BusinessMirror March 25, 2024

Peza touts PHL’s gains from FTA with EU

By Andrea E. San Juan

AFREE trade deal with the 27-member bloc European Union (EU) will be “instrumental” in Philippine locators’ goal of making the country the “ideal base” for offshore operations by EU firms, according to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza).

As one of the investment promotion agencies in the country, this will likewise be instrumental in Peza’s quest towards positioning the Philippines as the ideal base for offshore operations by EU companies eyeing to penetrate the much

vibrant Asean and Asia-Pacific markets,” Peza told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail last week.

Moreover, Peza said the EU FTA and the renewed Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status will help the Philippines in its bid to attract EU foreign direct investments (FDI) from diverse strategic industries, catering to both domestic and export markets.

T he investment promotion agency also noted that the renewed talks for a free trade deal show EU’s “commitment” to the sustainable development goals and inclusivity through their engagement with a developing economy like the Philippines.

L ast week, European Commission (EC) Executive Vice President (EVP)

Valdis Dombrovskis and Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual formally announced the

goods that are being sourced from the European bloc by the Philippines are dominated by machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, and food products; while the Philippines’s main exports to the EU are office and telecommunications equipment, machinery, food and agricultural products, and optical and photographic instruments.  A s for the goods being imported and exported by Peza’s registered business enterprises, it noted, “the majority consists of electronics,

GOVT EYES P100B FROM CBK SALE TO FILL DEFICIT

TSEMANA SANTA TRAVEL TIPS: BOOK WITH DOT-ACCREDITED HOTELS, BE AT NAIA EARLY

TRAVELERS this Semana Santa (Holy Week) are advised to book only with government-accredited tourism enterprises, while those holidaying abroad are encouraged to pay their travel tax online.

T his developed as more than 1 million passengers are projected to throng the four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) from March 24 (Palm Sunday) to 31 (Easter Sunday). This is a 15-percent increase from the  926,755 passengers who flew through the Naia during the similar Holy Week period in 2023, according to the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa). I n a news statement,

Miaa General Manager Eric Ines said, “We are prepared for this influx at our terminals, especially as Holy Week coincides with summer, historically a peak season for air travel,” as he noted that, “our domestic operations, in particular, have been consistently surpassing pre-pandemic flight movement and passenger volume.”

He also advised passengers to be at Naia “at least three hours before international departure and two hours before domestic departure.” Some airlines may suggest an earlier check-in time to prevent long lines at the counters. “Travelers with only handcarry luggage are encouraged to check in online or use the checkin kiosks.”

By

Tparts of the environment from anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHG) for States and for present and future generations?

n What are the legal consequences under these obligations for States where they, by their acts and omissions, have caused significant harm to the climate system and other parts of the environment, with respect to: (i) States, including, in particular, small island developing States, which due to their geographical circumstances and

Abalos probes police camp handover near Masungi

By John  Eiron R. Francisco

DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Sunday checked out the irregular “turnover” of a police camp to private individuals within the  Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape, near the Masungi reforestation area.

T he visit by the DILG chief was meant to investigate allegations, examine pertinent documents, and implement measures to address the issue in line with environmental laws and regulations.

A ccording to reports cited by the Masungi  Georeserve, a conservation area, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) and the Special Action Force (SAF) have left their station in the watershed, and handed over command to an individual named Fel “Ka Piling” Denos, allegedly associated with a former police general. This transfer oc -

from

Guard against travel scams

curred without necessary permits or official documentation.

M eanwhile,  the foundation managing the conservation area said this development occurs amid increased scrutiny regarding the lack of environmental protection and enforcement in the protected landscape.

A ttention to the Masungi case was heightened following the recent controversy surrounding the Chocolate Hills, where a resort was built, sparking concerns about environmental preservation and regulatory oversight.

D espite assertions of having an eviction order from higher Philippine National Police (PNP) offices or property titles, the Masungi Foundation said that the RMFB personnel failed to present official documents such as the order to vacate and related letters.

T hey claimed that these documents were internal and could not be shown. This raised concerns as the area has a history of being a hotbed for land-grabbing and the questionable sale of forest lands, despite legal prohibitions and previous directives from Environmental Secretaries to halt illegal activities.

I n response to the situation, the Masungi Foundation stated, “Our partners from the indigenous people and our rangers remain vigilant. The military has also responded to the alarm and shown support as a preventive measure against potential escalations or unlawful activities.”

T he foundation commended the proactive stance taken by these sectors in safeguarding environmental

SEPARATELY, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said travelers who need accommodations, tours, transportation, and other tourism-related services “are strongly advised to patronize DOT-accredited tourism enterprises.” A DOT accreditation ensures these enterprises have “complied with the Department’s minimum standards set to ensure quality operation of tourism facilities and services.” A list of accredited tourism establishments are available at. https://tinyurl.com/ ypjpkvkr

conservation.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Abalos visited the province of Bohol and issued a statement on the ongoing investigation into the issue of a resort in the Chocolate Hills. He said the task force is conducting an in-depth fact-finding investigation into the matter.

“

It’s important that we have gathered many documents. Therefore, we are grateful to our team because we now have initial findings,” said Abalos, partly in Filipino.

B ased on initial documents collected by the agency, it was found that the municipality of Sagbayan issued a building permit and also adopted a Protected Area Management Board  (PAMB) Resolution.

However, one requirement, the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), which is necessary to obtain a building permit, was not issued.

“ We have coordinated with the Office of the Ombudsman to turn over our findings,” said Abalos.

T he DOT likewise advised the public to be on guard against unsolicited messages from anonymous sources and social media accounts that may offer fake bookings in hotels, airline tickets, vacation deals, among others. For general tourism inquiries, travel-related complaints, and other emergencies, tourists may contact the DOT hotline 151-TOUR (151-8687), mobile no. +63995-835-5155, and the DOT’s social media accounts or web site.

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P SALM is the agency mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) to handle the financial obligations of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) through the privatization of governmentowned assets, collection of the proceeds and its effective implementation of its liability management program.

Its corporate life will expire in June 2026. Recto said there is need to extend PSALM’s corporate life so it could continue with the sale of the remaining power assets and other properties, manage Napocor’s liabilities and collect all receivables. “I think it should be extended, possibly another 25 years. Marami pa ring debts ang PSALM, marami pang dapat ibentang assets [PSALM still has a lot of debt; there are still assets that need to be sold off],” said Recto.

P SALM’s financial obligations were reduced to P294.27 billion as of January 2024.

W hen PSALM was created, Napocor’s debts stood at P830.7 billion. This is composed of outstanding long-term debts and the BOT (build-operate-transfer)

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level of development, are injured or specially affected by or are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change? (ii) Peoples and individuals of the present and future generations affected by the adverse effects of climate change?

·   Philippine submission to ICJ

F or its part, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) said on its Facebook page that it has service counters  Islands B, C, D, and E at Naia Terminal 3 to collect travel taxes from departing international travelers.

“ For added convenience, consider prepaying your travel tax online through our Online Travel Tax Services System (OTTSS) at https:// tinyurl.com/ycx6d4uc to streamline your check-in process and save time at the airport.” Departing passengers who are covered by travel tax exemption rules may also apply for their certificates online through Tieza’s website.

Complete eTravel form before arrival

MEANWHILE , the Miaa advises returning international travelers to complete their eTravel registration online before arrival, with Philippine passport holders encouraged to use Immigration e-gates upon arrival; this will expedite their processing at the Bureau of Quarantine and Bureau of Immigration.

A

I nes

THE Philippines urged the ICJ to exercise its jurisdiction on rendering an advisory opinion on the liability of states leading to climate change.

The enormity of the effects of climate change and its calamitous impact on all States and peoples are doubtless confirmed by scientific consensus…This paramount concern, therefore, impels and warrants the exercise of this Court’s advisory jurisdiction,” it said.

T he Philippines also urged the Court to “view [the issue] within the context of all people’s fundamental Right to Life” as well as the “Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment.”

M anila wants countries which emit the most humancaused greenhouse emissions (GHG) to be held accountable for the loss of lives and properties brought forth by climate changeinduced disasters.

Any act or omission that harms or tends to harm the environment …that may be attributable to a State which results in anthropogenic GHG emissions over time causing climate change is a breach of a State obligation under international law,” the Written Statement signed by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra and other solicitors and counsels.

Ph ilippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya submitted the Written Statement

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semiconductors, automotive parts, printers and flexible printed circuits, coil transformers, aircraft galley parts, enterprise solid-state drives, optical coupled isolators, raw materials of insulation anvil, quick crimp, wire anvil, and radiation survey meters, among others.”  T he agency also highlighted its collaborations with the 27-member bloc,  which mainly focus on sustainability action and reporting, among which is the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an “international independent standards organization that helps businesses, governments and other organizations understand and communicate their impacts on issues such as climate change, human rights and corruption.”  E arly last year, Peza Director

lease obligations. The outstanding long-ter.m debts represent the unpaid obligations of Napocor to various creditors, which amounted to P319.1 billion beginning in 2001. On the other hand, the BOT lease obligations represent the amount due from Napocor to IPPs for facilities built in the 1990s to ensure increased generator capacity and adequate supply of electricity for a wider set of end-users. In 2001, the beginning balance of BOT lease obligations amounted to P511.6 billion.

A side from CBK, PSALM will also sell the 200MW Mindanao coal plant, Agus-Pulangi, land underlying IPP plants, and other real estate assets. “The priority is the privatization of CBK,” added Recto. A s of end-January this year, PSALM has successfully privatized and turned over to the winning bidders a combined capacity of 5,251.43 MW, consisting of 32 generating assets.

L ast February 25, PSALM turned over the 165MW Casecnan hydroelectric power plant to the winning bidder.

last Thursday. State Solicitor Rowena F. Mutia and Associate Solicitor Mary Rose Beley-Arnesto of the Office of the Solicitor General accompanied him at the Peace Palace.  Various agencies of the Philippine Government contributed to the Written Statement, led by the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Foreign Affairs, in consultations with the Department of Justice, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Climate Change Commission, the National Economic and Development Authority, and the University of the Philippines Law Center, among others.

‘Game changer’ in climate law and diplomacy

AN ICJ advisory opinion on climate justice is a “game changer in the field of climate law and diplomacy,” Ambassador Malaya said.

E arlier, the Philippines also supported the small island states in asking the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) to issue an advisory opinion on climate change, with focus on the obligation of states to protect the marine resources.

I n the case of the ICJ, the questions include the specific obligations of states, and whether states can be held responsible for increase in GHG emissions.

“ The participation of the Philippines in the advisory opinion proceedings is significant as it addresses the issue of climate change, which is perhaps the greatest existential threat facing the world today,” Ambassador Malaya said. “It also marks the welcomed return of the country in the proceedings of the ICJ, the last one having been decades ago.”

General Tereso O. Panga inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GRI which aims to “contribute to the acceleration and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the advancement of sustainability reporting in the Philippines especially within the ecosystem of export-oriented locators in Peza.”  I n the past, Peza also led the government’s participation on European-funded initiatives such as the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Integrity Pledge, the ECCP Energy Efficiency and Savings Program, and the GTZ Eco-Industrial Development project “to enhance the ease of doing business, commitment to environmental management and corporate governance in the ecozones.”

EMBRACING A BRIGHTER AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE WITH MSPECTRUM

By Assunta Javier Olarte

WHEN President Ferdinand Romualdez

Marcos Jr. was elected President almost two years ago, he said renewable energy (RE) was the way forward. The goal was to promote renewables so that it would provide a 35 percent share in the power mix by 2030 and then on to 50 percent by 2040.

According to a climate and clean energy expert, the Philippines is faring well in achieving its goal to ramp up the share of RE in its power generation mix but could be more aggressive in its targets.

In an article that came out in Asian-Power.com, Ramnath Iyer, the research lead on Climate and Renewable Energy Finance for Asia at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), pointed out that the Philippines is abundant in resources and would do well to drive policies that further encourage investors, particularly from the “vibrant” private sector.

The Philippines is on track for now. The Philippines is doing pretty well because policies are being implemented. There are no restrictions on foreign ownership which means the sector is open for investment. These kinds of policies, the fact that investors can own the companies, are very positive for investments,” he said.

Most attractive emerging market

IN the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) Climatescope 2023 report, the Philippines was ranked fourth amongst the most attractive emerging markets for renewable energy due to its auctions, feed-in tariffs, net-metering schemes and tax incentives.

A s for the type of RE, the coun-

try has the most potential for solar and wind power development in Southeast Asia with 99 gigawatts (GW) of prospective capacity, international think tank Global Energy Monitor (GEM) said in a report released last January 2024.

The report also showed that the Philippines has the eight largest potential solar and wind capacity globally.

“ The Philippines hosts a streamlined project bidding system with predominantly privatized power generation, allowing for an unencumbered pipeline for project development,” GEM said in its “A Race to the Top: Southeast Asia 2024” report.

Making the switch SWITCHING

to solar energy offers a transformative solution to the consumers' energy needs, providing an environmentally sustainable energy source alternative. Harnessing the sun's power translates to reducing carbon footprint and decreasing dependence on finite resources while promoting energy independence.

MSpectrum, Inc., a leading rooftop solar provider in the Philippines backed by Meralco’s 121 years of spearheading the energy industry, has helped many Filipino consumers reap the benefits of solar energy.

This year, MSpectrum reached its 60-megawatt (MW) capacity milestone in terms of

solar installations.

MSpectrum is driven by the mission to inspire more customers to confidently start their journey towards sustainability. With a focus on innovative solutions and a commitment to excellence, the

company empowers individuals and businesses to make environmentally responsible choices by offering reliable and efficient solar energy solutions. The solar company achieved this milestone through the mean-

prioritizes safety, durability, and stability as part of its dedication to delivering reliable and long-lasting solutions for customers.

Solar for Business: Premiere Service Offering for Customers

AS one of the leading solar solutions companies in the country, MSpectrum offers a variety of services that cater to businesses that are looking to enhance their sustainability agenda while optimizing their operational expenses through savings on electricity costs.

The premier service is called Solar for Business which focuses on rooftop solar installations for manufacturing facilities and office buildings. True to Meralco’s commitment to building a sustainable economic growth and development, MSpectrum works with enterprises to support their operations using cleaner, renewable energy source.

MSpectrum also enables the powering of communities and large-scale systems through its Microgrid and Utility scale service. It focuses on ground-mounted hybrid systems capable of powering farflung areas away from the power grid, and floating solar systems that can be placed by the coastlines.

MSpectrum also seeks to revolutionize the operations and maintenance of existing solar installations. Customers will benefit from solar power for decades provided they conduct proper maintenance of their facilities. MSpectrum offers to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot existing installations regardless of the facility provider.

Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation

AS a top-of-mind solar company

among many industry players, MSpectrum has successfully helped its partners in advancing their financial and sustainability goals. Food seasoning manufacturing company Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) is one of the key customers who enjoy the services of the solar company.

ingful collaborations forged with its partners who were inspired by the MSpectrum Advantage – energy expertise, seamless grid integration, and proven track safety record.

The MSpectrum Advantage: Energy expertise, seamless grid integration and proven safety track record MSPECTRUM offers comprehensive end-to-end service, from design to engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), as well as system operation and maintenance (O&M). With the company’s team of solar energy experts, customers are assured of the viability and prolonged reliability of photovoltaic (PV) systems that are right sized to meet their unique requirements for optimal performance and efficiency.

Customers also enjoy

A PC tapped MSpectrum for the installation of its 1-MW solar PV system in their manufacturing plant in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

By 2030, as Ajinomoto Group of Companies, we would like to realize two outcomes. First, we aim to help extend healthy life expectancy of 1 billion people around the world; and second to reduce our environmental impact by 50 percent,” said Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation President Tsutomu Nara. “ Through this win-win partnership with MSpectrum and Meralco, we are able to realize an important milestone to make our business operation sustainable by reducing our carbon footprint in the country,” he added. With the solar installation, APC is expected to reduce its carbon footprint of approximately 950 tonnes.

Dasmariñas City LGU: E-Skwela Project

MSPECTRUM has also partnered with the public sector to further their sustainability projects to benefit their constituents. These include local government units such as Dasmariñas City in Cavite. The project entailed the installation of solar PV systems in 14 public schools within the city. MSpectrum has collaborated with the LGU and complied with the government procurement process to ensure the timely completion of the project.

every project they undertake.

MSpectrum ensures that its solar installations adhere to both local and international safety standards, underscoring their commitment to safety and quality. Throughout the construction process and upon turnover, the company

The objective of this initiative is not just to save money and help the environment, but also to serve as an inspiration and encouragement to our students to take part in caring for our environment,” said Dasmariñas City Mayor Jennifer Barzaga. The project has a total of 510.83-kilowatt peak in capacity and is expected to generate approximately 650,000 kilowatt-hour of clean energy which translates to about 462 tonnes of carbon footprint reductions.

The 47.7-kWp solar installation at Francisco E. Barzaga Integrated Highschool was one of the 510-kWp solar projects inaugurated by the Dasmariñas Government and MSpectrum.

Aerial view of the 1 MWp solar installation on Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation’s manufacturing plant in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

(From L-R) Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation Senior Vice President Takeshi Onikubo, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation President Tsutomu Nara, Former MSpectrum President and CEO Ferdinand O. Geluz, and MSpectrum Chief Operating Officer Patrick Henry T. Panlilio led the inauguration of the 1-megawatt peak (MWp) solar rooftop project in Ajinomoto’s manufacturing plant in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

Editor:

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Sunday that it has discovered over P7 billion worth of fake goods in simultaneous raids in Caloocan City and Bocaue, Bulacan.

The BOC said that the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) found infringed underwear, hardware items and other goods in its anti-smuggling operations in several warehouses on Wednesday, March 20.

Other smuggled fake goods also include household items, kitchenwares, toys and appliances, among others, said the BOC.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said the operation is a significant step towards eradicating the prevalence of smuggled goods into the country.

“While we understand that there is a brazen attempt to smuggle in such large amount of

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go personally attended the groundbreaking of a new Super Health Center in Barangay Pasig, Lambunao, Iloilo, on Friday, March 22. This part of the collaborative efforts of Go, fellow lawmakers, the Department of Health (DOH) and local government units (LGUs) to bring primary health services closer to Ilonggos.

When asked about the significance of these centers, Go responded, “Malaking bagaypoitonailapitnatin‘yungserbisyong medikalsaatingmgakababayan.Nabanggitkopokanina the more we should invest sa ating healthcare system. Mas mabuting handa tayo parati...na hindi tayo mabigla tulad ng dati lalo na nung panahon ng pandemya.”

Go emphasized the central objective of the Super Health Center initiative, which is to alleviate the burden on overcrowded hospitals, enable early detection of diseases and provide vital healthcare services at a grassroots level through primary care services and medical consultations. He also noted the strategic placement of these centers to cater to remote and rural populations.

“Ang ikinaganda po ng Super Health Center madi-decongest ang mga hospital...Pwede po diyan ‘yung primary care ng Universal Health Care, diyan na po ‘yung Konsulta ng PhilHealth dahil bawat

TBy Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

HE Department of Health (DOH) announced over the weekend that it has raised a Code White Alert for the Holy Week, ensuring that medical personnel and staff will be on standby to accept and treat patients at hospitals nationwide.

infringed goods and other items, we are also confident that we are doing the necessary actions needed to address these activities,” Rubio was quoted in the statement as saying.

About 3,500 bales with an estimated worth of P4.3 billion containing infringed underwear and socks of the brands Nike, Jordan, Mossimo, Bench, Levi’s, Under Armour, Gucci and others were found inside a compound in Caloocan City, according to CIIS Director Verne Y. Enciso. Another inspection of other warehouses in the compound discovered P70 million worth of women’s sandals, speakers, foodstuff, industrial pipe fittings and sanitary kitchen wares.

“The goods we found in Caloocan City operation are also drivers of our local market but without the proper taxes paid and the required safety inspection, the health of our sellers and consum -

Pilipino po ay miyembro po ng PhilHealth, ‘di ba? Madi-decongest ang mga hospital nito,” said Go. Super Health Centers are expected to provide database management, outpatient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation centers; and telemedicine, which makes remote diagnosis and treatment of patients possible. Go elaborated on the services, saying, “Pwede po d’yan ‘yung panganganak, dental laboratory, x-ray. Ilapit natin‘yung serbisyomedikalsaatingmgakababayan. Mgabuntis,ditonapomanganak.Hindina nilakailanganmagbiyahepasamalalayong hospital,” he explained. Through the concerted efforts of Go, fellow lawmakers, the DOH led by Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa and LGUs, adequate funding was allocated for establishing more than 700 Super Health Centers nationwide. In Iloilo, a total of 27 Super Health Centers are funded.

Furthermore, Go, during the event, recognized local officials for serving their constituents, including Congressman Lorenz Defensor, Governor Toto Defensor, Vice Governor Christine Garin, Lambunao Mayor Reynor Gonzales and Vice Mayor

ers are put at risk. Not to mention, having these infringed goods on our shelves put into question our commitment to IP [intellectual property] rights,” Enciso was quoted in the statement as saying.

Meanwhile, another inspection in warehouses in Bocaue, Bulacan yielded P3 billion upon the discovery of various items.

The goods include kitchenwares, liquid detergents, playing cards, hardware materials, appliances, clothing apparel, toys, computer accessories, gadgets, cosmetics, school supplies, plastic wares, power tools, mosquito coils, swimming vests and pools, toys, scented candles, party materials, skateboards and piggy banks, cash box, tents and other general merchandise, according to Enciso.

The inspection was led by the CIIS and Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) agents based on a letter of Authority, which was acknowledged by the compound

Arvin Losaria, Sara Mayor Jon Aying, Lemery Mayor Oscar Villegas, among others.

Go and his Malasakit Team also distributed snacks, gift packs, shirts and balls for basketball and volleyball to 100 barangay health workers present.

Meanwhile, the senator offered additional help to those needing medical attention. He also encouraged them to seek the services of the Malasakit Centers located at West Visayas State University Medical Center and Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC), both in Iloilo City; Don Jose S. Monfort Medical Center Extension Hospital in Barotac Nuevo; and Western Visayas Sanitarium and General Hospital (WVSGH) in Santa Barbara.

Under Republic Act (RA) 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which Go is the principal author and sponsor, several agencies with medical assistance programs are lodged inside one room inside qualified public hospitals to make it easier for poor and indigent patients to avail of medical related aid. Currently, 161 Malasakit Centers nationwide have assisted more than ten million Filipinos according to DOH data.

Go, who principally sponsored and is one of the authors of RA 11959, also known as the Regional Specialty Centers Act, also worked collaboratively with other legislators who contributed significantly to the passage of this landmark legislation.

The law mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals. Regional Specialty Centers in Iloilo are located at the WVMC and the WVSGH and will further be enhanced to bring specialized medical services to the region.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, has also supported several projects in the province, including the construction of multipurpose buildings in Barotac Viejo, the completion of various barangay health stations throughout Iloilo City and the construction of a multipurpose building in the Iloilo City Public Market.

Other significant initiatives he supported include the construction of roads in Badiangan, Banate, Carles, Dumangas, Lemery, Miag-ao and Sara; completion of the barangay health stations in Leon; construction of a flood control system in Balasan; construction of a seawall in Banate; construction of the legislative building in San Dionisio; and improvement of the public parks in Dueñas.

On the same day, Go distributed additional assistance to displaced workers in Lambunao. Go then went to Iloilo City to participate in the Lady Local Legislators League of the Philippines National Summit. Parallel to these events, the senator’s office, through his Malasakit Team, aided fire victims and disadvantaged residents in Iloilo City.

PBy Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

RESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called on Filipinos faithful to have a meaningful Holy Week by doing acts of charity.

In his Holy Week message, the chief executive highlighted the importance of “outward action” in strengthening their faith.

“In this solemn occasion, let us not only seek to unravel the mysteries of our faith, but also to illuminate the path for others through acts of kindness and selflessness,” Marcos said.

“Let us be the light that shines through the shadows, the love that triumphs over despair, and the hope that radiates upon

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said no Filipino was hurt in the recent terrorist attack in Moscow, which killed 133 people last week.

Citing a report from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), DMW Officer-inCharge Hans J. Cacdac there were no Filipino was present in Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, when it was attacked by members of the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP-K) last Friday. Cacdac said the DMW received the information from Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose A. de Vega.

all humankind. May we be remembered not for what we have taken but for what we have given, not for the heights we have reached, but for the light we have kindled in the hearts of our fellows,” he added.

The Holy Week is a week-long Christian commemoration of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is usually declared a long weekend in the Philippines, which has a Christian majority population.

“This hallowed time of contemplative silence behooves us to ponder on the mysteries that elude our grasp, seek revelation in the face of the inexplicable, and acknowledge the interplay of joy and sorrow in life so that we may understand the path laid before us by Almighty God,” Marcos said.

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

ALAWMAKER on Sunday called for an investigation to uncover and hold accountable the individuals dubbed as “Makabagong Makapili” responsible for recruiting and facilitating the admission of 36 Chinese into the Philippine Coast Guard’s Auxiliary Corps.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers’ call was prompted by Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan’s admission during a recent House hearing that previous PCG officers were involved in recruiting and admitting over 36 Chinese into the PCG auxiliary corps.

“In the time of the Japanese occupation in the Philippines, we had our ‘Makapili.’

Now, it appears that we also have ‘Makabagong Makapili’ serving China’s interests in our country. It’s time to investigate and identify these alleged traitors to the nation,” Barbers emphasized.

The “Makabayang Katipunan ng mga Pilipino” (Patriotic Association of Filipinos), better known as the “Makapili,” was a group of Filipino traitors formed during World War II to collaborate and provide aid to the invading Imperial Japanese Army forces in the Philippines.

Barbers questioned the rationale behind recruiting Chinese nationals into the PCG auxiliary corps amidst ongoing territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea.

“The Chinese nationals have been with the PCGA for more or less three years. Did the PCG conduct due diligence on these nationals. Obviously, there’s none. As Admiral Gavan has admitted, some 36 were axed because they failed to secure national security clearance. We also do not know if those Chinese nationals are officials from the China People’s Liberation Army, businessmen, or tourists out to justify their longer stay here in our country,”

Barbers said.

Barbers said it could not be ascertained what ranks were given by the PCG to their 36 Chinese auxiliary corps members, but they could be Admiral (4 star general); Vice-Admiral (3-star general); Rear Admiral (two-star general); Commodore (one-star general); Captain (Full Col.); Commander

“Our deepest sympathies and prayers for the families of the victims of the attack,” Cacdac said.

According to news reports, ISKP-K members opened fire and threw explosive devices at the Crocus City hall during a concert, which resulted in mass casualties. Russian authorities detained 11 people in relation to the incident. Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to hold accountable the people behind the terrorist attack.

Latest DFA data shows there are 10,000 Filipinos in Russia with at least 8,000 in Moscow.

Samuel P. Medenilla

and

It could also not be determined what the Chinese nationals put up in exchange for their admission at the PCGA.

The solon from Mindanao said the presence, tasking, and other activities of the 36 Chinese PCG auxiliary corps members from the day they were recruited and admitted until they were axed should also be thoroughly investigated, as the acts committed may have adversely affected the country’s national security.

Barbers said he even obtained raw reports in the past that the Chinese PCG auxiliary members are being tagged along by some senior PCG officials whenever they conduct routine and official patrol missions in the West Philippine Sea.

“Over the course of three years within the PCG, it is conceivable that these individuals may have been privy to sensitive information and operations, potentially compromising our national security. This is a grave offense that demands legal accountability,” Barbers asserted.

PCG (Tanod Baybayin ng Pilipinas) is recognized as the “third armed uniformed service” attached to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), tasked primarily with enforcing laws within Philippine waters, conducting maritime security operations, safeguarding life and property at sea, and protecting marine environment and resources, similar to coast guard units around the world. The PCGA auxiliary corps is a voluntary uniformed organization with a military structure attached to the PCG.

During the House hearing on Wednesday, Gavan admitted that the 36 Chinese PCG recruits probably “did not went through the process in coordination with relevant intelligence and national security agencies of the government,” as all of them failed to get their “national security clearance,” which he required them to submit when he assumed his post in October 2023.

When pressed by Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez to provide more details about the Chinese recruited and admitted PCGA members, Gavan sought an executive session “to discuss more thoroughly the issue at hand in the next hearing due to the sensitivity of the matter.”

(Lt. Col.); Lt. Commander (Major); Lt. Commander (Captain);

Lt. Senior Grade (Lt.).

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

UPS grows investments in APAC with PHL hub

Lsupply chain and healthcare logistics services,” read the statement.

“Asia Pacific continues to be one of UPS’s fastest growing regions. UPS has continued to invest in our network to maximize speed and flexibility, build solutions addressing the shift of global trade lanes, and offer resilience for our customers,” UPS Asia Pacific President Wilfredo Ramos was quoted in the statement as saying.

The company said its agreement with Lipad is “the latest in a series of recent network and facility enhancements the company has made across Asia Pacific including in Singapore, Japan, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan and, most recently, Hong Kong, where UPS announced it will open a new state-of-the-art facility by 2028.”

“We have been doing business in our Philippines hub for more than 25 years, helping to connect businesses to markets in Asia Pacific and beyond. The investments UPS continues to make through this expansion will

enhance time in transit across Asia Pacific and continue to deliver service reliability for our customers and position UPS for long term growth,” Ramos said.

The company said that since 2022, it has also invested intensively in its healthcare business via a premier service that provides priority handling for time- and temperaturesensitive, patient-critical products in nine markets across the Asia Pacific region.

Last year, the company said it added over 22,000 square meters of cold-chain enabled handling, storage and distribution space via new healthcare facilities in Singapore and Australia. An additional 12,000 square meters is planned for this year.

“UPS’s expansion in Clark will bring positive changes to Pampanga, providing job opportunities for the local community and serving as an economic stimulus in the region,” Lipad Chairman Lourdes Josephine T. Gotianun-Yap was quoted in the statement as saying.

“This partnership between UPS and LIPAD also represents a significant milestone in developing Clark as an ideal logistics hub for global brands aiming to establish or expand their international operations,” Yap said. She added that Lipad, which operates CRK, “looks forward to welcoming UPS to its future location in Clark and supports its expansion in the Philippines.”

Construction of the new Clark hub is set to begin in February 2025, and it is expected to be operational in late 2026, read the firm’s statement. Lorenz S. Marasigan

DOE, Meralco vow support to motorists in Holy Week

TO ease the negative impact of rising fuel prices worldwide, the Department of Energy (DOE) told oil firms to mobilize assistance along national highways, major roads, tollways and areas leading to pilgrimage sites as motorists embark on Holy Week retreats and summer vacations.

“Let us assist them in safely navigating their way during these busy travel periods by implementing initiatives that will enhance their overall travel experience and promote road safety campaigns,” Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said.

The DOE recognizes the overall impact of oil prices in the international market on the motoring public.

“We can compensate them with efficient services by ensuring that service stations are well-stocked and the staff can handle the increased volume of cars, including offering extended hours, if necessary,” added Lotilla.

Economy

‘Sachet economy provides resilience to sari-sari stores’

ABy Rizal Raoul Reyes @brownindio

LTHOUGH it wreaks havoc on the Philippine environment, the country’s sachet economy is one major factor that provides resilience to the sari-sari (variety) stores.

In its “Sari IQ Year-End Report for 2023” released by The Pack Solutions Inc. (Packworks), sari-sari stores have also shown stability even during inflationary times because of the support of the community.

“The Philippines’s unique sachet economy plays a pivotal role in the resilience of sari-sari stores amidst the challenges of an inflationary economy. It enables the sale of goods in small, affordable units, ensuring that essential products remain within reach for the average Filipino, even as inflation rates fluctuate,” Packworks Chief Data Officer Andres Montiel was quoted in a statement as saying.

Furthermore, Montiel pointed out that significance increase in sari-sari stores during special occasions was attributed to the strong bond within their communities and their adaptability in meeting the demands of corresponding observances.

“The stores’ resilience, even amid inflationary pressures, lies in how they are embedded in the fabric of the community’s way of life, reflecting a symbiotic relationship between the stores and their customers. More importantly, it shows how stores display agility in their inventory and operations to cater to the heightened demands of these seasons, further reinforcing their role as indispensable components of community life,” Montiel explained.

More importantly, Montiel said sarisari stores become the source of good and essential services to the 94 percent of Filipinos masses when there is an inflationary surge.

According to the firm’s report, sarisari store sales trends are not directly driven by inflation. The study showed that the month-on-month (MoM) growth in gross merchandise value (GMV) was not correlated with the country’s MoM inflation rate. Instead, Montiel said it could be attributed to be more driven by occasions, as most of the peaks in the trend recorded coincide with major occasions with long breaks, such as the Christmas season and Holy Week.

For instance, despite the MoM inflation rate hitting 6.6 percent for April 2023, which coincided with Holy Week, sari-sari stores showed resilience, with MoM sales growing by 14.4 percent—significantly above the inflation rate.

The report also said that sari-sari stores continue to function as the neighborhood pantry, with key categories recording growth in demand regardless of the occasion. Products with the highest sales include

instant noodles (159 percent), ready-toheat (221 percent), recipe mix (117 percent) and ready-to-cook (42 percent).

The Sari IQ report also listed down the top products in their network by GMV, which include detergent (P690 million), powdered coffee (P600 million), shampoo (P410 million), canned fish and seafood (P350 million) and instant noodles (P200 million), which may be considered essential products. This indicates that sari-sari stores are more than just a refuge for relaxation but still serve as the most convenient source of essential goods.

Moreover, the report also found that sarisari stores outside of urban areas posted the highest sales. Regions with the highest sales are Region IV-A (P2.83 billion), Region II (P1.82 billion) and Region III (P1.58 billion). Meanwhile, traditional urbanized locales in the country, National Capital Region (NCR) and Cebu (Region VII), only place 5th and 6th, respectively.

DepEd voucher funds spent on ‘non-poor’ beneficiaries

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SENATOR Sherwin T. Gatchalian bared an over P7-billion Senior High School (SHS) voucher program funds spent on non-poor beneficiaries.

and 2022, as Gatchalian also pointed out that “for SY 2021-2022, 70 percent of SHS-VP beneficiaries were from non-poor households.”

it shows that we’re not being efficient.”

“The government spent more than P7 billion on non-poor beneficiaries of the senior high school voucher program [SHS-VP],” the senator flagged, reminding that the SHS-VP is a program of financial assistance, where qualified SHS learners from participating private and non-Department of Education (DepEd) schools receive subsidies in the form of vouchers.

Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) assured its 7.8 million customers of continuous, reliable and stable electricity service throughout the Holy Week break.

While Meralco Business Centers (MBCs) will be closed from March 28 to 30 in observance of the Easter Triduum, the power distributor said its personnel will be ready to attend to customer concerns on electricity service. The firm said its MBCs will resume operations on April 1. “We are one with the nation in observing a solemn and safe Holy Week. As a 24hour service company, we assure our customers that our crews are on standby to attend to concerns and unexpected power interruptions,” Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said. Lenie Lectura

The DOE further added that oil companies may engage in community outreach programs, including partnerships with car manufacturing companies for road safety campaigns, offer support to local authorities for traffic management by providing information on road conditions, alternate routes and emergency contacts. Lotilla also reminded households to take precautions with their electricity devices when leaving their homes unattended for an extended period to ensure safety and energy efficiency.

China to PHL: Be ready for all potential consequences

Laure

“For me, it’s wastage and leakage,” Gatchalian griped, stressing that “we need to correct this immediately and I plan to raise this during our budget hearing because we have to make sure that every centavo allocated to the government goes to our poor learners and efficient projects and programs. For me, based on the data that we have seen,

The lawmaker also recalled a previous hearing when he observed a similar trend in the implementation of the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) program, which is a component of the GASTPE. Gatchalian noted that for SY 2020-2021, 68 percent of ESC recipients were from non-poor households, adding: “This caused a leakage of up to P8.6 billion based on estimates from the senator’s office.”

Moreover, the senator also noted “a 2018

Gatchalian, the presiding chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, shared this observation during a hearing on the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 8545 or the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-Gastpe) Act.

Citing estimates from his office, Gatchalian pointed out that for School Year (SY) 2021-2022, P7.21 billion or 53 percent of the P13.69 billion allocation for the SHS-VP went to non-poor learners. The solon added that for SY 2019-2020, P7.30 billion or 39 percent of the P18.76-billion allocation for the SHS-VP “went to non-poor learners.”

Moreover, the senator cited data from the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey 2020

lawful activities in the Philippine EE. The PRC’s interference with Philippine freedom of navigation violates international law & threatens a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific.

Luc Veron, EU Ambassador:

concerning behavior. Unclos is the basis for peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Marie Fontanel, French Ambassador:

WE reiterate our concern following today’s incident in the South China Sea which caused injuries to members of the Philippine C oast Guard as well damages to vessels.

F rance renews its call for respect of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and of freedom of navigation.

We oppose any threat or use of force contrary to international law and recall the importance of resolving disputes through dialogue. We also recall the decision rendered by the Arbitral Court on July 12, 2016.

HK Yu PSM, Australian Ambassador:

WE share the Philippines’ serious concerns about dangerous conduct by China’s vessels adjacent to Second Thomas Shoal today. This is part of a pattern of deeply

David Hartman, Canadian Ambassador: DANGEROUS maneuvers and the repeated use of water cannons by Chinese vessels against Philippines vessels today endangered lives and pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability. We urge the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.

Juha P yykko, Finnish ambassador to Manila: For Finland, aligning myself with the statement of the EU Ambassador in the Philippines, I am concerned by yet another incident against the Philippine Coast Guard in the SCS, and reiterating the importance of the respect for international law.

Embassy of Sweden in Manila:

THE Embassy of Sweden reiterates its grave concern regarding the repeated aggressions in South China Sea, causing heavy damage on Philippine vessels & needlessly endangering lives. We emphasize that disputes must be resolved peacefully in accordance with Unclos and international rule of law.

MaryKay L. Carlson, US

Ambassador:

THE US with the Philippines against the PRC’s repeated dangerous maneuvers and water cannons to disrupt Philippine Coast Guard

C ONCERNED by recurring dangerous maneuvers, blocking and water-cannoning from Chinese Coast Guard vessels and Maritime Militia against Philippine vessels engaged in resupply missions.

T he EU reiterates the call for all parties to abide by the legally binding 2016 Arbitration Award and #internationallaw to peacefully resolve disputes, guaranteeing safety for all in maritime waters.

Marielle Ger aedts, The Netherlands Ambassador: Another incident in which a Philippine resupply mission was frustrated, leading to material damage and personal injuries. We reiterate the importance of abiding by international law, in particular Unclos and the 2016 arbitral award.

Japanese Ambassadordesignate Koshikawa Kazuhiko: JAPAN reiterates its grave concern on the repeated dangerous actions by CCG in SCS which resulted in Filipino injuries. Japan stands in solidarity with the PH as confirmed at the Japan, Philippines and US Vice Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in this week.

Andreas Pfaffernoschke, German Ambassador: GERMANY is very concerned about the dangerous incident involving vessels of the China Coast Guard, causing heavy damage on a Philippine resupply mission ship in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

Performance Audit Report by the Commission on Audit [COA] already raised that DepEd grants subsidies even to students from poor families. In the same report, state auditors also recommended that DepEd prioritize underprivileged learners.”

At the same time, Tara C. Rama, Director III of the DepEd’s Government Assistance and Subsidies Office, assured the basic education panel that GASTPE’s guidelines will be revised to address issues, including the nonprioritization of underprivileged learners.

The report’s key findings are based on the extensive data collected through Packworks’s business intelligence tool. The firm said that with its network of over 270,000 sari-sari stores nationwide, Packworks recorded more than 8.2 million transactions and sales of more than 15,000 stock keeping units in 2023. Continued

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The World

UN chief says time to flood Gaza with aid, denounces starvation as ‘moral outrage’

By Samy Magdy, Amr Nabil & Sam Metz The Associated Press

RAFAH

CROSSING, Egypt— UN Secretary-General António Guterres stood near a long line of waiting trucks Saturday and declared it was time to “truly flood Gaza with lifesaving aid,” calling the starvation inside the enclave a “moral outrage.” He urged an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

Guterres

“Any further onslaught will make things even worse—worse for Palestinian civilians, worse for hostages and worse for all people in the region,” Guterres said.

He spoke a day after the UN Security Council failed to reach consensus on the wording of a US-sponsored resolution supporting “an immediate and sustained cease-fire.”

Guterres repeatedly noted the difficulties of getting aid into Gaza, for which international aid agencies have largely blamed Israel.

“Here from this crossing, we see the heartbreak and heartlessness…a long line of blocked relief trucks on one side of the gates, the long shadow of starvation on the other,” he said.

About 7,000 aid trucks are waiting in Egypt's North Sinai province to enter Gaza, Gov. Mohammed Abdel-Fadeil Shousha said in a statement.

Guterres added: “It is time for an ironclad commitment by Israel for total… access for humanitarian goods to Gaza, and in the Ramadan spirit of compassion, it is also time for the immediate release of all hostages.” He later told journalists that a humanitarian cease-fire and hostage release should occur

at the same time.

Hamas is believed to be holding around 100 hostages as well as the remains of 30 others taken in its October 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and sparked the war.

When asked about Guterres’ comments, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to a social media post by Foreign Minister Israel Katz accusing the UN chief of allowing the world body to become “antisemitic and anti-Israeli.”

An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians now shelter in Rafah after fleeing Israel’s offensive elsewhere.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said an Israeli ground assault on Rafah would be “a mistake” and unnecessary in defeating Hamas. That marked a shift in the position for the United States, whose officials have concluded there is no credible way for getting civilians out of harm’s way.

Netanyahu has vowed to press forward with military-approved plans for the offensive, which he has said is crucial to achieving the stated aim of destroying Hamas.

The military has said Rafah is Hamas’ last major stronghold and ground forces must target four battalions remaining there.

Again on Saturday night, Israelis protested in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem against Netanyahu and the government amid fears that surviving hostages held in Gaza are in ever-worsening conditions

months into the war.

Israel’s invasion has killed more than 32,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, while leaving much of the enclave in ruins and displacing some 80 percent of the enclave’s 2.3 million people. Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday that the bodies of 72 people killed had been brought to hospitals in the past 24 hours.

The Health Ministry doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants, but has said women and children make up the majority of the dead. Israel blames Hamas for civilian deaths and accuses it of operating within residential areas.

Fighting raged Saturday around Gaza’s largest hospital. Israel’s military says it has killed more than 170 militants in Shifa hospital since its raid began Monday, and the commanding officer of the Southern Command, Yaron Finkelman, on Friday said “we will finish this operation only when the last terrorist is in our hands.”

Nearby Gaza City residents told The Associated Press that Israeli troops had blown up several residential buildings.

“They are emptying the whole area,” said Abdel-Hay Saad, who lives on the western edge of Gaza City's Rimal neighborhood. Another resident, Mohammed alSheikh, said that intense Israeli bombardment was “hitting anything moving.”

Associated Press footage showed columns of smoke billowing over the hospital area.

The Health Ministry said five wounded Palestinians trapped at

Shifa had died without food, water, and medical services. It previously said Israel’s military had detained health workers, patients and relatives inside the complex. The military claimed it wasn’t harming civilians, patients or workers.

“These conditions are utterly inhumane,” the World Health Organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on social media late Friday, Elsewhere, an older woman and five children were killed overnight in an Israeli airstrike on an area between Rafah and Khan Younis, health authorities said.

Hunger has become deadly, too. The UN and Israel’s government again traded allegations over the lack of aid delivery to northern Gaza, the first target of Israel’s offensive in the war and where anguished parents have reported watching children scavenge for bread in the rubble.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees—“the backbone of assistance in Gaza,” Guterres said—said Israel had again denied permission for an aid convoy to deliver to northern Gaza. The agency, known as UNRWA, said that two months have passed since a convoy could reach there.

Israel's government replied by contending again that hundreds of aid trucks are waiting for the UN and partners to distribute it.

“No time for misinformation.

Enough,” UNRWA’s communications director, Juliette Touma, told AP in response. Samy Magdy reported from Cairo and Sam Metz from Rabat, Morocco. Jack Jeffery contributed to this report from Jerusalem.

NEW DELHI—Hundreds of protesters in India’s capital took to the streets for a second day Saturday, demanding the immediate release of one of the top rivals of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the country gears up for a national election next month.

Arvind Kejriwal, New Delhi’s top elected official and one of the country’s most consequential politicians of the past decade, was arrested by the federal Enforcement Directorate Thursday night. The agency, controlled by Modi’s government, accused his party and ministers of accepting 1 billion rupees ($12 million) in bribes from liquor contractors nearly two years ago. His Aam Aadmi Party, or Common Man’s Party, denied the accusations and said Friday Kejriwal would remain Delhi's chief minister as it took the matter to court.

Kejriwal was taken into custody for seven days following a court order on Friday. Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita, had a message Saturday she said was from her detained husband. Posted on the AAP party X account, the message relayed Kerijwal as saying he wasn’t surprised by the arrest for he has “struggled a lot” and warning against “several forces within and outside India that are weakening the country.”

Chanting: “Kejriwal is Modi’s doom” and “Dictatorship won’t be tolerated,” protesters accused Modi on Saturday of governing the country under a state of emergency—a claim the opposition has long professed— and using federal law enforcement agencies to stifle opposition parties before the election.

APP leader and chief minister of neighboring Punjab state, Bhagwant Mann, joined the protest alongside some cabinet ministers.

“(Kejriwal’a arrest) is a murder of democracy,” Balbir Singh, Punjab’s health minister told The Associated Press. “For opposition leaders, jail is the rule and bail is the excep -

tion,” he added. Singh also accused Modi’s ruling party to “have turned the rule of law upside down.”

Lily Tiga, a protester said when “a person who does good, fights for truth, fights for the downtrodden and poor is arrested, it’s not only unfortunate, it is a time to mourn for this country.”

Some demonstrators tried to move the protest to the main street in central Delhi. But police, some in riot gear, blocked them and detained at least three-dozen protesters.

On Friday, hundreds of AAP supporters and some senior party leaders clashed with the police, who whisked a number of them away in buses.

In the lead-up to the general election, starting April 19, India's opposition parties have accused the government of misusing its power to harass and weaken its political opponents, pointing to a spree of raids, arrests and corruption investigations against key opposition figures. Meanwhile, some probes against erstwhile opposition leaders who later defected to Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have been dropped.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, denies targeting the opposition and says law enforcement agencies act independently.

Kejriwal's AAP is part of a broad alliance of opposition parties called INDIA, the main challenger to Modi’s BJP in the coming election.

His arrest is another setback for the bloc, and came after the country's main opposition Congress party accused the government Thursday of freezing its bank accounts in a tax dispute to cripple it. This has led to a rare show of strength by the opposition figures that slammed the move as undemocratic and accused Modi's party of misusing the agency to undermine them.

In 2023, the agency arrested Kejriwal’s deputy, Manish Sisodia, and AAP lawmaker Sanjay Singh as part of the same case. Both remain in jail.

Indonesia’s losing presidential candidate files complaint alleging poll fraud, demands revote

JBy Niniek Karmini & Fadlan Syam The Associated Press

AKARTA, Indonesia—The camp of Indonesia’s losing presidential candidate filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court on Saturday alleging w idespread fraud at the polls and demanded a revote.

The legal team of Ganjar Pranowo, who was backed by the governing Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, said it wants the elected president, Prabowo Subianto, and his vice president, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, disqualified.

We demand the Constitutional Court to order the General Election Commission to administer a r evote,” said Todung Mulya Lubis, a lawyer representing Pranowo and his running mate Mohammad Mahfud. He said that nepotism and abuse of power were at the core of the complaint.

He said that the candidacy of Raka, President Joko Widodo's son, should not have been allowed and alleged that some regional leaders and village heads had been intimi -

dated into voting for him. He also a lleged that state funds were used to buy votes.

“We are at a very decisive moment in our lives as a nation and s tate,” Lubis said. “Democracy is important, the rule of law is important, the constitution is important, a nd we don’t want it to be trampled on, we don’t want it to be violated.”

Pranowo and Mahfud received 16.5 percent of votes, the lowest among three contenders in the Feb. 14 polls, according to final results. Subianto, the incumbent defense minister who was accused of human rights abuses under a past dictatorship, won with 58.6 percent.

T he runner-up, former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan, who received 24.9 percent, also had alleged widespread irregularities and fraud at t he polls. His camp filed a legal challenge on Thursday.

Both losing candidates had assaulted Raka’s participation in the e lection. The Constitutional Court had made an exception to the minimum age requirement of 40 for c andidates. Raka is 37.

Anwar Usman, who was the court’s chief justice when the excep -

tion was made, is Widodo’s brother i n law. An ethics panel later forced Usman to resign for failing to recuse himself and for making lastm inute changes to the candidacy requirements, but allowed him to remain on the court as long as he does not participate in electionrelated cases.

Lubis said that his team would bring about 30 witnesses to testify despite difficulties in getting t hem to appear in court because he said that some of them were intimidated by authorities. He acknowledged that successfully challenging an election result with such a w ide margin of victory would be difficult.

“This is not a matter of winning or losing,” he said. “We are willing to lose if it is fair, we don’t want to lose if it is unfair.”

Constitutional Court spokesperson Fajar Laksono Suroso said b oth complaints would be heard by April 22 and a verdict would come on May 7. The ruling cannot be appealed. Eight justices instead of the full nine-member court will decide it because Usman is required to recuse himself.

Indonesia’s ruling party scored a historic win in the February legislative election, winning the most v otes for the third time in a row.

The party, chaired by Megawati Soekarnoputri, won 16.7 percent of the vote and is predicted to have 110 seats in the 580-member national parliament. Golkar Party, led b y current Coordinating Minister for Economy Airlangga Hartarto, came in second with 102 seats, followed by Subianto’s Gerindra Party w ith 86 seats. The rest went to five other parties.

Widodo has faced criticism for throwing his support behind Subianto. The outgoing president distanced himself from his own party, PDIP, and made a series of moves seen as boosting Subianto's campaign. Indonesian presidents are expected to remain neutral in elections to replace them.

Hefty social aid from the government was disbursed in the middle of the campaign—far more than t he amounts spent during the Covid-19 pandemic. Widodo distributed funds in person in a number o f provinces, in a move that drew particular scrutiny.

The double cancer blow to Kate and King Charles leaves Britain’s royal family depleted and strained

By Jill Lawless The

Associated Press

LONDON—The Princess of Wales’ disclosure that she has cancer and will take time off to recover leaves the ranks of working royals depleted and strains a monarchy that King Charles III has sought to slim down.

Kate’s announcement on Friday prompted an outpouring of goodwill toward her and for a royal family that’s now facing two serious health crises. Some of the social media frenzy that has swirled in the princess’ absence from public view may now seep away.

But with the king also being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer, and Prince William helping to care for Kate and their children over the Easter school break, the ranks of working royals have been thinned, making the monarchy's future suddenly look fragile.

“This is a smaller and frailer royal family than Britain is used to,” veteran journalist Andrew Marr wrote in the New Statesman magazine. “It scarcely seems believable that only a decade ago, people were complaining about there being far too many members of it.”

Prince Harry is in California, estranged from his brother. Prince Andrew is in disgrace over his friendship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and faced allegations of sexual abuse. So it falls to Queen Camilla and a few others to be the public face of a monarchy that now has increased public sympathy but reduced visibility.

“It’s a remarkable situation and a significant moment for the monarchy and the institution so early in the king’s reign that two senior figures should be out of action,” said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine. “The pressure is on a much smaller team.”

Partly in response to gripes that taxpayers were funding a small army of royals, Charles resolved to run a tighter ship when he took the throne in 2022, with a core group of senior family members carrying out most of the work.

The nature of that work may not be apparent, especially to people outside the UK, but it is plentiful. The monarch has no political power but plays a constitutional role that includes signing bills into law and meeting regularly with government ministers.

The king and his children are patrons of many charities, professional bodies and sporting organizations, as well as ceremonial colonels-in-chief of military regiments and dispensers of medals for valor and public achievements.

The most visible royal is now 76-year-old Camilla, who has kept working while her husband is treated for cancer. In recent days she has stood in for Charles on visits to the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.

The king’s sister, 73-year-old Princess Anne, has attended award ceremonies, receptions and visits

Deadly attack on Moscow concert hall shakes Russian capital, sows doubts about security

By Emma Burrows The Associated Press

Shocked Russians brought flowers and teddy bears Saturday to the crocus city concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow to pay their respects to more than 100 people who died in a grisly attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Mourners hung flowers on fences and piled them on the ground a short distance from the concert hall where gunmen opened fire on a crowd and set off explosives that started a huge fire. Amid the grief, firefighters pulled bodies from the rubble and worked to put out the flames.

cided I definitely have to come here,” a m an named Mikhail told the AP near the concert hall. “There is no word for such scum...what they did is a terrible thing.”

as patron of organizations including Save the Children. Prince Edward, at 60 the king’s youngest brother, has been in Uganda on royal duties that stretch across the 56-nation Commonwealth of Britain's former colonies.

The engagements help fulfill the maxim of the late Queen Elizabeth II that the royal family must be “seen to be believed.”

“This is a historic monarchy that thrives on interacting with people,” royal historian Robert Hardman told Sky News. “It has to be visible.”

But striking a balance between visibility and privacy has always been tricky. During the late queen's 70-year reign, the British media evolved from showing deference toward the royals to having a hunger for scoops that saw some tabloids resort to phone hacking and other illegal activity in search of stories.

Press behavior changed to an extent after the death of Princess Diana in a 1997 car crash while being pursued by photographers. That curbed the use of paparazzi photos, but the relationship between the monarchy and the media remains uneasy. It's openly hostile in the case of Prince Harry, who is suing several newspaper publishers for invasion of privacy.

The palace initially stumbled in its attempt to sate the public desire for information about Kate while maintaining her privacy. A photo of Kate and her children George, Charlotte and Louis released on March 10 to coincide with Mother's Day in the UK backfired when The Associated Press and other news agencies retracted the picture because it appeared to have been manipulated.

There was no suggestion the image was fake, but the slip-up set off even more conjecture.

Claudia Joseph, author of “Kate: The Making of a Princess,” said the Prince and Princess of Wales are social media-savvy, but that dealing with the online world is “a learning curve.” Joseph said the royal family is still dealing with the “big shock” of Harry and Meghan’s departure. Their retreat from royal duties in 2020—spurred, they said, by relentless press intrusion and a lack of support from the palace —“depleted the younger ranks.”

Despite that, she said public sympathy and the royals’ sense of duty would see the monarchy through its latest crisis.

“Families do get ill, and they do struggle, and sometimes people have to take a step back from work,” she said. “I’m sure in six months’ time when they have recovered, hopefully, people will forget that they weren’t around for a few months.”

In her video message, Kate said that her work “has always brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to being back when I am able.”

“But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery,” she said.

Videos shared on social media showed candles and flowers being laid in memory of the dead and wounded at monuments across Russia and at Russian embassies abroad.

T he attack happened just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin c emented his grip on power by securing a record-breaking fifth term after h arshly suppressing opposition voices during a highly choreographed election. The attack was the deadliest in R ussia in years and left the concert hall a ruin.

The assault shattered nerves in Moscow and recalled memories of similar a ttacks that happened in the early years of Putin’s presidency. Although Islamic State claimed responsibility, Putin pointed the finger of blame at Ukraine, where Russia is waging a war that has dragged into its third year. He cited no evidence for his claims.

As the death toll climbed and Putin ordered stepped-up security measures across the country, some Russians had questions.

“There are cameras everywhere that can trace opposition people going to a rally, and they are also stopped in the metro. But basic security did not work in a public event,” said Ekaterina in Moscow, referring to the crackdown ahead of the election. She, like several other Russians who spoke to The A ssociated Press, declined to give her surname because of security concerns.

“Does it mean that cameras are targeted on people who carry a book ... but you can carry a bomb or a Kalashnikov, and that will be OK?” she asked r eferring to social media footage that showed the assailants in the concert hall with automatic weapons.

Russian state television focused on condolences from foreign leaders and the outpouring of grief across Russia. It shared images of the suspects and pictured officials visiting hospitals and directing the cleanup operation.

“I woke up this morning and de -

“I couldn’t stop crying,” said Elvira, adding that she awoke Saturday and was “so depressed” by the rapidly increasing death toll.

R ussian news agencies showed people lining up to donate blood. They said more than 3,000 people had already donated for victims of the attack.

Despite blanket coverage, state television lacked key information on the attack, which sent some pro-Western Russians looking elsewhere for details.

“It’s ridiculous because it happened in my city, and I was asking friends who live abroad,” Ekaterina said.

Russia is no stranger to mass attacks with high death tolls.

During the early 2000s and 2010s, a series of suicide bombings and attacks unfolded across Moscow, including the 2002 Nord Ost theater siege, where 132 hostages and 40 Chechen hostage takers died after a mishandled Russian rescue response.

Most of the attacks were carried out by Islamist separatists from the North Caucasus, but in recent years, they have largely stopped. The relative absence of such violence has lulled Russians into a sense of security, even while the country’s army fights in Ukraine.

“I am afraid that we may return to the times of the Chechen wars,” Mikhail Batsyn in central Moscow said, referring to apartment bombings that happened at that time. “I would really want f or that to not happen and for this act of terror to remain a rare event.”

The fact that authorities were not able to stop the gunmen from rampaging through the concert hall, which r eportedly had security measures in place, spooked many Russians.

On a social media chat group for a neighborhood south of the concert hall and shopping center, Russians discussed what precautions they would be t aking in the coming days. Several suggested they would temporarily stop visiting shopping centers and busy places.

I don’t want to go anywhere with a lot of people anymore,” Ekaterina said, adding that she had canceled plans to go to the theater Saturday.

Nearly 300 abducted children in northwest Nigeria freed after over 2 weeks in captivity

By Chinedu Asadu The Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria—Nearly

300 kidnapped Nigerian schoolchildren were released Sunday, local officials said Sunday, more than two weeks after the children were seized from their school in the northwestern state of Kaduna. Kaduna state Gov. Uba Sani did not give details of the release of the 287 students, who abducted from their school in the remote town of Kuriga on March 7. In a statement, he thanked Nigerian President Bola Tinubu “particularly ensur -

ing that the abducted Kuriga school children are released unharmed.”

Tinubu had vowed to rescue the children “without paying a dime” as ransom. Abductions of students from schools in northern Nigeria are common and have been a major source of concern since 2014, when Islamic extremists kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls in Borno state’s Chibok village. In recent years, abductions have been concentrated in the country’s northwestern and central regions, where dozens of armed groups often target villagers and travelers for ransom.

Putin called the attack “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act” and urged “our comrades at the front and all citizens in the country” to come together in its aftermath.

In a nationwide address, he alleged that Ukrainian authorities tried to create a “window” f or the suspects to escape across the border.

“Some of my friends believe in the idea of Ukrainian interference, but I can’t imagine that it co uld be the truth,” said Elvira

and several other Russians who spoke to AP.

Instead, they questioned why the attack had not been thwarted by Russian security services.

“Why is it that they say that there were warnings from foreign security services, but our s ervices were completely indifferent?” asked a woman in Moscow named Olga, referring to reports that Western governments h ad warned Russian officials that an attack was being planned. “How can this happen in 2024?”

The World

President Biden signs $1.2 trillion funding package and averts government shutdown

By Colleen Long, Kevin Freking & Mary Clare Jalonick The Associated Press

WILMINGTON, Del.—

President Joe Biden on Saturday signed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills after Congress had passed the long overdue legislation just hours earlier, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown.

“This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted,” Biden said in a statement. “But it rejects extreme cuts from House Republicans and expands access to child care, invests in cancer research, funds mental health and substance use care, advances American leadership abroad, and provides resources to secure the border....That's good news for the American people.”

It took lawmakers six months into the current budget year to get near the finish line on government funding, the process slowed b y conservatives who pushed for more policy mandates and steeper spending cuts than a Democratic-

led Senate or White House would consider. The impasse required several short-term spending bills to keep agencies funded.

The White House said Biden signed the legislation at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was spending the weekend. It had cleared the Senate by a 74-24 vote shortly after funding had expired for the agencies at midnight.

But the White House had sent out a notice shortly after the deadline announcing that the Office of Management and Budget h ad ceased shutdown preparations because there was a high degree of confidence that Congress w ould pass the legislation and the Democratic president would sign

it Saturday.

The first package of full-year spending bills, which funded the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and the Interior, among others, cleared Congress two weeks ago with just hours to spare before funding expired for those agencies. The second covered the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, as well as other aspects of general government.

When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for t he budget year will come to about

Senegal votes in tightly contested presidential race amid uncertainty

By Jack Thompson, Jessica Donati

Babacar Dione

DAKAR, Senegal—Senegalese

The election takes place after President Macky Sall’s unsuccessfully tried to call off the February 25

Sall is

The

up. Results are expected next week.

The election is set to be the nation's fourth democratic transfer of power since Senegal gained independence from France in 1960. The process has been marred by violence and unrest, and hundreds of opposition protesters have been arrested and jailed.

There are 19 candidates in the race, including one woman, the highest number in the nation's history.

“This is poised to be the most competitive election since the introduction of multiparty politics,” Tochi Eni-Kalu, Africa analyst at the Eurasia Group, told The Associated Press.

Analysts say no candidate is expected to win more than 50 percent of the vote, which means a runoff between leading candidates is widely expected. They include Amadou Ba, a former prime minister, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is backed by popular opposition figure Ousmane Sonko.

Sonko, who came third in the previous election, was barred from running in January because of a prior conviction for defamation. He has faced a slew of legal troubles in recent years that supporters say are

part of a government effort to derail his candidacy.

Other potential frontrunners are Khalifa Sall, a former mayor of Dakar unrelated to the president, and Idrissa Seck, a former prime minister from the early 2000s that was the runner up in the 2019 presidential race.

Two candidates dropped out this week to back Faye's candidacy, a sign of the start of coalition-building that could determine the outcome of the race, according to analysts.

At the forefront of concerns for many Senegalese voters is the economy, which has been squeezed by high food and energy prices partly driven by the war in Ukraine. Unemployment among the nation's youth is widespread, driving thousands to risk their lives on dangerous journeys in search of jobs in the West.

“Jobs are really, truly the priority. Everyone can see that unemployment is taking over,” said Oumy Sarr, a political activist. “The second priority is the high cost of living in Senegal today. What is to be done to improve people's living conditions? Inflation is rising, everyone is tired.”

$1.66 trillion. That does not include programs such as Social Security and Medicare, or financing t he country’s rising debt.

On Ukraine aid, which Biden and his administration have argued was critical and necessary to help stop Russia's invasion, the package provided $300 million under the defense spending umbrella. That funding is separate from a large assistance package for Ukraine and Israel that is bogged down on Capitol Hill.

Biden, in his statement, again pressed Congress to pass additional aid.

The House must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental to advance our national security interests. And Congress must p ass the bipartisan border security agreement—the toughest and fairest reforms in decades—to ensure w e have the policies and funding needed to secure the border. It's time to get this done.”

A bipartisan border package collapsed last month when Republicans senators scuttled months of n egotiations with Democrats on legislation intended to cut back record numbers of illegal border crossings.

To win over support from Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pointed to some of

the spending increases secured for about 8,000 more detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal f rom the country. That's about a 24 percent increase from current levels. Also, GOP leadership highlighted more money to hire about 2 ,000 Border Patrol agents.

Democrats are boasting of a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers f or military families. They also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimer's research.

T he spending package largely tracks with an agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California worked out with the White House in May 2023, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills. P rospects for a short-term government shutdown had appeared to g row Friday evening after Republicans and Democrats battled over p roposed amendments to the bill. But shortly before midnight, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced a breakthrough.

“It is good for the country that we have reached this bipartisan

deal. It wasn’t easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it,” Schumer said.

The House passed the legislation Friday morning by a vote of 2 86-134, narrowly gaining the two-thirds majority needed for approval.

The vote tally in the House reflected anger among Republicans o ver the content of the package and the speed with which it was brought to a vote. Johnson brought the measure to the floor even though a majority of Republicans ended up voting against it. He said afterward that the bill “represents the best achievable outcome in a divided government.”

In sign of the conservative frustration, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., initiated an effort to oust Johnson as the House began the vote but held off on further action until the House returns in two w eeks. It's the same tool that was used last year to remove McCarthy.

The vote breakdown showed 101 Republicans voting for the bill and 112 voting against it. Meanwhile, 185 Democrats voted for the bill and 22 against. Freking and Jalonick reported from Washington. AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro and A ssociated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.

Lebanon’s displaced celebrate Ramadan amid fears that border conflict might become the ‘new normal’

By Abby Sewell The Associated Press

MARWANIEH, Lebanon—Shortly before sunset on a recent evening, Mervat Reslan and a group of other women made french fries in vats of boiling oil to serve with that night's iftar—the meal that breaks the daily fasts Muslims observe during the holy month of Ramadan.

They belong to roughly 60 families who have been sheltering at an abandoned hotel in the southern Lebanon town of Marwanieh to escape the shelling and airstrikes that have made it too dangerous to stay in their homes in the country’s border region with Israel. Although they’ve become a family of sorts to one another, many long to return home.

“Especially during Ramadan, you start thinking that your house is better—that you and your family all used to gather together, your children and their children, your inlaws and neighbors. And now you're sitting by yourself in a room,” said Reslan.

Those living at the Hotel Montana, which went out of business in 2005, are among an estimated 90,000 people from southern Lebanon who have been displaced by the near-daily clashes between the militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces. Another 60,000 Lebanese civilians have decided to stay in the border zone and risk the danger, according to a United Nations agency.

The border clashes began with a few Hezbollah rockets fired across the frontier on October 8, the day after Hamas’ deadly incursion into southern Israel and Israel’s ensuing bombardment of the Gaza Strip. They quickly escalated to near-daily exchanges of rockets, shelling and airstrikes across the border and sometimes beyond.

Israeli strikes have killed more than 300 people in Lebanon. Most were militants from Hezbollah or allied groups, but more than 40 were civilians. Hezbollah strikes, meanwhile, have killed at least eight Israeli civilians and 11 soldiers, and displaced tens of thousands on that side of the border.

The cross-border attacks seem unlikely to end before a cease-fire is reached in Gaza— and possibly not even then. The prolonged state of limited conflict has left Lebanon, and particularly the displaced families, in limbo. School, work and farming in Lebanon’s border region have been put on hold. For a while, many hoped that a cease-fire would coincide with the start of Ramadan, but half

of the holy month has passed without clear prospects for a solution.

Most of the displaced Lebanese have moved in with relatives or found shelter in vacant houses or rooms offered up by residents farther north. Those with the means have relocated to their second homes or rented apartments. Shelters like the Hotel Montana are a last resort.

“A person can deal with 10, 15, 20 days, a month (of displacement), but we’re now entering the sixth month and it looks like it will go on longer,” said Ali Mattar, who heads the union of municipalities for the Sahel alZahrani region, which includes Marwanieh.

The cash-strapped municipalities have been given much of the responsibility for dealing with the displacement, a task made more difficult by the four years of economic crisis the country has faced.

The Lebanese government has promised to compensate residents of the south whose homes have been damaged or destroyed. But the funding hasn't been secured, said Maj. Gen. Mohammad Kheir, who heads the country’s Higher Relief Committee. A comprehensive survey hasn't been conducted to assess how many houses are damaged, though it is “in the thousands,” he said.

Hezbollah has been providing monthly payments to many of the displaced families, an official with knowledge of the situation said. The official, who was not allowed to brief journalists and spoke on condition of anonymity, did not give a precise amount, saying it depends on a family’s size and needs.

Local and international nongovernmental organizations and religious charities have taken up much of the slack, but their resources are also strained. At the Hotel Montana, for instance, the Red Cross provides diesel to run a generator, but it can only be run

for two hours in the morning and five in the evening because the supply is limited, said Salam Badreddine, who oversees disaster management for the union of municipalities.

The US and France, among other countries, have engaged in diplomatic missions to try to prevent the border conflict from escalating into full-scale war. But even if they succeed, some fear that a continuous state of low-level conflict could become the new normal.

“I think the risk of an all-out war still exists, and I would argue that it's high,” said Emile Hokayem, director of regional security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank. But there is also a potential for a long-term simmering conflict that would “exhaust” the struggling Lebanese economy and society, he said.

“What I worry about is this ability to rationalize levels of violence and adjust to them, and (to think that) as long as we’ve avoided the big one, we're fine,” he said.

Reslan said her family was briefly displaced during the brutal month-long war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, but this time feels different. Shelling has already damaged her family’s house, and she is afraid that the extended displacement will become permanent.

“We’re afraid—not of Israel but that we won’t return to our houses and villages.

That's the only thing we’re afraid of,” she said.

Mohammed Issa, a construction worker and farmer, fled the village of Aitaroun with his wife and three children on Oct. 8, when shells began falling next to his house. They stayed for two months with another family before moving to the Hotel Montana. Now he’s counting the days until they can go home.

“If there’s a cease-fire, we'll be on the highway and at our house within an hour,” he said.

HOUSE EYES SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET FOR P9-B.GAP IN 4PS

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

ALEADER of the House of Representatives on Sunday announced his intention to propose a supplemental budget to tackle the P9billion deficit in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), resulting from what he claimed was Senator Imee Marcos’ reduction of P13 billion from the program’s 2023 funding.

I n a statement, Deputy Speaker and Quezon Representative David Suarez said a supplemental budget can address the 4Ps crisis created by the realignment of P13 billion from the program to other social amelioration endeavors of the government. This, he said, left 843,00 families, or 4 million poor Filipinos, without financial support.

It is unbearable for us to witness 4 million Filipinos deprived of their mandated assistance under the 4Ps law. We cannot allow their suffering to escalate further, as they endure months or years without the aid they rightfully deserve,” he added.

D uring last week’s hearing of the House Committees on Public Accounts and Social Services regarding a privilege speech by 4Ps Party-list Representative JC Abalos on the aforementioned realignment, the Department of Social Wel -

fare and Development (DSWD) confirmed the existence of the P9-billion deficit.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian confirmed Senator Marcos’s reallocation of P13 billion in 2023, originally designated for the 4Ps, to programs such as CALAHISIDS, AICS, and quick response to calamities.

Moreover, Suarez expressed bewilderment over the sudden reduction of P13 billion during the Senate’s review of the 2023 national budget, noting, “It’s saddening. Now, I don’t know how to describe a situation where we’re depriving the poor. Typically, it’s the wealthy who are robbed. However, the poor should not be victims of theft. They already have so little...and we’re taking away what little they should receive. I find it intolerable.”

He stressed that the 4Ps program, mandated by Republic Act No. 11310, aims to reduce poverty by providing conditional cash transfers to impoverished households for up to seven years, enhancing their health, nutrition, and education.

Suarez said the objective of Republic Act No. 11310, or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act, is to reduce poverty incidence in the country by providing conditional cash transfers to poor households for a maximum period of seven years, to improve their health, nutrition, and education.

Buoyed by poll showing rising support,Speaker vows to push Cha-cha

THE leadership of the House of Representatives on Sunday vowed to make the push for amending the Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions succeed, saying recent survey results indicate widespread support for Charter change (Cha-cha) among Filipinos.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez made the commitment as he welcomed the result of the survey by big data research firm Tangere, showing that 52 percent of Filipinos support the move to amend the Charter.

“ We are determined to sustain this momentum and collaborate with all parties involved to realize the constitutional amendments that will pave the way for a more prosperous, just, and equitable future for the Philippines,” Romualdez said.

R omualdez said he is “encouraged” by the survey, which, he added, “indicates a pivotal shift in public sentiment, revealing a growing acceptance and willingness among our citizens to consider the merits of constitutional reform.”

“

The approval for amending the Constitution, while slight, is nonetheless significant. It represents an evolving perspective among Filipinos, recognizing the potential benefits and the necessity of updating our nation’s charter to meet current and future challenges,” he said.

M eanwhile, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose M. Dalipe emphasized that the survey results underscore the widespread recognition among Filipinos of the need for change and reform.

“ It is encouraging to see that a majority of our citizens are in favor of Cha-cha, signaling a collective desire for progress and improvement,” Dalipe added.

China to PHL: Be ready for all potential consequences

CBy Malou Talosig-Bartolome @maloutalosig

HINA scoffed at the Philippine government for sending another rotation and resupply mission (RORE) to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, which it described as “irregular,” coming only 18 days after its last RORE mission.

T his, even as the US State Department, the European Union foreign ministry, and a number of ambassadors singled out China for its aggressive behavior against Philippine vessels inside the Philippines’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

China Statement

GAN YU, the spokesman for the China Coast Guard (CCG), said the Philippine supply boat Unaizah May 4 (UM4) was “attempting to transport construction materials” to repair the BRP Sierra Madre which is grounded on Ayungin Shoal.

It is a deliberate and provocative move that infringes upon China’s sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests and undermines peace and stability in the South

China Sea,” Yu said. Two CCG vessels blasted water cannon on UM4 Saturday morning as the attempted to blocked the Philippine boat from reaching the Ayungin Shoal.

T he Filipino crew of UM4 were hurt while the UM4 was severely damaged.

E arlier in the day, a CCG vessel almost came dangerously close to UM4. Then, a CCG vessel and two militias also blocked Philippine Coast Guard vessels trying to escort UM4.

T he CCG stressed it made “repeated warning” on UM4, stressing that such interceptions and expulsion were “lawful” and done in “reasonable and professional manner.”

We warn the Philippines that playing with fire is an invitation of disgrace, and the China Coast

Guard is ready at all times to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Gan said.

For its part, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that if the Philippine government “insists on going it own way, China will continue to adopt resolute measures.”

The Philippines should be prepared to bear all potential consequences,” foreign ministry spokesperson added.

US, EU lead condemnation of China

THE foreign ministries of the United States and European Union led the international community in condemning China’s latest aggression against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

The United States stands with its ally the Philippines and condemns the dangerous actions by the People’s Republic of China [PRC] against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea on March 23,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

M iller said the Chinese actions “prevent normal personnel rotations and deprive Filipino service members at Second Thomas Shoal of necessary provisions.”

The PRC’s actions are destabilizing to the region and show clear disregard for international

law,” he added.

T he State spokesperson said the Arbitration Tribunal decision in 2016 had declared that China has “no lawful maritime claims” to the waters around Ayungin Shoal. He stressed that Ayungin Shoal is a low-tide elevation and part of the Philippine EEZ.

The United States reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 USPhilippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft—including those of its Coast Guard—anywhere in the South China Sea,” he stressed.

T he US Department of Defense also described China’s actions as “dangerous.”

T he EU, meanwhile, expressed deep concern over the March 23 incident.

The succession of repeated  dangerous maneuvers, blocking and water-cannoning from Chinese Coast Guard vessels and Maritime Militia against Philippine vessels engaged in resupply missions constituted a dangerous provocation against the Philippines vessels. These acts put human lives at risk, undermine regional stability and international norms, and threaten security in the region and beyond,” Peter Stano, spokesman for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement.

E choing this sentiment, House Deputy Speaker, David Suarez of Quezon, hailed the survey results as indicative of the increasing acknowledgment of the need to amend the 1987 Constitution, particularly its restrictive economic provisions.

The overwhelming support for Cha-cha revealed in the survey is a testament to the Filipino people’s desire for meaningful reforms,” Suarez said.

House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin of Iloilo emphasized that the survey findings provide a clear mandate for action, prompting House members to renew their commitment to further advancing Cha-cha initiatives in Congress.

T he Tangere survey results released last Friday indicate that 14 percent of Filipinos “strongly agree,” while 38 percent “somewhat agree” with proposed constitutional amendments.

O n the other hand, 13 percent “somewhat disagree” and 10 percent “strongly disagree” with the Cha-cha initiatives.

T he remaining 25 percent were undecided on whether to support or oppose the Cha-cha proposal.

Tangere’s findings also indicate that 51 percent of Filipinos agree that the government should recognize the validity of a recent people’s initiative for Cha-cha.

T he survey’s margin of error is +/-2.53 percent, with a 95-percent confidence level.

T he proportion of respondents was distributed across the Philippines, with 12 percent from Metro Manila, 23 percent from Northern Luzon, 22 percent from Southern Luzon, 20 percent from Visayas, and 23 percent from Mindanao.  Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

‘AsPac economies must invest in data systems’

EBy Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

CONOMIES in Asia and the Pacific region must invest in improved data systems to better manage the next pandemic and save lives, according to the Asian Development Bank.

I n an Asian Development Blog, ADB Macroeconomic Research

Division Principal Economist

Arief Ramayandi, ADB Institute

Senior Research Fellow Daniel Suryadarma, and ADB Economic Analysis and Operational Support Division senior Economist Minhaj Mahmud said only half of ADB’s 46 Developing Member Countries had data on health facilities or equipment.

T he economists also said coun -

tries with data on health facilities and equipment included those whose information have not been updated for over a decade. They also said available data on hospital beds or even intensive care units were missing or lacking.  “ Recovering fully from these disruptions will take many years, especially in developing economies. The challenge now is to grab this post-pandemic opportunity to better prepare health systems for the next pandemic, in whatever form it  takes. A key takeaway is that better data management can lead to a better response,” the economists said.

T he authors noted that data availability was not the only issue during the pandemic. They also noted data reliability and validity issues that

often led to misinterpretation.

T hey noted that countries with better data infrastructure as well as access to broadband internet not only managed the pandemic better, but also had lower Covid-19 severity.  “ Governments must work to make better health systems data  available as rapidly available data, data wrangling, and data analysis are vital,” the economists said.

T he pandemic, the authors said, “shocked” countries, even those who experienced the SARS and MERS outbreaks. This highlighted the lack of investments in public health.

T his also made it difficult for countries to conduct surveillance, report, and communicate, and coordinate efforts to respond to Covid-19 cases.

T he economists noted the success of these measures in South Korea in testing and digital contact tracing as well as in Thailand and Vietnam on prevention, detection, and reporting cases.

“ Economies that successfully contained the virus built responses that involved a broad set of people with diverse expertise across multiple sectors, which enabled them to react swiftly and aggressively,” the authors said.

T hey said investments were insufficient as traditional measures such as the number of hospital beds and public health spending as a percentage of GDP were unable to help better manage the pandemic.

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Suzuki Philippines Debuts the New XL7 Hybrid Car

SUZUKI Philippines ushers in a new era of automotive innovation with the official launch of the Suzuki XL7 GLX AT Hybrid last March 18, 2024. This momentous occasion heralded a breakthrough in hybrid technology, accompanied by an array of exciting features and highlights that redefine the driving experience for Filipino motorists.

In celebration of this groundbreaking launch, Suzuki Philippines announced a limited time offer of an Early Reservation Promo, offering discerning customers an exclusive opportunity to be among the first to own and experience the cutting-edge features and eco-conscious performance of the XL7 Hybrid.

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MARCH is not just a month; it’s a celebration of women’s achievements, resilience, and empowerment. At the recently concluded Filipina CEO Circle X Women’s Run PH held at the SM Mall of Asia Grounds last March 10, 2024, MR.DIY proudly stood as a beacon of support, celebrating the spirit of womanhood through fitness and community engagement.

With 50 enthusiastic runners from MR.DIY participating in the event, the brand showcased its unwavering commitment to celebrate, inspire, and empower women. MR.DIY believes in fostering inclusivity and providing a platform for women to connect, share experiences, and inspire each other through their collective passion for running.

The Women’s Run PH Series, a platform aimed at providing inspiration, motivation, and empowerment to women from all walks of life, resonates deeply with MR.DIY’s core values. This series not only sets concrete fitness goals for women, ranging from 5 km to 21 km, but also serves as a year-round motivator, ensuring participants stay engaged and inspired throughout the year.

The event was not just about running; it was about unity, empowerment, and celebrating women’s accomplishments. MR.DIY’s participation highlighted its genuine concern for the physical and mental well-being of women, emphasizing the importance of leading a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.

Roselle Andaya, CEO of MR.DIY Philippines and a proud member of the Filipina CEO Circle (FCC), exemplifies this commitment to empowerment. She actively shares her knowledge, expertise, and experiences to inspire and develop future women leaders, contributing significantly to the professional journeys of individuals, especially women.

The Filipina CEO Circle (FCC), the driving force behind this remarkable initiative, deserves applause for bringing together successful career women who have shattered glass ceilings in various industries. MR.DIY applauds FCC’s efforts in creating a supportive network for

women, where shared journeys of hard work, determination, and excellence pave the way for future generations of female leaders.

MR.DIY’s presence at the FCC X Women’s Run PH was not just about running a race; it was about running towards a future where women are celebrated, empowered, and given the platform they rightfully deserve. Let’s continue to celebrate women not just in March but every day, ensuring a brighter and more inclusive tomorrow for all.

To know more about MR.DIY, head to MR.DIY’s official website at www.mrdiy.com/ph or follow /mrdiyPH on Facebook, and @mrdiy.philippines on Instagram and TikTok. You can also check out MR.DIY’s stores nationwide here: https://www. mrdiy.com/ph/storelocator.

SWISS born artist Jürg Casserini

flotsam naturally preserved by seawater. The artist also saw potential in the waste product of copper smelting. This led to his Black Slag collection with the dark glassy industrial waste serving as backdrop to colorful drips of

acrylic or brightly colored objects. Casserini also dabbles in acrylic and mounts interesting pieces of driftwood into unique sculptural works.

Two other artists share the spotlight in Swiss Connection. Jörg Stäehli paints the landscape of the majestic Jungfrau summit in his native Switzerland using the alla prima oil technique where wet paint is applied to still wet paint then either left as is or touched up with a brush, spatula or palette knife in just one seating.

Samantha Aragon-Kaspar, a young Swiss-Filipina has a keen interest on flora and fauna and biodiversity and is a one of the very few artists who expertly paints on piña fabric. One of her piña-seda creations was included in New York Fashion Arts Autism Benefit Show in 2017. To know more about the artists and their works, call Galerie Hans Brumann at 8820-6325 or go to https://www.facebook.com/galeriehansbrumann/.

• Editor:

Jennifer A. Ng

SRA tweaks rules for sugar purchase program

THE Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) announced amendments to the guidelines for the implementation of an order that allowed traders to purchase a limited volume of raw sugar produced in the Philippines at a premium.

The SRA released a memorandum dated March 19 which specified the changes to the rules for implementing Sugar Order (SO) 2, or the “Voluntary Purchase of Crop Year 2023-2024 Locally Produced Sugar for Reclassification to Reserve Sugar to Avail of Allocation for Future Import Program.” The agency issued Memorandum

Circular (MC) 4 which prescribed the guidelines last March 14. “Consonant with the observations and feedback in the conduct of implementation of Sugar Order No. 2, Series of 2023-2024 and the Guidelines therefore, there exist the necessity to Amend certain provisions of the ‘Guidelines’ which took effect on March 14, 2024,” the memo read. The SRA amended Item II of the guidelines which pertained to the application period and volume of the program, which will allow traders to purchase 300,000 metric tons (MT) of raw sugar.

According to the memo, applications for reclassification from “B” (domestic sugar) to “C” (reserve sugar) of quedans should follow this schedule:

n For quedans issued on or before the week ending January 28, 2024, eligible participants may apply for reclassification strictly between 8 a.m. to 5 pm., Monday to Friday, but not later than March 26;

n For quedans issued starting the week ending February 4, 2024 and until the week ending March 3, 2024, eligible participants may apply for reclassification between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday,

but not later than March 26;

n For quedans issued for week ending March 10, 2024, and for quedans issued for the succeeding week endings, and provided the total volume covered by items II(a) and II(B) has not yet reached 300,000 MT, eligible participants for reclassification with the Regulation Department in Quezon City or Bacolod City, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., every Monday and Tuesday only, starting March 18 and 19, and the Mondays and Tuesdays of the succeeding weeks until the total volume applied for under Sugar Order No. 2, Series of 2023-2024 has reached

Inefficiencies stunt growth of local corn sector–Villar

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

Iand governance continue to limit corn productivity, according to Senator Cynthia A. Villar.

Saying the government can “no longer turn a blind eye to the struggles of the yellow corn industry and the people who depend on it,” the chair of the Senate’s agriculture committee endorsed to plenary a measure for a comprehensive framework for its promotion and development.

Just before the Senate went on Holy Week break, Villar delivered her sponsorship speech for Senate Bill (SB) 2625, under Committee Report No. 246 entitled “An Act to develop the Philippine Corn Industry, enhance the availability and affordable of quality feeds and staple food, and provide for a corn competitiveness enhancement fund.”

“The measure acknowledges the organizational and institutional constraints and ensures that corn farmers are provided with adequate resources and support mechanisms that they need to thrive and compete in the market.”

Villar’s Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform together with the Committees on Finance, and Ways and Means conducted one public hearing, two technical working group meetings, and several consultative meetings before crafting the panel report.

In seeking to propel the competitiveness and expansion of the yellow corn industry, the bill is deemed a “crucial supplementary measure aligned with the objectives of the Livestock, Poultry and Dairy Industry Development Act” which Villar earlier sponsored. “It is imperative that we also bolster the corn industry.”

The yellow corn industry, Villar said, “plays a pivotal role in sustaining our livestock and poultry industry and feeding the nation.” She cited data showing that in 2023, the combined corn-livestock-poultry

sector contributed 27.17 percent of gross value added in agriculture. It provided livelihood opportunities to more than 1.28 million corn farmers, 2.8 million livestock and poultry farmers and thousands of other industry players throughout the value chain.

“This underscores the impact of the industry on our economy, particularly on job creation, food security, and potentially on poverty alleviation.” Despite its significance, the yellow corn industry “faces its share of challenges that require greater government attention,” according to Villar.

For instance, amid increasing demand in the feeds, foods and other industrial markets, the Philippines remains a net importer of yellow corn. Approximately 84 percent of the yellow corn produced locally is being used by the animal industries as feeds, but in 2020, the country achieved only 57 percent self-sufficiency in yellow corn for feed use.

Villar noted that in broiler and swine production, feeds make up about 50 percent and 60 percent of the overall production costs, respectively. The Philippines has the highest cost of production for livestock and poultry among Asean countries primarily

due to feed costs.

‘Laggard’

“EVEN while our yellow corn productivity has increased at an average of 4.2 metric tons per hectare from 2018 to 2022, the Philippines is still lagging behind, ranking 8th among its neighboring countries in Asia.”

She attributed this to several factors including the existing legal restriction (Presidential Decree No. 4) which prevents corn farmers from exporting corn unless there is excess production or supply. As a result, they cannot fully take advantage of the opportunities presented by the export market.

Another pressing challenge that corn farmers must grapple with is the high cost of inputs such as seeds and fertilizers.

Also, Villar noted that almost all yellow corn hybrids sold are genetically engineered, which are about five times more expensive than the conventional seeds.

She said the stringent standards for developing high-yielding varieties have hampered the participation of local Filipino companies in the seed industry.

This, she said, underscores the need for more investments in research and

development especially on seeds and biotechnology. Furthermore, she said most of the corn budget goes to the white corn program, with little attention paid to the growth of the yellow corn industry.

Villar is proposing the crafting of an updated Corn Industry Development Roadmap, to address the current and emerging needs of the industry and set the strategic initiatives and direction to enhance its competitiveness.

“The creation of an updated roadmap shall be spearheaded by the Bureau of Plant Industry [BPI] together with relevant stakeholders, particularly small hold farmers, feed processors, livestock farmers, regulatory offices, and academe.”

The lawmaker is pushing for the designation of priority corn production provinces which will lead to the modernization and better performance of the yellow corn sector. These provinces will distribute the high-quality seeds and feeds they produce to other provinces through BPI field offices.

According to PSA data for 2023, the top producing provinces which account for 61 percent of the total yellow corn production, includes Isabela (17.04 percent), Cagayan (9.75 percent), Bukidnon (14.83 percent), Maguindanao (8.06 percent), Pangasinan (5.74 percent), and South Cotabato (5.71 percent).

SB 2625 also provides for the creation of the Corn Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. This is in addition to the annual General Appropriations Act regular budget. For 10 years, the Corn Fund will consist of an annual appropriation of P3 billion, to come from tariff collection on imported corn, feed wheat, feeds and other products and ingredients for feeds.

Meanwhile, the white corn will not be left behind, “since the same is being used for human consumption,” said Villar. “We are proposing the allocation of 20 percent of the fund to white corn development and other indigenous corn varieties, and 80 percent of the Corn Fund shall be utilized for yellow corn.”

Easter egg price hikes are just the start as cocoa soars

Ain price already this year, making it the world’s hottest commodity.

In just the last three weeks, wholesale beans in New York have jumped more than 47 percent, exceeding $8,900 a ton—a level that once seemed unthinkable.

That means even higher prices for households as those moves feed through to retailers. But already, UK shoppers are paying more for chocolate, and sometimes getting less for their money, what’s known as “shrinkflation.” In Brazil, where Easter is a major celebration, chocolate egg prices recently became an internet meme when some stores advertised that people could buy them with loans and payment instalments.

The record surge is being driven by disappointing harvests in cocoa’s West Africa heavyweights, Ivory Coast and Ghana, which account for most of the world’s production.

300,000 MT.

A quedan is the equivalent of a warehouse receipt. It shows ownership of a specified amount of sugar in a warehouse or sugar central. A negotiable instrument, it is a primary trading document in the Philippine sugar industry.

The SRA said its Regulation Department will deny or reject all application for reclassification that did not comply with all the mandatory requirements or procedures stated in SO 2.

It said it will reject applications with incomplete documentary requirements, those covering volumes in excess of 300,000 MT and

applications that did not meet the deadlines.

SRA said the sugar purchase program was implemented to maintain a balanced supply and demand of sugar for domestic consumption and ensure stable farmgate prices.

Eligible participants who purchased raw sugar under SO 2 and have complied with all its conditions and requirements will be prioritized in future government program for sugar importation based on the volume of raw sugar purchased under SO 2, at a ratio of 1.5 (local raw sugar):1 (imported sugar).

DA told to invest in research on climate-resilient crop varieties

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) must focus on the development of climateresilient varieties of major crops to mitigate the impact of weather phenomena like El Niño, according to a lawmaker.

AGRI Partylist Rep. Wilbert T. Lee issued the statement after the DA announced that agricultural damage caused by intensifying El Niño has already reached P1.75 billion, covering more than 32,000 hectares of farm lands and displacing almost 30,000 farmers.

“Panahon na upang pagtuunan natin ng pansin ang pagdevelop ng climate-resilient na palay at mais para maibsan ang epekto ng El Niño sa hinaharap,” Lee said.

“Mayroon nang mga naunang pagaaral ang IRRI [International Rice Research Institute] sa climate-resilient rice na kayang magtolerate sa extreme climate conditions. We just need to adopt and build on this technology for our farmers to benefit from it.

The IRRI has developed drought-tolerant rice varieties which have been released in several countries including Sahbhagi Dhan in India, the Sahod Ulan in the Philippines, and the Sookha Dhan varieties in Nepal.

It is also currently studying flood-tolerant rice varieties which have been released and are now being planted in various areas including Swarna Sub1 in India, Samba Mahsuri in Bangladesh, and IR64-Sub1 in the Philippines.

“Mayroon ding pag-aaral ang United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] tungkol naman sa drought-tolerant [DT]

corn. I suggest we propose a knowledge exchange of sorts para mapakinabangan nilaangpag-aaralnatinsapalayatmakuha naman natin ang teknolohiya nila sa mais,” Lee said.

DT corn varieties became available to US farmers between 2011 and 2013 after decades of research on drought tolerance by crop breeders and plant scientists.

“We need to utilize and maximize all available agricultural technologies so as to make our farmers—our food security soldiers—more resilient to climate change,” the solon said.

“Kapag hindi na apektado ang ating mga magsasaka sa pagbabago ng klima, tataas ang produksyon at kita nila, at bawas pangamba naman sa ibang mga pangangailangan tulad ng gastos sa pagkakasakit o pagpapa-ospital.”

The DA earlier announced that eight regions in the Philippines were most affected by El Niño: Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Soccsksargen.

Most affected was Mimaropa, which incurred a P770-million damage to agriculture, followed by Western Visayas with P560 million; Cagayan Valley, P180 million; Central Luzon, P158 million; Ilocos, P54 million; Zamboanga peninsula, P13 million; Calabarzon, P7 million, and Soccsksargen, P2 million.

FAO, Google develop app easing people’s ability to monitor and protect forests

THE Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Google launched a mobile application that allows indigenous people and farmers to collect information on their area of forest or agricultural plots.

Dubbed Ground, the app developed by FAO, Google and other partners, is designed for non-technical users who work where bandwidth is scarce or absent.

engagement from the MOU signed in 2015, which has catalyzed numerous geospatial solutions enabling FAO Members to dramatically upscale environmental literacy and implement science-based policies in practically real time, not to mention combat locusts.”

“The true cost of chocolate has not been seen by consumers for a long time,” said Emily Stone, founder of specialty cocoa dealer Uncommon Cacao. “Persistent low prices to producers and climate change are driving the market up to these heights. Now, that comes as a shock to some, but this was predictable.”

The price increase is also a reminder that while headline inflation rates are easing around the world, surges in individual commodities can still put the squeeze on consumers. Chocolate may be seen as more a luxury than a necessity, but brands like Kit Kat and Snickers are often regular parts of weekly shopping baskets.

Consumers may even be more sensitive to such price increases after what they’ve been through in recent years. Memories of the post-pandemic inflation spike—and the damage it did to household finances—are still very fresh.

“It’s really expensive,” school counselor Isabel Cristina Brandão said as she picked

The industry is largely made up of smallholder farmers who have faced a legacy of poor returns, making it harder to invest in their plots or withstand extreme weather events.

up three small private label eggs from a candy store in Sao Paulo. She remembers her shopping cart used to be filled a few years ago. “Now we pay more, for a lot less.”

In the United States, the average unit price of chocolate eggs is up 12 percent over the past year, data from researcher NIQ shows. The cost of some popular Easter eggs in the UK has soared by up to 50 percent, according to consumer group Which?

Those changes account for only a small portion of cocoa’s colossal rally as key ingredients used to make Easter treats were likely purchased in the fourth quarter of 2023 or earlier.

Confectionery is among the categories where US consumers are noticing shrinkflation the most, according to a YouGov survey this month. Households are already cutting back on treats; 44 percent say they buy chocolate or candy less often because of inflation, according to the US National Confectioners Association.

And there’s no relief in sight given what looks like an unstoppable rally, with production shortages expected to persist into the next season. More pain lies ahead when cocoa booked at current sky-high prices will

be used for upcoming holidays like Halloween and Christmas.

Earlier this month, Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli said it would have to raise prices this year and next because of the jump in raw material costs.

While some companies may have cheap inventories to cover production for the next six months, they will opt for gradual price hikes rather than shock customers with steep increases, said Judy Ganes, president of J Ganes Consulting.

“If you push through a price increase now, then you can sustain operations and not have to make a short jump,” she said.

Other top chocolate manufacturers have also raised prices and are leaving the door open for more. Mondelez International Inc. Chief Financial Officer Luca Zaramella in February signaled increases are likely, while Hershey Co. Chief Executive Officer Michele Buck said the company remains “committed to pricing to cover inflation.”

Nestle SA said while it’s absorbed some higher costs through efficiencies, it may need to make “responsible adjustments to pricing in the future given the persistently high cocoa prices.” Bloomberg News

It was unveiled during the International Day of Forests last March 21. Ground is within FAO’s Open Foris initiative, which it also developed in collaboration with Google.

“Open Foris Ground was envisioned as a map-based tool that could be used in a variety of contexts with little or no special training. Indigenous people can collect data about their own lands with minimal outside help, on top of high-resolution satellite imagery from Google Earth,” said Google Earth Director Rebecca Moore in a statement.

“Open Foris Ground enables smallholder farmers and local communities to report data that’s important to their livelihoods, from the ground to the cloud. This is the most recent development in our near-decade long partnership with FAO, where among other efforts, we helped countries realize forest-based climate action.”

The UN agency said Ground will help further technological innovation across its mandate and inaugurates a new multiyear memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last March 21 between FAO and Google.

“The new MOU will deepen the

FAO hosted the International Forest Day 2024 with the organization of an event including an exhibition and technical sessions on themes ranging from how innovation is advancing ecosystem restoration and how it can empower Indigenous Peoples through mapping and securing rights to customary land.

“We are in the midst of a forest data revolution driven by innovation and technology, enabling countries to track and report on their forests more easily and effectively,” said FAO Deputy DirectorGeneral Maria Helena Semedo. “With 10 million hectares of forest lost annually due to deforestation and approximately 70 million hectares affected by fires, new solutions are essential.”

FAO’s recent publication “Technological innovation during transparent forest monitoring and reporting for climate action”, reviews how countries are benefiting from new technologies and their dissemination, with usable satellite imagery driving transformational approaches. The more robust estimation methods now available point to strong prospects for new types of climate finance, including through linkage to carbon markets, and an expansion of the range of actors able to drive and benefit from the emphasis on sustainability.

THIS BusinessMirror file photo shows farmers in Cauayan City, Isabela threshing their corn harvest to take advantage of the good weather.

$3.3B LNG deal: Ensuring Philippine energy security and lowering power rates editorial

ThE Philippine power industry is set to undergo a significant transformation with the recent announcement of a groundbreaking liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal. Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), Aboitiz Power Corp. (AP), and San Miguel Global Power holdings Corp. (SMGP) have joined forces to establish the largest integrated LNG facility in the country. This collaboration marks a crucial step towards achieving the nation’s twin goals of energy security and lower power rates. As stakeholders, experts, and consumer advocacy groups weigh in on the pros and cons of this $3.3-billion deal, it becomes clear that the benefits outweigh the concerns. (Read the BusinessMirror report: “Major leap forward in energy security,” March 23, 2024).

One of the primary advantages of this LNG deal is the potential for lower power rates. Aboitiz Power President and CEO Emmanuel Rubio highlights the synergy among the three power companies, emphasizing that it will make competitively priced and affordable power accessible to a broader base of Filipino consumers. While there are no immediate estimates on the exact reduction in electricity rates, the collaboration’s ability to tap into commercial and logistical advantages offers hope for more affordable prices. This is a significant development, considering Meralco’s current rates stand at P11.937 per kWh. Lower power rates not only alleviate the burden on consumers but also stimulate economic growth by attracting new investments and sustaining existing ones.

Furthermore, LNG has been positioned as a “bridge fuel” to facilitate the transition to renewable energy (RE) sources. The Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes the benefits of LNG in diversifying and securing the country’s energy needs. LNG provides the flexibility to support various grid demands, from base-load to peaking power supply. This flexibility is essential for the development of intermittent RE technologies like solar and wind. Rubio explains that LNG-powered turbines can quickly adjust their electricity generation to complement the intermittencies of RE sources, ensuring grid stability.

While the LNG deal offers short-to-medium-term solutions to bridge the supply gap resulting from the moratorium on new coal plants and the retirement of existing ones, it is crucial to acknowledge the need for a definitive end to fossil fuels. Atty. Pedro Maniego Jr., Senior Policy Advisor at the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, rightly emphasizes that a bridge must have an end. While fossil gas plays a role in the energy transition, the long-term plan should involve phasing out fossil fuels entirely in favor of clean energy sources. It would do well for the government to set a clear date for the complete phaseout of fossil gas and prioritize the development of clean, indigenous power sources to achieve energy independence, self-sufficiency, and security. In addition to the economic benefits and the transition towards cleaner energy, the LNG deal promises stable and reliable power supply, a critical factor for sustaining economic growth. The Department of Energy highlights that LNG’s entry into the energy mix enhances diversity and security in meeting the country’s energy needs. MGen, AP, and SMGP emphasize the importance of stable electricity supply in encouraging new investments and supporting existing ones. By establishing a capacity of 2,500 MW, the natural gas-to-power facility will play a vital role in meeting the projected annual increase in peak demand of 6.6 percent from 2020 to 2040. The Philippines’ emergence as a new frontier LNG market positions it for sustained economic growth and a greener, more sustainable future.

As this monumental LNG deal progresses through the necessary approvals and permits, it is crucial for all stakeholders to maintain their commitment to achieving the government’s twin goals of energy security and lower power rates. The collaboration among MGen, AP, and SMGP sets a powerful precedent in the energy industry, representing a solid groundwork for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly tomorrow.

The LNG agreement marks a momentous achievement in the country’s energy sector. By embracing LNG as a bridge fuel and working towards a cleaner energy mix, the Philippines can achieve its energy security objectives, lower power rates, and contribute to global efforts in combating climate change. However, it is essential to remain committed to long-term sustainability, prioritize renewable energy development, and continuously evaluate and adapt energy policies to meet evolving challenges and opportunities.

The economic costs of a nation’s declining reading culture

IAtty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

N today’s fast-paced world, where information is readily available, it’s easy to overlook the importance of reading. however, the truth is that low readership among citizens can have far-reaching consequences for a country’s economy. As someone who values education and believes in the power of literacy, I am concerned about the implications of declining reading habits on our economic prosperity.

When people don’t read as much, it doesn’t just affect their personal lives—it affects the entire economy.

Reading isn’t just about flipping through pages; it’s about developing critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and creativity. These are the very skills that drive innovation and productivity in our industries. Without a strong foundation in reading, our workforce may struggle to keep up with technological advancements and compete globally.

Low readership contributes to a shortage of skilled workers; this shortage not only hampers economic growth but also widens the gap between the haves and the have-nots, leading to higher unemployment rates and income inequality.

Additionally, the economic reper-

cussions of low readership extend beyond just numbers and statistics. They affect real people—authors, publishers, artists—who rely on a vibrant reading culture for their livelihoods. A decline in readership means fewer opportunities for these individuals, potentially leading to various losses in our creative sectors.

This is why the 2023 National Readership Survey (NRS) results were quite alarming as it revealed a significant decrease in non-school book readership among Filipino adults and children. According to the findings, in 2023, children’s readership stood at 47 percent, while adult readership was at 42 percent.

One of the main reasons attributed to this decline was limited access to books. Additionally, there was a lack

We must understand that the economic well-being of our nation is intricately linked to our reading habits. It’s time to take action— invest in literacy promotion and education initiatives that make reading accessible to all members of society. Whether it’s through supporting public libraries, funding literacy programs in schools, or advocating for policies that promote reading, we all have a role to play in building a stronger, more resilient economy.

of awareness regarding public libraries, compounded by constraints such as time limitations and the distant locations of these facilities, which deterred people from visiting them.

Conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) from November 14th to 20th, 2023, on behalf of the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the 2023 National Readership Survey surveyed 2,400 adults aged 18 and above and 2,400 children aged 8-17. It stands as the most comprehensive analysis of Filipinos’ reading habits and preferences to date. The NBDB emphasized, however, that overall attitudes toward books and reading remained positive despite the challenges highlighted by the survey. The majority of respondents ac-

knowledged the significance of books beyond the educational and professional realms. Key insights from the survey included the popularity of the Bible as the most favored non-school book (NSB) genre among adults and picture books among children, preference for reading in the Filipino language across age groups, preference for printed books, and primary considerations when selecting NSBs, which revolved around availability.

But more importantly, the survey underscores the urgent need for collaborative efforts among institutions and agencies involved in literacy promotion to reignite the passion for reading among Filipinos. Policymakers, educators, community leaders, and stakeholders must prioritize initiatives that promote readership and literacy. Engaging the parents in endeavors to enhance the accessibility of reading materials across all segments of society is likewise crucial.

We must understand that the economic well-being of our nation is intricately linked to our reading habits. It’s time to take action—invest in literacy promotion and education initiatives that make reading accessible to all members of society. Whether it’s through supporting public libraries, funding literacy programs in schools, or advocating for policies that promote reading, we all have a role to play in building a stronger, more resilient economy.

SSS achieves record-breaking income, ensuring sustainable pension benefits for members

ThE management of the Social Security System (SSS) is showing the way in ensuring that its coffers continue to grow for the benefit of its members while coming up with programs that results in adding years to its actuarial fund life. This is noteworthy as it means that pension benefits for retiring members can be sustained.

Thus, it is heartwarming to know that the SSS management led by SSS President and CEO Rolando Ledesma Macasaet has achieved a remarkable net income last year of P83.13 billion, which is 58.04 percent higher than its 2022 earnings of P52.60 billion.

That is by far, the highest income SSS has recorded, a feat achieved through the prudent management of its expenditures while raising the bar insofar as netting new SSS members is concerned. The agency’s expendi-

ture figures demonstrate its commitment to fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding its pension funds. Even with an increase in its benefit payments by 6.7 percent last year, SSS was able to keep expenses to the minimum with just an 8.4 percent rise, which, when matched with its huge 58.04 percent rise in income, shines a bright light on the way Macasaet is showing his investment savvy.

According to Macasaet, SSS “revenue in 2023 grew by 15.6 percent to

Even with an increase in its benefit payments by 6.7 percent last year, SSS was able to keep expenses to the minimum with just an 8.4 percent rise, which, when matched with its huge 58.04 percent rise in income, shines a bright light on the way Macasaet is showing his investment savvy.

P353.82 billion from P306.16 billion in the previous year,” with the bulk of the SSS revenue in 2023 coming from contribution collection, which rose by 18.2 percent to P309.12 billion from the P261.44 billion collected in 2022.

“Our record-high net income last year shows that we continue to strengthen our finances through programs and policies that increase new paying members and strengthen collection efforts,” Macasaet said as he ticked off the agency’s thrust to raise the number of SSS members while keeping expenses in check.

“Our 2023 expenses reflect how SSS has prudently kept its expenses

at modest levels and ensure that every peso contributed by its members are well spent for the benefit of all its stakeholders,” Macasaet said.

The benefit payments last year stood at P259.03 billion, up by 6.7 percent from P242.81 billion in 2022, while the pension fund’s operating expenses were at P11.65 billion, 8.4 percent higher than the P10.75 billion a year ago.

“Our operating expenses last year were only 30.32 percent of the allowed charter limit of P38.4 billion. Based on our charter, the operating expenses are 12 percent of the contribution collections and 3 percent of other SSS income such as investments and loans,” Macasaet explained.

Macasaet attributed the outstanding financial performance of SSS last year to the efforts of the SSS management and employees in intensifying its collection activities such as registering new paying members, improved collection from delinquent employers, and the 2023 contribution rate hike.

The improvement in the collec-

The Blue Chip

Philippines as a global tax leader THE PATRIOT

TJoel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT

Part 16

he Asian Development Bank (ADB) has a long history of providing support, financial and otherwise, to its constituents since its formation in 1966. The ADB’s mandate was to promote economic and social progress in the Asia-Pacific region. Its first headquarters was located in the city of Manila. The ADB then relocated to its permanent headquarters in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.

The Philippines, as a founding member of the ADB, has representation on the ADB’s Board of Directors, which is determined by the country’s shareholding and voting power within the organization. The ADB Charter vests all the powers of the institution in the Board of Governors. All member countries of ADB have representatives to the Board of Governors, including the Philippines, which generally designates the Secretary of Finance to be its representative to the Board. Presently, DOF Secretary Rafael Recto acts as Vice-chairman of the Board of Governors. The Board delegates most of the operational powers to a 12-person Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors is responsible for the direction of the general operations of the bank. The Board (i) takes decisions concerning policies of the bank, and loans, guarantees, investments and technical assistance by the bank; (ii) approves borrowings by the bank; (iii) clears the financial accounts of the bank for approval by the Board of Governors; and (iv) approve the budgets of the bank.

The 12 Executive Directors of the Board of Directors are elected by the Board of Governors. Eight of the 12 are elected from within Asia and the Pacific and four others are elected from outside the region. The Board of Directors performs its duties full time at the headquarters in Mandaluyong. The President of ADB chairs the Board of Directors.

This year, the Philippines was voted as one of the Executive Directors to constitute the Board of Directors. The Philippines representative is Professor Charlotte Justine Sicat, formerly of the University of the Philippines School of Business.

While hosting the ADB headquarters does not guarantee any special treatment in terms of governance, leadership positions or financial concessions, being the host country can provide the Philippines with certain advantages and opportunities.

These include:

1. I ncreased visibility and influence: The presence of the ADB headquarters in Manila allows the Philippine government to maintain closer ties with the ADB leadership and potentially have greater input in shaping the organization’s policies and priorities.

2. A ccess to expertise and re-

continued from A18

tion from delinquent employers can be traced to its intensified efforts to reach out to them. Another SSS effort that resulted in higher collection was its amnesty program for delinquent loan borrowers that led to a higher income stream for the fund. A new SSS loan program that it has crafted will allow pensioners to avail themselves of lower interest rate payments on loans of up to P200,000 depending on their pension benefits. This program is being implemented under the SSS loan program without the pensioners surrendering their ATM cards.

That SSS loan program will give back the dignity to our pensioners who have handed their ATM, to-

sources: Philippine officials and professionals can more easily engage with ADB experts, attend events, and leverage the knowledge resources available at the headquarters.

3. Capacity building opportunities: Philippine nationals may have better access to training programs, internships, and employment opportunities, whether as full-time staff or contractual staff, at the ADB headquarters.

It’s worth noting that leadership positions, such as the ADB President and Vice Presidents, are typically filled through a selection process based on qualifications, merit, and major country funder (such as Japan), rather than being tied to the host country.

The ADB, through its long existence, has been pursuing several tax policy and administration initiatives and projects. These range from the extension of loans and technical assistance for tax revenue enhancement programs, pursuing tax advocacies and research, capacity-building activities for the fiscal and tax officials of the member countries, hosting of tax fora and conferences, engaging with other multilateral global institutions in their tax initiatives and programs, the establishment of the Asia Pacific Tax portal, and others. The Philippines should take advantage of its unique situation of being the host and location of the ADB headquarters, and the presence of Filipinos in influential positions in ADB as officers and consultants, to maximize the benefits and engagements on tax-related activities. These can include its more active involvement in the tax programs of the ADB, including the assumption of leadership roles in these undertakings.

To be continued

Joel L. Tan-Torres was the former Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Previously, he was also the Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business, the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, Tax partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979. He is now back to his tax and consultancy practice and can be contacted at joeltantorress@yahoo.com and his firm JL2T Consultancy.

gether with their passwords, to the so-called 5-6 lenders who charge higher interest rates. Actually, the SSS can come up with a program to further help our pensioners by offering to pay the loans of our pensioners from these loan sharks and thus free them from their worries.

Perhaps the SSS can come up with a plan to game the loan sharks’ illicit activities by offering the SSS loan programs to pensioners who have borrowed and thus give back their self-worth via the return of their ATMs to their wallets.

We are confident that the SSS management can address this challenge faced by pensioners who have been forced to surrender their ATMs to loan sharks, and we also encourage the Government Service Insurance System to extend assistance to our teachers who are burdened with significant debt.

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

The chemical high generated by Taylor Swift and her eras Tour continues to rise. I happen to know a lot of people, my own daughter and some law students included, who are either so enamored by the pop icon’s songs or have gone to the USA and Singapore if only to see their “idol” perform live on stage. TS, as Taylor Swift is often called, strikes such a special relationship with her fans that her latest concert tour scored 152 dates across five continents running from March 2023 until December 2024.

Ticket sales are always on an alltime high, regardless of the cost per ticket. In Singapore alone, standard ticket prices ranged from SGD108 (P4,425.77) to SGD348 (P14,260.83) while VIP packages stretched from SGD328 (P13,441.24) to SGD1,228 (P50,322.69). Fans from wherever in the globe packed their bags and hied off to every recent concert venue of the Eras Tour. Even Philippine celebrities (Anne Curtis, Heart Evangelista, Dr. Vicky Belo, among others) expressed their admiration for the pop superstar by attending the Eras gig in neighboring Singapore. Taking the number of attendees alone (64,000 in SG and 96,000 in Melbourne, Australia) is rep ipsa loquitur (thing speaks for itself) to the reality of TS as a mega influencer.

Just what exactly drives people to idolize American pop icon Taylor Swift is just as mind-boggling as how South Korean global band BTS has done it. For one thing, they create musical confections that are very relatable as themes about love, disappointment, loss and friendship permeate their songs. Never mind if most BTS’ lyrics are in Korean language, they captivate the audience as much as their physical charm does. Their stage presence and dance abilities are exceptional. Psychologists consider this celebrity infatuation as an obsession era at the same level of fixation during the time of The Beatles in the sixties or Michael Jackson in the eighties. From the psychological vantage point, engaging in one’s idols’ music or anticipating every dance performance activates happy hormones in the brain such as dopamine. The dopamine circuitry reso-

nates song after song, poster after every poster, and one musical event after another.

Apparently, a cult of personality is created each time. Generations past and present are replete with examples of this veneration. Take the case of the late Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos (his family included), whose “Loyalistas” (the widely used term for a Marcos supporter) remain strong and irreversibly unperturbed even to this day. Filipino fugitive, pastor, and leader of the Philippinesbased Restorationist church known as the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC or KOJC) Apollo Quiboloy has been reported to have over seven million followers worldwide and growing— in more than 200 countries and 2,000 cities in the world.

Rather than focusing on metrics, I believe it is essential to address the level of excessive preoccupation, which is more concerning than the sheer number of followers who are attracted to or fixated on an “idol.” A case in point is the Socorro cult, a supposedly civic organization in Surigao del Norte organized as SBSI (Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc.) with 3,650 followers. People from Sitio Kapihan were likely drawn to pivot to the organization’s objectives of housing, bayanihan and agriculture. Not much was known about SBSI to outsiders until allegations of abuse (forced marriages, forced sex, forced labor) were heard before the Senate in September 2023. According to testimonies divulged during several Senate hearings, SBSI allegedly considers its leader “Senior Agila” or Jey Rence Quilario as a reincarnation of the Santo Niño. Just as we find in

People who know us may set us far higher apart than others, but we should regard one another as equals. As such, I say to RRT and to others who may regard me with much respect if not esteem: “I may be much ahead of you in some, but definitely you are ahead of me in others.”

As to RRT, she certainly knows far more than I do in the spiritual realm.

Senior Agila or Pastor Quiboloy the same fabric of fixation towards a person to the point of fanaticism, if not idolatry, there are likely others out there largely unheard of until someone blows the whistle.

Generally, there is nothing iniquitous about distinctly regarding someone with a higher esteem over others. We point to either a musical celebrity (like TS, BTS) or a religious personality (like Quiboloy), a civic leader (like Senior Agila), or a political trailblazer (as Marcos Sr.) as a figure of veneration. Regardless of how we phrase it, we must avoid elevating our admiration to the point of deifying individuals as objects of worship, particularly when it borders on obsession. “Idolatry,” defined as the worship of something other than God, is considered the root of all sin because sin seeks to steal glory from God. The Bible, in 1 Corinthians 10:14, simply instructs us—“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

To the extent that this is relevant, a friend of mine (RRT) warmly refers to me as “Mr. Blue Chip.” By its context, the term blue chip signifies “of the highest quality” and is used in business parlance as a reliable company, with much success and credibility like Rolls Royce and its stocks, or a blue chip artist like Picasso. Without further inquiry, I can surmise that RRT must have created this blue chip expression or perception of me because of my significant yet humble background in the fields of law, military, academe, business, government service, writing and sports. While being called Mr. Blue Chip by RRT invites both privilege and humility on my part, a certain anxiety inevitably rests as a sentiment.

People who know us may set us

far higher apart than others, but we should regard one another as equals. As such, I say to RRT and to others who may regard me with much respect if not esteem: “I may be much ahead of you in some, but definitely you are ahead of me in others.” As to RRT, she certainly knows far more than I do in the spiritual realm. She was gifted with more wisdom from above than I do, either due to God’s gifting or her sheer devotional experience. She can be a great life coach admittedly, for her spiritual insights are practically at the same level as a priest, pastor, or nun! Truthfully, the ones we look up to (TS, BTS, and the like) also have feet of clay like us. We need to lower our expectations of them so we won’t get disappointed in the future. We also should check their hearts, as we should do ours, if they are pointed towards our Heavenly Creator. For we are even reminded biblically in 1 Samuel 16:7 that: “But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

All of us look at appearances. Fortunately, “the Lord looks at the heart.” Many a time we have been smitten by and glued to glittering personas. Because of their “stage presence,” we make them idols, icons, heroes, and blue chips. Since God sees them differently than we see, we need divine help to see them using God’s lenses. Imploring the aid of our Abba Father to change the way we view people around us, let’s make a conscious effort to worship no Mr. Blue Chip here on earth. Seems difficult if not impossible, but with a heart purified in the knowledge of Jesus, we would know what we should look for, look forward to, and look up to.

A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission. For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

Coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, is preparing for a long goodbye

MORE than two years after climate negotiators first attempted to consign coal to history, the dirtiest fossil fuel is having a moment.

Thanks to a combination of China’s energy insecurity—pushing Beijing back to trusted power sources—plus rising Indian demand, the continued fallout from the war in Ukraine and faltering international programs to wean developing economies off fossil fuels, coal is proving remarkably resilient. Output hit a record last year, and producers are preparing for a future where they will be required for decades yet to balance renewable energy.

Even prices are holding up. While thermal coal is trading at just a fraction of the lofty levels reached in 2022, after Russia’s invasion of its neighbor, prices are still well above historic norms. Benchmark Newcastle coal futures are changing hands just under $130 a ton, roughly a quarter of the peak but higher than any level between 2011 and 2020.

Much of this second wind is down to Asia. In 2000, the International Energy Agency estimated advanced economies accounted for almost half of coal consumption. By 2026, China and India alone will make up more than 70 percent. Those two heavyweights and Indonesia started operating new coal power plants amounting to 59 gigawatts last year, and either launched or revived proposals for another 131 gigawatts—about 93% of the world’s total, according to Global Energy Monitor.

“You look at Asia, the demand and the build out of coal-fired power

plants, particularly in India—coal’s not going anywhere anytime soon,” Rob Bishop, chief executive officer of Australian miner New Hope Corp., said in an interview.

The extended final act will be a vindication for fossil fuel executives, who have long argued against the feasibility of shifting swiftly out of carbon-intensive power, pointing out benefits in terms of reliability and cost. A mention of coal’s buoyancy earned Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser a round of applause at a major energy conference in Houston last week.

It’s less good news for efforts to curb carbon emissions and reach global climate goals.

For years, analysts expected coal production to plateau after it hit a then record in 2013. Funding, after all, was drying up. Then came 2021, when power shortages in China set Beijing on a path to order more mining to ensure energy security.

In 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and blackouts during heatwaves in India further bolstered coal demand. By last year, output had risen to a record 8.7 billion tons, according to the IEA.

That figure is expected to drop this year. But the agency expects it to stabilize through 2026—in line with industry forecasts of a long goodbye.

All of this is visible on the ground.

In China, which produces and consumes half the world’s coal, miners are struggling to maintain growth rates after boosting output 21% over the past three years to 4.7 billion tons. Low-cost reserves have mostly been tapped, leading companies to

In 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and blackouts during heatwaves in India further bolstered coal demand. By last year, output had risen to a record 8.7 billion tons, according to the IEA. That figure is expected to drop this year. But the agency expects it to stabilize through 2026—in line with industry forecasts of a long goodbye.

dig deeper, more expensive mines. Fatalities have also started rising after years of declines.

Record amounts of new solar panels and wind turbines, along with a rebound in hydropower and steadily growing nuclear generation, mean low-carbon energy will likely exceed the growth in electricity consumption, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

But that clean energy will also be coal’s lifeline, said Zhang Hong, deputy secretary-general of the China National Coal Association. Renewable power only generates when weather permits, so even as other baseload options emerge, cheap and reliable coal will still play a role.

“The next 10 to 15 years will remain a crucial strategic window,” Zhang said.

India is the one country where the IEA forecasts coal output to grow this year, with production set to top 1 billion tons for the first time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to meet growing energy demand while reducing reliance on expensive imports. Yet even after a surge in re-

newables, nuclear, hydropower and other baseload options have fallen short—so coal is expected to remain the dominant source of power at least until the end of this decade.

Indonesia, meanwhile, the world’s top thermal coal exporter, sees production stable for the next two years. That’s partly to feed surging domestic demand from a booming, power-hungry nickel processing sector, even if lower prices eventually cool enthusiasm.

But it’s also evidence of the difficulty of accelerating the end of coal where economies have newer plants, rising energy demand and an urgent need to create jobs. In 2022, Jakarta agreed to a $20 billion green deal with wealthy governments and financial institutions that would, among other things, close coal power stations early. Coal phaseouts, however, have proved far more challenging than anticipated. Landmark deals remain on the negotiating table.

Coal’s days are numbered, of course. Advances in solar and wind have made those technologies far cheaper than coal power in most parts of the world, and similar gains for batteries and energy storage systems could finally make around-theclock renewable power affordable enough to transform the energy mix.

But for now, the transition is testing years-long expectations of rapid peaks and subsequent steep declines. “We see that the world needs more operators to mine coal and support the transition over many decades to come,” New Hope’s Bishop said. With assistance from Rajesh Kumar Singh, Kathy Chen and Stephen Stapczynski /Bloomberg

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By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

Tycoon Ramon S. Ang, a party to the tollway merger talks between San Miguel corp. (SMc) and Metro Pacific Investments corp. (MPIc), has dismissed the merger of congressional franchises as “inconsequential.”

a ng, in a recent interview, said this portion of the deal is an easy task, given that the two groups have “good intentions.”

t h e Congressional franchise is irrelevant. If you have good intentions, it’s easy to approach the government—the leadership of Congress and Senate,” he said in the vernacular.

“We are building tollways separately and he proposed for us to merge all of our assets so that travel will be more seamless in the whole of lu zon and in Metro Manila. So, we will finalize this very soon—maybe in the next few months.”

a ng noted that he has employed a “cautious approach” towards including the Indonesian tollways unit of MPIC in the merger, citing the need for a thorough evaluation before committing.

tegic significance, as both entities boast profitable tollway ventures across the Philippines and neighboring countries.

MPIC’s tollway interests extend to Indonesia and Vietnam, while SMC’s operations are exclusively within the Philippines.

GBy VG Cabuag @villygc

t Capital Holdings Inc. said its core income rose 82 percent last year to a record P28.8 billion from P15.9 billion in the previous year, mainly on the good performance of its banking, automotive and property development.

net income surged by 57 percent to P28.7 billion in 2023 from P18.36 billion in 2022.

200,031 units in 2023, a 15-percent improvement from 174,106 units in 2022. Strong sales from the Vios, Hilux, r a ize, Innova, Hiace and Wigo models contributed to toyota’s results, the company said. It maintains its dominance in the auto industry with an overall market share of 46.2 percent, reinforced by greater sales volumes arising from 5 model launches in 2023.

SMC, led by a n g, and MPIC, chaired by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, have separate congressional franchises to operate their toll businesses. Should they push through with the merger, the groups will have to consolidate their franchises into a unified franchise.

synchronized with the grid on March 30.

a ng said a swift conclusion to the deal within the next few months, prioritizing operational synergy over bureaucratic details.

“ t he reason why I am unable to agree to including Indonesia in the deal right off the bat is because I haven’t seen the Indonesian tollway. But Indonesia is a promising economy with a $1.7-trillion GDP. t hey are what, three, four times bigger than us? I think it should be good—the Indonesian tollway—I just want to see the details first before we agree.”

t he merger plans were first announced in november 2023, with Pangilinan saying that it holds stra-

t he Pangilinan-led toll titan operates the north lu zon ex pressway (n lex), n lex Connector, Subic-Clarkta rlac e x pressway, the ManilaCavite toll ex pressway, the Cavitel aguna ex pressway, and Cebu-Cordova link ex pressway.

Meanwhile, SMC operates the South lu zon ex pressway, the Star tollway, the ta rlac-Pangasinan-l a Union ex pressway, the Skyway, and the na ia ex pressway.

Despite the challenges, both a ng and Pangilinan separately expressed optimism regarding the potential synergies and market opportunities that the merger could unlock — including its potential to “energize the Philippine Stock exchange.”

“ t he improving per capita GDP of the Philippines has fostered the emergence of an upper middle-class segment within its economy. a s disposable incomes rise, improved living standards rise in tandem with demand for goods and services. Given the outstanding growth last year, we expect a more tempered growth for 2024,” Gt Capital President Carmelo Maria lu za Bautista said. Metropolitan Bank and tr ust Co. posted record earnings of P42.2 billion, 29 percent higher year-on-year.

toyota Motor Philippines Inc. consolidated net income more than doubled to P13.8 billion from P5.7 billion in 2022.

r e venues rose 24 percent to P227.1 billion in 2023 from P183.8 billion in the previous year.

t he country’s leading automotive company registered retail sales of

“We achieved a record high performance and made 2023 one of our most historic years ever. With the resumption of motorization, the continued under penetration of passenger cars in the country, and an improved supply situation, we are confident that toyota will continue to lead the way this year. I believe we are in an ideal position to help outline and form the future of mobility in the Philippines,” toyota Philippines President Masando Hashimoto said. Federal l a nd Inc., meanwhile, said it core net income grew 65 percent to P2.1 billion from the previous P1.3 billion.

r eservation sales for the year reached P23 billion, compared to P18.5 billion in 2022, a 24-percent increase.

t he company booked total revenues of P20.8 billion in 2023, higher by 54 percent than the P13.4 billion posted in the previous year.

t his issue will be rectified by replacing the damaged parts to ensure the power plant’s long-term viability. t his will take more time, even beyond the end of the supposed PMS schedule, PCPC said.

t he power firm said it will need to source new parts outside of the Philippines to address the damage to the generator. In addition, an inspection report will be done to determine the

PCPC said a significant part of the PMS is the major overhaul of the turbine and generator. a f ter the inspection and test by the General electric (Ge) service contractor, it was discovered that the generator sustained stator insulation damage. PCPC said this will be rectified by replacing the damaged parts to ensure the power plant’s long-term viability. However, PCPC said it needs to source new parts outside of the Philippines to address the damage to the generator.

cause and extent of the damage and, more significantly, determine how soon it can get back online.

“We are now conducting the necessary measures to resolve this matter as soon as possible. In light of this situation, we would like to inform the public that PCPC will not be synchronized with the Grid by March 30, 2024.

nevertheless, PCPC will remain committed to our existing power supply agreements to ensure that our consumers will not be affected by the extended outage,and will continue to supply replacement power at no additional cost,” it said.

earlier, Panay Island experienced power outage after the units of Panay energy Development Corp. and PCPC went on shutdown.

ALC Group Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon, Eternal Plans' Vice Chairman and CEO D. Antoinette

C. Cabangon-Jacinto, and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, D.D., lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new St. John the Evangelist Columbarium in Eternal Gardens Dagupan City, on March 20, 2024.

Banking&Finance

CTA junks tax evasion cases filed vs Napoles

Tclub shares and that they invested millions of pesos in various corporations, which they could not have possibly acquired given the income they stated in their ITRs.

Napoles’s declared income for the years 1999 to 2009 was only P3.74 million.

However, the CTA ruled that the BIR failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the crimes charged against Napoles.

“Prosecution bears the burden of proving beyond reasonable doubt

THE Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) announced recently it is set to host an “as-is, where-is” electronic public bidding (e-bidding) featuring 104 real properties and other assets on its e-bidding portal (https://assetsforsale.pdic.gov.ph) starting at 9:00 a.m. on April 24, 2024, until 9:00 a.m. on April 25, 2024. Bids shall be opened at 10:00 a.m. on April 25, 2024, read a statement the PDIC issued last week.

Prospective parties can join the e-bidding through a one-time registration on the portal at http://assetsforsale.pdic.gov.ph/Account/Register. Once registered, buyers may submit their bids online and observe the e-bidding proceedings by clicking the “Assets for Sale” icon on the PDIC website’s homepage at www. pdic.gov.ph.

The bid lost consists of the following: 102 residential/subdivision lots situated in Amber Homes Subdivision, Baranggay Poblacion, Santa Maria, Bulacan; two vacant residential lots in Cavite and Pampanga; five cars; three motorcycles; and, one generator. The PDIC said the ebidding presents a diverse selection of assets that caters to various in-

ABOUT 6,000 older Bitcoin mining machines in the US will soon be idled and sent to a warehouse in Colorado Springs where they’ll be refreshed and resold to buyers overseas looking to profit from mining in lower-cost environs.

Wholesaler SunnySide Digital operates the 35,000 square-foot facility taking in the equipment from a min-

that an accused is guilty of the offense charged. Should it fail, the presumption of innocence prevails and, ultimately, the accused shall be acquitted. Requiring proof beyond reasonable doubt is consistent with our constitutionally guaranteed rights,” the CA said.

“After careful consideration of the evidence presented by the plaintiff and the accused, the Court finds that the plaintiff failed to discharge the burden to prove the elements of the crimes charged against accused with proof beyond reasonable doubt,” it added.

The CTA said based on its review of the records, the documents presented by the BIR such as certifications, transfer certificate titles, General Information Sheet (GIS), Deeds of Absolute Sale, and car registration “are hardly evidence of a likely source of income.”

“While plaintiff presented various registration documents of the companies/foundations in which accused Napoles invested, no other evidence was presented to show the capacity of these entities to generate income from which accused Napoles may have sourced substantial income which she failed to declare in her ITR,” the CTA declared.

“Even assuming that accused earned income from these investments, such income will be in the nature of dividends which is considered passive income. In that case, the passive income is not required to be declared in her ITR as the same is subject to final tax,” it added.

Napoles is currently detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City to serve the reclusion perpetua sentence imposed on her after being found guilty of serious illegal detention filed by her second cousin and former employee Benhur Luy.

Napoles is also facing multiple plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for masterminding the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.

Collection efficiency first, before new taxes–Recto

By Reine Juvierre Alberto

ASSERTING the Department of Finance’s (DOF) plan to not push for new taxes this year, the government’s top official in formulating sound fiscal policies said revenue collection efficiency must be prioritized.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto told reporters on Thursday evening that he is hopeful there will be no triggers to introduce new taxes until 2025.

“Hopefully, there will be no trigger. Collection efficiency muna [first],” Recto said on the sidelines of the induction of the 2024 officers of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP).

“But that will take time. You have to digitize, digitalization, [and] so on and so forth. I think it is prudent for

By VG Cabuag @villygc

NON-life insurance firm Malayan Insurance Co. Inc. has partnered with Dutch firm Atradius Credito y Caucion S.A. de Seguros y Reaseguros, a trade credit insurer, which the company said will significantly benefit thousands of local and international commercial businesses.

Malayan Insurance and Atradius hope to increase trade credit insurance utilization by leveraging and maximizing both insurance firms expertise in identifying, managing and alleviating risks, the companies said. Trade credit insurance, also

vestment preferences and objectives. It is also a good opportunity for investors, developers, and individuals seeking to acquire assets, the PDIC statement read.

Previously-owned by closed banks, the lot sizes up for e-bidding range from 40 square meters to 1,778 square meters.

Prospective buyers can browse through the catalogue of offerings on the e-bidding portal where the complete list and description of the properties, requirements, e-bidding process, and Conditions of Bid are posted. Prospective bidders are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions outlined by the PDIC and are reminded of their responsibility to determine the actual condition, status, ownership, and other circumstances of the properties they wish to acquire. The conduct of public e-bidding is in step with the PDIC’s commitment to transparency, innovation and adaptability, and to reach a broader array of potential buyers while at the same time, streamlining the acquisition process. The e-bidding also aims to maximize asset disposal revenues by generating competitive offers from bidders.

KKR & Co. appointed Kate Richdale to lead its institutional capital efforts and take charge of a new initiative that aims to tap growing corporate and family wealth in Asia Pacific as an increasingly vital source of capital and dealmaking.

Richdale will become head of global client solutions institutional sales & family capital for Asia Pacific, according to an internal memo. She will drive the firm’s capital raising priorities and further expand the platform for co-investments with rich entrepreneurs and families in the region, the memo said. A Singapore-based spokesman confirmed the appointment.

Entrepreneurs and wealthy investors have increased demand for custom-made and bespoke portfolio solutions to better meet their goals as escalating geopolitics and a mixed economic outlook contribute a more challenging investment environment.

Richdale’s appointment is part of KKR’s broader efforts to step up co-investments alongside clients in deals and funds as the firm lever-

ing client. The outdated machines are among several hundred-thousand it expects to receive and refurbish around a major quadrennial update in the Bitcoin blockchain. Known as the halving, the late April event will slash the reward that’s the main revenue stream for miners, who will try to lessen the impact by upgrading to the latest and most efficient technology. With electricity the biggest expense, mining companies including publicly traded giants Marathon Digital Holdings Inc. and Riot Platforms Inc. need to lower usage costs to maintain a positive margin. Their older computers may still bring a profit, just not likely in the US.

us to say that let’s try to improve tax collection efficiency. Unless you want it to be higher than what you want,” Recto said in English and Filipino.

Earlier, Recto said digitalization would remain a priority of the DOF in improving revenue generation to safeguard integrity in operations and achieve modern and effective governance

As the electronic commerce (ecommerce) industry grows, the Finance Secretary said it becomes a challenge since it is harder to collect

known as accounts receivable insurance or debtor insurance, is an insurance solution that safeguards businesses from the risk of their clients’ failure to pay for the goods or services they acquired. It covers the sales contract between the insured seller or company and its corresponding buyer. It helps policyholders recoup their losses or unpaid debts as long as they are within the agreed plan’s limits. The said insurance has been widely used by companies in overseas markets like Europe and the United States to help them manage and mitigate their risks. The International Credit Insurance and Surety

ages on companies and wealthy entrepreneurs eager to diversify their holdings.

Money from institutions such as pension and endowment funds is drying up because many of them heavily invested in private equity to chase returns when interest rates were near zero, and they’re now reluctant to pump more into the asset class. Entrepreneurs and wealthy investors, by contrast, represent a deep reservoir of untapped riches.

The 5-year compound annual growth for financial wealth in Asia

taxes in the digital industry.

Online sellers are now required by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to pay 1-percent withholding taxes which will be remitted by emarketplace operators and Digital Financial Service Providers (DFSPs) for the goods or services sold/paid through their platform/facility.

The DOF chief said that the tax effort will always be a gauge for him, adding that it doesn’t mean if he raises taxes, the tax effort will also increase.

“So to me, the best way to grow your revenue is to grow the economy,” Recto said. Despite the decrease in tax effort, he forwarded the belief that as the economy grows, tax collection will also improve.

When asked the time for government to impose new taxes, Recto said, “Ako, tingin ko, mataas na yung buwis [For me, I think the taxes are already high].”

“Sixty percent of our revenue already is indirect tax; and it is the most efficient way to collect—indirect tax,” he added. “If you impose too much taxes, you’ll have smug-

Association said in a report that the global trade credit insurance market reached a premium volume of $13.89 billion in 2022 alone.

Malayan Insurance president and CEO Paolo Y. Abaya said the collaboration between the two firms is expected to reshape and expand the landscape of the local insurance industry “since it will provide an invaluable safety net to a wide range of medium and large-scale enterprises.”

“Malayan-Atradius clients will also have better opportunities for growth since they can now offer credit terms to customers, avail better financing terms from lenders with credit insurance policies, maximize

Pacific is forecast to reach 7.8 percent, according to a 2023 global wealth report by Boston Consulting Group. That’s higher than the global average of 5.3 percent, a rate that would enable assets to reach $329 trillion by the end of 2027.

Hong Kong had more than 2,700 single-family offices based in the city last year, following the government’s push to bolster its status as an Asian wealth hub. The single-family offices managed at least $10 million, while 885 of them had at least $100 million in assets as of the end of last year, according to a Deloitte survey commissioned by the Hong Kong government, which is targeting to have 200 large family offices set up in the city by 2025.

Richdale, a KKR partner, joined the US firm in 2019 as head of strategy & business development for Asia Pacific to help expand its platform across business strategies and deepen its key client relationships in the region. More recently, she was KKR’s Asia Pacific chief operating officer. She previously worked for Goldman Sachs & Co. as chairman of investment banking in Asia ex-Ja-

gling [and] illicit trade.”

On removing tax exemptions such as exempting cooperatives, Recto said the government should not give away more taxes.

Recto said he would prioritize first the monitoring of the revenue base, making sure it will stay intact to protect whatever the government has.

Following Recto’s appointment as the new Finance chief on January 15, he said the DOF, along with the BIR and Bureau of Customs (BOC) is banking on a more efficient and streamlined tax system to reach the state’s goal of collecting a record-high P4.3 trillion in revenues in 2023.

(See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/01/25/dof-not-rushingnew-taxes-amid-p4-3-trilliongoal/)

“Recognizing the current economic challenges, we must not rely solely on imposing new or additional taxes,” Recto said during his first press briefing as Finance secretary.

This year, the BIR is tasked to collect about P3.05 trillion in revenues while the BOC aims for P1 trillion in earnings.

credit management tools, gain quick access to relevant business information, and receive assistance in managing client portfolios,” Abaya said.

Since 1926, Atradius, a company based in the Netherlands, has been a leader in trade credit insurance, surety and debt collection services. It has a growing presence in over 50 countries worldwide and received a financial strength rating of A (excellent) from AM Best with a stable outlook and a Moody’s rating of A1 with a stable outlook.

Atradius N.V. is wholly owned by Grupo Catalana Occidente S.A. and Grupo Compania Espanõla de Crédito y Caución S.L.

pan. Prior to that, she was head of investment banking for Asia Pacific at Morgan Stanley after heading the business in Southeast Asia for several years.

KKR recently closed on technology growth and impact funds that were bigger than their predecessors.

The firm expects that 22 of its 30 strategies will come to market in the next 12 months to 18 months and sees fundraising strength in private wealth, its Global Atlantic insurance arm and Asia, according to Co-Chief Executive Officer Scott Nuttall.

Over half of the family offices in the Asia-Pacific region have seen their assets under management grow, according to the 2023 report published by Raffles Family Office and Campden Wealth. The survey covered 330 family offices globally, including 76 from the Asia-Pacific region.

Among these 76 offices, 58 percent reported an increase in assets under management, with 32 percent noting a rise of over 10 percent. The total wealth of the surveyed AsiaPacific families was estimated at $68 billion, with a combined AUM of $41 billion. Bloomberg News

destinations for mining rigs

“This is accelerated by the halving.”

Bitcoin Mining 2023 Growth Markets | Ethiopia is one of the top

“It’s a natural migration” with buyers of the old machines operating in parts of the world where power is the cheapest, said SunnySide Digital Chief Executive Officer Taras Kulyk, who has resold US computers to miners in countries such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Some 600,000 S19 series computers, which account for a majority of machines currently in use, are moving out of the US mostly to Africa and South America, according to an estimate by Ethan Vera, chief operating officer at crypto-mining services and logistics provider Luxor Technology in Seattle.

In Bitcoin mining, specialized machines are used to validate transactions on the blockchain and earn operators a fixed token reward.

Anonymous Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto baked in the once-everyfour-years halving to maintain the hard cap of 21 million tokens. Next month’s event is the fourth since 2012 and the reward will drop to 3.125 Bitcoin from 6.25 now. Bloomberg News

Putin has no successor, no living rivals and no retirement Plan—why his eventual death will set off a vicious Power struggle

By Robert Person,

Two things are certain concerning Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

First, he was reelected as president in the rigged election that ran from March 15 to 17, 2024, by a resounding—if fraudulent—margin.

Second, he is not immortal. He will die one day, and he is likely to die in office rather than retiring willingly. Though we don’t know when that day will come, the world might want to consider the power struggle that will commence the day after Putin departs.

Ever since he took over as president in 2000, Putin has been perfecting the machinery of electoral fraud to guarantee victory. Vote buying, ballot miscounting, distribution of pre-filled ballots, tampering with ballot boxes, voter monitoring and intimidation, and ballot stuffing are all methods that Putin’s agents employ to guarantee a favorable result. He has also jailed political opponents, exiled others and denied yet others the ability to challenge him in fair elections. In the most extreme cases, he has had hands in the murders of opposition figures like Boris Nemtsov and, most recently, the prison death of Alexei Navalny. There will be no surprises in this election: Putin’s victory will reaffirm his iron grip on Russia’s politics.

As a scholar of Russian politics and foreign policy who has studied Putin’s regime for the past 25 years, I have watched him build a dictatorship in Russia that rivals the repressive Soviet Union in both its brutality and corruption.

But ironically, Putin is a prisoner of the political system he has built around himself for the past 24 years. Like many dictators, he cannot walk away from power and enjoy a quiet retirement even if he wanted to. He is too attached to, and dependent on, the mind-boggling wealth and power he has accumulated during his time as a public servant.

Protection against threats

B UT e ven if Putin got to keep his palaces and yachts, there would be no guarantee of safety in retirement.

If Putin gave up power, his successor might come after him. Putin’s personal authority, charisma and influence would always be a threat to his successor as long as he was alive, a tempting target for the next ruler, and Putin knows it.

The other reason most dictators won’t even name their successor is that it might initiate a bitter power struggle even before the dictator retires or dies. Imagine if Putin picked a successor: That person would immediately become the target of the unsuccessful contenders not chosen for the job.

There are bitter rivalries even among Putin’s inner circle of cronies. Usually Putin manages to keep those struggles in check, but the 2023 revolt by Wagner warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin against the Ministry of Defense shows how deadly these competitions can turn. Prigozhin was killed in an August 2023 plane crash whose real cause may never be known, but Putin’s hand is widely suspected.

Behind each of the wealthy insiders who support Putin—his oligarchs—stands a deep network of corrupt cronies who would stand to lose their power, wealth and perhaps even freedom if a rival succeeded in taking over. Putin’s departure could set off a bloody power struggle whenever it happened, so why would he risk it ahead of time by naming his successor?

Power over others

P UTIN is not likely to be removed by any palace c oup. His control over Russia’s security services has allowed him to crush rivals and control the media, judiciary, regional leaders, parliament and community groups. He has also closely monitored threats from potential opposition figures inside and outside his regime, and made his regime “coup-proof,” as one scholar put it. His cultivation of anti-Western Russian nationalism has won him the loyalty of the military and citizenry—at least for now.

Putin also uses his control over Russia’s natural resource wealth to keep his oligarchs in line. He decides which oligarchs are appointed to lead Russia’s major state-owned oil, gas, mineral and industrial producers. As long as they remain loyal to Putin and support his political and economic directives, these oligarchs are allowed to profit handsomely by plundering the

income their companies earn.

The oligarchs’ wealth and freedom are conditional on staying in Putin’s good graces. Cross him and they could lose everything. Jailed tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky learned that in 2003 when, after criticizing Putin, he was imprisoned and saw his Yukos oil company seized by the state.

And just in case any of them did step out of line despite their dependence on his largesse, there’s another reason none of the oligarchs cross Putin: For decades he has amassed a trove of compromising materials or “kompromat” with which to blackmail even his closest advisers.

In short, the entire Russian elite have nothing to gain and everything to lose by defecting from Putin’s coalition.

After death

I F P utin can’t retire and probably won’t be deposed, what happens when he finally does die in office? According to the Russian constitution, the prime minister automatically becomes acting president with limited powers when the president can or will no longer serve. Remember, that was Putin’s first step toward becoming president in 2000 when Boris Yeltsin resigned.

This time around, the transition would look much different. Russia’s current prime minister is Mikhail Mishustin, a rather bland and uncharismatic former tax official who lacks a strong power base of his own. Should he succeed Putin as acting president, it’s unlikely that he would become the permanent replacement.

Under the constitution, new presidential elections must be held within three months of the president’s death or incapacitation. But the real scramble for power will take place behind the scenes and not at the ballot box.

It’s possible that the potentially violent power struggle could be resolved before the election, but three months is not much time for a successor to consolidate their grip and fill the void left by Putin. It’s also possible that a consensus candidate might be allowed to win the election while the real struggle between factions plays out in the ensuing months and years.

Or, an informal coalition of leaders attempts to rule collectively while holding the key positions of power like the presidency, premiership and security services. This sort of power-sharing arrangement has historical precedent in Russia: Coalitions proclaiming “collective leadership” briefly held power after the deaths of both Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin.

But in each case, one member of the coalition was able to outmaneuver and eliminate their partners: first Stalin and later Nikita Khrushchev. These cases are reminders that autocratic succession is usually a messy affair.

But the days, months and years after Putin’s departure may be even more turbulent than anyone expects. Never before has so much personal authority been concentrated in the hands of a single Russian leader with so few supporting institutions to help stabilize a leadership transition. There is no monarchical succession, as under the Romanovs, the last royal family to rule the country. Nor are there the strong institutions of a single-party state to constrain rivals as in Soviet times.

There is only Putin.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the official policy or position of the Army, Department of Defense or United States government.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/putin-has-no-successor-no-living-rivals-and-no-retirementplan-why-his-eventual-death-will-set-offa-vicious-power-struggle-224485.

changemaking with edelweiss

ROM the most affordable to the most premium products, BeautyCon 2024 proved to be “the melting pot of beauty,” whose goal was to elevate and inspire the beauty experience of the customers of Watsons, the Philippines’ leading health, wellness and beauty retailer.

The highly successful event was held at the SMX Convention Center from March 20 to March 23, when Watsons’, The Look Club and SM Beauty brands came together for the first time for immersive beauty experiences, amazing promos, freebies and deals that were all exclusive to the venue.

“They won’t find the offers and promos here in the regular stores. So, this is a must-visit. There are about 135 brands, such diverse brands from skincare, personal care, hair care, cosmetics, fragrances, even electricals and beauty tools, with special areas per category,” explained Sharon Decapia, senior assistant vice president for PR, marketing and sustainability of Watsons.

alongside upstart labels, especially those that are trending on TikTok. However, the most prominent, of course, are top-notch Watsons Globally Owned Brands and Exclusives (GOBE), showcasing Glamworks, Hair Treats, Body Treats, Watsons Own

Brand, Watsons Baby, and Naturals by Watsons.

“We’re part of the Watsons Group of Hong Kong. So, we have Watsons-branded products such as personal care products, skin care, oral care, hair care, body care that you get assured of both quality and savings. They’re top quality because they pass

An enthusiastic Kaladkaren testified: “We all want to have more savings but still get the best quality and value from the products we are buying, kaya I really love going to Watsons and buying Watsons Brand products. I can get my personal care essentials at a fraction of the cost. Imagine you can get personal care items kagaya ng mga hand wash, shampoo, conditioner, sheet masks, toothbrush, mouthwash and para sa mga mommies here, may mga baby products din. And did you know na Watsons brand has refill packs for hand wash and shampoo? Imagine, you’re also helping save the Earth while spending less.”

For her part, Ciara Magallanes said: “Plus points talaga for me kapag sustainably made ang product. Also, I like how I get to save a lot because of Watsons Baby’s product offerings. We should also protect what sustains our life—Mother Earth and our wallets.”

An event of this scale by Watsons has never been

symbol of rugged beauty and alpinism, it’s now being discovered as the beauty industry’s best kept secret in The Body Shop’s Edelweiss Daily Serum Concentrate, Prep Essence, and Intense Smoothing Day Cream.

n The Edelweiss Daily Serum Concentrate helps unlock the five signs of resilient skin. Stronger, smoother, plumper, fresher, and bouncier. Certified by the Vegan Society, it is suitable for sensitive skin and dermatologicallytested. With hundreds of five-star reviews, it is a bestseller, with one selling every 25 seconds around the world.

n The Edelweiss Prep Essence combines the benefits of both a toner and moisturizer, leaving your skin feeling softer and more supple. Made with 98 percent ingredients of natural origin, this milky essence helps remove any impurities left after cleansing. It is certified by the Vegan Society and enriched with Community Fair Trade moringa seed oil from Rwanda, which provides a sustainable for farmers. Packaged in bottle made with recyclable glass, it can be recycled again once you’ve used it up for the last plumping drops.

n The Edelweiss Intense Smoothing Day Cream is the ultimate hydration boost. An intensely rich and nourishing cream, this nongreasy formula has a silky texture and melts into skin effortlessly, helping protect against indoor and outdoor pollution, and leaving skin deeply nourished, firmer, and ultra-soft.

The Body Shop’s Edelweiss collection is available at Body Shop stores and online at www. thebodyshop.com.ph.

YEARS ago, I attended an event in Power Plant Mall. When I got home, I realized that the pouch containing my makeup kit was missing. Among the items in that pouch were two powder blushes from Laura Mercier. Another time, I lost my Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder, also from Laura Mercier. I am not the type who misplaces their things or leaves them anywhere, so I really think both were taken from my bag. Why my makeup and not cash, you may ask? Well, I don’t carry a lot of cash and makeup is most probably the most valuable thing in my bag. I usually have my mobile phone in my hand.

The Beauty Edit recently hosted an Editor’s Room session featuring Laura Mercier. During the event,

modernity and sporty elegance as Lacoste Watch unveiled three new captivating collections at its Pop-up store. The event, which commenced on March 4, 2024, showcased the Boston Collection, the Lacoste.12.12 Hero Collection, and the Santorini Collection, each reflecting Lacoste’s commitment to timeless design and versatility.

The Lacoste Watch Pop-up store, located at SM Makati, will be open until March 31, 2024, providing a unique opportunity for watch enthusiasts to explore and acquire these remarkable timepieces.

The Boston Collection introduced an effortlessly refined chronograph designed to elevate any look. With a circular grooved finish, three subeyes, and a brushed dial featuring Lacoste’s signature crocodile at 12 o’clock, the Boston Collection exudes timeless

guests got to play around with the brand’s base essentials and color cosmetics.

What I like about Laura Mercier products is that they aren’t gimmicky. They work consistently well, they can be used with other products (for example, the stick eyeshadows can be layered with powder eyeshadows from other brands), and they always deliver on their claims.

So here are the Laura Mercier products showcased during the event organized by The Beauty Edit:

n Translucent Loose Setting Powder. While I am a pressed powder advocate for setting makeup, I make an exception for Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder, which sets to an invisible finish and makes your base last longer. Did you now that one Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder is sold every 20 seconds!

n Caviar Stick Eye Shadow. These sticks are highly pigmented, easy to blend, and long-lasting (up to 12 hours!). I love them because they are travelfriendly and great to use when you’re doing your eye makeup in a rush. You can also them as an eyeshadow base.

n Translucent Loose Setting Powder UltraBlur. This talc-free powder is perfect for those concerned about skin texture. It claims to set makeup

Zooming in on the iconic design elements, the Lacoste.12.12 Hero Collection presents a supersized edition of the bestselling three-hand watch. With a 48mm lightweight nylon-infused resin case and a soft silicone strap featuring an oversized petit piqué pattern, this watch makes a bold statement.

Inspired by the iconic Lacoste pleated tennis skirt, the Santorini Collection embodies sporty nautical elegance. The dial design, enamel-filled bezel, and signature crocodile at 12 o’clock showcase a chic spirit of exploration.

Be sure to visit the Lacoste Watch Pop-up store at SM Makati, and get a Lacoste premium item with every purchase of Lacoste Watches until March 31. More information is available at @wrist_pod on both Facebook and Instagram.

for 16 hours of weightless wear with an ultra-blurring, soft-matte finish.

n Blush Color Infusion. This powder blush is one of Laura Mercier’s underrated products. It’s buildable, long-lasting, and easy to apply. It also promises 10 hour of wear. My favorite shades are Ginger and Rose.

n Tinted Moisturizer Blush. This is one of Laura Mercier newest products. It offers a barely flushed, just-pinched glow. Laura Mercier recommends blending in a horse-shoe shape over the apple of the cheek to create the most natural effect. I love this so much that I have it in four shades— Provence, French Riviera, Corsica, and Sun Drenched. I love this blush because it’s weightless and it can be sheered out or built-up, whatever the effect you’re going for.

n Real Flawless Luminous Perfecting Pressed Powder. This powder promises to recreate the look of perfected, luminous skin. It has resolution pigments and custom-pearl blends that perk up the complexion and lifts sallowness and dullness. It also uses Auto-Balancing Technology to help balance moisture and shine control. Chamomile Extract and Rose Oil provide all day skin comfort that becomes one with skin.

experiential services. They’re all so excited. And that’s

FrOM left: Katrice Kierulf, anna Valencia Lakrini, steph Nicole Ko, alvin Belmonts, JP arrieta, ezra Domingo, almira Teng, ryan carl Dela cruz, Vino Orajay, Nicko rodriguez, sam corrales, clare inso, chezka carandang, saviour ramos, and Bernadeth Gutierrez.

Are you tAlking to me?

WITH so many articles that have come before this piece, contributing something of value and relevance is getting trickier by the week. Advocacies? Check. Technology and how it has changed the industry? Double check.

Banking that today’s column will be read by a new set of communication execs, let’s bring things back to the basics.

In today’s landscape of new sites and digital platforms (just add water and hundreds sprout on a daily basis) and on-demand consumption of information and entertainment, regardless of whether these are about the newest trends or a lame re-hash of yesteryears’ creative innovation, today’s communicator is beset with a challenge that has become the crucial determining factor of any message: How do I effectively target the attention of my intended audience? Remember the time when you (yes, you, 30-year-olds and above!) had to wait some 5 minutes, sometimes longer, slaving through all those mindless TVCs, only to get a dose of about 4 minutes of your favorite program/show? Compare that to today where free content (let’s not argue about what kind of content these are) offers a “Skip Ad” button after a few seconds. More and more frequently, I hear little kids gasp “Awwww . . . there’s

n Mcc an n’s Valerie Madon discusses hu M an -centric creati V it y in the age of ai at a d fest 2024

PATTAYA, THAILAND—Valerie

Madon, Chief Creative Officer at McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific and a featured speaker at ADFEST 2024, shared her insights on the evolving relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence (AI) in an exclusive sit-down with adobo Magazine.

Valerie began by addressing the question of whether AI and human creativity are engaged in a battle for supremacy. She emphasized that while AI has become an incredibly useful tool in the advertising industry, it should not be viewed as a replacement for human creativity. Instead, she advocated for a symbiotic relationship between humans and machines, leveraging AI to enhance creativity rather than supplant it.

Valerie pointed to AI’s potential to streamline visual production processes, allowing creative teams to generate visuals and draft case study videos with unprecedented speed and efficiency. However, she noted that AI’s current capabilities are limited in ideation, often producing average ideas that lack the novelty and emotional resonance of human-generated concepts.

“When it comes to AI, I think we all use it. But the question is, how do we use it, and what do you use it for? We’ve tried it in so many ways, and what we’ve realized is it’s not really superior. It comes up with the most average ideas,” shared Valerie. “Our hypothesis is that AI is still trying to learn from all of us or learning from past campaigns. Naturally, then, it would probably spit out stuff that we’ve heard of before.”

Valerie cited examples of campaigns that effectively integrated AI while preserving the human touch. She discussed the importance of infusing campaigns with human intelligence and emotional depth, arguing that AI alone cannot replicate the nuanced understanding of human experiences and emotions that drive compelling storytelling.

Addressing the future of creativity in an AI-powered landscape, Valerie explained the need for AI to evolve beyond its current role as a tool for replication and scaling. While AI excels at automating mundane tasks, Valerie expressed hope for advancements enabling AI to provide deeper insights and predictions, complementing human creativity rather than overshadowing it.

Valerie circled back to her ADFEST talk, aptly titled “Battle of talents: Human versus machine.” She said, “Remember that the difference between humans and robots is that we have a heart. If you can’t feel, then you also can’t create work that anticipates what consumers will feel. AI can’t go ‘This video is

an ad on this video!”

This has led to a generation of short-attention spanned consumers who are accustomed to ondemand programming at a touch of a button.

s o lution: cut their data.

NOOOO! T hat would be too much disappointment for a person who has to check their social media, take selfies, write their dreams about how the world will soon discover how special they are and that this world is sooo harsh that one can only go to the beach 3 times a year, twice to Hong Kong (to get some yummy goose), or that some collab bag isn’t available on their favorite e-commerce platform. And, no, am not talking about the strawberry generation alone as I have uber old friends who behave this same exact manner!

n o t so stereotypical

THE interesting thing about today’s consumers is that there are so many touchpoints where brands can pitch their products. However, this has led to an equal number of sub-categories in traditional demographic sets. Let’s look at the “youth” sector which used to be simply based on age, naturally dependent on what one is selling. Nowadays, you’ve got many variants: single youth, couple youths, same-sex couple youths,

going to make people cry or make people fall in love.”

“As human creators, we think and ideate with objectives in mind. These objectives usually involve emotions. From that aspect, I think AI can do a lot of logical analysis and processing, but it will never be able to do an emotional side of our job.”

Valerie elaborated on her approach, which focuses on empathy and understanding the consumer’s perspective. She told adobo Magazine about the practice of immersing herself in the experiences of others to grasp their concerns and daily thoughts. According to Valerie, this method goes beyond merely living their lives; it involves empathizing with their emotions and struggles.

She doubled that it’s all about connecting with people in the real world, contrasting it with the virtual realm where AI operates. While AI excels in online environments, Valerie said it lacks the ability to have tangible human experiences such as commuting, cooking, leisure activities, and the like. In her view, this comprehensive understanding of real-world experiences gives human creators a unique advantage over AI in crafting authentic and relatable content.

“Maybe AI is listening to us, but it’s not really seeing what we’re seeing. That’s our edge—we live a 360-degree version of life, and being online is just one aspect of it,” Valerie concluded.

adobo Magazine is an official media partner of ADFEST 2024.

h ere’s Kino, a small boy in a big world with massive dreams and empty pockets, for now, who believes a lot could happen to Mariah crazed gen Zs obsessed with pretty cafe photoshoot while dabbling in all the trappings of youth. what platforms can you reach him?

youth living with parents, youth making money from being a slasher, youth with dogs, youth with cats, youth with dogs and into limited edition sneakers, youth with dogs and into limited edition lux sneakers, you get my point.

It still follows though that these sub-categories will have different behavior and habits, places they frequent, key opinion leaders and influencers they follow and repost, thereby further affecting more of the same subs or creating impressions upon another whole set of segments.

l o cation, location, location

T ODAY S co mmunicators need to

n h ow fil M, o u tdoor, Press and r a dio & aud io has e Vo lV e d, 20 years since daV id g u errero first judged the M at a d fest PATTAYA, THAILAND — Advertising has vastly changed in the last ten years or so, with new platforms, technologies and market demands constantly shaping the way we create and consume advertisements. In light of this, BBDO Guerrero Creative Chairman David Guerrero was given the task to be Jury President of the festival’s oldest categories— Film Lotus, Outdoor Lotus, Press Lotus and Radio & Audio Lotus— and evaluate works that exemplify creative excellence in arguably the most traditional forms of advertising, in the context of the current advertising landscape.

20 years ago, David judged the same categories at ADFEST, back when they were the festival’s only categories. “I was really excited about seeing the evolution of these categories, from when I did this same job about 20 years ago and these four categories were the entire festival, and now they essentially represent ‘classic creativity.’ [It’s] interesting to see how that’s evolved,” he shared.

Firstly, he described Film Lotus as still the most active: “Of the four, film is still the most vital and active of those because I feel like watching more videos now than we ever did. But there’s also a real appreciation of a beautifully crafted film, in whatever way it’s done. So

not only accept this evolution of the consumers they want to attract but, equally important, to understand the different platforms they exist in to craft a bespoke message that will resonate (along with a dash of tiptoeing around the risk of saying something that can lead to a cancellation or boycott).

Fortunately, especially for the connected markets (read: for this purpose, the major cities, and towns with enough users of smart phones and data), behavior and interest insights are easily available for a tidy sum. It’s a sort of digital crystal ball that allows marketers to see where specific sub-categories are leaning toward

that’s still very exciting.”

He also noted a significant trend among this year’s entries for Film, particularly the emergence of humorous films in more seemingly serious industries like insurance, real estate and department store sales. “It was nice to see in quite banal categories,” he commented. “Outdoor has also evolved in an interesting way, with seamless integration with social and more interactivity. There’s still classic billboards and [the like], but it’s less emphasized now,” he added. “Radio has been revitalized a bit by the introduction of audio, use of audio, audio technology, and things that can be done with digital delivery of audio ideas. That’s been really interesting to see.”

Interestingly enough, David’s sentiments about Radio & Audio and Press/Print reflects that of Publicis Beijing’s Ng Tian It who was a jury member of the two categories at Spikes Asia. Both creative leaders are excited about the works emerging from Audio, but identifies a lack of movement in Print. David remarked, “I think Press is the one still finding its way in defining a role for itself, because Press is no longer automatically seen as a mass medium. So if you’re using Press, you really have to explain what you’re using it for, why you’re using it, [and] what makes sense with it. Because people don’t assume that you can reach a big audience now with just an ad in a printed publication. There needs to be a little bit more behind it,

and get enough understanding and peek into the near future. In fact, instant feedback, one of the glorious benefits of online and social platforms are starting to lose credibility due to all the keyboard warriors that are maintained by influence peddlers.

In the end, in any industry where stakeholder and consumer insight are key, it will always serve the communication professional well at the onset when they know who they are talking to because then, they will know the exact sweet nothings to whisper or shout and whether this should be done on top of an apple box or a mountain top.

Oh, and am thinking of my set of columns as a series where other aspects of effective communication can be further presented. If you want more, hit me up with a DM as I’ll be in a platform where older nationalistic single dads who: enjoy a good round of brews while cultivating an interest in tech, are jaded in politics and into unique food finds that won’t break the bank, have zero interest in kdramas and not into posting their dances on social media (save for when others do post these occasionally), can be found.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Noel Rene Nieva, president and CEO of Perceptions Inc., one of the country’s leading PR counsels, is the current national chair of IPRA Philippines.

PR Matters is devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@ gmail.com.

and a little bit more context to see how it works.”

Moreover, David recalled two main themes among the entries that their jury was notably attracted to: brands taking a stand and having a sense of humor. “One was brands making a stand and helping, or even confronting, a situation that needed to be confronted and needed to do something about it. There’s a definite trend of even multinational companies having the courage to get involved in public health issues, societal issues, which is good to see. I think this is something that brands need to do more of in our region.”

“The other thing is that people are still attracted to humor, and well-told, sometimes elaborate, jokes and stories. There’s a universal appeal with humor. [This approach] is to entertain people, to amuse people, and to reward them for the time they spend with you by making them laugh,” he added. With these observations from this year’s Film Lotus, Outdoor Lotus, Press Lotus and Radio & Audio Lotus, David hopes to see more exciting evolutions in how advertisers tell stories in these classic formats, especially for Press. This year’s big Film, Outdoor, Press and Radio & Audio winners, under David’s leadership, represent the works that have managed to find new ways to be surprising beyond category expectations, and groundbreaking despite media traditions.

adobo Magazine is an official media partner of ADFEST 2024.

By Josef T. Ramos

EUMIR MARCIAL showed a part of his game plan for the Paris Olympics, knocking out Thailand’s Thoedsak Sinam cold in the fourth round on Saturday.

A relaxed Marcial, cheered by thousands of spectators at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, didn’t aggressively chase the 28-year-old Thai foe as he effectively used jabs, waiting to deliver the knockout punch. I need to be cautious because I don’t want my opponent to get an opportunity. He engaged so well and tried to hit me in the fourth, so I countered with my jabs and then caught him,” Marcial said, referring to his left uppercut that knocked Sinam out cold with still 1:33 left in the fourth.

The 28-year-old Marcial, who improved his unbeaten record to 5-0 with three knockouts, didn’t throw a lot of 1-2 combinations in the first three rounds, instead using jabs to create distance.

We just enjoyed the moment as what the coaches said, and we didn’t rush for a knockout.

We kept on jabbing. But after I connected that uppercut, I know he won’t get up. Everything was part of our game plan.”

I’m very thankful to all who supported me in this fight, especially to my wife Princess. You are all with me in my quest to win the gold medal in Paris,” Marcial added.

DJ Zamora, who handled Marcial in lieu of chief trainer Kay Koroma, praised Marcial’s patience and sticking to the game plan, saying he

Editor: Jun Lomibao

did a great job in the eight-round main light heavyweight bout.

Stay busy with the jab, box more and then let the big punch comes. He did exactly that,” Zamora said. “It’s a great to comeback here. It’s really a great experience to coach a fighter like Eumir. It was a pleasure.”

Sinam, 28, dropped to 23-14 winloss with 19 knockouts.

P hilippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino was pleased to see Marcial come up with a huge victory ahead of the Paris Olympic Summer Games slated July 26 to August 11.

It’s a good warmup for the gold in the Olympics.

I hope he sustains his remarkable performance and continuously improves,” Tolentino, the Tagaytay city mayor, said who watched the fight live with his wife vice mayor Agnes, and daughter Cavite Vice-Governor Athena Tolentino. His brother Senator Francis Tolentino was also in attendance along with World Boxing Council (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaiman, and Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Chairman Richard Clarin.

M arcial, a four-time Southeast Asian games winner, qualified for an Olympic berth after clinching a silver medal in the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games last October, which served as a continental qualifying Olympic tournament.

Eumir puts on amazing show for home crowd

PARIS

SEN. Francis Tolentino and Tagaytay Mayor Bambol Tolentino celebrate the

Maryhille College-Lucena and Gracel Christian College thus tied Santo Tomas atop Pool A at 1-0.

25-12, while La Salle-Lipa got beat another Batangas bet in Canossa Academy-Lipa, 22-25, 25-19, 25-17.

K ings’ Montessori School stood at 1-1, bouncing back from an opening-day defeat to UST with an easy 25-10, 25-9 win over Limitless Sports Center late Saturday night.

WBC chief Sulaiman believes Filipinos deserve more champions

WORLD BOXING COUNCIL (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaiman believes that Philippines will soon rediscover its old glory in professional boxing.  Sulaiman, guest spokesperson for the Pacquiao Elorde Awards on Sunday at the Okada Manila, told BusinessMirror that the Philippines can regain its supremacy in the boxing world after having no world champions for a while.

attending the Pacquiao Elorde Awards Night,” Pacquiao said. “I’m hoping there will be more promotions to give opportunities to Filipino boxers. Before we have three to four promotions a week.”

A total of 16 Filipino fighters since the late Gabriel “Flash” Elorde in 1963 as WBC’s first-ever champion have earned world titles in the organization.

TEAM GREATS, Raymond Almazan, Calvin Oftana and JP Calma shone in the 2024 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)

the win in 48 minutes.

T he two teams climbed to 2-0 slates for a share of Pool B lead with two

I n Pool A, Maryhill CollegeLucena (1-0) debuted with a bang after drubbing winless Limitless Sports Center (0-2), 25-18, 25-19 while Gracel Christian College stunned UAAP squad La SalleZobel, 25-22, 25-21.  LA

T he first youth tournament of the PNVF headed by President Ramon “Tats” Suzara will not return to action until April 5 in observance of the Holy Week.

T he tournament uses the threeset format for the single-round before holding five-set matches in the playoffs.

Filipinos deserve more medals and more world champions,” Sulaiman said, noting that the country’s rich boxing tradition would continue to grow. “I know the promotions of Manny Pacquiao, the Elordes and GAB Chairman Richard Clarin will do everything to make it happen.”

“ It’s just a matter of boxing activity and it’s a bright future for Philippine boxing.”

The 54-year-old Mexican businessman, the son of the late lifetime WBC president Don Sulaiman, promised to hold Filipino versus Mexican boxing matches soon to promote the great friendship and rivalry of both nations in boxing.

“ That’s my promise,” he added.  “The WBC will find a way to fulfill it because we made a commitment today,” Sulaiman added. “We will get sponsors for the dual meet between a team of Mexico and Philippines.”

Manny Pacquiao, whose first world title was a WBC crown in 1998, expressed his gratitude to the WBC for helping Filipino boxers through the years.

Very thankful to the WBC especially to Mauricio Sulaiman for helping us and

Jiyai Shin in unlikely share of lead; Bianca fires another 70 for joint 40th

exemption in the event. Seri is my idol, still,” Shin said, “When I first time playing LPGA, they called [us] Seri’s Kids. This is her first hosting event, so I feel so proud. Just glad to playing here.”

most influential players in LPGA history, a pioneer for South Korean players to follow her path. Shin, who now plays the Japanese and Korean tours to be closer to home, received a sponsor

A s troke ahead entering the par-4 18th, Yin drove to the right into thick rough under trees, with more trees ahead. Instead of hitting sideways to the fairway, the 21-year-old Chinese player tried to punch a low shot through

Other WBC world champions were light welterweight Pedro Adigue (1968), super featherweight Rene Barrientos (1969), flyweight Erbito Salavarria (1970), super featherweight Rolando Navarrete (1981), flyweight Frank Cedeno (1983), bantamweight Luisito Espinosa (1995), flyweight Roland Pascua (1990), bantamweight Gerry Peñalosa (2007), Manny Pacquiao (1998), flyweight Malcolm Tuñacao (2000), flyweight Brian Viloria (2005), bantamweight Nonito Donaire (2011), flyweight Rodel Mayol (2009), flyweight Sonny Boy Jaro (2012) and featherweight Mark Magsayo (2022). Josef T. Ramos

an opening in the trees toward the green, but the ball struck a trunk and bounced back into more trouble.

Seven strokes behind secondround leader Malia Nam entering the day, Shin was tied with former UCLA player Alison Lee (68) at 9-under 204. “I’ve never won out here before and that’s something I’m still looking for, my first victory on the LPGA Tour,” the 29-year-old Lee said. “It would be really cool to win at home in front of all my friends and family.” AP

A ll-Star Festivities over the weekend at the University of La Salle gymnasium in Bacolod City. Converge Justin Arana’s spectacular inside plays proved to be the biggest factor in helping the Team Greats beat Team Stalwarts, 142-133, on Saturday night. Team Greats claimed its backto-back titles after winning last year’s edition, 158-138, in Passi City, Iloilo. A rana piled up 36 points and grabbed eight rebounds to capture the Most Valuable Player trophy of the rookies, sophomores and junior game. His team won the P100,000 cash prize. T NT’s Brandon Ganuelas Rosser delivered four three-point dunks, finishing with 23 points, while Magnolia’s Jerrick Ahanmisi added 21 p oints on top of four shots beyond the arc—four points each. K im Aurin of TNT led Team Stalwarts with 23 points.

Three-point shootout

SIX-FOOT-SEVEN Raymond Almazan of Meralco captured the three-point shooting contest big men edition—a part of A ll-Star’s Blitz Games—with 19 points in the final, beating Dave Marcelo of NLEX, rookie Christian David of Blackwater, Isaac Go of Terrafirma. Marcelo had 16 points, while David and Go finished with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Meanwhile, Calvin Oftana of TNT was named three-point king after dethroning Magnolia’s Paul Lee. O ftana racked up 25 points to beat Lee’s 20 points and Meralco’s Chris Newsome’s 15 points in the final. Oftana’s three-point title gave TNT its third crown in the contest after victories by Jimmy Alapag and Renren Ritualo.

Obstacle course challenge IN the big men obstacle course challenge, NorthPort JM Calma grabbed t he crown by becoming the fastest finisher, clocking 26 seconds, Rain or Shine’s Santi Santillan placed second at 29 seconds and 6-foot-8 James Laput of Magnolia finished in 39 seconds for third place.

A lmazan, Oftana and Calma went home with P30,000 each. Josef T. Ramos

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman plans to hold a Mexico-Philippines boxing meet.

BusinessMirror ExecutiveViews

MAVIC RECIO, GENERAL MANAGER, THE BELLEVUE MANILA

Taking the road less traveled to success

By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

SHE started her career in the restaurant industry as a crew member of a well-known pizza restaurant. She eventually became a management trainee and was later entrusted with the task of handling a store.

However, Mavic Recio, General Manager of The Bellevue Manila, had a change of heart. She wanted something more challenging. She decided to leave the restaurant industry and try her luck in the hospitality industry through Edsa Shangri-La Hotel. To realize her dream, Recio was willing to take on any position that was available at that time, and that position happened to be Laundry Assistant in the Housekeeping and Laundry Department.

The person who interviewed me said that I was overqualified for the position. However, I told the interviewer that I was dead set on taking on even the oddest job available at that time because all I wanted was to get in,” she said.

Likewise, I told her that once I got in, I would do my best to work my way up and that’s exactly what happened. When I left Shangri-La, I was Assistant Director for Events. I started out as a Laundry Assistant,” she added.

Catching attention RECIO recalled that during her interview, she also mentioned that she wanted to be in Sales and Marketing. She caught the attention of the Sales and Marketing Head through the entries that her department submitted to Human Resources for the Employee Recognition Program called the “Karapat Dapat Award.”

On one or two occasions, our team won, which caught the attention of Sales and Marketing. During that time, I was also actively involved in the Employee Council, serving as their secretary for a couple of years. It was through this role that I gained insight into the crossfunctional collaboration of the different teams in a hotel setting, and this fascinated me and solidified my commitment to staying in the hospitality industry." she said.

From Edsa Shangri-La, Recio moved to The Bellevue Manila where she was named Director of Events. It was at The Bellevue Manila where Recio’s skills were further honed and with a lot of work, dedication and perseverance, the events team achieved and even surpassed revenue targets and sales goals. “The first foreign incentive trip happened on my watch and that was in 2013 and then more incentive trips followed after that,” Recio related.

Moving up SHE was later named Group Director for Sales and Marketing and it was in 2017 and 2018 that The Bellevue Manila enjoyed its banner years. For her efforts, Recio also won the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association’s Virtus Award for the

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zone as she had to live on site and her weekends were a thing of the past. “Things became tougher. Decisions had to be made more frequently and my schedules became more erratic. I also had to wear a lot of hats because of the nature of my job,” she recalled.

Recio’s good work did not go unnoticed and in 2022, she was appointed General Manager of Bellevue. Her promotion came at a time when the Philippines was still reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. At that time, it was still unclear if the country was already on the road to the new normal.

“It was very challenging but I was able to work my way around these challenges simply because I had the same passion that I used to have when I started in my previous hotel. I think I was able to sustain that and that somehow fueled by desire to continue moving forward,” she said, adding that with her maledominated role, she was able to win the respect of her male colleagues.

Leadership style

SHE describes her leadership style as being collaborative and empowering. She is also a strong believer of leading by example and fostering open communication and teamwork among her team members. “At the end of the day, who gets the job done? Not even me. I also like to listen to the ideas of the team regardless of their position. So I am open to anything as long as it is geared towards the betterment of the company as a whole,” Recio said.

The Bellevue Manila’s General Manager would also like to see more women taking over the helm in the hospitality industry.

Women need to have a relentless desire for learning because it does not stop. It is a continuous process.”

Every leader has his or her blueprints for success. Tony Robbins said success leaves clues. So, moving forward, I would want someone like my Rooms Division Manager, who is actually a female, to follow my trail if and when she wants to tread the same path that I am on. Women need to have a relentless desire for learning because it does not stop. It is a continuous process," she said.

Typical day

A TYPICAL day for Recio starts with a review of the previous day’s performance followed by the setting of priorities for the day. She meets with her department heads between 8 am to 8:30 am where they discuss updates and issues. This is then followed by a walkthrough of the hotel to ensure that everything is running smoothly.

Throughout the day, Recio is involved in internal and external meetings and in addressing the concerns of guests if there’s any. The remainder of Recio’s day is spent supervising and overseeing the ongoing projects in the hotel.

“Most of the projects are centered on improving the hotel facilities, preventive maintenance and repairs because exiting a pandemic entailed a lot of hurdles and this situation is not unique to us. We are now steadily going back to prepandemic levels so we now have the opportunity and resources to address these issues,” she related.

The projects are meant to make the hotel more competitive as additional new players are expected to open in the next couple of years.

“Our competitive advantage is our people. My marching orders are to elevate the guest experience, optimize operational efficiency and drive profitability. These are the marching orders of a leader who is still faced with pandemic scars. But with a vision and the support of the management, nothing is insurmountable,” Recio said, adding that the hotel is now number two on Trip Advisor.

Events are back in full swing and that is what is driving our profitability and revenues. Our strategic action plan is geared towards account acquisition and account retention. It’s really promising and we are seeing that our numbers will continue to grow,” she added.

TESDA chief presses for gender equality in TVET

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

SEEKING a gender balance in the male-dominated technical and vocational education and training (TVET) field, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Secretary Suharto T. Mangudadatu called for equal access of women to education, training and employment opportunities.

“ To my beloved TESDA family,

Tlet this month be a time of reflection, celebration, and action. Let us work hand in hand to create programs and activities that advocate for women’s empowerment and gender equality in the TVET sector,” he said during their recent kick off ceremony for the 2024 National Women’s Month with the sub-theme “Lipunang Patas sa Bagong Pilipinas; Kakayahan ng Kababaihan, patutunayan!”

The TESDA chief underscored the agency’s commitment to create a culture of respect, support, and inclusivity.

Let us actively contribute to the transformation of our culture to one that values and respects the diversity of our people, not only in gender, but also in color, tribe, and religious beliefs. Let us continue with our mission in making TVET a bridge to extend lingap to every Filipino in need,” Mangudadatu said.

Activity lineup

FOR this occasion, TESDA will forge a Memorandum of Understanding with PCW, Department of Education, and Commission on Higher Ed-

ucation for gender and development (GAD) integration in the education sector. It will, likewise, launch the GAD Awards sa TVET.

The agency is also set to hold “TESDA Talks,” a presentation centered on putting up safe spaces and advancing gender equality in the workplace; Competition for Women Gamers in Tesda; and a three-part GAD forum dubbedv“Women in ICT Forum.”

Additionally, its “Serbisyo Para Kay Juana” is the product launch of the Tesda Women’s Center’s Café Juana signature pastries every Fri-

Group calls to avert teen pregnancy, teach kids on reproductive health

HE perennial national concern on rapid population increase has bred another challenge in the person of young girls bearing children.

Dat a from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that there were 3,135 cases of adolescent pregnancies among kids aged 10 to 14 in 2022, or 35 percent higher than the 2,320 cases recorded in 2021. PSA noted a worrying upward trend in teenage pregnancies under the age of 15 since 2017, which up to now makes the Philippines having constantly one of the highest rates of childbearing women at a young age in Asia.

Alarmed by this situation, Save the Children called for the joint effort of families and the government in educating the youngsters about their rights and reproductive health.

Timely to the International Women’s Month celebration this March, Save the Children Philippines hopes to draw attention to early and unplanned pregnancies among very young kids.  We call upon the government to prioritize comprehensive access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, conduct massive awareness-raising campaigns, and strengthen health systems to safeguard the safety and well-being of our children,” Save the Children’s Technical Adviser for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Shebana Alqaseer said.

Additionally, we encourage parents to engage in open and healthy conversations with their children about sexuality and reproductive health to empower them to make informed choices,” she added.

The face of teenage pregnancy

AMONG the growing statistics on teen childbearing in the country is 11-year-old Maria (not her real name) from Eastern Visayas.

H er story is no different from other teen mothers. She was a victim of abuse of their landlord’s teenage son. With her bravery despite her young age, she bravely survived this ordeal—thanks to her mother Josie, who guided and helped her to cope up with such traumatic experience.

W ith what she went through, however, it did not give her a reason to abort her child.

Looking back, I realize the significance of equipping my children with the tools to understand consent and fostering open dialogue. Had I participated in the ‘HEART to

MAYA BUSINESS EMPOWERS WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS WITH SEAMLESS PAYMENT SOLUTIONS

THIS women’s month, we celebrate the journeys of three exceptional women who are rewriting the rules and defining their own versions of success. And guess what? They share a common catalyst: Maya Business, the driving force behind their inspiring stories of triumph, paving the way for a new era of female-led innovation and success.

Mara Real: Brewing Success with Two Shots Specialty Coffee Nestled in the heart of Batangas City, Mara Real, the brains behind Two Shots Specialty Coffee, embodies the true spirit of entrepreneurship. Mara's journey from coffee enthusiast to business owner began with a simple question: "What if we shared our passion with others?" Fueled by unwavering determination, Mara and her sister embarked on a mission to create a coffee experience unlike any other for their community.

Despite facing skepticism and naysayers, Mara remained steadfast in her belief, propelled by her love for coffee and her commitment to excellence. Maya Business became Mara's trusted ally, providing seamless digital solutions to enhance customer experiences and expand her reach.

Maya Business provided us with innovative payment solutions, enhancing customer experiences and attracting new clientele," she explains. With Maya QR and Maya Terminal, Two Shots Specialty Coffee flourished, attracting a diverse clientele and revolutionizing the local coffee scene.

Merphi Panaguiton: Capturing Moments with ATOMM Studios

Amidst the challenges of the pandemic, Merphi Panaguiton had a vision that would change the game. Enter ATOMM Studios, the Philippines’ first self-photo studio located in Quezon City and Alabang.

Born during the pandemic, ATOMM Studio’s innovative business model shook up the industry, offering a unique and much-needed service. To ensure quality service, Merphi and her team poured countless hours into learning and refining their craft. As their business expanded, they understood the significance of optimizing their financial processes, and that's precisely where Maya Business came to their aid.

“ With Maya Business, processing transactions for ATOMM became a breeze, allowing us to focus more on what we love most: helping

our customers to capture their best moments,” Merphi shares.

Veronica Baguio: Weaving Filipino Heritage with Balik Batik

In the vibrant city of Liloan, Cebu, Veronica Baguio, the visionary behind Balik Batik, is reshaping fashion with a Filipino flair. Driven by a passion for promoting local craftsmanship, Veronica's entrepreneurial journey began during the pandemic, and emerged as a testament to Veronica's dedication to sustainability and cultural preservation.

With a vision to celebrate Filipino artistry, Veronica curated unique apparel that struck a chord with the modern consumer. In February 2023, she embraced Maya Business, recognizing its potential to expand her business horizons by accepting digital and card payments, particularly crucial for her international clientele.

Maya Business truly propelled our sales growth, empowering clients to select their desired pieces with ease," Veronica emphasizes.

A s Mara, Merphi, and Veronica continue to carve their paths to success, their stories inspire aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere. Empowered by Maya Business,

Heart’ program sooner, I could have better supported and empowered Maria through her ordeal,” Josie said.

Healthy, Empowered and Responsible Teens or “HEART to Heart” program is a nationwide initiative of Save the Children Philippines to help mothers and caregivers learn to communicate with adolescent children on lessons of sexuality and reproductive health.

In addition to this, the organization held Positive Parenting workshops as part of the ADDVOICE project.

Jo sie was one of the hundreds of parents and caregivers who joined in the workshops. Her story underscores the impact of proactive parental engagement and community programs in safeguarding the well-being and resilience of teen girls.

day of the month in partnership with Aboitiz Pilmico.

Award-winning

THROUGH the years, TESDA has kept on enforcing programs toward gender equality that earned laurels from various institutions.

In 2014, it received a Gender and Development Transformation & Institutionalization through Mainstreaming of Programs, Agenda, Linkages & Advocacies, or the GADTIMPALA Bronze award as one of the Outstanding GenderResponsive Government Agencies

The rising prevalence of adolescent pregnancy, which is considered a national problem today, cannot be rooted from a single cause. Rather, it is the result of a combination of biological, social, and cultural factors.  Su ch factors contributed to six adolescent sexuality and reproductive health issues: early sexual debut; limited access to comprehensive sex information and education; inadequate communication skills among parents, whom adolescents identify as one of their preferred sources of information regarding sexual reproductive health; lack of access to family planning services; cultural practices that encourage early union; and absence of adolescent sexuality and reproductive health or ASRH policies and its full-implementation.

By Roderick L. Abad

in the Philippines. Similarly, the agency was feted an award for Outstanding GenderResponsive Government Flagship Programs for the Sari-sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) Program in 2019.

Proclamation No. 227 issued in 1998 called for the observance of March as “Women’s Role in History Month,” while Republic Act No. 6949 enacted in 1990 declares March 8 each year as National Women’s Day with the recurring theme: “WE for gender equality and inclusive society” introduced in 2023.

Maria (not her real name), 11 years old, is from Eastern Visayas and is taking care of her son. She is one of the many abused young girls in the country who got impregnated at an early age.

WOMAN FOR WOMEN

Tala’s lady exec empowers coworkers, customers, especially women

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

GENDER inclusivity in the workplace is now embraced by many companies that know its valuable contribution to the overall business success. By having equal employment opportunity policies and putting genderinclusive cultures in place, enterprises have more than 60 percent potential to improve productivity and profitability, revealed an International Labor Office (ILO) report.

Th is feat is paving the way for women to thrive in their respective industries. In fact, data show that even if a lot of work still needs to be done in closing the global gender gaps in the labor market, the number of women in the C-suite has grown from 17 percent to 28 percent worldwide since 2015. In the Philippines, it increased from 39 percent to 48 percent in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Such holds true for a womanfounded company, Tala, that invests in women for believing they are pivotal to fast-track socio-economic development. More than half or 56 percent of its employees in the Philippines are women taking up on managerial roles and 71

percent on directorial jobs. With more woman-focused perspectives, it easily understands and addresses concerns about the customer base, which is 60 percent female.

Meet Iona

AMONG the many women manning the firm’s operations is Tala Director for Global Customer Experience Operations Iona IñigoMayo, whose role requires her to be on top of the whole Customer Experience, Recoveries, Vendor Management & Shared Services teams all over their markets. “Fintech is traditionally a

male-dominated industry, but Tala as a company is proof that women can also very much be leaders and decision-makers in this field. We have fostered an inclusive and diverse workplace where each contribution is perceived and valued equally. In turn, this encourages more women to thrive in the organization and in their respective careers as well,” she said.

With more than 20 years of experience under her belt, IñigoMayo shared how encouraging it was to see more and more women mentors and peers across the finance and technology industries through the years.

Regardless of the circumstances, I do not take anything for granted. As much as I can, I try my best to bring pride to my work not just because I am a woman or Asian or anything else, but because my purpose is

to finish each race well,” she added.

Apart from providing equal chances to its employees, the financial services firm also offers many benefits and perks that can enable women to gain work-life balance such as a Remote First arrangement that allows them to work from anywhere in the country, with a flexible time schedule, and paid scheduled holiday leaves on top of personal time offs.

The company, likewise, gives a

dedicated lounge for new mothers who need to rest and breast-feed during on-site office hours. Educational and engaging activities are also conducted to support their professional and personal development beyond the workplace.

Pushing financial access for women

TALA positively creates an impact on the lives of women via its financial services. It is a reliable and trusted partner of mothers, wives, businesswomen and more in the country.

Per the latest Global Impact Report, 80 percent of Tala’s women customers have become more confident due to having more financial independence. More than half of the surveyed clients also observed an increase in their influence on household decision-making because of Tala.

It’s very fulfilling to know that we can help make a difference in the lives of our customers, especially sour women customers. When I see how our work is manifested in customer testimonies, team feedback, and business impact, the seemingly toughest of days make all of it worth it,” Iñigo-Mayo said.

Beyond offering financial services, the company is also investing in women’s financial education via TALAkayan sessions with financial literacy champion and money expert, Salve Duplito. This May, there will be a workshop for women and mothers that will equip them the needed tools to handle their funds effectively.

Tala seeks to empower women not just this International Women’s Month but year-round by providing equal access to opportunities in the workplace and in life, enabling them to become the best versions of themselves for their family, community and, most especially, for their own self.

O’Banana pays tribute to empowered women

Bwill surely find great help in the S2 MP being a multi-purpose device. Not only is it a fast charger; she can also bring it anywhere by simply slinging it to her shoulder bag strap. With its own monopod stand, she can also leave it and be busy with her other responsibilities as it charges with a power of 5000 mAh,” says O’Banana President Francis Harold Calumba.

The S2 MP is available in black and white.

T he Fashionable Woman will definitely find the sleek design of the O’Powerbank S2 DC truly attractive. The unit

PATRICIA JACINTO, GROWTH AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, FOODPANDA PHILIPPINES

Making an impact in a male-dominated industry

WHEN the name foodpanda is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is food deliveries.

foodpanda is a leading delivery platform in Asia. It is operated by its parent company, Berlin-based food delivery giant Delivery Hero, present in more than 40 countries across five continents. In the Philippines, foodpanda has since grown to thousands of partner restaurants and shops to provide food, grocery, and on-demand delivery services nationwide.

Being in the tech industry, there is also the impression that foodpanda’s workforce is maledominated. However, there is one employee in foodpanda that is making a big impact on the growth of the company and that is Patricia Jacinto, Growth and Marketing Director of foodpanda Philippines who previously held the position of Director for Operations.

Both roles have expanded Jacinto’s ability to manage the company’s end-to-end customer service, fleet, logistics, growth and operational strategies for driving innovative solutions and delivering an overall competitive stakeholder performance.

empower her team. She gives her team “the driver’s seat and allows them to make decisions if they are capable.”

“ This also means that they have to experience failure in order to learn. I believe failing is part of growing until you get to win. We’re on a journey of continuous improvement,” Jacinto said.

No easy feat

Being a female in a male-dominated industry is no easy feat. It’s even more challenging if she holds a leadership position. According to Jacinto, her father was one of the people who motivated and inspired her to become a leader. “I’ve always felt like I’ve been inclined to lead. It came naturally to me not just in my professional career but even before in school. So, I started quite early,” Jacinto related. W hile there are relatively more females in the field of marketing, her career journey spanned different fields. “It was hard coming in young and a female because people would question you. They’re not sure whether to take you seriously because many people, especially older males, feel they have a lot more experience, which they do. I don’t doubt that I learned a lot from them too,” she said.

Empowering leader

As a leader, Jacinto said she likes to

Before foodpanda, Jacinto was the Managing Director of GoGo Xpress at QuadX. She was also part of the Unilever team for six years, mainly focusing on supply chain and logistics operations. Joining the ecommerce space in 2017, her work has since focused on enabling e-commerce growth around the country.

I also like to have a very open atmosphere. It’s important for people in the team to feel secure. There’s none of that boss-staff hierarchy because everyone’s voice is equal and everyone has an opinion that they know matters. It could be a small or big idea, but everyone knows they have a seat at the table,” she added.

In addition to being assertive, Jacinto believes that women leaders like her should also give that same opportunity to assume leadership roles to fellow women.

Th is echoes the theme of the 2024 National Women’s Month Celebration which aims to capitalize on the theme “WE for gender equality and inclusive society.” It is a testament to the milestones achieved in closing gender gaps in the country and in gathering more support to the advocacy.

W E represents Women and Everyone, highlighting the collective responsibility for gender equality not solely resting on women but involving everyone. WE also symbolizes Women’s Empowerment, a goal achievable when various entities, ranging from agencies and institutions to private partners and dutybearers at national and local levels,

ensure women equal rights and opportunities. When I was in supply chain, an industry that’s made up of 70 percent men, most of the job applications you will get are from males. I deliberately ask for women applicants so that they get equal chance

at employment,” Jacinto said.

Inspiration She pointed out that she was very fortunate that her boss was a woman who “inspired me and made me think it was possible” to be part of the leadership team.

She paved the way for me to think I could do all these things. I want to be able to give that chance to other people. So I am very deliberate with interviewing and ensuring women have opportunities in male-dominated industries,” she said.

Jacinto said women leaders can contribute a great deal in their workplace, providing a balance and good perspective in discussions with their male colleagues.

“ Things get more creative and a little more exciting when it comes to ideation and building big ideas,” she said.

Take up the challenge

When asked for her advice for women who want to make a difference, Jacinto said women should not be afraid “to take a seat at the table.”

“A woman leader who really inspired me is Sheryl Sandberg and her book ‘Lean In.’ It was influential when I was working in a male-dominated field in the supply chain. Be deliberate, have a seat, believe that you belong there, and speak up,” she said.

“Give your opinion whether or not people would take you seriously and make your presence known,” Jacinto added.

For those in women-dominated fields, Jacinto advised them to also give their male counterparts a chance to shine.

At the end of the day, diversity is what’s going to help build great ideas. We have the role to empower women but also make sure there’s a balance,” Jacinto said.

CONRAD MANILA PRESENTS ‘BREAKING THE GLASS CANVAS’ EXHIBIT, A TRIBUTE TO WOMEN’S ACHIEVEMENTS

CONRAD Manila proudly introduces the latest installment of its esteemed Of Art and Wine series, the “Breaking the Glass Canvas” exhibition. This captivating showcase, which started on March 19, 2024 in honor of Women’s Month, promises to elevate the appreciation of women’s contributions to the arts. Featuring a stunning collection of 28 exquisite artworks by nine accomplished female artists, the exhibit takes center stage at the prestigious Gallery C within the Conrad Manila premises.

Fabio Berto, general manager of Conrad Manila, expressed profound pride in unveiling this groundbreaking exhibition. “As we showcase the unparalleled talent of these visionary female artists, Conrad Manila reaffirms its commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity within the realm of art and culture,” shared Berto.

A culmination of diverse talents, “Breaking the Glass Canvas” brings together a distinguished cohort of artists, including Lydia Velasco, Anita Del Rosario, Addie Cukingnan, Flor Baradi, Meneline Wong, Lara Latosa, Celeste Lecaroz, Helena, and Irish Galon. This convergence of creativity serves as a beacon of empowerment, urging individuals to embrace their unique identities and celebrate the spirit of femininity.

In addition, co-curators Lara Latosa and Nestor Jardin offered insight into the significance of “Breaking the Glass Canvas.” For Latosa, the exhibit encapsulates the essence of empowerment, showcasing the resilience and triumphs inherent in every woman’s journey. Each artwork on display serves as a testament to the artist’s distinctive style and narrative, ranging from bold abstract paintings to intricate sculptures. “We invite all patrons to

embark on a journey of discovery and empowerment as they explore the multifaceted tapestry of artistic expression,” encourages Latosa. Jardin invites the public to experience the exhibit firsthand at Gallery C, on the 3rd floor of Conrad Manila. “Our aim is to inspire future generations of artists, instilling within them the courage to pursue their passions with unwavering determination,” emphasizes Jardin. For those seeking a luxurious retreat amidst artistic splendor, Conrad Manila offers exclusive privileges and personalized attention. To discover more about Conrad Manila’s art collection and exceptional hospitality, visit www.conradmanila.com or call +632 8833 9999. Join us in celebrating the indomitable spirit of women and their enduring contributions to the world of art at “Breaking the Glass Canvas.”

In the photo are, from left, Meneline Wong, Anita Del Rosario, Helena, Lara Latosa, Lydia Velasco, Celester Lecaroz, Addie Cukingnan and Irish Galon.

Lydia Velsco and her works of art. Lara Latosa with her contributions to the exhibit.

Irish Galon and her masterpieces.

Flor Baradi and her very unique pieces.

Anita Del Rosario and her work.

Celeste Lecaroz and her paintings.

Addie Cukingnan and her art pieces.