Manila Standard - 2020 September 20 - Sunday

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 198 • 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

POSTCARD-PERFECT.

The government is set to open today (Sunday) to the public a portion of the bay walk area in Manila Bay that was spruced up with crushed dolomite rocks from Cebu. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Saturday allowed a preview of the ‘white sand’ project to mark the International Coastal Cleanup Day. (Story on page 2.)

PH keeps tightened virus curbs • 12th straight day with over 3k new cases • Cemetery guidelines readied

By Willie Casas and Joel Zurbano

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S THE number of positive cases in the country continues to rise, President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to retain the one-meter physical distancing for public transportation while Metro Manila mayors establish guidelines for cemetery visits following the government order to close all memorial parks and columbariums nationwide during Undas as a precaution against the pandemic.

AT A GLANCE

COVID-19 PH (AS OF 4 PM SEPT. 19)

283,460 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

3,962 68,645 NEW

ACTIVE

4,930

100

DEATHS

NEW

209,885 1,128 RECOVERIES

NEW

On Saturday, the country logged 3,962 new COVID-19 cases – the 12th consecutive day that over 3,000 fresh infections were reported – bringing the total number to 283,460.

The Department of Health also reported 100 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 4,930.

“The decision of the President is that the one-meter social distancing will stay in public transportations,” said presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

Aside from the wearing of mask and face shield, Roque said commuters

#REST IN POWER, JUSTICE GINSBURG US Supreme Court Justice and liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday, opening a crucial vacancy on the high court expected to set off a pitched political battle at the peak of the presidential campaign.

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must also observe the “no speaking, no eating” rule inside public utility vehicles.

The one-meter physical distancing was supposed to be gradually reduced to 0.75 meters beginning Sept. 14 until it is shortened to 0.3 meters by Oct. 12, but the move was put on hold following warnings from medical experts that it would increase the risk of virus transmission.

“The President has spoken. We shall aggressively comply and strictly enforce the 1-meter physical distancing

NEW JTIP HEAD’S ‘BAPTISM OF FIRE’ When John Freda arrived in the country in January this year to assume the leadership of Japan Tobacco International Philippines, he was literally given an ‘explosive welcome’ as Taal volcano had just erupted.

in all public transport as envisioned and mandated,” Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier warned the plan to shorten the physical distancing requirement in public transportation could lead to an additional 686 coronavirus cases every day.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr., however, warned against risk aversion, noting that virus transmission will remain low for as long as passengers will not remove their masks and will avoid talking and eating.

Duque cited a study conducted by the Health Professionals Alliance Against COVID which showed that reducing the one meter requirement to 0.75 meter, at a 50 percent ridership capacity, will lead to 20,580 additional cases per month.

“If you multiply that by 1.6 percent,

‘JUST GOD, THE WATER AND US’ For three weeks, Walid, a Kuwaiti, Falah, an Iraqi and his two daughters, nine-year-old Arwa and 13-year-old Rawane, who is severely diabetic, make their perilous bid to cross the Channel to Britain.

Teodie Gutigulao makes the long journey home to his wife and son after being stranded at sea for five months because of the community lockdowns imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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RACHA MANSIONS: NEW NORMAL LIVING The Racha mansions are more than ready to accommodate requirements of the new normal.

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MANILA BAY OPENS TO PUBLIC EU THREAT ‘ALARMING’

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FIRST-TIME DAD JOURNEYS HOME

that’s our case fatality rate, that will be 3,951 (additional) deaths per year,” the Health chief added.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila Council chairman Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the 30-percent capacity will be strictly imposed inside cemeteries.

“We will have marshals together with our Philippine National Police to enforce physical distancing protocols and prevent gatherings inside cemeteries prior to their closure during Undas,” Olivarez said.

In Makati City, police arrested 34 individuals, including foreign nationals, for violating health and safety protocols during a drinking session in a rooftop bar late Friday evening.

Joint elements from the Southern Police District and Makati City Police Station conducted the police operation following a tip triggered by a Facebook live video of individuals eating and drinking at the Kartel Rooftop Bar in Barangay Poblacion.

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SIX THAI HOTTIES ON ‘I’M TEE, TEE TOO’ After making a name in the Boys Love (BL) world, Thailand’s top BL stars are exploring a different territory.

MARINE KILLED, 4 WOUNDED IN ROADSIDE BLAST CARPIO: 100% FOREIGN-OWNED TELCO RISKY 2 DEAD, 14 HURT IN NY SHOOTING

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RECKLESS. Police nabbed 34 individuals, including foreign nationals, in Makati City Friday night for having a drinking session in a rooftop bar in violation of community quarantine protocols. NCRPO-PIO

Cimatu: Stop politicizing Manila Bay NVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu stood firm on his position to push through with the Manila Bay beach nourishment project as he took a swipe at critics of the government’s initiative.

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“Sadly, there are those who want us to stop the beach nourishment for reasons that are better political rather than environmental. We are not bothered, we have nothing to fear as long as we know that we are doing something good, these are critical in rehabilitation. The dolomite sand we used is not harmful,” Cimatu said Saturday during the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day at the Manila Bay. He said the agency was only complying with the writ of mandamus issued by the Supreme Court and with the or-

ders of President Rodrigo Duterte who even launched the Battle for Manila Bay to clean up the area and restore its water quality to a level fit for swimming.

He said more than just dreaming for clean water, the DENR was working hard to make that a reality even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are cleaning up not just the coast but also the trash, the garbage so that it will not end at the shoreline,” he said.

He said the priority in the Manila Bay rehabilitation was the coastal cleanup and

water quality improvement being done.

Those who participated in the ICC Day included personnel of government agencies and members of private organizations who collected trash.

As early as 6 a.m., personnel from the Bureau of Fire Department, Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Health joined other government employees for the cleanup activity on Roxas Boulevard.

Another issue to be addressed is the resettlement of informal settlers around the esteros and in the Pasig River who contribute solid wastes in the waters of the bay.

The most difficult part, he said, is educating or changing the mindset that must be learned by the public, especially those who continue to throw their trash everywhere.

“It is very important to change the culture and behavior of some people to successfully save Manila Bay,” said Cimatu.

Among the accomplishments done by the DENR so far includes the installation of the first solar-powered sewage treatment plant in the baywalk which can clean 500,000 liters of dirty water daily.

The coliform level in different areas around Manila Bay is now down to hundreds of thousand as compared to millions when they started the rehabilitation.

“In baywalk before the coliform level was at 90 million, now it is down to 920,000 so this means it is not yet fit for swimming,” he said.

The DENR is set to build other treatment plants for the Paranaque, TullahanTinajeros, and the Las Piñas-Zapote Rivers as all of these go into the bay.

Nat’l security at risk if 100% foreign-owned telcos allowed RETIRED Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has warned of violation of the Constitution and national security risk if Congress enacted a law allowing 100 percent foreign ownership of telecommunication companies.

In a webinar of the Philippine Bar Association Friday, Carpio said, “The Supreme Court is supreme because it’s the final interpreter of words and phrases in the constitution. But if Congress will pass a law interpreting and redefining these terms and phrases you are taking away the power of the Supreme Court.

“This is a battle of turf between the Congress and the Supreme Court. It is the Supreme Court that will decide and they will also decide that Congress cannot reserve the power of the Supreme Court and to be the final arbiter of interpreting the constitution.”

On the risk of third Chinese ownership of third Telco Dito, Carpio warned that, “Chinese law is mandating all Chinese companies, as citizens, to disclose to their intelligence services any information required by the intelligence service.

“That is a problem that the Philippines is allowing ChinaTel to install telecom equipment in military camps and the fact that we have a conflict with China.”

Earlier on, the chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines gave assurances that allowing China-backed Dito Telecommunity Corp. to construct facilities inside military camps would not compromise national security.

2 dead, 14 hurt in NY shooting TWO people were killed and 14 wounded early Saturday in a shooting at a backyard party in Rochester, New York state, police said.

Officers responding to reports of gunfire in the area found a “chaotic scene” with about 100 people running in various directions, interim police chief Mark Simmons told reporters.

“In total we have 16 confirmed victims of shooting. And I’m sad to announce that two of the 16 received a fatal wound,” he said.

Those killed­—one man, one woman— were both between 18 and 22 years of age, and had not been formally identified, he said.

The 14 wounded had been taken to hospital and were not in a life-threatening condition, he said.

No arrests have been made so far and police could not say if more than one shooter was involved. AFP

FOR THE DEAD AND THE LIVING.

Children oblivious of the need to wear face masks play inside the Barangka Public Cemetery in Marikina City on Sept. 18, 2020.

POND News Asia

Stricter penalties sought as child porn surges THE sharp increase in the incidence of child pornography and the accompanying spike in financial transactions related to it during the lockdowns imposed because of the pandemic, have prompted a first-term congressman to push for the enactment of a bill that imposes stricter penalties against the crime.

Monetary authorities earlier said they had detected an increase in financial transactions linked to the online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines in recent months.

The authorities blamed the economic difficulties caused by the lockdowns for the surge in the incidence of child pornography.

Due to the incidence of the abuse

of children online, Deputy Majority Leader and Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles on Saturday pushed for the passage of a bill that strengthens the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 or Republic Act 9775 by resolving its conflicting provisions that have hampered information and communications technology service providers from effectively monitoring online purveyors of child pornography.

Nograles filed House Bill 7633, or the Anti-Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children Act of 2020, to amend Section 9 of RA 9775, that the Philippine Chamber of Telecom Operators said prevents its members from blocking child pornogra-

Taiwan ramps up online education fair THE Taiwan Education Center in the Philippines (TEC-PH) has launched the 2020 Online Taiwan Higher Education Fair, the first time the event has taken the online form due to the coronavirus pandemic, its officials said.

The 2020 Online Taiwan Higher Education Fair, launched on Sept. 15 and will last until Oct. 15, presents 66 quality public and private universities and colleges in Taiwan, the most ever in any Taiwan Education Fair, TEC-PH said in a statement Saturday.

The 2020 Online Taiwan Education Fair website features a clean and intuitive interface for Filipino students interested in studying in Taiwan.

Students can search by field of interest or by location. Students can also post further inquiries on participating universities’ information pages and will receive timely

responses from university representatives.

In his opening remarks for the event, Ambassador Michael Peiyung Hsu of TECO celebrated the close collaboration in higher education between Taiwan and the Philippines, and encouraged Filipino students to experience the quality higher education in Taiwan.

Dr. Ying-Yao Cheng, president of National Sun Yat-Sen University, added that Taiwan had done a remarkable job preventing the threat of COVID-19, thus making it not only a convenient location, but a safe and smart choice for Filipino students wishing to study abroad.

Director General Andy Bi of the Department of International and Cross-strait Education, Ministry of Education, Taiwan, also announced that more Taiwan scholarship positions had been opened to students from the Philippines.

phy websites.

“This is an urgent issue that the Congress must immediately address, and comes on the heels of reports of an unprecedented number of abuse cases during the lockdowns imposed due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic,” said Nograles, vice chair of the House committee on justice Using data from the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Department of Justice said that 279,166 cases of online child sex abuse had been tallied in the Philippines from March 1 to May 24, 2020, compared to 76,561 cases during the same period in 2019. Maricel V. Cruz

EU threat ‘alarming’

By Maricel V. Cruz THE threat of the European Union to revoke tariff incentives on Manila’s exports over alleged human rights violations is alarming, particularly in this time of a world health emergency, the head of a think tank said Saturday.

Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase ADR Institute, said losing a market would lead to unemployment, thus aggravating poverty. This, while the Philippine economy has been dragged into recession by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.

But in the House of Representatives, the Makabayan Bloc welcomed the European Parliament’s resolution calling for an independent investigation on the human rights situation in the country.

Voting 626 in favor, 7 against and 52 abstention, the resolution also cited the call to junk the case of Maria Ressa of Rappler and its support for the granting of a broadcast franchise to ABS-CBN. “This is a very positive and welcome move coming as it is from one of the world’s major and influential parliaments. The Duterte administration should seriously heed the recommendation of the EU parliament, otherwise, it will only further its isolation internationally “ said Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said.

Marine killed, 4 wounded in roadside blast ONE soldier died and four others were injured in a roadside blast as a military convoy was passing through a village in Datu Hoffer town in Maguindanao Friday, the military said Saturday.

A convoy of the 5th Military Company, Marine Battalion Landing Team 5, was traversing a road in Barangay Lipongo when an anti-personnel mine exploded.

One Marine was killed while 4 others were wounded. Their identities were not immediately disclosed, pending notification of their next of kin.

“Investigation is ongoing to identify the perpetrators of this inhumane act of terrorism,” said Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, Commander of the military’s Joint Task Force Central.

“This horrendous act perpetrated by the terrorists is simply unacceptable,” said Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., Commander of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command.

DONATION.

Laguna police director Col. Serafin Petalio II and Lt. Col Emly Trinidad, legal officer of the provincial police office, receive four boxes of alcohol worth P25,000 from Capt.

Mel Hallar, (Res, Army) marketing manager of the Pacman Legendary Security, during the turnover ceremony in Camp General Paciano Rizal.

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US diplomat wraps up Taiwan visit A TOP US diplomat attended the funeral for former Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui Saturday which featured a eulogy by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama before wrapping up a visit overshadowed by Chinese military exercises.

Keith Krach, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, was the highest-ranking State Department official to visit Taiwan since 1979 when Washington switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing.

The trip, the second high-ranking US visit in as many months, sparked an immediate rebuke from China, which baulks at any recognition of Taiwan and has mounted a decades-long policy of marginalising the democratic island.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused China of “military blustering” as Beijing conducted military exercises on Friday near the Taiwan Strait during Krach’s visit.

Chinese fighters and bombers crossed the so-called median line dividing the Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) for a second straight day on Saturday, Taiwan’s defense ministry said as it scrambled fighters in response.

China’s “provocative actions have violated our sovereignty and seriously damaged the status quo of peace and stability in the strait and the region,” it said.

Krach attended the memorial service for Lee, sitting next to former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori, before he is due to leave Taiwan later Saturday after a three-day visit.

Krach did not make any remarks at the service while in a pre-recorded video the Dalai Lama praised Lee’s commitment to democracy.

“I admire his commitment to democracy and freedom ... as his close friend I always remember him and as a Buddhist I always pray,” he said.

Like Lee, the Dalai Lama is also branded a “splittist” by Beijing which accuses him of seeking Tibet’s independence from China.

Lee, who died in July aged 97, was a towering figure in Taiwan’s history, helping the once authoritarian island transition to a vibrant democracy and later angering China by pushing for it to be recognised as a sovereign country.

AFP

A police unit marches towards Thammasat University where anti-government protesters are holding a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok on Sept. 19, 2020. (Inset) A protester wearing a facemask holds up a sign and the three-finger salute to call for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha’s resignation and demand reforms to the monarchy. AFP

China sanctions regime ups ante in US tech war C HINA on Saturday launched a mechanism that would allow it to sanction foreign companies, upping the ante in a tech war with the United States a day after Washington moved to curb popular Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat.

China’s long-expected “unreliable entities list” is seen as a weapon for Beijing to retaliate against the United States, which has used its own “entity list” to shut Chinese telecom giant Huawei out of the US market, while also moving against TikTok and WeChat.

Its implementation comes just a day

after the US Commerce Department stepped up the pressure by ordering a ban on downloads of video app TikTok and effectively blocking use of WeChat, the Chinese super-app.

An announcement by China’s Ministry of Commerce did not mention any specific foreign entities that could be targeted.

But it said the new system would consider sanctions on entities whose activities “harm China’s national sovereignty, security, and development interests” or violate “internationally accepted economic and trade rules.”

That language closely tracks wording that Beijing has used to repeatedly denounce US actions against Chinese companies.

Punitive measures may include fines against the foreign entity, banning it from conducting trade and investment in China, and restrictions on the entry of personnel or equipment into the country.

AFP

US Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg dies of pancreatic cancer at 87 US SUPREME Court Justice and liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday, opening a crucial vacancy on the high court expected to set off a pitched political battle at the peak of the presidential campaign.

Affectionately known as the Notorious RBG, the 87-year-old Ginsburg was the oldest of nine Supreme Court justices.

She died after a fight with pancreatic cancer, the court announced, saying she passed away “surrounded by her family at her home in Washington, DC.” Coming just 46 days before an election in which President Donald Trump lags his Democratic rival Joe Biden in the polls, the vacancy offers the Republican a chance to lock in a conservative majority at the court for decades to come.

Trump issued a statement praising Ginsburg

as a “titan of the law,” but gave no indication whether he intended to press ahead with a nomination.

Accolades flowed in for the pioneering Jewish justice.

“Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature,” said Chief Justice John Roberts.

Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama said in a tweet that Ginsburg “fought to the end, through her cancer, with unwavering faith in our democracy and its ideals.”

Biden said she was “an American hero, a giant of legal doctrine, and a relentless voice in the pursuit of that highest American ideal: Equal Justice Under Law.” In Washington, hundreds of tearful mourners laid flowers in front of the Supreme Court, where the diminutive Ginsburg sat for 27 years – even taking arguments and issuing opinions from her hospital bed after repeated bouts of illness over the past two years. AFP

THE LADY AND HER DOG. Myanmar’s de-facto

leader Aung San Suu Kyi wearing a facemask and gloves to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, holds on to her dog as she waits to wave to supporters of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party as they drive past in Naypyidaw on Sept. 19, 2020. Opposition parties in Myanmar are calling for November’s election to be postponed as the country scrambles to control the virus surge. AFP

A portrait of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is displayed at a storefront on Sept. 19, 2020 in New York. Ginsburg died at age 87 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. AFP

Thousands attend rally vs. Thai PM PRO-DEMOCRACY protesters took to the streets of Bangkok Saturday as a rally expected to draw tens of thousands of people kicked off calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy.

Thailand has seen near-daily gatherings of youth-led groups since midJuly demanding the resignation of Prayut, the former army chief behind the 2014 coup, and a complete overhaul of his administration.

Some are also demanding reforms to the kingdom’s ultra-wealthy and powerful monarchy—a once-taboo topic in Thailand due to its tough royal defamation laws.

The burgeoning movement, partly inspired by Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, remains largely leaderless.

But the weekend’s demonstration is organised by students of Bangkok’s Thammasat University—a group that has been among the most vocal about the royal family’s role in Thailand.

A crowd of several hundred gathered before noon at the locked gates of the university, demanding to be let in.

Protesters chanted “Down with dictatorship, long live democracy!” and “Prayut get out!”

“If you don’t open, we will break in,” protesters yelled, before forcing the gates open­— despite student leaders calling for calm—allowing hundreds to flow into the campus.

The demonstration was later expected to move on to the historic Sanam Luang field in front of the royal palace, where protesters plan to spend the night.

“We are fighting for more democracy,” prominent student activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul said on the eve of the protest.

“The plan is not to destroy the monarchy but to modernise it, to adapt it to our society.”

On Sunday, demonstrators are expected to march to the nearby Government House­—a move authorities have warned against. AFP

Peru’s Vizcarra survives impeachment vote PERU’S President Martin Vizcarra survived an impeachment vote in Congress on Friday as his opponents failed to win the votes necessary to remove him from power.

Congress had voted last week to open impeachment proceedings against the 57-year-old president for “moral incapacity” over accusations he incited aides to lie to anti-graft investigators.

After a 10-hour debate, only 32 legislators voted for his dismissal, while 78 voted against and 15 abstained.

The opposition needed 87 votes of 130 to dismiss the popular leader.

“Peru’s great challenges require us to act sensibly and responsibly,” Vizcarra tweeted after the vote. “Let us all continue working together for what really matters to Peruvians.”

During a statement at the start of the Congressional debate, he had remained defiant.

“I’m not running. I didn’t do it before and I’m not going to do it now,” he said before leaving his defense to his lawyer Roberto Pereira.

The heated session was opened by Marino, who would have replaced Vizcarra as Peru’s leader had the impeachment carried.

He began by calling on members

present in the chamber to avoid any intolerant gestures towards the head of state, although most of the 130 lawmakers joined the debate by video link due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken a heavy toll in the South American country.

Vizcarra had accused Marino of “conspiracy” by trying to secure military assurances for a bid to succeed him.

Vizcarra’s cabinet petitioned the Constitutional Court this week on the grounds the legislature had exceeded its powers and was not competent in seeking to rule on the president’s moral capacity. AFP

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Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

International data firm keeps hiring Filipinos despite pandemic

Japan Tobacco International Philippines general manager John Freda (third from left) believes that it is paramount for JTI to ensure everyone is safe in the new environment by developing safety guidelines, supplying them with PPEs, alcohol, face masks and face shields.

New JTIP chief confronts challenges with optimism

By Hector Zabala

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HEN John Freda arrived in the country in January this year to assume the leadership of Japan Tobacco International Philippines, he was literally given an “explosive welcome” as Taal volcano had just erupted. He was on the last plane that landed at the airport before it was closed due to severe ashfall from the eruption.

That was Freda’s first ‘baptism by fire’ upon setting foot in the country.

Then in mid-March, another unforeseen event happened. He was in Cebu meeting with his local team when he was told by colleagues to quickly pack so they could return to Manila before the country went into lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We were fortunate to return to Manila in time, and obviously begin managing what had been a normal turned swiftly to very abnormal situation as we looked to navigate through a pandemic in an organization of great scale,” said Freda, who held several top-management roles in JTI before coming to the country.

A seasoned campaigner who is no neophyte in managing business challenges, Freda said the unforeseen inci-

Freda recognizes government’s efforts to stamp out illicit tobacco trade, but calls for vigilance before it goes out of control.

Freda said.

He continued: “JTIP is an organization that has grown following the acquisition of Mighty Corp., and it’s time to turn the page and let the next chapter of growth begin.”

Freda credits the local team for doing excellent work in bringing the company to where it is right now.

“Our opportunity now is to build on this foundation. The good thing of having been around the block a few times is that I bring the experience of these different markets to bare.

We are clearly the challenger in the Philippines, which is a position I’m very comfortable with, would even say enjoy. The scale is different, but the principles of success is the same; put the consumer at the forefront of everything we do, deliver them the very best quality money can buy and be the greatest company to work for!” he said.

Freda credits JTI local team for doing excellent work in bringing the company to where it is right now.

dents did not deter him from focusing on his new role as general manager of JTIP—a leading international tobacco company that continues to grow locally after it successfully acquired the tobacco-related assets of Mighty Corp. three years ago.

“I had to learn the local operations first-hand under unprecedented conditions of a pandemic and obviously it changes a lot of things that you do. I am very fortunate that I have such a strong team that helped me plot our path,” Freda said.

Freda brings to the local JTIP operations a wealth of experience in various JTI markets in Europe, having served as general manager in Ireland, Hungary/Slovenia, and occupying other senior sales and marketing positions in the JTI organization.

The Philippine market is not a new entity for Freda. In his preceding role as regional vice president for marketing and sales, he maintained a close relationship with the local operation, allowing him to understand the business challenges ahead.

“I see it more of a continuation of that relationship. The Philippine market is different in many ways, yet there are many similarities with the European markets that I previously managed.

I believe your success ultimately boils down on how well you satisfy your consumers and how efficiently you bring your products to the market,”

Job opportunities With the country reeling from COVID-19’s economic impact and the unemployment rate at a record high, JTIP is helping mitigate the problem through employment opportunities created by its setting up of a global business service center in Taguig City.

The GBS is expected to increase the operational efficiency of all JTI markets in the Asia-Pacific region by streamlining activities, harmonizing business processes and sharing best-practices not only in the region but across all 130 countries where the company operates. It will employ up to 350 people within the next three years, bringing the total number of JTI employees in the Philippines to more than 5,000, including those in its Batangas factory.

“The establishment of the Manila GBS center is proof of the company’s confidence in the Philippine market and commitment to create jobs in support of national development. We are pleased to add the GBS center to our employment offerings in the Philippines,” Freda said.

Campaign vs illicit tobacco Freda believes the problem of illegal trade in tobacco is a growing one and requires more attention. While he recognizes that the government is striving hard to stamp out the illicit trade, the situation still requires absolute vigilance.

“Illegal tobacco makers are directly stealing from the state. As legitimate businesses, we are a very effective tax collector and clearly, we can’t do that if there is an illicit problem. Illegal trade cheats everyone: governments, consumers and legitimate businesses,” Freda said.

He understands that for a country with so many islands like the Philippines, it is a huge challenge to control the problem but believes the deterrents need to be stronger. “Stiffer sanctions are required - we need to see people being caught and brought to justice in a way that deters others from being part of this criminal endeavor,” Freda said.

He said: “The illegal tobacco trade is a feast for criminals who make huge profits with very low risk of being caught and insignificant penalties. A lucrative business indeed for anyone who has the logistics in place and can copy our products and import without paying the taxes, which is unacceptable.”

Aside from the lost tax revenue, counterfeit and contraband cigarettes are not subject to any quality controls, according to Freda.

“With JTI products, quality is assured throughout all stages of sourcing, manufacturing, storage and distribution in full compliance with regulatory and legal requirements. Our factory in Batangas, for example, ensures all products pass rigid quality checks before they are released in the market. If you see the factories these illicit makers are using, you will be horrified by the poor condition they produce these illicit products and where they store them. We have tested these illicit products and found them to contain animal feces, plastic materials, dirt and high levels of lead,” Freda said.

On implementing tax increases on tobacco products, Freda said the objective might be to reduce consumption but these measures will not work if there is a growing illicit trade and only serve to undermine public health objectives. With tax increases alone, the reward is higher for the syndicates as it drives smokers towards cheaper illicit products.

JTI helps governments, regulators, police and customs crack down on illegal trade by imparting information, developing specific programs and sharing experiences with other countries on how illicit trade laws are implemented.

“JTI invests millions each year to fight illegal trade. We do this to protect our business and our brands,” Freda said.

Sustained optimism While facing enormous business challenges and incidents beyond his control, Freda is still optimistic of taking the company forward, helping it grow and be a major key player in the market.

“We’ve seen significant changes in the global markets, including the advent of alternative products, which we have also developed and are now part of our portfolio; we are going to compete in all viable categories in the country and continue to meet consumer demand and grow our market share,” Freda said.

REFINITIV, one of the world’s largest providers of financial market data and infrastructure, continues to hire Filipinos who can work-from-home to provide information to the global financial markets despite the health crisis.

Formerly known as Thomson Reuters, Refinitiv has 1,500 employees in its office along Upper McKinley Road in Taguig City. When Metro Manila was placed under quarantine in mid-March, the company implemented a work-from-home mechanism called Virtual Office Environment to ensure the safety of the employees.

“We rolled out key initiatives to ensure our teams have the appropriate workfrom-home setup by supporting them with their Internet connection, delivering office equipment in their respective residences and providing them with ergonomic home-office furniture. We made it safe and conducive for our colleagues to work from home and to continue supporting our customers. As a result, we have been able to maintain the same level of quality service to our customers and even exceeded key operational metrics including productivity and customer satisfaction targets,” says Jeff Dawis, the new Manila co-site lead of Refinitive together with Lei Buendia.

“As we grow our capabilities and footprint in the Philippines, we continue to offer career opportunities to individuals who have the right passion and potential to develop world-class expertise in collecting, connecting, analyzing, interpreting and visualizing data to give it meaning, to power more transparent financial markets and drive a more sustainable world,” Dawis says via e-mail.

Refinitiv serves more than 40,000 institutions across 190 countries. “We provide information, insights and technology that drive innovation and performance in global financial markets. We enable the financial community to trade smarter and faster, overcome regulatory challenges and scale intelligently,” Dawis says to explain what the company does.

He says Refinitiv’s products and services focus on providing workflow so-

Refinitive Manila co-site lead Jeff Dawis lutions and real-time data analytics for asset management, investment banking, risk and compliance, trading and wealth management for financial institutions and similar markets. Its products include Refinitiv Workspace, an open desktop platform that provides access to financial data, news analytics and productivity tools; Datastream, with 70 years of financial data to help interpret market trends, economic cycles and the impact of world events; and World-Check One, a screening platform created to fight financial crime, bribery and corruption.

Refinitiv, which has headquarters in New York and London, has nearly 20,000 employees in about 70 countries, including 1,500 people in the Philippines.

Dawis, who is also the concurrent director of order management in the Taguig office, has been with the company for 11 years, including nine years with Thomson Reuters before its merger with private equity firm Blackstone to become what it is today.

A licensed electronics and communications engineer from the University of Santo Tomas, Dawis shares the responsibility for overseeing site operations and ensuring that Refinitiv facilities are safe and legally compliant. He is also responsible for managing a team of more than a hundred highly-skilled and experienced specialists who ensure the accurate and timely processing and fulfillment of client orders. Roderick T. dela Cruz

SingLIfe, GCash provide innovative insurance in PH

By Othel V. Campos MOBILE-FIRST insurance firm Singlife Philippines has teamed up with GCash, a homegrown mobile wallet and financial service app, to provide alternative yet better coverage for Filipinos especially during difficult times.

Asia’s fastest growing life insurance provider, Singlife offers simple and flexible products at affordable prices, with a vision of unlocking the potential of money for all Filipinos. The partnership comes at a crucial time when health and financial security are a priority.

Singlife Philippines president Rein Hermans said life insurance market in the Philippines had started evolving along with technology and only handful of products were actually offered digitally.

“We want to have access to a very large market segment of younger digitally-savvy people that are open to new possibilities. We found a partnership with GCash that is basically tending customers in the same way we do—offer financial services in a totally mobile way in a mobile app.

The focus has always been how can we optimize what we are offering to GCash customers. How can we make sure that

Singlife Philippines president Rein Hermans the total set of products, the total range which is being offered is actually creating high customer satisfaction for the GCash customer,” he said.

In the Philippines, only 5 to 6 percent of the insurable population own at least one policy and research indicates that another 15 to 20 percent of Filipinos are attracted by the value of life insurance.

Hermans said that economic growth and changes in demographics, specifically the rise of the middle income segment, had accelerated life insurance in the Philippines. In less than a year, Singlife Philippines signed up 5 million policies which are held by 3.5 million households.

DOT promotes food tourism online

Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat spearheads ‘Kain Na’ campaign in a virtual event.

THE Filipinos’ penchant for something new, something borrowed or something traditional in food was not upended by the global crisis.

Filipinos continue to yearn for culinary possibilities within the diversity of the regions.

In the third instalment of the government’s “Kain Na” campaign—one of the flagship programs of the Department of Tourism, local concoctions were brought to prominence—a cool reboot to the stalled industry.

The program, launched this year on an online platform, celebrates Filipino appetite for beverages which have been a part of Filipino tradition for centuries. Tsokolate, kape and tsaa, featured a virtual event, is a toast to farmers, producers, local chefs, tourism attractions and tour operators who have painstakingly labored to promote local flavors, according to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

“Over the past two years, 12 on ground festivals have been mounted all over the country bringing together the flavors of our 16 regions to celebrate the richness and diversity of the Philippine culinary landscape. This year, we have reconfigured Kain Na into a virtual event.

And in doing so, we are actually expanding our platform, and will now be able to reach out to an even wider audience online,” she said.

In partnership with the Ayala Malls, the home of Kain Na in the last three years, the Philippines continues to position itself as a food and gastronomy hub and as a delectable center of culinary pursuits through local and foreign tourism.

Kain Na 2020 will highlight different dimensions of Philippine cuisine over the next four months from chocolate, coffee and tea, food trips and Christmas cravings.

“We have crafted this year’s program to be responsive to the needs of our stakeholders.

Kain Na 2020 endeavors to prepare our stakeholders for the transition to the new normal.

Through the Department of Trade and industry’s Control Biz Reboot Tourism Now program, we have lined up online learning modules on e-commerce to help food and farm tourism sector suppliers migrate or expand their businesses to online platforms,” Puyat said.

One of the attractions of Kain Na 2020 was the Kain Na Trading Post—an online store that serves as a platform for food and farm tourism partners to showcase offerings to potential business partners and sell their products directly to consumers. The online store will go live at www.kainnastore.com for a month. Othel V. Campos

Youth & Culture B1

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Bernadet­te Lunas, Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

Teodie Gutigulao said, 'The mere sight of the aircraft gave us hope. Soon we will be able to see our families whom we miss so much.'

First-time dad journeys home

DADDY'S GOING HOME. Filipino seafarer Teodie Gutigulao, 36, poses in his personal protective suit before he leaves India to finally come home to (inset) his wife Beverly and firstborn son Theo.

A group of 80 Pinoys on their way to a special chartered flight

by AirAsia Philippines; some of them were stranded because of flight restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic.

T

EODIE GUTIGULAO, a 36-year-old second assistant engineer on a cargo ship, left home when his wife Beverly was pregnant with their first child. That’s why when his ninemonth contract ended in April, he was excited to finally come home.

But as fate would have it, he, along with other Filipino seafarers, had to wait for another five months at sea before they could see their loved ones again.

On September 8, Gutigulao was among a group of 80 Pinoys who were flown back to the country on a special chartered flight by AirAsia Philippines in partnership with Regent Travel Corporation.

“When we found out that our flight

back to the Philippines was being arranged, I felt excited,” shared the Buhangin, Davao City native.

The special chartered flight, AirAsia said, was organized in close coordination with the Local Manning Agencies, Philippine Embassy-New Delhi under the leadership of H.E. Amb. Ramon Bagatsing Jr., DFA Manila, and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

“The mere sight of the aircraft gave us

hope. Soon we will be able to reunite with our families, whom we miss so much,” said Gutigulao, adding, “For this, we thank our agency, the government authorities of India and the Philippines, and AirAsia for flying us back home safely.”

They were part of the fourth batch of overseas Filipino workers flown by AirAsia from India to the Philippines. In July, it successfully marked its longest 14hour flight from Gujarat, India to Manila with 125 repatriated OFWs onboard.

To date, the low-cost airline has mounted 644 chartered repatriation and sweeper flights, bringing home nearly 50,000 OFWs.

BULLETIN BOARD UP College of Law named 2020 ‘After Jessup’ international champion

The UP College of Law After Jessup team led by captain Leslie Diane Torres and coached by UP Law professor Rommel Casis.

THE Jessup Team of the University of the Philippines College of Law won the top prize at the 2020 “After Jessup” International Moot Court Competition.

Beating the South African team in the finals, the UP Law Jessup team was declared the International Champions of the virtual tournament held via Zoom by the International Association of Law Schools.

Other national Jessup champion teams from different regions of the world also participated in the invitational event.

The winning team was led by Leslie Diane Torres with members Abelardo Hernandez, Anton Miguel Sison, Therese Ravina, and Bianca Isabella Ortiz. They were coached by UP Law professor Rommel Casis, who also served as moderator during the online competition, and assisted by Lee Edson Yarcia, Gemmo Fernandez, and Marianne Vitug.

Prior to the cancellation, the competition was originally scheduled on April 12-18 in Washington D.C., USA.

UST’s textile supercapacitor wins 1st place at PAASE symposium IN RESPONSE to the growing need for sustainable energy storage technologies, University of Santo Tomas researchers developed a supercapacitor using abaca-cotton fabric.

UST Graduate School student Celine Grace V. Causapin, along with College of Science faculty researchers Dr. Felicidad Christina R. Ramirez and Dr. Christina A. Binag, fabricated the textile supercapacitor with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and polyanilinepolypyrrole complex layer (PAPY) as electrode materials.

Their research won first place in Dr. Christina A. Binag of UST College of Science the Scientific Posters category of the Rapid Fire Competition during (PAASE) Anniversary and 2020 Anthe 40th Philippine-American Acad- nual Scientific Meeting and Sympoemy of Science and Engineering sium on August 14.

HEY, YOUTH! SHARE your unpublished essays with the readers of Manila Standard. Chosen essays will be published in the Young Life corner that comes out every Sunday.

This space is open for young writers, aged 13-29 years old.

Send your essay (maximum of 800 words) with photo/s, if available, to manilastandardlife@gmail.com with the subject: “Young Life - (title of your essay)” along with a brief description of yourself.

The study was able to show that “the energy density (1.82 Wh/L) and power density (50.31 W/L) values of PAPY/MWCNT/abaca-cotton fabric fall well within the supercapacitor range of the Ragone plot, indicative of an ideal supercapacitor electrode material behavior.”

The abaca-cotton fabric, though non-conducting, has a high surface area and is suitably porous for supercapacitors, while MWCNTs have high conductivity and stability but low capacitance.

PAPY, meanwhile, complements the other materials with its good conductivity, improved cycling stability, and high capacitance values.

In a statement, UST said supercapacitors with these electrode materials are “capable of storing and delivering energy, enough to power a 2.88 V LED” and can be used to power a variety of low power devices such as PC cards, portable media players, and flashlights.

Other potential applications of this textile-based supercapacitor are in off-grid or rural areas, as well as assistance during and after major calamities.

The BYOB (Bring Your Own Bote) Store serves as a refilling and selling station of NutriAsia sauces and condiments.

NutriAsia’s BYOB campaign bags a bronze Stevie THE zero-waste bring your own bottle (bote) program of local sauces and condiments company NutriAsia won a major international business award.

The “Bring Your Own Bote” campaign, launched in 2019, was named a Bronze Stevie Award winner at the 17th Annual International Business Awards, the world’s premier business awards program open to all individuals and organizations worldwide.

The awarding ceremony will be held virtually on December 1.

More than 3,800 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. NutriAsia entered its campaign under the competition’s Corporate Responsibility Communications or PR Campaign/Program of the Year category.

The company’s first BYOB store was established at The Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City. Explicitly designed to be an eco-friendly space, the store was half-built with walls made of glass, so the public can see the refilling process, while the other half is made of eco-bricks which include shredded used plastic as a component.

Serving as both a refilling and selling station, the BYOB Store encourages consumers to bring their own re-

usable containers to stock up on their condiments such as vinegar, soy sauce, catsup, and cooking oil. All products are sold at prices lower than packaged counterparts in the market.

BYOB also serves as a drop-off point for recyclable plastics, which are repurposed into school furnishings for its beneficiary school.

The first BYOB Store was originally slated to end its operations in September last year, but due to popular demand, it became a permanent set-up on the location and has since been officially made into the first NutriAsia BYOB branch.

Following social distancing protocols for COVID-19 prevention, the NutriAsia BYOB Store in BGC has added new innovations to better serve customers during this time. An online order form via https://cdn.jotfor.ms/nai.byob/orderform as well as cashless payments are currently in place to reduce physical contact during transactions.

In February, a second branch in Quezon City was set up in partnership with the local government.

As of March, NutriAsia reported the BYOB campaign has already refilled more than 2,000 bottles of condiments and collected 1,000 kilos of plastics for repurposing.

B2

Home/Design

SUNDAY, JULY 5, 2020

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor E-mail: jdlacsamana@gmail.com

Hizzoner takes e-jeep for a spin.

Atimonan Mayor Rustico Joven Mendoza tries out the electric jeepney.

E-jeep boost Atimonan residents’ fight against COVID-19 RESIDENTS of Atimonan in Quezon province received last week an electric jeepney (e-jeep) from Atimonan One Energy, Inc. (A1E) and e-Sakay, Inc. The PhP1.07 Million e-jeep was turned over to Atimonanayor Rustico Mendoza, who lauded the gift as timely in the town’s battle against the COVID-19 pandemic Mendoza expressed gratitude to MeralcoPowerGen (MGen) and A1E for continuously supporting the municipality.

“This is part of our vision for Atimonan to be part of modernization efforts that are being done at the national level,” he said.

The e-jeep project is part of A1E’s commitment to build a sustainable, community through the implementation of social development projects and programs in partnership with the LGU. Sustainability agenda “This project is consistent with MGen and A1E’s core values and business strategy, which are aligned with One Meralco Group’s sustainability agenda that focuses on power, planet, people and prosperity,” said MGenpresident and CEO Rogelio L. Singson during the virtual turnover.

Singson added that MGen remains committed to bring into reality the A1E power plant as part of the company’s energy transition plan that involves a diversified power portfolio that will utilize high efficiency, low emissions (HELE) technology and renewable sources. eSakay President and CEO Raymond B. Ravelo said “ “We are very happy to be part of this very important project. This is really for greener roads and bluer skies in Atimonan,” Ravelo said.

The e-jeep donation is part of e-Sakay-led One Meralco green mobility program.

MICROSTUDIO DEVELOPER ON POINT. To help tenants cope with the

pandemic and added stress of living away from family, microstudio developer Point Blue recently rolled out a mental health initiative to look after the well being of its tenants.

The company’s thrust for mental health commenced with a webinar aimed at helping participants develop strategies to address times of extreme stress and anxiety. Point Blue’s microstudio units have mainly catered to young professionals whose offices are located in Makati and Bonifacio Global City. “Building mental resilience through uncertainty” was held in partnership with health support solutions provider Infinit Care. Participation in the webinar, was made available to each tenant across its six locations within the vicinity of Makati and Bonifacio Global City (BGC). “As a community, the well being of our tenants has always been a priority for Point Blue,” said Point Blue CEO and Founder JR Yujuico.Point Blue is a microstudio developer with a portfolio of almost 700 operational units across six properties in Makati City. Each property is strategically located within 1 to 2 kilometers of either the Makati or BGC CBDs, making convenience a possibility. The company offers fully furnished microstudio units for single or double occupancy that range from P12,800 to P15,000 a month, inclusive of internet connection.

BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR PH REAL ESTATE WITH many industries facing uncertainty amid the ongoing Covid-19 situation, investors continue to look for secure avenues to place their funds for the long term.BPI Family Savings Bank (BFSB)recently teamed up with Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) for the “Investing for a lifetime: real estate in the new normal” webinar series to talk about the intricacies and advantages of investing in real estate considering the effects of the global pandemic. It also explored financing options for individuals who want to purchase real estate without disrupting their liquidity. The ongoing webinar series features industry experts who impart valuable information in the fields of financial planning, property investment, and home financing.BFSB and Ayala Land Inc. will soon feature more online episodes touching on other property,

financing and wealth management topicsto help more Filipinos discover opportunities in real estate investing.“The beauty of investing in real estate is that it will appreciate over time,” said Dennis Fronda, retail lending head of BFSB. “Even now, when markets are down, real property prices remain relatively stable, and are likely to shoot upwards faster than most industries once the overall economy starts to recover.”

Racha mansions at South Forbes golf city; ready for the new normal

S

ILANG, Cavite— With the COVID-19 pandemic ushering in Work from Home (WFH) setups, and zoom meetings, Filipinos have seen the importance of having more space at home.

Developer Cathay Land recently claimed receiving more inquiries from current owners, and aspiring home buyers, for bigger lot cuts.

Reservations have reportedly surged for their Racha mansions project in South Forbes golf city here, which is virtually a short hop to the bustling cities of Sta. Rosa and Tagaytay in the Metro South.

Cathay Land president Jeffrey Ng surmised to the Manila Standard that this could be anchored on the desire to have a clean, zoom-worthy, and presentable WFH setup that’s separate from everything else at home.

“Even when we started selling our previous project of Bali Mansions in 2004, we included a multi-purpose den in the design of our model mansions,” Ng said. “They could turn it into another living area or a playroom for the kids.

Such a design move makes it even more prescient now, I can just imagine that our homeowners have converted such a space into a viable home office setup.”

“While you may be at home, you still want yourself and your environment to be quite presentable to your bosses, clients and coworkers,” he explained.

SPORTSMAN IS NEW LAMUDI PH CEO. Kenneth Stern,

former country manager of RE/MAX Philippines, is the new CEO of Lamudi Philippines. With ten years of real estate experience under his belt, Stern is set to help scale the Lamudi business further.

His global experience in property industries, namely in the United States of America, Australia, and the Philippines, adds to the strength of his expertise.

As country manager of RE/MAX, thereal estate franchise grew to be the largest in the country by number of offices, agents, and transaction volume. Stern envisions expanding the operations of Lamudi Philippines, particularly in terms of innovative industry solutions, including housing fairs, broker awards, trend reports, and educational training sessions under the Lamudi Academy.

Stern (shown here, extreme right , with local golfer-media friends) is an active sportsman—a rugby standout—and has a degrees in international business from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia and in business administration from Boston University, USA. He was previously a Bloomberg property expert on Business World Live in One News, providing updates and analysis on the Philippine real estate market.

“Our big lot cuts at the Racha mansions can surely aid home buyers in this regard.”

Modern Thai design The Racha mansions is more than ready to accommodate requirements of the new normal. Named after the majestic Asian rulers that held power during the continent’s golden ages, the project towers over the rest of South Forbes in elevation, providing one with an excellent vantage point.

The Modern Thai-inspired architecture is very evident in the overall design feel of the area. The guardhouse and entranceway feature Thai-Buddhist architecture, complete with curved high

roofs with sharp tops and sloped eaves.

Similar to its neighboring village of Phuket mansions, minimal earth movement has been made in the project, in order to preserve the place’s connection with nature, and provides a sense of natural privacy.

At the center of the project resides the newly-opened Rach a mansions clubhouse. Anchored by an ancient acacia tree and a nearby river along its far end, the clubhouse design follows the traditional sala Thai, with its spaciousness, intricate roofing, and lush greenery with giant palms and many flowering shrubs.

A lighted path leads to an infinity pool at the right side, which offers not just a relaxing way to spend a few hours, but also a breathtaking view of the rest of South Forbes golf city, including its famed golf course (Seen in photo).

A Den for WFH setups Racha mansions—the fourth mansions enclave in South Forbes— offers lot cuts starting at 250 to 515 sq.m.

Lot buyers can design homes under the 3-bedroom + den configuration up to 5- or 6-bedroom + den design. Shown here is the Sukhothai, which features timeless Thai -inspired architecture.

Part of, or the whole of the den, can be configured to a WFH setup for parents and working relatives.

“We don’t know when this pandemic will end, and economists and executives have forecast that WFH will be the new norm for the next two years or so,” Ng pointed out. “Having a smart WFH setup cannot be more crucial to advance careers and businesses in these difficult times.”

Entertainment

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

B3

Nickie Wang, Editor; E-mail: nickie.standard@ gmail.com

Six Thai heartthrobs on iWant TFC’s ‘I’m Tee, Me Too’ A

FTER making a name in the Boys Love (BL) world, Thailand’s top BL stars are exploring a different territory—a genre that is quite different from the theme they are known for.

In an online interview with Manila Standard Entertainment, Tay Tawan of the Dark Blue Kiss fame said that their management wanted them to ex-

VERY WANG

NICKIE WANG plore other facets of their careers, portray new characters that will somehow train them to become versatile actors.

“We are doing our best to give our fans something new. I hope they will appreciate our effort in giving them something different,” Tay said.

“We are given new roles because the management wants us to grow as

actors. Exploring new roles will help us do that,” Singto Prachaya added.

I’m Tee, Me Too takes it easy on the romance front and instead tells a story of friendship between six guys.

The series, which became available to iWant TFC premium and standard subscribers on Sept. 18, follows six university students who end up living in one house as they face life’s challenges while having to deal with each other’s own quirks.

Let’s get to know the cast and discover a few things about their characters in the series.

Off Jumpol as MaeTee MaeTee uses his creativity to his advantage as a communication arts major who writes about love during his free time. Though he may seem invasive of other people’s space, this is only because he is extremely terrified of ghosts as he tries to deal with his imaginary encounters with them.

Where you might have spotted Off: Like Gun, Off also appears in the well-known Thai drama series Theory of Love.

Viewers will also recognize the popular BL pair from a meet-and-greet with Filipino

Krist Perawat as WaTee As someone dealing with trust issues, WaTee hates seeking help from others but is willing to sacrifice in order to keep his childhood home and the happy memories that once lived in it. Now dependent on the five tenants to be able to pay his mortgage, all while dealing with the recent loss of his mother, he remains reserved and refuses to open up to his new housemates.

Where you might have spotted Krist: Viewers must be excited to see Krist in another Thai series as he has already held two fan meets in the Philippines back in 2018 and 2019.

Gun Atthapan as TeeRex TeeRex is the ever-reliable housemate who is always willing to lend a helping hand to others. Sharing the space with the five other tenants gives him joy as he is an only child who is scared of living alone.

As much as he loves the company of others, you will not really hear much from him since he is a cellphone addict who only likes to communicate through social media messenger apps.

Where you might have spotted Gun: Viewers can also look forward to more of Gun, who visited the Philippines in 2018, as he stars in Theory of Love where he plays filmology major Third. It streams soon on iWant TFC. Singto Prachaya as MaiTee MaiTee is someone who is scared of receiving good news and getting disappointed. He is also a neat freak germaphobe who loves to cook but ends up getting on the nerves of his housemates because of how organized and clean he wants everything to be.

Where you might have spotted Singto: As the other half of KristSingto, one of the most popular BL pairs in Thailand, he has also been to the Philippines twice with Krist. You can also recognize him as he recently starred as Mes in the eight-part Thai romance drama Come To Me, which is now streaming for free on iWant TFC.

Tay Tawan as TeeDo When things go wrong, the housemates count on TeeDo and his patient disposition to solve the problem and mediate the tension. He is the seventh son who comes from a well-known family of musicians and turns into a different person when he hears the sound of a person’s chewing.

Where you might have spotted Tay: Pinoys are already familiar with Tay since he joined the iWant original Japanese game show Find the Wasabi in Nagoya, where he competed with Filipino actor Khalil Ramos. He visited the Philippines in 2018 for a meet-and-greet with fans and he also starred in Dark Blue Kiss, which will soon be available for streaming on iWant TFC.

New Thitipoom as TeeDet TeeDet is easy-going, just not around beautiful women because he suffers from gynophobia, an intense fear of beautiful women. Another thing about this forestry student is he declines to take part in certain activities because he is afraid of failing and being criticized afterwards. He is also the type to nag everyone around him even if he himself cannot get the job done.

Where you might have spotted New: New also starred in Dark Blue Kiss and has also brought joy to his fans when he visited Manila in 2018 for his fan event with Tay.

As reflected on the world’s most popular audio streaming platform, BTS has chartered phenomenal growth in their musical journey, proving to be an unstoppable force with worldwide domination.

BTS on success of ‘Dynamite,’ love for ARMY THE indisputable success of BTS’ latest release “Dynamite” has certainly taken the world by storm, setting a new record on Spotify with 12.6 million streams in the first 24 hours of its release last month.

In celebration of this historic milestone, Spotify interviews global superstars BTS in the latest episode of the For The Record podcast series, “BTS: The Band, The Brand & The ARMY.” The seven-member band joins Spotify to discuss what “Dynamite” means to them especially during these unprecedented times, providing a behind-the-scenes look into their creative process. BTS also share their appreciation for ARMY and discuss how they would like to be remembered by future generations.

To provide additional perspective on BTS’ remarkable journey to this point, Spotify also talks to TIME Magazine editor and K-Pop aficionado Kat Moon about BTS overcoming their underdog status, important milestones, and breakthrough moments.

Lastly, because there is no BTS without their dedicated fan base, ARMY—Spotify speaks to superfans around the world from Taiwan to the UK, including Gracie Ranan, who is responsible for ARMY anthems, to talk about BTS’ impact globally and the family they made within their fandom.

Sharing more on the success of “Dynamite” within the episode, Suga

says, “I think it appeals to and it's easy to listen to and it's easy to enjoy for anybody, anyone of any generation, anyone. And especially with the COVID-19 situation, we wanted to write a song that has bright, uplifting lyrics.”

RM also shares insight into their music-making process, “It's very, various, sometimes we start with melodies. Sometimes we start with some just a word or a theme. But basically, when there's an album, there's some kind of like a theme or a keyword that comes, that goes through the whole album. And if we succeed to, like, make a decision for the keyword, then everybody gathers and we guess the tracks and melodies and lyrics or whatever.

So it's like making a puzzle when we try to make an album.”

J-Hope continued, “The musicmaking process is difficult, they sort of think of it as in birthing pains. So it takes a lot of focus and a lot of attention, a lot of time because they put in so much; when we have a good result and when we see the result, we feel really proud and we get a real sense of accomplishment.”

Finally, V weighed in on the best part of their job, “I think the best part is “ARMY”. They're the reason we perform. And it's their energy and their support that allows us to keep going. So they, our ARMY, our fans, are really the best part of this job.”

For more details on this week’s Spotify: For The Record episode, head to Spotify’s blog, For The Record.

Justin Bieber announces world tour

Over the course of his career, Justin Bieber has amassed more than 68 billion streams and more than 68 million album equivalents worldwide. Photo from Billboard.com

GRAMMY Award-winning global superstar Justin Bieber, officially confirms the release of brand-new music on Friday, as he returns with “Holy” featuring Chance The Rapper.

The new single and it’s Colin Tilley-directed short film, marks Bieber’s return to the pop arena just months after “Intentions”—his 8X global platinum single featuring Quavo—reached #1 at Top 40 radio in June, his seventh career #1 hit on Billboard’s Pop Songs chart. Justin revealed the cover art and release date

for “Holy” via the dedicated website JBSOON.COM. The Justin Bieber World Tour kicks off in San Diego at Pechanga Arena on June 2, 2021 and includes new arena stops in New York City, Boston, Atlanta, and Chicago to name a few.

With over 65 million monthly Spotify listeners, Bieber has become the platform’s #1 most-listened-to artist.

He has also recently surpassed an astounding 147 million Instagram followers and over 50 million YouTube subscribers, giving him far-and-away the #1 artist channel on YouTube.

B4

Features SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Risking the Channel 'death route' to Britain:

'Just God, the water and us'

B

RITAIN! After years trekking through countless countries, weeks in a filthy camp on the French coast, seven gruelling hours on a small boat tossed about by the Channel, Walid has finally made it.

He's managed to cross the so-called death route. His friend Falah, though, is still waiting.

For three weeks, two AFP teams followed Walid, a Kuwaiti, Falah, an Iraqi and his two daughters, nine-year-old Arwa and 13-year-old Rawane, who is severely diabetic, from the town of Grande-Synthe in northern France to Dover in the south of England via the choppy waters of the Channel.

Just 33 kilometers separate the French coast from the white cliffs of Dover, visible on a clear day, but the crossing is one of the world's busiest—and most dangerous.

Still, more and more people are attempting the risky passage.

Between January 1 and August 31, at least 6,200 migrants tried their luck, according to French maritime authorities.

In the whole of 2019, some 2,294 migrants attempted to cross.

Those who have a bit more cash get an inflatable dinghy. Those who don't resort to paddleboards, kayaks or a simple rubber ring.

In August, a 28-year-old drowned while trying to cross on an inflatable dinghy. Last year, four migrants were found dead at sea or on a French beach.

In a wood on the edge of the GrandeSynthe railway line, under a makeshift tarpaulin tent, Walid and Falah are glued to their phone.

It's their holy grail, their only link with the people smuggler who will give them the green light to take to the sea.

For 3,000 euros ($3,500) per person,

RISKY PASSAGE. For three weeks, two AFP teams followed two migrants—from Kuwait and Iraq—in their perilous bid to cross the Channel to Britain. AFP

they will board a small rubber boat with a rickety engine.

On a WhatsApp call, the silhouette of the smuggler pops up.

They have never met him. These types of criminal networks, often Kurdish or Albanian, use go-betweens to establish contact.

- "How are you, my brother?" asks Walid, 29.

- "Well, thanks be to God." - "So, do you have news?"

- "No..."

- "Tomorrow, Inshallah?"

- "Inshallah... If it's good weather tomorrow, we're going."

For a month now, Walid has been

THROWBACK. In this

file photo taken on May 24, 1967 American singer and guitarist Jimi Hendrix performs on stage at Grona Lund in Stockholm, Sweden. Hendrix was born in the USA, was revealed in England, but 'France is his third country.' AFP

Bohemian chic: Hendrix at home 50 years on JIMI HENDRIX made his name in London, exploding onto the 1960s music scene with his mesmeric guitar playing, before his untimely death 50 years ago at the age of 27.

His flat at 23 Brook Street, in the Mayfair area of central London, is now a museum – and besides his musical legacy is one of the few tangible reminders of his life in the city.

The legendary guitarist, famous for tracks including "Hey Joe," "Purple Haze" and his cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," lived at the address between 1968 and 1969.

He considered it his first "real home," explained Hendrix specialist Christian Lloyd, from Canada's Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

Even now, it's considered the Seattle-born singer-songwriter's only recognized residence.

More than two centuries earlier, another musical genius lived at number 25: Handel.

But at the time, a plaque commemorating the German Baroque-era composer was located between the two buildings, prompting Hendrix to believe he was living at the same house.

At one point, Hendrix even thought he saw Handel's ghost in a mirror, said Lloyd.

Hendrix lived at the flat with his then-girlfriend Kathy Etchingham, who described the difficulties in finding a place for the star.

"I'd been to an estate agent or two and tried to get a flat in other blocks

in Mayfair but as soon as they heard it was for Jimi Hendrix, it was a NO," she told Channel 4 in 2016.

"They didn't want somebody like him in their blocks of flats."

Etchingham transformed the small flat, ripping out the grey carpeting, and furnishing it from the John Lewis department store on nearby Oxford Street.

She was called in again when it became a museum four years ago to recreate it as it was at the time, complete with rolled up Persian rugs that the musician collected.

One room bathed in red, orange and pink has a full ashtray and empty teacups, as well as a Monopoly set.

There are also two telephones his management had installed due to Hendrix's habit of giving out his number to anyone who asked for it.

A penny coin is taped to a record player to stop records jumping at high volume.

Brook Street became a haven for Hendrix and a perfect place to hone his craft – loudly, at all hours and undisturbed by neighbours – as it was surrounded only by shops and offices.

"This place was a real refuge for Hendrix. You can imagine by 1968 he was incredibly famous," said Sean Doherty, who manages the museum.

"He was kind of the poster boy of swinging London and psychedelic music at the time. It was a place away from the craziness of the music scene in London.

"He could be at home, relax and write music." AFP

waiting with Falah and his girls, whom he met in Frankfurt on the migrant route towards a better life – full of hope.

"Even if this journey is nicknamed 'the death route', we want to cross. We're heading into the unknown – there is just God, the water and us. Allah will decide our fate," says Falah.

A reserved man in his fifties, Falah escaped Iraq in 2015 when the Islamic State group was in full expansion, joining hundreds of thousands of others on the road to Europe.

Leaving his wife behind – a matter he refused to dwell on – he travelled on foot from Karbala in Iraq to Germany, which in 2015 decided to welcome close

to 900,000 migrants before closing its borders, via Turkey, Greece, Macedonia and Croatia, among others.

In Germany for two years, he felt he'd found a host country. But his requests for asylum failed, so he set off again.

Falah, his dark hair streaked with grey, said he's not "asking for the moon."

"I just want to live decently, I want my daughters to feel free and safe."

Walid, meanwhile, is a "Bidoon," a stateless tribesman.

These have no passport, and Kuwait won't recognize them as citizens or foreign nationals which means they have no political, social or economic rights.

The choppy crossing doesn't scare

Walid, whose square, stubbly face is framed by mid-length black hair.

"The hardest thing is not knowing when you're leaving," he says. "Before this, I had never stayed more than five days in the same place. But here, we don't know if it's tomorrow, in two days or in two months."

On Thursday, September 10 – one month and 13 days after he arrived in Grande-Synthe – warm sunshine and a light wind revived Walid's hopes.

His smuggler confirms that the crossing is imminent.

"We don't know until what time we're going to wait before setting off," Walid says, as he goes to the meeting point.

Two hours after setting off, the Themis, a French patrol vessel, comes level with the dinghy. It sends the rubber boat's position to surveillance units on either side of the Channel, but doesn't intervene at sea – too risky, unless there is a problem.

"As soon as we're at sea, the priority is no longer to stop the crossing but to ensure we safeguard human lives" in an area where 25 percent of the world's sea traffic transits, French maritime authorities tell AFP. So it is that Walid and his companions continue their journey.

After a seven-hour crossing, the passengers set foot on British soil under hazy skies, like dozens of other migrants that day.

Walid, wearing jeans, a dark jacket and a white mask, crams a few clothes into his small backpack. He is soon escorted into a bus to an immigration processing center in Dover.

There, by law, people can officially ask for asylum before being taken to a shelter. Months of administrative procedures await. But Walid is determined to earn a living, now that he is in Britain.

On the other side of the Channel, Falah is distraught. His group never attempted the crossing. Father and daughters are still waiting. AFP

Fidel and Maria: The ghosts that haunt Latino voters in Florida THE shadows of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico are looming large over Latino voters in Florida as they decide whether to back President Donald Trump or his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in November elections.

The electoral clout of the Cuban community in Florida, heavily Republican and staunchly anti-Castro, has been a key factor in US politics for decades – but this reality could be changing under Trump.

After the recent financial crisis in Puerto Rico, a US territory, and subsequent havoc wreaked by Hurricane Maria, tens of thousands of people migrated from the Caribbean island to Florida and have shifted the southeastern state's demographic balance.

Taileen Nieves moved to Florida with her three-year-old son barely two months after Maria hit in September 2017, after prolonged electricity blackouts made her life impossible.

"It was very difficult, being alone with a child. And very dangerous," she said. Nowadays the 42-year-old lives in Auburndale, in central Florida, where she works for a podiatrist.

"I had never been so long out of work.

Ten months," she told AFP. According to Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University, "at the moment a million Puerto Rican voters are registered (in Florida), more or less the same number as Cubans."

For that reason, the November 3 presidential election results in the state will be a partial reflection on Trump's handling of the aftermath of the hurricane, a storm that claimed several thousand lives according to government estimates.

For many, the memory is still fresh of the president casually lobbing rolls of paper towels to Puerto Ricans following the worst natural disaster in their history.

Now, three years later, the Democratic Party is seeking to keep these memories alive. A campaign video shows images from the disaster with

THE GHOST OF CASTRO. In this file photo, a person holds a poster printed by the Miami Herald with a headline that reads that the former Cuban President Fidel Castro is dead, outside the restaurant Versailles on November 26, 2016 in Miami, Florida. AFP Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny's "Pero ya no" ("But not anymore") playing in the background.

On Tuesday, Biden visited Kissimmee, a bastion of Puerto Ricans close to Orlando, where he voiced support for Puerto Rico becoming the 51st state in the union.

"I believe statehood would be the most effective means of ensuring that residents of Puerto Rico are treated equally, with equal representation at the federal level," the former vice president said.

Visitors to Kissimmee are greeted by the sight of an enormous billboard showing Trump throwing paper towels with the logo: "Never forget."

Cuban support for the Republican president, meanwhile, has only grown since 2016.

An NBC News/Marist poll showed that Trump and Biden are more or less neck and neck in Florida, with the president enjoying a slight advantage among Latino voters by 50 to 46 percent.

During his term, Trump has won over Cubans and Venezuelans, and by

extension the majority of the ultra-conservative Latino community, with his tough rhetoric against left-wing countries in the region.

In a move to counteract Trump's strength among Latino voters in Florida, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg – who ran unsuccessfully against Biden for the Democratic nomination – said he would be donating $100 million towards Biden's efforts in the state.

"Here there is a weight given to the Trump campaign's idea that Biden and the Democrats represent socialism," Duany said. "This strategy has a certain resonance and the Democrats are trying to refute it."

In the rest of the country, where Latinos are mostly of Mexican and Central American origin, political issues coalesce around immigration, in which Trump has shown himself to be particularly tough.

For that reason, some 66 percent of Latinos nationwide had an unfavorable view of the president in September, according to Latino Decisions. AFP