesn’t mean that he’s de

Cambodia: Bird flu under control after infected person recovers

By Michelle Fay Cortez & Philip J. Heijmans

CAMBODIA’S bird flu situation is under control after a man infected last week recovered and more than two-dozen other people tested negative for the dangerous virus.

The father of an 11-year-old girl who died from the H5N1 virus is now testing negative after getting medical care in the hospital, said Or Vandine, Cambodia’s Secretary of State and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health. None of the additional 29 people who were tested for the highly pathogenic virus were infected, including 16 close contacts and 13 who were exhibiting symptoms of an influenza-like illness.

While the findings ease concerns about whether the virus can jump directly from person-to-person, officials haven’t made a final determination yet about the risk, she said.

“It is unlikely, but the team is still under ground and we should wait for their conclusion,” Or Vandine said.

The latest findings come as the number of birds and mammals infected with avian influenza is growing worldwide, spurring concern about mutations that could allow the virus that kills more than half of those it infects to transmit easily between people. The UK said last week that it’s developing scenarios of what might happen if the virus were to evolve.  Bloomberg News

cided to invade in 2027 or any other year as well,” Burns told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

“I think our judgment at least is that President Xi and his military leadership have doubts today about whether they could accomplish that invasion,” he said.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war that ended with the Communist Party in control of the mainland. The self-governing

the face of growing shows of force by Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory. President Joe Biden has said that American forces would defend Taiwan if China tries to invade. The White House says US policy has not changed in making clear that Washington wants to see Taiwan’s status resolved peacefully. It is silent as to whether US forces might be sent in response to a Chinese attack.

In Sunday’s interview, Burns said the support from the US and European allies for Ukraine following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of that country may be acting as a potential deterrent to Chinese officials for now but said the risks of a possible attack on Taiwan will only grow stronger.

island acts like a sovereign nation, yet is not recognized by the United Nations or any major country. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter formally recognized the government in Beijing and cut nation-to-nation ties with Taiwan. In response, Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act, creating a benchmark for a continuing relationship.

Taiwan has received numerous displays of official American support for the island democracy in

JAKE SULLIVAN BLOOMBERG

US sees China in ‘awkward’ global position over Ukraine

By Victoria Cavaliere

CHINA’S stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine puts it in an “awkward” position internationally and any weapons support to Russia would come with “real costs,” US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

“I think, as they’ve looked at Putin’s experience in Ukraine, that’s probably reinforced some of those doubts,” Burns said. “So, all I would say is that I think the risks of, you know, a potential use of force probably grow the further into this decade you get and beyond it, into the following decade as well.

“So that’s something obviously, that we watch very, very carefully,” he said.

Tens of thousands protest Mexico president’s electoral law changes

MEXICO CITY—Tens of thousands of people filled Mexico City’s vast main plaza Sunday to protest President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s electoral law changes they say threaten democracy and could mark a return to the past.

The plaza is normally thought to hold nearly 100,000 people, but many protesters who couldn’t fit in the square spilled onto nearby streets.

The marchers were clad mostly in white and pink—the color of the National Electoral Institute—and shouted slogans like “Don’t Touch my Vote!” Like a similar but somewhat larger march on Nov. 13, the marchers appeared somewhat more affluent than those at the average demonstration.

The electoral law changes drew attention from the US government.

Brian A. Nichols, the US assistant secretary of state for Western hemisphere affairs, wrote in his Twitter account that “Today, in Mexico, we see a great debate on electoral reforms that are testing the independence of electoral and judicial institutions.”

“The United States supports independent, well-resourced electoral institutions that strengthen democratic processes and the rule of law,” Nichols wrote.

López Obrador’s proposals were passed last week. Once enacted, they would cut salaries, funding for local election offices and training for citizens who operate and oversee polling stations. They would also reduce sanctions for candidates who fail to report campaign spending.

Mexico’s president denies the reforms are a threat to democracy and says criticism is elitist, arguing the institute spends too much money. He says the funds should be spent on the poor.

But protester Enrique Bastien, a 64-year-old veterinarian, said that with the reforms López Obrador “wants to return to the past”

when “the government controlled elections.”

“It was a life with no independence,” said Bastien, recalling the 1970s and 80s when the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, ruled Mexico with fraud and handouts.

Fernando Gutierrez, 55, a small businessman, said López Obrador wanted to lead Mexico to a socialist government. “That’s obvious, from the aid going to Cuba,” Gutierrez said.

López Obrador has imported coronavirus vaccines, medical workers and stone railway ballast from Cuba, but has shown little taste for socialist policies at home.

Many other demonstrators were simply wary of the kind of vote miscounting, campaign overspending and electoral pressure tactics that were common in Mexico before the independent electoral agency was created in the 1990s.

López Obrador said Thursday he will sign the changes into law, even though he expects court challenges. Many at Sunday’s protest expressed hope that Mexico’s Supreme Court would overturn some of the changes, as courts have done with other presidential initiatives.

Lorenzo Cordova, the head of the National Electoral Institute,

has said the reforms “seek to cut thousands of people who work every day to guarantee trustworthy elections, something that will of course pose a risk for future elections.”

López Obrador has appeared nonchalant about court challenges, saying Thursday that he believed the changes would be upheld because none was “outside the law.”

However, in the past he has frequently attacked Mexico’s judiciary and claimed judges are part of a conservative conspiracy against his administration.

The president’s strident pushback against the judiciary, as well as regulatory and oversight agencies, has raised fears among some that he is seeking to reinstitute the practices of the old PRI, which bent the rules to retain Mexico’s presidency for 70 years until its defeat in the 2000 elections.

Elections in Mexico are expensive by international standards, in part because almost all legal campaign financing is, by law, supplied by the government. The electoral institute also issues the secure voter ID cards that are the most commonly accepted form of identification in Mexico, and oversees balloting in the remote and often dangerous corners of the country. AP

Sullivan emphasized in three interviews with US television networks on Sunday that the Biden administration doesn’t have evidence that China is giving “lethal support” to President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, while seeking to warn Beijing of the risks.

“When China talks rhetorically about the war in Ukraine, they tie themselves into knots, because they know that going all-in with Russia in this war in Ukraine would alienate a substantial number of countries that they are working hard to maintain good relations with,” Sullivan said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

China’s position “is much more awkward” than the US stance, he said.

Tensions between the world’s two top economies has been running high since Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China’s diplomat, Wang Yi, met in Germany on Feb. 18. Blinken said afterward that the US had evidence that China was considering helping arm Russia, a claim dismissed by Beijing. The US hasn’t provided public evidence for its assertion.

President Joe Biden and Chinese

leader Xi Jinping don’t have any call scheduled for now, “though I anticipate the two leaders will speak at some point in the not too distant future,” Sullivan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

With Russia’s war on Ukraine entering its second year, Sullivan said Kyiv still has the strong support of a large international coalition, a fact not lost on China.

“This war presents real complications for Beijing,” he said on CNN.

“And Beijing will have to make its own decisions about how to proceed, whether it provides military assistance. But if it goes down that road, it will come at real costs to China.”

China on Friday called for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, but the 12-point proposal gained little international support. Several of the measures outlined would, if carried out, favor Russia.

US officials have previously criticized China for attempting to portray itself as a neutral party in the conflict while simultaneously giving Moscow what the US alleges is diplomatic, economic and propaganda support.

China last week abstained from a United Nations resolution calling for an end to the war. The measure passed 141-7, with 32 abstentions. The UN resolution included a demand for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine’s territory.  China was “one of a number of countries that just tried to stand on the sidelines,” said Sullivan. With assistance from Josh Wingrove/Bloomberg

Rescuers find 60th body off Italy after migrant shipwreck

By Paolo Santalucia & Luigi Navarra The Associated Press

STECCATO DI CUTRO, Italy—Rescue crews searched by sea and air Monday for the dozens of people believed still missing from a shipwreck off Italy’s southern coast that drove home once again the desperate and dangerous crossings of migrants seeking to reach Europe.

At least 80 people survived Sunday’s shipwreck off the Calabrian coast, but rescue crews recovered 60 bodies, including those of several children and the corpse of a young man Monday morning. Dozens more were feared dead given survivor reports that the ship, which set off from Turkey last week, had carried about 170 people.

The beach at Steccato di Cutro, on Calabria’s Ionian coast, was littered with the splintered remains of the ship that broke up in stormy seas on the reefs offshore, as well as the belongings the migrants had brought with them, including a toddler’s tiny pink sneaker and a yellow plastic pencil case decorated with pandas. There were only a few life jackets scattered amid the debris.

On Monday, two coast guard vessels searched the seas north to south off Steccato di Cutro while a helicopter flew overhead and a four-wheel vehicle patrolled the beach. A strong wind whipped the seas that still churned up splinters of the ship, gas tanks, food containers and shoes. A pickup truck came to take away the body of the latest victim.

Firefighter Inspector Giuseppe Larosa said what gutted the first rescue crews who arrived on the scene was how many children were killed, and that the bodies of the dead had scratches all over them, as if they had tried to hang onto the ship to save themselves.

“It was a chilling scene. Bodies spread out on the beach, so many bodies, so many children,”

he said on the beach Monday morning. He said he had focused on the recovery efforts, but he was struck by what he found in the survivors.

“What struck me was their silence,” he said. “Terror in their eyes, but mute. Silent.”

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who has spearheaded Italy’s crackdown on migration, visited the scene Sunday and met with local officials in Crotone. At a news conference, he insisted the solution was to put an end to migrant crossings at their origin.

“I ask myself how it’s possible that these crossings are organized, pushing women and children to make the trips that end up tragically dangerous,” he said.

Italy’s government under Premier Giorgia Meloni has focused on trying to block migrant ships from departing, while discouraging humanitarian rescue teams from operating in the Mediterranean. Meloni said Sunday that the government was committed to that policy “above all by insisting on the maximum collaboration with the countries of origin and departure.”

Italy has complained bitterly for years that fellow European Union countries have balked at taking in migrants, many of whom are aiming to find family or work in northern Europe. Italy is a prime destination, especially for smuggling operations launching boats from Libyan shores.

But Italy is also a destination for smugglers leaving from Turkey. According to UN figures, arrivals from the Turkish route accounted for 15 percent of the 105,000 migrants who arrived on Italian shores last year, with nearly half of those fleeing from Afghanistan.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a redoubling of efforts to deal with the problem.

“The resulting loss of life of innocent migrants is a tragedy,” she said.

WASHINGTON—US intelligence shows that China’s President Xi Jinping has instructed his country’s military to “be ready by 2027” to invade Taiwan though he may be currently harboring doubts about his ability to do so given Russia’s experience in its war with Ukraine, CIA Director William Burns said.

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CENTRAL Intelligence Agency Director William Burns speaks at the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Virginia on July 8, 2022. In a television interview that aired Sunday, Burns stressed that the United States must take “very seriously” Xi’s desire to ultimately control Taiwan even if military conflict is not inevitable. AP/SUSAN WALSH

ANTI-GOVERNMENT demonstrators protest against recent reforms pushed by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to the country’s electoral law that they say threaten democracy, in Mexico City’s main square, The Zocalo on Sunday, February 26, 2023.

LLANO

NicoleWinfield contributed to this report from Rome

HK exports register biggest drop in 70 years as demand plummets

By Kari Lindberg

HONG KONG’S exports plunged in January by the most in 70 years as waning global demand and the Lunar New Year break weighed on trade and Chinese demand remained weak, even after the mainland emerged from Covid Zero.

Overseas shipments plummeted 36.7percent from a year earlier to HK$290.9 billion ($37.1 billion), the Census and Statistics Department said Monday. That was the lowest amount since February 2020 and was far worse than an expectation of a 27.6 percent fall in a Bloomberg survey of economists. The drop was the largest since September 1953.

Imports declined 30.2percent from a year ago, compared with economists’ expectations of a 23.1 percent slide. The trade deficit was HK$25.4 billion.

“Exports to all major markets fell by varying degrees,” a government spokesman said in a release accompanying the data. An early Lunar New Year holiday may also have affected trade, he added.

Declines were recorded across Asia, with exports to Japan down 50percent, those to Singapore down 45.2 percent, and shipments to Taiwan and Vietnam down more than 40 percent each. Exports to mainland China dropped nearly 44 percent.

Slowing global demand and an economic downturn in China have hobbled the city’s trade and economic prospects, with gross domestic product shrinking in 2022 for the third time in four years. The city is trying to mount an economic recovery this year now that it has dropped nearly all of its pandemic-era restrictions and as the border with China has reopened.

The export weakness was much as expected given the slowing global economy background this year although the combined data for January and February will give a clear picture as the January data is distorted by the early Lunar New Year.

“HK’s recovery will be mainly driven by tourism comeback after China border reopening, which should counter the headwinds from weaker exports and high local interest rates” said Bloomberg economist Eric Zhu.

Last week the city’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan announced cash vouchers and other measures as part of a slew of initiatives aimed at stimulating the local economy. However as Hong Kong officials have warned for months, trade will likely continue to face pressure.

“The slower global economic growth will continue to pose severe challenges to Hong Kong’s export performance in the near term,” the government spokesman said, though faster growth in China and the end of border disruptions “should alleviate part of the pressure.”

Other trade-reliant economies have also warned of challenges because of the global demand slowdown. South Korea last week posted early trade data for February that showed a continuing decline in exports.

With assistance from Tomoko Sato/Bloomberg

Magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits

Turkey; more buildings collapse

ANKARA, Turkey—A magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook southern Turkey on Monday—three weeks after a catastrophic temblor devastated the region—causing some already damaged buildings to collapse, an official said. A father and daughter were reported trapped beneath the rubble of one building.

Monday’s earthquake was centered in the town of Yesilyurt in Malatya province, the country’s disaster management agency said.

Yesilyurt’s mayor, Mehmet Cinar, told HaberTurk television that a number of buildings in the town collapsed, including a four-story building where a father and daughter were trapped. Cinar said the pair had entered the damaged building to collect belongings.

Elsewhere in Malatya, search-and-rescue teams were sifting through the rubble of another building that toppled on top of some parked cars, HaberTurk reported.

Malatya was among 11 Turkish provinces hit by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that devastated parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6.

That quake led to more than 48,000 deaths in both countries as well as the collapse or serious damage of 173,000 buildings in Turkey.

AFAD, Turkey’s disaster management agency, said that close to 10,000 aftershocks have hit the region affected by the quake since February 6. AP

The World

2 German airports paralyzed as staff stage one-day strike

BERLIN—Nearly all flights at Germany’s Cologne-Bonn airport and the majority at nearby Duesseldorf were canceled or diverted on Monday as a result of strikes that also affected local transportation, day-care facilities and local administration in Germany’s most populous region.

Cologne-Bonn airport said that all but two of the day’s 136 planned flights wouldn’t depart from or arrive there, German news agency dpa reported. In Dusseldorf, only 89 of the planned 330 flights were expected to take place as scheduled, with most of the rest being canceled.

The one-day “warning strike” by airport security staff comes amid difficult pay talks for employees of Germany’s federal and municipal governments and for airport security staff. Walkouts planned Monday also were set to affect buses and trams

in parts of the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as day-care centers for children and other services.

Unions are seeking a 10.5percent pay raise, while employers

so far have offered an increase totaling 5 percent in two stages and one-time payments of 2,500 euros ($2,630) per employee— which unions have rejected as insufficient. AP

UN seeks $4.3 billion to cover Yemen humanitarian needs

By Samy Magdy The Associated Press

CAIRO—The United Nations is seeking $4.3 billion at a pledging conference Monday to alleviate the suffering of millions of people in Yemen, where an eight-year civil war has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

More than 21 million people in Yemen, or two-thirds of the country’s population, need help and protection, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, which says the humanitarian needs in Yemen are “shocking.”

Among those in need, more than 17 million are considered particularly vulnerable.

Monday’s high-level gathering is co-hosted by Sweden, Switzerland, and the UN in the organization’s Palais des Nations in Geneva. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will address donors on the dire humanitarian situation in the Arab world’s poorest country.

The $4.3 billion appeal is almost double the $2.2 billion that the UN received in 2022 to fund its humanitarian program in Yemen. The UN had sought $4.27 billion for 2022.

Monday’s conference comes as the global economy remains

rattled by the yearlong Russian invasion of Ukraine. Inflation rates have surged over the past year across the world, forcing many governments to focus on elevating the needs of their own people.

Yemen’s conflict started in 2014, when the Iran-backed rebel Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s north. A Saudi-led, US-backed coalition intervened months later, in early 2015, to try and dislodge the rebels and restore the internationally recognized government to power.

The conflict has in recent years become a regional proxy war that has killed more than 150,000 people, including over 14,500 civilians. The war has also created a horrendous humanitarian crisis, leaving millions suffering from food and medical care shortages and pushing the country to the brink of famine.

The conference is taking place as the warring sides continue to observe an informal and fragile cease-fire. Efforts are underway to declare a new truce after the parties failed to renew a UN-brokered truce in October.

The truce, which took effect in April, brought some relief for Yemenis, especially in Houthi-held areas. It enabled commercial traffic to resume at Sanaa’s airport and the sea port of Hodeida. However, the country is haunted by an economic crisis, with a dual system of currency, dual exchange rates, restrictions on imports and double taxation on goods, according to the UN Panel of Experts investigating Yemen’s conflict. Annual inflation reached 45%, and food prices surged 58%, according to the panel’s report. There have also been Houthi attacks on oil facilities in government-held areas, resulting in the disruption of oil export, which is a major source of funds for the government.

Climate change has added to the suffering. Yemen, located at the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, is “at the forefront” of global climate crisis, as natural disasters, including floods and arid weather, threaten lives, OCHA said.

In 2022, Yemen suffered from severe drought, heavy rainfall, and flooding, impacting more than 517,000 people and damaging public and civilian infrastructure in many provinces between July and September last year, according to OCHA.

Flu cases surge in China; antivirals in short supply

ASPIKE in flu cases is fueling a shortage of antivirals at Chinese pharmacies, with empty shelves reminiscent of the drug frenzy triggered by the explosive Covid outbreak that accompanied the country’s reopening.

Supplies of the medicine, known by its generic name oseltamivir and sometimes sold as Tamiflu, have appeared to run low at both brick-andmortar and online pharmacies across parts of China in recent days, with some stores selling out their floor stocks and only offering deliveries that will take days to arrive, local media reported over the weekend.

Flu appears to have crept back into the more than 1.4 billion population even as

China’s latest, biggest Covid outbreak waned. The rate of positive flu cases jumped by more than 10 percentage points—to 14.3

percent—in the week ending February 19. The rate overtook Covid for the first time since early December, according to data released

by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, when China’s pivot from Covid Zero restrictions caused infections to proliferate.

Shares of flu-related firms climbed. YiChang HEC ChangJiang Pharmaceutical Co., which makes oseltamivir, jumped as much as 12 percen before paring its gain to 2 percent. BrightGene Bio-Medical Technology Co. climbed as much as 8.9 percent, while Hunan Nucien Pharmaceutical surged as much as 16 percent.

The flu surge has since last week also triggered class suspension at schools across a number of cities. China’s health and educational authorities have allowed schools to put in-class teaching on

hold for a few days following the detection of clusters of infections ranging from flu and Covid to norovirus and the chickenpox.

The quick depletion of flu medicine at pharmacies is reminiscent of the shortage of drugs ranging from antipyretics to Covid antivirals—including Pfizer Inc.’s Paxlovid—as cases spiked across China in early December, though the current surge in flu cases is far less dramatic.

A temporary tight supply or shortage of flu antivirals has been seen before in China. Some pharmacies have stocked fewer flu antivirals amid expectations of low incidence of flu disease amid lockdowns and social distancing since 2020, as Covid swept the world. Bloomberg News

STRIKERS in warning clothing hold a banner of the trade union Verdi with the inscription: “End with overload!” in Cologne, Germany on Sunday, February 26, 2023. Airport security staff at Cologne Bonn Airport are on strike for better wages since this evening. THOMAS BANNEYER/DPA VIA AP

Yemen’s Prime minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed delivers his statement during the opening of the High-Level Segment of the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday, February 27, 2023.

SALVATORE DI NOLFI/KEYSTONE VIA AP

A PHARMACY in Beijing. Drugstores in China are seeing their Tamiflu supplies dwindle amid a surge in flu cases. BLOOMBERG

editorial

No more reason to detain de Lima

Former senator Leila de Lima has been detained at the headquarters of the Philippine National Police for six years since her arrest on February 24, 2017 on drug-related charges. Key witnesses have since recanted their testimonies against her, all claiming they were coerced to issue statements pinning the former senator to the drug trade.

Several business groups on Friday called on the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to take the necessary steps that would pave the way for the immediate release of de Lima from detention. The Filipa CEO Circle Justice Reform Initiative, Makati Business Club, Philippine Women’s Economic Network, and Women’s Business Council Philippines made the call for de Lima’s release. (Read, “Several business groups urge PBBM admin to free de Lima,” in the BusinessMirror, February 25, 2023).

“On the sixth anniversary of Sen. Leila de Lima’s detention, we respectfully appeal for the Marcos administration to take the necessary steps to pave the way for her release based on her constitutional right to a speedy trial,” the groups said. “We believe the justifications for her detention by the previous administration have long disappeared, as witnesses recanted their testimonies,” they added.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the delegates of the European Union Parliament-Subcommittee on Human Rights inquired during their meeting last week about the status of de Lima’s case. Remulla said he told the EU lawmakers that one of the possible legal steps that the de Lima camp may avail of is the filing of habeas corpus petition, which earlier paved the way for the release of lawyer Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, former chief of staff of then senator and now Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.

The Supreme Court recently granted Reyes’ petition for habeas corpus on the ground that her nine-year detention violates her right to speedy trial and infringes on her right to liberty. Reyes was charged with plunder, a non-bailable offense, before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged P172.8 million kickbacks from businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles from the Priority Development Assistance Fund during her stint as Enrile’s chief of staff.

“I told them that we offered to backchannel before, but there was no response. We just want to end things properly,” Remulla said, adding that the DOJ would not oppose any move by de Lima’s camp to secure her temporary liberty through legal proceedings.

De Lima, meanwhile, filed a motion before the Muntinlupa City RTC Branch 204 to dismiss the case against her due to lack of evidence, and to order the release of her co-accused Ronnie Dayan. The motion was filed in light of the presentation of former Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos as witness for Dayan. Ragos, who was supposed to be a witness for the prosecution, has issued an affidavit on April 30, 2022 recanting his previous testimony before the court linking de Lima and Dayan to the illegal drugs trade in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City during her term as justice secretary.

Aside from Ragos, other prosecution witnesses that recanted their statements implicating de Lima in the illegal drug trade inside NBP are self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, Marcelo Adorco, and de Lima’s co-accused and former bodyguard Ronnie Dayan.

The Marcos administration would do well to listen to the petition of the business groups, which are petitioning the President to take the necessary steps that would pave the way for the release of former senator de Lima from detention. Key prosecution witnesses have recanted their testimonies, which nullified the justifications for her continued detention.

European lawmakers also said de Lima’s release would contribute to the administration’s bid to strengthen the economy through trade incentives under the so-called Generalized Scheme of Preferences, or GSP Plus. More than 6,200 products exported by the Philippines are covered by the tax and tariff reduction under the GSP Plus.

The global boundaries of international trade and tourism have long been broken with the signing of several commerce agreements among nations and the increased pace of travel nowadays. These two sectors have become the linchpin for many economies, especially those in Asia and other developing regions.

It is, thus, vital to enhance our trade and tourism sectors, as the economy fully reopens. A bigger trade and tourism base will help stabilize our balance of payments (BOP) and support the value of the peso in the face of global headwinds.

Joining global trade agreements, for one, is one way of expanding the economy. It allows our exports to catch up with imports and reduce our BOP deficit. Tourism revenues, which plummeted in 2020 and 2021 at the height of the pandemic before staging a moderate recovery in 2022, will also infuse additional dollar inflows.

Our BOP of late has been under pressure. Economic activities picked up in 2022 and we had to import more to meet rising domestic demand. The sudden surge in global fuel and commodity prices last year complicated the supply chain scenario, which led to elevated inflation in most countries.

As a result, our trade deficit hit an all-time high of $58.32 billion in 2022. Our imports surged 17.3 percent to $137.16 billion, faster than

the 5.6-percent rise in exports to $78.84 billion from $74.65 billion.

The BOP deficit, fueled by the widening trade gap, pulled down the value of the peso to a record-low of 59 against the dollar in October, but thanks to the seasonal increase in remittance inflows and business outsourcing revenues, the local currency recovered in the succeeding months to trade within a range of 54 to 55 against the greenback.

But we could not fully rely on remittances and BOP revenues all the time to cover our widening trade and BOP deficits. We need to pull up our merchandise exports, tourism receipts and investments to shield our economy from external challenges.

Recent indicators have underscored the heavy dependence of the Philippine economy on global developments. Aware of the situation, the Senate ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership—a regional trade treaty dubbed the largest in the world. The Senate had little choice but to approve the agree-

ment, as failure to do so would alienate the Philippines from the rest of the global economy.

Joining the world’s largest free trade area is the obvious course of action for the country. Our Senate agreed the Philippines could not afford not to be part of it. The Department of Trade and Industry chimed in, saying if the Philippines had decided against joining RCEP, businesses and investors might relocate to other countries that are already participating in the trade treaty. This is one way of saying the Philippines is now very much part and parcel of the Asia-Pacific region, if not the global economy.

We hope that becoming a part of RCEP would indeed bring more investments to the Philippines and allow our exports to gain wider market access to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its Asia-Pacific partners—China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The RCEP unifies Asean regional free trade agreements among members and covers trade in goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation and dispute settlement.

A trade treaty, however, is a double-edged sword. It could lead to a deluge of cheap imports to the Philippines, or it opens up export market opportunities for our farmers, producers and manufacturers.

I hope that we will be able to take advantage of this trade agreement to lift our exports and catch up with our imports. Specifically, I hope the RCEP will help our farmers and MSMEs gain wider market access to other

Asian countries and attract more foreign investments.

This way, we will have a more stable balance of payments, gross international reserves and foreign exchange that are the hallmarks of a strong economy.

Our participation in RCEP will also strengthen the Philippines’ position as an ideal investment hub in the region as we expand market access, facilitate trade and align our rules and procedures with participating economies.

I am also optimistic in the prospects of the tourism sector this year, which could add at least $10 billion in annual inflows once international travel is back to pre-pandemic levels. The Department of Transportation is pushing big-ticket infrastructure projects to help cement the country’s position as a prime tourism destination and unlock economic potentials in the provinces.

Local and international airplanes expect to fully restore their international flights this year. Hotel occupancy rate is anticipated to match, if not surpass pre-pandemic occupancy rates, on strong demand from both foreign and local travelers. Tourism revenues will eventually trickle down to the retail sector, transportation and community services. Enhancing our trade and tourism potential will benefit not only the general economy, but also local communities, especially those in the countryside.

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

of the newspapers. The 1997 Asian Crisis and the 2008 Global Debt disaster were merely a continuation of clear economic policy highway.

John Mangun

Growing older OuTSIDE THE BOX

IF you are fortunate enough, you reach a point in life when most of the people that you were born with are dead, usually physically and many times mentally.

Another thing that you may realize is what we call “life” is like a movie flickering on a screen in that much of what we have serious concerns about—especially in the “Age of the Internet”—is, as Shakespeare wrote, “A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.

So little of which gives us so much worry does not affect us even indirectly, and while we may have to deal with a problem in the future, there is almost nothing we can do about it until we have to cross that bridge.

What did you do to prepare for the “Covid pandemic” even with the knowledge of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic? Are you learning to speak Rus-

sian just in case Putin decides to take over the world? Have you made any lifestyle changes for when/if China invades Taiwan? Yet to listen to the press and social media you might think that if we don’t do something, anything now, we are all doomed. No Greta, “Anthropogenic Climate Change” is not the world’s greatest problem. You and your generation, even in your own country, will have a much greater negative impact.

Preparing for the future is not a fool’s game if you can see what is coming. The political upheaval in 2016 and the economic chaos in 2020— continuing today—were not seen in a crystal ball but in the inside pages

“Global Warming” will not make the biggest changes to global politics, economies, or societies since the First Industrial Revolution. “Global Aging” will.

I will not be around in 2050 even if I do a Juan Ponce Enrile (age 99) or a Warren Buffett (age 92). However, Greta will be middle aged at 47. By then, Sweden’s population will have increased by 12 percent, but its 65+ age population will be 25 percent larger.

Europe along with South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are facing even more severe aging problems moving towards 2050. The median age of these nations is more than 40 years and growing higher every day. The Philippines’ current median age is 24 years.

The dependency ratio is an agepopulation ratio of those typically not in the labor force (the dependent ages 0 to 14 and 65+) and those typically in the labor force (the productive ages 15 to 64). It is used to measure the pressure on the productive population. A low dependency ratio means that there are sufficient people work-

ing who can support the dependent population.

Ages 25 to 64 are particularly the economic engines of a nation. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights says: “Ageism should not be downplayed: it is an infringement of older person’s human rights”. Further, “We see it in mandatory retirement ages that exclude older people from the workforce”.

So the solution to an ageing population that negatively affects economic growth is to get the seniors to keep working. If you want that promotion, you have to wait until the old guy or gal ahead of you dies.

Fortunately, there are still societies that are confident about the future to keep having babies and continuing to build their economies. By 2050, Japan’s population will be 16 percent lower than today. Italy’s will shrink 10 percent. The meek will inherit the earth or maybe those that have children.

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.

Manny B. Villar

DeSantis moves toward GOP presidential bid on his own terms

By Steve Peoples | AP National Political Writer

NEW YORK—Republican presidential contenders typically fight for prime speaking slots at the Conservative Political Action Conference. But as conservative activists gather in suburban Washington this week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be courting donors more than a thousand miles away in Texas and California.

The apparent CPAC snub is nothing new for DeSantis, who has emerged in the early phase of the 2024 presidential election as a leading contender for the GOP nomination even as he ignores many conventions of modern politics.

DeSantis is a frequent voice in conservative cultural fights on cable television, but he often avoids gatherings of fellow Republican governors and party leaders, who are quick to complain in private about his go-it-alone approach. He is the only top-tier presidential prospect yet to court voters in Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina, the states hosting the GOP’s opening presidential primary contests. And he is often at odds with the press, refusing even to notify local media of last week’s rare three-state tour with law enforcement.

Indeed, as DeSantis moves toward a White House run, it is becoming increasingly clear that the 44-yearold Republican governor will manage his presidential aspirations in his own way, on his own timeline, with or without allies in national GOP leadership or relationships with the press.

“DeSantis has, in his style and the actions he’s taken as governor, shown a willingness to fight the traditional powers that be, the establishment,” said David McIntosh, president of the Club for Growth, an influential conservative group based in Washington. McIntosh described DeSantis’ style as “refreshing” and suggested the GOP is ready to move on from former President Donald Trump.

For now, DeSantis is perhaps the most potent threat to Trump’s effort to win the GOP nomination for the third time. The Club for Growth will host DeSantis among a halfdozen presidential prospects at a closed-door retreat in Florida next weekend with top donors. Trump is not invited.

Meanwhile, DeSantis has quietly begun to expand his political coalition on his terms just as he releases a book, “The Courage to be Free,” which comes out Tuesday.

He spent the weekend huddled behind closed doors at a south Florida luxury hotel for a “Freedom Blueprint” retreat with more than 100 donors, elected officials and conservative influencers. The attendees included former Trump chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton and Texas-based donor Roy Bailey, a former member of Trump’s national finance committee. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and

Creating an International Tax Law Division of the BIR

gross sales/receipts would exceed the VAT exemptions threshold.

Atty. Rodel C. unciano

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee were also in attendance, along with Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Texas Rep. Chip Roy and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham hosted a fireside chat with DeSantis on Sunday before he joined a “fighting back against woke” discussion with Chaya Raichik, who runs the “Libs of TikTok” social media account.

Details from the gathering were disclosed by participants who requested anonymity to discuss the private event.

Trump was largely ignored throughout the weekend retreat, although conservative commentator Ann Coulter seized on his failure to build a wall spanning the entire US-Mexico border during a Saturday panel discussion with DeSantis on border security, according to one person in the room. She accused the former president of never actually wanting to build it in the first place.

In the coming days and weeks, DeSantis will use the release of his book to introduce himself to voters beyond Florida, having established his political dominance there last fall by winning reelection by more than 19 percentage points.

He is expected to make his first appearances in key states on the primary calendar such as Iowa and New Hampshire in the coming weeks in addition to general election battlegrounds like Georgia and Pennsylvania. Last week, he made surprise stops in New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago to court law enforcement leaders, although the events were private and he did not notify local media.

The Florida governor is already scheduled to headline two Republican fundraisers in Texas on Saturday. The next day he’ll speak at a $500-a-head reception for the GOP of Orange County, California. He’ll serve as the keynote speaker for the Alabama GOP the following week.

While he has begun to expand his profile, DeSantis has done far less than most of the early 2024 class to connect with primary voters and would-be allies in key states.

He has long avoided gatherings of Republican governors or top GOP officials, who privately condemn his approach as arrogant. He’s never set foot in Iowa.

Former New Hampshire GOP chair Jennifer Horn noted that Republican primary voters often embrace anti-establishment candidates “who are willing to create their own lane or take their own path.”

WiTh the advancement in transportation, logistics and communications, geographical barriers are no longer a concern in international trade and cross-border transactions even in an archipelagic state like the Philippines. What is probably challenging on the part of the Bureau of i nternal Revenue (Bi R) is how to efficiently track these international transactions so that correct taxes that are rightfully due to the country are collected accordingly.

In a recent interview with reporters, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui, Jr. said that he is looking to create a separate BIR unit to focus on international tax collection, transfer pricing, base erosion, profit shifting, as well as monitoring of onshore transactions of global ecommerce firms.

I fully agree with the Commissioner.

In the area of e-commerce and digital transaction, feasibility of tax collection is certainly a challenge.

In this country, the rise of digital transaction is noticeable but we do not have a clear methodology in place on how to track these transactions and how to efficiently collect the applicable tax that is due to the Philippine government.

As you may be aware, we have a bill currently being minted in Con-

gress to further clarify the taxability of digital transactions, seeking to set a more definitive guidelines on the imposition of VAT on electronic or digital services. The bill defines what is considered digital service and how the fees flowing from such transaction be taxed in our jurisdiction. However, I would say that this is easier said than done due to the difficulty in tracking these transactions.

Note that under the bill, the sale or exchange of services shall include supply of digital services by any person, whether resident or non-resident. Even a non-resident digital service provider is liable for assessing, collecting, and remitting the VAT on the transactions that go through its platform. It is likewise liable to register for VAT if its gross sales/receipts exceeded or there are reasonable grounds to believe that its

So, if digital services are consumed by a buyer in the Philippines either for personal consumption or for trade or business purposes, the fees arising therefrom shall be subject to VAT in the Philippines notwithstanding that such digital services are performed, rendered or created by non-residents and notwithstanding that such services are done outside the Philippines. The only requirements for the imposition of VAT are that the services are rendered through digital or electronic means, and that the digital services are consumed in the Philippines.

Sounds good to the economy. But the question is, how can the BIR efficiently track these transactions?

Does it have the capability to do so?

Perhaps, to efficiently implement this proposal, the bill should also include creation of an office or a division of the BIR that will specifically address the peculiarity of digital transactions and appropriate the needed budget therefor.

Tax on digital transaction is still in its early stage in tax practice, at least in this country, where no written rules are yet available in our tax books. Thus, a thorough and a more extensive study on tax administration in this area seems to be necessary, indeed. Hence, a need to set up an office for this purpose.

The office may be established to adopt and promulgate policies and rules for the effective enforcement of the provisions of the digital tax

bill. Since the digital world is peculiar and entirely different from the usual business transaction of buying and selling that we know, upon which our present tax laws and administration have been based, expertise in this field may have to be established.

Notably, even in the area of transfer pricing, the BIR seems to have no adequate capability in implementing in full various administrative circulars and regulations that have been issued in this area. Given the current trend in global business where big businesses are present in almost every corner of the world including the Philippines, there may also be a need to set up a separate division of the BIR to specifically handle transfer pricing issues and audit.

The creation of a separate office that will specifically cater to digital transactions and transfer pricing issues will certainly improve BIR tax collections in these areas. Hopefully, the advances in technology would be able to provide our tax administrators a methodology in tracking what is due to our country.

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

The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at rodel.unciano@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 local 140.

Six decades of debt-driven economic governance: What is the scorecard?

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

taken off. As things turned out, the EOI program never took off while the original “manpower export” program soared and has now become permanent.

housing, distribution and retailing businesses.

Conclusion

AS to the fiscal gaps or deficits of the government, the solutions advanced are standard neo-liberal: tax goods, adopt VAT, expand VAT, and yes, borrow, borrow, borrow. Borrow from domestic sources and borrow from external loan givers.

With neo-liberalism in economic policy very much in place, the debt negotiators began paying less attention on the crafting of a strict IMF’s “Letter of Intent” that is usually attached to an IMF loan. There has been less publicity on LOIs imposing policy conditionalities such as import liberalization, agricultural deregulation, industrial tariff reduction, “wage restraint”, austerity in government expenditures and so on. They are, after all, integral parts of the economic policy regime.

Now the big question: how has the Philippine economy fared under six decades of debt-driven economic governance?

Several realities can easily be documented:

First, the debt-supported EOISAP program has failed miserably, as reflected in the stagnation of the industrial and agricultural sectors from the 1980s to the present (duly documented by studies of ADB [2012] and the International Labor Organization [2019]).

Second, the country’s positive GDP growth in the last three decades is due largely to the spending by the families of over 10 million overseas Filipino workers, the true saviors of the economy. Note that the then Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) justified the deployment of “overseas contract workers” in the Middle East in the 1970s as a temporary job-placement program needed while the Neda’s EOI had not

Third, most of the jobs at home are of low quality. A UP study indicates that four out of every five workers are “informal”, occupying precarious and unprotected jobs in the large informal sector as well as in the growing “endo” labor market in the formal sector.

Fourth, mass poverty and vast inequality have remained chronic or persistent.

Fifth, there are now two Philippine archipelagos—the archipelago of the rich with their big condominiums, subdivisions, resorts and commercial districts, on one hand, and the archipelago of the poor composed of the ever-growing chains of urban and rural slums in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, on the other.

But if the industrial and agricultural sectors have been stagnating or declining, where then do the superrich, the Filipino taipans, invest? The answer: they go into the liberalized service industries, especially in the privatized (or commercialized) delivery of basic public services such as power generation and water delivery. And as reflected in the present food and agricultural crisis, they also go into the importation, ware-

CIA director: Putin too confident he can grind down Ukraine

By Josh Boak | Associated Press

WILMINGTON , Del.—As

the war in Ukraine enters its second year, CIA Director William Burns said Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is being “too confident” in his military’s ability to grind Ukraine into submission.

Burns, in a television interview, said the head of Russia’s intelligence services had displayed in their November meeting “a sense of cockiness and hubris” that reflected Putin’s own beliefs “that he can make time work for him, that he believes he can grind down the Ukrainians that he can wear down our European allies, that political fatigue will eventually set in.”

That conversation, in which Burns warned of the consequences if Russia were to deploy a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, was “pretty dispiriting,” Burns said.

Burns said he judged Putin as “quite determined” to continue prosecuting the war, despite the casualties, tactical shortcomings and economic and reputational damage to Russia.

“I think Putin is, right now, entirely too confident of his ability ... to wear down Ukraine,” Burns told CBS’ “Face the Nation” in an interview that aired Sunday. Burns said that “at some point, he’s going to have to face up to increasing costs as well, in coffins coming home to some of the poorest parts of Russia,” where he said many of the conscripts “being thrown as cannon fodder” are from.

Burns also said Putin was underestimating US resolve to support Ukraine, saying that it has been his experience that the Russian leader’s view is that Americans have “attention deficit disorder and we’ll move on to some other issue eventually.”

The comments came at a critical juncture for the war as the Biden administration is “confident that the Chinese leadership is considering” whether to provide “lethal” military equipment to Russia.

“It would be a very risky and unwise bet,” Burns said, adding that such a move could only further strain relations between the world’s two largest economies. “That’s why I hope very much that they don’t.”

Burns said China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has closely watched how

the war has evolved, and “I think, in many ways, he’s been unsettled and sobered by what he’s seen.” The CIA director spoke of “where Putin’s hubris has now gotten Russia,” and said that in authoritarian systems, when “nobody challenges” a leader, “you can make some huge blunders.”

Meanwhile, the question of military aid and the pace of the war is also a source of uncertainty in the US as Republican lawmakers criticized the administration for not sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the US was providing Ukraine with the military aid needed to retake territory seized by Russia. The domestic politics of support for Ukraine are also complicated by some GOP members of

Congress who say the administration should pull back and focus more on the needs at home.

Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, said planes and long-range artillery could help end the war on a faster timeline. “This whole thing is taking too long,” McCaul said. “And it really didn’t have to happen this way,” said McCaul, R-Texas.

Ukraine won support last month from Baltic nations and Poland in its quest to obtain Western fighter jets, but there have been no signs that nations such as the US and Britain will change their stance of refusing to provide warplanes to Kyiv.

Biden said in an ABC News interview on Friday that he’s “ruling it out for now,” saying that they are

To conclude, the debt-driven economy has developed in a grotesque, uneven and mal-developed manner. The EOI-SAP program was supposed to make the economy a dynamic, job-creating and exportoriented one. Instead, it has become more and more import dependent with limited capacity to create good quality jobs for all. Were it not for the OFW remittances, the technocrats would not be able to brag at all about the country’s positive GDP growth.

In the early 1960s, the World Bank observed that the Philippines was the second fasting-growing economy in Asia, next only to Japan. In the 1980s, the Asian “tigers” (Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan) surpassed the Philippines. In the 1990s, Malaysia and Thailand followed. At the turn of the millennium, it is China’s turn. Today, Indonesia and Vietnam are now ahead of us.

It is clearly time for the present generation of Filipinos to take a closer look at the debt situation and ask what is wrong in a debt-driven economic governance. Where, oh where, is the economy headed to?

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo is a Professor Emeritus of the University of the Philippines.

For comments, please write to reneofreneo@ gmail.com.

not the weaponry that Ukrainians need in the near term.

But Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said the White House has been slow in providing what Ukraine seeks, including jets. “That has been a pattern with this administration from the beginning, where they have slowrolled critical military weapons systems,” he said.

Jake Sullivan said the US is already providing parts to keep Ukraine’s fleet of Soviet-era jets flying, but supplying F-16s “is really a question for another day, for another phase” of the war.

Jake Sullivan appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” CNN’s “State of the Union” and ABC’s “This Week.” McCaul was on ABC and Dan Sullivan was on NBC.

600K

HOMES TO BE BUILT UNDER DHSUD’S 4PH PLAN

ALMOST 600,000 housing units nationwide are now set to be built under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH) of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

P resident Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said this was the estimated number of units covered by 4PH, which already started construction during his first eight months in office.

T he figure is still below the target of the current administration to construct 1 million new housing units per year to address the estimated 6 million housing backlog in the country.

“ Kung hindi tayo makahabol this year, eh papaspas natin ‘yung mga next years para ‘yung average natin one million a year pa rin  (if we cannot reach [the target] this year. We will make it up in the next few years so that our average will still be one million),” Marcos said at the sidelines of the distribution of various government assistance in Mandaue City last Monday.

T he latest of the 4PH projects, which underwent a groundbreaking ceremony, was in Basak San Nicolas in Cebu City.

During the event, Marcos reiterated the importance of the local government units and Congress to ensure the success of 4PH by providing the needed sites and

funding, respectively, for it.

He also assured the public that 4PH sites are provided with the needed amenities and services such as schools, markets, health centers and other business establishments to ensure their communities are sustainable.

T he initial phase of the project located in a 25-hectare site in Basak covers ten 20-story buildings, which is expected to benefit about 8,000 informal settler families (ISFs) and low income earners in Cebu City.

Non transferable MARCOS reminded the 4PH beneficiaries that their housing units will not be transferable and cannot be rented out to other people.

And kung kaya nila na iparent out hindi nila kailangan ‘yung tirahan. Ibibigay na lang natin doon sa whoever is— kung sinoman talaga ang nangangailangan na wala silang ibang titirahan (If they rent out the units, that will only mean they do not need it so we will just give it to those who do),” Marcos said.

He said the 4PH is mainly meant to help reduce the number of informal settlers nationwide by providing them access to affordable housing.

T he President said  the government is trying to find ways to delay the period for 4PH beneficiaries to pay for their housing units.

S amuel P. Medenilla

Consumer groups run

to CA to lift writ on PSA between SPPC, Meralco

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Power for People Coali -

tion (P4P) and several other groups on Monday filed a motion for intervention before the Court of Appeals (CA) Thirteenth Division seeking to lift the  writ of preliminary injunction (WPI) it issued last month which indefinitely suspended  the implementation of the power supply agreement between  South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC), a unit of SMC Global Power Holdings, Corp. (SMCGP) of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., and the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

The injunction was sought after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) junked  the joint petitions for rate hike of SPPC and San Miguel Energy Corporation (SMEC) and Meralco for price adjustments to serve as temporary relief covering a combined P5.2 billion in losses incurred from January to May 2022 due to the unprecedented spike in fuel prices.

A side from the P4P, the other intervenors are the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Sanlakas,  and Freedom From Debt Coalition.

T he groups sought to intervene on the issue, being part of the 7.5 million consumers of Meralco.

T he intervenors sought the dismissal of the petition filed by SPPC and SMEC, insisting that the ERC did not commit grave abuse of discretion when it denied their joint petitions for rate hike.

It added that the petitioners failed to prove financial losses that would warrant the grant of their petition for a power rate hike.

“ We must remember that this issue arose because SMC, after competing for the fixed-price con -

PEZA-cleared investments for Feb up 112% to ₧3.8B

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said it has approved 12 new and expansion projects expected to bring P3.80 billion worth of investments in February 2023, a 112-percent increase compared to the P1.792 billion approved in the same period last year.

The PEZA Board has approved a total of 12 new and expansion projects expected to bring in a total of P3.80 billion of investments,” PEZA Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Director General  for Policy and Planning Tereso O. Panga said at the 28th Anniversary of PEZA on Friday.

P anga said among these approved projects, five are for export

manufacturing; three for facilities enterprise; one for IT enterprise; one for logistics enterprise, one for utilities enterprise, and one expansion for manufacturing ecozone.

T he PEZA interim chief also noted that these projects will be located in Taguig City, Laguna, Batangas, Tarlac, and Palawan.

Meanwhile, Panga divulged that as of the start of 2023, “PEZA has

endorsed to the Office of the President a total of 21 ecozone development projects pending for proclamation.”

O nce approved, the PEZA interim chief said, these projects will bring in P21.207 billion worth of investments.

P anga unveiled the list of 21 ecozone development projects pending proclamation as of January 23,2023. These include: Lima Technology Center (Expansion); Alta I-Hub; Ayala Malls Capitol Central; Robinsons Cyberpark Bacolod; Kamanga Agro-Industrial Economic Zone (Expansion); Philtai Central Luzon Industrial Park; Hermosa Ecozone Industrial Park (Expansion); SM City Santa Rosa IT Center; MDC 101; Felcris Centrale IT Park; ArcoVia City; MetroCas Industrial Estates-Special Economic Zone; Quezon Techno-Industrial II Special Economic Zone; Suyo Economic Zone; Naga City Industrial Park; Fast Logistics Distribution Center; Parqal;

ECCO 4 Building; The Grid; 8912 Asean Avenue, among others.

For January 2023 alone, the investment promotion agency said it approved 19 new and expansion projects of ecozone locators, noting these are expected to bring in P6.393 billion worth of investments.

T his, Panga noted, is 83.69 percent higher compared to the P3.48billion investments approved for the same period last year.

T he investments approved by PEZA for January 2023 will be located in Makati City, Pasay City, Calabarzon,  Cebu City and South Cotabato, the agency noted.

Meanwhile, the investment promotion agency said 29 new and expansion projects for ecozone development forecasted to bring in P96.215 billion investments have been approved by the PEZA board from January to December 2022. T he bulk of these, or about P90.646 billion, came from the 11 projects approved during the July to December 2022 period.

tract, decided that it will no longer honor it when it no longer suited them. SMC never asked to change prices when the pandemic hit and fossil fuel prices went down to an all-time low. SMC kept the profits and it was the consumers who had to suffer without any voice and participation at any point in this fiasco. That is not just unfair, it is unjust,” P4P Convenor Gerry Arances said.

L uke Espiritu, President of BMP and legal counsel of P4P, said the case pending before the CA will have serious repercussions which would require all stakeholders to be heard to ensure the fairest decision possible.

“Fixed price PSAs were conceived as a way to comply with the spirit of EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act), which is to provide electricity at the lowest possible cost to consumers. If SMC succeeds in convincing the court that it can change prices at will, it effectively negates any fixed-price contract to the detriment of consumers,” Espiritu said.

“ Fixed-price contract recognizes that corporations have the expertise and means to hedge changes in fossil fuel prices in the market and should therefore bear the burden of absorbing such changes instead of consumers, who do not have any choice but to pay what is asked of them,” he added.

I n a resolution issued last month,  the CA’s Thirteenth Division directed the parties to enter “into good faith” negotiations as mandated under the provisions of the PSA.

“ To be clear, the grant of WPI suspends the continued implementation of the PSA but does not terminate the same. This is to allow the parties to negotiate the terms of the PSA.

1st to accept visitors in pandemic, Baguio tourism sees resurgence

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special

to the BusinessMirror

BAGUIO City continues to be among the most popular tourist destinations in the country, with the month-long Panagbenga flower festival this year helping attract more visitors.

I n a news statement, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said 57,241 tourists had already visited Baguio City in January alone.

Last year, it attracted some 1.04 million domestic and international travelers, just 31 percent less than its pre-pandemic arrivals of 1.5 mil-

lion in 2019. The City of Pines was among the first destinations in the country to reopen to leisure travelers at the height of the pandemic, pioneering the use of a travel entry app funded by the DOT’s marketing arm.

I n her speech at the grand parade of floats on Sunday, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said, “The vigor with which you have developed your city as a community, uniting it to celebrate your culture and traditions, reflects your undying passion to promote Baguio as a haven for arts and culture. Without question, the Panagbenga Festival, which started as a community endeavor, has evolved

into a now world-class celebration.

A major tourism driver in Northern Luzon, Panagbenga reflects a season of blooming. Since its inception in 1996, it has played a significant role in both the local economic and national tourism development of this city and our country,”

For his part, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said, “This grand float parade is more than just a stunning display of artistry. It is a testament to our collective identity.

A statement of our resolve to stay true to our roots while embracing the future. It is a call to unite, to celebrate, and to create memories that will last a lifetime.” About 14,000 tourists were estimated to have vis -

ited Baguio for the Panagbenga Festival, which included street-dancing on Saturday. With the theme this year,  “A Renaissance of Wonder and Beauty,” the festival ends on March 5 with a grand fireworks display.

T he DOT chief also announced her intention to include Baguio City in her agency’s flagship “Philippine Experience” program, which aims to attract more tourists to local destinations, through heritage, culture, and  arts caravans.

“ We cannot wait to bring the Philippine Experience here to Baguio so that people from all over the Philippines and all over the world can rediscover the beauty of Baguio.”

ANTIGEN TEST, D.I.Y.

A newly-installed one-step antigen self-test kiosk for SARS-Cov-2 is seen inside the departure lounge of NAIA Terminal 1 in this recent photo. The kiosk was set up for outbound passengers who may be going to countries that will require prior antigen tests. NONIE REYES

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Meralco profit hits ₧28.4B as 2022 energy sales rise

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

(GWh) in 2022 from 46,073 GWh the previous year brought about by the minimal restrictions in commercial and social activities.

Sales mix continued to shift towards the commercial segment, whose share of the total sales increased to 36 percent from 33 percent in 2021. Residential accounted for 35 percent, down from 37 percent, while the industrial segment’s share was at 29 percent from 30 percent in 2021.

In a report presented by Meralco officials during the company’s 2022 financial performance, the company also reported a Consolidated Core Net Income (CCNI) of P27.1 billion, 10 percent higher than the previous year’s P24.6 billion. The company said energy sales volumes exceeded pre-pandemic levels and the power generation business booked significant earnings from its gas-fired power plant in Singapore.

Consolidated revenues stood at P426.5 billion, 34 percent higher than the P318.5 billion recorded in 2021 mainly due to higher passthrough charges.

Meralco’s average retail rate rose by 16 percent to P9.52 per kWh (kilowatt hour) from P8.24 per kWh as increases in global fuel prices, high spot market prices and the peso depreciation resulted in higher passthrough charges.

Generation charge, which ac-

counted for about 66 percent of the total retail rate, went up by 32 percent; while transmission charge, comprising 9 percent of the retail rate, went up by 19 percent. With a 10-percent share in the total retail rate, subsidies and taxes climbed 11 percent. Meralco’s average distribution charge of P0.85 per kWh, which accounted for 9 percent of the retail rate, dropped by 41 percent following the implementation of Distribution Rate True Up (DRTU) refunds which averaged P0.67 per kWh during the year.

Of the P48.3 billion total DRTU refunds ordered by the energy Regulatory Commission (eRC), P38.8 billion or 81 percent have already been refunded to customers as of endDecember 2022. The entire refund amount is expected to be settled by May 2023.

energy sales volumes went up by six percent to 48,916 gigawatt hours

Commercial sales volumes grew by 14 percent to 17,403 GWh from 15,234 GWh the previous year as restrictions were further eased. Residential sales volumes inched up by 1 percent to 17,148 GWh from 16,913 GWh as demand normalized with the resumption of face-to-face activities which led to less time spent at home by customers.

The industrial segment still registered a 3 percent growth to end 2022 with 14,221 GWh from the previous year’s 13,782 GWh the previous year.

“2022 was a year of recovery as we saw energy sales exceeding prepandemic levels—reflective of the return of strong power demand across all customer segments after more than two years of pandemic lockdowns,” Meralco President and CeO Ray C. espinosa said.

Meralco Chairman Manuel V. Panglinan said the company’s “exceptional” operational and financial per-

formance in 2022 reflects the utility firm’s consistent efforts to deliver stable and reliable electric service.

“I think 2022 was a very good year for Meralco. Record high revenues and billed volume as well. It was a good accounting for a major portion of the national power system and power demand in the country,” he said.

Pangilinan expressed confidence that 2023 will be another productive year for Meralco.

“We hope to improve on those profit, financial numbers this year but its too early too say to provide any guidance but first month was quite a good and certainly better than the last year’s first month,” he said.

Meralco, espinosa said, continue to face headwinds such as the significant rise in fuel prices and the depreciation of the peso which weighed on its overall rates.

“We remain cautious about the lingering effects of these challenges, alongside the anticipated tight supply condition in the coming dry months. I assure our customers that we will relentlessly work with the government and other industry players to help ensure availability of sufficient and reliable electricity supply while continuing to manage power rates.”

Meralco customers stood at 7.6 million last year.

Megawide’s share sale gets nod

By VG Cabuag @villygc

The Securities and exchange Commission (SeC) has approved Megawide Construction Corp.’s public offering of up to P1.5 billion in preferred shares.

In its en banc meeting on February 23, the Se C approved the registration statement of Megawide covering 15 million cumulative, redeemable, non-voting, non-participating, non-convertible, redeemable, perpetual Series 5 preferred shares, subject to the company’s compliance with certain remaining requirements.

The preferred shares will be offered at a price of P100 each, and will be listed on the main board of the Philippine Stock exchange.

Megawide expects to net P1.48

CeBU Pacific (CeB) has strengthened its Clark hub by operating a combined 13 domestic and international destinations from Clark International Airport, making it the largest airline servicing northern and central Luzon.

CeB is getting three additional aircraft which will be based in Clark. These are on top of the 10 new Airbus NeO a ircraft that will be delivered in 2023 to expand the airline’s entire fleet.

“We are excited to reestablish our presence in such an important gateway that will boost accessibility and connectivity for the traveling public. Furthermore, it allows us to boost our third operating hub in the Philippines that will help generate economic opportunities to support the country’s growth agenda,” Xander Lao, Cebu Pacific President and Chief Commercial Officer, said in a statement.

billion from the offer, the proceeds of which will be used to partially fund the full redemption of the company’s outstanding preferred shares.

The offering will run from March 13 to 21, in time for its listing on the PSe on March 31, according to the latest timetable submitted by the company to the SeC Megawide has engaged RCBC Capital Corp. as the sole issue manager, lead underwriter and sole bookrunner for the offer.

“The net proceeds for this offer will be used to fully redeem the Series 2A preferred shares. In case the offer does not materialize or the funds raised from the offer are insufficient to redeem the Series 2A preferred shares, the company will use internally generated cash and other programmed funding to finance the redemption of the Series

The two labor unions of the Central Azucarera Don Pedro Inc. (CADPI) are now bracing for a work stoppage after ending a labor dispute with the CADPI management last month.

Last Monday, about 100 members and officers of the Batangas Labor Union (BLU) and Central Azucarera Don Pedro Professional Technical Monthly Paid Workers Union Inc. (PTWU) held a peaceful protest in front of the main gate of the CADPI refinery in Nasugbu, Batangas.

“This [protest] is related to the interference of the management on union activities,” National Congress of the Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NCUSIP) President Roland de la Cruz told the BusinessMirror in a phone interview on Monday. The labor leader said the “interference” happened last February 7, when

2A preferred shares,” the company said earlier.

Megawide said it will create an additional 9 million shares to the Series 3 preferred shares, subscribed by Citicore holdings Investment Inc.

Proceeds of the Series 2A preferred shares were used by Megawide to finance various public-private partnership projects, such as the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Parañaque Integrated Terminal exchange, Public School Infrastructure Project Phase II and Clark International Airport.

In December, Megawide and GMR Airports International B.V. have closed their transaction with Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. (AIC) for AIC’s acquisition of shares in GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), the developer and operator of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

AIC acquired a 33 and 1/3 percent minus 1 share stake in GMCAC from Megawide and GMR for a total consideration of P9.5 billion.

In addition, Megawide and GMR simultaneously issued exchangeable notes to AIC amounting to P15.5 billion, which will mature on October 30, 2024, and are expected to be exchanged by AIC for the remaining 66 and 2/3 percent plus 1 share of GMCAC’s outstanding capital stock.

Megawide said it is strengthening its portfolio towards more cycleresilient, scalable and higher growth segments.

The company initially bared its intention to build several transit-centric developments in key locations across the country and ride the information technology wave through its foray into data centers.

B1

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) is mulling over the imposition of a fine against Grab holdings Inc. for its failure to release the full amount of refunds to its users.

“The Commission is now considering whether or not the circumstances for which those refunds were not actually fully paid to the consumers would merit another fine to be imposed,” Ivy Medina, Officer-inCharge Director, of the PCC Mergers and Acquisition Office, said during a media briefing in Quezon City on Monday.

Medina said there was a “defect” in the way the ride-hailing app complied, such that the portion of the amount that they should have given was not fully refunded to the consumers.

PCC Chairman Michael G. Aguinaldo noted that there are portions of the refund order that Grab cannot comply with. however, he said the ride-hailing app has stated its reasons for its inability to refund the amounts.

Aguinaldo said the Commission’s decision may revolve around the sufficiency of Grab’s reasons and if the ride-hailing app’s inability to refund the amounts is justified.

One of the reasons cited by Grab for not releasing the required amount is the users’ lack of an e-wallet.

Moreover, the PCC chief said the amount that should be reimbursed to some users may be small and might “actually cost more to find a way to refund it than the actual amount of the refund.”

Last March 2022, the antitrust

body ordered Grab to release the remaining P19.30-million refund to eligible users after finding the ridehailing app’s low disbursement of the refunds from previous fines.

On Monday, Aguinaldo said the ride-hailing app divulged that 70 percent of the said amount has already been refunded while there’s about 30 percent or “about P5 or P6 million” that has not been released.

“I don’t know how much of that is because of that difficulty.”

The antitrust agency fined Grab a total of P63.7 million since 2018 for violations of its price and service quality commitments. In a 2022 statement, the PCC said it was in late 2019 when the Commission imposed on Grab the penalty to return a portion of its commissions to Grab’s passengers for violating its price monitoring commitment.

According to PCC, it has since ordered Grab to issue refunds in the amounts of P5.05 million in November 2019, P14.15 million in December 2019, and P6.25 million in October 2020.

Grab’s takeover of Uber in 2018 raised competition concerns and was subjected to a PCC Decision committing the merged entity to a standard as if it had a rival, the PCC noted.

The antitrust body added that part of Grab’s voluntary commitments was ensuring it will not undertake “unreasonably different” pricing behaviors pre- and posttransaction.

During the monitoring period, however, PCC said it found that the ride-hailing company committed “extraordinary pricing deviations”, which resulted in three sets of penalties.

management accosted union officers and members for a purported drinking spree during lunch break at the union compound premises.

This prompted both unions to hold a strike vote due to the incident on February 8. Majority of the members of BLU and PTWU voted in favor of holding a strike.

NCUSIP said the Department of Labor and employment (DOLe) is now holding conciliation and mediation hearings for the CADPI manage-

ment and union members to address their latest labor dispute.

Aside from calling out union intimidation and harassment, the demonstrators also made the following demands: for CADPI to resume the operations of its sugar mill; compensation for sugar farmers whose sugarcane production was affected by sudden closure of the mill; and for management to respect the provisions of the collective bargaining agreements (CBA). Samuel P. Medenilla

The Manila electric Co. (Meralco) booked a net income of P28.4 billion last year, up 21 percent from a year ago, mainly due to higher revenues.

Govt raises ₧10B from sale of Treasury bills

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

on Monday.

The Treasury’s auction committee did not award a single 91-day T-bill while making full awards on both the 182-day and 364-day tenors of the government security.

“With its decision, the committee raised P10 billion of the P15-billion offering,” it said in a statement.

Monday auction’s results showed that investors sought higher interest rates across all the tenors of the T-bills.

The Bureau of the Treasury said it was only able to borrow P10 billion from the domestic market during its T-bills auction that ended mixed

The 91-day debt paper fetched an average rate of 4.864 percent,

Makati City shutters Smart office over unpaid taxes

compared with the 4.499 percent secondary market benchmark rate.

Meanwhile, the average rate for the 182-day T-bills was at 5.177 percent versus the 5.142 percent secondary market rate.

The 364-day T-bills’ average rate settled at 5.577 percent compared with the 5.446 percent secondary market rate.

The rates for the 91-day T-bills ranged from a low of 4.525 percent to as high as 5.55 percent while 182-day T-bills fetched rates from

5.093 percent to 5.3 percent. The bids for the 364-day debt paper ranged between 5.565 percent and 5.6 percent.

“The auction was 1.5 times oversubscribed, attracting P22.7 billion in total tenders,” the Treasury said.

Monday’s auction was the Treasury’s first for the month of March, wherein it seeks to borrow at least P200 billion from the domestic debt market. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2023/02/23/government-toborrow-%e2%82%a7200b-from-

Investing in cooperatives

THERE are many investment options in the Philippines. Investing helps people increase their purchasing power by being able to beat inflation over time.

One good investment option in the Philippines would be the cooperative (co-op). The International Labour Organization describes the co-op as being an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.

The International Cooperative Alliance mentions seven co-op principles.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3 & Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

THE Makati City government

on Monday slapped a closure order against Smart Communications Inc. for its failure to settle over P3.2 billion in taxes from January 2012 to December 2015, and for operating without a business permit since 2019.

The telco said, however, its services will remain available despite the order to shutter its Makati office.

“We assure the public that our services will remain available and accessible to our subscribers,” Smart said.

It noted that it has already “filed the appropriate cases to resolve outstanding legal issues; these cases remain pending.”

In an order of desistance/closure dated February 23, the City said Smart’s headquarters, located at 6799 Ayala Ave. in Brgy. San Lorenzo, violated Section 4A.01 of the Revised Makati Revenue Code or City Ordinance No. 2004-A-025.

“You are hereby commanded to cease and desist from further operating your business establishment until such time compliance with the said ordinance is made,” according to the order which was implemented on February 27.

To date, Smart has failed to settle or obtain any relief from the courts over its franchise tax deficiency worth over P3.2 billion.

“When businesses in Makati choose to operate without a valid

business permit, they are essentially operating outside the law. This is unacceptable, and I want to make it clear that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior, whether you are a big or small company,” Makati City Administrator Claro Certeza said.

The case stemmed from an examination launched by the Office of the City Treasurer in 2016, which concluded that Smart Communications Inc. owed the city government over P3.2 billion in franchise tax over the four-year period.

Certeza said the city had requested Smart to submit a breakdown of revenues and business taxes paid in all branches nationwide, but the telecommunications giant refused to present the documents.

Meanwhile, Mayor Abigail Binay reiterated her commitment to upholding the highest quality and safety standards for businesses operating in the city.

“I am committed to making sure all businesses are operating legally. It is important for businesses to know that we take these matters seriously and will take action when necessary,” said Binay.

Jurisdiction IN 2018, Smart filed a petition for review before the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 133 to seek the nullification of the Office of City Treasurer’s Notice of Assessment, which states that the telecommunications giant did not pay the franchise tax.

During the trial, the city government of Makati filed a motion for

production and inspection of documents, which the court granted. However, on May 31, 2019, Smart filed a comment/opposition against Makati’s motion and challenged the court’s decision before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).

In 2022, CTA denied Smart’s petition and affirmed the decision of the Makati RTC Branch 155.

Smart argued that the city has no jurisdiction to audit the company’s financial statements and operations in other branches nationwide, adding that it had submitted all records related to its operations within the city and paid the necessary taxes.

The CTA, however, said Makati has the authority to investigate Smart’s entire operations under the Local Government Code. Smart has yet to elevate the case to the Supreme Court.

“Our legal and tax teams continue to be in touch with the Makati LGU on the matters at hand,” Smart said.

Last year, the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Office of Makati shut down 191 business establishments due to lack of business permits.

Binay reminded all businesses in Makati to comply with the law and obtain the necessary permits before operating in the city.

The telco said it will comply with local and national regulations on taxation.

“Smart remains committed to complying with Makati City’s local tax ordinances, and with applicable national laws, in respect of local taxation,” Smart said.

Membership is voluntary and open. Under this principle, any form of discrimination is not tolerated. Member control is democratic: there is economic participation of members. Members are involved in both building and distribution of capital. Autonomy and independence are observed. Education, training and information programs are conducted. Cooperation among co-ops is fostered. Concern for the community is a top priority.

The Cooperative Development Authority is the main government agency in the Philippines that oversees co-ops. As of 2020, there were 18,848 operating co-ops in the country. The highest numbers of co-ops were in Pampanga, Calabarzon, National Capital Region (NCR) and Cebu. Multipurpose co-ops form the biggest chunk of co-ops. There were

also many credit, agriculture and transport co-ops. The NCR had the highest number of co-op members.

In choosing what co-op to join, there are certain considerations. Every co-op has its own set of vision, mission and values. Joining a co-op is not just about contributing capital for membership. The alignment between the co-op’s purpose and the individual’s purpose must be a fundamental basis for membership.

The good thing about co-ops is that many go beyond the traditional goal of profit. Many pursue societal and environmental goals. Many are inclusive. Many bring positive change.

One consideration will be the reputation track record of the co-op.

This will include the status of the co-op within the context of its community, region and country. This will include the reputation of the founders, officers and members. This will include the internal culture of the co-op. This will include the quality and quantity of strategic global and local alliances of the co-op. A co-op is able to demonstrate credibility if it is able to stand the test of time.

Teamwork makes its dream work.

One consideration will be the financial track record of the co-op.

local-debt-market/)

The year has been good to the Treasury as it has been able to achieve near full-award and even full-award of government securities as investors’ asking interest rates ease within or even below secondary market benchmark levels. In terms of domestic borrowings, the national government aims to raise a total of P1.654 trillion, P54.1 billion of which coming from the sale of T-bills while the remaining amount would come from the auction of T-bonds.

Profitability is important. The co-op must be able to generate returns on its decisions so that it can have sustainable operations. Efficiency is important. The co-op must be able to make the most out of its resources. Output must be improving while costs must be managed. Liquidity is important. The co-op must ensure that it is able to meet its financial obligations in a timely manner. A healthy cash flow leads to a vibrant co-op.

One consideration will be the future plans of the co-op. Co-ops hold periodic orientation sessions and membership meetings where plans are shared. It would be interesting to note what plans each co-op has in the context of a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. Complex problems may require multifaceted programs. Each co-op must take stock of its history in order to determine what to continue doing, stop doing and start doing. Any plan is only as solid as its execution.

The cooperative can be a good investment option for a developing country like the Philippines. By participating in the right co-op, one can be a step closer towards achieving financial freedom. By participating in the right cooperative, one can help make communities and the environment better.

Genesis Kelly “Gemmy” S. Lontoc is a registered financial planner of RFP Philippines. To learn more about personal-financial planning, attend the 100th RFP program this March 2023. To inquire, email info@rfp.ph or text at 0917-6248110.

RCBC sets sights on more digital innovations

AS the Yuchengco-led Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) net income surged 71 percent year-on-year in 2022, the bank committed to developing more digital innovations to serve its clients.

RCBC reported that its net income in 2022 reached P12.1 billion. The growth was driven by the doubledigit increase in its core business income.

With this, the bank’s total resources climbed to P1.2 trillion making it the 5th biggest privately-owned bank in the country as of end-2022.

“We continue to work hard and smart to accelerate our transformation journey. Delivering best-in-class customer experience remains our main thrust. And so we are excited to develop more digital innovations and disruptive solutions that can reshape the way we do banking,” RCBC President and CEO Eugene S. Acevedo said in a statement.

RCBC said it achieved significant expansion in various business segments during the year. Investment securities rose by over 70 percent year-on-year, while SME loans and credit cards posted solid double-digit increases.Its credit card business also recorded a faster-than-industry growth in billings and balances, while keeping NPL at its lowest in over a decade.

Further, data science and analytics were instrumental in boosting customer acquisition and cross-selling to augment the bank’s foothold across key segments.

In 2022, the bank’s fee income likewise showed marked improvement of 19 percent from 2021 due to higher retail, bancassurance and digital transactions. RCBC also said that its return on equity stood at 11.2 percent, and return on assets improved to 1.2 percent in 2022.

The bank kept its capital ratios

well above regulatory requirements-CAR of 15.29 percent and CET1 ratio of 12.33 percent.

With an upcoming P27 billion capital injection from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), one of Japan’s largest banks and 12th largest bank in the world, RCBC can reinforce its asset growth trajectory to become one of the biggest banks in the country.

As of end-2022, RCBC had a total consolidated network of 462 branches, 1,352 automated teller machines, and 1,559 ATM Go terminals strategically located nationwide.

RCBC was named Asiamoney’s Best Bank for Digital for the third consecutive year in 2022. It also bagged numerous awards from prestigious organizations, including “Best Retail Bank,” “Best Corporate Bank,” and “Best SME Bank” at the Global Banking and Finance Awards. Cai U. Ordinario

BDO sidesteps economic headwinds; net income jumps to ₧57.1B in 2022

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

DESPITE persistent inflation

as well as volatile foreign exchange and interest rates, Sy-led BDO Unibank Inc. believes it will be able to sustain its growth.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), BDO said its net income rose to P57.1 billion in 2022, 33 percent higher than the previous year’s P42.8 billion.

BDO said this was driven by “robust growth” across its core businesses. Gross customer loans grew

9 percent year-on-year while total deposits rose 14 percent due to the reopening of the economy.

“While macroeconomic challenges remain with persistent inflation and foreign exchange and interest rate volatility, BDO believes that its established business franchise and strong balance sheet will allow the Bank to surmount near-term risks and capitalize on structural growth opportunities to attain long-term sustainable growth,” BDO said in a statement. In 2022, BDO said the growth

in its net income led to Return on Average Common Equity (ROCE) of 13 percent for the year improving to 15.3 percent for the fourth quarter, from 10.5 percent in 2021 and 12.8 percent in pre-covid pandemic 2019.

With this, the Board of Directors of BDO approved an increase in the regular quarterly cash dividends on the common shares of BDO to P0.75 per share. This will begin in the first quarter of 2023 and will be payable on March 31, 2023. This will be the new divi-

dend policy of BDO going forward.

“This higher dividend payout compares favorably with the P0.30 per share quarterly dividend in the past, as the Bank recognizes the importance of providing a stable and sustainable dividend stream consistent with its commitment to shareholders, and its financial performance,” the bank said.

Non-interest income climbed 17 percent to P71.5 billion bolstered by the strong performance of its fee income, forex and fixed income clientflow businesses.

Positive operating jaws continued with revenues up 15 percent for the year, versus operating expenses up 9 percent on back of new branches in underserved/rural areas and continued Information Technology spend for digital initiatives.

Asset quality improved further, with Non-Performing Loan (NPL) ratio dipping to 1.95 percent and NPL coverage strengthening to 167 percent.

Total capital expanded to P461.5 billion, with Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) and Common Equity Tier

1 (CET1) Ratio both comfortably above regulatory minimum levels at 14.5 percent and 13.4 percent, respectively. Book value per share rose by 9 percent to P86.2 yearon-year.

BOO has the country’s largest distribution network, with over 1,600 consolidated operating branches and more than 4,600 ATMs nationwide. It also has 16 international offices (including full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore) in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

The national government failed to raise P15 billion from the sale of Treasury bills (T-bills) as some investors sought higher than secondary market yields.

Genesis Kelly S. lontoc

Personnel from the Makati Business Permits and licensing office posted the closure order on the glass door of smart Communications' main office along Ayala Ave. Photo by Claudeth MoCon-CiriaCo

Art BusinessMirror

Celebrating the art of science and vice versa

in-hand, wherein innovators can create deeper social impact with their contributions by artfully communicating their ideas. Also a painter, Ibana describes science as “more straightforward” and art “more chaotic and uncertain.” “There are a lot of unknowns in the human factor, but [practicing art] is when I am more in touch with my humanity,” she said.

process, what Bascos cares about is depicting the details of her botanical art with scientific accuracy. It is not enough that she paints what passes as a flower. Her expertise in the field demands that she dives into the nitty-gritty like getting the venation right. Are the margins realistic? How about the phyllotaxy, or the arrangement of the leaves around the stem?

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS

DAY: Jason Aldean, 46; Ali Larter, 47; Eric Lindros, 50; Pat Monahan, 54.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Take pride in what you do for others, and you will be offered the same courtesy in return. Step outside your comfort zone if it will help you bring about positive change. Charm and hands-on help will result in a successful transition to what you want to do next. Emotional confusion is likely; ask questions and avoid drama. Your numbers are 9, 15, 22, 28, 32, 37, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Play to win. The more beguiling you are, the more interest you’ll receive. A chance to up your game or meet someone who can help you get ahead is in the stars. Set up meetings and attend reunions, and something extraordinary will unfold. ★★★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t make promises until you understand what you will have to deliver and that it’s in your power to do so. Letting what someone says intimidate you will weaken your position. Being observant, direct and knowledgeable will help you gain trust and respect.

★★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Put your plans in motion. Think matters through, precisely execute what you want to achieve and pull in experts to ensure things get done right the first time. Reconnect with someone you miss. A romantic gesture will help you decide what’s next. ★★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Someone will try to charm you into something you probably shouldn’t consider. When in doubt, ask an expert in order to avoid a mistake or loss. Pay attention to the changes others make, and counter anything that might jeopardize your goal. ★★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Get together with someone you enjoy working alongside. You’ll find it easy to pick up where you left off and drum up interest regarding something you want to pursue. With the right people, success will follow. Lead the way and reap the rewards. ★★★★

ART in its manifold principles and practices proves prevalent, if not fully integrated, in the world of science.

Such was the message communicated by the University of the Philippines-Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) as it took part in the month-long celebration of National Arts Month this February.

The UPD-CS mounted various activities across the National Science Complex for students, faculty and the general public to “inspire appreciation of the intersections of science and art.”

“People don’t usually think of scientists as artists, but much of what we do is shaped and informed by art—and vice versa,” UPD-CS Dean Giovanni Tapang said in a statement. “In a way, science is all about finding patterns in the world, and art enables us to discover, understand and hopefully even utilize such symmetries. But conversely, and perhaps more importantly, art also helps us bring science to the public by making our discoveries more relatable and engaging.”

One of the events UPD-CS organized for National Arts Month was a public webinar on Friday, titled Intersections: How scientists use art to explore the world. Four faculty members, each with a doctorate in science, covered various topics.

Dr. Benjamin Vallejo shared his passion for writing as a marine biologist who creates prose and poetry on natural history. The arts, the humanities, and the sciences, he said, are ways of painting knowledge about the world.

“Their approaches are rather different,” he added, “but the impetus to do so is more or less the same.”

Part of the lineup of speakers as well was microbiology and immunology expert Dr. Joyce Ibana. She touched on the synergism in the integration of arts to science, saying that the two should go hand-

Dr. Hiyas Junio, an associate professor at the Institute of Chemistry at the University of the Philippines-Diliman who originally wanted to be an artist, discussed how art inspires scientists like her to do their science. In her presentation, titled Chemistry and Colors, Junio zoomed in on the molecular level of natural dyes and pigments using advanced instrumentation, and how it relates to the visual palette.

A LATE-BLOOMING BOTANIST-ARTIST

THE final speaker at UPD-CS’s public webinar was biologist Dr. Erika Marie Bascos, who narrated her journey from studying flowers to painting them. The scientist said that she had never touched a paintbrush in her life prior to the early months of the pandemic. It was June 2020 and Bascos’s daughters, who grew bored of playing with their toys and watching Netflix, asked her if they could start painting.

Watercolor seemed to be the easiest option, Bascos thought, and she gave them a basic painting set for P70. Her youngest, who was four years old at that time, asked her if she could draw flowers.

“It was a good thing [that she asked me to do flowers],” Bascos said, alluding to her experience in drawing plant specimens for laboratory classes as a student and her near-24/7 exposure to botanical illustrations. “Had she asked me to paint something else, like maybe a Roblox character or [animals like] apes, giraffes or whatever, I would have been in real trouble.”

Bascos painted and decided to post her outputs in social media. To her surprise, her artworks were met with adoration by friends and family. She eventually got the hang of it and started painting for leisure. Eventually, she created art to help with her anxiety.

“Painting gave me an hour of peace per day,” she said. “I didn’t really care if what I was doing was right in terms of technique or whatever. I just painted all my anxieties away.”

Outside the technical aspects of the art-making

What’s more impressive, perhaps, is how very few of Bascos paintings are based on actual species. As intricate as they are, the plants in her watercolor paintings are mostly imagined—which, of course, are still informed by her knowledge of plant morphology.

“So please do not ask me what species these are, because these are from my imagination,” she said.

Whenever she decides to paint real plants, however, Bascos’s drive to deliver “believability” only becomes even stronger. This is also the reason why she strays from painting one plant in particular.

“A question that I always get is why haven’t I painted rafflesia yet” she said, given that it’s the one she studies. “It’s because I’m super intimidated by it.

I’m so scared that my painting would end up looking like doughnuts for some reason. I imagine that it’s the plant that I study and yet, it’s going to be my worst painting, something like that. It messes my mind.”

For now, that remains in her Bascos’s checklist, along with creating a definitive manual complete with plant illustrations that her field needs. But it’s a goal that has to wait as she spends her time juggling roles between being a scientist, professor, researcher and mother. Her advice to those looking to start painting? It’s never too late.

“Just go for it,” said Bascos, who posts paintings on her dedicated Instagram page (@floraoferika). “I was in my mid-30s when I started painting. You’re never too old to try something new or to learn something new.”

The webinar capped UPD-CS’ festivities for National Arts Month. The institute kicked off the celebrations in end-January with its 37th anniversary event, featuring the theme Isang Pagpupugay: Pagbubuklod ng Sining at Agham

Introduced as well was a month-long exhibit that showcased the artworks of the institute’s students, faculty and family. On view are detailed anatomical drawings, detailed sketches of the Philippines’s many species of Rafflesia flowers, and more.

Open to the public, the exhibit is on view at the IB Auditorium until today, February 28. ■

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Change begins with you. Do not wait or depend on others when you want things done a certain way. Take care of what’s important to you before anyone can interfere. Working alone will allow you to be a perfectionist. ★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Get out, explore what life can offer and discover something that excites you. Gather information and follow your heart. Finding the path that brings you joy and pays for your desired lifestyle is crucial to achieving peace of mind. ★★★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Offering embellished information will put you in a precarious position when it comes time to deliver. Make sure you can live up to your promises or debt before you pledge. Handle your finances carefully and find ways to cut corners. ★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Someone colorful and charming will take advantage of you if you are naive or too trusting. Do your homework, ask pertinent questions and verify facts before you say yes to someone or something that can squander your time, money or freedom. ★★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Have fun with your peers. By mixing business with pleasure, you’ll win over someone who is strategically beneficial when you need a favor. Keep your money safe, and prepare to declutter and sell what you no longer need. ★★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Spend more time at home, and you’ll accomplish more than anticipated. Work diligently to get your house in order and lower your overhead. Once you feel comfortable with your surroundings and financial situation, everything else will fall into place. ★★★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t share secrets or gossip. Focus on improvements and applying your skills to something that makes you feel good. Don’t fold under pressure or let someone take advantage of you. Dump what drags you down and replace it with what brings you joy. ★★

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are creative, fashionable and resourceful. You are flexible and responsible.

‘movable feast’ BY TRENT H. EVANS

The Universal Crossword/Edited by Anna Gundlach

GMA K Apuso Month celebr Ation showcAses the best

TOUTED as Kapuso Month, GMA Network highlights its strong bond with the viewers founded on love and commitment to being “Buong Puso Para sa Pilipino.”

Through the pandemic and now in the new normal, GMA assures the audience that the network will always be a constant presence. And making the Kapuso Month celebration even more special is the “Love is Us Always and Forever” music video. The song was performed by Zephanie and Michael Sager, with lyrics by Emmanuel Rivera and Jann Fayel Lopez, and music by Roxanne Fabian. Adding more thrills to the campaign are some of the well-loved tandems of the network: Dennis Trillo and Julie Anne San Jose; David Licauco and Barbie Forteza; Kelvin Miranda and Kate Valdez; Michael V. and Manilyn Reynes; Richard Yap and Carmina Villarroel; Allen Ansay and Sofia Pablo; John Lloyd Cruz and Arra San Agustin; Rob Gomez and Herlene Budol; Xian Lim and Ashley Ortega; Paul Salas and Mikee Quintos; Ruru Madrid and Bianca Umali; Andre Paras and Jillian Ward; Manolo Pedrosa and Gabbi Garcia; and Jeric Gonzales and Kylie Padilla.

Completing the star-studded music video are Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera; TiktoClock hosts Pokwang, Rabiya Mateo and Kim Atienza; The Clash’s Lani Misalucha, Christian Bautista, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Rayver Cruz and Julie Anne San Jose.

Inspired by the high-rating Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, GMA couples and love teams join Kilig Talk with Boy Abunda on TikTok where they will answer questions about their relationships. To elevate the fun and excitement, netizens can also do a “duet” version of this trend. More information is available at www.gmanetwork.com.

Show BusinessMirror

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ dominates at SAG Awards

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press

THE unlikely awards-season juggernaut

Everything Everywhere All at Once marched on at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, and even gathered stream with awards not just for best ensemble, Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan but also for Jamie Lee Curtis.

The SAG Awards, often an Oscar preview, threw some curve balls into the Oscars race in a ceremony streamed lived on Netflix’s YouTube page from Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Curtis won best female supporting actor for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once over the favorite, Angela Bassett. Brendan Fraser took best male lead actor for The Whale Bassett, expected to be the first actor to win an Oscar for a Marvel movie (Black Panther: Wakanda ), had been the category’s clear frontrunner for weeks if not months. But Curtis, nominated for her first SAG Award, was the surprise winner in Sunday’s ceremony. A visibly moved Curtis said she was wearing the wedding ring her father, Tony Curtis, gave her mother, Janet Leigh.

“I know you look at me and think ‘Nepo baby,’” said Curtis. “But the truth of the matter is that I’m 64 years old and this is just amazing.”

In the week leading up the SAG Awards, the bestpicture favorite won with both the producers and directors guilds, two of the most predictive awards ahead of the Oscars. At the SAGs, Yeoh took best

“This is not just for me,” said Yeoh. “It’s for every little girl that looks like me.”

Quan, the former child star, won for best supporting male actor. He had left acting for years

after auditions dried up, noted he was the first Asian to win best male supporting actor at the SAG Awards.

“When I stepped away from acting, it was because there were so few opportunities,” said Quan. “Now, tonight we are celebrating James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Hong Chau, Harry Shum Jr. The landscape looks so different now.”

Sunday’s SAG Awards lent some clarity in the lead acting awards. Best actor has been one of the hardest to call. Austin Butler (Elvis), Brendan Fraser (The Whale) and Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin) have all been seen as possible winners but it was Fraser who went home with the SAG Award for his comeback performance.

“Believe me, if you just stay in there and put one foot in front of the other, you’ll get where you need to go,” said Fraser.

Quinta Brunson and Janelle James of Abbott Elementary kicked off the 29th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards with a few opening jokes, including one that suggested Viola Davis, a recent Grammy winner, is beyond EGOT status and has transcended into “ShEGOTallofthem.”

Brunson later returned to the stage with the cast of Abbott Elementary to accept the SAG award for best ensemble in a comedy series. Brunson, the sitcom’s creator and one of its producers, said of her castmates, “These people bring me back down to Earth.”

The White Lotus also took a victory lap, winning best ensemble in a drama series and another win for Jennifer Coolidge, coming off her wins at the Emmys and the Golden Globes. A teary-eyed Coolidge traced her love of acting to a first-grade trip to see a Charlie Chaplin film. She then thanked her date, a longtime friend, the actor Tim Bagley.

“You’re a wonderful date tonight,” said Coolidge. “I can’t wait until we get home.”

Val del Rosario, Mikhail Red join forces, put up Evolve Studios

ONE common denominator of mega producer Valerie (Val) del Rosario and award-winning filmmaker Mikhail Red is that they are both second-generation achievers. Del Rosario is a scion of the Viva Entertainment empire, with business magnate Vic del Rosario as father and the late Mina Aragon as mother.

Valerie is concurrently the senior vice president for content and development for the Viva conglomerate and she is also the head of Vivamax.

Red is the son of independent filmmaker Raymond Red, the director of Anino, which won the Palme d’Or Best Short Film at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival in France. Raymond is described as one of the pioneers that instigated the birth of modern Filipino alternative cinema. Both Del Rosario and Red are spreading their wings as they join forces and set up Evolve Studios, the newest player in the fast-growing content and creative industry.

We spoke to both recently and both have so much to share about their visions and plans.

Red had long been planning to start his own studio but he needed a strong partner who thinks out of the box and shared his vision. “I’ll be honest, I’ve received offers to go into partnership before but I decided to finally go with Val and Viva because they allow me the space to exercise my creativity. For an artist like me, that freedom is precious and the trust is very welcome.”

Del Rosario quietly followed the young and

flourishing career of Red, and when the time was right, she financed and produced Red’s super successful Metro Manila Film Festival entry Deleter the film which starred Nadine Lustre and topped the box office race and also took home the most awards in the December filmfest.

“Viva knows real talent when it sees one and with our partnership with Mikhail, we hope to futureproof our content offerings across genres and over different platforms,” shared Del Rosario.

Red admitted the Deleter experience proved to be the clincher in his decision to go into partnership with Viva. “We really connected well and shared the same vision in wanting to create genre films for a wider audience. After the success of Deleter, we saw the potential for a strong partnership to continuously come up with ideas, concepts and films to reach

the new growing audience whose viewing habits have changed due to globalization and the rise of international streaming platforms. Val and Viva believed and trusted my vision and voice.” Red added, “Evolve Studios will tackle local stories with exciting plots and imaginative ideas. We will take wild swings, aim for spectacle and fresh concepts, yet ground them in sustainable and feasible production. Our films will aim to be accessible and exciting to the everyday Filipino audience and will have the craft, production value and sensibilities for international export, as well. We plan to distribute theatrically across the region or partner with the growing influx of international streamers that are looking for strong genre titles in our region.”

Del Rosario shared that the first big project to launch Evolve Studios is the film Nokturno, about a supernatural curse that haunts a rural Filipino family starring Nadine Lustre. Also in the early stages is Helel, a sci-fi horror film about a Filipina astronaut who encounters the devil.

Both Val del Rosario and Mikhail Red have over the years taken into heart the many learnings they got from their respective dads. For Del Rosario, it is to continuously uphold the passion and professionalism in every project, while Red shared that it is important to always create and lead a happy set, and treat each member of the team with the same respect and courtesy.

The ceremony’s first award went to a winner from last year: Jessica Chastain. A year after winning for her lead performance in the film The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Chastain won best female actor in a TV movie or limited series for Showtime’s country music power couple series George & Tammy. Chastain jetted in from previews on the upcoming Broadway revival of A Doll’s House

After the SAG Awards, presented by the film and television acting guild SAG-AFRTA, lost their broadcast home at TNT/TBS, Netflix signed on to stream the ceremony.

Sunday’s livestream meant a slightly scaled-down vibe. Without a broadcast time limit, winners weren’t played off. A regal and unbothered Sam Elliott, winner for male actor in a TV movie or limited series for 1883, spoke well past his allotted time. But the show sped through early winners, including awards for Jean Smart (Hacks), Jeremy Allen White (Bear) and Jason Bateman (Ozark).

Another streaming effect: No bleeping.

Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Banshees of Inisherin came in with a coleading five nominations. Each film is up for the guild’s top award, best ensemble, along with Babylon, The Fabelmans and Women Talking

One award was announced ahead of the show from the red carpet: Top Gun: Maverick won for best stunt ensemble.

The SAG Awards are considered one of the most reliable Oscar bellwethers. Actors make up the biggest percentage of the film academy, so their choices have the largest sway. Last year, CODA triumphed at SAG before winning best picture at the Oscars, while Ariana DeBose, Will Smith, Jessica Chastain and Troy Kotsur all won both a SAG Award and an Academy Award. n

SAM ELLIOTT

KE HUY QUAN

JAMIE LEE CURTIS

MICHELLE YEOH photos FroM Ap

SAFC joins Subic TSD Sampaguita Rally to Showcase Fun and Safe Motorsports for All

We believe it is a great way for people to experience the thrill of motorsports without the need for a race or rally car. It's a fantastic opportunity to test your driving skills, explore new routes, and meet likeminded enthusiasts. I'm proud that SAFC is supporting the motorsport rally scene in the Philippines.”

Supply Chain Trilogy 2023 to discuss top industry trends, strategies, latest technologies for the future

SUPPLY Chain Trilogy 2023 (SCT23), the exclusive and premier technology conference for supply chain leaders and logistics professionals, is set to take place on March 15, 2023, at the BGC Arts Center in Taguig City. This must-attend event aims to discuss top industry trends, strategies, and the latest technologies for the future of supply chain management and logistics.

With the theme “A future made for you,” SCT23 gives you an opportunity to shape the future of your supply chain, gain transformative insights on how to digitalize your warehouse processes, actionable takeaways, and tips from top experts.

THE Subic TSD Sampaguita Rally is an exciting and unique event that combines precision driving and navigating the beauty of the Philippine countryside. This year, the event was held in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone on February 19, 2022, and was organized by MP Turbo

Founder Mike Potenciano.

TSD (Time-Speed-Distance) rallies are all about precision driving, where participants travel a specific route with the distance indicated at a given average speed at a pre-defined time. The rally is more about maintaining the right speed than going fast. The key to winning the rally is not getting lost and being on time at each checkpoint. The rally format is known as "On Time, All the Time," and it is a safe, legal driving event on public roads.

There is a misconception that joining a TSD Rally requires a full race or rally car. This is a myth that should be dispelled, as it is entirely false. In fact, the average speeds are set at a level that is within the legal speed limit, ensuring that the event is safe and accessible for non-professional racers and enthusiasts.

SAFC, one of the leading non-bank financial institutions in the Philippines, is one of the partners for this year’s staging.

SAFC President and Managing Director

Joel C. Cruz expressed his enthusiasm for participating in the TSD Sampaguita Rally, highlighting how the event is open to anyone who loves cars, driving, and the great outdoors.

Cruz said, “We at SAFC are thrilled to be part of the TSD Sampaguita Rally.

TSD Rally does not require the same level of physical fitness as other motorsports, nor does it need expensive racing equipment or modifications to vehicles. This makes it a fun and accessible activity for individuals or families who enjoy driving and exploring new places. As long as you have a roadworthy car, a good sense of direction, and a willingness to learn, participating in the sport can be a great way to bond with friends or family as you work together to navigate the course and complete challenges. Overall, TSD rallies provide a thrilling and familyfriendly way to experience the world of motorsports.

SAFC offers second-hand auto financing, which allows customers to purchase a used car that is road-legal and fits their needs and budget. They offer a wide range of cars to choose from, including sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks, which are suitable for motorsports like the TSD Rally.

SAFC's financing options offer flexible terms and competitive interest rates, which make purchasing a comfortable, reliable, and road-legal car more affordable.

To learn more about Second-Hand Auto Financing, visit SAFC's official social media pages at safcofficial.bio.link.

Pangilinan‘s MPIC boosts PH Digitalization; supports private sector group‘s GoDigital Pilipinas Movement

METRO Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), the country’s leading infrastructure investments company, supports the GoDigital Pilipinas (GDP) movement by aligning its business strategies to help boost the country’s progressing digital pivot.

Led by its Chairman, President, and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, the conglomerate is fortifying the GDP movement, recently launched by the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), through implementing technological advancements in the operations of all its subsidiaries. With investments in power, water, toll roads, light rail, healthcare, and agriculture, MPIC seeks to digitalize the daily lives of all Filipinos, widen digital accessibility, and help progress the country towards the future.

“Our role as the private sector is to take the lead in driving the digitalization plans of the country together with the government,” says Pangilinan. “Pouring investments in infrastructure and manpower, whilst espousing digital advancement, will continuously enable us to provide the convenience and accessibility Filipinos deserve.”

MPIC’s subsidiaries have already embraced the digitalization of their existing operations and innovated initiatives that encapsulate the group’s overall goal to become a leader in sustaining the country’s expanding digital landscape.

Beyond moving its customers from cash to digital through the implementation of 100 percent electronic toll collection via RFID, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), the largest expressway builder and operator in the Philippines, is transcending its core business by foraying into the digital space through MPT DriveHub, a travel companion app, offering a variety of mobility solutions that create better user travel experience. The app features three key functions: RFID transactions, trip planning, and roadside assistance.

Meralco embarked on a digital transformation journey with its Customer Centricity Transformation Program and Digital Projects (CCTP+D), a holistic and end-to-end approach that aims to improve the company’s customer touchpoints and operations. In addition, the distribution utility also launched the Meralco Data Platform (MDP), a platform that enables the creation of management and operation dashboards and insights crucial for

business decision-making.

Maynilad launched its Maynilad Customer Care QR code that will serve as another convenient means for its customers to initiate contactless transactions with the company. Customers will have access to an electronic form that goes directly to the concerned business area office for prompt processing, whether the transaction is for a service application or for handling an inquiry, report, request, or concern.

LRT-1 private operator and maintenance provider, Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) continues to pioneer digitalization for rail transport and find ways to enhance the commuting experience in Metro Manila. As a business imperative, LRMC has made contactless transactions part of its new normal, deploying Beep and Merchant Loading kiosks in all LRT1 stations. It also utilizes the Automated Train Operations Metrics System (ATOMS) to provide operational data for day-to-day tactics and GOAL Systems to optimize the company’s human resources. Recently the company teamed up with the Airspeed Group of Companies to bring PopBox, a smart locker system that allows people to use the system as a collection point for receiving packages. Once implemented, it would be the first-ever smart locker system in a public transport station. LRMC is also targeting to implement a QR-based ticketing system this year.

Metro Pacific Health, the country’s first and largest private hospital group, is looking into digitally transforming the health-care landscape by introducing new virtual care platforms and upgrading hospital information systems to create an integrated digital access point. This will be enabled with capabilities to digitally search for and schedule appointments, virtually triage symptoms, navigate to the right site of care, and access electronic medical

records across the network.

mWell, the Philippines’ first fully integrated and fully digital health and wellness platform, is the only healthcare app among the convener organizations and supporting companies in the GDP. mWell provides a seamless end-to-end journey for patients—from booking a video consult or seeing a doctor 24/7 (with only three minutes of waiting time), paying for the consultation and even having their medicines delivered to their doorsteps. Free e-prescription, e-medical certificate and lab referral are loaded into the app after consultation. To empower users to keep track of their own personal health record, mWell was the first to provide a digital medical ID. Found on their mWell app, this allows patients to easily access their records stored in mWell’s secure platform.

In line with the app’s efforts to digitalize and improve both its customers’ experience and its doctors’ experience, mWell also utilizes mWell MD, an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Clinical Practice Management System designed for doctors and their staff to manage patients and their practice; the Patient Engagement Portal, an online platform that allows patients to book consultations and other services, and is equipped with a Personal Health Records (PHR) system; and the Hospital Information System, that allows various hospital tasks such as order charging, hospital bed management, and inventory management. Digitalization through the platform also allows healthcare access by overseas Filipinos in all countries, as well as indigenous peoples in remote communities.

Gabay Guro, an advocacy organization under the MVP group that helps elevate and uplift teachers’ livelihoods in the Philippines through training programs and monetary assistance, is also committed to nationwide digital upskilling. Named as a convenor of GDP, Gabay Guro is the first to make the Gabay Guro super app, the pioneer mobile/digital platform launched to empower teachers as they lead the way for digital transformation in education. Within its first two days of launch, the Super App had over 100,000 downloads, catapulting it as one of the top five education apps during its introduction phase. Since then, it has stayed popular among users with a steady 4.9 app satisfaction rating.

Supply Chain Trilogy is organized by AEB in partnership with Honeywell and Primes Sales. The conference is supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines (CCAP), Procurement and Supply Institute of Asia (PASIA), German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Philippinen), and BusinessMirror.

The conference will feature a wide range of speakers and sessions, covering the latest trends in supply chain and intralogistics, warehouse automation, productivity solutions, material handling solutions, warehouse management systems, supply chain sustainability, the latest technology, innovation and strategies, the future of the cold chain industry, government initiatives in supply chain and logistics, and practical insights and case studies.

Must-see keynotes and panels: LOOKING ahead: Government strategic initiatives for the future of supply chains in the Philippines, Assistant Secretary Mary Jean Pacheco, Digital Philippines and E-commerce Lead, Department of Trade and Industry

Shaping the future of supply chains: How to adapt strategies and frameworks in this world of uncertainties, Markus Meissner, Managing Director AEB, Arnel Gamboa, VP – Supply Chain, Ace Hardware, Charlie Villasenor, President, PASIA, Brad Santiago, Country Business Leader, Honeywell, Assistant Secretary Mary Jean Pacheco, Assistant Secretary, DTI

The Philippine cold chain industry

outlook, challenges, and opportunities, Anthony Dizon, CCAP President and Gilbert Singson, National Cold Chain Head for Logistics

The future of intralogistics: Unveiling the next-generation technology platform for your warehouse operations, Paul Rivera, Product Manager, AEB SE Participants will also have an exclusive preview of AEB's new warehouse management system (WMS) solution, which is designed to manage warehouse operations and personalize business processes for nextlevel warehouse automation.

There will also be product demos and real-time simulations at AEB's customer experience booth located in the Del Monte Nutriasia Lobby.

"We're thrilled to be hosting Supply Chain Trilogy 2023. This conference aims to establish a platform that provides fresh insights, industry updates, and the latest technology to businesses, supply chain leaders, and logistics professionals to drive business growth. Additionally, we are launching AEB's new WMS solution for warehouse owners and operators that will shape the future of intralogistics," said Frans Kok, AEB's General Manager.

Supply Chain Trilogy is designed specifically for supply chain leaders, logistics professionals, and warehouse operators in the transport and logistics, manufacturing, and food retail industries across the Philippines. This is the ultimate event to learn practical insights, strategies, and how to apply them in your own warehouse operations.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in supply chain and logistics. Register now and join us to learn, explore, and connect with leaders and experts in the supply chain and logistics sector.

Jehovah‘s Witnesses‘ official website brings the Bible to people‘s fingertips in 1,000 languages

AS the Philippines celebrated the National Bible Day recently, an average of three million people would visit JW.ORG, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, to read the Bible online as well as download Bible-based articles, magazines, books, and videos.

The Bible holds the Guinness World Record for being the best-selling book, and it describes itself as “useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in doing right”. Even the government recognizes its value in the “development of the moral character and spiritual foundation of the Filipino people” so that it designated the last Monday of January to be the National Bible Day.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are known worldwide to be dedicated advocates of the benefits of reading and studying the Bible. Since the early 1920s, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Philippines have been sharing verses from the Bible and, at times, giving the people a Bible-based publication to read.

Now, in the internet era, many people have shifted to taking in information from their mobile devices. Jehovah’s Witnesses have adapted to this change by launching the redesigned JW.ORG in 2012, and the JW Library app that contains most of the materials from the website, in 2013. To date, their website has been translated into 1,074 languages, including 100 sign languages. Their website also features Philippine

languages namely Tagalog, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Iloko, Bicol, Pangasinan, Chavacano, Abaknon, Ivatan, Itawit, Kankanaey, Kinaray-A, Maranaw, and Ibaloi among others.

JW.ORG also examines current and persistent issues of interest such as worldwide inflation, severe drought, soaring global temperature, and war among nations in the light of the Bible’s message to offer hope to the people. It also provides Biblical counsel to individuals who are seeking solutions to problems like resolving marital misunderstandings, raising children, living on less finances, or managing stress.

Currently, their website puts spotlight on the “disturbing decline in teen mental health”.

“In our family study, we use the publications, activities, and videos on JW.ORG because they present the Bible’s message in a simple way. This helps us apply the Bible’s advice as the need arises,” said Willie Sagado.

He and his wife, Irene, made great use of the variety of materials on the website to teach their son, Wilson, about the Bible.

“I enjoy watching the animation videos on JW.ORG. They are fun to watch, and these helped me to love God and feel closer to him. I also benefit from the books and articles intended for teenagers like the book Questions Young People Ask-Answers That Work. These train me to consult the Bible to make the right choices as I grow up,” said Wilson.

FROM left, Paul Mendoza, SAFC Chief Sales and Marketing Officer; Mike Potenciano, Veteran Race and Rally Champion; Rolen Paulino Sr., Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman; Joel Cruz, SAFC President and Managing Director; Attorney Victor Ngo, SAFC Chief Legal Counsel, and Joel Golaw, Wisefund Finance Corporation President.

European Union cracks down on plastic, will others follow?

By Olivia Rudgard

In November, the European Commission proposed sweeping packaging regulations that would require companies selling products in EU countries to make their packaging easier to reuse, recycle or in some cases compost. Takeaway food, hot and cold drinks, wine and other alcohol would have to be provided at least partly in reusable packaging by 2030, and the rules would limit unnecessary empty space in packaging.

The EU’s overall goal: to reduce packaging waste by 5t by 2030, compared to 2018 levels, and by 15 percent by 2040.

Many of these policies can also be found in proposals submitted by the EU ahead of the May UN session on plastic waste: minimums on recycled content and reusable packaging, limits on the use of labels claiming biodegradability, and “eco-design” criteria that includes avoiding empty space and promoting durable and refillable packaging. Those objectives also largely reflect the views of the UN negotiations’ “High Ambition Coalition,” a group of countries including EU member states and the UK, Ghana, Senegal, Australia and Canada. The small island states most negatively impacted by marine plastic waste are also calling for better design and reuse.

“The European Union are playing a leading role in advocating for a high-ambition, legally binding global agreement under the UN process to end plastic pollution,” said Steve Fletcher, director of the Global Plastics Policy Centre at the UK’s University of Portsmouth. “The current proposals are aligned with that high ambition that they want to see developed through the treaty process.”

It’s only the beginning. The EU has over the past four years, in legislation and negotiations, begun to make its case for a world less reliant on single-use and virgin plastics. Its vision centers on a global set of rules around the most harmful chemicals used in plastic, a ramping-up of recycled content and reusability, and— most controversially—stricter controls on plastics production. The bloc has also begun tackling possibly its greatest global plastic sin: the wholesale export of waste to developing countries.

Leading by example

THE plastic industry is fiendishly complicated and global by nature.

Plastic is typically extracted in the form of fossil fuels in one country, then made into nurdles or pellets and shipped somewhere else, where it’s turned into a consumer product, shipped again, and finally sold. After it’s used, most plastic is sent to a landfill or incinerator, and what gets recycled often still ends up polluting rivers and oceans. No matter how it’s disposed of, each kilo of plastic that comes on to the market has already caused almost 3 kg of greenhouse gas emissions through its production; if incinerated, that adds another 2.7 kg, according to the EU’s estimates.

As a result, reforming the plastics industry is also fiendishly complicated. The companies that make and sell plastic work across the globe, and there are no universal standards for their claims around bioplastic, biodegradability, compostability, reusability and recyclability. Guidance and labels for consumers are confusing or nonexistent.

Into this maelstrom comes the EU. Although its vision for a UN plastics agreement will have to be reconciled with that of more than 100 other countries, the bloc is a powerful influence. Its decisions have a wider impact than its borders, both on the companies that supply EU consumers and on the governments of the nations around it. Its proposed plastics rules are also more systemic, comprehensive and wide-ranging than previous efforts, and more likely to be effective than piecemeal bans on individual products. There’s a realistic chance that the EU’s standard becomes the de facto global standard, which would make the bloc something of a global plastics sheriff.

“Of course, we are always happy when our regulation is followed by others,” Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the environment, told Bloomberg Green in an interview. “I think in UNEA everyone recognized that plastic is becoming a growing issue and we should not be naive about recycling our way out of it.” That said, “a sheriff is someone who watches for the others. We are not going to be doing that,” Sinkevičius said. “But we are always happy when our legislation is being taken as the leading one.”

EU policy is already having an impact. In 2019, the bloc launched a Single Use Plastics Directive that

banned polystyrene plates and cups, as well as single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds. It also required PET bottles to contain a minimum of 25 percent recycled plastic, and mandated plasticbottle caps stay attached to reduce littering. England, Scotland and Wales have since announced or implemented almost identical bans, while aspiring EU members such as Montenegro, Serbia and Albania have to add the directive to their domestic legislation, in order to be able to join. Coca Cola’s “tethered” bottle caps, a result of the regulations, were also adopted in Britain last year, despite its departure from the EU.

The EU isn’t the only governing body making moves on plastic, and the new world it seeks to encourage isn’t entirely novel. In some South American countries, for example, Coca-Cola sells over 60 percent of its products in refillable packaging. Many other nations were ahead on restricting singleuse plastic bags: Bangladesh was the first to introduce a total ban in 2002, while the EU’s directive only encourages reductions. And several US states have depositreturn schemes, known locally as “bottle bills,” which encourage consumers to return containers for a small refund. In the EU, they are currently standard only in Germany.

But the EU’s legislation is unique in the sense that it tackles packaging as a whole, rather than focusing only on plastic. It also reflects a wider effort by the bloc to influence global environmental policy through “green diplomacy.”

“There is this willingness from the EU to be the green deal leader and the environmental leader globally,” said Justine Maillot, coordinator of the campaign group Break Free From Plastic Europe. “If some big companies are starting to change the way they produce their packaging for the EU market, they may also do the same for other markets.”

Public opinion is also providing a tailwind, Sinkevičius said, and solutions seen to be working in one place can provide fodder for citizens of other countries looking to apply pressure to their governments. Already, some EU members are racing ahead: In France, a ban on plastic packaging for produce and in fast food restaurants took effect this year.

“It’s very well supported by the citizens,” Sinkevičius said, adding that the single-use plastic directive “passed the EU legislation so quickly because citizens were all along the process ensuring that it moves quickly.”

Putting in place domestic legislation is a way to add weight and leadership to international negotiations, Fletcher at the Global Plastics Policy Centre said: “I see the [EU’s] motivation as being a bit more positive, around leading by example and really demonstrating that if you have the political commitment you can implement quite strong reforms to the plastics economy.”

Evolving plastic economics

TO some degree, the EU’s hand is also being forced: The plastic waste that the bloc’s countries do produce has a shrinking pool of possible destinations. For years, China was the chief recipient of the world’s plastic waste, and imported roughly half of it until the country banned such imports in 2017. Thailand and Turkey have also restricted imports of plastic waste, and a separate law banning plastic waste exports to developing countries was approved by the

European Parliament last month.

That urgency is part of why Sinkevičius is trying to sell the plastics crackdown as a positive for European business, which can claim first-mover advantage in areas like reusability. “The moment you ship your waste away, you kill any innovation,” he said. “We’re talking not only about reuse—we’re also talking about longer-lasting plastics that can be used for a long time. I think that would be something that would be very much appreciated across the world.”

Jean-Pierre Schweitzer, policy officer at the nonprofit European Environmental Bureau, says higher fossil-fuel costs will also make efforts to create resourceefficient packaging “increasingly interesting from an economic perspective.”

Of course, when the next UN negotiations kick off in May, the EU’s tougher packaging rules will still be an open question. The proposal has yet to clear the European Parliament and Council, and already faces opposition from the plastics, glass and paper industries. There are also implementation concerns to work through, as compliant EU businesses would depend on the enforcement of import standards. And while the new rules are binding for EU member states—creating a harmonious system without the need for separate domestic laws—that also means identical policies will have to be implemented in countries with wildly different waste infrastructures.

Finally, there’s the sheer scale of the waste in question, which continues to grow. In 2020 alone, the EU produced almost 80 million metric tons of packaging waste. Reducing that by 5 percent would only take the bloc’s waste levels back a few years—and do nothing to erase past damage. “If we went in a time machine back to 2018, it’s not like we’re living in a world free of packaging waste,” Schweitzer said. “In the same way that in the Wild West, the sheriff normally also was guilty of committing his fair share of crimes, I think this is definitely the case for the EU as well.” With assistance from John

Ainger/Bloomberg News

Iraqi president says country now peaceful, normal life is returning

By John Daniszewski & Abby Sewell

The Associated Press

BAGHDAD—Nearly 20 years after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein by US-led forces, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid wants the world to know his country now is at peace, democratic and intent on rebuilding economic life while maintaining a government that serves the whole country and the region.

Rashid told The Associated Press on Sunday that after overcoming the hardships of the past two decades, Iraq is ready to focus on improving everyday life for its people. Those hardships included years of resistance to foreign troops, violence between Sunnis and Shiites, and attacks by Islamic State group extremists who once controlled large areas, including Iraq’s second-largest city, Mosul.

“Peace and security is all over the country, and I would be very glad if you will report that and emphasize on that, instead of giving a picture of Iraq...still (as) a war zone, which a lot of media still do,” Rashid said.

While Iraq’s major fighting has ended, there have been some recent outbreaks of violence—including on the day of Rashid’s election, which came after a yearlong stalemate following the October 2021 election. Ahead of the vote, at least nine rockets targeted Iraq’s Parliament inside Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone.

After Rashid’s election, he nominated Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who formed a government with the backing of a coalition of Iran-backed parties and with promises of improving security and public services.

Despite its oil wealth, Iraq’s infrastructure remains weak. Private generators fill in for the hours of daily state electricity cuts. Long-promised public transportation projects, including a Baghdad metro, have not come to fruition.

Rashid said this is due to damage as “a result of conflicts and as a result of terror, as a result of a number of years living at war.”

Government critics say the sputtering electricity supply is also a result of endemic corruption, rooted in the country’s sectarian power-sharing system that allows political

elites to use patronage networks to consolidate power.

Rashid, who spoke at his presidential quarters in Saddam’s former palace, also asserted that most Iraqis believe the 2003 invasion of Saddam-ruled Iraq by the United States and its allies was necessary because of the former dictator’s brutality.

He said he believes most Iraqis, “including all sections of the society, the Kurds, the Sunni, the Christian, the Shiites, they were all against” Saddam and appreciate that the US and its allies came to “save” Iraq.

“Obviously certain things did not work out as we hoped. Nobody expected Daesh (the Islamic State group) and nobody expected car bombs,” he said. “It should have been controlled right from the beginning. It should have been studied and planned out right from the beginning. I think the myth was that once Saddam is removed, Iraq becomes heaven.”

The reality proved more difficult, he said, but it hasn’t weakened Iraq’s commitment to democracy.

“Even if you have conflicts and if we have

arguments, it’s much better to have a freedom and democracy rather than a dictatorship,” he said.

However, mass anti-government demonstrations that kicked off in late 2019 were often put down by force. Hundreds of protesters were killed by security forces and state-backed armed groups.

Rashid acknowledged there are still conflicts, but urged Iraqis, particularly the younger generation, to be patient and have faith in the future. “We don’t have much choice but to live together...and let our democratic election take place to represent our values,” said Rashid, a veteran Kurdish politician and former water minister after Saddam’s ouster.

Rashid assumed the presidency in October. Under Iraq’s unofficial power-sharing arrangement, the country’s president is always a Kurd, the prime minister a Shiite and the parliament speaker a Sunni.

Rashid’s job entails helping to maintain a delicate balance among Iraq’s various centers of political power and even-keel relations with both the US and Iran, the government’s two key—and often

opposing—international backers.

The balancing act is reflected in a monument near Baghdad airport. It extolls Iran’s Revolutionary Guard commander Qassem Soleimani, who was targeted and killed in a 2020 US airstrike.

Improving relations with neighbors including Iran, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Jordan is a source of strength for Iraq, Rashid said. Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia had for years kept a distance from Iraq, partly because of its ties to Iran.

He noted with pride that Iraq hosted a Mideast meeting of senior Arab lawmakers on Saturday and expressed the country’s willingness to continue serving as a mediator in now-stalled talks between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Rashid also promised to take a hard line on corruption.

In October, reports emerged that over $2.5 billion in Iraqi government revenue was embezzled by a network of businesses and officials from the country’s tax authority. And in recent months, amid allegations of widespread money laundering used to smuggle dollars to US-sanctioned Iran and

Syria, the US has taken measures to tighten Iraq’s dollar supply, putting pressure on the currency.

“I admit, we did have and we still have some problems with corruption, but the government is very serious (about fighting it),” Rashid said, adding that the government and the central bank are taking measures to regulate transfers out of the country to deter money laundering.

Economically, he said, Iraq is focusing on rebuilding industry and agriculture damaged by years of conflict, and developing its natural gas reserves so as not to be dependent on buying gas from neighboring countries—notably Iran. Despite the currency’s devaluation and inflation in recent months, Iraq’s prospects are good, he said, buoyed by strong oil production and high global oil prices.

“Iraq economically is in a sound position and probably is one of the countries in the world which (does not have) a deficit in our budget,” he said.

WHEN UN negotiations over a global agreement on plastic waste convene for a second session this spring, the European Union will bring evidence that it practices what it preaches.

A WORKER pulls containers of plastic waste at a Tae Seo Recycling Co. facility in Gwangmyeong, South Korea on April 19, 2018. In a bid to curb its own rampant pollution, China has clamped down on the import of unsorted paper and plastics, with outdated industrial mills used to process foreign scrap into reusable raw materials closing down. The effects of the strict new standards on halting impurities in waste imports are now being felt worldwide. JEAN CHUNG/BLOOMBERG

B8 | Tuesday, FeBruary 28, 2023

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

Diaz, Bona capture PPS Escudero jrs tennis crowns

PORTLAND, Oregon—

Damian Lillard set franchise and career highs with 71 points— tied for the most in the National Basketball Association (NBA) this season—and 13

3-pointers and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a two-game skid with a 131-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

Bill Shaw Golf Classic back with a bang at Wack Wack

THE Bill Shaw Golf Classic returns from a three-year pandemic hiatus from March 6 to 11 at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

Wack Wack’s geared toward staging the grandest edition of its member-guest tournament as the fabled club welcomes back close to a thousand participants who already signed up for the action.

There will be 17 hole-in-one prizes in Wack Wack’s two courses with a Lexus IS 300h, Hino Utility Truck, Suzuki S-Presso and Gransportivo golf cart up for grabes on hole No. 8, a Mercedes-Benz CLB on No. 16 of the historic East course will give away.

At stake at the West course are a Mercedes-Benz C-Class on No. 3; K&G gift certificate worth 200,000; two bottles of Opus One wine and Get Go golf cart on No. 8; a Texas Eagle golf cart and Chery Tiggo on No. 11; P100,000 gift certificate from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Triumph Motorcycle, Airtrav roundtrip seaplane tickets for three to Boracay and Gransportivo Motorcycle on No. 14.

T he four-day tournament is presented by San Miguel Corp., Shell, Yakult and The Orange Platform or TOP. Wack Wack also prepared a bevy of raffle prizes, including a brand new Ford Ranger and two golf carts in the grand raffle as well as 150 major items.

There will be fun all throughout the Bill Shaw tournament week with good food, drinks, music and exciting raffle items during the daily evening cocktails sponsored by City of Dreams, The Plaza, Bizu and Food Details.

Boysen is the platinum sponsor, Emirates and CWC are the diamond sponsors and Go for Gold and VMJ Evergreen are the gold sponsors. Converge Business and GG&A Clubshares are green side supporters.

The hole-in-one sponsors are Lexus, K&G, Cork, Get Go, Casino Filipino, Airtrav, Suzuki, Hino, MG, MercedesBenz, Chery, PGA Clubshares, Turf Company, Gransportivo and Autohub.

L illard tied Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell for the most points in a game this season after Mitchell also scored 71 in a win over Chicago on Jan. 2. Lillard broke his own franchise mark of 61 points, which he’d done twice, on a 3-pointer with 4:42 left that also topped his career record for 3s in a game with 11.

Lillard’s 13 3-pointers were one shy of the NBA record set by Golden State’s Klay Thompson in 2018. Thompson’s Warriors teammate Stephen Curry (2016) and Chicago’s Zach LaVine (2019) also made 13 3s.

In the final minutes, the crowd at the Moda Center was on its feet, phones recording the moment, while chanting “MVP! MVP!”

L illard left the game with 44 seconds left, tied with Mitchell, Elgin Baylor (1960) and David Robinson (1994) for the eighthmost points scored in a game in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain owns the league record with 100 for

By Josef Ramos

CARLOS “CALOY” YULO consoled himself with the men’s parallel bars bronze medal in the first leg of the International Gymnastics Federation Apparatus World Cup Monday at the Lausitz Arena in Cottbus, Germany. Unable to recall the form that won him two world championships gold medals, Yulo scored 15.166 points to get himself on the podium alongside gold medalist Illia Kovtun (15.366) of Ukraine and silver medalist Mateo Levantesi (15.266) of Italy.

DAMIAN’S THE MAN!

Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962, at Hershey, Pennsylvania.

L illard had 41 points and eight 3-pointers by halftime. It was a career high in a half for Lillard and the most points in a half for any player in the league this season. He had 50 by the start of the fourth quarter.

Jerami Grant added 13 points for the Blazers, who led by as many as 23. Portland is part of a cluster of eight Western Conference just four wins apart that are vying for playoff spots.

A lperen Sengun had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, sitting in last place in the Western Conference with just 13 overall wins and nine straight losses. Houston trailed 102-88 heading into the final quarter, but scored the first six points of the period to close the gap to 102-94. Grant’s 3-pointer for Portland extended the margin to 108-98.

Lillard’s 3, his 11th of the night

to tie his career high, made it 113-103 with 6:43 left. He added a driving layup and a free throw. Houston could not catch up.

Lillard started after resting for Thursday night’s 133-116 loss to Sacramento. He participated in the NBA All-Star Game and won the 3-point contest the previous weekend.

But Portland remained without center Jusuf Nurkic (left calf) and guard Anfernee Simons (right ankle).

T he Blazers had a 31-30 lead after one quarter, led by Lillard’s 16. Portland extended the lead to 50-39 after Lillard went on a personal 9-2 run against the Rockets, capped by a 3-pointer from 35 feet out.

The Blazers led 73-58 at the break with Lillard the 10th player since the 1996-97 season with 40plus points in a half.

Lillard has 15 games with 50 or more points, sixth-most in NBA history. AP

BRONZE FOR YULO IN COTTBUS

Yulo, 22, was a 2019 world championships floor exercise gold medalist in Stuttgart that qualified him for the Tokyo Olympics, a feat he repeated in vault in 2021 in Kitakyushu where he also got silver in the bars.

He went silver in bars and bronze in vault last year in Liverpool.

B ut he wasn’t focused as expected of him in Cottbus. He went on a two-week vacation in Manila— losing precious training hours— before flying to Germany for the first of three legs of qualifying for the world championships in Antwerp in September.

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia CarrionNorton acknowledged the 23-year-old Yulo’s lack of focus in Cottbus, but was assured of her gymnast’s redemption performance in the second leg in Doha from March 1 to 4.

Caloy wasn’t focused at all,” said Carrion-Norton whose other ward in Cottbus, 18-year-old Juancho Miguel Besana, wound up eighth and last in the men’s vault final with 13.843 points.

A rmenia’s Artur Davtyan (15.133), Iran’s Mahdi Olfati (14.983) and Hong Kong’s Wai Hung Shek (14.733) finished 1-2-3 in vault.

PSC welcomes BARMM sports commission

THE Bangsamoro Sports Commission (BSC) on Monday forged an agreement with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the strengthening of the grassroots program of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

B SC chair Arsalan Dimaoden, presented a 12-point agenda with the PSC which include close cooperation

Creamline, PLDT seek vital wins

CREAMLINE and PLDT are expected to go all out when they take on struggling opponents to bolster their semifinal drive in the Premier Volleyball League All Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Tuesday.

C reamline takes on Army at 4 p.m. while PLDT tackles Akari at 6:30 p.m.

The Cool Smashers rebounded from a heart-breaking five-set setback to the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers with an imposing 3-1 romp over the Chery Tiggo Crossovers over the weekend to keep in step with their tormentors in the lead going to the eliminations homestretch of the season-opening conference organized by Sports Vision.

T he defending champions shoot for their fifth win in six games against the Lady Troopers to move a win away from securing the first Final Four seat. PLDT is at third with a 3-1 winloss card, followed by Chery Tiggo with 3-2 and Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho 2-2 apiece as six teams brace for what looms to be a wild, wooly chase for the playoffs.

W inless in four games, the Lady

Troopers are due for a victory after barely clinching one—they lost steam in the stretch for a five-set defeat to the Choco Mucho Flying Titans last Thursday.

It was a disappointing loss for Army, which drew double-digit outputs from five players – Jeanette Villareal (19 points), Honey Royse Tubino (17) Nene Bautista (12), Lut Malaluan (12) and Ivy Perez (10)—with Mary Anne Esguerra scoring nine points.

on sports facilities development and health and wellness in BARMM.

The BSC agenda also include grassroots and youth sports, sports education, human resource development, continuation of Sports for All program of the PSC’s Laro’t Saya sa Parke and elite sports identification and support.

A lso on the agenda were traditional sports and games preservation and

promotion, ensuring gender and equality in sports,  sports linkages and collaboration, sports tourism and sports competitions.

“It is our earnest understanding that we can utilize sport as a realization for the development of Mindanao and the country,” said Dimaoden, who was accompanied by his commissioners and consultant during the hour-long meeting at the PSC Conference Room

“Caloy’s coach says he needs to add difficulty in his routine when he gets to Doha,” said Carrion-Norton, referring to Yulo’s long-time Japanese coach Munehiro Kugiyama.

Yulo didn’t advance to the floor exercise and rings final in Cottbus.

A fter Doha, the series moves to Baku (Azerbaijan) from March 9 to 12 and Cairo (Egypt) for the final leg from April 27 to 30.

Yulo is hoping to make the September 30 to October 8 world championships for another shot at the Olympics in Paris next year. He will skip the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games whose September 3 to October 8 schedule runs conflict with Antwerp.

inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

P SC Chairman Richard Bachmann supported the proposal and batted for unity between the two sports agencies.

“ I would like to consider us as one group as we are focused on the Filipino athletes. Let us find the athletes sa bawat parte ng Pilipinas,” Bachmann said. “This is what I want to push in my term together with our Board of Commissioners.”

PSC Commissioners Walter Torres and Olivia “Bong” Coo also supported the agreement with the BSC.

The PSC can send a team to conduct a feasibility study for the sports facilities development in the region and ask that accessibility for para-athletes be observed for the building of the facilities,”

Torres said.

Coo said: “I offer our programs Laro ng Lahi and Women in Sports programs to be conducted in BARMM. There is a need to increase the inclusion of more girls in grassroots programs.”

TOP SEED Jana Diaz thwarted Chloe Mercado, 6-3, 6-4, while No. 2 Kendrick Bona halted third ranked Lexious Cruz, 6-3, 6-1, as they ruled the 16-under division of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPSPEPP) Escudero Cup National Tennis Open Championships in San Pablo City Sunday. Diaz kicked off her title drive with a shutout win over Ave Policarpio then turned back Sandra Bautista, 6-1, 7-5, before holding off Mercado, who barely escaped with a 3-6, 7-5, 10-7 win over Joy Ansay in the semis, to clinch the crown at the Aera Tennis Club.

The Bacoor, Cavite find and Mercado, from Quezon City, later shared the top honors in 18-U play after heavy rains washed out the finals of the girls’ premier division of the Group 1 tournament presented by Dunlop. B ona’s straight-set romp over Cruz spiked the Puerto Princesa bet’s dominant run that had him dropping just three games in three matches on his way to the finals. Cruz from Cabanatuan, meanwhile, stunned top seed Reign Maravilla, 6-1, 4-6, 10-8, in the semis of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

Ivan Manila, on the other hand, wore down Bona in the decider as the second ranked bet from Nueva Ecija spoiled the latter’s “double” bid with a 6-0, 1-6, 10-7 win in the 18-U class of the event backed by Rep. Loreto Amante, Rep. Edwin Olivarez, Rep. Sonny Lagon, Arman Santos, Converge, Mitsubishi Motors and Slazenger.

Other winners in the tournament that capped a two-week long tennis festival ushered in by the Open championship topped by Johnny Arcilla were Sta. Rosa, City’s Jaekob Palaroan and Maristella Torrecampo from Los Baños, Cruz and Ansay, and Caleb Villeno.

The top-ranked Palaroan held off No. 3 Emmanuel Andal, 6-4, 6-3, while Torrecampo blasted Kylie Cautivo, 6-0, 6-0, in 12-U finals; Cruz took the 14-U diadem with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Aljhon Rombawa, with Ansay, also from Sta. Rosa City, ruling her side of the 14-U finals with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Torrecampo.

V illeno dominated the 10-unisex class of the tournament supported by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating with a 4-0, 4-0 rout of Andrew Lozada.

The PPS-PEPP juniors circuit moves to Binan beginning March 2 for the Rep. Len Alonte-Naguiat Championships at the South City Homes Recreational courts. For details, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

JANA DIAZ and Kendrick Bona pose with Aera Tennis Club president Raul de Vera (left) and Arnel Escudero.

PHILIPPINE Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann (third from left) and Commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo and Commissioner Walter Torres (left and second from left) welcome the Bangsamoro Sports Commission delegation headed by (from left) chairman Arsalan Dimaoden, commissioners Abdulkhabir Musa (Tawi-Tawi), Nu-man Caludtiag (Maguindanao) and Yushoup Sario (Basilan).

PAL MEN’S INTERCLUB ON Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu City brass hit the ceremonial balls for the 74th PAL Men’s Interclub golf team championships on Sunday at the Cebu Country Club (CCC). Shown in photo are (from left) Dina May Flores of the PAL Interclub executive committee, CCC president Jose Soberano, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, CCC golf chairman Roberth Booth, Club Filipino de Cebu’s Ellie Espinosa and team captain Calvin Gothong and PAL assistant vice president for Sale Bong Velasquez.

DAMIAN LILLARD is doused by teammates after setting franchise and career highs on Sunday. AP