Manila Standard - 2020 July 22 - Wednesday

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‘Arrest quarantine violators’ Police target people not wearing masks, observing social distancing

By Vito Barcelo

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police to arrest and detain people who violate government rules on wearing masks and social distancing, as COVID-19 cases in the country continue to surge.

“A simple violation of not wearing mask seems trivial, but during times of health issues, it can be a serious crime,” Duterte said Monday night.

However, Palace spokesman Harry Roque, during his regular press briefing, said the government will set guidelines for arresting face masks violators subject to “fair and humane penalties or pun-

ishments that may be imposed by LGUs or implemented by law enforcement agencies.”

The President, who tapped the police and military to implement health protocols during the pandemic, said he is not worried about arresting violators in view of

the pandemic.

“We don’t have any qualms [about] arresting people,” he said.

The President also appealed to the public to show a little patience and Next page

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 148• 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Face-to-face classes okay in Jan. 2021

Duterte turns to God, says He will save PH from virus

By Joyce Pangco Pañares, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday he is okay with a proposal of the Department of Education (DepEd) to allow limited face-toface classes in low-risk areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

But these classes will only be allowed starting January 2021, not at the start of the school year in August, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque later clarified.

"I'm okay with that," the President told Education Secretary Leonor Briones during Monday night's talk to the nation aired Tuesday morning.

Duterte previously opposed the start of physical classes until a coronavirus vaccine becomes available.

Briones cited studies which showed that "children are not as badly affected by the COVID phenomenon as compared to adults."

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte believes God will not forsake the Philippines as it continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“God is knowledgeable. He knows He won’t forsake us, especially the Philippines, because we’re Christians,” Duterte said in a taped public address aired Tuesday morning.

He also appealed to the public to make the “sacrifice” of complying with quarantine protocols, such as physical distancing, wearing face masks and frequent hand-washing.

He said if Jesus Christ could sacrifice himself for the sins of humanity, Filipinos could at least practice “patience” while waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine to be developed.

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COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

Gordon: Bilibid deaths stink with cover-up

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V.Cruz and Rey E. Requejo THE reported deaths of several high-profile inmates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) purportedly due to COVID-19 bears all the hallmarks of a cover-up, Senator Richard Gordopn said Tuesday.

In a Zoom interview, Gordon expressed readiness to immediately conduct a Senate investigation into the highly-suspicious deaths of the drug lords. He added he would just wait for the referral to his committees--Blue Ribbon and public justice, after Congress opens on July 27.

In the meantime, he said, his office

has established that there were 45 deaths in April and 29 in May in the NBP. The senator said he was inclined to support allegations that the real drug lords were merely reported dead and that other bodies were cremated to make it appear that they died of COVID-19.

He said there is every reason to suspect for a cover up.

“They came out with the reports when they’re already dead and cremated. That’s very doubtful, that’s not right, that’s unacceptable,” said Gordon.

“If there’s death, there should be proof. If a convicted felon would be executed, there should Next page

(AS OF 4 PM JULY 21)

70,764 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

SLUM SITUATION. Adults and children alike seem unmindful of the raging coronavirus pandemic as they play and congregate outside their houses—without face masks—along alleyways in an impoverished neighborhood in Cavite province.

Those who were caught violating quarantine orders and curfew hours were made to perform community service on Tuesday by cleaning up debris near Kadiwa Park in Dasmarinas City, Cavite (pictures above). JR Josue with PNA

45,646 ACTIVE

1,951

1,837

NEW

2

DEATHS

NEW

23,281

209

RECOVERIES

NEW

PH cases top 70k, gov’t eyes 10M Pinoys for test

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos Araneta THE total number of people in the Philippines infected with COVID-19 has reached 70,764, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

Based on data from 73 out of 89 COVID-19 labs, an additional 1,951 cases were added Tuesday, bringing the total number of active cases or those who have yet to recover to 45,646.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told President Rodrigo Duterte that the government’s target is to test 10 million Filipinos for COVID-19 by 2021, accounting for about 10 percent of the total population.

This was after Duterte asked Duque if the country can afford to do COVID-19 tests “for every citizen” to arrest the further spread of the disease.

But Duque said no country can afford to do that.

“We cannot test each citizen. No country can do that, even the richest country like the United States of America cannot do that,” Duque told Duterte in Filipino.

Majority or 1,464 of the additional new cases are from the National Capital Region, 90 are from Cebu province, 74 are from Laguna, 53 are from Cavite and 36 are from Rizal.

This is the sixth straight day that the NCR logged more than 1,000 additional COVID-19 cases.

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Criminal raps filed vs. cops in Jolo shooting ’Hybrid’ joint session

By Rey E. Requejo

CATRIONA COMPLAINS. Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray (right) is escorted by Deputy Director Vicente de Guzman III as she appears at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) office in Manila on Tuesday to file a formal complaint against a person who uploaded a photoshopped nude photo of her that circulated on social media. Norman Cruz

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday filed before the Department of Justice criminal charges against six Jolo policemen and three members of the Sulu provincial drug enforcement unit, in connection with the killing of four Army intelligence operatives on the trail of a suspected Abu Sayyaf suicide bomber.

In a complaint, the NBI asked the DOJ to prosecute for four counts of murder and planting of evidence respondents Police Senior Master Sergeant Abdelzhimar Pa-

jiri, Master Sergeant Hanie Badirri, Staff Sergeants Iskandar Susulan, Ernisar Sappal and Almudzrin Hadjaruddin, Corporal Sulki Andaki, and Patrolmen Muhammad Nur Pasani, Rajiv Putalan and Alkajal Mandangan.

Hadjaruddin,Mandangan and Putalan are members of the Sulu provincial drug enforcement unit. They are currently under the custody of the PNP Headquarters Support Service in Camp Crame.

Murder is a non-bailable offense under Next page the Revised Penal Code.

set for Rody's SONA

By Maricel V. Cruz CONGRESS will likely hold a hybrid joint session when President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa on Tuesday next week.

Some of the legislators will be in actual attendance at the Session Hall, while the rest will be in their homes or offices throughout teleconferencing. Next page

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News

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PH trust in China sinks to ’bad’ T The nationwide mobile phone survey, conducted from July 3 to 6, showed the Filipinos’ trust in China fell from “poor” to “bad” with a net trust rating of -36. The latest figure was down by 9 points from its net trust rating of -27 in December 2019.

The latest trust figures for China are the lowest since the “bad” net trust rating of -37 seen in April 2016, a few months before Duterte assumed the presidency.

SWS said the net trust in China had only been positive in nine out of the 53 times it had surveyed this item since Au-

gust 1994. Its record low net trust rating was a “bad” -46 in September 2015.

Other findings from the survey showed the trust ratings dip for the United States and Australia, though the Filipinos’ trust in these countries remained in the positive range.

The US fell from a “very good” +67 in December 2019 to a “good” net trust rating of +42 in July 2020.

Opposite China, SWS said the net trust in the US had been positive since it first surveyed it in December 1994. Out of 68 surveys, it ranged from a moderate +18 in May 2005 to an excellent +82 in December 2013.

The same trend was seen for middle power Australia, whose net trust rating

‘Arrest...

Duterte’s spokesman’s regular press briefing was held outside the Palace to give way for disinfection of the New Executive Building (NEB) and contact tracing as well as swab testing among frontline personnel of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

The NEB also houses the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson, the press briefing room, the Office of the

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.

After a London-based group found that most Filipinos observe health protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic, the DOH on Monday said its goal is still to achieve 100-percent compliance from the public.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the statement after a

study showed that 91 percent of Filipinos wear masks when they go out and 83 percent regularly wash their hands with soap and water.

The Joint Task Force COVID Shield, meanwhile, said 230,000 were accosted for quarantine violations from march 17 to July 19.

Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said 72,000 of them were arrested, but only 18,000 were actually detained.

ment," she said.

“Limite, localized face-to-face classes will be made with due coordination between the Department of Education, the concerned local government units and the local health authorities,” she said.

The size of classes also have to be reduced to a maximum of 20 students to observe physical distancing in classrooms, Briones said.

She said the department has received many requests from local chief executives—including those from Siargao and Dinagat Islands, public and international schools for limited face-to-face classes.

Briones said the DepEd has recorded 77 percent total enrolment for the coming

school opening on Aug. 24.

However, while 90 percent of public school students have enrolled, only 27 percent are able to return in private schools, forcing many of the latter to close down.

Senator Win Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Basic Education committee, urged DepEd to continue with the distance learning modality and suspend face-toface classes this coming August 24.

He said this would ensure the protection of Filipino learners, parents and teachers from the COVID-19 disease.

With National Capital Region (NCR) and the rest of the nation slowly opening up, Gatchalian noted that the movement of people has greatly increased, leading

to a rise in the number of coronavirus patients over the past three weeks.

"Allowing face-to-face classes will once again enhance the movement of people that might result in infections within our schools. We have seen sudden spike of of COVID-19 cases in provinces that never had cases from the beginning because of LSIs (locally stranded individuals) who were allowed to go home," said Gatchalian.

"We don't want a scenario where physical classes will be opened but will eventually be suspended again beacuse of infections in their respective areas," he added.

"Our children are our greatest wealth and their well-being should be protected at all cost," said Gatchalian.

"The proof of death is a photo of the body. If there is [such a photo], then doubts will be laid to rest," Recto said.

Just as prisoners, as a rule, have their photos taken upon entering the national penitentiary, then surely a visual record is taken upon their exit, too, whether they are alive or dead, the senator said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday called for an investigation of the Bilibid inmates’ alleged deaths. Citing “unclear, inaccurate, and unverified reports,” Sotto urged the Senate to uncover if the high-profile inmates had “actually died.”

In the House, Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate slso called for a thorough investigation on the reported deaths of high \-profile drug lords in the NBP. "There seems to be something off with the supposed deatInhs of nine drug lords, among them Jaybee Sebastian, who was convicted of kidnapping-for-ransom and carjacking in 2009. Is it mere coincidence that major drug lords just supposedly died at around the same time of COVID-19 with no autopsy nor witnesses to prove that they really died because their bodies were supposedly cremated immediately?"

Zarate said in a statement.

At the same time, administration all, Rep. Ruffy Biazo of Muntinlupa said the death of inmates under the custody of government, regardless if they are convicted of a crime, should not be hidden behind the Data Privacy Act. "The family of the person, and even the public, has a right to know if the deaths that occurred in a government facility was of natural causes or wrongdoing," Biazon said "Most of all, circumstances of the death of any person deprived of liberty under the custody of government should never be hidden, and no excuse to conceal it should ever be accepted," he added.

Zarate also called for a full-blown investigation into the murder of a 29-yearold officer of BuCor, Corrections Officer

1 (CO1) Edmund Molina, who was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head inside the NBP Wednesday evening.

Zarate recalled last year’s scandal at the BuCor in which inmates convicted of heinous crimes became eligible for early release.

Rep. Niña Taduran of ACT-CIS partylist group called for a postmortem testing of the deceased inmates, including those who allegedly died of Covid-19.

Tanduran also asked the Department of Health to issue guidelines on such postmortem testing, especially for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 deaths.

Also on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the death of Sebastian would not weaken the case against detained opposition Senator Leila de Lima.

Guevarra said that the Department of Justice has other witnesses who could testify against De Lima, who is being tried before the Muntinlupa City court for the illegal drug trade inside the NBP. “Jaybee Sebastian is only one in an array of witnesses against Senator De Lima.

His loss does not affect in any significant manner the overall strategy of the prosecution in the pending criminal cases,” Guevarra said, in a text message.

Sebastian is one of the nine high-profile inmates in the NBP who died due to coronavirus infection. He died July 18 and his remains have been cremated.

Sebastian is one of De Lima’s coaccused in one of the three drug cases filed against the senator pending before a Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206.

De Lima has been accused of conspiring with Sebastian, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Jesus Bucayu, Bucayu’s former staff Wilfredo Elli, her former driver and lover Ronnie Dayan, De Lima’s former security aide Joenel Sanchez, and Jad de Vera in the trading of illegal drugs inside the NBP that would allegedly be used to fund her 2016 senatorial bid.

Duterte...

Duterte reminded the public that they should wear face masks and observe social distancing.

Also on Tuesday, a former Health secretary urged the government to take criticism constructively during the pandemic. "“It is the function of the private sector to call out [the] government for incompetence, dishonesty, and other faults if there’ll be any. And the government should take all of these criticisms... in a constructive way,” former Health secretary Esperanza Cabral said in an online forum. “[The] government must accept [that] this is for the good of all— and only when we work together– dynamically, smartly, competently, and inclusively–[will] we... be able to achieve good health and good life for all.”

The Zoom meeting was attended by three other former DOH secretaries who rejected a proposal to postpone the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law due to dwindling contributions to the state health insurance system during the lockdowns.

A number of individuals have come under fire from authorities for posting

negative comments online about the government's handling of the pandemic.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, meanwhile, welcomed the Department of Healht (DOH) announcement that Filipino-made GenAmplify RT-PCR test kits can finally be used.

“After almost six months, we can finally use the Filipino-made test kits which are half the price [of] imported [ones]," he said.

In a joint statement on Saturday, Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon and Senators Risa Hontiveros and Pangilinan himself urged the DoH to allow the use of the ₱1,320 RT-PCR test kits developed by the UP-National Institute for Health (UP-NIH) and funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).

An interim report showed that the GenAmplify RT-PCR tests kits have up to 93.96 percent sensitivity and up to 98.04 percent specificity, at a confidence interval of 95 percent.

In the interest of transparency, Pangilinan said the public needs to know the actual and projected DoH expenses for the rapid and PCR test kits as part of its response to the pandemic.

HE Filipinos’ trust in China sank to “bad” as it remained “good” for the United States in a recent survey by the polling firm Social Weather Stations, once again defying President Rodrigo Duterte’s preference for Beijing.

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make some sacrifices by following the health measures, as the world awaits for the vaccine.

Meanwhile, Roque said an employee of the Palace communications office was tested positive for COVID 19 but said the Palace will continue to do its job.

Face-to-face...

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Of the total confirmed cases of infection in the country, Briones said only about 4 percent or over 2,000 cases involve children.

She said only 16 recorded COVIDrelated deaths among children have been recorded so far.

The Education secretary said allowing limited face-to-face learning will also close inquality gaps.

"If we rely heavily on online learning, then you'll have equity problems for those who don't have access to digital equip-

Gordon:...

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be witnesses. But in this case, even the family failed to see the Bilibid inmates who succumbed to COVID-19,” Gordon said.

He said there are sets of people who did not report what happened- the deaths of inmates- to their superiors.

He said if an inmate dies, he should not be immediately cremated—and deaths of high-profile inmates should be reported to the Justice department. The Health department, too, must be told which hospital the inmate was taken to.

Gordon said Bureau of Corrections Director Gerald Bantag was wrong to invoke the Data Privacy Act to justify the failure to report the deaths, because in detention, rights are diminished.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the National Bureau of Investigation has already been tasked by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to investigate the Bilibid deaths.

“No matter how we strongly feel about these deaths, all our misgivings and biases for or against Bucor merely play second fiddle to the official investigation,” said Lacson.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday said the widespread anomalies at the BuCor revealed during Senate hearings triggered doubts that the deaths of inmates at the NBP could have been faked.

"Given the anomalies in the BuCor unearthed in the Senate hearings, we cannot help but suspect that faking deaths of prisoners can happen," Drilon said.

Because of this, the burden is on BuCor to present proof of regularity in the performance of its functions, he added.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto said to erase suspicions surrounding the deaths of Bilibid inmates, especially the high-profile drug lords, BuCor should show photos of the body.

PH...

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The DOH also reported 209 additional recovered patients, bringing the total number of recoveries to 23,281.

There were also two additional COVID-related deaths—the lowest since March 24—which brought the total fatalities to 1,837.

Of the active cases, 91.1 percent have mild symptoms, 8 percent are asymptomatic, 0.4 percent have severe symptoms and 0.5 percent are in critical condition.

The DOH said 85 duplicate cases were removed from the previous total case count.

“These numbers undergo constant cleaning and validation,” it said.

Researchers from the University of the Philippines earlier projected that the country would reach 60,000 total cases by the end of July. The UP group raised their projection to 85,000, based on current trends.

Duterte on Monday assured the public in a taped address that the government is doing its best to reduce the number of infections to “the barest minimum.”

fell from a “good” +33 in December 2019 to a “moderate” +27 in July 2020.

The survey made use of mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing for 1,555 Filipinos aged 18 years old and above, with a sampling error margin of ±2 percent for national percentages.

The survey comes as the coronavirus pandemic—which began in China—ravages the world, while Beijing sustains its aggressive behavior in the South China Sea. Since then, the US had recently announced a tougher policy on the strategic waterway while Southeast Asian counties, including the Philippines, had carried louder opposition against China’s efforts to assert its claims.

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“Let’s sacrifice a little. Our idol made a sacrifice as well. He was whipped, nailed to the cross. We just hear mass, kneel. So dedicate it to the Lord that you also suffer for the country,” Duterte said.

He reminded the public to “persevere” in these difficult times, when movements are restricted to curb the spread of the virus.

Last April, Duterte sought God's help as he led the nation in its fight against COVID -19.

He said he understood the clamor to completely open the economy to protect people’s livelihoods, but emphasized that he was being held back by scientific data showing a spike in the COVID-19 cases in the country.

“We are all mad. You wanted to open the door. I wanted that, but science is stopping me from doing so,” Duterte said.

He, however, expressed hope that a vaccine would soon be available and vowed to buy dosages immediately even if it needed borrowing money from other countries.

The national government is now urging local governments, the private sector and the public to play a bigger role in containing the spread of the virus by enhancing efforts to test, trace and treat.

Asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients are also encouraged to undergo facility-based quarantine instead of selfisolating at home.

As of July 20, there were a total of 68,898 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, and of which 23,072 were recoveries and 1,835 were deaths. PNA

Alan: Blame '87 Charter for term limits, dynasties

By Maricel V. Cruz THE 1987 Constitution is the root of political dynasties because of the term limits it set, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Tuesday.

He said Charter change critics should acknowledge the fact that relatives within the second degree of consanguinity were running in the same elections because of the three-year term limit set by the Constitution.

“So they’re saying they don’t want dynasties but the term limits created the dynasties, right?” Cayetano told reporters.

He made his statement even as Malacañang dismissed the challenge made by opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan to President Rodrigo Duterte to certify the anti-dynasty bill as urgent, saying it was Congress’ job to pass new laws.

“I think he’s challenging the wrong branch of government because passing new laws is the duty of the legislative,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a virtual Palace briefing.

He said Pangilinan should instead encourage his fellow lawmakers to pass a law that would guarantee equal access to public service and prohibit political dynasties.

“I think he needs to challenge his colleagues in the Senate and House to pass that law,” Roque said.

Cayetano said it was indeed a challenge for mayors to find continuity in their advocacies and projects because of their limited three-year terms.

“They will say, our mayor is politicking but they only have a three-year term.

We are not doing what is done worldwide, which is a four- to five-year term. It would allow long-term planning and for us to focus on work,” Cayetano said.

Foreigners with permanent visas may return Aug. 1

By Vito Barcelo and Joel E. Zurbano THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Tuesday that only foreigners with permanent or immigrant visas can enter the country starting Aug. 1, and that tourists and others holding non-immigrant and other categories of visas are still prohibited from entering the Philippines.

"For the information of the public, the entry of foreign tourists, non-immigrant visa holders, and other categories of aliens [is] still prohibited. They will be turned back if they land in any of our ports of entry," Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.

Morente issued the statement upon learning that immigration offices at the airports and other field offices of the bureau were being swamped with calls and queries from persons who thought that the country has opened its doors to all foreigners.

"The resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) is clear--only foreigners with existing long-term visas will be allowed entry beginning Aug. 1. So if you are not a permanent resident here, do not attempt to travel to the Philippines because you will be… denied entry by our immigration officers," Morente said.

‘Hybrid’...

Criminal...

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Reporters will not be allowed at the Batasan, the House of Representatives said in a statement.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said that after presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced that Duterte would be physically present during the SONA, preparations on the hybrid joint session started on Tuesday.

He said the “blended” SONA would be similar to the teleconference-type sessions done by the House, with a limited number of guests actually present and the rest attending through a teleconferencing computer application.

"When I say blended, I mean some are at the location while others are not,” Cayetano said.

Roque said Duterte might be at risk of contracting COVID-19, but as the country’s highest elected official, he could not abandon his task of giving an annual report to Congress at the opening of its regular session.

He said Duterte aims to send the message that life goes on despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said he expected the President to discuss the administration’s comprehensive plan to ease the plight of Filipinos and mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sought for indictment for for neglect of duty were Sulu police provincial office chief Col. Michael Bawayan, Jolo police chief, Maj.Walter Annayo, and Sulu provincial drug enforcement unit chief Capt.

Ariel Corcino.

Last week, the nine policemen declined to submit a statement to the NBI, which is probing the shooting incident that left Army Maj. Marvin Indammog, Capt. Irwin Managuelod, Sgt. Eric Velasco, and Cpl. Abdul Asula dead.

Antonio Pagatpat, NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Services, said they respect the policemen's refusal to give a statement to NBI probers, saying it is part of their constitutional rights.

Pagatpat said the policemen told the NBI they would answer the allegations once a case is filed before the DOJ. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said the ballistic report submitted by the NBI showed the slain Army officers mostly sustained gunshot wounds on their backs.

The NBI did not conduct an autopsy on Asula, as he was buried immediately in accordance with Islamic traditions that call for the dead to be buried within 24 hours.

He also said the slugs and shells recovered at the crime scene matched the firearms of the policemen.

News

RESCUED. Officers of the Manila Police rescue children roaming around the streets of Tondo, Manila amid the COVID-19 pandemic. President Duterte on Monday said that he wants quarantine violators brought to police stations for staying out of their houses without face masks during curfew hours. Norman Cruz

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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TOWED. Tricycles were towed along Pritil in Tondo, Manila by the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau on Tuesday for violating traffic rules and Balik Pasada Guidelines for Tri-wheel vehicles. The MTPB impounded 24 trikes and pedicabs on Monday for charging beyond the fixed fare and operating without permit or license. Norman Cruz

‘Franchise rejection targets Lopezes’

By Maricel V. Cruz

Detain criminals in PNP jails—SC

T

WO opposition lawmakers on Tuesday expressed belief that the rejection of ABS-CBN Corp.’s network franchise renewal application was intended to take ownership from the Lopez family.

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court on Tuesday directed all trial court judges to order the detention of suspected criminal offenders in the facilities of the Philippine National Police instead of incarcerating them in the jails managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

The SC, through Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez, said the directive to trial court judges is effective starting Wednesday, July 22, and will be implemented until Aug. 31, 2020 unless extended if warranted.

In a circular, Marquez said Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano requested the SC “that the issuance of commitment orders (to the facilities of the BJMP be temporarily suspended… to prevent the further contamination (of Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19) among PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty) in all jail units nationwide.”

Marquez said PNP Chief Director General Archie Francisco F. Gamboa, on the other hand, has issued an undertaking that “the PNP can, in the meantime, accommodate newly arrested PDLs.” Because of this, the Office of the Court Administrator required “all judges shall issue commitment orders for newly arrested PDLs… until 31 August 2020, to the local PNP units, unless the local BJMP jail units are already able to admit newly arrested PDLs during this period.”

EARNING A LIVING. Karen Miranda, 34, a former overseas Filipino worker from Parañaque City who lost her job due to the pandemic, sells health and safety items under a footbridge in Cubao, Quezon City on Monday (July 20, 2020). Karen, a solo parent with two children, sellS gloves, face masks, sanitizers, and other items before dawn and earns an average of P300 daily. PNA

Kapa founder netted in Surigao raid; 2 killed, 1 hurt TWO persons were killed while another was hurt in a police operation Tuesday that netted Kapa Community Ministry International founder Joel Apolinario and 23 others in Surigao del Sur, the Philippine National Police in Region 13 said.

Apolinario was arrested after police tracked down the religious group leader and his followers to an isolated resort in Sitio Dahican in Brgy. Handamayan, Lingig, in Surigao del Sur at 7:30 a.m.

Two unidentified suspects were killed while a certain Melecio Siano, one of Apolinario’s men, was brought to the Bislig City District Hospital after an ex-

change of gunfire between Kapa members and the authorities.

Apolinario is accused of running the biggest investment scam in the country’s history, in which an estimated five million people were duped by Kapa, which promised a 30-percent return on their investments for life.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said Apolinario and key Kapa men had invested over P50 billion from the donations of its members over three years.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to shut down the corporation run by Kapa on

June 8 last year, and the SEC filed charges of syndicated estafa against Apolinario and key members of the group.

The PNP team recovered from the crime scene 30 M16 rifles, two M4 rifles, one Garand rifle; three 60-caliber machine guns, one 50-caliber sniper rifle, three caliber .22 rifles; one Carbine rifle, one shotgun, two rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers, five caliber .45 pistols, and assorted ammunition.

Personnel of the Surigao Del Sur - Provincial Laboratory Crime Office (PCLO) conducted scene-of-the-crime operations as government troops stood by.

Reps. Edcel Lagman of Albay and Lito Atienza of Buhay party-list made the comment in response to the suggestion made by Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte for the Lopezes to sell the network to other businessmen so it could stand a chance to secure a franchise in 2022.

Lagman alleged that the rejection of the franchise application of ABS-CBN by the House committee on legislative franchises “not only infringed on press freedom but also an assault to a private property.”

“It appears that the sinister plot is to

‘Non-COVID patients need help too’

By Willie Casas SOME patients with illnesses other than the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are having difficulty getting medical help during the pandemic, the Department of Health said.

In an interview, the DOH said it was collecting data on such cases to see the extent of the problem.

The DOH vowed to address it by expanding the capacity of hospitals to attend to non-COVID-19 cases.

“Though I don’t have the figure, but of

Lotto resumes operation on Aug. 4 PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte approved the resumption of lotto games operation on August 4.

CSO General Manager Royina Marzan-Garma said the resumption of the lotto games was only for areas under the general community quarantine and modified GCQ. Based on the Lotto Circular No. 2020-004, the PCSO will abide by the health protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of

Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFMEID) such as physical distancing and the wearing of face mask.

The PCSO will initially sell the Lotto 6/42 and Megalotto 6/45 games following its current draw schedule.

The lotto games have been suspended for three months due to the implementation of the community quarantine to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The agency also reiterated that the lotto ticket prices have been rolled back to P20.

THE Court of Tax Appeals has dismissed a P3.7-billion tax case against Robinson’s Land Corp. due to an invalid tax assessment.

In a 17-page decision, the tax court said the assessment notices sent to the company had not indicated the due dates for payments, citing such was a violation of the Tax Code requiring assessment notices to have a provision demanding payment within a prescribed period.

The final letter of demand did not show the exact amount of tax liability of

Robinson’s Land.

“Given that there was failure to state a date certain for the payment of the deficiency taxes in the subject assessments, as well as to provide a definite amount of taxes to be paid, petitioner’s obligation for payment of the alleged deficiency taxes in the subject assessment is not deemed to have legally accrued,” the tax court said.

“Simply put, petitioner (Robinson’s Land) may not be adjudged to account for deficiency taxes which in the first place are not legally demandable,” it added.

course, there are instances where people are suffering from major diseases pero alanganin sila magpa-consult sa doctor, especially through the hospital because, you know, vulnerable na sila e,” Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said.

“Kung mayroon namang hospital na may capability ng virtual consultation, or virtual ganun nga consultation or triage, mas maigi kasi at para least they are protected,” Vega said.

“Also na hindi sila, ‘yung kanilang presence, wala talaga doon sa area na may mga COVID,” Vega added.

GSIS extends deadline for COVID-19 loans

CTA rejects P3.7-B case vs Robinson’s Land

By Rio N. Araja

oust the Lopezes from ABS-CBN by denying its franchise renewal so that they can be coerced to sell the network to an anointed buyer,” Lagman told reporters late Monday.

“Slowly the cat is coming out of the bag. The ABS-CBN’s bid for a fresh franchise was consigned to the dustbin for malevolent motives exposing the pretence of ‘neutrality’ and ‘fair play’ by the Duterte administration and the House leadership,” he added.

Atienza shared a similar view, as he said the idea to sell the network to another owner was deplorable if indeed that was the reason for the rejection of the application.

“This proposal only proves that the real target of the franchise rejection was the Lopez family. They wanted the Lopezes out - to the detriment of 11,000 workers and millions of Filipinos relying on the broadcast and services of ABSCBN,” Atienza said.

Atienza also said that the decision of Congress to reject the franchise bills “failed in the cost-benefit analysis.”

“Nobody benefitted from the denial of the franchise renewal application, but a hidden few. In fact the country lost so much from it,” added Atienza.

Villafuerte earlier broached the idea for the Lopez family to just sell ABSCBN if they want to again apply for a legislative franchise in 2022.

“My suggestion to the Lopez family, they just sell the corporation and if they really love the 11,000 employees or more, and they really want to serve the Filipino people, they should just sell the company,” Villafuerte said last week.

FIGHTING THE VIRUS. Lakas-CMD Party President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez (left) receives 20 boxes of face mask (20,000 pcs) from Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian (right) during a ceremonial turn over at the Chinese Embassy in Makati City.

The donation is from the International Department of Central Committee of Communist Party of China.Romualdez and Xilian vows to continue to help each other in the fight against Covid19. Ver Noveno

STATE pension fund Government Service Insurance System announced last Friday, July 20, 2020, that it has extended the filing of application for its COVID-19 Emergency Loan program for another month or until August 12, 2020.

“We are extending the July 12 deadline to give more time for our members and old-age and disability pensioners affected by the public health crisis to apply for the loan. We are expecting to reach out to more than 1.3 million members who are qualified for the loan with a projected total amount of Php 43 billion,” GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said.

Macasaet said the loan program has been earlier enhanced by increasing the loanable amount from P20,000 to P40,000 for borrowers who have existing loans; and relaxing the terms by allowing borrowers to renew their loan even if they have loan accounts that have not been paid for more than six months and are considered due and demandable. He added that GSIS eased the six-month paid premium rule and reduced it to only three months for members to qualify for emergency loan.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020

QC assures quality education

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday assured residents of quality education even under a blended system of learning in the coming school year due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Even as we shift to a blended system of learning, parents and students can expect our support to ensure quality education from our schools,” she said.

At least 404,446 students have enrolled in the city’s 156 public schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

The number represents 95.38 percent of the city government’s target of around 424,000 students.

“We anticipated a low turnout this year mainly because of the concern of parents regarding the pandemic but we were pleasantly surprised with the number of enrollees,” Belmonte said.

Based on the latest report from the city’ Schools Division Office, elementary students from kindergarten to grade six accounted for 224,195, while 153,145 junior high school students from grades seven to 10 have signed up.

Some 27,106 students have enrolled in senior high school from grades 11 to 12 as well as non-graded special education.

The city recorded 424,042 enrollees last school year.

Former councilor Aly Medalla, Education Affairs Unit head, said the city still expected the numbers to climb due to the Department of Education’s late enrollment policy.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

P1.3-b untaxed items destroyed in Pampanga

By Jess Malabanan

P

ORAC, Pampanga—Some P1.3 billion worth of untaxed items believed sneaked into the country by a syndicate responsible behind the manufacture of counterfeit cigarettes being distributed across Luzon areas were destroyed Monday by the Bureau of Customs here.

"This is the biggest seizure made by our office specifically BoC Port of Aparri for this year so far," Arienito Antonio, Supervising Customs Operations Officer said during the ceremonial condemnation of the smuggled items.

He said the contraband were seized from a warehouse owned by a Chinese businessman authorities identified as Peter Hou during raid at Barangay Victoria, Alicia, Isabela last month.

Antonio said destroyed were thousands of cases of assorted filter paper, hundreds of kilos of powdered tobacco

leaves, filters, wrappers, hundreds of cases of gold and white tear tapes, and different reams of cigarettes including Marlboro (blue), Fortune (Blue), Fort, and Farstar.

The raiding team also found counterfeit tax stamps of the Bureau of International Revenue amounting to P5.5 million and another P6 million worth of foreign tax stamps inside the warehouse.

"Counterfeit cigarettes have deprived the government of billions of pesos in terms of tax and revenues," said Antonio, who vowed to strengthen the cam-

paign against smuggling in the Port of Aparri.

He said the smuggled items were subject of condemnation at Green Leaf 88, the only waste disposal facility accredited by the BoC and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources because of its state-of-theart machinery in handling sensitive wastes.

Antonio said the seized items were hauled from Isabela to Pampanga for condemnation.

Rommel Cordova, Green Leaf 88 plant supervisor, said destruction of this huge quantity will take them four to five days in 24-hour operations to totally destroy big volume of materials.

He said Green Leaf 88 was equipped with a large shredding machine, cutter and water basins where tobacco leaves were left to decay using other nonharmful components.

Padilla gives incentive for barangays

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya— Governor Carlos Padilla said he would give P.1 million as an incentive for barangays declared cleared of illegal drugs by concerned agencies.

Padilla announced this during the declaration of 10 drugs-cleared barangays and awarding of certification here.

"We are happy and honored for you to be declared as such. We will give P.1 million incentive for our awardees and I will convince the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to give the same as incentive for other barangays who will do a similar feat," Padilla said.

He said the incentive was intended to inspire and encourage the barangays to do their role in the government's Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign.

The drugs-cleared barangays were Bangar of Solano, Casat of Bayombong, Nangalisan and Murong of Bagabag, Sta. Clara of Aritao, Dullao and Aliaga in Bambang and Papaya, Ally and Kongkong in Kasibu town.

STRICTER DISTANCING. As the number of COVID-19 cases rise in Muntinlupa, the city government implements stricter social

distancing measures by installing more physical barriers in government offices and launching online services. Job applicants in the city comply with health protocols as they accomplish forms in the Public Employment Service Office on Tuesday. PESO Muntinlupa also offers online registration for job seekers.

P’que reminds biz owners: Pay taxes

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Paranaque City government on Tuesday reminded business owners in the city they have until the end of July to pay taxes and other fees.

Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the deadline of payment of business taxes was supposedly last April 20 but they decided to extend it to help local entrepreneurs who suffered from severe disruption of economic activities brought about by the coronavirus disease crisis.

Since it was extended for three months, Olivarez they were hoping that all business owners in the city could already pay their business tax on July 31 without penalties and surcharges.

“As a result of the extension, no interest, surcharge or any form of penalty shall be applied on any business tax, fee or charge accruing on or due and demandable during the extension period,“ Olivarez said.

This covers all types of registered businesses, whether single proprietorships, partnerships, corporations or cooperatives.

Businesses should be aware that the basis of the local business tax is gross sales/receipts of the preceding year.

Taguig signs agri project THE Taguig City government has signed an agreement with the Department of Agriculture for the implementation of the Urban Agriculture Project (UAP) to promote the importance of agriculture and to urge the people to engage in urban gardening.

Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano signed the partnership with Agriculture Secretary William Dar last Monday at the city’s Mercado del Lago.

Cayetano said Taguig recognized the importance of promoting urban agriculture as a measure to address stability of food supply, alleviate poverty, foster social integration among communities, and protect the environment through eco-friendly methods and other alternative and innovative gardening methods.

With this, the city seeks to implement the program as one of the modalities that render safe food available, accessible, affordable, and provide additional income to households and communities in urban areas.

Under the agreement, the Bureau of Plant Industry will spearhead the implementation of the program, such as crop production and community gardening using various technologies in households, barangays, schools, and public offices and will provide starter kits which will include agricultural inputs and technical assistance. Joel E. Zurbano

Over 600 Benguet farmers get assistance from provincial gov’t LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—More than 600 farmers affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will get financial assistance from the provincial government, an official said Tuesday.

“They are those who did not qualify from any of the assistance provided by the line agencies but need to also be given aid,” said Dr. Lolita Bentres, Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPAG) chief.

She said cut flower and strawberry farmers would get P5,000 while vegeta-

ble farmers would receive P2,500.

She said cut flower and strawberry farmers were the most affected, thus the higher amount.

Bentres said, “we are using the P3.2 million allotted to the office [OPAG] under the local disaster risk reduction management which is given as assistance to farmers affected by a calamity.”

She clarified they were COVID-affected farmers who did not qualify in any of the government assistance

programs during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Bentres said: “It took us a while to finalize the beneficiaries because we had to assure that those who will be given did not receive any money from any government agency.

“We decided to give it in cash instead of seeds and agricultural inputs supplies which will take time to procure. It is money that is needed by the people right now.”

She said that starting May 27, the distribution for the towns of Sablan, Buguis, La Trinidad, Tuba, Kabayan, Kapangan and Mankayan had been scheduled with the mayors.

“We have scheduled with the mayors so that we can assure that we will abide by the protocols and social distancing,” she said.

The towns of Atok and Kibungan, Tublay, Bakun, Bokod and Itogon still have to complete some documentary requirements before their schedules will be set. PNA

6,000 sellers’ passes unsigned APPLICATION forms for online sellers’ pass to enable applicants to deliver their products to Navotas City while the city is under the 14-day lockdown are still pending and have not been signed by Mayor Toby Tiangco.

According to the mayor, he understood the need for his constituents to have a job despite the pandemic to provide for their families, but he said it should be balanced with the goal of limiting the movement of people to prevent the spread of the infectious virus.

Tiangco added the online sellers in Navotas must always have the original copy of their DTI or business permit and must be presented tothe assigned policemen for them not to be detained.

As for the lack of DTI and business permits, the mayor assured that online selling would continue,

as there are assigned “Navohatid Delivery Riders” of each barangay, which will deliver the product to the houses.

"Just coordinate with the barangay halls where the products will be delivered and it will definitely reach the destination," said Tiangco.

According to the local chief executive, if there was not enough reason to go out, it is better to just stay indoors and not put themselves at risk of being caught or infected with the virus because their families might also be at risk.

“Our goal is to reduce the COVID-19 cases in Navotas so that people can work or study without fear of getting sick. We cannot do this without sacrifice so I ask for understanding and solidarity, ”said the mayor.

The lockdown in Navotas City began on July 16, 2020 and will end on July 29, 2020. Jun David

DISASTER READY. In observance of National Disaster Consciousness Month this July, SM Supermalls reminds communities and citizens to remain alert when it comes to calamities and emergencies, highlighting the importance of disaster preparedness especially amid the ongoing fight against COVID-19. “Let us not forget that we also need to be prepared for natural disasters given how often our country experiences them,” said Engr. Liza B. Silerio, SM’s Vice President for Corporate Compliance and head of ARISE Philippines.

Opinion Shame campaign, game!

A of the real need to highlight the callousness, arrogance and entitlement of some.

We do not think anybody in his right mind would agree that those who contracted the disease brought it upon themselves and must be shamed for their irresponsible behavior. Thus far, we have not heard of COVID parties in this part of the world, and we have

Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño said that the shame campaign he had suggested was not for COVID-19 patients but for quarantine violators who refuse to practice safety protocols as the country grapples with a higher number of viral contagion per day. His words had been taken out of context, he said.

Whether or not Diño was in earnest or whether he was saving face after a gaffe is irrelevant in the face

No clarification needed. not protested the commonsensical and considerate measure to wear a mask wherever we go.

What we do have here, however, are law enforcers who mistake the responsibility they bear for the privilege to lord it over those they

CROSSROADS

J.A. DELA CRUZ

feel are beneath them and are helpless against them.

We have public officials who make us endure their ineptitude while clinging on to their posts.

Their callousness has profound implications on the number of COVID-infected Filipinos and on the lives of those who have contracted the virus.

We have those who serve no other purpose but display their loyalty to the powers that be—and who are quick to take offense and retaliate against those who point out their inadequacies, paid for by taxpayers’ money.

We are burdened by those whose priorities are so misplaced that they might as well be living on another planet.

For them, no clarifications are needed. Bring on the shame campaign.

“AD Majorem Dei Gloriam: For the Greater Glory of God” underpins the life mission of the Society of Jesus, the congregation founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola. It is a calling that has brought the society and its members to the heights, influencing the ways and means, the very life of peoples and communities, even countries, since its founding and recognition as such an organization by then Pope Paul III in 1540.

He had such an enveloping presence, intellectually and spiritually It has also brought them to conflict areas, uncharted territories and, in 1767, banishment from Spain and all its territories including the Philippines having been “caught in the crossfire involving the Bourbon Monarchs” as recounted by the late Father Horacio de la Costa, the renowned historian and intellectual, in his book about the Jesuits in the Philippines.

Such boldness of action, trailblazing and liberating life work have been the mark of the Jesuits that they have been, on various occasions, described as the Catholic Church’s “advance troops” called upon to do God’s work in the most challenging of situations. They have lived up to that kind of life work since as they advanced the Church’s influence in various fields and in as many as 112 countries to date.

In an article entitled “Living “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam” published in the Ignatian Spirituality.com, author, composer and academic Rebecca Ruiz describes this societal foundation as a way of being that permeates every thought, every deed, every action and inaction—all is contemplated and weighed, all for the greater glory of God.” To live Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, Ruiz noted, is to lay claim to a legacy of “other-ness” that sets us apart and puts us at ease with any culture or people. A completely integrated other-ness that seeks to make all things whole. That approaches the liminal without hesitation, finds God in all things, finds the Good in all things, and seeks to proclaim His glory in all that we do.

It is, she emphasized, a heritage of service however, whenever, and wherever needed, of leadership in service to those impoverished in mind, body, and spirit.

It is a call to respect the dignity of each human, The splendor of all creation, unencumbered by societal constructs.

This intense and enveloping presence, as it were, this total commitment to live and work “For The Greater Glory of

Sanctions on ABS-CBN THE online forum of members of the House of Representatives who voted for the denial of the renewal of the 25-year franchise for Lopez-owned ABS-CBN was revealing. It showed the attempts of the network to drum up public support and sympathy for it.

Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, Deputy Majority Leader Jesus Crispin Remulla and Anakkalusugan Party List Rep. Mike Defensor all explained why they voted against the network.

All those whose hearts are bleeding for ABS-CBN must realize that their favorite network is not immaculate at all. Their actions and dealings are not always “in the service of the Filipino” as they like to say.

Marcoleta pointed out the network’s violation of the terms of its franchise, like the unauthorized digital broadcast using a frequency assigned to Amcara Broadcasting. It was later found to be a dummy of ABS-CBN, Santa Banana!

Marcoleta suggested forcing the network to pay—hold your breath!—P1.97 trillion based on the number of set-up boxes allegedly illegally sold by the network.

The House Deputy Speaker also came out with something not talked about at the network. During the 14day franchise hearing, when he asked for the title of the network’s property where its offices, tower and studios are located, ABS-CBN executives could only present another lot title, not the original title, which they claimed was up for reconstitution.

Remulla, a representative from Cavite, questioned ABS-CBN’s possession of the smaller JUSMAG compound in front of its complex. This should properly belong to the government.

My gulay, it was Remulla who found

TO THE POINT

EMIL JURADO out that Amcara Broadcasting with whom the bright boys of ABS-CBN claim to have a blocktime arrangement was found to be a dummy of ABSCBN. Amcara’s Channel 43 was using the ABS-CBN tower for its signal.

My gulay, that is a criminal act and whoever is responsible for it should be charged and jailed.

The network’s actions are not always “in the service of the Filipino.”

Defensor said that former ABS-CBN employees who filed a suit against the network, should be given the chance for a workers’ takeover of the company since they don’t own the transmitter and other facilities. Maybe they can have a lease-to-own arrangement with ABS-CBN. During that forum, Remulla came out with a suggestion, which I think is feasible. He broached the idea that the radio and television frequencies of the network could be used by the government or bid out so that the government could raise revenues.

Aside from the two options I cited (what the Lopezes could do), the government could indeed use the frequencies for online education. It’s a brilliant idea.

If ABS-CBN executives are still

hoping to have a people’s initiative for the renewal of its franchise, then that is next to impossible. The Comelec has no money for that. It is not in the 2020-2021 budget. Besides, the government needs all the money it can get to respond better to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is imperative is to sanction the Lopezes for all the violations of ABSCBN. These should be made public so that those supporting the network may be enlightened that it does not deserve their support. In fact, I would even say that the network’s executives should be jailed, as well.

With the denial of the franchise, the Lopezes would be far from destitution.

They may have lost their media enterprise but they have other companies that remain profitable. These are valued at over P136 billion as of July 17, 2020.

They are First Gem Corp., First Philippine Holdings Corp., Lopez Holdings Corp. and Rockwell Land Corporation. *** I have been asked many times, what happened such that COVID-19 cases are rising so fast?

With the easing of guidelines and health protocols, people have become more mobile. We see them walking outside or on vehicles. There are also more people going to work, dining out, going to malls, and even going to church.

Santa Banana, all these are contributing to the spread of COVID-19!

I think it was premature on the part of President Duterte to ease health protocols. The health and safety of the people must be paramount.

I just hope and pray that we could flatten the curve soon. My wife and I would not want to spend Christmas indoors, Santa Banana!

Panelo: ATA has no chilling effect VIRTUAL REALITY

TONY LOPEZ THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and other NGOs and human rights groups have denounced the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). They have also petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the law unconstitutional.

You cannot blame the bishops, human rights groups and the NGOs. With the ATA plus lockdown inspired by the coronavirus, President Duterte doesn’t need to declare martial law. Martial law is subject to review and renewal by Congress. Actions under ATA and lockdowns are all executive decisions.

The CBCP’s pastoral letter drew a sharp rebuke from Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo. In the interest of balance and fairness, I am publishing in full Pane-

lo’s statement, although it sounds pedantic at times: “The letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) published today, July 19, appears to have violated the doctrine of the separation of Church and State as mandated by the Constitution in Section 6, Article thereof: ‘[t]he separation of church and state shall be inviolable.’

Even if it is not deemed to be a violation thereof, we note that it parrots the detractors favored false narrative that it is violative of the Constitution; that it allows warrantless arrest and wiretapping of suspected terrorists; that it sends a chilling effect on those exercising their freedom of speech; that there is a pattern of intimidation being undertaken by the government citing the case against Senator De Lima and the ‘shutdown’ of ABS- CBN, and that the people oppose it.

The CBCP expressly supports the petitions questioning the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA), as it describes the country in a ‘bleak political landscape.’ It asks: ‘Will

the highest level of our Judiciary assert its independence, or will they, too, succumb to political pressure?’ Such advocacy, cou-

Here is the presidential legal counsel’s response to the bishops. pled with its call to its faithful followers to prayer, effectively exerts religious influence or pressure on Supreme Court to decide against a national law designed to combat the global crime of terrorism and to secure the safety of the Filipino people.

Other similar petitions were filed against the ATA by BAYAN Secretary General Renato Reyes, Jr., Movement Against Tyranny Convenor Mother Mary John Mananzan and Karapatan Secretary General Cristina

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020

B1

Father Vicente A. San Juan, S.J.

EDITORIAL

N undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government felt the need to clarify his statement during a radio interview that it would be right to have a shame campaign to stem the surge of COVID-19 cases.

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

God” has been embraced in many places and climes. It is, in a very real sense, a reflection of the history of evangelization and initiatives which has brought the Catholic Church to the far ends of the earth and made a difference along the way. If the entire clergy is the “Army of God,” the Jesuits would be the “Special Forces” tasked with softening the ground at some point, hold off rebellion some other times or remake the environment for conversion and growth in the Spirit. It is an interesting history which has carried the Jesuits to the very center of developments and, yes, controversies in more ways than one. That of the Jesuits in the Philippines is no different.

The first Jesuits in the Philippines arrived from Mexico in 1581. They were assigned to missions in Rizal Province such as in Taytay and Antipolo and were considered a Vice-Province of the Province of Mexico. After more than a decade, in 1585, the Jesuits established the College of Manila and six years later, in 1601, established the residential College of San Jose which later became a major seminary. Due to their good works, the Philippine Vice Province was declared a separate Province just four years later, in 1605, which prompted them to reach out to other parts going as far as the Marianas Islands in what is now Guam.

Years passed and the influence of the Jesuits not only in the Philippines but in Spain and all its territories became so pronounced that in 1767, then King Charles III, banished them from his country and its dominions. Together with their brethren, the Jesuits in the Philippines were transported to Italy where they stayed until a new mission was restored in 1859 under the Province of Aragon. By then, they had a special purpose – to build missions in Mindanao and Jolό. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Society of Jesus had taken over all the mission posts of Mindanao and Sulu. But Manila residents did not let all the Jesuits go to Mindanao.

They were asked to open up the Escuela Pia which was later renamed Escuela Municipal and in 1909, formally became the Ateneo de Manila with primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

Since that time, other Ateneos were founded in Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Naga, and Davao, along with others like Xavier School embedded with the same ideals of excellence, of seeking to do more for love of God and neighbor and country. The College of San Jose was restored to the Society as a seminary for the education of Filipino secular priests.

In 1921, the Philippine Mission was formally transferred to the Province of Maryland and New England and was elevated to a Vice-Province in 1952. It was later restored as a separate province in 1958 and seven years later, in 1965, was finally headed by the first Filipino Provincial— the illustrious Father Horacio dela Costa.

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Trump’s America

Palabay, together with former UP President Francisco Nemenzo, former UP Chancellor Michael Tan, as well as former DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo.

All petitions should be dismissed for utter lack of merit on procedural and substantive grounds.

It appears that all petitioners have adopted a favorite phrase—"chilling effect"—in describing the law's provisions when implemented.

The ATA, however, cannot be any clearer.

The definition of the crime of terrorism is as clear as the sunlight, the same being precise that leaves no room for misinterpretation. It abounds with safeguards protective of the basic liberties of those arrested and detained , as well as deterrents against possible abuses by law enforcement agents.

The law has been passed weeks ago and there have been no signs of any ‘chilling effect’ on those who wish to publicly air their grievances against the government. In fact, the voices of dissent are in wild reckless abandon.

Various groups and the silent majority of the citizenry who have witnessed the destruction of lives and properties wrought by

terrorism have welcomed the instrument's passage into law.

We agree with the CBCP that ‘it is one thing to be actually involved in a crime and another thing to be merely suspected or accused of committing a crime.’ The ATA, as well as our laws, recognizes this. The examples cited by it, such as the outcomes in the cases of Senator De Lima, ABS-CBN, and a media personality, among others, are products of Philippine democratic and legal processes.

The CBCP only has to trust our judicial system given that adopting an opposite mindset only undermines the legal institutions.

The CBCP likens us to ‘the proverbial frog swimming in a pot of slowly boiling water.’

For its education, we have been in a far worse situation for years due to the favorable treatment which people in power or of influence have been receiving from past governments.

The present dispensation has taken us out of this environment through the President's political will in enforcing the law equally to all, bar none, including those managed in the past to be immune therefrom or untouchable.” biznewsasia@gmail.com

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Trump flip-flops, backs mask use W ASHINGTON―President Donald Trump changed his tune in favor of face masks as a tool to combat the coronavirus in the United States, as European leaders on Tuesday agreed on a massive aid package for their pandemic-ravaged economies.

The virus has infected more than 14.6 available to combat the spread of COmillion people and killed over 600,000 of VID-19, though they do include face them since it first emerged in China, with masks—which Trump and his political fresh alarm being sounded over its accel- allies refused to encourage for months. erating spread in Africa.

But he changed direction on Monday, And despite rising hopes for two vac- tweeting a photo of himself wearing a cine candidates, thereCYAN are few options YELLOW mask with BLACK the message: “We are United MAGENTA Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 101, QUEZON CITY PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRY IN THE CCT NO. 004-2016024814 ISSUED BY THE R.D. FOR Q.C. AND REGISTERED UNDER THE NAMES OF BONIFACIO V. DIANASAS & JONA B. HALTINER. JONA HALTINER Represented by Attorney-in-fact, ROGER N. BANGALISAN, Petitioner, -versus-

CASE NO. Q-RZN-19-05541-CV

BONIFACIO V. DIANASAS/ THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF QUEZON CITY, Respondents. x----------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION TO : BONIFACIO V. DIANASAS Unit 2706, Tower 3, Grass Residences, Nueva Ecija Street and Misamis Street, Bago Bantay, Quezon City GREETINGS: WHEREAS, on April 15, 2019, the petitioner through counsel, filed the instant petition; WHEREAS, on February 4, 2020, the counsel for the petitioner filed a ‘Motion for Leave of Court to Serve Summons by Publication’; WHEREAS, on February 6, 2020, the Honorable Court issued an Order, the last paragraph of which reads as follows: “As prayed for, the petitioner, within 15 days from receipt hereof, is to coordinate with the Clerk of Court of the Branch for the issuance of summons by publication.

SO ORDERED.” NOW, THEREFORE, you, the respondent Bonifacio V. Dianasas, are required to enter your appearance and answer the petition in the aboveentitled case within sixty (60) days after the last publication hereof, serving a copy thereof upon the petitioner at B3 Lot 22, Golden Hear Village, Mulawin, Tanza, Cavite, otherwise, the petitioner will take judgment against you and demand from the court reliefs prayed for in the petition.

Let this summons together with the petition be caused to be published by the petitioner at her own expense in the Manila Standard, a newspaper of general circulation which was chosen through raffle, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks.

Witness the HON. EVANGELINE C. CASTILLO-MARIGOMEN, Presiding Judge of this Court, on this 27th day of February, 2020, in Quezon City, Philippines.

(Sgd.) ATTY. ROMMEL H. SUMEDCA Clerk of Court V

PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRY IN THE CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE (CCT) NO. 004-2016024814, ISSUED BY THE REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR QUEZON CITY, AND REGISTERED UNDER THE NAMES OF BONIFACIO V. DIANASAS & JONA B. HALTINER; CASE NO. 19-05541-CV JONA B. HALTINER, REP. BY HER ATTORNEY-IN-FACT, ROGER N. BANGALISAN, Petitioner, -versusBONIFACIO V. DIANASAS, & THE REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR QUEZON CITY, Respondents. x----------------------------------------------------x PETITION WITH REQUEST TO SERVE SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION COMES NOW, Petitioner by counsel, and unto this Honorable Court, respectfully avers: 1. That Petitioner is a Filipino citizen, of legal age, and presently residing in Berne, Switzerland, with Philippine address in B3 Lot 22, Golden Hear Village, Mulawin, Tanza, Cavite, represented herein by his brother and attorneyin-fact, ROGER N. BANGALISAN, via a General Power of Attorney (GPA) hereto attached as Annex “A”. For purposes of this petition, it is hereby requested that all pleadings, motions, orders and other court processes be served via their undersigned counsel’s given address below; 2. RESPONDENT BONIFACIO V. DIANASAS is a Filipino, of legal age, and with last known address at Unit 2706, Tower 3, Grass Residences, Nueva Ecija Street, and Misamis Street, Bago Bantay, Quezon City, as disclosed in the owner’s Condominium Certificate of Title (CCT); 3. RESPONDENT REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR QUEZON CITY is being impleaded in its official capacity as a government agency tasked to be the custodian of records of lands, their titles, and their conveyances and liens and encumbrances.

It may be served with summons and processes at the LRA Compound, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City; RESPONDENT OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (OSG) with address at 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City, is being impleaded being the counsel for and in behalf of the State/government.

4. That Petitioner Jona B. Haltiner is a naturalborn Filipino citizen, a widow, who was previously married to a Swiss national. She is likewise an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) based in Berne, Switzerland.

5. After the death of his husband, Petitioner found a second chance at love in the person of Respondent Bonifacio V. DIANASAS and they briefly had an intimate relationship; 6. They decided to live together as husband and wife without the benefit of marriage; 7. In January 2011, Petitioner decided to purchase a condominium unit from SM

Tens of millions of Americans have been left jobless, and the extra unemployment benefits keeping some from poverty are set to expire at the end of July.

“I’m still struggling to pay the bills and I’m still looking for a job,” said Diana Yitbarek, 44, who has been unemployed since April.

“And nowadays it’s hard to find a job because everything is closed.”

‘Landmark’ EU deal Across the Atlantic, European leaders agreed on a landmark stimulus package worth 750 billion euros ($858 billion) to help pull the bloc out of the deepest recession in its history. AFP

Development Corporation (SMDC), particularly, Unit 2706, Tower III, Grass Residences, located in Barangay Sto. Cristo, Quezon City, just beside SM North, where she and Respondent DIANASAS could live together as husband and wife.

7.1 Their agreement was that Petitioner will shoulder the payments for the purchase of the Condominium unit, Respondent DIANASAS will manage and pay the monthly amortizations of said condominium unit from the remittances and wire transfer funds of Petitioner to respondent’s account.

7.2 This was the agreement since Petitioner is an Overseas Filipino Worker based in Berne, Switzerland, who has to go back to work in order to earn a living, So, Respondent DIANASAS will act as trustee of Petitioner for the payment of the amortizations until fully paid. And to give semblance of authority, both of them shall sign in the Contract to Sell as buyers and SMDC as the seller; 8. Thus, Petitioner and Respondent DIANASAS executed a Contract to Sell with the SMDC, hereto attached as Annex “B” and the made an integral part hereof. The purchase price is P2,366,449.00.

9. Petitioner thereafter went back to Berne, Switzerland to work as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW). As agreed upon, she entrusted to Respondent DIANASAS all her affairs, pertaining to the purchase and payment of Unit 2706, Tower III at the Grass Residences, SMDC. She sent her remittances to Respondent DIANASAS for him to pay the monthly amortizations of subject property.

10. Later, she learned from her friends and relatives that Respondent DIANASAS is having an affair with several girls. Petitioner confronted him but he denied having an affair. They fought over it and their communication waned until such time that Petitioner could no longer contact him; 11.Worried that Petitioner might lose the Condominium she bought from SMDC for nonpayment of the amortizations, Petitioner then sought the help of his brother, Roger Bangalisan, to look for Respondent DIANASAS, and to settle all obligations with SMDC regarding subject property; 12.Petitioner’s attorney-in-fact could not locate the whereabouts of Respondent DIANASAS, despite his diligent efforts. He was only able to transact with SMDC and the title to subject property was released to him sometime in 2018; 13. Attached as Annex “C” is a copy of CCT no. 004-2016024814; as Annex “C-1” is a copy of the Tax Declaration for subject property, both made integral parts hereof.

14. However, in said CCT owner’s title, the name of Respondent “Bonifacio V. DIANASAS”, was still indicated as one of the registered owners of the condominium unit, despite not having contributed to the payment of the unit.

15. Thus, in order to correct the true status of subject property, and the true owner thereof, this instant petition was filed to remove the name of Respondent DIANASAS in said CCT No. 0042016024814;

PRAYER Republic of the Philippines National Capital Judicial Region REGIONAL TRIAL COURT QUEZON CITY Branch ___

in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance.”

“There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President!”

US authorities are struggling to handle the crisis as infections surge towards four million, with more than 140,000 deaths, and Trump has been slammed for his management of the crisis.

The president is scrambling to respond to public anger just over 100 days from the November election, with the human toll rising and the US economy devastated.

WHEREFORE, premises respectfully prayed that:

considered,

it

is

1. Prior to hearing, that an Order be issued for the Service of Summons to Respondent Bonifacio V. DIANASAS, by publication; 2. That after notice and hearing, this Honorable Court direct the respondent Register of Deeds for Quezon City to correct the name of the registered owner of Unit 2706, Tower III, Grass Residences, Brgy. Sto. Cristo, Quezon City, by removing the name of Respondent Bonifacio V. DIANASAS in said title; 3. Reliefs, just and equitable under circumstances, are also prayed for.

the

Tanza, Cavite for Quezon City, March 14, 2019.

C.G. GONZALES JR. & ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICES Counsel for Petitioner 111 Sta. Cruz St., Poblacion, Tanza, Cavite Tel. No.: (046) 437-7085 By: (Sgd.) CESARIO G. GONZALES, JR. IBP Roll No. 56976 IBP Lifetime Member No. 012897 (6-26-2014) PTR NO. CAV1613134; 1-04-19; Cavite MCLE VI Compliance No. 0011351-(8/17/18) MCLE V Compliance No. 0011148-(09-29-15) CP: 0927-784-6177 E-mail:czarlaw@gmail.com

VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION ON NON-FORUM SHOPPING I, ROGER N. BANGALISAN of legal age, Filipino, married and with address at Block 3 Lot 22, Golden Heart Ville, Mulawin, Tanza, Cavite, after being duly sworn to in accordance with law; hereby depose and state that: 1. I am the Petitiioner’s attorney-in-fact in the above-mentioned case as evidenced by the attached SPA; 2. I have caused the preparation of the foregoing Petition. I have read the same and declare that the contents thereof are true and correct of my personal knowledge and/or based on authentic records; 3. I have not heretofore commenced any other proceeding involving the same subject matter with the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the courts of general and limited jurisdiction, or any other tribunal, agency or commission, and to the best of my knowledge, no such other action or proceeding is pending therein; and, 4. If I should thereafter learn that a similar action or proceeding has been filed or is pending before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, or any other court, tribunal, agency or commission, I hereby undertake to report that fact within five (5) days to this Honorable Court.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature on the 6th day of February 2019, (Sgd.) ROGER N. BANGALISAN SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me a notary public for and in 6th day of February, 20019, affiant exhibiting to me his SSS ID with No. 03-9472736-1 issued on__________ at _________.

WITNESS MY HAND AND SEAL.

Doc. No. 328 Page No. 66 Book No. VIII Series of 2019.

(MStandard - July 15, 22 & 29, 2020)

ANNIVERSARY PROTEST. Policemen detain a woman during a protest to mark the anniversary of the 2015 suicide attack in the southern Turkish town of Suruc, in the Kadikoy district of Istanbul on July 20. Leftist youth gathered to mark the anniversary of bomb attacks which killed 31 people in Suruc, where activists had gathered to prepare for an aid mission to the nearby Syrian town of Kobane. AFP

‘Destroyer’ al-Mawla brutal new head of IS PARIS―With monikers as divergent as the “Professor” and the “Destroyer”, the Islamic State group’s new head has a reputation for brutality, but otherwise remains largely an enigma.

Amir Mohammed Said Abd al-Rahman alMawla replaced Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi after his death in a raid by US special forces last October.

Mawla was initially presented to the world by the Islamic State (IS) as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi—a man about whom America and Iraq had little intelligence.

US officials later came to believe that alQurashi was Mawla’s nom de guerre, recognising him in March as the new head of IS. The State Department immediately placed him on its “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” list, sparking a quest to learn more about a mostwanted man who now has a $10 million bounty on his head.

One thing everyone seems to agree on is Mawla’s brutal nature.

He is probably best known for playing “a major role in the jihadist campaign of liquidation of the Yazidi minority (of Iraq) through massacres, expulsion and sexual slavery,” according to JeanPierre Filiu, a jihadism analyst at the Sciences Po

university in Paris.

The new IS leader was born, likely in 1976, in the town of Tal Afar, some 70 kilometres (40 miles) from Mosul.

He was born into a Turkmen family, making him a rare non-Arab to ascend the ranks of IS, which at its height ruled vast parts of Iraq and Syria and drew volunteers from the West.

His ethnic origins prompted the United Nations to predict in a January report that he might be a “temporary choice until the group finds a more legitimate ‘emir’, a direct descendant from the Quraysh Hashemite tribe who could therefore command the full support of the remote provinces.”

Sharia jurist Mawla graduated from the Islamic Sciences College in Mosul.

A former officer in the army of Saddam Hussein, he joined the ranks of Al-Qaeda after the US invasion of Iraq and Hussein’s capture in 2003, according to the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) think-tank.

He took on the role of religious commissary and a general Sharia jurist for al-Qaeda.

In 2004, Mawla was detained by US forces at the Camp Bucca prison in southern Iraq, where he met Baghdadi. AFP

Pompeo, Boris talk over China amid standoff LONDON―US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday following London’s diplomatically fraught severing of ties with China’s Huawei and retaliation for Beijing’s treatment of Hong Kong.

The top US diplomat’s last visit to London in January came just days after Johnson ignored warnings from Washington and allowed the private Chinese tech giant to help roll out Britain’s 5G network.

It was a frosty affair that saw Pompeo accuse Britain of endangering Western intelligence-sharing by putting China at the heart of its next-generation data system.

Britain’s relationship with China was then blooming as Johnson sought lucrative partners that could fill the void left by the UK’s exit in January from the European Union.

But the months that followed have seen Britain edge ever closer to US President Donald Trump’s administration in its geopolitical tug-of-war with China.

Johnson’s most dramatic policy reversal saw him order UK mobile providers to stop buying 5G equipment from Huawei starting next year and remove existing gear by 2027.

“We were happy about it,” Pompeo told reporters last week. “Prime Minister Johnson got the complete right end of the stick on this one.”

The Chinese foreign ministry responded by accusing Britain of becoming “America’s dupe”.

The range of steps taken by Johnson in the past month threaten to bring an early end to a “golden decade” in cooperation that former British finance minister George Osborne promised on a visit to Beijing in 2015. AFP

UK suspends HK extradition LONDON―Britain on Monday risked worsening strained ties with China, as it suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in protest at a controversial new security law in the territory.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab confirmed the widely expected move in parliament, despite Chinese warnings that Britain was making a grave foreign policy error and risked reprisals.

He also announced an extension to Hong Kong of an arms embargo of “potentially lethal weapons” already in force against mainland China for the last three decades.

Diplomatic ties between London and Beijing have been frayed by the security law, which Western powers see as an erosion on civil liberties and human rights in the financial hub.

China threatened unspecified countermeasures after Britain relaxed immigration rules for Hong Kongers with British overseas passports, and the potential of citizenship.

Adding to the tensions have been British criticisms about China’s treatment of the Uighur ethnic minority group, and the blocking of telecoms giant Huawei from its 5G networks.

Raab said Britain wanted to engage constructively with China, acknowledging its “extraordinary transformation” and the key role it had to play in world affairs. AFP

Saudi: Scaled-down hajj pilgrimage set on July 29 RIYADH―This year’s hajj, which has been scaled back dramatically to include only around 1,000 Muslim pilgrims as Saudi Arabia battles a coronavirus surge, will begin on July 29, authorities said Monday.

Some 2.5 million people from all over the world usually participate in the ritual that takes place over several days, centred on the holy city of Mecca.

This year’s hajj will be held under strict hygiene protocols, with access limited to pilgrims under 65 years old and without any chronic illnesses.

“The stand of pilgrims on Mount Arafat, the peak of the hajj ritual, falls on Thursday,” the official Saudi Press Agency cited the Supreme Court as saying, indicating that Wednesday would be the first day of the annual event.

The timing of the hajj is determined by the position of the moon, in accordance with the Islamic lunar calendar.

Last month, Saudi Arabia announced it would hold a “very limited” hajj, a decision fraught with political and economic peril as it battles a surge in coronavirus infections.

It has seen some 253,349 cases so far including 2,523 deaths -- the highest toll among the Arab Gulf states.

Although hajj officials said the pilgrimage would be restricted to 1,000 people already present in the kingdom, 70 percent of them foreigners and the rest Saudis, some press reports have said that 10,000 people may take part.

The ritual will be restricted to medical professionals and security personnel who have recovered from the virus, the hajj ministry said. AFP

LONELY WORK. A health worker checks a patient at the COVID-19 area of the 32nd

Zone General Hospital of the Mexican Social Security Institute in Mexico City on July 20 amid the coronavirus pandemic. AFP

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market down; ICTSI, Ayala Land advance T PSEi July 21, 2020 TOP GAINERS

TOP LOSERS

MOST ACTIVE

HE stock market slipped Tuesday on mild profit taking, with investors trading cautiously ahead of the release of second-quarter earnings.

Meanwhile, British biotech firm Synairgen said a bank stimulus.

But two studies published in The Lancet medical randomized trial of an aerosol-based treatment shows journal provided some much-needed cheer, with a trial it could drastically reduce the number of new patients among more than 1,000 adults in Britain finding a can- dying of the disease or requiring intensive care. didate vaccine induced “strong antibody and T cell imThe positive news from the trials could be a major mune responses” against COVID-19. step towards the Holy Grail that analysts say will likeThat came as another trial of more than 500 people ly send markets soaring.

More than 20 candidate vaccines are currently being in China showed most had developed a widespread anThe Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 14.39 tested on humans. With AFP tibody immune response. points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,136.31 on a value turnManila over of P4.4 billion. Gainers, however, edged los- Standard TODAY ers, 95 to 91, with 52 issues unchanged.

Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, retreated 2.9 percent to P122.10, while SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group, declined 2.2 INVITATION TO BID percent to P31.

First Bay Power (FBPC) Corp. is a duly franchised distribution utility engaged in the distribution of electricity within its franchise area in the Municipality International Container Terminal Services Inc., of Bauan, Province of Batangas. It has identified the necessity for the supply of electricity for its full energy requirement to meet the demand of its captive customers. the largest port operator owned by tycoon Enrique FBPC invites all eligible suppliers that can supply 10MW of power to commence on 26 January 2021, subject to the approval of the Energy Razon Jr., climbed 4.1 percent to P101, while ma- Regulatory Commission. jor property developer Ayala Land Inc. rose 2 perTerms of Reference cent to P765.

Description Hopes for a virus vaccine, meanwhile, helped 1 Bid Subject This Terms of Reference (TOR) shall cover the bidding of the Power Supply Agreement (PSA) for the supply of 10MW within the franchise area of First Bay Power Corporation (FBPC), in compliance with the requirements of the Department push Asian equities higher Tuesday after promisof Energy (DOE) Circular DC2018-02-0003 “Adopting and Prescribing the Policy for the Competitive Selection Process in ing results from two clinical trials, while traders the Procurement by the Distribution Utilities of Power Supply Agreement for the Captive Market.” were also cheered by news that EU leaders have 2 Bidding Summary First Bay Power Corporation (FBPC) is looking for a qualified supplier that will supply the 10-year full energy requirement for its captive customers under the provisions provided in this Terms of Reference (TOR). finally hammered out a stimulus package for the 3 Contract Capacity FBPC requires a supply of 10MW of power, escalating up to 15 MW, for a period of ten (10) years commencing on bloc.

January 26, 2021 or any such date, subject to the approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission of the resulting PSA which will be jointly applied by FBPC and the Winning Bidder of this CSP. Hong Kong climbed 1.8 percent with support The details of the capacity to be contracted are as follows: also coming from news that online payments giContract Period Contract Capacity ant Ant Group, an affiliate of Chinese e-commerce 26 January 2021 to 25 January 2022 10 MW leader Alibaba, had moved toward a dual listing in 26 January 2022 to 25 January 2023 10 MW the city and in Shanghai, in what could be among 26 January 2023 to 25 January 2024 11 MW the biggest IPOs in years.

26 January 2024 to 25 January 2025 11 MW Shanghai closed up marginally after rallying 26 January 2025 to 25 January 2026 11 MW more than three percent on Monday.

26 January 2026 to 25 January 2027 12 MW Sydney jumped more than two percent after Aus26 January 2027 to 25 January 2028 12 MW tralia’s government said it would extend its own 26 January 2028 to 25 January 2029 13 MW record stimulus program, with supplements to the 26 January 2029 to 25 January 2030 14 MW unemployed and businesses struggling to retain 26 January 2030 to 25 January 2031 15 MW staff continuing until at least the end of the year 4 Bid Documents Fee All Prospective Bidders may participate in this CSP by submitting all requirements for pre-qualification and purchasing the Bid Document package subject to the payment of a non-refundable Bid Document Fee of PhP 100,000.00. and likely beyond.

5 Bid Security All Prospective Bidders shall furnish, as part of its bid, a bid security amounting to PhP 65,000,000.00 in the form of Tokyo rose 0.7 percent, while Mumbai, Seoul, cash or Standby Letter of Credit in favor of First Bay Power Corporation. Such bid security in the prescribed form will be returned to unsuccessful bidders without interest after the PSA is awarded to the Winning Bidder.

Taipei, Jakarta and Wellington all jumped more 6 Monthly Maximum Equivalent energy at 90% of the Contracted Capacity. than one percent. Singapore and Bangkok were Energy also up.

Monthly Minimum 65% of the Contracted Capacity.

The advance followed another record high for Energy Off-Take FBPC shall not be obligated to pay the Fixed Capacity Fees during events of Force Majeure, Scheduled, and Unscheduled the Nasdaq, which was fueled by tech giants that Outages. have been big winners from the COVID-19 up7 Supply Description Can supply the full load (baseload and mid-merit) requirement of FBPC. heaval as more Americans work from home. The 8 Start of Supply Supply shall commence on January 26, 2021, subject to the issuance of the Provisional Authority (PA) by the ERC. S&P 500 moved back into positive territory for the In the event that FBPC will require the Winning Bidder to procure replacement power due to the failure of the Winning Bidder to deliver the supply on the Start of Supply Date, Winning Bidder shall shoulder the replacement cost in excess of year. the winning bid price or the ERC issued PA Rate.

The studies provided a much-needed shot in the Furthermore, in the event that FBPC will experience outages due to the failure of Winning Bidder to supply energy, FBPC arm for investors, who have been put on edge in will be reimbursed by an amount equivalent to the shortage in kWh multiplied by 2.50 PhP/kWh. 9 Term of Power Ten (10) years from 26 January 2021 to 25 January 2031. recent weeks by worrying spikes in new infections Supply Agreement around the world, causing a months-long surge 10 Receiving Point NGCP Metering Point of FBPC across equities to stumble.

11 Outage Allowance Supplier shall be entitled to a Maximum Annual Scheduled Outage Allowance equivalent to 720 hours, on a full load equivalent, and a Maximum Annual Unscheduled Outage Allowance equivalent to 360 hours, on a full load equivalent.

The new cases have forced authorities to reBidders shall also indicate in their respective bids the schedules/dates of their Scheduled Outages, as submitted and impose containment measures, fanning concerns indicated in the Grid Operating and Maintenance Program (GOMP). about an economic recovery that has been supportReplacement power for outages beyond allowances shall be required by FBPC at the winning contract price ed by trillions of dollars in government and central 12

Connection Scheme

Bidder must submit a diagram of its Connection Scheme with the Transmission Grid and a certification from IEMOP of its Final Generator Ex-Ante Nodal Prices from October 26, 2019 to April 25, 2020 for evaluation purposes.

13

Payment Currency

All bids to be submitted by Prospective Bidders shall be in Philippine Peso.

14

Tariff Structure

Price for generation must be broken down into Fixed Capacity Fee, Fixed and Variable O & M, and Energy Fees, or their equivalent, including all applicable indices and taxes.

Bidder may also express their offer in a per kilo-watt hour basis with yearly adjustment of not more than 4% of 75% of the contract price.

The Bidder shall specify the formula for the computation of the submitted contract price. The Bidder must also specify the base fee adjustment formula, if any, and all applicable adjustments in percent by which each component is affected by price factors such as CPI, Forex, and escalation due to fuel degradation.

There shall be no indexation on Capital Recovery Fee. Evaluation of price offers shall consider delivered cost at FBPC receiving point/s.

15

Taxes

Prospective Bidders shall indicate all applicable taxes including future taxes, fees, and imposts.

16

Price Cap

FBPC shall set a price ceiling which will be disclosed before the opening of bid proposals and after all bids are submitted

by Prospective Bidders.

17

Reduction in Contract Capacity

The Contract Capacity and its Associated Energy may be reduced equivalent to the reduction in the demand of FBPC’s captive market by reason of the implementation of Retail Competition and Open Access, RA No. 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, or other laws, and legal requirements to which FBPC is required to comply.

18

Grounds for Termination

The following shall be the grounds to which the resulting PSA of this CSP may be terminated: • Event of Default • Non-fulfilment of conditions to effective date • Certain events of Force Majeure • Expiration of Term • Upon Mutual Agreement • Change in circumstances

19

Pre-Qualification

Interested Bidders shall submit the following documents which must be delivered by hand and be stamped RECEIVED by the Third Party Bids and Awards Committee (TPBAC) Secretariat not later than 5:00PM of July 29, 2020 at the FBPC Main Office located at Kapitan Ponso Ext., Polacion 2, Bauan, Batangas. a.

Notarized Letter of Intent (LOI) to participate, signed by a duly authorized representative, indicating the following: 1.

Full name of the company 2.

Complete address 3.

Telephone number and/or fax number 4.

Name of principal contact 5.

Email address and mobile number of principal contact b.

Original or certified true copy of Secretary’s Certificate authorizing the company’s participation in the CSP c.

Summary of Company Profile and List of Products and Services or a Latest Company Brochure signed on each page by the Company’s duly authorized representative. d.

Certified true copy of DTI Business Name Registration or SEC Registration Certificate e.

Certified true copy of valid and current Mayor’s Permit/Municipal License/Business Permit f.

Certified true copy of Value Added Tax (VAT Registration) g.

Certified true copy of the latest available Audited Financial Statement h.

Certified true copy of valid Tax Clearance from the BIR

EURO PACKAGE OK’D. European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen (left) and European Council President Charles Michel (right) bump elbows at the end of the news conference following a four days European summit at the European Council in Brussels, Belgium, early July 21, 2020. EU leaders approved a 750-billion-euro package to revive their coronavirus-ravaged economies after a tough 90-hour summit on July 21, along with a trillion-euro budget for the next seven years. AFP

*Except for the valid Tax Clearance from the BIR which must be certified by the BIR, all requirements which are required to be a CTC of the original may be certified by the duly authorized representative or the custodian of the required document.

Marks & Spencer says 950 jobs under threat LONDON, United Kingdom―British clothing-to-food retailer Marks & Spencer could ax up to 950 management and administrative jobs to counter slumping profits and sales in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, it said Monday.

The high-street stalwart, which had already been suffering from fierce online competition from the likes of US giant Amazon, has seen its troubles compounded by the COVID-19 lockdown that shuttered shops nationwide.

The enforced closures, which sought to halt the spread of the killer disease, were imposed on March 23 and lasted almost three months for non-essential stores.

M&S had in May revealed that annual net profit slumped by almost 50 percent, booked a sizeable charge for the coronavirus outbreak, and added it would slash costs.

The company added on Monday that the latest proposed cutbacks were part of its transformation plan.

“M&S is now proposing to implement

these changes and create a new retail management structure that is fit for the future―removing role duplication, providing clearer leadership accountabilities and freeing up its retail teams to focus more on the customer,” it said in a statement.

“The proposed changes would affect 950 roles across central support functions in field and central operations and property and store management.”

In Britain, the coronavirus outbreak, in tandem with a tough retail climate, has sparked the demise of several wellknown high-street names and the loss of thousands of jobs.

Earlier this month, pharmacy giant Boots and department store group John Lewis said they would together ax at least 5,300 jobs, despite government efforts to safeguard employment.

Some 9.3 million UK workers have had up to 80 percent of their wages paid for by the UK government under its furlough scheme, which ends in October. AFP

Qualified Bidders shall be notified through a formal letter three (3) working days after the submission of the prequalification documents.

All Qualified Bidders may purchase the Bid Document package upon payment of a non-refundable Bid Document Fee of PhP 100,000.00 starting 9:00AM of July 27, 2020 at the FBPC Main Office.

20

Bidding Schedule

1a

First Publication of Invitation to Bid

July 15, 2020

Invitation of Competitive Selection Process Observers

General Newspaper DOE and ERC Website

1b

Second Publication of Invitation to Bid

July 22, 2020

General Newspaper

2

Deadline for Submission of Pre-Qualification Documents

July 29, 2020

5:00 PM @ FBPC Building, Kapitan Ponso Ext., Poblacion 2, Bauan, Batangas

3

Last day of Issuance of Notice to qualified bidders of Eligibility to Bid

August 4, 2020

4

Availability of Bid documents

July 27 to August 17, 2020

9:00 AM @ FBPC Building, Kapitan Ponso Ext., Poblacion 2, Bauan, Batangas

5

Deadline for Submission of Comments and Questions on the Bid

August 7, 2020

Not later than 5:00 PM thru tpbacsecretariat@firstbaypower.com

6

Pre-Bid Conference

August 13, 2020

9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Via Zoom or google Meet or any other means of virtual communication available

7

Issuance of Bid Bulletin/s, if necessary

August 20, 2020

8

Deadline for Submission of Bids

August 27, 2020

9:00 AM @ FBPC Building, Kapitan Ponso Ext., Poblacion 2, Bauan, Batangas

9

Opening of Bids

August 27, 2020

10:00 AM @ FBPC Building, Kapitan Ponso Ext., Poblacion 2, Bauan, Batangas

10

Post Qualification of Bids

September 2-3, 2020

11

Issuance of Notice of Award to Winning Bidder

September 4, 2020

12

Signing of PSA

September 11, 2020

The Bauan Plaza Hotel J.P. Rizal St., Poblacion, Bauan, Batangas

13

Filing with ERC

September 17, 2020

ERC Office

14

Start of Supply

January 26, 2021 MS (JULY 15 & 22, 2020)

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

B4

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020

Business

BSP cuts reserves of thrift, rural banks IN BRIEF

BDO Leasing swings to net profit of P81m BDO Leasing and Finance Inc., the leasing and financing unit of BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in the country, registered P81 million in net earnings in the first half of 2020, a turnaround from a P29-million loss year-on-year.

BDO said in a statement Tuesday the first-half performance “was due to successful measures implemented to address margin compression.”

Gross revenues totaled P1.3 billion, after lease and loan receivables declined 23 percent, partly due to the sale of a portion of the company’s lower yielding portfolio to mitigate the impact of margin compression, and to the implementation of IFRS 16 which required leases to be booked on-balance sheet, thus diminishing their attractiveness to corporate borrowers.

Meanwhile, total expenses fell 25 percent to P1.2 billion on year on reduced borrowings and lower interest and financing charges, which were down 53 percent, given the decline in interest rates.

Earlier this year, BDO Leasing’s parent company, BDO signed an agreement to sell a controlling stake in BDO Leasing to a third party. Julito G. Rada

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Tuesday reduced the reserve requirement ratios of thrift, rural and cooperative banks by 100 basis points effective July 31 to inject more liquidity in the financial system amid the spread of COVID-19.

It said with the reduction, the reserve requirements of thrift banks and rural/ cooperative banks would go down to 3 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the “reduction of 1 percent on deposits/ deposit substitute liabilities amounting to one trillion of thrift banks and rural/ cooperative banks will release estimated liquidity of P10 billion.”

“The reduction is expected to increase lending capacity of these banks to sup-

port financing requirements of their micro-, small- and medium enterprise as well as rural community-based clients.

It will also help lower intermediation costs and ease financial strain faced by these banks’ customers,” Diokno said in a statement.

The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the BSP, earlier approved a 200-basis point reduction in the reserve requirements of universal/commercial

banks and non-bank financial institutions with quasi-banking functions.

“This move is also part of the BSP’s omnibus package of reforms aimed at assisting the banking public with their liquidity requirements during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and supporting the transition towards a sustainable recovery during the post- crisis period,” Diokno said.

Reserve requirement, also called cash reserve ratio, is a central bank regulation that sets the minimum fraction of customer deposits and notes that each bank should hold as reserves and could not be lent out.

Diokno said the country has a stable liquidity condition following the previous four successive cuts in the policy rate and the reduction in the reserve requirement ratios this year.

Sell more social bonds to fight virus, banks told BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno urged banks to increase their social and sustainability bonds issuance as one way of helping the country recover from the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

Diokno, in a speech during the WWF Philippines and Bankers Association of the Philippines CEO Breakfast Forum on BSP Sustainable Finance Framework held July 21, said banks must refocus their strategy toward sectors and activities that support sustainable recovery.

“By harmonizing sustainability with recovery efforts, banks can seize various opportunities. First, banks can step up its social and sustainability bonds issuance. The health crisis put an enormous brunt on the country’s health, educational, food security and micro, small, and medium enterprises,” Diokno said.

He said channeling funds to support these sectors could help boost the country’s response to the pandemic and fast-track economic recovery. Julito G. Rada

DAVAO WATER PROJECT. Construction workers practice social distancing as they lay the reinforcing bars for the base slab of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project’s treatment plant’s settling tanks. Apo Agua Infrastructure Inc., a joint venture of Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. and J.V. Angeles Construction Corp., accelerated construction works on the project of Davao City Water District.

Itplans to hire over 3,000 workers by November this year. Apo Agua signed in about 1,500 workers for the DCBWSP so far, bringing the total target manpower requirement to 4,500.

DTI proposes P83-b incentive package for electric vehicle sector

By Othel V. Campos THE Department of Trade and Industry proposed an P83billion incentive package to support the local manufacturing of electric vehicles.

Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba said in a webinar Tuesday the support to the e-vehicle subsector would come in the form of production assistance and consumer subsidy.

“What we are proposing is the implementation of the electric vehicle incentive strategy, and it is being included in the EV bill of Senator Win Gatchalian. The objective is to provide time-bound, targeted, performance-based perks and transparent fiscal and non-fiscal support in order to attract EV and EV parts manufacturing, particularly electronic parts and other strategic components, batteries, charging stations and the establishment of testing facilities in terms of the production support,” Aldaba said.

The American Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines organized the webinar as a part of a series of virtual discussions on legislative measures and updates.

The government aims to provide around P30 billion in fiscal support to manufacturers of public utility vehicles and buses, trucks and passenger cars, battery, auto electronics and charging stations on top of an initial package of P53 billion fiscal support for buyers of EVs. Manufacturing of non-EV vehicles would continue to enjoy income tax holiday and other perks that the government was offering.

The Philippines is expected to have a stock of 36 million units of motor vehicles by 2030 and 6.6 million of these would be EV. At least half of the projected inventory of EV will be locally-manufactured, Aldaba said.

“We are targeting to manufacture 100 percent adoption rate for PUVs, trucks and 3-wheelers, 50 percent for e-buses and 2-wheelers, 23 for UVs other than PUVs and 3 percent for passenger cars.

Sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle are still small in the Philippines, with only 54 manufacturers and importers, 19 charging stations,11 parts manufacturers, 18 dealers and traders. The industry employs 71,840 workers, both direct and indirect.

14.39 PTS.

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES

2,521,895,537 63,588

TOTAL VALUE 4,373,241,184.32 ADVANCES 95

6,136.31

DECLINES 91 UNCHANGED 52

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, JULY 21, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.4150

Japan

Yen

0.009326

0.4608

UK

Pound

1.266300

62.5742

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129001

6.3746

Switzerland

Franc

1.064736

52.6139

Canada

Dollar

0.738934

36.5144

Singapore

Dollar

0.719787

35.5683

Australia

Dollar

0.701500

34.6646

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652309

131.063

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

13.1773

Brunei

Dollar

0.717206

35.4407

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.031447

1.5540

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.4543

Euro

Euro

1.144400

56.5505

Korea

Won

0.000833

0.0412

China

Yuan

0.143031

7.0679

India

Rupee

0.013380

0.6612

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.234632

11.5943

New Zealand

Dollar

0.657300

32.4805

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033950

1.6776 Source: BSP

AgriNurture acquires 51% of IT firm Pay8 for P377.9m

made up most of the sales booked in the second quarter.

Its big ticket projects in Arden Botanical Estate (Cavite), Eastland Heights in Antipolo, Rizal, Hamptons Caliraya in Laguna, McKinley Hill and McKinley West in Taguig and the projects in Makati City and Pasig City contributed to the bulk of the period’s reservation sales.

“Even during the ‘enhanced community quarantine in Luzon during the second quarter, we received a lot of inquiries and reservations via our online channels mostly coming from the upper mid-market,” Gutierrez-Alfonso said.

The company opened its showrooms for residential projects across the country with enhanced safety protocols in place such as pre-visit registration, contactless payments, document sanitation and digital presentations aside from the standard regular disinfection of the showroom premises and equipment.

Clients who visit showrooms are also given their own hygiene kits for personal safety.

Jenniffer B. Austria

LISTED agriculture company AgriNurture Inc. said it is acquiring a majority stake in information technology firm Pay8 Inc. for P377.9 million.

AgriNuture said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the acquisition was part of the group’s vision to launch borderless digital ecosystem that would empower the farm sector.

Under the plan, Agriculture will acquire up to 51 percent of Pay8’s authorized capital stock from DFNN subsidiary HatchAsia, after effecting the increase in its capitalization.

“The intended acquisition is part of completing the agricultural ecosystem being envisioned by ANI. The financial platform that will be introduced is anticipated to reach the farmers mostly in the unserved rural areas of the country,” AgriNurture said.

Hatchasia Inc. and Pay 8 Inc. are companies primarily engaged in the business of Information and technology that provide multiple systems ad platforms to various industries. The deal is still subject to due diligence.

Following the disclosure, the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday suspended the trading of AgriNurture, pending the submission of additional information on the transaction.

Prior to the trading suspension, share price of AgriNuture closed at P8.19 on Monday.

AgriNurture’s parent firm Earthright Holdings Inc. in January acquired a significant stake in a local rural bank to jumpstart the group’s plan to provide digital banking and microfinance lending services to Filipino farmers.

EHI purchased shares in Binangonan Rural Bank Inc. which owns one of the few electronic money issuer licenses issued by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Together with BRB, the company’s e-wallet can now be in sync with ATM cards of the bank and allows farmers to access cash anytime anywhere.

2 1600

Angkas taps UP health experts to draw up motorcycle taxi rules

Megaworld booked P38b in reservation sales in first semester despite pandemic MEGAWORLD Corp., the property unit of billionaire Andrew Tan, said Tuesday it booked P38 billion in reservation sales from several residential projects in the first semester, despite the market difficulties brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Megaworld generated around P17 billion in reservation sales in the second quarter during the height of the implementation of enhanced community quarantine.

“While the method of selling real estate during quarantine period was quite challenging, our digital sales strategies that we’ve been working on since two years ago paved the way for faster, smoother and safer transactions and client engagements. We thank all our customers for the trust and confidence even during this time,” Megaworld chief operating officer Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso said.

Reservation sales in June hit a high of P7 billion on strong demand for residential lots in Cavite, Laguna and Rizal and residential properties in Boracay Newcoast and Iloilo Business Park.

Megaworld’s provincial properties

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Phoenix bares P10-b commercial paper sale PHILIPPINE Rating Services Corp. (PhilRatings) assigned a credit rating of PRS Aa minus (corp.) with a stable outlook on the outstanding three-year, ₱10-billion commercial paper program of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. Phoenix said a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Tuesday it may issue CP until 2021 to finance the company’s working capital requirements.

Phoenix plans to issue short-term commercial paper totaling P3.5 billion on July 29.

The company proposes to offer Series D commercial papers with an aggregate principal amount of up to P2 billion and an over-subscription option of up to P1.5 billion.

“In relation thereto, please be advised that the CP Series D shall be issued at a discount to face value of 5 percent per annum,” the company said.

It said the Series D commercial papers would have a tenor of 360 days from the issue date (tentatively scheduled on July 29).

The company engaged PNB Capital as the arranger of the CP sale.

Alena Mae S. Flores

PSE INDEX CLOSING

By Darwin G. Amojelar

BOHOL CONNECTIVITY. PLDT Inc. and wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. speed up network expansion and upgrade efforts in Bohol province in time for the celebration of Bohol Day. All Bohol’s municipalities are now covered by Smart’s 4G/LTE network, while PLDT completed its fiber rollout across the province. This is part of PLDT and Smart’s continuing nationwide network improvement program.

RIDE-HAILING service provider Angkas said it hired health experts to ensure its motorcycle taxi service is safe as it pushes for the return of operation under the new normal.

Angkas tapped the University of the Philippines-College of Public Health to provide guidelines and recommendations for the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the transport industry.

The UP-CPH-Angkas partnership was founded on the mutual commitment of two organization to ensure public health and safety, especially at the time when people are venturing out of their homes as the economy reopens.

UPCPH assistant professor Dr. Paul Michael Hernandez enumerated some highlights of the health protocol to be implemented for motorcycle drivers and passengers.

“Riders can disinfect regularly-touched surfaces frequently. They should also do handwashing and the usual respiratory etiquette.

Aside from wearing masks, riders can use their own helmets. The better the ventilation, the higher the wind speed, the more they can access clean air. We can explore barriers in lessening the transmission of the virus once the motorcycle taxis,” he said.

Hernandez recommended the use of shields between the driver and passengers as additional layer of protection and reduce the risk of transmission. Angkas’ protective shield was approved by the IATF last week.

George Royeca, Angkas chief transport advocate, said the ride-hailing app has always been about collaboration.

“We want to work with the experts. We want to work with different stakeholders and to help the people. I hope the government regulators will welcome this study,” Royeca said in a virtual press briefing.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020

Mikee to make sure Tokyo games push through in ‘21

The first fight of Eumir Felix Marcial (left), shown here after one of his amateur victories, could take place in October.

Hamilton’s criticism of anti-racism effort rejected BUDAPEST—Formula One bosses reacted to Lewis Hamilton’s stinging criticism of their confused anti-racism efforts by saying that the sport is on course to make lasting changes.

Six-time champion Hamilton, the only black driver on the grid, spoke out after winning Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix to go top of the embryonic drivers’ championship after three races.

He said F1 was not doing enough, lacked leadership and had presented a campaign that required better coordination—adding that he would pushing for improvement this week.

He said the sport’s ‘We Race As One’ campaign had made no progress since its pre-season launch.

Following another hurried and shambolic pre-race anti-racism ceremony, during which several drivers took a knee while others stood, arrived late or remained absent, Hamilton said he would write to Formula One chief Chase Carey and the president of ruling body the International Motoring Federation Jean Todt.

“Moving forward, we need to speak to Formula One,” said Hamilton “They’ve got to do a better job.

It was such a rush, us getting out of the car, running over, quickly doing the knee. They need to do more.

“I don’t know why they’ve only done it for the first race. They did it at the start, but they’ve not done it since then. They’ve come out saying they’re going to be fighting for diversity and end racism, but they’re not giving us the platform to continue that.”

Referring to the muddled support for ‘taking a knee’ during the prerace routine, he added: “There definitely is not enough support for it.

“Many drivers seem to be of the opinion that they have done it once and are not going to do it again.

It’s almost like it has gone off the agenda. It’s lacking leadership.

There needs to be leadership from the top.”

Formula One responded overnight Sunday with a statement: “Ending racism and increasing diversity and inclusion in F1 is a clear priority.

Promoter plans 3 pro fights for Olympic-bound Marcial

By Peter Atencio

HERE will be three professional fights being readied for Eumir Felix Marcial, one of four national athletes, who can earn the country’s first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo next year.

T

His promoter Sean Gibbons said that all these three bouts against not-soprominent fighters will allow him to stay prepared for the Tokyo Olympics.

“We’re trying to keep in line with what he’s going to do in Tokyo. So, everything is geared towards his preparation for that,” said Gibbons from Los Angeles.

Gibbons and Marcial were the two guests of the online edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum via Zoom conference on Tuesday.

According to Gibbons, the three fights will be lined up in the months leading up to Marcial’s stint in the Tokyo Olympics next year.

The first fight could take place in October, which will be around three or four rounds. The next is being scheduled in January, with the last of the three taking

place in April.

“We hope to have three fights and we have nine months for that. That’s almost a year before the Olympics,” added Gibbons, who recently convinced the 24-year-old Marcial to ink a deal with eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao’s promotional outfit MP promotions.

Marcial, who is in training while in home quarantine in Imus, Cavite, signed up a promotional agreement with MP Promotions for the next six years.

Marcial said he wants to train under his Olympic coaching team, composed of Ronald Chavez and Australian mentor, Don Abnett, who is the coaching consultant of the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines.

“Gusto ko po silang makasama.

Hopefully, makapag-simula na ako ng

Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy

aking training,” said Marcial, who joins current world champions Pedro Taduran, Johnriel Casimero and Jerwin Ancajas under the Pacquiao stable and with Gibbons’ guidance.

Marcial said that with Chavez and Abnett, he will be able to maintain the fighting style that he has been relying on for many months since qualifying for the Olympics.

ABAP executive director Ed Picson said he has not been informed of Marcial’s desire to get the services of his Philippine team coaches for his pro bouts, but immediately informed Philippine Sports Commissioner Fernandez about it.

“Fernandez told me that we (PSC and ABAP) will sit down to discuss the possibilities regarding this situation,” said Picson.

Marcial has been provided with equipment by the ABAP. The Philippine Sports Commission and ABAP are helping Marcial form a team of experts to help him prepare for the Tokyo Olympics.

The agency is also set to let him use to the boxing gym at the Rizal Memo-

In the letter to the OSG, Ramirez sought “assistance in instituting proper proceedings relative to the complaint filed against Paul Michael Ignacio” including garnishment of all real or personal preparty and the reversion of these back to the government.

Just a week ago, Ignacio was taken by the National Bureau of Investigation agents acting on the request of PSC’s Executive Director Merlita Ibay for assistance on the discovered payroll padding committed by Ignacio. This also prompted the agency to take stock of its entire operations, some areas of which received ISO certification just last year.

“The board is 100% with the Chairman on

MAKING sure that the Tokyo Olympics will push through is among Asian Games’ champion Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski’s responsibilities in the International Olympic Committee.

The 46-year-old Cojuangco-Jaworski, who was voted as a member of the IOC’s Executive Board last Friday, said this is one of her duties, aside from accepting her role as chairman of the Olympic body’s education commission.

“Nakatutok ako dito. This has been my exposure,” said CojuangcoJaworski in a radio interview.

Cojuangco-Jaworski remains part of the Tokyo Olympics Coordination Commission, which announced that all the venues intended for the Games in 2020 have been secured for next year.

The commission has also confirmed that all 43 competition venues are ready, including the Olympic Village, the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre that will be used for the Olympic Games in 2021.

The daughter of former Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco’s served for many years as the IOC’s Representative to the Philippines before being elected to the Executive Board of the world’s Olympic body.

“My work and focus now have become global,” she added Her new post was conferred to her during an online meeting of the IOC’s 136th session.

In the meeting, the first virtual session in the IOC’s history, CojaungcoJaworski replaced world champion pole vaulter Sergey Bubka, whose eight-year term on the board came to an end.

Bubka is known to have held the indoor world record of 6.15 meters, set in 1993 in Donetsk before it was broken by France’s Renaud Lavillenie, when he cleared 6.16 metres in 2014.

Cojuangco-Jaworski’s responsibility also revolves around the administration of the IOC and the monitoring of compliance of member countries with the Olympic Charter. Peter Atencio

Petchmorakot looks to cement legendary status REIGNING ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy knows there will be much more at stake when he defends his strap against “The Boxing Computer” Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex.

The Thai stars will co-headline the upcoming ONE: NO SURRENDER on July 31 in Bangkok, Thailand, where Petchmorakot hopes to cement his status as the best in the division.

“This upcoming bout is the most important Muay Thai fight of my life,” Petchmorakot told ONEFC.com.

“Yodsanklai is already known worldwide. He is a great fighter and a legend. If I can beat Yodsanklai, I will be accepted and known globally.”

Yodsanklai made a name for himself by becoming a two-time Lumpinee Stadium Champion and a WBC Muay Thai World Champion, and the Petchyindee Academy athlete knows that a win here over his beloved compatriot would bode well for his career.

“I am really thrilled and excited to meet Yodsanklai, who is a legend that the whole country knows,” Petchmorakot said.

“I’m training twice as hard for this upcoming

Ramirez writes SolGen to seize assets of payroll scammer BACK from his month-long leave to take care of his sick wife, Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez hit the ground r unning Monday, writing the Off ice of the Solicitor General seeking help on the agency’s case against one of its staff discovered to be cheating the government in a payroll scam.

“We need all the help we can get to get to the bottom of this and make every effort that nothing of this sort ever happens again,” explained Ramirez, who also convened the sports agency’s board the same day to discuss the matter as well as other pertinent matters needing the body’s decision.

C1

this,” said Commissioner Ramon Fernandez who was Officer in Charge when the irregularity came to notice.

Atty. Guillermo Iroy, Jr., Deputy Executive Director for Support has been appointed to lead the legal team in pursuing the case.

In the same board meeting, it was also approved to have process and organizational auditors to help the agency in its mission to fortify all bureaus. Ramirez explained that “we need fresh eyes to take a look at our processes and seek out areas that need to be strengthened.” Another online meeting is set on Wednesday between the board and the audit team.

William Ramirez

bout. This is my first title defense, [and I am] fighting in my homeland to show people what I’ve got.”

Asked about his advantage against the savvy veteran, Petchmorakot plans to use his youth to gain the lead in this contest.

At age 26, Petchmorakot is nine years younger than Yodsanklai, who has been through different wars over nearly two decades —and the World Champion plans to push him deep into the match.

“His weakness is that he is aging,” Petchmorakot said.

“He may be exhausted by round four or round five. I will use my youth against him, keep pushing him to exhaust his energy, and bring him down.”

Competitiveness aside, however, Petchmorakot has always looked up to Yodsanklai and he plans to keep that good relationship with him after the match.

“Yodsanklai, let’s bring our best for this upcoming bout,” Petchmorakot said. “Let’s continue our friendship after the bout.”

Catch ONE: NO SURRENDER live and for free by downloading the ONE Super App.

Sports Memories of Bryant loom large for Lakers

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

NBA: Zero positives in latest test M

IAMI—The latest round of COVID-19 testing at the NBA’s campus in Orlando found zero positive cases out of 346 players tested, the NBA said on Monday.

since March, when the coronavirus pandemic erupted across North America.

The league is relaunching its season with teams based in Orlando for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Clippers center Montrezl Harrell is the latest player to leave the NBA’s Florida campus Friday, departing to deal with a family emergency, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Harrell, whose 18.4 points off the bench are third most by a reserve in the NBA this season, is expected to return to the team at a later date, the newspaper said, citing a source famil-

In a brief statement, the NBA said tion,” the NBA said in a statement.

MIAMI—LeBron James said on Monthe latest figures related to testing On July 13, the NBA said two day memories of Kobe Bryant are still looming large for the Los Angeles Lakcarried out since July 13, when re- players had tested positive for COers as the team steps up preparations for sults of the last wave of tests were VID-19 since arriving in Orlando, the NBA’s relaunched season in Florida. announced. where the league is gearing up for its Six months after Bryant, his daughter “In the event that a player on the season restart later this month.

Gianna and seven other people died in a NBA campus returns a confirmed However neither player had fully helicopter crash in Los Angeles, James positive test in the future, he will be cleared quarantine and had not been said he still thinks of the late Lakers legisolated until he is cleared for leaving admitted to the NBA’s “bubble” at Disend every day. isolation under the rules established by ney World.

“A day doesn’t go by where I don’t the NBA and the Players AssociaThe NBA has been in shutdown think about him,” James said when asked about Bryant. “A day doesn’t go by where our organization does not remember him and think about not only Kobe, but Gigi, (wife) Vanessa, and the other girls.

“They’re part of this family. Just as big as anybody in this organization’s history, so we still wear 24 and 8 and No. 2 with pride and remembrance of how great they were.”

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said he believed Bryant’s death, which sent shockwaves around the world of sport, had bound his team closer together.

“Any time a group like ours goes through something so emotionally deep, I just think it forms bonds, strengthened our group,” Vogel told reporters in Orlando.

“You never want something like that to happen, but I do think that’s the effect of something like that. We always, even prior to this happening, we wanted to embody what he stood for and even more so now with what happened. We want to honor his memory.”

Vogel said the sense of shared purpose amongst the Lakers squad could serve the team well once they enter the playoffs determined to honor Bryant’s legacy.

Honoring toughness “I think there’s going to be a daily mindset of honoring the work and having that toughness about us,” Vogel said.

“When we get into the playoffs, there will be opportunities and situations where we’ll refresh our mindset of things that he stood for and what his approach was from a competitive spirit LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during practice with his teammates as part of the NBA Restart 2020 in Orlando, Florida. AFP standpoint. AFP

UAAP Season 82 celebrates unity, sportsmanship in virtual closing rites DESPITE an abrupt end to UAAP Season 82 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s premier collegiate league will officially wrap up the season on a high note with a virtual closing ceremony that will celebrate unity and sportsmanship in the entire UAAP community.

The special online event, hosted by Mico Halili and Denice Dinsay of ABS-CBN Sports, will go live on July 25 (Saturday) at 4 p.m. on the ABS-CBN Sports website (sports.abs-cbn.com), Facebook, and YouTube accounts, with delayed telecast on LIGA cable sports channel at 7 p.m.

The closing ceremony will be a culmination of the first and second semester UAAP sports, highlighting the success and hard work of the eight member schools while also putting the spotlight on the athletes who were unable to finish their season due to the cancelation of the games.

“Lalabas ‘yun doon sa closing ceremonies, just to highlight na, one, as a community, as a nation, we are here to help everyone, that’s one. And two, itong mga atleta na ‘to na mga hindi nakapaglaro or natapos, they are part of Season 82,” said UAAP Season 82 president Em Fernandez of host school Ateneo de Manila University in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

UAAP announced the cancelation of

Season 82 on April 7 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Second semester sports such as volleyball, football, baseball, softball, track and field, lawn tennis, and 3x3 basketball were not completed or did not start at all.

The UAAP will also be awarding UST as general champions for both the high

IT’S GOOD to be back!

It took five years, a series of calamities and a disturbing pandemic for me to be able to find my way back to the hub.

This is The Link, a column which I created more than five years ago and it was born here at the Manila Standard, a daily newspaper I’ve worked for 12 years ago, back at the time when I was scrambling for a place to work with.

Thankfully, my amiable boss, Riera Mallari, a fellow Lycean and sports editor of this paper, agreed to take me in to become a part of his staff.

Part of the new normal in this period of pandemic is to see lots of throwback stuff. Reruns being shown on television. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls coming up with a documentary that has been more than 20 years in the making and Netflix now showing

Ronaldo puts Juve on brink of 9th straight Serie A crown TURIN—Cristiano Ronaldo put Juventus on the brink of a ninth consecutive Italian league title on Monday after he scored twice in a 2-1 win over Lazio to become the first player to hit 50 goals in Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League.

Juventus ended a three-match winless run thanks to Ronaldo’s second-half brace that moves them eight points clear of second-placed Inter Milan with four games remaining.

Maurizio Sarri’s side could win the title on Thursday against lowly Udinese, or on Sunday at home against Sampdoria, depending on their rivals’ results this week.

“We are missing four points, only after we have achieved them will we then be able to think about the goal achieved,” said Sarri.

“All the games are difficult now, and in the space of six days, we play three games. So, we must stay focused and think about securing the missing points.”

Sarri added: “Cristiano is an impressive player because he has the extraordinary ability to complete a quick recovery between games.

“Not only physically, but, above all, mentally: he is a champion with his feet, but also with his head.”

Ronaldo grabbed the first goal from the penalty spot just after the break and was handed a tap-in three minutes later by teammate Paulo Dybala.

The Portuguese has scored 30 goals this season, equal with Lazio’s Ciro Immobile, who ended his three-match drought with a late penalty. His second was his 50th goal in Serie A, after also passing the landmark in England and Spain.

The 35-year-old is now looking to become the first player to finish top scorer in three of the top five European leagues after doing so England and Spain.

“Records are always important, but the team victory is more important,” said Ronaldo.

“I’m helping the team to win. It’s important to win the title. There are four games left and we know that Serie A is a difficult championship.”

Lazio regrets Lazio’s hopes of a first Serie A title since 2000 are effectively over as the defeat leaves them fourth, 11 points adrift of the leaders.

Just one point had separated Juventus from Lazio when Serie A returned last month following the three-month coronavirus lockdown. AFP

Linking the past with the present

THE LINK REY JOBLE

school and seniors divisions. This is the sixth straight overall championship for the Tiger Cubs and fourth straight for the Growling Tigers.

Also set to receive their awards are the Season 82 MVPs for high school and college, while selected athlete-scholars from

the different universities will also be recognized. The league, however, will be unable to award an Athlete of the Year for this season.

The online gathering, according to ABS-CBN Integrated Sports head Dino Laurena, will celebrate the dedication of all athletes and the efforts of the entire UAAP community, noting that it has always been their mission in ABS-CBN Sports to honor and pay tribute to the work and dedication of athletes, no matter what the circumstances or challenges the sports organization is confronting.

“ABS-CBN Sports remains faithful to its advocacy of promoting the values that sports teaches all of us. It is in this light that we want to pay tribute to our athletes who put in months of sacrifice and preparation to be able to play at a high level in the UAAP. We hope they stay hungry and passionate about the game they love, and we cannot wait to see them playing again,” he said.

Spicing up the celebration are feature performances by ABS-CBN artists Ylona Garcia and Inigo Pascual. Sponge Cola and Itchyworms, the Pinoy rock bands that performed the official UAAP Season 82 anthem “Ang Ating Tagumpay” at the opening ceremony, will also make a special appearance.

iar with the situation.When he does, he’ll be required to quarantine between four and 10 days before he can participate in NBA activities at the locked-down NBA “bubble” at Walt Disney World in Orlando, where the league is hoping to keep the coronavirus at bay.The Clippers are scheduled to play the first of their eight “seeding games” against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 30 as the league resumes its coronavirus disrupted season.On Thursday, New Orleans star rookie Zion Williamson left the bubble for what the Pelicans called an “urgent family medical matter.”

Williamson, too, is expected to rejoin his team. AFP

a lot of absolute classics, including The Godfather Trilogy and Scarface, among others.

Retro has become a trend as sports podcasts featuring athletes and coaches, who took their time out to relive their journeys to success, also popped up during the quarantine period.

One good thing about these podcasts is that these personalities won’t hold back telling stories that were prevented from being disclosed before. But now, they are freely divulging them, knowing that these were just things of the past.

These were untold stories. They’re timeless treasures and this has been the purpose of The Link when it was created five years ago—to link the past and the present.

I was fortunate to run a podcast, ClutchPoint Podcast, which I share with Aldrin Alejo, who convinced me to become the face and the voice behind this new platform that has remained strange to me. Strange, but fun, to the point that I have invested a lot of time, effort and even shell out my

own money just to buy equipment— from video cam, to condenser microphone, and even ring light, desk lamp and headphone.

The learning never stops and by Season 2, we intend to rename it The Link.

Because of our podcasts, we were able to determine how bitter Jojo Lastimosa was in losing the MVP award to Alvin Patrimonio in 1991, how Patrimonio and Codiñera, who portrayed the perfect role as a dynamic tandem up front whenever Purefoods battles some of their big counterparts, were bitter rivals during practice and it spilled over when they hotly contested the MVP award in 1993.

It was with this podcast that we learned Franz Pumaren chose friendship over loyalty, the reason why he left San Miguel Beer and joined Norman Black at Mobiline, giving bearing to his close ties with his long-time Beermen mentor and setting aside a reunion of sorts with his old coach Ron Jacobs.

We were able to know how twotime PBA Coach of the Year Perry

Ronquillo admitted that despite winning back-to-back championships for Shell in 1998 and 1999, he only used three set plays, giving more emphasis on quality over quantity, the same philosophy upheld by the late great Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz to Karl Malone and John Stockton.

What about multi-titled mentor and two-time grand slam coach Tim Cone telling several interesting stories about Johnny Abarrientos, including forcing Alaska to call a halt to its first day of practice when the diminutive guard, barely standing 5-foot-8, executed his kili-kili shot against 6-foot-7 Alex Araneta? Or how Kerby Raymundo asked for a trade as he couldn’t get along with James Yap during the coach’s first conference with the old Purefoods franchise and how Cone’s three decades of friendship came to an end when the veteran bench tactician left Alaska for Purefoods.

Then, there’s Black recalling how his former player Jerry Samlani of Magnolia took a shot at the wrong basket, eliciting laughter on the entire ULTRA

crowd and Glenn Capacio proudly admitting that limiting Carlos Briggs, who averaged 60 points per game for Añejo in the 1989 season of the PBA, was his badge of honor, leading to his inclusion to the All-Defensive Team, a company which he cracked seven times more.

And yes, there’s Yeng Guiao, with his quotable quotes.

“Mas malalaki pa suweldo ng players sa akin nu’ng nag-uumpisa pa lang ako sa Swift.”

“Maraming players diyan na bigyan mo lang ng chance, turuan mo ng sistema mo, i-motivate natin na kapag gumaling ka, baka ‘yung suweldo mo, madagdagan. Magpu-pursige naman ‘yan. Tapos medyo sigaw-sigawan mo, mura-murahin mo para matakot sa iyo para gumanda laro. ‘Yun ang formula roon.”

All these and more, you can lear n during the ClutchPoint Podcast episodes.

For now, I’m grateful to share this two words—I’m back.

Entertainment Entertainment

YoutubeSUPERSTARS superstars VENTURE venture into YOUTUBE INTO music MUSIC

YouTube personalities Jayzam Manabat and Camille Trinidad, collectively known as JaMill, are launching their debut single produced under Star PoP titled “Tayo Hanggang Dulo” on Friday.

The modern love song represents the power couple’s romantic journey, from the moment they met to the trials that they faced and the sacrifices that they made as they became more committed to each other. The track’s main message is that “forever” is possible in a relationship, if you work hard enough to earn it.

Matching the unique yet raw content of their vlogs, JaMill’s first venture into music through “Tayo Hanggang Dulo” presents a lyricallymoving song on top of the prevailing hip-hop/

urban beats that’s popular nowadays.

JaMill is a couple who rose to fame through fun and unique vlogs posted on YouTube. Just two years since they launched their channel, Jayzam and Camille already amassed a number of accomplishments as internet personalities, such as having the fastest channel to reach a million subscribers in the entire Southeast Asia. They also have over a billion total views on their channel and was ranked as the number 1 local “YouTube Vlogger” in the Philippines.

Fans of JaMill, who are individually referred to as “Mandirigma,” will also be delighted as the YouTube superstars are set to hold a fan fest coinciding with the song’s release. Dubbed as “Tayo Hanggang Dulo,

JaMill (Mandirigma Day),” the event will run for an hour filled with fun games, interviews, and other fan-engaging activities.

It’s also a celebration of the duo’s latest milestone—reaching 10 million subscribers on their YouTube channel. be inspired by JaMill’s faithful devotion to each other in the couple’s upcoming debut single “Tayo Hanggang Dulo” dropping in various digital streaming platforms.

Tickets for the “Tayo Hanggang Dulo, JaMill” virtual fan fest can be availed by logging on to www.ktx.abs-cbn.com for only Php 199.00.

For more details, like StarPoP PH on Facebook (www.facebook.com/starpopph), and follow it on and Instagram (@starpopph).

Everyone is welcome in The Vice Ganda Network ox office and television star Vice Ganda is launching his own network (www. viceganda.com.ph), a move supported by AbS-CbN and is managed by the marketing team of Viva entertainment. The digital platform offers exclusive entertainment content.

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Fans can get front row seats of the programs via their mobile devices. Programs scheduled to stream on the platform include talk show Gabing Gabi Na Vice, a 10-episode sitcom, an interactive game show, a karaoke challenge, and documentaries.

“My vision was to provide entertainment to the people. There’s so much going on right now, so the least we could do is to provide a little diversion,” Vice Ganda told Manila Standard in an online interview.

“Apart from the main objective of the platform, we aim to provide employment to comedians who lost their jobs because they couldn’t perform now due to the strict health and social distancing protocols that prevent us from staging live shows in comedy bars,” the 44-year-old TV host added.

The idea started when AbS-CbN management asked its stars to keep themselves relevant and visible for their fans.

“Sabi nila gumawa kayo ng paraan para maka-reach out sa publiko. Di kayo pwedeng mawala sa kamalayan ng audience. Ang dami pang pwedeng gawin sa digital.

This is the challenge and as artists we have to serve our purpose na pasayahin pa ang tao,” he recounted.

Vice Ganda tried doing a test broadcast for the spinoff of his weekly talk show, Gandang Gabi Vice, on Facebook. He was surprised that the digital version of the show, which he called Gabing Gabi Na Vice, received massive response from the netizens.

“Nagsimula yung show with 50,000 concurrent viewers or the number of people watching at the same time and by the end of the show, it had 1.5 million views and comments,” Vice Ganda shared.

The comedian also hopes to provide employment to displaced workers in AbS-CbN, from writers to graphic artists, and to cameramen to small talents.

“I’d like to provide employment dun sa natengga dahil wala na ang live performances. Ang sakit sa puso ko, hindi ko pwede pabayaan yung mga anak-anakan ko. I want to give them a platform,” Vice Ganda said adding that he has converted his two homes as studios for tapings.

“We are going to follow CoVID-19 safety protocols kahit nasa bahay kame nagtetaping,” he assured.

Viceganda.com.ph starts grinding on Friday, July 24. Its initial guest list includes internet sensations Sunshine Guimary and Donnalyn Bartolome, along with Candy Pangilinan and other Viva artists. “everyone is welcome in The Vice Ganda Network. Kahit sa ibang network pa galing, kahit from GMA,” he said dropping the names of Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, and Heart Evengelista as some of the GMA stars that he would like to collaborate with.

Vice Ganda does Oprah and DeGeneres by launching his own network dedicated to provide entertainment to his fans and employment to his colleagues affected by retrenchment and ongoing health crisis.

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wednesday, july 22,Wang, 2020 Editor Nickie

nickie.standard@gmail.com nickie.standard@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 ||

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Internet personalities and vloggers Jayzam and Camille, otherwise known as JaMill.

Next-generation muic Next-generation music rising risingininparadise paradise GLobe is teaming up with 88rising, the pioneering music and media collective synonymous with elevating Asian talent from east to West, to launch its first-ever localized label, Paradise Rising.

“We are thrilled and excited about this opportunity to put Filipino music on the map and introduce our own brand of Filipino artists,” says Globe President and Ceo Ernest Cu. “We take pride in our Filipino music, and we are honored to do our part in further unlocking the potential of Asian music in the global music industry by partnering with 88rising to recreate the local music scene with some of the best rising talents,” the executive added.

Launching this month, Paradise Rising serves as a platform to establish a presence for Filipino artists in the West and globally through music distribution, music rights management, and artists development.

To commemorate its launch, the label is releasing its first mixtape semilucent to digital retailers and streaming services on July 31. The initial project aims to reinforce the ethos of the label—bringing together a fusion of talented emerging Asian artists to the forefront through music.

Lending their voices to the album are other well-known local artists of Filipino roots: Kiana V (Pop/ R&b), Massiah (Hiphop/R&b), Jason Dhakal (R&b/Soul), Leila Alcasid (Pop) and Fern. (Indie Pop).

Fans can expect more song releases, amplified by promotional events, exciting interviews, digital content, and music video exclusives.

“The Philippines and music go hand in hand, and there is such vibrancy in the way talented young artists are emerging, and such a massive audience in love with music. We want to support their voices, help them be heard, and bring music from the Philippines to a global audience.

This label partnership brings an unprecedented opportunity for Philippine artists to achieve even greater visibility and commercial success with their music,” said Sean Miyashiro, Founder, 88rising.

With Paradise Rising, Globe and 88rising aim to discover the most promising of Filipino artists and develop a regular cadence of music releases on the label’s platform. It commits to cementing artists’ talent and creativity locally and aims to amplify them globally.

88rising is a global name in the creative music industry for bring-

From top: Kiana V, Fern., and Leila Alcasid are among the stars who lent their voices in Paradise Rising’s first mixtape.

ing Asian artists, such as Rich Brian, NIKI, Joji, and Higher Brothers, to Western audiences.

GMA Affordabox gets rave reviews, set to exceed sales projections GMA Network’s Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) receiver GMA Affordabox was well-received by the public and garnered significant demand from the market following its successful launch on June 26.

The GMA Affordabox is the Kapuso Network’s 70th anniversary offering to Filipinos -- enabling millions of households to access high-quality and affordable digital TV, bolstering the country’s transition from analog to digital TV viewing.

Customers and netizens shared their thoughts about the latest Kapuso offering as many were impressed by its quality and unique features, particularly the personal video recorder.

GMA Affordabox stays true to its name as users need not worry about any additional charges after the one-time purchase of P888. The plug-and-play device can easily be connected to an analog TV to receive digital television broadcast where users can watch GMA, GMA News TV, and Heart of Asia

in digital display, as well as all other free-to-air digital TV channels available in their area. It does not have payper-view channels or shows as GMA Affordabox does not use Conditional Access System (CAS).

In addition to its personal video recorder feature, the device can also become a multimedia player through its uSb port. It also has a nationwide emergency Warning broadcast System (eWbS) that receives alerts from the NDRRMC about any calamity warnings in their area as well as a functional auto-on alert feature.

Gaining higher demand as a result of numerous good reviews, GMA Affordabox’s sales are now set to exceed the Network’s initial projection of 600,000 units.

GMA Affordabox is available in appliance stores and online via the GMA Store on Shopee and Lazada. It is for sale in the following areas: Metro Manila, benguet, La union, Pangasinan, bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva ecija, Tarlac, batangas, Cavite,

From left: Michael V, Heart Evangelista, Dingdong Dantes for GMA Affordabox.

Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Davao de oro, Davao del Sur, and Davao del Norte.

For more details, visit www.GMAaf-

fordabox.com and its official social media accounts via the handle @ GMAaffordabox. For inquiries, contact the hotline (02) 8857-4627 within Metro

Manila from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. or 0961-252-9393 for outside Metro Manila, or e-mail support@GMAaffordabox.com.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

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FASHION AND BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020

Jill Earle sleeveless pleated skirt dress

Carmela spaghetti strap pajama set

Chic inside and outside Ansari V-neck handkerchief hem wrap dress

Ivory White peignoir set

Neel visa print wrap blouse, Pauline gartered culottes, Kirk linen utility coat

Junie short sleeve lounge set

NEW HORIZONS. Jojie Lloren’s Jill and Luna labels release new pieces made of luxe, comfortable fabrics in stylish designs.

By Steph Llarena

L

UXE, comfortable, stylish. Jojie Lloren creates a world where outdoors and indoors both possess elegance.

Lloren looks toward new horizons Luxe fabrics like crisp linen, cool while bringing to mind past travels with cottons, soft knits, slinky jerseys, and his new pieces for Jill. polyester blends, make the oversized

Black and white magic WHEN one talks about fashion staples, pieces in black and white always come to mind: LBD (little black dress), white T-shirt, black pencil skirt, crisp white shirt.

Singapore-based fashion label In Good Company, known for its classic silhouettes and volume play, updates the classics with its black and white pieces that are breathable and stylish.

Instead of looking to what’s trendy, the collection features clas-

sic tailoring re-imagined in new proportions; modern designs in colors that encompass seasons.

In Good Company now delivers its products straight to the customers in Metro Manila with its call to deliver service. Pick-up is also available.

blouses and dresses lightweight and airy—something that a modern woman out and about looks for in clothes that match our tropical weather.

High-waist pants, meanwhile, are made with pleated fronts, and are long and loose or cropped and gathered at the hem. Jumpsuits and tiered skirts round up the latest collection

Travel comes to mind in Lloren’s use of modern nautical stripes, visa stamps, and compasses printed on blouses and dresses. Understated details and accents include knots, drawstrings, unconventional gathers, and knife pleats.

For the life indoors, Luna 2020 spring/summer collection features stylish loungewear and sleepwear made

with silk charmeuse.

Pajama sets and lustrous caftans with pastel floral patterns and playful prints make wearing sleepwear all day a wonderful option.

Luna also introduces a bridal collection that includes peignoir sets in silky whites, perfect for that elegantly curated trousseau.

How to make your eyes pop while wearing a mask

Ever Bilena Pro Brow Duo

EYES up here, folks! Because they’re the only visible part of our face amid a health crisis wherein wearing masks is necessary, it is our eyes that do the talking, the smiling, the “smizing.”

EB Liquid Dip Liner

For more information, contact its outlets at SM Makati (0917-625-6622), SM Aura Premier (0917-571-7308), and Powerplant Mall (0917-895-1374).

Boston cotton shirt

Shape your brows Mask or no mask, eyebrows are the frame that helps shape the face.

For days when you can’t be bothered with other eye makeup, focus on them by shaping and filling them with Ever Bilena Pro Brow Duo (P185) and then coat your upper and lower eyelashes with the EB Advance Lash Define (P225). Apply false lashes to make the look even more dramatic.

Go for graphic The great thing about graphic eyeliner is that it allows beginners and makeup pros to try different eyeliner techniques. For instance, EB Liquid Dip Liner (P180) lets users do a classic but glamorous winged eye or an edgy eyeliner by carving the liner applicator according to desired shape. Make the lines sharp and precise by carefully cleaning the edges with makeup remover.

Soft and glam Want to add color? Try an easy soft eye look using neutral and diffused shades such as light brown, pink, and mauve. EB Ultimatte Eyeshadow Palette (P220) consists of brown and pinkish tones that add warmth to the eyes. Tip: Make the eyes look awake by lining the lash line with white eye shadow. To ensure your eye makeup lasts all day, top it with a setting spray such as EB Advance Lock that Look (P195).

EB Ultimatte Eyeshadow Palette

The aforementioned products are available on the brand’s Lazada page.

ADD TO CART The Body Shop delivers self-care

Okker tech jersey top

MORE time at home means more time to spend on ourselves.

The Body Shop makes pamper sesh easy to do as it brings wellness and beauty to every home with its call and deliver service.

Order fruity bath blends enriched with antioxidants and minerals or bath bombs in animal shapes for a relaxing time in the tub, the new Vitamin E Gel Mist with raspberry extract for that instant fresh feeling, The Body Shop’s sensorial bronzing range made with Community Fair Trade coconut from Samoa for that sun-kissed look, or the French Lavender Pillow Mist to get a truly sweet dream every night.

Join The Body Shop’s Viber Community to more about the call and deliver service and other promos. The aforementioned products and more are available on Lazada, Shopee, and ShopSM. Vitamin E Skin Cooling Mist

Coconut Bronze Sun Kissed Bronzing Powder

French Lavender Pillow Mist