Manila Standard - 2020 August 26 - Wednesday

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MM on alert vs. terror attack • Military eyes martial law in Jolo • 2 female bombers linked to blasts

By Joel E. Zurbano, Francisco Tuyay, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

M

ETRO Manila was placed under heightened alert following the latest bomb attacks in Jolo, Sulu, that killed at least 14 people and seriously wounded 72 soldiers and civilians.

Alert levels in airports, seaports and vital installations as well as places of convergence have been raised, said Metro Manila police chief Debold Sinas.

All district and police station commanders have also been told to intensify police visibility.

He also ordered his men to continue their intelligence operations to prevent any possible terror attack, and to deploy bomb-sniffing dogs for random checks in establishments such as train stations, bus terminals and malls.

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TARGET HARDENING.

Members of the Manila Police District Special Weapons and Tactics Team patrol along the streets of Carriedo in Quiapo on Tuesday.

Metro Manila was placed under heightened alert following the twin bomb attacks in Jolo, Sulu, that killed at least 14 people Monday.

Norman Cruz

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 173• 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Doc to Duterte: Stop drinking, Du30 asks Morales to resign due to failing health you're near Stage One cancer

By Rey Requejo, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Joyce Pangco Pañares PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said his doctor has advised him to stop drinking as he is “nearing Stage One cancer.”

“You, Duterte, should stop drinking because your Barrett's esophagus is nearing Stage One cancer,” the President said in a taped message aired Tuesday morning.

The 75-year-old chief executive made the remark as he was assuring the people that he and other members of the Cabinet were old enough to know better than to dip their hands into the government's COVID-19 response fund.

Duterte last week denied being brought to Singapore for emergency treatment.

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday has asked for the resignation of embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) chief Ricardo Morales because of his health condition.

Morales, who is facing allegations of corruption in the agency, is undergoing

Rody responsible for COVID funds

By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said he would take responsibility for the accounting of all public funds spent to fight the pandemic and assured the public individuals found guilty of fund misuse would be jailed.

Duterte made the remarks in a taped public message Tuesday morning, insisting the government’s coronavirus budget was not a “blank check,” as he warned that any person pocketing or misusing the COVID funds would “go to prison.”

“All expenses related to the government’s COVID-19 pandemic response

President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City late Monday evening. Presidential Photo

Solon to PET: Resolve FM poll protest protest filed by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leni Robredo.

House Minority Leader Bienvenido A CONGRESSIONAL leader on Tues- Abante Jr. said the speedy resolution day urged the Supreme Court, acting of the protest would ensure a smooth as a Presidential Electoral Tribunal, to transition of power in case President Next page expedite the resolution of the election

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

RESET, REBOUND AND RECOVER.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (3rd from right, front row) and House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez (leftmost, front row) receive a copy of the proposed P4.506 trillion budget for 2021 from the Department of Budget and Management.

Ver Noveno

chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes in February.

"The President took note last night of Morales' on-and-off health situation, and stated that it would be best for the latter and for PhilHealth to give up his post during these critical times for the agency,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a text message.

According to Guevarra, Executive

will be properly accounted for,” Duterte said, adding “I want everybody to know that upon my oath of office, do not worry, all of the money spent here for COVID will be accounted for.”

The President added he would endorse the filing of charges by the Department of Justice against individuals found guilty of fund misuse.

“We have to spend, but we have to spend wisely and correctly. We are still spending, we are not through. Allow us time to do our thing, spend the money and there will always be a time for reckoning and that will be the time when we account for the money that we have used in the fight against COVID,” he added.

Secretary Salvador Medialdea already spoke with Morales, who in turn said "he would understand if he had to be replaced."

Duterte on Tuesday vowed to go after PhilHealth officials involved in the alleged corruption and anomalies within the state insurance firm, adding he himself would endorse the cases against them.

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COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM AUGUST 25)

197,164 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

2,965 61,730 NEW

ACTIVE

3,038

34

132,396

368

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

NEW

SC drops network's plea on NTC ruling PH new virus

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition filed by media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation seeking to stop the National Telecommunications Commission from enforcing its order to shut down the operation of its broadcasting stations last May 5 after the House of Representatives disapproved the bill seeking a renewal of its legislative franchise.

SC Public Information Office chief and spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said the Court En Banc resolved to dismiss the petition of ABS-CBN on ground of mootness, arising from the non-passage

by Congress of the bills for the renewal of its franchise.

According to Hosaka, the justices were unanimous in their decision to dismiss the ABS-CBN petition, except for Next page

cases near 3K, total top 197k

By Willie Casas and Julito Rada THE number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has topped 197,000 as the Health department reported 2,965 additional confirmed infections on Tuesday.

“As of 4 p.m. today, Aug. 25, 2020, the Department of Health reports the total number of COVID-19 cases at 197,164,” said the department’s COVID-19 Case Bulletin #164.

Of the total, 61,730 are considered active infections.

The Philippines had tested 2,207,267 individuals for COVID-19 as of Aug. 24.

There are 83 licensed RT-PCR laboratories and 27 licensed GeneXpert laboratories in the country.

ADB approves $125-million loan The Manila-based Asian Development Bank on Tuesday said it had approved a $125-million loan to help the Philippine government improve its capacity to prevent and control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The loan is expected to enable the Next page

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Groups oppose Sol-Gen’s plea

By Rey E. Requejo

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HE National Union of People’s Lawyers on Tuesday objected to the plea of the Office of the Solicitor General to the Supreme Court to cancel the oral arguments on the 29 petitions seeking to declare as unconstitutional Republic Act 11479, or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, saying it would set a "bad precedent."

restraining order to stop its implementation.

The petitioners cited the statements of Armed Forces Chief Gilbert Gapay asking social media to be included in the measure, which they said was clearly a form of prior restraint and another way for the State to curb free speech and dissent.

"The casual conflation of "radicalization" with "terrorism" by a ranking officer of the law does not portend a measured, tolerant and even-handed implementation of a dangerously vague law," the petitioners said through their lawyers from the Free Legal Assistance Group.

Among those who signed the plea were Senators Leila de Lima and Francis Pangilinan, former senators Sergio Osmeña III and Wigberto Tañada Sr., former congressman Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III,

former Akbayan party-list Rep. Loreta Ann Rosales, lawyers Jose Manuel Diokno, Edmundo Garcia and Lutgardo Barbo, and media practitioners Maria Ceres Doyo, Josefa Maglipon, Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, Rachel Khan, Maria Rosario "Chay" Hofeliña, Lilibeth Socorro Frondoso, Maria Teresa Vitug, Mario Nery Jr., Beatrice Fuente and Florangel Rosario-Braid.

Olalia said asking for the cancellation of the proceedings that were still indefinite would be like jumping the gun and may even affect the judicial discretion and prerogative of the high court.

To cancel the oral arguments would set a bad precedent and would not be in the public interest, especially considering the controversies generated by the law and the number of petitions.

NUPL President Edre Olalia said Solicitor General Jose Calida’s motion was premature because its details were indefinite.

"We humbly submit that the motion is premature and the remedy being sought would set a bad precedent,” Olalia said.

“It is premature because while there has been an announcement that oral argu-

ments would be held, the date/dates and the modalities or parameters have not yet been determined and are as yet uncertain."

Olalia made his statement even as the lawmakers, media practitioners and lawyers who filed a petition assailing the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act urged the high court to issue a temporary

MM...

Army commander, Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, said he is recommending that Sulu be placed under martial law following the twin bombings Monday.

"I think it is wise (for the government to) declare (martial law) again," he added in Filipino during an interview with reporters Tuesday.

He said the situation must be brought under control or more attacks would take place.

He clarified, however, that his recommendation would have to move up the chain of command, to the Armed Forces chief, the Defense secretary, then to the President.

Sobejana said he has yet to make a formal recommendation as he is still in Mindanao and will consult his staff once he arrives in Manila.

In an earlier interview with radio dwIZ, Sobejana said the two female suicide bombers responsible for Monday's attack were probably working for Abu Sayyaf leader Mundi Sawadjaan, and were widows of terrorists who were killed by government troops. One of them was Indonesian, he said.

“The two female suicide bombers are the wives of Norman Lasuca, the first Filipino suicide bomber and the other is the wife of Abu Talha, a conduit of the international Islamic State operating on the island of Sulu,” Sobejana said in a radio interview.

Lasuca was killed in a suicide attack June 28 last year at the gate of the Army’s tactical command post of the First Brigade Combat Team in Sitio Tanjung, brgy Kajatian, Sulu. Three soldiers and three civilians were also killed in the incident.

Talha was killed in an encounter with government troops.

Strict security measures were imposed in Jolo, Sulu where movements of resi-

dents are being checked thoroughly by authorities and checkpoints have been fortified to deter more terror attacks.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate rejected Sobejana’s suggestion that martial law be imposed again on Sulu.

Zarate, Reps. Mujiv Hataman of Basilan, Amihilda Sangcopan of Anak Mindanao and Niña Taduran of ACT-CIS condemned the attacks and called for justice for the soldiers, policemen and civilians who were killed or injured.

But Zarate said the attack should not be used to justify the “unconstitutional terror law.”

He added these latest bombing incidents should be investigated thoroughly and the culprits must be made accountable.

Hataman condemned the attacks as well.

"We express our deepest condolences and offer our sincerest sympathies to those left behind by the blast victims. We grieve with you as you cope with another unnecessary loss from an act of terrorism," Hataman, a deputy speaker, said.

“Now more than ever, we condemn this act of terrorism... We will not allow a few to curtail our road to peace. We will not allow these cowards to achieve their misguided objectives, and we will not bow down to fear," said Hataman as he urged law enforcement authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Sangcopan called for sobriety in the midst of the chaos and appealed to authorities to immediately conduct a thorough investigation on the incident.

She also called on fellow Tausug to stay safe by refraining from going out of their homes unless necessary.

Taduran, an assistant majority leader, called for vigilance and stricter security measures as foreign terrorists are getting active again in the country.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said there was no need to reimpose martial law since the Anti-Terror Law is already in place.

“That was one of the reasons we passed it, we are hoping it will solve the terrorism in Mindanao,” he said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said they have passed a strong Anti-Terrorism Law so that security forces can better address terrorism in Mindanao and the rest of the country.

Unfortunately, the agencies tasked to craft the implementing rules and regulations of the law have not yet issued them.

Lacson said the IRR could have given our law enforcement agencies and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) the impetus to fully implement the law with efficacy and confidence.

Several senators assailed the deadly blasts that hit Jolo, Sulu and called on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Senator Risa Hontiveros asked the authorities to ensure the public’s safety and “conduct a full investigation into this act of terror.”

“We are united with our countrymen in Jolo in their pursuit of justice and peace,” she added.

United States Ambassador Sung Kim on Tuesday denounced the twin bomb attacks in Jolo, Sulu.

"I offer my sincerest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of yesterday’s bombings in Jolo," the US envoy said, in a Twitter post.

“We join the Philippine government in condemning these attacks and will continue to support our Filipino partners to strengthen national security,” he added.

The American diplomat also retweeted the post of US State Department Assistant Secretary David Stilwell who “offers his deepest condolences to those affected by the bombing in Jolo, Philippines.”

“We condemn this senseless attack and stand by the people of the Philippines,” Stilwell said.

The Joint Task Force Sulu earlier said the wounded persons include 24 government troops, 48 civilians and six police officers.

The fatalities included seven soldiers, six civilians, a policeman, and the female suicide bomber who caused the second explosion in Barangay Walled City at 1 p.m. on Monday.

Reports showed that the first blast occurred at 11:55 a.m. in front of Paradise grocery store when an improvised explosive device, placed on a parked motorcycle, exploded. The second explosion was reportedly carried out by a suicide bomber.

Military said security forces were conducting security patrols in the area when the explosions went off.

Due to the blast, the town of Jolo was placed under lockdown to prevent further attacks. Government troops in the area are on high alert.

The spokesman of the 11th Infantry Division said the attacks were carried out by the Abu Sayyaf Group.

The Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday denounced the recent bombing in Jolo, Sulu as “cruel and inhuman.”

“No one should be made to suffer from such violence,” commission spokeswoman Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.

“The CHR strongly condemns this attack against innocent civilians, which left at least 14 dead and several others wounded. We call on the government to investigate this incident and make perpetrators accountable for this crime in line with the government's obligation to uphold and protect human rights of all,” she said in a statement.

“At the same time, this violence comes at a time when the country observes the International Humanitarian Law Month.

We call out the perpetrators of this bombing for their blatant disregard for protection granted to civilians against such assaults.

As this year’s theme stresses, preserving human dignity is a shared responsibility and we, likewise, urge non-State parties to respect this call in defense of human rights,” she added.

The agency will conduct an investigation into the incident.

Du30...

Doc...

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In a taped public address aired Tuesday, Duterte said he would dedicate the remaining two years of his term to put corrupt PhilHealth officials to jail.

“One of the few things that I can do in the remaining two years of my term.

I’ll spend my last two years to work on the cases of people who are involved in the PhilHealth anomalies,” he added.

“I assure you I will be the one to endorse the case to the prosecuting office. I will sign it. If we have (gone) through with the investigation, allow the Secretary of Justice to complete his investigation and his signature on the endorsement will be accompanied by my signature,” Duterte said.

In the Senate, the Blue Ribbon committee recommended the immediate removal and the filing of graft and corruption charges against several regional executives of Philhealth, called as “mafia” by committee chair Sen. Richard Gordon.

The senator said the Ombudsman should conduct an investigation as to the possibility of filing plunder charges against the officers responsible in Philhealth.

He stressed there was—with the participation of many officers, collectively or singly in the pillaging of Philhealth—an urgent need to determine whether or not plunder could be filed against perpetrators of these crimes.

Meanwhile the National Bureau of Investigation said some P114 million in premium contributions from a professional services company were allegedly diverted to various bank accounts instead of PhilHealth back in 2011.

This was revealed on Tuesday during the continuation of the House joint panel inquiry into the alleged irregularities at PhilHealth.

During the hearing, Surigao Del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers brought up the financial settlement among PhilHealth, Accenture, Citibank, and Metrobank, which came after premium contributions from Accenture were supposedly diverted to a Metrobank branch in Batangas.

His former aide, Senator Christopher Go, debunked speculations that Duterte was unwell by sharing a photo of the President eating with his family.

“Stop this nonsense of me going to Singapore, if at all. It is none of your business if I want to go,” Duterte said.

“I am under no obligation to travel

in secret and not telling the republic at all. I am a citizen of the republic (and my) right to travel is guaranteed,” he added.

In October 2018, the President said his medical tests showed he was "negative" for cancer even as his Barrett's esophagus worsened because he has been drinking brandy.

“It's my Barrett's esophagus. It's badly eroded because I was told to stop drinking years ago. But of late I returned to

drinking. I don't know – for one reason or another I just like to drink brandy now.

Even if I'm alone, I take three shots before sleeping,” the President said in an interview with reporters almost two years ago.

He said samples of the “growth” were taken for endoscopy and colonoscopy when he went to Cardinal Santos for a second opinion.

“It's negative. They had a suspicion (but it turned out negative),” he said in 2018.

Solon...

SC...

a cease and desist order against the network’s radio and television stations that forced its broadcasting stations to go off the air.

On May 7, ABS-CBN filed with the high court a petition seeking the issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or a writ of preliminary Injunction against the NTC to restrain the agency and all other persons acting under its direction, control or supervision, from implementing the CDO. The NTC in turn sought the dismissal of the ABS-CBN petition for lack of merit, asserting the validity of its cease and desist order mandating the shutdown of its operation following the expiry of its legislative franchise.

In a 91-page comment, the NTC, through the Office of the Solicitor General, also urged the SC justices to deny the plea of ABS-CBN for a temporary restraining order on ground that "there is nothing more to enjoin" as the shutdown order "had already served its purpose" when ABS-CBN complied with it.

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Rodrigo Duterte is incapacitated, following rumors that he is afflicted with cancer.

“There should be closure on that case,” Abante said in Filipino, noting that the election protest remains unresolved after four years.

Abante also said there may be problems if Robredo succeeds the President with the election protest unresolved.

Under the Constitution, the vice president assumes the presidency should the sitting president resign or die.

Abante said the pendency of the poll protest against Robredo will definitely cause a huge problem to her ascendancy as the next president, in case Duterte dies or is incapacitated.

Marcos filed the poll protest before the PET after Robredo was proclaimed the duly elected vice president in 2016 elections.

The election protest, which was inherited by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen from retired Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguiao last year, has not moved a bit since then, raising apprehension that PET would not be able to resolve it before the term of the vice president ends in two years.

Caguiao, classmate of former President Benigno Aquino III in Ateneo de Manila, was the first assigned justice to the case until he was replaced by a 11-2 vote of the magistrates who junked the ponente’s recommendation to dismiss the election protest against Robredo.

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Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla who took no part as she was on leave.

Senior Associate Justice Estela PerlasBernabe was the member-in-charge of the case.

“According to the Court, in light of the supervening denial of the pending House Bills for the renewal of ABS-CBN Corporation’s legislative franchise on July 10, 2020, the Court finds it appropriate to dismiss the case on the ground of mootness,” Hosaka said, in a text message sent to reporters.

“Because of this supervening event, there is no actual substantial relief which ABS-CBN Corporation would be entitled to regardless of the Court’s disposition of the merits of the petition,” the SC official added.

A day after the ABS-CBN’s franchise expired on May 4, 2020, the NTC served

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“Do not worry because those who shortchanged (will be accountable), we will get it back. I will be the one to endorse the case to the prosecuting office. I will personally sign it,” the Chief executive said.

Duterte appealed to the public to allow the Secretary of Justice to complete the investigation so they could see how the funds were spent.

To start the accounting of COVID funds, the President ordered the National Task Force for COVID-19 to properly report on how all the funds were spent and their intended purpose.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said Malacanang was hiding nothing and all of the expenses, all of the money spent for COVID-19, went to the government’s COVID-10 response.

Duterte made the statement after several senators earlier filed Resolution 479, asking the Commission on Audit to examine the government’s spending on its COVID-19 response.

The resolution was filed after concerns were raised over government purchases “marred by allegations of overpricing,” including the procurement of automated nucleic acid extractors, personal protective equipment sets and the importation of RT-PCR test kits from China and South Korea.

Duterte trains guns on Customs PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte issued a stern warning that he will fire Customs officials if the systemic corruption at the bureau continues.

Duterte made the strong warning during a taped public address Tuesday morning as he scored anew Teodoro Jumamil, chief of staff of Customs chief Rey Guerrero, for working at the BOC while serving as director at the Development Bank of the Philippines.

“I was considering… Jagger (Guerrero), I was considering replacing you.

Not because of anything, I can vouch you are clean. The problem is you (should) not entertain loyalties, especially in government. If you think that that idiot is going to destroy you, you destroy him first,” the President said.

Duterte directed the Department of Justice to look into anomalies hounding the bureau, noting that it is one of the “most corrupt” government agencies historically.

“I have to name him (Jumamil) publicly, for being… what do you call it in Bisaya? Put…. Idiot? You took advantage maybe because you helped me… I cannot understand why he was holding DBP director at the same time he was an employee of the Customs,” he said.

Since being elected to the presidency in 2016, Duterte has already appointed three Customs commissioners—former Marine captain Nicanor Faeldon, former police general Isidro Lapeña and Guerrero, a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Palace submits P4.506-t budget

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Budget department on Tuesday submitted to the House of Representatives the proposed P4.506-trillion national budget for next year.

As with the two Bayanihan measures, the 2021 budget is focused on the government’s continuing response to the Covid-19 crisis, and the House has promised to pass it in record time.

Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado handed over to Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano the budget proposal, which is 9.9percent higher than the P4.1-trillion 2020 national budget.

Cayetano says the House aims to approve the proposed 2021 General Appropriations Act "in record time."

"We will try to finish the budget before the end of September—a very ambitious schedule—to send it right away to the Senate because we in the House hope that, for the first time in history, we can have the President sign the budget maybe late November or mid-November as a sign of unity between the legislature and the administration," Cayetano said.

He said all members of the House, including those from the opposition, “will be given ample and equal time to scrutinize the money measure.

"We will be very transparent, and the members of the opposition will be given be the first copies of the budget. We will listen to them first and give them more time in the budget deliberations to make this budget a product of the whole of Congress, not only the pro-administration bloc."

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Health department to improve health services across the country.

“This project will help improve the preparedness and resilience of the country’s health systems at the national and local levels in handling current and future public health threats,” ADB Vice President Ahmed Saeed said in a statement.

“It will also contribute to the Philippines’ efforts toward implementing universal health coverage.”

Warning over free swab testing The Health department on Monday warned people identified as exposed to COVID-19 cases or those showing symptoms may face penalties if they do not take the free swab testing offered by the local governments.

“If the local government visits and asks you to be swabbed, you are identified as exposed or with symptoms,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a virtual briefing.

She says it is part of the department’s CODE or Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic strategy, which involves teams visiting villages and going house-tohouse to identify those who were exposed to COVID-19 patients or have symptoms.

She says these individuals are immediately isolated and then tested.

Safeguards in clinical trials The Health department on Monday said safeguards will be in place following the government’s decision to do away with the Phase 4 clinical trials requirement for COVID-19 drugs and vaccines.

“This has been done before. This is not new,” Vergeire said during a virtual briefing.

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Makabayan bloc questions speedy approval of 3rd telco

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives on Tuesday questioned the swift passage of the legislative franchise of the country’s third telecommunications player owned by Davao Citybased businessman Dennis Uy, a known close friend of President Duterte.

The group denounced what it described as a “double standard” in the passage of the 25-year franchise application of Dito Telecommunity Corp. (formerly Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company Inc. or Mislatel) as compared with the rejection of the franchise renewal of broadcast giant ABS-CBN Corp.

“The franchise of Mislatel or Dito Telecommunity took a smooth sailing process even if its operations will have huge implications in the country, while ABS-CBN was grilled on so many issues that are even far from franchise discussions,” Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, one of the group’s members, said.

Brosas said the franchise application of Dito was passed in Congress without subjecting it to rigorous scrutiny just as it did in ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal application - when both cases raised controversial issues like foreign ownership.

“There was never a clamor from this chamber to review and re-assess the technical capacity of Dito Telecommunity, or to investigate its compliance to tax laws.

Is this how Congress treats allies of the President applying for franchise?” Brosas said.

She added issues involving foreign ownership and even contractualization of workers were also raised against Dito Telecomm, just like the ones raised against ABS-CBN and yet its application for franchise faced a smooth sailing.

“Let us not forget that China Telecom, which is owned by the Chinese government, has 40 percent share in Dito. In effect, we are allowing a China-backed telecom player to smoothly do business in our country—despite the various national security implications that we in Gabriela Women’s Party raised in several venues,” Brosas said.

TEACHERS’ DEMANDS. Teacher-protesters carry clocks and calendars bearing their seven immediate demands for the remaining six weeks before the school opening when they troop to the DepEd Central Office to demand a dialogue on its first day of re-opening after the 5-day lockdown. ACT presses the agency to ‘not waste any more time’ in fulfilling the requisites that will enable classes to resume on October 5. The group immediately urges DepEd to meet with them and discuss urgent measures taken or otherwise to address education safety, accessibility, and quality.

Court weighs in on Pemberton plea T HE Olongapo City Regional Trial Court has requested from the Bureau of Corrections the computation of the jail time served by US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, an official of the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.

“BuCor has been asked by the court in (Olongapo) to submit a computation of Pemberton’s service of sentence. It will be the court that will determine if he is entitled to release,” Justice Undersec-

retary Markk Perete said in a message to reporters.

Pemberton, who was found guilty of killing Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude, earlier withdrew the appeal

of his conviction before the Supreme Court.

The SC Third Division granted Pemberton’s urgent motion for leave dated June 2 to withdraw the petition he filed in 2017 to appeal the conviction.

The court said Pemberton’s motion stated that he has accepted that his conviction will become final.

“After thoughtful consideration of the circumstances of his case, he has decided to withdraw his petition, both as to criminal and civil aspects of the

Ilonggos laud SC move to junk PECO plea

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ASSISTANCE. The City Government of Navotas has started the distribution of calamity financial assistance to special education students.

At the same time, it has begun hiring 1,500 jeepney drivers and indigent residents for the Cash for Work program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Some 326 SPED students received financial aid worth P1,000. Of this number, 307 are elementary, five are high school, and 14 are college students. Beneficiaries are students who are registered in the Persons with Disabilities Students Educational Assistance/Scholarship of the city government. Andrew Rabulan

Malampaya fuels up PH economy—lawmakers THE “power bloc” of the House of Representatives said that the Supreme Court is critical in making sure that the energy future of the Philippines is stable and secure, as they also cited the Malampaya power plant as a platform that significantly fuels up the economy and could thus be seen as long-term national partner in this regard.

About 30% of the power requirements of Luzon depend on the natural indigenous gas that Malampaya produces. This successful Public-Private Partnership is also responsible for 98% of the domestic oil and gas production in the country, fuel-

ing its industries including the embattled hospitals and health care centers valiantly fighting the spread of the pandemic.

House Resolution No. 1063, which the solons had earlier filed, strongly calls for the creation and implementation of national defense and security policies that can empower the Philippines to have a resilient, independent power industry.

“The resolution of the continuation of the operations of Malampaya is critical and urgent, both for our pandemic-filled present and the future of this country when it comes to our energy security and

our healthcare industry,” reiterated Quezon City Rep. Presley De Jesus from Philreca Partylist.

“Malampaya does not just provide power to our hospitals and health care systems at a time like this. However, time is running out for Malampaya. A resolution in its favor will solidify the integral role of energy security in the country, while ensuring the survival of our healthcare system---in the present and in a challenging future which is laden with so much economic and medical uncertainties,” De Jesus said.

ILONGGO power consumers welcomed the recent decision of the Department of Justice junking the case filed by Panay Electric Co. against them, calling this a victory and ensures the protection of consumers’ rights.

The DOJ ruled against PECO which had accused former Iloilo City councilor Joshua Alim and colleague, former Iloilo City Councilor Plaridel Nava II, and two others, including now Presidential Consultant for Western Visayas Jane Javellana and Dr. Marigold Gonzales for allegedly falsifying the signature of 27,000 Ilonggos in a petition that became the basis for Congress’ non-renewal of PECO’s franchise Alim said there would have been no petition to stop the renewal of PECO’s franchise which expired in January 2019 if PECO listened to the complaints of its customers.

He said PECO continues to remain deaf to the pleas of consumers.

“PECO’s abuses and arrogance towards its consumers brought them to their total rest. Had they listened to the pleas and complaints of their consumers from the very start they could have stayed alive,” he said.

In a decision recently penned by DOJ Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento, charges of conspiracy and falsification of public documents filed by PECO against its critics was “dismissed for utter lack of merit.”

The joint resolution dismissing the case was also signed by DOJ State Prosecutor Gilmarie Fe Pacamarra and Senior State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon.

Gov’t must build one medical school for each region—Villar

By Macon Ramos-Araneta TO achieve the ideal ratio of 10 physicians for every 10,000 individuals, Senator Cynthia Villar is pushing for the establishment of at least one medical school in each of the country’s 17 regions.

Villar also said State Universities and Colleges should work together with Department of Health-operated hospitals and start operating medical schools.

“We should start building medical schools in the provinces and providing scholarships to make the study of medicine affordable. If we do this, we will soon have more doctors,” Villar said.

“The lack of public medical schools and the prohibitive cost of studying medicine discourage the youth to even consider a career as a doctor,” she added.

She noted that 79,800 doctors are needed in order to achieve the ideal ratio of 10

physicians for every 10,000 individuals.

The senator, who served as chairperson of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education when she was Las Pinas Representative, said she will propose a provision in the bill that will list and identify the SUCs and the DOH-operated hospitals which will be mandated to work together to establish medical schools all over the country.

Senator Joel Villanueva, the principal

sponsor of the bill, agreed to include the proposal of Villar in the final version of the bill.

Villar also said she was surprised to learn that out of the 114 SUCs, only nine SUCs have a medical school.

She said the absence of these institutions in highly-developed areas such as Cebu and Regions 3 Central Luzon, 4A Southern Tagalog and Region 11 Davao Region should also be addressed.

appeal, and accepts and recognizes that his conviction will become final and executory,” the SC said, citing the motion.

Pemberton was sentenced to six to 10 years in jail by the Olongapo City RTC Branch 74 in December 2015 for the killing of Laude inside a bathroom of a motel on Oct. 11, 2014.

He is now detained at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Custodial Center in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

PNA

IN BRIEF

‘Aliens married to Filipinos need visas to travel to PH’ THE Bureau of Immigration on Tuesday reiterated that foreign spouses of Filipinos intending to travel to the Philippines need to secure or possess the appropriate visas to enter the country.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente issued the reminder after learning that several foreigners, allegedly married to Philippine citizens, were recently denied entry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Citing a report from the Bureau’s Port Operations Division (POD), Morente said that since the easing of the travel restrictions, some foreigners who wanted to join their Filipino spouses here, were already turned back at the airport for having no visas. Vito Barcelo

QCPD blamed for COVID-19 infection of paralegal THE militant Anakpawis Party-list on Tuesday confirmed that Paolo Colabres, its paralegal “illegally arrested and detained” for a week, tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after the result of its swab testing came out on Monday.

Colabres was securing the remains of assassinated Anakpawis National Chairperson and National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Randall “Ka Randy” Echanis last week when he was illegally nabbed by the elements of the Quezon City Police District. He was charged with “obstruction of justice” and detained for a week at Camp Karingal until his release on August 18 after posting P36, 000-worth of bail.

In a statement, the Anakpawis blamed the QCPD for “endangering the health of Colabres through illegal arrest and detention.”

There were reports that inmates in several jails are COVID-19 positive. Willie Casas

Seven suspects charged in killing of NMCH Director POLICE have filed two counts of murder case against seven suspects who could be behind the killing of National Center for Mental Health director Roland Cortez, 61, and his driver Ernesto dela Cruz, 46, before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

General Ronnie Montejo, Quezon City Police District chief, said those charged were Sonny Sandicho, 42, of Cainta Rizal; Clarita Avila, NCMH chief administrative officer; George Serrano, NCMH employee; Harly Pagarigan, also an NCMH employee; Roman Eugenio, 44, a businessman from Cainta Rizal; Cristina Riego, alias Ma. Cristina Riego dela Cruz, a businesswoman from Cainta Rizal, and Edieson Riego, 26, an online seller from Taytay, Rizal.

With the filing of the case against the suspects, “this case is considered solved,” he said. Rio N. Araja

LGUs

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

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

FIGHTING POLIO. The

Municipal Government of Carmona, through the Municipal Health Office, conducted free polio vaccination to children five years old and younger by visiting the community house-tohouse as part of the Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio Campaign of the Department of Health.

The program will run until August 29.

Benjamin Chavez

P151m for Manila workers during ECQ

By Willie Casas

M

ANILA City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso has signed an ordinance allocating P151 million for the hazard pay of local government workers who physically reported for work under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Domagoso signed Ordinance No. 8667 authorizing the payment of COVID-19 hazard pay worth P500 per day for city government personnel who physically reported for work during the implementation of the President Rodrigo Duterte

placed Metro Manila under ECQ from March 17 to May 15 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The mayor said the P151 million will be sourced from the Manila City government’s Personal Services and Special Ac-

tivities fund and Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses fund.

“The payment of COVID-19 hazard pay is hereby authorized to city government employees and personnel who physically reported for work in their respective work stations during the implementation of an ECQ at P500 per day per person based on the following computation: P500 x number of days physically reporting for work during the ECQ from March 17, 2020 to May 15, 2020,” Domagoso said, quoting the ordinance.

City government workers who may be granted COVID-19 hazard pay should be holding regular, contractual

Danao leads surprise visit to Laguna PPO CALABARZON Police Regional Director, PBGEN Vicente D Danao Jr. together with the Command Group and Regional Staffs visited the Laguna Provincial Police office at Camp Paciano Rizal, Brgy Bagumbayan, Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

During the Command Visit, surprise drug test was conducted to all the Command Group, Staff, and Chiefs of Police of Laguna.

RD Danao also conferred awards to the deserving personnel of Laguna PPO for their hard work and dedication.

One of the highlights of the visit was the turnover of three units of Honda CRF 150 motorcycles and 2500 pieces of surgical masks to Laguna PPO. Danao, expressed his gratitude to the men and women of Laguna PPO headed by Provincial Director, PCol Serafin F Petalio II for their unwavering dedication to police service.

Roy Tomandao

or casual positions, or are engaged through contract of service, job order or other similar schemes.

“The personnel shall have been authorized to physically report for work at their respective offices or work stations on the prescribed official working hours by the head of department, bureau or office during the period of implementation of ECQ,” he said.

The ordinance was signed pursuant to Malacañang’s Administrative Order No. 26, series of 2020, which authorized the grant of COVID-19 hazard pay to government personnel who physically reported for work.

COMMAND VISIT. PRO4A

Regional Director, PBGEN Vicente D Danao, JR. (right) together with the Command Group and Regional Staffs visited the Laguna PPO at Camp Paciano Rizal Brgy Bagumbayan Sta Cruz, Laguna. A surprise drug test (inset) was conducted to all the Command Group, Staff, and Chiefs of Police of Laguna. Roy Tomandao

150 recruits pass test, set to join C. Luzon police

By Jess Malabanan CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga—Only 150 civilian recruits, out of more than a thousand applicants, have successfully hurdled the rigorous physical tests required by the Police Regional Office 3 for plebes before taking their oath of

office as a regular member of the Philippine National Police in Central Luzon.

The neophytes, all holders of baccalaureate degree aside from civil service and National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) eligibilities, will undergo one year training at the Regional Training school 3 (RTS3) in Baran-

gay Sto. Nino, Magalang, Pampanga.

This year’s quota, according to the PRO3 Public Information Office, is composed of 127 male and 23 females.

They automatically earned the rank of patrolmen and patrolwomen while on training and will be receiving the basic salary of a policeman.

Joy berates ex-QC official for behavior

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday threatened to file appropriate charges against a former village official for breaching quarantine protocols.

Belmonte ordered a total lockdown on the street where the official resides.

The mayor, however, did not identify the person who tested positive for the coronavirus.

Belmonte said the former barangay councilor underwent swab tests when the official’s son tested positive for COVID-19 after a drinking session with another positive individual.

“The family has been ordered to undergo quarantine while waiting for the result of their swab tests, but (the official) failed to comply,” she added.

When the former barangay official’s swab test came back positive, Belmonte ordered the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU), headed by Dr. Rolly Cruz, to immediately conduct contact tracing.

“After our contact tracing, we determined that 15 individuals who had close contact with (the official) need to undergo swab testing,” he said.

Cruz recommended that the street be placed on total lockdown so the CESU could closely monitor the condition of the 26 families living in the area.

The city government is preparing to file charges against the former barangay official and the son for violation of Ordinance No. SP-2958 S-2020 that prohibits breaching of quarantine protocols.

According to City Attorney Nino Casimiro, persons who break quarantine may be physically returned to quarantine by barangay and/or city officials, with police assistance, if necessary under the ordinance.

Navotas gives out cash aid to 326 SPED students THE City Government of Navotas has started the distribution of calamity financial assistance to special education (SPED) students.

At the same time, it has begun hiring 1,500 jeepney drivers and indigent residents for the Cash for Work program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Some 326 SPED students received financial aid worth P1,000. Of this number, 307 are elementary, five are high school, and 14 are college students.

Beneficiaries are students who are registered in the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Students Educational Assistance/Scholarship of the city government.

“Providing and caring for people who are differently-abled, especially children with special needs, is never easy. The pandemic and the long period of community quarantine made it more difficult, health and money-wise,” Mayor Toby Tiangco said.

“We hope the financial assistance they received will help relieve their burdens and motivate them to keep going,” he added.

The Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) realigned P380,000 from its 2020 budget to fund the initiative.

Last June, PWD student scholars received their January-March cash allowance worth P1,500. The scholarship provides beneficiaries with P500 monthly educational assistance or P5,000 per academic year.

Meanwhile, cash for work beneficiaries will do barangay clean-up, urban gardening, tree planting, and other climate change mitigation and adaptation-related activities. They will receive P4,050 after 10 days of work.

Jun David

Tacloban artists offer exhibit for COVID frontliners

By Ronald O. Reyes TACLOBAN City—The Kolor Banwa art group has opened an exhibit in the city as a tribute to the sacrifices of the frontliners amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“There has been a growing desire to connect to Mother Nature more. Seeing with an artist’s eye, allows one to see the light in the midst of darkness. We grieve because of the loss of lives and jobs but we are grateful for the gift of courage, of people doing what they can to make a difference,” said poet and educator Raquel Cabrieto about the exhibit.

“This is a tribute for the people who have offered their lives, for front liners, for people who still choose to hope and those who feel hopeless. It is a humble offering of peace and hope,” she added.

Dubbed as “Kalungganayan: finding

hope through an Artist’s eye,” the exhibit is also “inspired by the changing context of the world” during this time of lockdowns.

“As much as we are locked down in our homes, there are more people who find ways to connect to each other through different ways. Mother Nature was able to take a break from the pollution brought about by the busy-ness of city living,” said Cabrieto, who is supporting the group.

According to Cabrieto, the Waray term “Kalungganayan” or bounty, bright perspective and hopeful future, aims to “inspire others to find beauty amidst the challenges, to capture the gifts and blessings of our current times” through the collective and personal experiences of the artists.

During the start of the quarantine in March this year, Kolor Banwa also held

two online exhibits dubbed as “Damat (Plague)” in May and “Sumpay (To connect)” in June.

Kolor Banwa or Kolor Han Biswal Arte nga Waraynon celebrated its 15th anniversary last March 11, 2020.

The group had their first exhibit in 2005 at the art gallery of Tacloban’s leading art historian/visual artist and now retired University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College Professor Dulce Cuna Anacion.

Participating artists in this year’s “Kalungganayan” group exhibit are Aljun Alvarez, Clint Gonzales, Aldrin Mercado, Archimedes Prisno, Jimmy Barredo, Orly Barredo, Philip Salem, Tata De La Cruz, Myra Medalla, Joan Bituin, Ricardo Peñaranda, Nikko Montilla, Aulefrau, Felix Limpoco Jr., Arnel Cabanatan, and Dante Enage.

ARTISTS FOR FRONTLINERS. The Tacloban-based Kolor Banwa artist group poses with some of their works. Contributed photo

Opinion EDITORIAL

and improve our response to COVID-19.

Another example is how we regard the President. The former mayor from Davao has legions of fans, nay, worshippers, and in their eyes, he can do no wrong. Meanwhile, those who point out Mr. Duterte’s flaws are automatically declared the enemy. They act all-knowing and believe they know better than the President does.

There is no doubt that they are working for the political opposition, eager to seize power at the first instance.

P

Unfortunately, it is also silly, lazy, and at its worst, dangerous. It does not reflect the reality of the world in which we live.

For example, in the situation in which we find ourselves today, it is rather tempting to hold one of only two opinions about how the government is managing the public health crisis: Either the government is doing extremely well, or it is doing poorly, driving millions of Filipinos to danger and despair.

This does not consider that while there are bad—evil, even—elements in government, there are many competent and trustworthy ones as well, and that if we take stock of our missteps in the past, then we can still correct them

Criticizing the government is not bringing it down.

There is no room whatsoever for the idea that those who fault the President do not necessarily wish him to fail, that they are not even affiliated with the Liberal Party or the Communists, and that they simply have their own ideas of how the task can be done better.

This week, the two top officials of the land addressed the public. On Monday evening, Vice President Leni Robredo, pointed out the inadequacies of the government’s response

TO THE POINT

EMIL JURADO It’s a good thing that Duterte dismissed the move of some of his supporters pushing for a revolutionary government.

People are in despair.

Revolutionary government, Santa Banana!

Do they even know what it means and entails? It means that democracy is dead, with the President becoming a one-man dictator, with the power of scrapping Congress and even the Supreme Court! Santa Banana, will the people accept such a change in government? No way, Jose!

With the COVID-19 pandemic, a revolutionary government can only be a distraction. People must be united and not divided, my gulay!

I wonder: What is the agenda of those characters proposing a revolutionary government? They are creating a problem bigger than the one they claim to want to address!

It’s a good thing that the Philippine National Police said it does not support the group pushing this. I am sure the Armed Forces will

Unacceptable

J.A. DELA CRUZ

to the COVID-19 pandemic, offered specific solutions and encouraged the people to be hopeful amid many reasons to be hopeless.

In a taped speech aired the next morning, President Duterte said Robredo was adding fuel to the fire.

Does criticism create unrest? Of course it can, but not necessarily so. These days, only a fool would contemplate a revolution when the people have to be united in fighting the pandemic. Unity does not mean blind following. It is a decent, enlightened exchange of ideas on what would work and what wouldn’t, and acknowledging that some people are more credible than others in their areas of expertise.

Criticism is proof that we care about our country—not a single person or party. By all means, let us keep that fire burning. Criticism means we give the nation’s affairs some thought, and want only the best for the majority. Criticism shows we still have the capability to discuss ideas and not names. It expresses our hope that those in power improve themselves so they can succeed, not fail.

Doing away with binary thinking may entail a little more brain work for some people. But it can be done, and it will be worth the effort.

AS IF we did not have our hands full containing the ravaging COVID-19 outbreak, last Monday’s Jolo bombings which killed 15 people including six soldiers and injured 76 others brought us back to the reality on the ground.

We still have so many questions.

That the blasts happened a year after that deadly Jolo Cathedral bombing reinforced the security forces’ belief that terrorists aligned with the Abu Sayyaf and ISIS carried out this deadly operation. It was as if they were mocking us.

So those bleeding hearts trying to play down this kind of deadly operation to the point of thwarting every initiative to neutralize these terrorists should rethink their position. These guys remain on the prowl, ready to inflict as much damage as possible to lives and properties and inject fear in our communities. Bombing has become their trademark with Jolo as their favorite playground. That these Jolo bombings were executed in late August, within a year of each other, has triggered not only universal condemnation. It has also firmed up certain beliefs, mainly Buddhist and Taoist in origin, about August, particularly towards the last week extending all the way to the second or third week of September, being the “ghost month” which believers say brings about bad luck, accidents and disasters.

Some believers have attributed a number of the more earth-shaking incidents in recent memory as covered by the same curse. They point to the Dona Juana sea tragedy considered the worst in history which claimed more than a thousand as one such indicator. They also referenced the assassination of the returning political leader and former Senator Ninoy Aquino on August 21, 1983 as another case. Sadly, not one in the last 34 years at least, had the courage to suggest that the deadly Plaza Miranda bombing 49 years ago on August 21, 1971 in the middle of the grand “Miting de Avance” of the opposition Liberal Party which killed two people and injured hundreds should be referenced as well. After all, that bombing, which the opposition blamed on then President Marcos, almost decimated its entire national leadership and caused the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus which then cascaded to the declaration of martial law a year after just after the end of the 1971 “ghost month.”

That 1971 Plaza Miranda bombing, not just Ninoy’s killing, makes August 21 of every year truly a day to remember. For one,

VIRTUAL REALITY

TONY LOPEZ UNACCEPTABLE. That is how Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno calls the onerous 42-percent-ayear finance charge (3.5 percent a month) slapped by banks on unpaid bills and cash advances of credit card holders. So expect a 43-percent lowering in card finance charges, from 42 percent annually to just 24 percent annually—in two weeks, the promise of Governor Diokno.

Per BSP data, banks have total credit card receivables of P446 billion. Apply 42 percent of that and you get P187.32 billion in whopping revenues for the banks as finance charges. Apply 24 percent of P446 billion and you get P107 billion.

Deduct P107 billion from P187.32 billion and you get P80.32 billion—that is the amount card holders will save, in theory, if credit card finance charges are cut to

not support it either.

Besides, I also believe that those proposing a revolutionary government have committed an act of sedition as defined in the Revised Penal Code. They could be indicted since what they are proposing is a change of government, which is a seditious act. *** With the opening of public schools nationwide on October 5, Education Secretary Leonor Briones and President Rodrigo Duterte must heed what health experts say about the effects on children of too much exposure to computers.

I’m not saying that distance learning should be totally scrapped. But the use of gadgets must be done in moderation, my gulay! *** No less than 437 local government officials have been indicted in connection with anomalies committed during the distribution of the first tranche of the Social Amelioration Program. Some of these LGU officials partook of the cash subsidy meant for the poorest of the poor.

I don’t know how far the government can go to stop anomalies in times like this. Sending erring officials to prison could be a good lesson to people in government.

Santa Banana, there has been so much corruption that the distribution of the second and third tranche of the SAP would now be through remittance offices! I say this is all for the best.

I say the credit card companies beat bank robbers because the card firms simply use computers who think by themselves to operate like robotic Shylocks.

just 24 percent.

Actually, the 42 percent is just a starting rate. The credit card companies charge an additional 5 percent for failure of cardholders to settle bills on time, which usually happens because the banks send their bills late or not at all (there is a fee of P200 for sending those bills), or use intricate passwords before the cardholder can decipher his balance due online. Also, in the statement of account, the card number is not indicated, only the “customer number” is shown; so the cardholder doesn’t know which card he is actually trying to pay, if he has many cards.

The 5 percent add-on makes the monthly interest rate 8.5 percent (3.5 plus 5) or an effective annual interest rate of 102 percent; the banks double their money in just one month.

Not even bank robbery can match that kind of profit-making by banks from their credit card operations, a no-sweat business. If you assume credit card bad loans average 5 percent of receivables, 102 minus 5 still leaves the banks with 97 percent return.

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it was not just another bombing. It marked a turning point in the nation’s historical journey to where we are at this time, decades after as a good part of our politics still revolve around the dictates and personages of the Marcos years. As one of the more prominent and heavily injured survivors, former Senate President Jovito Salonga, recounted just before he passed away, the public was made to believe that Marcos orchestrated the bombing to extend his stay in power. It turned out, based on his own findings and the confession of one of the bomb throwers, that the bombing was actually a plot undertaken by the reorganized Communist Party under the leadership of Jose Ma. Sison to force Marcos’ hand to “declare martial law” which he actually did a year after. Sison, who remains in exile in the Netherlands, has denied all such accusations. But a top Sison aide at that time, Dr. Mario Miclat, in his seemingly autobiographical novel “Secrets of the Eighteen Mansions” asserted and affirmed Salonga’s find.

Why Sison’s bombing plot spared one of the leading oppositionists at that time, then Senator and LP Secretary General Ninoy Aquino, a kink in an otherwise unassailable and deadly operation, remains unanswered up to this day. But no matter. Ninoy and the Liberal Party rode on that tragic bombing to sweep the 1971 midterm elections: Only two Marcos men made it to the Senate and Manila, the nation’s capital, was captured by the party with then Congressman Ramon Bagatsing unseating the popular incumbent Antonio Villegas.

In a way, the 1971 Plaza Miranda Bombing also marked the end of the square’s mark as the country’s foremost platform for political discourse and the people’s outlet for grievances against politicians and the societal set up. But despite its transformation into just an open area facing the Quiapo Church, its long history serving as the country’s public square, similar to the UK’s Hyde Park, remains embedded in the nation’s consciousness. And, in a curious twist of history, bombing has also become one of its trademarks, apart from being the foremost public square up until 1971.

Historical records tell us that it was in Plaza Miranda where then-President Sergio Osmena delivered his final campaign speech in the 1946 elections which he lost to his protégé, then House Speaker Manuel Roxas, who bolted the ruling Nacionalista Party and formed the Liberal Party. It is said that barely a year into his term, Roxas also delivered an important speech in Plaza Miranda—rallying the Liberal Party “to support the Parity Agreement to the 1935 Constitution, which granted American citizens equal rights with Filipino nationals in the use of national natural resources.” As the historians noted, just as Roxas finished speaking, a man lobbed a grenade on the stage, prompting his aide, General Mariano Castañeda, to kick it away and cover President Roxas with his body.

The grenade landed near the audience, killing two and wounding a dozen people. A historical footnote? A coincidence? Certainly, a prequel of the 1971 bombing!

CROSSROADS

We need a jobs policy IN THE six months that my wife and I have been under quarantine, I have had the opportunity to observe and conclude that there is something missing in what President Duterte is doing about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Santa Banana, the Social Weather Stations poll said that out of the 60 million Filipinos in the labor force, some 27.4 million are out of jobs. This is nearly half of the total!

There must be some policy in government that can mitigate the effects of losing a job.

Economic experts say that with so many people out of work, the country could take two or more years to recover.

The President should at least have a jobs policy which would make the government the biggest employer for the country.

I’m not talking here of the late President Diosdado Macapagal’s Emergency Employment Administration where the government hired the jobless to clean streets and do some kind of menial work under the payroll of the government.

Instead, the government could adopt a policy of giving jobs to people to continue with the Build, Build, Build program. This will ease poverty, even if a bit.

I would even say that the reported growing incidence of suicides could be due to the despair of those who have lost their livelihood.

This is why I believe jobs must take priority. People should be assured that their government is there to help. We need to have faith in our government, our President. ***

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

The bombs of August

Bad binaries ERHAPS the complexities of this world have driven many Filipinos to resort to binary thinking—the belief that something is either just 1 or 0, black or white, right or wrong. No other options, and certainly no gray areas.

This thinking is simpler and less taxing on the mind.

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Not even bank robbery can match that kind of profit-making by banks from their credit card operations—a nosweat business.

On the other hand, bank robbers use brain power, considerable planning and an arsenal of guns and bullets (plus masks, which are fashionable these days) in robbing a bank. Banks, when robbed, lose little, if any. They collect their robbery losses from the insurance companies. Did you notice—bank robbers always run away with “millions,” even if they actually bagged less than that?

The Philippines charges the highest credit card interest rates in the ASEAN and probably in the whole of Asia. Malaysia and Singapore charge only 15 percent per year;

MORE OPINION ONLINE (www.manilastandard.net) SO I SEE LITO BANAYO

An audience of one Indonesia 26.95 percent, and Vietnam 29.23 percent. In the rest of the Asian region, the going credit card rates range from 8.8 percent to 10.80 percent—a fourth of what Philippine credit card companies charge.

Of all the officials who came to power under President Duterte, Ben Diokno has done the most to extricate the economy from its worst recession in Philippine history.

In a series of moves, the BSP under Diokno has pumped P1.2 trillion in rescue funds to the economy which has slumped to its worst in the past six months. The idea is to pump cash into the economy so that consumers will have the liquidity or cash to spend and industries will have the capital to produce goods that consumers want.

The problem with that mechanism is that the generals under the IATF—the task force on COVID which sometimes thinks of such stupid things as requiring plastic barriers between husband and wife when riding on motorcycles (even if the couples made love the whole night before)—don’t want to cooperate.

The generals install what is called checkpoints to enforce what is called lockdowns which in turn are designed to prevent people, sick or not, from circulating in public.

So while the cash is circulating, there is no

crowd to capture that money and spend it.

The economy is propped up by consumption—up to 73 percent of GDP. The lockdowns in effect have eviscerated that 73 percent.

In the second quarter alone, the economy contracted by 16.5 percent, the biggest contraction ever in the country’s history.

The sharp decline in economic output resulted in job losses of 5 million (half the workforce is jobless, per SWS) and poverty inching back to the 26 percent of the population. Poverty incidence was hitting 16 percent when COVID-19 struck last February.

The BSP has cut the interest rate it charges banks for their borrowing overnight to 2.25 percent, what is called the policy rate.

“That’s the lowest ever I have seen,” Diokno points out.

Theoretically thus, if the banks can borrow from the BSP at 2.25 percent and they add 100 percent on that, bank customers or borrowers should be paying only 5 percent for loans. So when you approach your bank, negotiate for 5 percent annual interest—instead of the usual 6 to 9 percent interest rate per year. Anything higher is probably “unacceptable.” 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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Victims vent fury at ‘devil’ mosque shooter TWO survivors of the New Zealand mosque massacre abandoned prepared statements to vent their anger directly at gunman Brenton Tarrant in a Christchurch court on Tuesday, drawing applause from fellow victims as they called him a terrorist who deserved to die.

Tarrant—coming face-to-face with his victims for the first time—has admitted 51 charges of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one of terrorism over the attacks at two Christchurch mosques on March 15, 2019.

The 29-year-old—who is expected to be the first person jailed for life without parole in New Zealand—has maintained an impassive demeanor throughout the hearing, which began Monday, as the grief-stricken survivors unleashed their anger in an outpouring of emotion.

“I did not see any regrets and shame in the eyes of this terrorist and he does not regret anything, so I decided not to read my impact statement but to show him the pain I suffered,” an incensed Mirwais Waziri told judge Cameron Mander on day two of Tarrant’s sentencing.

White supremacist Tarrant did not flinch as the gallery applauded when Waziri turned to him and said: “Today you are a terrorist and us as Muslims are not terrorists.”

Zuhair Darwish, whose brother died in the attacks, told Tarrant: “You act like a coward and you are a coward.

You live like a rat and you deserve that.

You’re going to die alone, like a virus everybody avoids being with. The fair punishment for him would be the death penalty. I know under New Zealand law they removed the death penalty for humans, but unfortunately he’s not a human, he doesn’t deserve to be judged like a human.” AFP

World

Trump warns election being rigged D ONALD Trump opened his bid for a second term after securing the Republican nomination Monday, with his party launching its national convention as the US president claims Democrats want to “steal” the election that polls currently show him losing.

SUN POWER. Initiator of sun-powered stratospheric SolarStratos plane project Raphael Domjan during a successful world record attempt by jumping with a parachute from a solar-powered plane on August 25, 2020 in Payerne, western Switzerland.

The SolarStratos, a sleek, white, two-seater aircraft with long wings, covered with 22 square meters of solar panels, is set to become the first manned solar plane to make a stratospheric flight, according to Domjan. AFP

Minutes after the party completed the nomination vote confirming Trump as the candidate on November 3, he appeared at the convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, to deliver a rambling, often dark speech lasting close to an hour.

From the opening words, he told Republicans to be on alert for what he claimed was a Democratic plan to rig the contest through increased use of mail-in voting – a measure Democrats say is needed to protect people from catching COVID-19 in crowded polling stations.

“They are trying to steal the election,” he told party delegates, many of whom were wearing masks. “The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election.”

Opponents say Trump’s increasingly extreme resistance to expanded mail-in voting – a method already used widely in the United States – is an attempt to suppress voter turnout, while setting up an excuse to challenge the result if he is defeated.

Polls show Trump trailing Democratic candidate Joe Biden, who had his convention last week, as Americans turn on the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent economic chaos.

Trump hopes the convention, which concludes Thursday with his formal acceptance of the nomination, will shift voters’ attention from the coronavirus to what he says is the “super V” shaped economic recovery.

Prime time coverage kicked off Monday night with a celebration of “rugged” American individualism and Trump’s fighting spirit, as a voiceover lauded Trump’s “swift action” to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic. AFP

US health exec sorry for false plasma data DR STEPHEN Hahn, the commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, apologized Monday after misrepresenting a key statistic on how effective blood plasma is for treating COVID-19 when announcing an emergency approval measure.

The US on Sunday issued emergency approval for plasma taken from recovered coronavirus patients, so that more people can get access to the experimental treatment.

But Hahn and other senior health officials came under fire from experts after repeating a claim made by President Donald Trump that blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients reduced mortality rates by 35 percent.

“What that means is—and if the data continue to pan out—100 people who are sick with COVID-19, 35 would have been saved because of the administration of plasma,” Hahn said Sunday, after Trump had called it “a tremendous number.”

Health secretary Alex Azar added: “I just

want to emphasize this point, because I don’t want you to gloss over this number. We dream in drug development of something like a 35 percent mortality reduction. This is a major advance in the treatment of patients. This is a major advance.”

Such a reduction would indeed be a game changer in the fight against the pandemic – but the statistic is false.

The officials said these results came from a study of 35,000 patients conducted by Mayo Clinic, but Dr. Scott Wright, the study’s leader, told AFP it did not come from his institution’s research. He said he believed it might be an “integrated analysis” the FDA had arrived at by looking at both Mayo’s work and other studies.

FDA spokeswoman Emily Miller later tweeted that 35 percent referred to the relative difference in mortality risk between those patients in Mayo’s study who received a high level of antibodies against those who received a low level of antibodies. AFP

DESPERATE SEARCH. Rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble of a collapsed five-

storey apartment building in Mahad on August 25, 2020. Rescue teams and sniffer dogs combed through rubble on August 25, searching for survivors after a five-storey apartment building collapsed ‘like a house of cards’ in western India, trapping at least 50 people overnight. AFP

Efforts to save oak tree older than Canada IN THE shadow of Canada’s largest cluster of skyscrapers, Toronto is looking to preserve a majestic, centuries-old oak tree – but efforts have been complicated by the pandemic.

The towering 24-meter high Northern Red Oak is one of the oldest trees in these parts, having sprouted an estimated 300 years ago, around the time that French explorers set up a trading post on the nearby shores of Lake Ontario.

The tree now finds itself in the backyard of a nondescript bungalow on a winding street in the heart of a residential North York neighborhood.

Its huge trunk has a circumference of five meters and brushes up against the back of the 1960s house.

In summer, its long leafy branches shade the entire lot from the sun’s rays.

But in recent years, a new homeowner expressed concerns about being able to afford proper tree maintenance and its roots cracking the house’s foundation.

Neighbors also worry that this awesome specimen may one day be damaged by strong

winds or felled in a storm.

To protect it and make it accessible to everyone in this city of six million people, Toronto’s city council voted in 2018 to buy the property, raze the house and turn the land into a small public park.

A deal was reached with the homeowner last year to sell the property to the city.

That outcome delighted Edith George, a local resident who lobbied over 14 years to preserve the oak tree, whose beauty she says “just takes your breath away.”

“It’s the Rolls-Royce of heritage trees. No other tree in Canada has the heritage value that this tree has,” the 68-year-old retiree told AFP. Experts say that with care and under the right conditions, the tree could live another 200 years or more.

“A tree like this is expensive to maintain. If the lot is a public space, the city will be able to take care of it better than I can,” says Ali Simaga, who purchased the home in 2015.

“I don’t want to be selfish and keep it to myself, either,” he adds. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Business

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TODAY

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market slightly up; PLDT, Dito lead gainers HE stock market nearly closed flat Tuesday, with the benchmark index staying below 6,000 points as investors stayed on the sidelines in the absence of catalysts that could lift share prices higher.

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The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added just 9.86 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,953.44 on a value turnover of nearly P4.6 billion.

Losers, however, beat gainers, 109 to 84, with 51 issues unchanged.

Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group advanced 4.4 percent to P70, while PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications company, rose 3.4 percent to P1,448.

Dito CME Holdings Corp. of businessman Dennis Uy, the third major telecom firm, climbed 4.7 percent to P3.35, but Manila Water Co. Inc., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., fell 2.1 percent to P13.22.

The rest of Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday with investors taking reassurance from news that China and the US had agreed to press on with their trade pact, while hopes for a virus treatment provided extra support.

The gains followed yet another record day on Wall Street as cases appear to be slowing in the United States, but also as Europe sees a worrying surge and as Hong Kong researchers identified what they said was the first confirmed case of reinfection.

China and the US provided dealers with some much-needed cheer after announcing top representatives had held phone talks on their trade agreement signed in January.

There had been concerns about the future of the deal as the superpowers’ relationship grows increasingly fraught over various issues including Hong Kong, the virus, Huawei

and TikTok. But on Tuesday, the commerce ministry said Vice Premier Liu He spoke to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and both sides “agreed to create conditions and atmosphere to continue to push forward the implementation of the phase-one of the China-US economic and trade agreement.”

The US side added in a separate statement that the two had discussed steps China had agreed to address in the agreement, including intellectual property and forced technology transfer.

“The parties also discussed the signifi-

cant increases in purchases of US products

by China as well as future actions needed to implement the agreement. Both sides see progress and are committed to taking the steps necessary to ensure the success of the agreement,” it added.

While there was an expectation the deal would remain intact, the news will take away one key matter of concern for investors.

Tokyo, Seoul and Singapore all jumped more than one percent, while Sydney gained 0.5 percent and Taipei put on 0.9 percent with Mumbai gaining 0.1 percent. Bangkok and Jakarta were also higher. With AFP

LABOR UNREST. Activists take part in a protest against a government omnibus bill on job creation, which they believe will deprive workers of their rights, in Jakarta on August 25, 2020. AFP

Qantas bares plan to ax almost 2,500 more jobs SYDNEY, Australia—Australian flag carrier Qantas announced plans Tuesday to cut almost 2,500 more jobs, just days after posting a huge annual loss as it reels from a collapse in demand caused by the coronavirus.

Qantas and its budget offshoot, Jetstar, said they would outsource their ground handling operations at all domestic airports, pending a final review of the roles.

It comes on top of 6,000 redundancies already announced as the company undertakes a US$10-billion cost-cutting blitz in response to “the most challenging period” in its 99-year history.

Qantas Domestic chief executive officer Andrew David said the proposal would save an estimated US$72 million a year.

“Right now, our domestic capacity is at 20 percent of pre-COVID levels and international travel is expected to take years to recover,” he said.

“We know travel restrictions will lift eventually, but the market will be very different.”

More than 200 Qantas planes have been grounded, David said, after the firm’s revenues collapsed 82 percent between April and June.

Qantas’s main competitor, Virgin Australia, went into voluntary administration in April shortly after Australia closed its international borders and domestic travel plunged.

Virgin has closed its budget subsidiary Tigerair Australia and axed 3,000 staff as it prepares to relaunch under the new ownership of US private equity giant Bain Capital.

Parts of Australia—which has recorded roughly 25,000 cases of coronavirus and 525 deaths to date—remain in lockdown while travel between most states is restricted.

Government officials have said the country will not reopen its international borders to travelers until a vaccine is found. AFP

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Tuesday, August 25, 2020

9.86 points

TOTAL VOLUME

1,246,247,077

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE

87,265 4,559,371,344.15

ADVANCES

5,953.44

84

DECLINES UNCHANGED

109 51

FOREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.6510

Japan

Yen

0.009437

0.4591

UK

Pound

1.307000

63.5869

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129031

6.2775

Switzerland

Franc

1.097333

53.3863

Canada

Dollar

0.756487

36.8038

Singapore

Dollar

0.729927

35.5117

Australia

Dollar

0.716200

34.8438

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652801

129.0610

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

12.9733

Brunei

Dollar

0.727273

35.3826

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0033

Thailand

Baht

0.031807

1.5474

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.2463

Euro

Euro

1.179400

57.3790

Korea

Won

0.000841

0.0409

China

Yuan

0.144530

7.0315

India

Rupee

0.013483

0.6560

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239636

11.6585

New Zealand

Dollar

0.653100

31.7740

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034140

1.6609 Source: BSP

San Miguel bares plan to construct 420-km Bicol road, Pasig expressway

By Darwin G. Amojelar SAN Miguel Corp. said it will build two game-changing infrastructure projects costing over P120 billion over the next four years to boost the economy battered by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

It identified the two projects as the 420-kilometer South Luzon Expressway Tollroad 5 that will connect Quezon province and the Bicol region and the 19.40-km. Pasig River Expressway that will connect the eastern and western sides of Metro Manila.

San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said a combined P121.8-billion investment would go into the salaries of thousands of workers and payments to local contractors, materials suppliers, haulers and the national and local governments. “As we said before, San Miguel is fully committed to helping our country overcome this crisis. A big part of that is to continue, and not hold back, on new investments. These projects will deliver hundreds of thousands of jobs and put money in the hands of the Filipinos—sustaining and boosting our economic recovery, even as we build for a much better future,” Ang said.

“SLEX TR5 will take four years to complete, and PAREX, three years.

By that time, the pandemic would have been far behind us. Other major infrastructure projects would also be complete. Our Bulacan Airport project would also be complete. So imagine: within five years, the Philippines will be transformed, and be better than ever,” he said.

The Toll Regulatory Board, under the Department of Transportation, designated SMC’s proposed SLEX TR5 and PAREX as certified toll road projects.

The Technical Working Group of the TRB, composed of representatives from the DOTr, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the National Economic and Development Authority and Department of Finance, are now holding discussions with SMC and joint venture partner, PNCC, on the technical, financial and legal considerations for the project.

South Luzon Expressway Toll Road 5 is a 420-km., four-lane expressway starting from SLEX TR4 in Barangay Mayao, Lucena City in Quezon province, ending at the Matnog Ferry Terminal in Sorsogon.

SM’S CARE. Consistent with its staunch advocacy of sustainability, SM Investments Corp. is recognized among the Top Community Care Companies in Asia at the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards 2020. ACES acknowledged SM for the conduct of SM Foundation Inc.-led flagship programs—the Scholarship Program and the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farmers’ Training Program. The Top Community Care Companies in Asia award is presented to companies “who have enriched the communities through various outreach initiatives.”

PCC clears Razon group’s takeover of Manila Water T

By Othel V. Campos

HE Philippine Competition Commission said Tuesday it approved the acquisition of a controlling stake in Manila Water Inc. by Trident Water Holdings Company Inc., the holding comjpany of Prime Metroline Holdings Inc. Prime Metroline is controlled by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. The transaction involves the acquisition of the 51-percent voting interest in Ayala Group’s Manila Water through Trident Water’s subscription of 820 million common shares of stock from the unissued authorized capital stock of Manila Water.

Manila Water’s subsidiary, Philwater Holdings Company, is set to grant proxy in favor of Trident Water over the preferred shares to allow Trident Water to achieve a 51-percent voting interest in Manila Water.

The PCC said it approved the transaction because it would not likely lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the market of the supply of raw water to the East Zone Concession Area.

It cited that Manila Water, as the sole water distributor in the East Zone geographic market, has a captive customer base and no downstream competitors based on a concession agreement with Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System.

As waterworks is a form of “natuManila

NEDA chief says economy starting to bounce back

Standard

TODAY

By Julito G. Rada THE National Economic and Development Authority said Tuesday economic activity started to pick up as the government works on programs to help severely affected sectors cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are starting to see a U-turn in the trajectory of economic activity and manufacturing production. While we are not yet in the positive territory, we are hoping that we can continue to manage this recovery as best as we can,” acting Economic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said in a presentation during a webinar hosted by Globe MyBusiness Academy in and the Alumni Association of Xavier School.

Chua said the government’s recovery program would include the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act 2, the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program and the 2021 budget.

He said some P655 billion would be allocated to help people cope with the pandemic and improve the healthcare system the phased and adaptive recovery approach, This includes the ramped up spending to protect 18 million low-income households and 3.1 million workers of small businesses.

“Moving forward, we are optimistic that the Bayanihan 2 will help the country bounce back from the crisis with its improved provisions on the healthcare system, public transport, and restoring consumer demand,” Chua said.

MANILA’S BIG BROTHERS.

Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan II (right) and Anti-Red Tape Authority Director General Jeremiah Belgica (right) are set to assist Manila City’s COVID-19 response efforts led by Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso (center). The designation is in accordance with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Resolution No. 62 issued on Aug. 12, which resolved to adopt a ‘national government-enabled, local government-led and peoplecentered response’ approach against COVID-19.

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ral monopoly” allowed by law through regulation, East Zone concessionaire Manila Water is subject to the extensive oversight and regulation by the MWSS within 23 areas, including Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, parts of Quezon City, Manila and portions of Rizal.

The PCC said a review by Mergers and Acquisitions Office found that the merged entity would neither have incentive nor ability to engage in customer or input foreclosure in the market.

It said while there is absence of horizontal overlaps between the parties which are not direct competitors, a vertical relationship exists between the parties’ notifying group within the water sector before the merger transaction.

The PCC, however, said that customer or input foreclosure would be unlikely given that the arrangement was designed to service the East Zone even beyond the lifetime of Manila Water’s concession.

IN BRIEF Century buys partner’s stake in Makati tower CENTURY Properties Group Inc. acquired the 40-percent stake of Mitsubishi Corp. in newly-completed office building Century Diamond Tower in Makati for P1.9 billion.

CPG said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Tuesday the acquisition would increase the company’s total commercial leasing portfolio by 25,000 square meters to 137,000 sq. m. and boost recurring revenues in the coming years.

“This acquisition effectively builds up CPG’s recurring income assets in line with our strategy of growing the company’s highmargin businesses including office leasing.

This has proven to be a resilient sector by nature of longer-term leases,” said CPG president and chief executive Marco Antonio.

“We thank Mitsubishi Corporation for the trust, the fruitful partnership, and its invaluable support to this project. The completion of Century Diamond Tower is a milestone for CPG as we continue in our step forward to balancing our vertical residential and affordable housing portfolio with commercial leasing assets, while maintaining business resilience under the new normal.”

Jenniffer B. Austria

Bureau: Pandemic derails export targets

THE pandemic has pushed export targets further back as recent forecasts showed a trade deficit of $27 billion to $28 billion from the initial goals identified in the 20182022 Philippine Export Development Plan.

Export Marketing Bureau director Senen Perlada said in a meeting with stakeholders the Philippines will find it difficult to catch up with the $102-billion export target for the year.

“The challenge for us, really, because we do not want to change our targets, is for us to change strategies in order for us to still meet the targets for the end-term plan,” he said.

The Philippines set an export target of $120 billion to $130 billion by 2022.

The bureau expects merchandise exports to reach $38.1 billion this year from the lowend target of $54.8 billion. Service exports are also expected to perform poorly at $36 billion from the $47-billion target for the year. Othel V. Campos

BPS mulls over more COVID-19 measures

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas is considering additional regulatory relief measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to financial institutions and help the economy recover faster from the current slump caused by the health crisis.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, in his presentation during the Nomura Virtual Investor Conference held Aug. 24, said he would announce the additional relief measures once finalized.

“We have implemented numerous relief measures. And more are being considered,” Diokno said.

“In particular, we are looking at additional regulatory enhancements that will enable our regulated entities to focus their resources on addressing the impact of the pandemic on their operations and the financial consumers,” he said.

Diokno said it was important to maintain the stability of the financial system amid the current crisis. He said the BSP recognized the crucial role banks and other financial institutions play in keeping the economy afloat and in fueling recovery. Julito G. Rada

Sports

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

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

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Collegiate leagues hope to get IATF nod

By Peter Atencio

Barangay Ginebra players are shown training.

Training continues for Hallasgo SOUTHEAST Asian Games’ marathon champion Christine Hallasgo is adjusting to a number of difficulties after she got back to training in her hometown in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

Hallasgo said there is no track oval in their town, but she is still able to to do daily running activities.

“Iyun po ang mahirap. Wala pong oval na magagamit sa pagtakbo,” said the 27-year-old Hallasgo in an online interview on Zoom.

Hallasgo said her brother is joining her whenever she goes out to run along an isolated roadway in Malaybalay.

Since they are not going into crowded areas, Hallasgo said she is able to run without a face mask.

Last June, Hallasgo returned home after spending two weeks in quarantine in Metro Manila.

Since then, she is being g uided online by her coach Eduardo Buenavista on how to restar t her effor ts on endu rance activities.

Hallasgo went through an ordeal in going back home to Bukidnon.

She was supposed to return home on March 16, a day after an enhanced Luzon-wide lockdown was imposed by the government to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

But she got stranded after being unable to get a f light from the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

Luckily, the Philippine Sports Commission found out about her situation and provided her a place to stay at Philsports facilities in Pasig. Peter Atencio

Christine Hallasgo

PBA wants to imitate NBA’s bubble concept

ITH the National Basketball Association thriving in a playing atmosphere called the “bubble,” the Philippine Basketball Basketball have taken notice and would consider doing the same concept for its 45th season to push through.

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League board chairman Ricky Vargas admitted the model, costly as it may, provided the NBA the proper blueprint to resume its season that he doesn’t see any problem adopting the same formula for Asia’s first ever play-for-pay league.

Vargas mentioned Laguna, Batangas, Subic, and Smart Araneta Coliseum as possible venues, where the 45-year-old pro league can set up the bubble.

“Nandito na tayo. May own feeling as part of the Board as chairman, we do not have a choice. May model na and the model is the NBA, so we just have go ahead and look forward to the time na maglalaro na tayo, whether it’s the NBA way or a more innovative way,” he said.

Vargas and league commissioner Willie Marcial talked about the bubble plan of the PBA during Tuesday’s webcast edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

Marcial mentioned among those being considered as possible venues for the season resumption other than the Big Dome are the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna, a school gym in Batangas, and a golf and country club in Subic.

He said deputy commissioner Eric Castro is already coordinating and talking to possible people involved in setting up the bubble that will house all the 12 teams and other league personnel totalling to at least 350 people.

“Kung mapapapunta nga sa sinasabi ni chairman na bubble, ipi-present ko sa kanila (Board) ‘yan, ilalatag ko sa kanila at tapos titignan namin kung ano ang pinaka-magandang option,” said Marcial in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, and powered by Smart, with Upstream Media as webcast partner.

The commissioner said the Board will have another round of meeting to discuss about the plans.

While other members of the Board are also enthusiastic about the proposal, Vargas admitted it will definitely come with a huge cost.

“Ang isa pang problema diyan more than the site and the bubble option is ‘yung financial,” said Vargas, noting how it was actually the NBA itself which fully spent

for the construction of the entire bubble estimated to be around $180 million for a shortened season.

“So we will have to look at our own finances kung puwedeng sagutin ng PBA ‘yan or will it be shared within the teams. So these are important issues that we have to discuss in the Board,” Vargas said.

But somehow, somewhere, the season has to restart, according to Vargas, representative of the TnT Katropa to the Board.

“I agree with what Alaska team owner Fred Uytengsu said that there is going to be pressure financially for the team if these goes on for a longer period of time.

Not only for the teams, but for the PBA itself,” he added.

“More importantly, we don’t want the PBA’s popularity to lose out also, that we are not doing anything. Our fans could be more aggressive than us and we’d like to satisfy also all of their concerns,” Vargas added.

The first step towards a possible season restart commenced also on Tuesday as at least half of the 12 teams already began their respective individual workouts, led by five-time Philippine Cup defending champion San Miguel Beer.

For both Vargas and Marcial, that should be a good sign.

“We are ready. This is a very good start, and we are ready to do what we’re supposed to do,” added the PBA chairman.

Carlos to acquaint self with PH fans KC “PINAY FIGHT” Carlos is a fairly new name to local fans, especially since she has been competing mostly in Muay Thai bouts throughout Thailand.

At ONE: A NEW BREED this Friday, in Bangkok, however, she gets the chance to show exactly what she is made of—though she has a tall order ahead of her.

Carlos makes her ONE Super Series debut when she battles the red-hot Wondergirl Fairtex in a women’s strawweight Muay Thai battle. It’ll be the first time a Filipino competes on the grandest striking stage since Ryan “The Filipino Assassin” Jakiri in 2018.

“From all the hard work put into this fight camp, I will fight my heart out and try to put on a good show,” Carlos said.

“I haven’t really gotten the chance to connect to my Filipino roots, at least not as much as I want to because I’ve been living in Thailand for a very long time. Filipinos have a strong heart and I am bringing my heart into this fight.”

The Filipina-American, however, would be delighted to get to know her people.

After all, Filipinos are some of the most

KC Carlos is shown training for her big fight. Criscarlo Chua

passionate fans not just in martial arts, but sports in general.

“I am a very dedicated and hard-working athlete who does not give up. I’ve been through some very rough times in

my life, but I refused to let any of that stop me from what I wanted to achieve. I love what I do, and I believe that passion shows in my training and fighting,” the 33-year-old said.

Sprint king Bolt positive for coronavirus NEW YORK—Usain Bolt was in quarantine on Monday as Jamaican media reported the sprint legend had tested positive for the coronavirus, just days after he celebrated his 34th birthday with a lavish party.

The retired 100m and 200m world-record holder didn’t confirm his test result, but he urged anyone who had been in contact with him to go into quarantine.

“I did a test on Saturday to leave (Jamaica) because I have work,” Bolt said in a video posted on Twitter. “I am trying to be responsible so I am going to stay in and be safe.

“Also, I am having no symptoms, I will quarantine myself and wait on the confirmation to see what is the protocol and to see how I go about quarantining myself from the Ministry of Health.

“Until then, I will call my friends and tell them once they came in contact with me to be safe, quarantine and take it easy,” said Bolt.

According to the Jamaica Observer, health and wellness minister Christopher Tufton confirmed late on Monday that the eight-time Olympic champion had tested positive.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness also said police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Bolt’s birthday party.

“There are reports of an activity related to Usain Bolt,” Holness told a virtual news conference.

“These matters are all being thoroughly investigated and the police will give a report on these matters in near future.”

Bolt last competed internationally at the 2017 World Championships in London. He and partner Kasi Bennet welcomed the birth of a daughter in May. AFP

Usain Bolt AFP

COLLEGIATE basketball teams have not yet officially been allowed to return to practices.

Measures are stricter in amateur basketball compared to what have been proposed for by the Philippine Basketball Association. But San Beda Red Lions’ team manager Jude Roque said they will help the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases get an idea of how to make training doable.

“It’s about guidelines on how to have individual workouts for college teams. Sana mapayagan na kami,” said Roque in an interview with the Manila Standard.

The one-page document was sent to the office of Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who is the chairman of the IATF. With the title “The Proposed Guidelines For Small Group, Non-Contact Basketball Skills And Conditioning Workouts For College Basketball Teams,” the document proposes that practices will only be possible in areas under a Modified General Community Quarantine or below.

“It’s a lot stricter than what the PBA gave. I just submitted it last Friday,” said Roque, who added that the proposal is not just meant to get practices restarted in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the University Athletic Association as they will also benefit other collegiate leagues hoping to have their tournaments back in the running again.

“It’s not just for the NCAA. It’s a general proposal. And it’s for them to study if it’s doable,” explained Roque.

Under the protocols, student athletes below 20 years old can’t participate, with senior citizens not allowed in the sessions, too.

For a player to join, he needs to undergo swab testing and have a negative result.

Health protocols established by the DOH must also be strictly followed.

The proposal has 38 points that need to be observed when implemented.

“If the PBA has started their own workouts at wala naman problema, then, maybe they can allow the collegiate teams,” said Roque, who also declined to comment on the alleged recent practices done by the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers in Sorsogon.

“I’m a kicker! I’ve been kicking my whole life since my taekwondo days as a kid. I like to be fast, precise with power, and aggressive. Other than kicking, I like to use all other weapons I have, depending on the situation, to make the fight unpredictable and also entertaining.”

But it will be a tough debut for “Pinay Fight” who faces the unenviable task of stopping Wondergirl, who was sensational in her introduction to The Home Of Martial Arts.

The Fairtex star needed less than a round to dispatch Brooke Farrell at ONE: NO SURRENDER III, making good on her promise to make a splash in her promotional debut.

Tough as the challenge is, Carlos promises to show the puso mantra that Filipinos are known for.

“Wondergirl is a tough and skilled fighter. I’m confident I will perform well and give it all I got. It would be amazing to get the win and I will try my best to achieve that,” Carlos said.

“To all the Filipino fans out there, no matter what the situation is, don’t give up. Believe in yourselves and keep going. We all have a purpose, so we need to show it.”

Catch ONE: A NEW BREED this Friday, at 8:30 P.M. on One Sports and One Sports+ or by watching it thru the ONE Super App.

Sports Ailing Novak advances, Serena claws out victory The upset of the day was at the opposite end of the men’s draw, as 32nd-ranked Filip Krajinovic of Serbia toppled Austria’s Thiem 6-2, 6-1.

“I think I started really well today. I was aggressive and I’m really happy that I’m in the third round,” said 32nd-ranked Krajinovic, who dropped just two service points on the way to victory.

Thiem, who pushed Djokovic to five sets in an Australian Open runner-up finish in January, couldn’t find his rhythm in his first match since the ATP tour resumed after a five-month coronavirus hiatus.

“It was just a horrible game by myself,” Thiem said. Didn’t play well at all, didn’t get any rhythm.

“I had really troubles with returning.”

Krajinovic lined up a meeting with Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, who ousted 14th-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.

Former world number one Andy Murray also notched an upset, surprising world number seven Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 for his first win over a top-10 player in more than three years. AFP

NEW YORK—World number one Novak Djokovic battled through neck pain on the way to a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 victory over Ricardas Berankis at the Western & Southern Open, where second seed Dominic Thiem crashed out.

Djokovic, who pulled out of doubles with a sore neck on Sunday, made it through to the round of 16 despite the ailment, for which he received treatment on court.

“It’s getting better,” he said after the 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 win. “It’s been four days. It’s not yet where I’d like it to be but it’s heading in the right direction.”

That’s good news with the US Open starting on August 31 on the same New York hardcourts hosting this week’s tournament, which was moved from Cincinnati to establish a quarantine bubble for the upcoming Grand Slam.

Djokovic twice went down a break in the second set, but broke back both times. He let out a roar when he broke for a 5-4 lead then calmly served it out.

He next faces American Tennys Sandgren, a 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) winner over 15th-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Lakers steamroll Blazers, Heat show door to Pacers IAMI—LeBron James finished with 30 points and 10 assists to help the Los Angeles Lakers roll over the Portland Trail Blazers 135-115 in game four of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Monday.

regular season, took a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series, with game five on Wednesday in the NBA’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida.

The underdog Magic, who stunned the Bucks in game one, kept it close through three quarters.

But Milwaukee, up 84-81 heading into the final frame, erupted for an 18-3 scoring run to seize control.

‘Shoot until your arms fall off’ Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo added 15 rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks, who are trying to win their first NBA title since 1971.

Wesley Matthews scored 12 points and Brook Lopez 10 for Milwaukee.

Middleton, who averaged just 11 points per game in the first three playoff games on 12of-37 shooting, said Antetokounmpo told him to “shoot until your arms fall off”. “At times I am too unselfish, so I have to force the issue,” Middleton said. “Giannis told just to be aggressive and that is what I tried to do.”

The Magic, still without key contributors Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac and Mo Bamba, were led by 31 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists from Nikola Vucevic. AFP

M

Anthony Davis tallied 18 points, five rebounds and five assists before leaving the contest in the third quarter with back spasms as the top-seeded Lakers seized a 3-1 lead in the series.

“I am proud of my team, the way we played tonight,” said James.

The Lakers wore special black and yellowtrimmed “Black Mamba” jerseys to remember former Laker great Kobe Bryant who died, along with his daughter and seven others, in a helicopter crash seven months ago.

Sunday would have marked Bryant’s 42nd birthday.

“I am extremely blessed and honoured ... to continue to remember Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant and all the fallen people who were part of that tragic incident,” said James.

‘OK, he’s here’ Bryant wore No. 24 for his last 10 seasons and No. 8 before that with the Lakers.

James said at one point in the first half he

glanced up at the scoreboard and noticed they were ahead 24-8.

“When I looked and saw 24-8, I was like OK, he’s here in the building,” James said of Bryant.

Portland star Damian Lillard also exited in the third quarter with a right knee injury. He was already nursing a dislocated finger and finished with just 11 points in 27 minutes.

Kyle Kuzma scored 18 points and Danny Green added 14 as the Lakers breezed to the dominating wire-to-wire win.

Jusuf Nurkic delivered 20 points and 13 rebounds and CJ McCollum scored 18 for the Trail Blazers.

The Lakers can clinch the best-of-seven series with a win in game five on Wednesday.

In the Eastern Conference first round, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points and Khris Middleton added 18 of his 21 in the fourth quarter as the Milwaukee Bucks dominated late to down the Orlando Magic 121-106.

The Bucks, owners of the best record in the

Lefty shoots 10-under 61 in Champions tour debut

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 80-QUEZON CITY DAN DARWIN A. CACANINDIN, Plaintiff, -versus-

R-QZN- 16- 14310-CV Re : Quieting of Title

CATALINO S. FRANCIA, Defendant. x-------------------------------------------x AMENDED ORDER Pursuant to the Order dated February 12, 2020, the dispositive portion of the Decision dated July 25, 2019 is hereby amended as follows: “WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, the Court resolves to grant the Complaint dated December 8, 2016 filed by Dan Darwin A. Cacanindin and declaring him as the absolute owner of TCT No. 262266 issued by the Register of Deeds of Quezon City.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, February 12, 2020

(Sgd.) RAFAEL G. HIPOLITO Acting Presiding Judge* *As per Supreme Court AO No. 237-2019 dated October 17, 2019 Issued by Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, SAJ Carpio

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH 80, QUEZON CITY DAN DARWIN A. CACANINDIN, Plaintift

- versus -

Civil Case No . .

R-QZN-16-14310-CV

CATALINO S. FRANCIA, Defendant. x-------------------------------------------x DECISION Before this court is a Complaint dated Decelnber 8, 2016 filed by Dan Darwin Cacanindin (Darwin for brevity) against Catalino S. Francia (Catalino for brevity) praying that a decree of ‘quieting of title be issued declaring the former the absolute owner of Transfer Certificate of Title No. 262266 of the Registry of Deeds, Quezon City to remove the cloud of doubt as to his ownership.

As the plaintiff has no more witnesses to present, he formally offered his evidence16 which was admitted by the court in its Order dated May 21, 2019.

The Court’s Ruling The sole issue to be resolved by the court in this case is whether or not herein plaintiff Dan Darwin Cacanindin has a right over the property covered by TCT No. 262266 as its absolute owner thereby removing the cloud or doubt brought by the claim of defendant Catalino Francia before the Land Registration Authority.

Under the Civil Code, an action for a quieting of title may be brought under this circumstances: Art. 476. Whenever there is a cloud on title to real property or any interest therein, by reason of any instrument, record, claim, encumbrance or proceeding which is apparently valid or effective but is in truth and in fact invalid, ineffective, voidable, or unenforceable, and may be prejudicial to said title, an action may be brought to remove such cloud or to quiet the title.

An action may also be brought to prevent a cloud from being cast upon title to real property or any interest therein.

An action to quiet title or to remove the clouds over a title is a special civil action governed by the second paragraph of Section 1, Rule 63 of the Rules of Court. Specifically, an action for quieting of title is essentially a common law remedy grounded on equity. The competent court is tasked to determine the respective rights of the complainant and other claimants, not only to put things in their proper place, to make the one who has no rights to said immovable respect and not disturb the other, but also for the benefit of both, so that he who has the right would see every cloud of doubt over the property dissipated, and he could afterwards without fear introduce: the improvements he may desire, to use, and even to abuse the property as he deems best. For an action to quiet title to prosper, two indispensable requisites must concur, namely: (1) the plaintiff or complainant has a legal or an equitable title to or interest in the real property. subject of the action; and (2) the deed, claim, encumbrance, or proceeding claimed to be casting cloud on his title must be shown to be in fact invalid or inoperative despite its prima facie appearance of validity or legal efficacy.17 On the first requisite, herein plaintiff have proven that he has an interest over the parcel of land registered under TCT No. 262266 as he purchased the same from Ms. Valmonte who then acquired it from the registered owner, Movers Enterprises, Inc. as shown by the two (2) deeds of sale18 he presented and which were admitted by the court.

Anent the second requisite, the petition for reconstitution filed by herein defendant before the LRA casts a cloud or doubt on the title of the plaintiff as Catalino claims that he is the registered owner of the same parcel of land bought by plaintiff but registered under a different title, TCT No. 292624 and because of this, the LRA is holding in abeyance the petition for reconstitution filed by herein plaintiff in the said Summons was served to herein defendant, however, office until the court has resolved the issue as to who owns the same was unserved as shown by the Sheriffs Return the said property. dated January 12, 2107 which states that Catalino has not been residing in the address provided by the plaintiff for Herein plaintiff, however, asserts that the petition and about ten (10) years already.1 In view thereof, the plaintiff claim of Catalino are based on suspicious documents and filed a Motion for Service of Summons by Publication dated non-existent right. On this, the court agrees with the plaintiff February 25, 20172 which was granted by the court as stated that he has a vested right over the said property with all the in the Order dated April 11, 2017.3 rights to exercise full dominion, ownership and possession over the same to the exclusion of all the other parties19 as On October 25, 2017,4 the court dismissed the case compared to the claim of Catalino that he is the owner of the for failure of the plaintiff to comply with the Order dated said parcel of land.

September 22, 2017.5 However, the same was reconsidered on motion of the plaintiff6 as stated in the Order dated April The plaintiff has proven his ownership of the parcel of land 4, 2018 7 subject of this case and the existence of the said title through the documents he presented and admitted by the court and On April 24, 2018, the plaintiff filed a Compliance with as can be confirmed also by the statement of Atty. Cabatu that Motion to Declare Defendant in Default8 of even date praying TCT No. 262266 was based on the owner’s duplicate copy that herein defendant be declared in default pursuant to and the subject of a transaction after the June 11, 1988 fire the Rules of Court and that he be allowed to present his which is the cancellation of a real estate mortgage and was evidence ex-parte which was granted by the court in its provisionally registered under PR No. 31468 on September Order dated November 23, 2018.

12, 1991 which officer has personally confirmed with the concerned Register of Deeds.20 Evidence for the Plaintiff On the petition and claim of the defendant filed with Herein plaintiff Dan Darwin Cacanindin testified and when presented, he identified 9 the Judicial Affidavit dated the LRA, Catalino only submitted a machine copy of the February 16, 2019 he executed and the documents attached owner’s duplicate copy of TCT No. 296624 stating that it was derived from TCT No. 262266 but the same does not bear therein which was adopted as his direct testimony. any annotation or encumbrance whatsoever and that said In his affidavit, Darwin stated that he knows the parcel of title is already registered to another person in the name of land subject of this case covered by TCT No. 292266 with an Adolfo Bustria but pertains to a different to Lot 12, (LRC) Pcsarea of Four Hundred Sixteen (416) Square Meters located 9789 and not to the lot as claimed in the title allegedly under in Lot 4, Block 7 Capitol Hills, Batasan hills, Quezon City as the name of the defendant as contained also in the Order the same was sold to him by ElnorValmonte (Ms. Valmonte previously issued by Atty. Cabatu.21 for brevity) as shown by the Deed of Absolute Sale dated Clear from the foregoing that the defendant has not proven August 11, 2016.10 Plaintiff Darwin also stated that the title is under the name of Mover Enterprises Inc. because it is the his ownership of the parcel of land with certainty before the original owner but it sold the same to Ms. Valmonte as shown LRA and before the court who declared him in default as compared to the evidence of the plaintiff. The plaintiff has by the Deed of Absolute Sale dated November 25, 2002.11 clearly established that he is the owner of the parcel of land On August 17, 2016, as further stated in his affidavit, covered by TCT No. 262266 and that the cloud or doubt over Darwin alleged that he filed a petition for reconstitution of the ownership of the same has been resolved in his favor.

TCT No. 262266 before the Land Registration Authority WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, the court resolves (LRA) as shown by the Petition for Reconstitution.12 The same, however, was held in abeyance due to another to grant the Complaint dated December 8, 2016 filed by Dan Darwin A. Cacanindin and declaring him as the absolute petition for reconstitution filed by Catalino on May 20, 2013 as shown by a Certification issued by the LRA 13 of TCT NO. owner of TCT No. 2622266 issued by the Register of Deeds 292624 registered under the name of the latter and covering of Quezon City. the same parcel of land as the same was allegedly derived No pronouncement as to the cost of suit. from the title of the plaintiff. Upon inquiry from the LRA and SO ORDERED. according to annotations or even encumbrances and in fact, said officer issued an Order dated November 2, 2016 July 25, 2019, Quezon City. affirming the same.14 The plaintiff also presented Atty. Jose Mamerto B. Cabatu15 who when presented identified his Judicial Affidavit dated February 18, 2019 and the documents mentioned therein.

In his affidavit, Atty. Cabatu stated that he is the Chief, Reconstitution Division, Land Registration Authority and as such he resolves petitions for administrative reconstitution of lost and/or destroyed original copies of certificates of title and insofar as judicial reconstitution is concerned, he signs technical reports intended for the Regional Trial Court in connection with reconstitution proceedings.

Atty. Cabatu also stated in his affidavit that a certain Catalino Francia filed for a reconstitution involving Lot 4, Block 7, Pcs-4998 and covered purportedly by TCT No. 292624 in the name of Catalino Sarto Francia sometime in May 2013. On November 2, 2016, Atty. Cabatu issued ADM. Order No. Q-1261 (2016) holding in abeyance the resolution of the said petition due to the pendency of the petition filed

by Darwin before the said office on the purported TCT No. 292266 still in the name of Mover Enterprises, Inc. and also issued ADM. Order No. Q-1260 (2016) also holding in abeyance the petition of herein plaintiff.

(Sgd.) GAY MARIE F. LUBIGAN-RAFAEL Acting Presiding Judge 1

p. 30, Record p. 38, Id. p .41, Id. 4 p. 60, Id. 5 p . 58, Id. 6 Motion for Reconsideration dated January 18, 2018,p.54, ld.

7 p . 66, ld.

8 p . 68, Id. 9 TSN dated February 22, 2019 10 Exhibit “A” 11 Exhibit “B” 12 Exhibit “C” 13 Exhibit “D” 14 Exhibit “F” 15 Supra note 9.

16 Formal Offer of Evidence dat ed February 27, 2019 17 Mananquil v. Moico, 699 Phil. 120, 126-127 (2012). Italics supplied.

18 Exhibits “A” and “B” 19 p. 3, Complaint 20 Order dated November 2, 2016 (Exhibit “F’:) 21 Id. 2 3

(MStandard-Aug. 26, Sep. 2 & 9, 2020)

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball while Gary Trent Jr. of the Portland Trail Blazers plays defense during the NBA Playoffs at The AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. AFP

Ronaldinho released from detention ASUNCION—Former Brazil football star Ronaldinho was released on Monday by a Paraguayan judge after spending five months in detention over a forged passport.

Judge Gustavo Amarilla also released Ronaldinho’s brother Roberto de Assis Moreira, who likewise had been held for a month in jail and another four months under house arrest in a hotel in Paraguay’s capital, Asuncion, for the same charge.

The 40-year-old former World Cup winner “is free to travel to whatever country in the world he wants but he must inform us if he changes his permanent residence” for a period of one year, the judge said.

“He has no restrictions except for the fulfilment of reparations for damage to society.”

Dressed in jeans, a black beret and black shirt, Ronaldinho accepted the terms of his release, which include payment of $90,000 in damages.

His brother, who is also Ronaldinho’s business manager, must pay $110,000.

The judge stressed that he was not issuing a “definitive dismissal” of the case but rather that Ronaldinho was benefitting from a “conditional suspension of the procedure.”

His brother, on the other hand, was given a

THE LINK REY JOBLE BASKETBALL has been in the DNA of the Ravenas.

Bong, father of Kiefer and Thirdy, took a gamble of going to Manila to apply for a college varsity scholarship at the University of the East Warriors, along with his cousins—Vic and Vernie Villarias. They all made it to the squad.

Several years later, they were able to make it to the big league, playing in the PBA, but it was Ravena, who ended up with a more illustrious career, winning five championships on top of winning the Rookie of the Year honors in 1992 and the Most Improved Player award in 1997.

When Ravena was done with his playing career, he ended up as an assistant coach of Talk N Text, was elevated to the position as assistant team manager and lately, was named head coach of the TNT Ka Tropa.

two-year suspended sentence.

Prosecutors said they did not believe Ronaldinho took part in the plan to manufacture the fake Paraguayan passports but believed de Assis Moreira was aware that the passports were false.

“They flagrantly used a public document containing false content,” said Marcelo Pecci, one of the public prosecutors, who said it was a “very serious” offense.

De Assis Moreira must appear before a judge in Brazil every four months for two years and will have a criminal record.

“Ronaldinho’s situation is not the same as Roberto’s. He has no obligation to appear before any Brazilian judicial authority. He must only report a change of address,” said Amarilla, who accepted a recommendation by four prosecutors to avoid the need for an oral trial.

Before Monday’s trial the public prosecutor said that Ronaldinho displayed no “personal characteristics or criminal behavior that ... would put society at risk.”

‘Deceived vilely The brothers arrived in Paraguay on March 4 with Ronaldinho, the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner, due to take part in an event in support of disadvantaged children. AFP

LOS ANGELES—Phil Mickelson impressed in his PGA Tour Champions circuit debut Monday firing 11 birdies in a 10-under par 61 at Ozarks National to lead the Charles Schwab Series event.

Mickelson birdied three of the parfives on the course at Ridgedale, Missouri, storming home with five straight birdies to lead Australian David McKenzie by one stroke.

Five-time major champion Mickelson became eligible for the Champions circuit when he turned 50 in June. He said earlier this season he didn’t expect to take advantage this season as he preferred to keep his focus on the PGA Tour.

But he changed his mind after he missed the cut at the Northern Trust at TPC Boston on Friday and was eliminated from the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

He opened with a birdie, then drove the green at the 350-yard par-four third and was five-under through seven before a bogey at the ninth.

He added another birdie at 11 then rolled in a 20-footer at 13 to launch his closing run—which also included birdie bombs at 15 and 16.

“I had a lot of fun,” said Mickelson, who played alongside Retief Goosen and Steve Stricker.

“I enjoyed competing against Retief for so many years and Steve Stricker is one of my favorite people in all of golf.

Watching Stricker roll in putts early in the round gets your mindset in a very positive frame and I tried to kind of take his feel and touch and rhythm of stroke and I made some on the back.”

Mickelson made it plain after his round that he’s now focused on becoming the 20th player to make his debut on the over-50 circuit a victory.

“The expectation is there, but there are a lot of great players out here and it is fun for me to able to compete against them,” he said.

South Korean K.J. Choi, making his second start on Champions tour, was in a group sharing third at seven-under along with Rocco Mediate, Rod Pampling and Tim Petrovic. AFP

Keeping up with the Ravenas Such a long journey in basketball for the elder Ravena.

Years after he retired from playing, his sons, Kiefer and Thirdy, are now making their own mark in the basketball circuit.

Kiefer, the more talented one, ended up as a two-time UAAP champion and in the process, won back-to-back MVP awards. But he was also a part of many champion teams of the national squad, whom he represented in the Southeast Asian Games while also helping the NLEX Road Warriors, then playing in the D-League, to a dynasty in the amateur commercial league.

Thirdy, possibly the more athletic and more of a two-way player, is equally great as his older brother. After learning that his dad made a good reputation as a ball player and watching big brother Kiefer reap awards one after another, the younger sibling was more determined to prove that he can continue the family legacy.

And Thirdy didn’t disappoint. He helped the Ateneo Blue Eagles to three straight championships and in the process, won three consecutive Finals MVP on his way to being named College Player of the Year.

But here’s the catch. Thirdy was also given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play for the San-en NeoPhoenix in the Japanese Basketball League. It will be an 11-month journey for the younger Ravena, but we don’t know where his luck pushes him after that, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic stalling major sporting events in the world.

The “old man” Ravena may be good, his son Kiefer could be better, but Thirdy may become the best, especially with the opportunities being presented to him.

Without commitment from the PBA, this young player could weigh his options and look out at what’s the best the world can offer. After all, basketball is a global sport.

Entertainment Entertainment

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Nickie Wang, Editor wednesday, august 26, 2020 nickie.standard@gmail.com

nickie.standard@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

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17 full-length lms to full-lengthfifilms tocompete competeininCinemalaya Cinemalaya17 17 Cinemalaya Philippine independent Film Festival’s main competition for full-length films is making a comeback with 17 films competing for the plum Best Film and other major awards in the 17th edition of the country’s biggest independent film festival.

The competing films include the 2020 Cinemalaya full-length finalists who had to, unfortunately, put their film projects on hold due to the pandemic. They are: Ang Halimaw by Emmanuel Q. Palo; Angkas by Rainerio Yamson Ii; Bakit Di Mo Sabihin (Tell Her) by Real Florido; Bula Sa Langit by Sheenly

Gener; Kaluskos by Roman Perez Jr.; Kargo by TM Malones; Kathoey by Joris Fernandez and Paolo Valconcha; Parole by Briliant Juan; Seperate/Separate by David Corpuz; and The Baseball Player by Carlo Gallen Obispo.

Completing the list are the 2021 finalists: 12 Weeks by Isabelle Matutina; Batsoy by Ronald Espinosa Batallones, RMT; Blue Room by Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan; Ginhawa by Christian Paolo Lat; Guerra by Joseph Israel Laban; L+B Forever by John Carlo Pacala; and Retirada by Cynthia CruzPaz and Milo Alto Paz.

Cinemalaya, this year, migrated to the digital platform due to the COViD-19 pandemic and put the spotlight on short feature films. it was held on the Vimeo platform from aug. 7 to 16.

Cinemalaya will reach out to global audiences through TFC (The Filipino Channel), streaming consciousness until aug. 31. Featured films can also be screened via iWant starting Sept.

18 to Oct. 2.

For more information, check out the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov. ph), follow the CCP official account on Facebook, instagram, and Twitter. you may also check out the official Cinemalaya Facebook page.

‘Kargo’ is about a woman who carries with her a heavy burden from her past, while ‘Seperate/Separate’ revolves around the story of a young boy who joins a school spelling bee to lull his sorrow after being abandoned by his mother.

World Vision celebrity ambassadors ambassadors unite in virtual concert for children children

Belle Daza’s side hustle while in Hong Kong

WORlD Vision’s celebrity ambassadors and advocates will unite for One Voice for Children, a one-night inspirational concert that aims to support the child-focused organization’s most vulnerable children and their families and communities.

The virtual concert is happening this Saturday, aug. 29, 7:00 p.m., on World Vision’s official Facebook page.

This event will be live and free for all.

Ogie Alcasid, Christian Bautista, Quest, and the Perkins Twins will headline the event, a fundraising concert directed by Paolo Valenciano, while also sharing their child-focused advocacies as ambassadors for World Vision. in addition, other World Vision ambassadors and advocates such as Kim Atienza, Christine Babao, Jasmine

Curtis-Smith, JJ Dolor, Tippy Dos Santos, Matteo Guidicelli, Gretchen Ho, Marc Nelson, Enzo Pineda, Miriam Quiambao, Bianca Umali, Janina Vela, and Gelli Victor have been invited to share their messages of hope for affected children and their families of the COViD-19 pandemic. all proceeds from the One Voice for Children virtual concert will go to support World Vision’s education projects that aim to assist the children during this COViD-19 pandemic, including the annual distribution of school kits and the abutin na10 campaign in partnership with the Department of education.

To know more about the concert and World Vision, you may visit www. worldvision.org.ph.

Marie Kondo MoMent. Belle piles up her clothes whenever she does spring cleaning and chooses which items she can already let go of.

i

do like to reuse them but i have so many unused clothes, too. So, i decided to sell them online,” Belle related. as her way to market the items on the platform, she puts funny stories on her ads telling online shoppers how her preloved items added value to her life. “i have decided to part ways with it since i won’t be able to use it any time soon and hoping it will bring Since Carousell tapped the 32-year-old celebrity mom more a smile to someone else,” her Carousell profile reads. than a year ago, she has been selling items from designer clothes, “i would put like funny stories, like for example, you shoes, bags, and other accessories to high-quality pieces like her know, this is a Stella mcCartney suit that handcrafted ceramic set on the online i bought at the outlets. you know, i have consumer marketplace. so many yellow clothes. Things like that. “i worked with them and then i sold and people, i guess, were really enterstuff and then it did really well. and i’m tained with it they were super happy with so happy because i got extra cash that the engagement,” she said. every three months i do a spring cleanBelle is the face of the platform’s ing of all my clothes and i would just sell “making the Best” campaign, which is it on Carousell,” Belle ecstatically shared basically talking about how the digital with Manila Standard Entertainment durmarketplace wants people to make the ing an exclusive online interview. best of every situation. “and then we’ve built a great rela“With the pandemic, everybody is tionship of working together because i stuck at home and feeling the burden. think i love the company and the brand it’s a very rough time. Carousell really and what it does. and i think it helps me wanted to make the best of this situaget rid of my clothes, which eventually Belle tion and wanted to encourage people find new owners that love them,” Belle, is currently in Hong Kong that not only can you discover great who is currently in Hong Kong with her with her husband Adrien Semblat and son finds on the app, but you can also resell husband Adrien Semblat and son BaltBalthazar. items that you don’t need anymore and hazar, shared. to have extra income. and that’s why as a celebrity, Belle has to wear new things whenever she ap- i call it my side hustle. i earn from it and it’s a significant pears on TV or attends entertainment events. and buying new amount of money if you are selling things that are, i guess, clothes takes up a lot of space in her closet. of value,” Belle said alluding to her instagram post where she “i had a lot of things from my days in Eat Bulaga and Kris said online selling is her side hustle.

TV that i had no more space in my closet. Sometimes, i Read full interview on manilastandard.net.

F yOu are into pre-loved items, then, Isabelle Daza, who has opened her closet to online shoppers, might be your chance to treat yourself to high-quality and designer items sold at a fraction of their original price.

World Vision celebrity ambassadors Christian Bautista, Ogie Alcasid, and the Perkins Twins.

Student-artistsopen openYouTube Youtube channel, channel, encourage Student-artists encouragepublic publicaccess access

Several college arts organizations have set up their very own YouTube channel, which hosts award-winning international performances, accessible to the public.

yOung artists from internationally-lauded student-artist groups have launched their own youTube channel, which features documented award-winning live performances during national and international competitions, for free and accessible to the general public. named art is Here, the homegrown talents of De la Salle-College of Saint Benilde and Karilyo Shadowplay Team, Dulaang Filipino (DF), Coro San Benildo and Saint Benilde’s Romancon Dance Company (SBRDC), will be showcased especially during these trying times.

The platform will likewise offer a series of annual recruitment workshops and online tutorials, ideal for students who wish to explore various performance arts as well as the fundamentals of stage design and make-up. it will likewise host short films, taken from their very own repertoire.

The Office of Culture and arts, together with the rest of the student-artists, will continue to transform pieces and performances to be adapted to the new stage.

Karilyo Shadowplay Team is a group dedicated to popularizing and developing the art of shadowplay. its first production

was a short original shadowplay Paalam Agnes. it was quickly followed by KARILYO, which consists of la Salle and Huling Sinag ng araw. The team has been lauded with excellence awards from the Philippine Student Quill awards, which honors students with exemplary communication research, programs, skills, and creative work given by the international association of Business Communicators (iaBC) Philippines.

Dulaang Filipino (DF) is the college’s resident theater company, empowered to educate its audience on various social issues afflicting today’s society.

Their first overseas engagement was the montreal international Theatre Festival. Their piece Oedipus, a one-hour reduction of Sophocles’ Theban trilogy, has garnered a number of citations from all over the world including Best Performance by amateur Theatre and Special Prize from Jury, Best Physical and Sound Solution at the Teatralny Kufar in minsk, Belarus and Premios escenamateur in madrid, Spain for Best international Show in the iV “Juan mayorga” de las artes escénicas.

Coro San Benildo has participated in choral competitions locally and interna-

tionally, where they garnered global distinctions, such as top prizes in the 54th Seghizzi international Choral Competition in gorizia, italy, and Champion titles in the youth Choir Competition in the 70th llangollen musical eisteddfod in Wales, united Kingdom.

The channel will also feature busking videos around Paris and the travel vlog of the team during the 46th Florilège Vocal de Tours in Tours, France, where they bagged three awards for the renaissance contest, the mixed vocal ensembles, and the audience Choice (Prix Du Public) citation.

The SBRDC was the third runner-up at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship in las Vegas, uSa, Silver medalist at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship in San Diego, uSa, and first runner-up at the Hip Hop international Philippines in manila. They have been hailed as the Three-peat national Champion of Hip Hop international Philippines in manila, and has received the three-peat gold medal award for the Philippines in the Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition.

Visit art is Here at https://www.youtube.com/artishere_oca.

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

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Life FASHION AND BEAUTY

Liza Soberano, Yassi Pressman

SKIN CARE IS SELF-CARE. Actress and model Liza Soberano highlights the value of taking care of one’s self, including our skin, in order to appreciate one’s true beauty as well as to stay sane during trying times.

on finding their beauty

By Bernadette Lunas

L

IZA SOBERANO is considered one of the most beautiful faces of this generation—a face with a matching persona that’s both charming and elegant.

But believe or not, she didn’t really feel that way when she was younger.

“We all have a version of ourselves that we imagine and we want for ourselves, but we can never really attain it,” Soberano shared during a virtual press launch.

This “version” she aspired to be, admittedly, hindered her to see what she already had. “Before, I can’t really appreciate the beauty others would see in me because I would point out the things I didn’t like about myself.”

But at 22, the actress and model has finally learned to deal with the process of loving and appreciating herself.

“I realized to appreciate the package, what God gave you,” she said, so much so that “if I get a pimple or two, I know it’s just the natural process of being a human.”

Ang Probinsyano star, Yassi Pressman, agreed, saying, “When we were younger, there were things we didn’t like about ourselves. But we all grow.”

“When you try to listen to the women around you and how they grew into themselves, it’s inspiring because lahat tayo nagbabago hindi lang sa panlabas na anyo kundi (we all change, not only physically but also) with our responsibilities or the way we look at life,” the 25-year-old British-Filipino actress explained.

“As long as you keep surrounding yourself with positivity and people who want to make you better, you find it easier to open yourself to that.

Blooming is a process and we all grow together.”

Soberano and Pressman, together with YouTube star Raiza Contawi, highlight the importance of taking care of yourself, as in to appreciate it and to stay sane during trying times such as today.

“The most important now is to keep yourself busy,” opined Soberano.

“I went back to school to pursue Psychology.

I keep myself busy mostly for mental health, because we can get so caught up with what’s happening and it can be draining and depressing. There were times when I would just cry because I’m uncertain with what’s going to happen to the world,” she related.

To cope with stress, “I realized how important it is to balance out our lifestyle by eating the right food, drinking a lot of water, getting enough sleep, and even exercising,” shared Soberano, revealing Yassi Pressman believes that keeping a positive attitude helps us grow.

that, much like most of us, “there are a lot of times I’m not sleeping early even if I have time to do so.

I binge-watch a lot of K-dramas.”

She added, “It’s also good that we have a good support system t h a t c a n help take

Clockwise: Host Roxanne Montealegre, beauty vlogger Raiza Contawi, Liza Soberano, and Yassi Pressman talk about self-care and other topics during the Nivea Pink range virtual launch.

‘‘

care of our skin at the same time.”

“It smells good. It smells like flowers,” PressSoberano emphasized the value of sticking man enthused. “You stay fresh kahit anong gawin to a skin care routine. “Don’t treat it as a chore, mo (whatever you do) the whole day, lagpas pa (it treat it as something even lasts beyond) whole you have to do so you day, because it gives 48won’t feel lazy doing it.” hour protection.”

Recently, she has been Beauty vlogger Conkeeping her skin blooming tawi, on the other hand, with Nivea Fair and Glow maintains a routine that’s Whip Foam and Fair and helpful during this time: Glow MicellAIR Cleansmoisturizing her skin er—both with no alcohol, that’s being subjected to ideal for those who have frequent washing and alsensitive skin like her. cohol application.

“I love these products “This lotion has no lagkit because they effectively feeling and I can vouch for cleanse my skin without it because I’ve been using it drying it, plus they’re also ever since I got it. Wala talloaded with antioxidants aga siyang lagkit at malamfrom the Hokkaido rose bot sa balat and meron din extracts that give you that (It’s not sticky and soft on glow everyone wants durthe skin, it also has) UV ing quarantine.” protection,” she said, referMeanwhile, Pressman ring to Nivea Healthy Glow takes care of herself by Cooling UV Lotion. keeping herself fresh amid The products the three all stress. “One thing that mentioned are part of really helped me whiten my Nivea’s Blooming Pink – Liza Soberano underarms was my Nivea range. The range is “indeo,” she shared. spired by nature that give “My current favorite is healthy, naturally glowing my Nivea Whitening Hokkaido Rose Deo Essence.” skin,” according to Beiersdorf Philippines, Inc. Nivea’s latest deo made with 36 times more antioxi- country manager Jonathan Young. dants and natural ingredients like licorice and vitamin E that provide natural and effective whitening The Blooming Pink range is available online and for underarms. in stores nationwide.

Before, I can’t really appreciate the beauty that I already had or the beauty others would see in me because I would point out the things I didn’t like about myself.

Local brand launches jute footwear

Annie & Lori’s Sako collection consists of footwear made of jute, handcrafted by Filipino artisans.

AMID the challenges the pandemic has brought to the hard-hit fashion industry, homegrown footwear label Annie & Lori releases its most sustainable line of shoes to date.

“The past months have been a struggle for us but we want to keep marching on and to continue supporting Filipino artisans,” says Faith Mijares, head designer of Annie & Lori.

She adds, “We have been working with them for the past years and we don’t want to let this pandemic to stop them from practicing their craft and producing beautiful creations that our country can be proud of.”

The Vogue-approved brand launches Sako collection which ref lects the rich cultural heritage and agricultural resources of the Philippines.

Carefully and skillfully handcrafted by Filipino footwear artisans, the new collection is made with jute, resulting in not only sustainable and eco-friendly products, but durable and stylish as well.

It features two variations of stylish loafers—one is a combination of white jute and red leather accent and the other combines naturalcolored jute with yellow-beige leather accent.

Also part of the collection is a pair of 2 ½-inch Sako platform available in bone and white, and Sako pumps, available in white with an intricate design inspired by the Philippine flag.

The collection is the latest addition to Annie & Lori’s growing list of sustainable products. In 2019, the brand introduced a vegetabletanned leather collection using cowhide leather.

Earlier this year, Annie & Lori was recognized by British Vogue as a brand that reflects the Filipino culture while keeping its minimalist and chic style. The feature highlighted its take on the traditional bakya or wooden clogs.

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