Manila Standard - 2020 October 5 - Monday

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Cases resurge after 2 weeks

DOH: New infections highest since Sept. 21; 10 labs get permit

By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja

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FTER maintaining fewer than 3,000 new cases of COVID-19 for almost two weeks, the Philippines on Sunday logged 3,190 new infections, bringing the total number of cases since the pandemic started to 322,497, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.

Sunday's record was the highest since Sept. 21.

Health authorities reported 100 new deaths, bringing total fatalities to COVID-19 to 5,776.

The DOH also announced 18,065 recoveries, bringing to 273,079 the number of patients who have recovered from the disease.

There were 43,642 active cases as of Sunday, 85.4 percent of which were mild, 9.2 percent of which were asymptomatic,

1.7 percent of which were severe and 3.8 percent of which were critical.

The Philippines has the highest number of total cases in Southeast Asia despite implementing the longest and strictest lockdown in the region.

The Philippine Red Cross on Sunday said it now has 10 licensed COVID-19 testing laboratories nationwide and is working to lower its testing price.

The Red Cross conducted 11,138 tests Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM OCT. 4)

322,497 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

3,190 43,642 NEW

ACTIVE

5,776

100

DEATHS

NEW

273,079 18,065 RECOVERIES

NEW

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 213 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House squabble: Romero ouster against the rules, party list says

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Rep. Mikee Romero was removed as deputy speaker and was replaced with Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro.

“We have rules at the House of RepPBA party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles on Sunday said the rules of Congress were resentatives, and it was obvious that the Next page violated when 1-PACMAN party-list

Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez

DISTANCE LEARNING. Education and Valenzuela City officials hold their final meeting and workshop on the eve of the opening of public schools nationwide. With the city LGU officers are senior high school teachers of Pamantasan ng Lunsod of Valenzuela.

Right panel shows the channels and schedule grid where students can watch DepEd TV every day from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm (except Sundays). The first day of distance learning amid the pandemic starts today.

Romualdezes: Raise teachers’ Trump feeling much better now pay, allowance but not out of woods yet—WH

TWIN LPAS. A Low Pressure Area was located 420 km east of Virac, Catanduanes at 3 p.m. While another LPA was spotted 395 km west of Sangley Point, Cavite. Southwest Monsoon affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The weather disturbance emerged two days after the onset of the rain-inducing La Niña, according to PAGASA.

TINGOG party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, along with her husband House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, on Sunday urged the urgent passage of two bills seeking to increase the teaching supplies allowance for public teachers and create a private education fund to increase the salary of educators in the private schools as the country celebrates World Teacher’s Day today, Monday.

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Repatriate from PH taints Solomon status SOLOMON Islands, a nation in the South Pacific, recorded its first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after a returning student tested positive for the virus upon arrival from a repatriation flight from the Philippines.

"We now have our first case of Covid-19, the person is a student that came on a repatriation flight from the Philippines.

It pains me to say that we have lost our COVID-free status despite our collective Next page

SolGen zaps SC over foreign builders

By Rey E. Requejo

to secure a regular license to engage in any private or government project here.

Solicitor General Jose Calida sought THE Office of the Solicitor General has warned the Supreme Court of the adverse the reversal of the high court’s March 10, impact on the economy of its recent deci- 2020 decision, which upheld a lower Next page sion allowing foreign construction firms

HARVEST MOON.

The first full moon of October shines bright in the night sky of Pakil, Laguna. It is known as the “harvest moon,” so-called because it provides enough light for farmers to harvest their crops well into the night, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump posted "I came here, wasn't feeling so well. I a video Saturday from the hospital where feel much better now," Trump said from he is battling COVID-19, saying he was his business suite at the Walter Reed miliimproving and would be "back soon"­­— tary medical center near Washington. but acknowledged that the crucial coming "We're working hard to get me all the Next page days would be "the real test."

POST-COVID MASS.

After recovering from COVID-19 infection, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, also the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, officiates his first regular Mass on Sunday, October 4, 2020, at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila. Tagle has recovered from the coronavirus two weeks after testing positive upon arrival in Manila from Rome.

Norman Cruz

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Lacson stews over PhilHealth the NBI against the erring PhilHealth officials were based on the investigation by the Department of Justice-led task force.

He said it was likely that the Senate and the Justice department had different views on the cases.

Lacson also noted that despite the filing of the complaints, the task force had not yet finished its probe as it had been pressed to submit its report due to the one-month deadline by President Rodrigo Duterte.

As a result, Lacson said, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and former PhilHealth senior vice president Rodolfo Del Rosario Jr. may still be included among those to be charged after

the second phase of the task force's investigation.

Duque and Del Rosario were among the PhilHealth officials recommended by the Senate to be charged following their own investigation into the issue.

Among those facing complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman are resigned PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales, executive vice president and chief operating officer Arnel De Jesus, and senior vice presidents Renato Limsiaco Jr. and Israel Francis Pargas.

Meanwhile, Senator Christoper Go hopes that PhilHealth reforms could lead to corruption-free services for the Filipinos.

COVID-19 testing in private hospitals costs between P4,000 and P10,000 for express results.

Gordon said the cost through the Red Cross might go down to as low as P1,500.

Also on Sunday, Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza batted for an “autonomous” Food and Drug Administration to screen COVID-19 vaccines free from the “meddling” of the Department of Health.

Over 30 COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be analyzed by April 2021 “We want a new and totally independent FDA to analyze every coronavirus vaccine tendered, not just to avoid a repeat of the Dengvaxia mess, but to ensure that Filipinos get the best possible immunization in terms of efficacy and safety without any

shortcuts,” Atienza said, referring to the anti-dengue drug that was administered to about 700,000 mostly school-age children before its ill effects on those who had not come into contact with the disease was known.

“One of the lessons we learned from the Dengvaxia affair is that we have to insulate the FDA from unwanted external pressures, including those that might come from future health officials who are also politicians,” he added.

Under House Bill 1106, the FDA would be completely detached from the DOH “whose officials in the past had been accused of meddling in favor of the expedited regulatory approval of Dengvaxia.”

Since its establishment in 1963, the FDA has always been attached to, and un-

der the supervision of the DOH. Also on Sunday, a former Health secretary said the government must mobilize the whole society to combat COVID-19 infections.

“It’s time for the President and other leaders to call on all those who have the capacity to help, the whole society, whole of government, whole of systems to coordinate. It’s time to take unified action,” Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan said in Filipino during an interview on Teleradyo.

Tan said the government should also allow more health experts from around the Philippines to help them.

The country has seen one of the longest coronavirus lockdowns in the world yet the number of infections continued to rise.

tives, he added.

Meanwhile, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez asserted that the term-sharing agreement between Cayetano and Velasco has already been carried out after Cayetano offered to resign.

In an interview over Dobol B sa News TV, Fernandez, said Congress was caught unawares by Cayetano’s move amid Velasco’s claim that Cayetano’s termsharing period would lapse on Sept. 30.

“Congressman Velasco and his group were not prepared that this would be the move of Speaker Cayetano. Who are we to question his objective, meaning to say it is the prerogative of the speaker to resign in whatever capacity that he wanted?" he said.

He said it did not matter if Cayetano resigned on Sept. 30 or Oct. 14 – in either case, that would live up to his 15-month term under the term-sharing agreement with Velasco.

A majority of lawmakers that day, however, rejected Cayetano's offer to resign.

“Since he was able to establish a good working relationship with all the mem-

bers of the House of Representatives, of course, you have to consider their sentiments. It would be discourteous to resign without telling, explaining and without taking your resignation before the floor,” Fernandez said.

"With his resignation, the speaker showed he is respecting the President and the entire membership of the House of Representatives,” he cited.

Some 184 lawmakers rejected Cayetano's offer for resignation in a nominal voting conducted after Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Mike Defensor's motion.

Fernandez hit Velasco for accusing Cayetano of trying to stay longer in his position to secure his and his "comrades'" share of the 2021 national budget .

He urged House leaders not supporting the continued tenure of Cayetano to step down from their posts.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Sunday said they would nott interfere in the speakership row in the House of Representatives as long as they pass the 2021 national budget during the first week of October.

“If they delay it, they should not blame us later on. Like when they had a change of leadership and then they blamed us, that shouldn’t be,” said Sotto, referring to the 2018 ouster of then Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and his replacement by former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo.

In an interview over DZBB, Sotto also noted there were term-sharing agreements in the Senate, but no chaos.

Senator Christopher Go on Sunday also called on his fellow legislators to ensure the timely passage of the 2021 budget despite issues surrounding the House speakership.

He underscored the need for both houses of Congress to ensure the budget will be passed, especially amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A political analyst, Ramon Casiple, on the other hand, said a term-sharing deal was unconstitutional and that Cayetano should keep his post.

Lawmakers of the House elect the speaker under the chamber's rules, and there is no such thing as “gentlemen’s agreement," he said.

on Wednesday—not on Thursday, per the official account—but he later said he had misspoken.

Soon after Trump arrived at the hospital, Conley said in a memo the president was starting a course of remdesivir and had received an eight-gram dose of an experimental antibody cocktail.

Neither Trump's doctors nor the White House explained why the president was taking unproven drugs if his progress was satisfactory.

Trump's optimism over his recovery prospects has been tempered by news that more people close to the president have tested positive for the coronavirus.

They included campaign advisor Chris Christie, who was among several aides that helped Trump prepare for the first presidential debate who have since announced positive tests.

Christie and a number of senators and Trump aides are also among a growing list from the president's orbit to have tested positive after attending an event in the White House Rose Garden last weekend.

The so-called "White House cluster" includes the president's wife Melania, close confidante Hope Hicks, former White House top aide Kellyanne Conway, campaign manager Bill Stepien and Republican senators Thom Tillis and Mike Lee. Another close aide, Nicholas Luna, one of the "body men" who accompanies the president round the clock, had also tested positive, CNN reported.

Heightening the sense of crisis at the heart of power in America, a third Republican senator, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, announced on Saturday that he had tested positive.

Trump—who is well behind his 77-year-old Democratic election rival Joe Biden in the polls—has been forced to freeze or rework much of his campaign ahead of a potentially messy vote on November 3.

Among the unknowns were the prospects for two remaining presidential debates and whether the president will have to yield power temporarily to Vice President Mike Pence if his condition worsens.

Biden has made Trump's frequent downplaying of the COVID-19 crisis and mixed messaging on mask-wearing a central campaign theme.

The former vice president, who stood on a stage with Trump for 90 minutes during their ill-tempered first debate Tuesday, announced that he and his wife Jill tested negative Friday. AFP

Romualdezes:...

learning modules to students.”

The House of Representatives has also allotted another P600 million in subsidies and allowances to qualified students of public and private elementary and secondary schools, as well as higher education institutions.

“We’ve also approved an extra P300 million in financial aid to the displaced faculty and non-teaching staff of public and private elementary, secondary and tertiary schools, including part-time teachers in state universities and colleges,” Gullas said.

“All these new appropriations are contained in the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.” Gullas, an educator, said another P920 million was set for an incentive for World Teachers’ Day. Each school teacher will receive today an annual benefit of P1,000.

On Saturday, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers denounced the government's alleged lack of regard for the education sector by only allocating P4 billion to the sector in the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. In a statement, ACT said the administration had not "lifted a finger" for the sector as it denied the Department of Education's request for a supplemental budget to fund the requisites for the coming school year, which is set to open on Oct. 5.

“There’s no question about the President’s absolute lack of regard for education,” said ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio.

“This has been evident from years of poor budget allocation under his rule to the complete abandonment of this basic social service as it shifted to remote learning. Meanwhile, Secretary Leonor Briones, who should have championed the interests of the sector, also opted to fawn over the President at the expense of our welfare and rights.”

court ruling declaring void a provision in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 4566, which classifies the licenses that may be issued by the Philippine Constructors Accreditation Board.

The chief state lawyer said the decision was untimely considering the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the unemployment rate.

Calida says the decision will open the door to more participants in the construction market, which accounts for 10 percent of the Philippines’ total employment.

He says foreign contractors usually bring their own nationals to work on their projects, hence denying Filipino workers of employment opportunities He cited the projects being undertaken

by Chinese contractors where they employ their own nationals.

“The entry of foreign contractors with their undue advantage will not only displace current professionals and workers in the industry, but will reduce the employment opportunities for returning Filipino Workers,” Calida said.

“Undeniably, MSMEs [micro, small and medium enterprises] comprising 97 percent of the registered contractors who are reeling from the debilitating effects of the pandemic will further be subjected to foreign competitors whose wider supply chain networks and support from their respective governments will put them at a disadvantage.”

Calida says issuing regular licenses to foreign contractors will result in the unbridled influx of foreign contractors.

The Philippines’ leading construction groups, including the Philippine Constructors Association Inc., Cebu Contractors Association Inc., and Davao Constructors Association Center Inc. have backed Calida’s motion for reconsideration.

In its March 10 decision, the high court declared as unconstitutional Section 3.1 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 4566, the law creating the Philippine Licensing Board for Contractors.

That provision classifies the licenses that may be issued by the PCAB to contractors into regular and special licenses.

Under Section 3.1 of the contractors’ license law’s IRR, companies with at least 60 percent Filipino equity participation may be granted a regular license, which gives them continuing authority to engage in many contracting activities in one year. Foreign firms can only be granted a special license and they need to have a separate license for each contract activity.

quarantined in Manila before he boarded the flight home.

Sogavare said he passed three tests before departure but was tested positive upon arrival. All of the returnees have undergone a retest upon this development.

The SARS-CoV-2-positive student, who has not exhibited serious symptoms, is currently in isolation at a facility in the country.

Sogavare said his government is ready

for such a scenario and would continue to implement its health response measures that had been in place in the country for eight months.

"The planning, preparation, simulation and exercises have not been in vain and the government is confident of its capacity to respond, contain and manage the situation to ensure that the safety and well-being of the public is maintained," he said.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

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ENATOR Panfilo Lacson said Sunday the Senate may initiate its own filing of charges against the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation officials not charged by the National Bureau of Investigation over the alleged corruption involving the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism at the state health insurer.

He says nobody can stop them from cause it has also conducted its own invesfiling charges before the Ombudsman as tigation. they will go there as a body if the House Although the Senate had its own of Representatives will join them, be- probe, he said, the complaints filed by

Cases...

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on Saturday, while more laboratories located in Surigao, Cotabato, Passi City in Iloilo, and Isabela are targeted to be operational in the next few weeks, said former Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, who now heads the Philippine Red Cross' biomolecular laboratories.

“The rate of positive patients was at 7 percent. It has since gone down to 4 percent, as of yesterday,” Ubial said in Filipino in an interview on ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

PRC Chairman Senator Richard Gordon said the Red Cross is working to make COVID-19 tests more affordable.

House...

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rules were not complied with,” Nograles said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV. “The rules of the House of Representatives were violated with the substitution of Fred Castro vice Mikee Romero.”

On Oct. 2, Deputy Majority Leader XJ Romualdo moved to unseat Romero during the plenary deliberations for the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021.

Romero was among those who accompanied Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco to a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang to settle a row with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, who seemed reluctant to honor his termsharing agreement with Velasco.

Nograles said there could only be a vacancy in a seat when any of the officers dies, resigns, or is permanently incapacitated under Section 13 of the House rules.

Under Section 11 of the same rules, an election should be held in case there is vacancy in a seat at the House of Representa-

Trump...

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way back... I think I'll be back soon and I look forward to finishing up the campaign the way it was started."

Appearing relaxed in an open-collar shirt and blue suit jacket, Trump acknowledged that there was uncertainty about the course of the disease, which can hit recovering patients hard with no warning.

"I'm starting to feel good. You don't know over the next period of a few days, I guess that's the real test, so we'll be seeing what happens over those next couple of days."

Late Saturday, White House doctor Sean Conley said Trump was "not yet out of the woods," but that the medical team is "cautiously optimistic."

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Trump's condition had them worried on Friday, but that he had since improved.

"Yesterday morning, we were real concerned... he had a fever and his blood oxygen level had dropped rapidly," Meadows told Fox News late Saturday.

Meadows said there was never a risk Trump would have to hand over power, after a day of conflicting reports and confusion over the leader's actual fitness.

"He's made unbelievable improvements from yesterday morning, when I know a number of us, the doctor and I, were very concerned," Meadows said.

His comments echoed remarks by Conley, who said Trump had "made substantial progress since diagnosis, and remained "fever-free and off supplemental oxygen."

Trump, 74, had completed a second dose of therapeutic drug remdesivir and had spent "most of the afternoon conducting business," Conley added.

A second doctor, Sean Dooley, said earlier in the day that the president's cardiac, kidney and liver functions were "normal."

Conley was evasive when asked earlier whether the president had received supplementary oxygen at any point since falling ill, only confirming that he hadn't received any at the hospital or on Thursday­­—the day of his positive test.

Several US media outlets said Trump was on oxygen at the White House on Friday before being admitted to Walter Reed.

Conley added to the confusion by suggesting that Trump had been diagnosed

Online list-up for voters eyed amid pandemic

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The Romualdezes manifested their admiration for the Filipino educators’ “devotion and unparalleled dedication” to ensure that “no child will be left behind” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have witnessed the devotion of our Filipino teachers to their vocation and their unparalleled dedication to their students. It is high time that we displayed the appropriate reciprocity by giving our teachers the commensurate benefits that they deserve,” the party-list lawmaker said.

The majority leader is the House committee on rules chairman, while his wife is head of the committee on the welfare of children.

The couple vowed that they “will continue to protect and uphold the welfare of our teachers” by pushing for the urgent passage of House Bill 7744, or the proposed Teaching Supplies Allowance Act of 2019 and HB 6349, or the Partnership in Private Basic Education Act. The Romualdezes are the principal authors of the measures.

Meanwhile, Congress has earmarked a P4.9-billion emergency fund to help students and teachers cope with the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas said on Sunday.

Gullas, a House appropriations committee member, said “we’ve authorized a P4-billion lump sum to further facilitate the public school system’s shift to blended remote learning.

“The new money will enable the DepEd to deploy digital technologies for online learning and harness alternative methods of instruction, including the production and delivery of self-

Repatriate..

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efforts to prevent the pandemic from entering our country," Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced Saturday.

The student, who was reportedly part of some 400 Solomon Islands nationals repatriated from the Philippines, was

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Rep. Anthony Peter Crisologo is proposing the temporary use of an electronic voters’ registration system amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He filed House Bill 7746, which he says is designed to create an electronic voters’ registration, amending Republic Act 8189 or the Voter's Registration Act of 1986.

Crisologo, a House assistant majority leader, says the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the people’s mobility and the safety of human interactions.

He says the objective of HB 7746 is to equip the Commission on Elections with a strategy that could help promote the use of available resources to ensure that, notwithstanding the circumstances, the state would be able to safeguard the voters’ suffrage rights.

The bill, Online Voter's Registration Act of 2020, if passed, would be an alternative electronic mode of registration in response to potential national critical situations restricting the movement of people and the conduct of personal transactions.

It will only be used temporarily under a national emergency during the period of registration.

“The government has continuously campaigned for the protection of the rights of the Filipino people and has relentlessly encouraged the people to exercise voting as one of their civic duties,” Crisologo said.

“But with the ongoing health crisis that the country is currently experiencing, various challenges continue to emerge that may impede the participation of many individuals in the coming elections.”

SolGen...

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News

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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BAGUIO SCENES. This photo shows some of the sights in Baguio City on Oct. 04, 2020. For residents, it is a great opportunity to get out of the house despite the pandemic to enjoy the cold weather and the breath-taking scenery.

Bank’s asset pool execs face charges

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has been asked to cite in contempt officials of the United Coconut Planters Bank and Asset Pool A and their lawyers for committing contumacious acts for wantonly defying its decision on a case that it had long been resolved not only with finality but, in fact, with an entry of judgment.

In a 26-page petition for cite for contempt, petitioner Felix A. Chua asked the SC to discipline respondents UCPB represented by its officer-in-charge Ludivino Geron, Atty. Ismael Andrew P. Isip , Asset Pool A (SPV-AMC), represented by its President Siu Hung Hung, and Atty. Hortensio G. Domingo for filing several four motions for reconsiderations seeking to revive a “dead case.”

The petitioner accused officials of the UCPB and the Asset Pool A for alleged blatantly disregarding the rule of law by filing multiple pleadings despite that the case had been closed and terminated.

Chua said the petition for contempt was filed under Rule 71 of the Rules of Court, on the basis of the respondents disregard to the SC’s final ruling and entry of judgment and for resorting to dilatory tactics to prolong and revive their case which the Court had already ruled on with finality.

“All of the respondents’ motions that had been denied, noted without action or expunged by the Honorable Court prayed that the implementation of the final and executory decision be restrained, enjoined and/or nullified raising the same-old arguments that had long been denied by the Honorable Court. In a manner of speaking, respondents are fielding the same dog but decorating it with different dollars,” Chua said.

DOTr suspends use of beep cards

By Rio N. Araja and Darwin G Amojelar

TARTING yesterday, Oct. 5, the Department of Transportation has suspended the use of beep cards for EDSA buses.

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The DOTr issued the suspension following the refusal of AF Payments, Inc., the provider of the automatic fare collection system, ”to waive the cost of the beep card despite consistent pleas made by the government.”

“Thus, we are suspending the mandatory use of beep cards at the EDSA Busway until the issue is resolved,” Instead, the DOTr said it will still hon-

or a dual payment system for EDSA Busway passengers, which means that those who have already bought or have existing beep cards may still use their cards for the payment of fares.

“Meanwhile, off board cash payment will be accommodated for those who have no card yet. Cash payments will be collected by personnel from the EDSA Bus Consortia at the stations. These personnel

will be wearing appropriate face shields, face masks, and gloves to prevent the transmission of COVID-19,” the agency added.

The DOTr said the EDSA Bus Consortia said they will look for another AFCS provider.

A meeting with other AFCS providers is scheduled on Tuesday morning, the DOTr said.

The DOTr said giving away the beep cards for free would have made a big difference to the commuters, mostly daily wage earners who are the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier, House Assistant Majority Leader and Quezon City Rep. Precious Hipolito-Castelo urged the DOTr to provide beep cards for free for the train sys-

NICA slams Zarate on fake news raps

NBI offices relocate to New Clark City

By Othel V. Campos and Willie Casas THE National Bureau of Investigation will relocate some of its offices at the National Government Administrative Center in New Clark City, in response to the government’s call to decongest Metro Manila and move government offices outside the capital.

The NGAC Phase 1 Joint Venture, a partnership between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and MTD Clark, Inc., recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NBI for the acquisition of facilities located within New Clark City “This is an important initiative. We need to focus on building our resiliency and create a resilient government by setting up facilities in a resilient area, such as New Clark City,” said BCDA president Vince Dizon.

Some of NBI’s offices to be housed in NGAC include the International Forensics, Biometrics and Research Center, Training Academy, Regional Office, Data Center, and other offices in line with the NBI Reorganization and Modernization Act.

TRAFFIC SECURITY. HPG personnel and Skyway Traffic and Safety Management and Security teams check on drivers of high-end cars for possible speed limit violations, lack of vehicle license plates and proper documentations. CNN Philippines

Drilon also opposes plan to sell PH properties in Japan

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon has joined Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. in vehemently opposing the planned sale of various Philippine government properties in Japan citing their symbolic value to the Filipinos.

“I agree with and support Sec Locsin’s position on this issue. We oppose any plan to sell any of our properties in Japan. You can never put a price tag on these properties,” Drilon said .

As the Supreme Court said in its ruling: “it is indeed true that the Roppongi prop-

erty is valuable, not so much because of the inflated prices fetched by real property in Tokyo, but more so because of its symbolic value to all Filipinos, veterans and civilians alike,” he added.

Drilon said that the Roppongi property, along with three other Philippine properties in Japan, are “symbols of Filipinos’ bravery and sacrifices.”

The Roppongi property was acquired by the Philippine government pursuant to the reparations agreement between the Philippine and Japanese governments in 1956. Under the agreement, the Roppongi property was acquired by the Philippine

Poe seeks inquiry on locators leaving ‘eco zones’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

tem in Metro Manila and Carousel buses plying the stretch of EDSA. Castelo has filed House Resolution No. 1272 after the complaints of commuters against DOTr’s no-beep no-ride policy.

The fare card is being used at Carousel buses; at the Light Rail Transit line 1 (e Monumento to Pasay via Rizal and Taft avenues); at the LRT line 2 (Marikina to Manila via Cubao, Sta. Mesa and Claro M. Recto), and Metro Rail Transit line 3 (EDSA’s North Avenue in Quezon City to Pasay City).

“It is hereby suggested that the beep cards should be given to commuters for free, and there should be no usage fee charged on top of the pre-paid load,” Hipolito-Castelo said.

2021 budget of the investment promotion agencies, the senators took to task ZCSEZA SENATOR Grace Poe has asked the chief Raul Regondola whom they said failed Cagayan Economic Zone Authority and to look into why a wig manufacturer, conZamboanga City Special Economic Zone sidered to be one of the biggest manufacturAuthority to find out why some of their lo- ers of wigs that exports to Japan, decided to leave the eco zone. cators are leaving.

“It is part of your responsibility to figure The CEZA reported that employment was cut by half from 2,880 in 2018 to 1,555 out why relocators left. We want to make it in the first quarter of 2020, while ZCSEZA a thriving ecozone, so dapat tanungin natin went from employing 1,467 people in 2018 kung saan tayo nagkulang at anong puwede nating gawin,” Poe said. down to 998 in 2020.

The senator said that if the tax holiday It the last Senate hearing on the proposed

was the reason why relocators are leaving, they could approach the DOF (Department of Finance) or NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) for help.

“May mga bagay na pwede nating gawin para maisalba natin ang mga trabaho,” said Poe. CEZA administrator Raul Lambino explained that the reason behind the decline in employment is their cleaning up of offshore gaming corporations and locators found to be engaged in illegal activities that was reported last August.

government for a specific purpose, namely to serve as the site of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, Japan.

Aside from the Roppongi property, the Philippines has three more properties in Japan: the Nampeidai Property in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, the Kobe Commercial Property in Naniwa-cho, Kobe and the Kobe Residential Property in Obanoyama-cho, Shinohara, Nada-ku, Kobe.

In 1990, the Supreme Court, in the case of Laurel v. Garcia, ruled that the Roppongi property cannot be sold without the concurrence of Congress.

THE director general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency lashed back at party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate for accusing the intelligence agency as the source of fake news or wrong information disrupting the democratic life of the Filipinos.

NICA Director General Alex Paul Monteagudo vehemently denied Zarate’s accusations saying it is the job of his agency to protect and defend the Constitution against “destructive forces” especially now that these groups have already invaded the House of Representatives.

Last Sept. 29, during the NICA budget deliberations, Zarate and the other members of the Makabayan bloc such as Bayan Muna, ACT, Gabriela and Kabataan Party-list, accused Monteagudo of being the source of wrong information because of his shared posts to various Facebook accounts.

Monteagudo explained that the information he shared in his Facebook account mirrors the expressions of citizens that share the same sentiments with regards to the experiences of former rebels, indigenous peoples and parents who lost their children at the hands of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

He said that what is really saddening is that people like the members of the Makabayan bloc led by Zarate are occupying positions in Congress.

The NICA chief said Zarate even ‘pretends to be the defender of rights but in fact is part of the organization declared as terrorists who claimed the lives of so many Filipinos and destroyed the normal life of so much families wanting to live a peaceful life.’

The NICA official said that he is sharing the experiences of IPs in his Facebook account to protect innocent people, especially the youth, from believing in the deceptions of the CPP/NPA/NDF, which continue to recruit individuals to fight a violent war against the government.

Gov’t urged to support Pinoy artists

By Macon Ramos-Araneta TO support artists who lost their livelihood due to the pandemic, Senator Sonny Angara called on the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and other agencies of government to find ways to tap their talents and give them jobs during this very challenging time.During the hearing on the proposed 2021 budgets of the cultural agencies, including the NCCA, Angara, who chairs the Committee on Finance, cited the ongoing program of the Metropolitan Manila Devel-

opment Authority along the Pasig River as one way to help Filipino artists.

Angara said the MMDA, as part of its efforts to rehabilitate the Pasig River, has tapped artists to paint murals on its walls and banks.

“Maybe the NCCA could recommend some of the artists who need some commissions to the MMDA so there’s a source of income for them because I’m sure kahit papaano yung market for their services have been affected somewhat,” Angara said.

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LGUs

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

SC clears Bacolod mayor in disbarment case

By Rey E. Requejo

16k QC senior citizens to get anti-flu shots

L

OCAL government officials who are also lawyers cannot be subject to disbarment proceedings for acts as local chief executives under the Local Government Code, such as issuance of executive orders based on their councils’ resolutions, or approving or rejecting ordinances, according to the Supreme Court.

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City government is set to provide over 16,000 senior citizens with free anti-pneumonia and flu vaccines to protect them from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“We are doing this to protect our grandfathers and grandmothers against COVID-19. We understand that there are times they could not be prevented from going outside of their home, especially if they have to go to work, and that they are the only ones being depended on by their families,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

From January to August, 9,250 seniors received pneumococcal shots from the city’s health department, while 7,690 others were given flu vaccines.

The city government said priority is given to the elders who continue to earn a living for their family. Its health-care workers are still going around each barangay to give pneumococcal and flu shots to the elderly.

As the city intensifies its campaign to protect the elders from the virus, two washable face masks are also distributed.

Over 300,000 elderly have been the beneficiaries of the Kalingang QC, the city’s financial assistance for the vulnerable sector.

As the city government celebrates the Elderly Filipino Week, the Office for the Senior Citizens Affairs is set to hold a hold a series of webinars for the senior citizens.

“We are doing these for our beloved senior citizens as they greatly contributed to the development of our city as well as our nation and continuously imparting their wise and noble guidance and support to their families and their communities,” Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs chief Bayani Hipol said.

The city is also establishing satellite OSCA offices in its six districts to bring services closer to senior citizens in each area.

QC ‘BOSS’. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte (right) and Anti-Red Tape Authority Director General Jeremiah Belgica lead QC Business Permits and Licensing Department head Margarita Santos, Chief of Staff Rowena Macatao, and other city officials in cutting the ceremonial ribbon to formally launch the QC Biz Easy online unified business permit application system (inset) and inaugurate the newly improved Business One Stop Shop (BOSS) held at Civic Center in QC hall on Friday. Manny Palmero

Caloocan index crimes fall 32.8% in 9 months

By Jun David THE Index Crime Rate throughout Caloocan City has dropped by over a third or by 32.8% in the first nine months of 2020, the city’s Peace and Order Council announced recently in an online meeting.

Caloocan Police Chief Col. Dario Menor reported to Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan that only 426 index crimes were recorded and included in the eight focus crimes from January to September this year, compared to 634 recorded

crimes in the same months last year.

Of the 426 crimes, 283 were cleared or identified and 211 were solved or identified and suspects were arrested, Menor said.

Index crimes, as defined by the Philippine National Police (PNP), involve crimes against persons such as murder, homicide, physical injury and rape, and crimes against property such as robbery, theft, carnapping/carjacking and cattle rustling.

In connection with the enforced community quarantine since March, more

than 30,000 residents have been caught violating city ordinances such as curfews, not wearing face masks, and not observing social distancing.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caloocan Police assured Malapitan that operations such as the fight against illegal drugs, the arrest of wanted persons, the campaign on illegal firearms, and others will continue.

According to the mayor, order and peace must remain in the city especially during this time.

The high court made the ruling as it dismissed the disbarment complaint filed against Bacolod City Mayor and lawyer Evelio R. Leonardia, who served as city mayor from 2004 to 2013. He was elected city mayor anew in 2016 and 2019.

“Wherefore, the petition for disbarment filed by Sarah Teresa S. Esguerra against Atty. Evelio R. Leonardia is hereby dismissed,” the SC declared.

In a resolution promulgated last month, the high court ruled that Leonardia cannot be held liable for issuing an EO declaring June 18 as anniversary of the law that created Bacolod City instead of October 19, the commemoration of the city’s formal organization.

“Atty. Leonardia was acting in accordance with Resolution No. 439 previously issued by the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) of Bacolod City in 2008, which commemorated the 70th year since Bacolod City became a city on June 18, 1938 pursuant to Commonwealth Act No. 326,” the SC stressed.

“The ground cited in the instant petition for disbarment mainly rested on the controversy regarding the date of the Charter Day of Bacolod City. It is not enough justification for the imposition of any disciplinary action on Atty.

Leonardia since… he was acting as City Mayor imbued with Local Chief Executive powers and not as a lawyer,” the tribunal said.

2.7m CL pupils ready for school

By Jess Malabanan SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—Over 2.7 million students in Central Luzon have been enrolled in government and private schools and are expected to join in the opening of classes today through distance learning (digital and modular), the Department of Education Regional Office 3 said.

“Education must continue despite of the pandemic as we all ensure the health and safety of our learners and personnel. Together, we will learn, and we will heal as one,” said DepEd-3 in a statement.

The DepEd Regional Policy, Planning

and Research Division stated that a total of 2,732,479 learners in Central Luzon are enrolled for School Year 2020-2021 as of October 1.

From the figure, 2,393,421 or 87.59% are enrolled in public schools, 333,046 or 12.19% in private schools and 6,012 or 0.22% in state and local universities and colleges.

Alternative Learning Modalities this school year include digital modular distance learning, printed modular distance learning, synchronous online distance learning, asynchronous online distance learning, television-based instruction, radio-based instruction, and blended distance learning.

IPM machine in Pampanga capitol SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—Payments, disbursements, and other financial transactions within the provincial capitol will be made through the Intelligent Payment Machine provided by the League of Municipalities in the Philippines as among measures to ensure the safety of employees and other individuals against the coronavirus pandemic.

“Financial transactions within the provincial capitol will be contactless,” said Governor Dennis Pineda in a statement, adding the IPM machines will also be installed in different local government units within the province.

The IPM is being offered by LMP through its president, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Chavit Singson, to different LGUs as a convenient way in disbursing cash, paying government dues, and transferring of funds, including cellphone loads.

“The WiFi and satellite-powered IPM aims to provide safer and more convenient financial transactions especially to those who are in the upland and coastal areas who have limited-access to these kinds of services,” said Singson during the turnover of the machine to the provincial government over the weekend.

Jess Malabanan

PTV DONATION.

Usec. Dave Almarinez (right) inspects the brand-new Nissan Urvan Patient Transport Vehicle (PTV) donated to the San Pedro City Government led by Mayor Lourdes S. Cataquiz by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office on Sept. 29. It was formally received by 1st District Board Member Abigael Alonte and other San Pedro officials from PCSO General Manager Royina Garma at City Hall (inset). Roy Tomandao

DRIVE-THRU PET BLESSING. In celebration of World Animal Day and SM Pet Park’s 3rd anniversary, SM City Taytay held the first-ever

Drive-Thru Pet Blessing on Saturday as Rev. Fr. Mario Operario (inset) officiated the blessing of more than 150 pets. Participants also received a Drive-Thru Pet Blessing certificate and loot bags containing pet treats and essentials. Due to the pandemic, owners and their pets were only allowed to be inside their vehicles during the ceremony. Norman Cruz

San Pedro gains PTV from PCSO, PITC’s Almarinez

By Roy Tomandao

SAN PEDRO CITY, Laguna—The local government here on Monday received a donation of a new patient transport vehicle (PTV) through the efforts of Usec.

Dave M. Almarinez of the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) in partnership with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

The PTV unit will enhance the delivery of emergency health services to the public, City Mayor Lourdes S. Cataquiz said as she received the PTV as well as several boxes of vitamin supplements.

PCSO General Manager Royina Gar-

ma led the ceremonial turnover held at the Nissan North Edsa branch in Quezon City of the brand-new Nissan Urban PTV worth P1.58 million, including a detachable patient bed and boxes of vitamins.

Garma said the PTV is a 100 percent donation of PCSO to San Pedro City. Before, LGUs were required to share 40 percent of the cost of the PTV depending on its classification.

“The PCSO is also relentless in its thrust to provide assistance not only to LGUs and hospitals but also to Filipinos across the country through its Medical Access Program (MAP), Calamity As-

sistance Program, Medicine Donation Program, Endowment Fund Program and many more. The program is funded by revenues from PCSO games nationwide,” Garma said.

For her part, Cataquiz expressed her gratitude to Almarinez and PCSO for including the city as beneficiary of the donation.

“My heart is always for the good of the people, that is why I never stop helping whenever I can,” she said.

“The brand-new ambulance will go a long way in strengthening the delivery of emergency health services to the public,” Cataquiz said.

Opinion ‘Signos’

IT WOULD be un-Christian to not wish POTUS and FLOTUS, that is, Donald and Melania Trump, speedy recovery from the coronavirus that has infected them.

But it would be hypocritical of this writer to not state that Trump had it coming, just like Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, whose disdain for wearing a face mask during the pandemic’s rise in his country, and whose crazy exhortations, similar to the American president’s, has multiplied the effects of the COVID-19 scourge in their countries many, many times over.

Will Americans feel pity, and turn such into sympathetic votes for Trump a month from now?

As this article is being written early Sunday morning, 7.4 million Americans have been infected with the virus and 212,000 have died, the death rate eerily similar to that of Brazil, with 4.9 million cases of which 145,000 have died, both a bit lower than 3-percent mortality rates. The United States leads the world in the number of cases, and Brazil is third. India, with a population of 1.4 billion, close to five times more than the US and seven times more than Brazil’s population, has half the mortality rates registered by the two other COVID world leaders.

Our grandparents who lived through the dying days of the Spanish colonial period and throughout the American and Japanese occupations have a term for what has happened to Donald Trump 32 days before Americans troop to the polls: “signos.”

Signs, derived from what was supposed to have been a vision of the Emperor Constantine, where he saw a cross above the sun, and the lord Jesus Christ telling him that “with this sign, thou shalt conquer”—“in hoc signo vinces.” In Tagalog, they say, “masamang pangitain,” as when the sun suddenly disappears and a dark cloud covers it, just as the farmer begins to plant his crop. The Bisaya, whose language is peppered with more Hispanic words than the Tagalogs’, also refer to these as “signos.”

Donald Trump of New York City is likely to lose his bid for re-election come November 3, to the rather colorless Joseph Biden of Delaware. The surveys before their debate had placed an average nine point margin in favor of Biden. The debate, inarguably the worst of its kind since American televised presidential debates started with Kennedy versus Nixon, was so low principally because the irascible Trump could not repress his mad-dog instincts, forcing the otherwise gentlemanly Biden to respond in anger.

Even pro-Republican analysts were saying that Trump failed to convince the undecided voters, particularly in the swing states of Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin where Biden now leads, to vote for him. And then this personal catastrophe, of an American president who openly flaunted all preventive measures that medical science prescribed, testing positive to the coronavirus, along with

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his beautiful Slovenian-born first lady.

As we write this article, Trump has been given an experimental polyclonal antibody cocktail, whatever that is, and Remdesivir which is supposed to temper the effects of the virus on the organs, and at his demand, the experimental drug Regeneron. Many doctors say the medication given to Trump are dangerous because they are unproven. The next 48 hours are deemed “critical” for the POTUS. Will Americans feel pity, and turn such into sympathetic votes for Trump a month from now? Or will the main issue, which the Democrats keep pushing—the mishandling and mismanagement of the pandemic by the world’s supposedly wealthiest and most medically advanced country, do Trump in?

On the day both POTUS and FLOTUS were flown to Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland, the unemployment statistics were announced. The number is 7.9%, the highest since 2004, reversing what the Republicans had believed was their “trump card” in these elections, an economy that had recovered mainly through their president’s trade wars, principally with China. All because COVID-19, which began in China, ravaged the US of A far more than it did the country of provenance, thanks to the mismanagement and hubris of Donald Trump.

The signs show that Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris will be the next president and vice-president of the United States. And Donald Trump’s declaration that he will not concede is getting less and less a real threat because Biden is expected now to come up with a commanding lead, well over the 270 electoral votes that he needs to be declared winner.

Unless the “signos” are reversed in a scant period of 28 days. *** Meanwhile, in our House of Representatives’ “OK Corral,” the battle for the speakership is getting muddier and muddier, while leaving the eventual outcome of the 15-21 compromise, more and more muddled.

The way it looks, Marinduque’s Lord Allan is hanging on the ropes, with only another presidential intervention giving him a lifeline from Speaker Alan Peter’s diabolically brilliant maneuvers last Tuesday.

If my sources are correct, even if their leanings are with Alan Peter, the President impressed upon both the need to pass the 2021 budget as quickly as possible, knowing that the time frame given the Senate’s tight guarding is perilously shortened, and the bicameral conference committee deliberations will be bloody.

And so an 18-18 adjustment, as this writer predicted in last Monday’s column (When pigs fly), was proposed, and the President approved. But the Lord Allan insisted on the original Magellan formula, the adjustment being only until October 14.

Speaker Alan Peter and his supporters regrouped right after the Monday audience with the president, and he came out with his tour de force the following day in the plenary session where the budget was being deliberated upon.

Then Spox Harry Roque waded in, stating that the president was now “hands off” the matter, leaving it to the congressmen to go figure and decide their “internal issue.”

“Kung walang numero si Lord, wala akong magawa,” the spox quoted the president.

Lord Alan and his supporters now accuse Alan Peter of having no word of honor. But then again, all is fair in love and war. And politics is often “war.”

Abangan ang hindi nakakatuwang mga kabanata.

Increasing the age of sexual consent

EVERY year, thousands of children and teenagers fall prey to this cruel malaise of sexual abuse and exploitation. The prevalence of this has motivated the Committee on the Welfare of Children and the Committee on the Revision of Laws in the House of Representatives to finally approve at the committee level, House Bill 4160, which increases the age of sexual consent, and consequently the age for determining statutory rape and other acts of sexual abuse and exploitation. This comprehensive proposed legislation intends to provide stronger protection of children from sexual abuse, and to ensure that those commit such crimes are accordingly prosecuted for their criminal actions.

The proposal to increase the age for determining statutory rape was first introduced in the Fourteenth Congress. However, it was not until Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez of Tingog Party-List took the helm of the Committee on the Welfare of Children, with the support of their colleagues in the same committee and the Committee on the Revision of Laws led

by Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla that the bill finally received committee approval.

The approval of this landmark bill is crucial for one reason: The establishment of a minimum age of sexual consent is the most important and critical criteria in protecting minors from sexual violence. In most cases, this

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

high incidence can be traced to the fact that sexual offenders take advantage of minors who are considered too young to intelligently decide for themselves in terms of engaging in any form of sexual intercourse with another person who is usually older.

In 2015, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) in cooperation with UN Children’s Fund, the Child Protection Network, the Consuelo Alger-Zobel Foundation, and the University of the Philippines Manila conducted the first National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children. The study revealed very chilling statistics. It mentioned that one in every five children aged 13-17 years old experienced sexual violence, while one in 25 of all respondents experienced forced consummated sex during childhood. The study also revealed that the perpetrators are often family members and that more boys than girls reported experiencing sexual violence.

Sadly, however, the current law established the age of sexual consent at 12 years, in which case, any sexual intercourse with a minor who has not reached the age of 12 is automatically regarded as rape, even if the minor consented or appeared to have voluntarily engaged in the sexual act. However, once a child reaches the exact age of twelve, he or she is legally deemed mature enough to give sexual consent to another person. This means that over the age of 12 or by 12 years old, sexual intercourse is possible provided that there is consent and that no force was used.

That the age of sexual consent in the Philippines is set at 12 years old is a shocking fact for many. In a country, where you have to be at least 15 years old to be employed, 15 years to be criminally responsible, 17 years old to

U

Too close to home

NITED States President Donald Trump tweeted Friday that he and his wife had tested positive for the coronavirus. They are now at the hospital for treatment, with some White House officials saying the next few days would be crucial.

It would be wrong to rejoice over this development. It is never good to rejoice over the misfortune of others, or wish ill on others however we feel or think about them. The Universe will have a way of settling scores and putting people in their place, at just the proper time. Thus, we wish a speedy recovery for the American president—he must get well soon so that he can get back to the race and allow himself to be judged by voters in a democratic, transparent way.

What this development highlights is that nobody can protect himself or herself enough.

The virus knows no economic status or job titles. If you come into contact with a carrier, bubble or no bubble, you run the risk of getting sick, yourself. It is what it is.

It also tells us that all of our actions bear consequences. Mr. Trump has acknowledged for a long time—as early as February, when he was talking to veteran reporter Bob Wood-

ward—that the virus was deadly and quite unlike the ordinary flu. For many months, however, right until that disastrous presidential debate Tuesday, he played down the threat of the virus, refused to wear a mask, derided his opponent for wearing masks, and held large gatherings where his supporters also did not wear masks. He has made outrageous suggestions to treat the virus, encouraged states to open indiscriminately, contradicted his advisors and promised that a vaccine would be available before the November 3 elections.

Everything has a consequence.

Most unfortunately, the consequences do not end with Mr. Trump’s diagnosis.

Now the talk is on how soon he knew he was sick, and why he continued to see people and hold events despite this knowledge. People are asking whether he might be already sick and contagious when he arrived in Cleveland, Ohio for the debate. His party arrived just a few hours before the program, leaving no time for any testing to be done. They also trooped to the venue refusing to wear masks, much to the frustration of the organizers and the others present at the event.

In this case, the lying—which the US president appears to be so comfortable doing—could be deadly, not for him per se but for the others who believed they were in a protected environment.

Perhaps now that he is in the hospital, Mr. Trump will have the time and opportunity to think about his words and actions, at least with regard to the pandemic, during the past seven months. We wonder if anything would change —his mindset, his outlook, his approach. He is still very lucky. Not everybody can afford the healthcare he is getting now from the premier hospital where he is confined.

Then again, no amount of horror stories or lockdown will protect us too, if we do not already know the basic protocol against the virus, and perhaps more importantly why we need to do this all the time, not only when it is convenient for us. We have to make certain assumptions—first, that while we ourselves may be healthy, we could unwittingly pass the virus to loved ones, friends or even strangers who are not as strong and resistant as we are. Second, that the virus remains as powerful because we cannot see it, and thus we have to assume that it is always just around, ready to pounce on us even if we let our guard down for only a minute.

Finally, we have to assume, that the wait for a vaccine and its universal distribution will be a long one, so we will have to live with COVID-19 far longer than we would like.

Urgent concerns about our food supply chain ments in the agriculture sector would need the private sector’s engagement, that will promote long-term interests of local farmers and their produce,” Manhit said.

Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel T. Cayanan in his keynote speech underlined the importance of prioritizing support for the local economy and espoused the buying of local food products as a form of “ethical consumerism.”

Cayanan clarified that while promoting exports, also considered is the balance between buying local and importation and the DA Secretary’s policy is that import should always be the last resort.

WHEN we enjoy our daily meals, it is the culmination of a complex network of production and supply chains where agriculture, livestock and fisheries ecosystems must deliver their products and services efficiently. The ECQ lockdowns imposed during this health crisis caused disruptions that affected all sectors of society, including the critical supply chains that distribute all the essential food products we need for daily sustenance.

Access to affordable safe and stable food supply is critical to the stability and success of a globalized mega-system of interlinked economies. The pandemic clearly punctuates this reality and how this virus from Wuhan has exploded into an unprecedented global crisis.

Managing food supply chains amidst a pandemic from a multi-stakeholder perspective was the theme of the Stratbase ADR Institute’s virtual town hall discussion where key stakeholders gathered to tackle issues and expert recommendations on policies and regulations that at the end will guarantee Philippine consumers adequate food supplies and strengthen the country’s food security.

Stratbase ADRI President, Prof. Dindo Manhit, in his opening remarks said: “The flow of food and affiliate products must be ensured to unceasingly provide food availability and access to the population. The government should continue to boost its current support to the local agricultural cycle through further implementation of necessary measures that facilitate selling of produce, unhampered movement to various cities, and financial assistance.”

“Investments in the sector’s infrastructure and logistics must be enhanced. E-commerce or online agricultural and food transactions need to be encouraged, coupled with suitable policy and regulations. Meanwhile, developget a driver’s license, 18 years old to vote and 21 years old to marry without parental consent —our laws presume a child to be capable of expressing sexual consent at the very young age of 12 years old.

Our indignation is not enough; it must translate into action.

The Philippines has the lowest age of sexual consent in Southeast Asia and one of the lowest in the world, only bested by the African country of Niger, which assigns it at eleven years. Other countries like Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan peg the age of consent at 16 while Japan and Vietnam set it at 13 years old.

By reason of this lower age of sexual consent, there are sexual offenders who commit child rape and they are not prosecuted under the current rape law and instead are imposed of lesser penalties, leaving children vulnerable to sexual predators especially those who are significantly older than they and who may take advantage of their immaturity and manipulability. Moreover, it has been found by studies that early sexual intercourse is strongly associated with sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancy, depression and suicide, and sexual abuse.

House Bill 4160 accordingly aims to increase to 16 years the age for determining the crime of statutory rape, wherein for reasons of his or her age, the consent of the victim, even if present or was presumed given, cannot be used

Failure to accomplish this non-negotiable deliverable will have unthinkable consequences that will go beyond this pandemic.

“Buying local and patronizing our homegrown businesses keeps money flowing within the local economy. Small local farms in particular are excellent for the economy because they provide more livelihood and occupation,” Cayanan said.

The president of the Philippine Association of Feed Millers, Inc. (PAFMI), Stephanie Nicole Garcia, aired industry concerns, in particular a Department Order on the temporary banning of poultry and meat from Brazil and Australia which despite the measure continues unabated citing as an example the doubling of imported dressed chicken in cold storages now at 39,386.97 MT from last year’s 18,991.24 MT. In support of the DA’s thrust to develop the local agricultural industry, PAFMI urged for a “calibrated implementation of policies” that “don’t steal the livelihood from the local industry” and should balance exportation and imporin defense of the offender.

By defining the crime of statutory rape to be any sexual activity with a child, of both sexes, under the age of 16, the law makes certain the punishment of those who commit such crime, without unnecessarily furthering the emotional and physical trauma of the child that may be brought about by a lengthy court proceeding or the need for any further physiological or material evidence. This certainty of punishment, on account of the victim’s age alone, will surely be a strong deterrence to those who would even just attempt to commit such sexual offenses.

Among the proposal’s more radical provisions is the removal of the forgiveness exemption where the perpetrator is freed of legal responsibility if the perpetrator marries the person he raped.

A penalty of life imprisonment shall be imposed on those who commit statutory rape against minors who are under 16 years old, regardless of the sexual orientation of the offenders or the victims - providing equal protection for both boys and girls.

It is important to note that the recently approved House Bill 4160 also intends to educate and empower the home, the school and the community to put safeguards that will prevent any such crimes from happening in the future.

Prosecution can only go as far to eradicate the crime—but ensuring that children grow up to their fullest potential requires utmost attention and affirmative action on our part.

Last week, during a joint meeting of the Committees on Justice and Human Rights, and of Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, the Senate counterpart bill was also approved at the committee level.

Child rape is an ugly and painful reality that

tation that develops the agriculture sector.

United Broiler Raisers Association president Elias Jose M. Inciong lamented that the root of the sector’s problems is the stubborn refusal of the DA and the administration to follow the law.

“We need to reexamine how the other countries are playing the game. It must be noted that the NEDA and many economies are very silent on the issues of subsidies. In the US, they have many versions of the Farm Bill subsidizing producers and consumers.

But up to this day we do not have an equivalent bill as there is no planning done on the respective agencies,” Inciong said.

Rex E. Agarrado, spokesperson of Philippine Association of Meat Processors, opposed the accreditation of foreign meat establishments as this will be disruptive of the local industry. He expressed the openness of meat processors for balanced safeguards on the importation of meats while pointing out the lack of local suppliers to provide properly processed mechanically deboned meats unlike imports that are mashed and ready for processing.

Magsasaka Party list representative Rep. Argel Cabatabat illustrated how the pandemic had proven that public investments in agriculture and farmers will develop a strong economic pillar and ensure food sovereignty.

He proposed a decentralized approach that will result in decongested cities, less pollution, more employment, safer food, and higher profits for farmers.

Even during this economic crisis, agriculture continues to contribute to society and is proving to be the only bright spot in the economy.

The comforting take from this gathering of agriculture stakeholders is a sense of urgency expressed by industry representatives to work together with the government in ensuring that every inhabitant of this country will have food on the table. Government responsiveness and multi-industry cooperation toward enabling our country’s agriculture, food production, and distribution affects all of us consumers. For the government, failure to accomplish this non-negotiable deliverable will have unthinkable consequences that will go beyond this pandemic. we must collectively confront and address immediately and decisively. But it is not enough that we are indignant. Our indignation must translate into action, and concrete measures to stop it.

MORE OPINION ONLINE NAKED THOUGHT

CHARLIE V. MANALO

(www.manilastandard.net) TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

A dry Christmas season NAKED THOUGHT CHARLIE V. MANALO

Beyond a gentlemen’s agreement TO THE POINT

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Iceland tightens restrictions after coronavirus spike ICELAND, up to now one of the countries to have fared better against the coronavirus, has announced a tightening of restrictions after a spike in new cases since the middle of last month.

The health ministry said late Saturday that starting from Monday, most sports facilities, bars and discotheques will be closed while gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 20 people.

Supermarkets will be allowed up to 100 customers while swimming pools must operate at only 50 percent of capacity.

These restrictions will last two to three weeks, the ministry said.

“In recent days, the number of new cases on a daily basis has been relatively steady at 30 to 40 so it is clear that current measures have not been enough to adequately control the epidemic,” chief epidemiologist Thorolfur Gudnason said in a statement addressed to the ministry.

Iceland’s health authorities have adopted targeted measures – for example discotheques in the capital Reykjavik re-opened only last Monday after a 10-day shutdown – combined with general hygiene rules and social distancing in a bid to control the virus.

The latest steps come after coronavirus outbreaks in two nursing homes in Reykjavik and a sharp increase in hospitalizations, up seven-fold over a week. AFP

Mecca opens for limited umrah M ASK-CLAD Muslims circled Islam’s holiest site along socially distanced paths on Sunday, as Saudi authorities partially resumed the yearround umrah pilgrimage with extensive health precautions adopted after a seven-month coronavirus hiatus.

Thousands of worshippers entered the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca in batches to perform the ritual of circling the sacred Kaaba, a cubic structure towards which Muslims around the world pray.

The umrah, the pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time, usually attracts millions of Muslims from across the

globe each year but it was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It will be revived in three phases, with Saudi Hajj Minister Mohammad Benten saying last week that 6,000 pilgrims per day will be allowed in the first stage to perform the umrah “meticulously and within a specified period of time.”

A raft of precautions have been adopt-

ed to ward off any outbreaks, according to state media.

The revered Black Stone in the eastern corner of the Kaaba—which it is customary but not mandatory to touch during the pilgrimage—will be out of reach, and the Grand Mosque is to be sterilized before and after each group of worshippers.

Each group of 20 or 25 pilgrims are to be accompanied by a health worker and medical teams will be on the ground in case of an emergency, Benten said.

“In an atmosphere of faith and with assured hearts... the first batch of pilgrims begin the pilgrimage in accordance with the precautionary measures laid out,”

the hajj ministry said on Twitter.

Under the second stage from October 18, the number of umrah pilgrims will be increased to 15,000 per day.

Visitors from abroad will be permitted in the third stage from November 1, when capacity will be raised to 20,000.

A maximum of 40,000 people, including other worshippers, will be allowed to perform prayers at the mosque in the second stage and 60,000 in the third, according to the interior ministry.

The decision to resume the pilgrimage was taken in response to the “aspirations of Muslims home and abroad” to perform the ritual and visit the holy sites, the ministry said last month. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Standard REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

TODAY

NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 94, QUEZON CITY MARJORIE G. DENOLONG, Petitioner, -versus-

CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-19-18791-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage

JEFFREY WAYNE FLEEMAN, Respondent. x--------------------------------------------x

ORDER On February 17, 2020, petitioner filed a Motion for Leave of Court To Effect Extraterritorial Service of Summons, praying that Summons be served by publication to the respondent considering that he is residing at 11222 S Cardinal LN Yuma, Arizona, 85365 USA. On February 20, 2020, the court granted the said motion. It appears that this is one of the instances wherein summons by publication may be allowed. Section 6, A.M. No. 02-11-10-SC (Rule on Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Void Marriages and Annulment of Voidable Marriages in relation to Rule 14 of the Rules of Court) provides: “Sec. 6. Summons – The service of summons shall be governed by Rule 14 of the Rules of Court and by the following rules: a) Where the respondent cannot be located at his given address or his whereabouts are unknown and cannot be ascertained by diligent inquiry, service of summons may, by leave of court, be effected upon him by publication once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines and in such place as the court may order. In addition, a copy of the summons shall be served on the respondent at his last known address by registered mail or by any other means the court may deem sufficient. b) The summons to be published shall be contained in an order of the court with the following data: (1) title of the case; (2) docket number; (3) nature of the petition; (4) principal grounds of the petition and the reliefs prayed for; and (5) a directive for respondent to answer within thirty days from the last issue of publication.

WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, let service of summons and copy of this Order be effected upon respondent Jeffrey Wayne via by publication at the expense of the petitioner once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation chosen by raffle pursuant to P.D. 1079. Respondent shall be given a period of thirty (30)Manila days from the last issue of publication the summons to file his answer serving a copy thereof upon the petitioner.

Likewise, let copies of this Order, summons and amended petition be sent to respondent at his last known address by registered mail at the expense of the petitioner.

Standard

TODAY

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, February 20, 2020.

(Sgd.) ROSLYN M. RABARA-TRIA Presiding Judge

Copy furnished: ACP Arceli C. Ragsac

LIFE IS A BEACH. Kids play at the beach in Playas de Tijuana near the US-Mexico border in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on Oct. 3, 2020, amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. This weekend, the beach reopened with restrictions to visitors after it was closed as a preventive measure to avoid the spread of the coronavirus since last March. AFP

US defense chief in Kuwait after death of emir US SECRETARY of Defense Mark Esper on Sunday visited Kuwait to extend the condolences of the US administration to the country’s leaders after the death of its emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Esper expressed “sincere condolences” for the loss of Sheikh Sabah, who died on Tuesday at the age of 91, in a meeting with the new emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who also expressed concern over the health of US PresiManila

Republic of the Philippines Standard REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

TODAY

National Capital Judicial Region Branch 5-FC, Mandaluyong City

IREESH JANINE T. SIBBALUCA Petitioner,

-versus-

Civil Case No. R-MND-19-00734-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage

dent Donald Trump.

Sheikh Nawaf said he was glad that Trump, who has been hospitalized after being diagnosed with coronavirus, was “recovering and well.” Esper thanked him for his “expression of concern.”

Kuwait and the United States are close allies, bound by a defence agreement that expires in 2022.

Their alliance was sealed with the Gulf War in 1991, during which a US-led international coalition expelled Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi troops from Kuwait after seven months of occupation.

Camp Arifjan, near the Saudi border, is a key base for US troops

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD

OSG-134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Vill., Makati City M.A. Magsombol Law Office 9/F Filinvest One Building Northgate Cyberzone, Alabang-Zapote Road corner Northgate Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa City Marjorie G. Denolong 138 Rosal St., Payatas, Quezon City Jeffrey Wayne Fleeman (at the expense of the petitioner) 11222 S Cardinal LN Yuma, Arizona, 85365 USA

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 94, QUEZON CITY MARJORIE G. DENOLONG Petitioner, -versusCivil Case No. R-QZN-19-18791-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage JEFFREY WAYNE FLEEMAN, Respondent. x----------------------------------x SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION TO:

JEFFREY WAYNE FLEEMAN 11222 S Cardinal LN Yuma, Arizona 85365 U.S.A.

GREETINGS: WHEREAS, an Amended Petition for Declaration of Nullity of Marriage has been filed by petitioner Marjorie G. Denolong against Jeffrey Wayne Fleeman; WHEREAS, on February 17, 2020, petitioner, through counsel, filed Motion For Leave of Court to Effect Extraterritorial Service of Summons; WHEREAS, on February 20, 2020, an Order was issued granting the motion and directing the service of summons be effected upon the respondent by publication at the expense of the petitioner; WHEREAS, in the Amended Petition, the relief/s prayed for are hereby quoted as follows: “WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that judgment be rendered declaring the marriage between Petitioner MARJORIE G. DENOLONG and Respondent JEFFREY WAYNE FLEEMAN contracted on 30 May 2016 as NULL AND VOID AB INITIO, pursuant to Article 36 of the Family Code of the Philippines; “Other just and equitable reliefs, under the premises, are likewise prayed for.”

NOW, THEREFORE, You, respondent JEFFREY WAYNE FLEEMAN, is summoned and required to file with this court your verified Answer or any responsive pleading to the Amended Petition of herein petitioner within thirty (30) days from the last issue of publication, serving a copy thereof upon petitioner. If you fail to file your answer within the said thirty (30) – day period, petitioner shall take action as authorized under the law and ask from the court the relief/s applied for in the said Amended Petition.

Let this Summons and copy of the Order dated February 20, 2020 be published by the petitioner at her expense once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, and likewise, to deposit copy of the same as well as of the Amended Petition and its Annexes in the Quezon City Post Office/other courier, postage prepaid and by registered mail addressed at respondent’s last known address, also at the expense of the petitioner.

WITNESS MY HAND SEAL of this Court, this 24th day of February, 2020, at Quezon City, Metro Manila.

Cc:

(Sgd.) Atty. MA. ADORACION J. BAETIONG Clerk of Court V

M.A. Magsombol Law Office – 9/F Filinvest One Building Northgate, Cyberzone Alabang-Zapote Road corner Northgate Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1781 Jeffrey Wayne Fleeman – 11222 S Cardinal LN Yuma, Arizona, 85365 U.S.A. (at the expense of the petitioner) (MStandard - Sept. 28 & Oct. 5, 2020)

stationed in the country.

Before arriving in Kuwait on Sunday, Esper spent the night in Qatar, another US ally in the oilrich Gulf, where he discussed “the importance of the strong defence partnership” between the two countries.

Esper thanked Qatar for hosting some 8,000 US military personnel at the Al-Udeid Air Base, the US’s largest in the region.

The Pentagon chief had been on a North Africa tour aimed at beefing up the fight against jihadists in war-torn Libya and the Sahel, and on Friday signed a military cooperation deal with Morocco. AFP

BARCLEE GEM ANGELO T. SIBBALUCA Respondent. x--------------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION WHEREAS, as per Order dated March 10, 2020, it was DIRECTED that Summons be issued and be served upon the person of respondent Barclee Gem Angelo T. Sibbaluca by publication, in a newspaper of general circulation.

WHEREAS, notice of the following is hereby given: That “Petitioner alleges that she and the respondent were childhood friends as they both grew up in Peñablanca, Cagayan. They became lovers after a short courtship but subsequently separated due to a third party. They reunited in college but despite rekindling their relationship, they persistently argued over the third party that initially caused their breakup as respondent continued his relationship with the said woman. Over time, petitioner became very anxious of respondent’s behavior who threatened her that she would not like to see how he gets jealous and angry. They eventually engaged in sexual intercourse which resulted to a pregnancy that he wanted to abort. Petitioner gave birth to their daughter on October 11, 2008 after a difficult pregnancy and after enduring the unpleasant actions of the respondent and his family.

All expenses related to their daughter’s birth were shouldered by the petitioner’s family without any form of support from the respondent. Months later, petitioner and her family forgave the respondent. Thereafter, the parties and their child resided with respondent’s family where they were maltreated and abused.

On March 22, 2013, the petitioner was suddenly brought before respondent’s grandmother, who was then the Clerk of Court of Municipal Trial Court of the Peñablanca, Cagayan, and was forced to enter into marriage upon the latter’s manipulation.

After their supposed marriage, petitioner continued to live with the respondent where her maltreatment and physical abuse continued. In 2016, petitioner ran away from respondent because she feared for her life. Throughout their relationship, respondent indulged in several vices and blamed petitioner for his failures and insecurities. Presently, her daughter is being kept away from the petitioner.”

That “Lastly, petitioner alleges that the respondent is psychologically incapacitated to comply with his essential marital obligations or understand the consequences of marriage and prays that after trial, judgment be rendered, to wit: 1. Declaring the Respondent BARCLEE GEM ANGELO T. SIBBALUCA psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations pursuant to Article 36 of the Family Code; 2. Declaring the nullity of the marriage between Petitioner IREESH JANINE T. SIBBALUCA and Respondent BARCLEE GEM ANGELO T. SIBBALUCA for being void ab initio on the ground of psychological incapacity on the part of the Respondent in accordance with Article 36 of the Family Code; and 3. Further, order the concerned Government Agencies to make the necessary changes in the Petitioner’s civil status.

Other just and equitable reliefs are likewise prayed for.”

WHEREFORE, “Respondent Barclee Gem Angelo T. Sibbaluca is hereby DIRECTED, within thirty (30) days from the last issue of the publication of this Summons, to file with this Court and serve on the petitioner and her counsel his answer to the Petition, which must be verified by himself and not by counsel or attorney-in-fact.” He is reminded of the provision in IBP-OCA Memorandum on Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses in the answer. If he fails to answer within the time fixed, the Court shall order the prosecuting attorney to investigate whether or not collusion between the parties exists and, if there is no collusion, to intervene for the State in order to see to it that the evidence submitted is not fabricated.

IN RE : APPLICATION FOR ORIGINAL AUTHORITY TO OPERATE AS A DOMESTIC AIRFREIGHT FORWARDER CAB CASE NO. EP-20-2872-ACFD-092020-0451-0 KUEHNE + NAGEL LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS, INC. Applicant x-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------x NOTICE OF PRELIMINARY HEARING Pursuant to the provision of Republic Act No. 776, as amended, Notice is hereby given that KUEHNE + NAGEL LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS, INC. has applied with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) an application for original authority to operate as a Domestic Airfreight Forwarder. The application shall be given due course by this Board within three (3) working days from completion of all requirements.

Parties opposed to the granting of this application must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence within ten (10) working days from publication hereof, furnishing a copy of the same to the applicant, and if any so desire, appear before the Board. Failure on the part of any interested party to register its opposition on time shall be construed as a waiver of its right to be heard. Thereupon, the Board shall act upon the application on the basis of the records and documentary evidence presented by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/or testimonial evidence.

The applicant is required to have this Notice of Preliminary Hearing published at least once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, and/or have copy thereof sent to existing airfreight forwarders either by personal service or registered mail with return card at least ten (10) workings days from complete submission of the documentary requirements by applicant.

Let a copy of the petition and this Notice be posted at the CAB Bulletin Board beginning today.

September 16, 2020 Pasay City, Philippines

ATTY. MARIA CECILIA C. PAGUIRIGAN Chief, Air Carrier Accounts and Field Audit Division

March 10, 2020, Mandaluyong City.

(Sgd.) ATTY. ALAIN KRIS C. CONCEPCION Branch Clerk of Court (MStandard-Sep. 28, Oct. 5 & 12, 2020)

(MS-SEPT. 28 & OCT. 5, 2020)

CYAN Sofia Vergara

Forbes: Vergara highest-paid actress in world “MODERN Family” star Sofia Vergara has topped the Forbes list of the highest paid actresses in the world, leading a charge by small-screen talent in a year when movie theaters have gone dark, the magazine said Friday.

Vergara—who is also now a judge on “America’s Got Talent”—earned a whopping $43 million in the past 12 months in salary and endorsements. She moved up from second place last year.

The 48-year-old Colombia-born actress earned $500,000 an episode for the final season of Emmy-winning “Modern Family,” which wrapped up earlier this year.

Forbes estimated she would earn “at least $10 million each season” for “AGT,” one of the most popular reality competition shows in the United States. AFP

Federal authorities take over Indian gang-rape probe INDIA’S federal investigators will take over the probe into the alleged gang-rape and murder of a low-caste teenaged woman that has sparked nationwide outrage and days of protests.

The 19-year-old woman from the marginalized Dalit community was attacked in midSeptember in northern Uttar Pradesh state and died on Tuesday, in the latest case highlighting India’s epidemic of sexual violence.

Five senior police officers have already been suspended over the investigation amid criticism of law enforcement’s actions – including the cremation of the woman’s body in the middle of the night against the wishes of her family.

The chief minister of the state—India’s most populous with 200 million people—announced the decision to transfer the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation late Saturday. AFP CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business

B3

MONday, OCTOBER 5, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks may end above 6,000 points

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

hare prices may go above the 6,000 points this week on lastquarter positioning ahead of the 2021 economic recovery story.

Analysts said investors were also awaiting the release of third-quarter earnings that would determine which sectors were on the way to recovery from the slump in the first half of the year.

“Using or back-of-envelope assessment for the third quarter, some sectors are bound to perform better than others, at least sequentially,” online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia.com said.

Among these sectors are residential real estate, power, logistics and mining.

Analysts said investors were moni-

toring developments in Congress that could affect the passage of the 2021 national budget.

“An overhang, especially from the legislative side, disrupts the flow of fiscal energy directed towards priority projects—much of which is currently in infrastructure and public works. Conflict breeds volatility, which should tie in well with the premise of October being season for speculation ahead of the US elections in November,” 2TradeAsia.com said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rallied 2.8 percent to close a shade under 6,000points, while the broader All Shares Index climbed 1.9 percent to 3,566.27.

Except for mining and oil index which declined 0.3 percent, all sub-indices registered week-on-week gains.

The financial sector led all gainers, adding 2.9 percent followed by property index, which advanced 2.7 percent.

Holding firms also increased 2.7 percent while service rose 2.1 percent.

Foreign investors were net sellers for the week by P3.7 billion, while the average daily value traded stood at P5.3 billion.

Dennis Uy-owned stocks were the top three gainers for the week. Share price of DITO CME Holdings Corp. jumped 37.1 percent to P5.76, while Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. surged 37 percent to P5.33. PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc. advanced 31.6 percent to P3.04.

Weekly top price losers were Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., which declined 12.1 percent to P14.80; STI Education Systems Holdings Inc., which dropped 10.1 percent to P0.31; and Megawide Construction Corp., which fell 5.1 percent to P7.05.

Meanwhile, news that US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania had tested positive for the coronavirus

rocked global markets Friday, stoking uncertainty in the world’s biggest economy just one month before Americans go to the polls.

Confirmation of the positive test overnight first hit Asian bourses, setting up Europe for a weak start, which was confirmed when Wall Street followed suit and opened about one percent lower.

Investors then trimmed their losses, with the Dow ending the day lower just 0.5 percent, taking the view that, at this stage, there was no reason to panic—although that could change given the huge potential implications of a president falling ill weeks ahead of the November 3 election.

Briefing.com analyst Patrick O’Hare said the initial “knee-jerk sell-off makes sense” given no one knows how the president’s diagnosis will affect the vote or a pending contested Supreme Court nomination. With AFP

Instagram no longer an escape from reality

PSEi October 2, 2020

TOP GAINERS

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T clim 5,99 billi with D ness tele 8.7 Che Hol P5.3 N whi

TOP LOSERS

MOST ACTIVE

By Julie Jammot WASHINGTON―Artful photos of sunsets and ice cream are being challenged by more activist content on Instagram as it turns 10 years old in a time of social justice protests, climate crisis and the pandemic.

Founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the app had one billion users two years and has grown fast since then, after first capturing the public’s attention with its image filters, and easy photo editing and sharing tools.

But playful pictures, once a hallmark of Instagram, are increasingly seen as off-key when people are “losing jobs, being sick, isolated and depressed, then on top of that the BLM (Black Lives Matter) protests and everything going on with the US election,” reasoned Rebecca Davis.

In 2016 she created ‘Rallyandrise,’ an account devoted to helping people engage politically.

“Not that there’s no time and place for pretty photos, but maybe people are trying to find a balance,” she said.

The number of people subscribing to the New York resident’s account has more than doubled to 24,000 in recent months.

In May, protests erupted across the US after a video was shared across social media of handcuffed Black man George Floyd dying while a police officer knelt on his neck for more than five minutes in Minneapolis.

Simultaneously, the pandemic had people hunkering down inside and spending more time than ever before online.

Overshadowing it all was the contentious presidential election in November. AFP

EU, UK leaders vow to secure Brexit package LONDON—British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday asked their negotiators to “work intensively” to overcome differences to secure a post-Brexit free trade deal.

The two leaders spoke via video-link after the last of nine scheduled rounds of talks between London and Brussels ended Friday with both sides saying significant obstacles to an agreement remained.

The intervention by the pair, who last held Brexit talks in June, is seen as crucial to finding a breakthrough in the stalled negotiations, with time running short to ratify a deal by an end of the year deadline.

Britain is due to end nearly five decades of economic and political integration on December 31, and fears are growing of travel and trade chaos if an agreement is not struck.

Johnson’s office said in a statement that both leaders had “agreed to speak on a regular basis on this issue” as their teams try to find compromises for the thorniest issues.

“They endorsed the assessment of both chief negotiators that progress had been made in recent weeks but that significant gaps remained,” a Downing Street spokesman said, adding fisheries, so-called level playing field provisions and governance issues were proving most problematic.

“They instructed their chief negotiators to work intensively in order to try to bridge those gaps.”

Britain formally left the European Union in January but has remained bound by most of the bloc’s rules during a transition phase that ends on December 31. AFP

CH

This picture taken on September 28, 2020 shows the logo of the social network Instagram on a smartphone and a tablet screen in Toulouse, southwestern France. The Instagram group will, in early October 2020, celebrate its 10-year anniversary AFP

Going green in the time of COVID-19 Liza Mae L. Fumar

Green Light Environmental awareness seemed to have been on an uptrend in the Philippines in the last three years. We’ve seen how reusable straws became the popular novelty Christmas gift in 2018, how our favorite coffee shops began offering discounts to customers who brought their own tumblers for their drinks, and how groceries have gradually allowed shoppers to use their own containers instead of wrapping their meat, fish, and poultry in single-use plastic bags. We seemed to be taking some major strides towards lessening the waste in 2019 only to be sent on a tailspin by the coronavirus in 2020.

Some establishments that used to incentivize bringing your own reusables instead of their take-out cups have now put this program.

In my experience, I was allowed to transfer my beverage to my own cup, so we still generated waste even if I didn’t take it home with me.

When I asked the staff about it, they said it was because they did not want to risk contaminating the food or spreading the virus with the multiple changes of hands. I believe the view about single-use face mask versus reusable face masks is about the same. You can throw away a single-use mask, whereas if you leave your reusable mask in your pocket or purse, you’re going to be leaving traces of viruses and bacteria in those places. It seems that the common view is that single-use items are more hygienic than reusables, but are they really?

Think about this. We throw out food packaging almost immediately after consuming its contents, leaving some food residue in it.

I have learned that even recyclable materials cannot be recycled when they are dirty, so those things will probably end up in a landfill. Many other single-use packaging are made of mixed materials—combinations of plastic, paper, and aluminum, which are nonrecyclable because it is difficult to separate the various materials, so those will probably end up in a landfill as well. Unlike medical facilities, households do not necessarily have clear protocols on disposing of used face masks, so those usually get mixed with other kinds of waste in a landfill and could potentially spread viruses. What we sometimes fail to realize is that there are people who live close to those landfills. Perhaps we could also consider the

impact of our “hygienic” choices on them.

Understandably, we are probably not going to be able to avoid single-use products, so here are some simple practices that we might like to consider to still make a positive environmental impact: 1. Segregate our waste. Now that we spend more time at home, perhaps we can put in a more conscious effort in segregating our waste.

Separate food leftovers from other wastes like plastic, glass, aluminum, and paper. Segregating will make retrieval of recyclables easier because they are not soiled with food waste.

2. Wash and dry our recyclables before putting them in the bin. As I have mentioned earlier, dirty plastic, glass, and foil cannot be recycled. Cleaning them will certainly take a lot more time and effort, but it will make segregating more effective.

3. Refuse single-use utensils and napkins when you order food for take-out or delivery.

If we are taking the food home anyway, perhaps we could do away with the plastic utensils and straws and paper napkins.

4. Use reusable masks when we can. I understand that there are circumstances that single-use masks would be the safer option for us and those around us, but most of the time, cloth masks would be able to provide enough protection. If you have to take your mask off to eat or you need to replace it, be sure to put the used mask in a sealable bag to avoid contamination. Be sure to wash and sanitize them properly after every use.

Perhaps one of the things that the Coronavirus has taught us this year is to live more consciously. We learned to appreciate the time we spend with our loved ones because life is brief. We realized that we could not sacrifice our health and well-being for the sake of work.

Perhaps making greener choices could be just another aspect of conscious living that we can adopt for a more sustainable world.

Liza Mae L. Fumar is a PhD in Business student of De La Salle University, where she also teaches Corporate Social Responsibility and Governance, and Leadership in Organizations. Her research interests include consumer behavior and green consumption. She can be contacted at liza.fumar@dlsu.edu.ph.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of De La Salle University, its faculty, and its administrators.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

Sha

Google commits to in

PARIS, France—Google plans to in- era Ag to a “Showcase” app to highlight their re- ing porting packages, chief executive SunT The Regular Meeting of the Stockholders of Allied Care Experts (ACE) dar Pichai said Thursday. to th Medical Center – Iloilo, Inc. will be held on Thursday 29 October 2020 at “This financial commitment—our tex 9:00 am. biggest to date—will pay publishers to arg The meeting will be conducted via remote thru a Zoom create andcommunication curate high-quality content of Conference. for a different kind of online news ex- mo perience,” Pichai said in a statement.

I The Agenda of the Meeting is as follows: Google has locked horns with pub- ve 1. Call to Order lishers repeatedly in recent years over wa 2. Certification of Notice AND Quorum its reluctance to pay for displaying du 3. Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Stockholders’ Meeting P held on 16 May 2019 articles, videos and other content in its Report searchforresults, which become a sig 4. Presentation of the Annual the year Endinghas 2019 5. Amendment of Articles ofvital Incorporation path for reaching viewers as print sev 6. Amendment of By Laws subscriptions fade. ge 7. Ratification of Acts and Proceedings of the Board of Directors and is currently a standoff Corporate Officers from 16 It May 2019 to 28in October 2020 with sev- S. vest $1 OF billion in partnerships with NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING STOCKHOLDERS news 2020 publishers worldwide to develop 29 October

8.

9.

10.

11.

Appointment of External Auditors and Fixing of their Compensation Election of the Board of Directors Other Matters Adjournment

For the health and safety of the stockholders and all persons in light of the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company will not hold a physical meeting and will instead conduct the meeting via Zoom webinar.

Stockholders can therefore only attend and participate in the meeting by remote communication or participate by voting through the Chairman of the meeting as proxy.

Stockholders may participate in the meeting by remote communication.

Stockholders who intend to attend by remote communication shall inform the Company by email to acemciloilo.corpsec@gmail.com on or before 19 October 2020subject to the procedure set in the Information Statement which will be posted in the Company’s website www.acemc-iloilo.com. In the same website, stockholders may access the following: (a) Minutes of the Meeting 2019 Regular Stockholders’ Meeting and Resolutions of the Board of Directors beginning May 16, 2019 until September 2019 which will be available on 8 October 2020(b) Proxy Form for Attendance at Meeting and (c) Information Statement.

To those who would opt to participate by voting through the Chairman as proxy, the deadline for submission of proxies will be at 5:00 pm of 28 October 2020. Proxies can be submitted to the Office of the Corporate Secretary or via email to the aforementioned address. For stockholders, the submission must be accompanied by a copy of a government issued ID as proof of identification. For corporations, the submission must be accompanied by a certification from its Corporate Secretary stating the corporate officer’s authority to represent and sign ard on behalf of the corporation. In the event that the enhanced community quarantine or any of its forms which restricts the movement of persons and make it difficult to obtain notarization at the time of submission, the Secretary’s Certificate, ballots and proxies need not be notarized. Kindly submit to the Office of the Corporate Secretary the original signed and notarized documents within a reasonable time after the

By Jean-Baptiste Oubrier resumption of regular business operations.

British ex

During the meeting, the Company shall entertain questions and comments LONDON, United Kingdom—For Roger Mo from the stockholders after the presentation of the Annual Report. Questions and his wife living in France—and many other which were not answered during the meeting shall be forwarded to the expats the European Union—Brexit is c Office of the Corporate Secretary for theacross appropriate response via email.

ing the closure of their British banking service

Please be advised that there will Morton, be a video audio recording this a and 78-year-old retiredofphotographer meeting for documentation. ments a letter from Barclaycard, informing

(MS-OCT. 5 & 6, 2020)

that their credit account will no longer be ac sible, as Britain prepares for the end of the Br transition period on December 31.

MAYLENE B. and VILLANUEVA “It was a surprise something draconian, Secretary told AFP ofCorporate the letter, which he says comes on of “an already stressful time” amid the coronav pandemic.

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Friday, October 2, 2020

54.53 PTS. 5,999.40

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,474,482,113 92,842 4,907,879,541.45 93 92 57

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.4580

Japan

Yen

0.009476

0.4592

UK

Pound

1.289000

62.4624

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129037

6.2529

Switzerland

Franc

1.089087

52.7750

Canada

Dollar

0.752785

36.4785

Singapore

Dollar

0.733730

35.5551

Australia

Dollar

0.718400

34.8122

Bahrain

Dinar

2.651676

128.4949

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266617

12.9197

Brunei

Dollar

0.731048

35.4251

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000067

0.0032

Thailand

Baht

0.031656

1.5340

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.1938

Euro

Euro

1.174700

56.9236

Korea

Won

0.000860

0.0417

China

Yuan

0.146737

7.1106

India

Rupee

0.013662

0.6620

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.241080

11.6823

New Zealand

Dollar

0.665000

32.2246

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034646

1.6789

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

B4

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020

Business

Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Reopening

PSE clears offerings of SMC, PH Resorts

of economy revives PH trade—DOF

THE Philippine Stock Exchange said Thursday it approved two more fundraising activities, including the P20billion preferred shares offering of San Miguel Corp. and the P1.25-billion follow-on offering of PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc. which are expected to perk up the market.

San Miguel, according to the memorandum circular posted on the PSE website, will offer up to 133.33 million in preferred shares with an over-allotment option for another to 133.33 million shares at P75 apiece.

The conglomerate assigned BDO Capital & Investment Corp., BPI Capital THE solid macroeconomic Corp., country’s China Bank Capital Corp., Philippine Commercial Capital Inc., PNB Capifundamentals supported a gradual retal and Investment Corp., RCBC Capital covery in trade despite the onslaught Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp. as of the pandemic, the Dethe jointCOVID-10 issue managers, joint lead underwriters and of bookrunners for the over offering. partment Finance said the The PSE also approved the P1.25-bilweekend. lion share sale PH Resorts, the leisure and uniteconomic of businessman It gaming said in an bulletinDenthat nis Uy. total trade nearPHmerchandise Resorts will offer updropped to 450 million common sharesinatApril P2.50atapiece.

Uy said ly 60 percent the height of the company was pushing through with the enhanced community quarantine the fund-raising activity as the construction of the integrated andbillion casino in in to $6.2 billion fromresort $15.1 Cebu called Emerald Bay remained on the same monthB.last year. track.

Jenniffer Austria

By Julito G. Rada

Merchandise trade partially recovlists P10-b ered inSMIC the subsequent months, reflectbonds with PDEx ing the gradual and calibrated reopenSM INVESTMENTS Corp. said Friday ing of the economy. Total trade declined it listed P10 billion worth of fixed-rate by 35.3 percent in May, 18.7 percent retail bonds with Philippine Dealing in & Exchange Corp.percent in July.

June and 18.6 SMIC said in a disclosure to the stock “This recovery tradewould is also seen exchange the bonds,in which mature in the improvement in priced the manufacon April 2, 2024, were to yield 3.3613 percent annum. turing PMI of per recent months from the The company said it would use the net low of 31.6 to 47.3 in Auproceeds from in theApril fund-raising activity to refinance debt. gust,” it said.

BDO Capital and Investments Corp.

“Good macroeconomic fundamenChina Bank Capital, BPI Capital Corp.

First Metrocushioned Investmentthe Corp. and Securitals have impact of the ty Bank Capital were named as joint lead coronavirusforpandemic.

A prudent, underwriters the transaction.

The P10-billion bonds of are key the first issucalibrated reopening sectors ance out of the conglomerate’s P30 billion of the economy will be key to the redebt program under a shelf registration of three years approved by the and covery of the economy inSecurities general and Exchange Commission. trade particular,” reported the DOFa said.

Thein conglomerate consoliIt said should be dated net economic income of reforms P7.1 billion in the first half, by down 69government, percent from in P23 biladopted the addilion in the same period the previous year. tion to the “Build,Jenniffer Build, Build” inB. Austria frastructure program to attract more NFA buys 2m bags investments. of palay from farmers These reforms include the CorpoTHE National Food Authority said Frirate Recovery and Tax Incentives for day it bought 2 million bags of palay, or Enterprises Act, Financial paddy rice, from farmers inInstitutions September, representing 40.5 percent ofamendments the total local Strategic Transfer and purchases since January this year. to NFA the Commonwealth-era Public SerAdministrator Judy Carol Dansal assured theTrade agency would vice Actrice andfarmers the Retail Liberalcontinue to buy their harvest at P19 per ization Act. kilogram.

The issuedsaid special instructions The agency department these measure to field officials to be more aggressive in couldpalay “help the country their buying activitiesweather and comeand up with innovative ways to serve as coromany recover from the impacts of the farmers as possible. navirus Furthermore, imNFA’s pandemic. palay procurement averaged 90,012 bags daily in September. provements in ease of doing business The NFA noted that Region II or Caimprovements will also be important gayan Valley recorded the highest palay in adapting to thebags. new normal.” sold with 505,440 It was followed

SCG DONATION. As part of its commitment to give back to the community, Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Inc., the leading tile manufacturing company in the Philippines, donates two units of Negative Pressure Mobile Isolation Rooms to the Veterans Medical Memorial Center and another unit to the Lung Center of the Philippines. Attending the turnover ceremony at the VMMC are (from left) Veterans director Dr. Dominador Chiong Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Thai Ambassador Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng and SCG Philippines assistance country director Emilie Maramag.

US firm to sell 1b Converge shares

By Jenniffer B. Austria

N

EW YORK-BASED private equity firm Warburg Pincus LLC is taking profit from its investments in Converge ICT Solutions Inc., which is scheduled to hold an initial public offering this month.

Coherent Cloud Investments B.V., a company managed by Warburg Pincus, will sell more than 1 billion common shares in Converge ICT. The sale of Coherent Cloud’s 1 billion shares, at an offering price of up to P24 apiece, will generate P24 billion in proceeds.

This will reduce its Converge ICT stake to 13.8 percent from 29.03 percent, assuming the over allotment option is exercised.

Converge ICT’s latest prospectus filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange

showed that Coherent Cloud would convert its 2.045 billion preferred shares in the fiber internet company into common shares at a conversion ratio of 1:1. The conversion will take place on the pricing date of Converge ICT. Using its 2.045 billion common shares, Coherent Cloud will sell up to 1.011 billion shares during the IPO, including the over-allotment shares.

Warburg Pincus signed a deal with Converge ICT through Coherent Cloud in 2019 via a $225-million investment.

Comclark Network and Technology Corp., a company owned by Dennis Anthony Uy, owns 70.97 percent stake in Converge ICT, will also issue up to 238 million common shares including over allotment shares during the IPO. This will generate P5.7 billion in proceeds.

Converge ICT will not receive the proceeds from the sale of secondary and over-allotment shares to be sold by Coherent and Comclack.

Meanwhile, the net proceeds from the sale of primary shares amounting to P11.5 billion will be used to finance cap-

OUTSTANDING METROBANKERS. Top

executives of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. recognize the most outstanding Metrobankers via an online ceremony witnessed by around 2,000 Metrobankers who tuned in live and another 12,000 who watched the recording. Leading the Metrobank Service Awards ceremony are (from left) Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña, Metrobank vice chairman Francisco Sebastian, chairman Arthur Ty and president Fabian Dee, who are all smiles while safely distancing for the hybrid event broadcasted live on Facebook Workplace.

by Western Visayas with 318,383 bags; Central Mindanao with 298,665 bags; Southern Tagalog with 121,910 bags and Bicol Region with 100,714 bags.

Othel V. Campos

Globe announces network expansion ng pandemic, threats to improve service

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By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. said over the weekend it will speed up network expansion and upgrade next year to provide an improved internet service to underpins the planetary ecosystem and global customers. economy, particularly the fragility of global The chains. telecom unit the Ayala Group supply “As the of COVID-19 pandemic has the slightest problem can derail saidshown, it would focus on 4G/LTE next [the global economy].”

Global supply chains year for better data experience on moshould have redundancies such as inventories, bile, while accelerating as well as flexibility, whichfiber-to-home can facilitate business continuity, he said. “This applies to connectivity. both governments companies.”

“All these areand being done to provide an improved internet service to customers especially at this time when internet service is an essential need,” Globe said.

The company said a large portion of the P50.3 billion in capital expenditures this year would go for network upgrade initiatives.

Globe said it secured 715 permits from August to September to build facilities across the country, from Bangued in Northern Luzon to Butuan City in Northeastern Mindanao.

It said despite the pandemic, Globe’s critical skeleton workforce composed of engineers, installers, repairmen and other personnel continued to work on network improvements and site builds to ensure unhampered connectivity for subscribers.

Globe said that prior to the pandemic, it spent P51 billion in capex in 2019 to increase its network and putting up 139 percent more cell sites compared to 2018.

It said that as a result, 4G base stations increased by 28 percent from 2018, doubling the deployment of massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) sites, thus considerably adding more data capacity.

ital expenditure requirements to accelerate nationwide fiber network rollout and other general corporate purposes.

Converge ICT is pursuing an expansion program with the aim of reaching 55 percent of the total households in the Philippines with fiber network by 2025.

The company said to achieve the target, it would spend P30 billion in capital expenditures from the second half of 2020 to 2021.

The company had 732,000 residential subscribers as of the first half of 2020.

The final offer price for Converge ICT will be determined on Oct. 9 following the book-building process.

The offer period will be from Oct. 13 to 19.

The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange already approved the P41.55billion IPO of Converge ICT, which would become the largest in the domestic market.

Converge ICT is expected to have a public float of 23 percent after the IPO, assuming the over-allotment option is fully exercised.

October power rates expected to rise as demand picked up

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER rates of Manila Electric Co. will likely go up this month amid increased demand, plant outages and the Malampaya gas supply restriction, a company executive said over the weekend.

“For October rates, there is pressure for generation costs to go up. Demand in September increased versus August.

In fact, September 2020 peak demand was higher than September 2019’s,” Meralco head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez said.

He said it was the first time that power demand increased on a year-on-year basis since the start of the pandemic.

“The higher demand was coupled with more generation plant outages and

a Malampaya gas supply restriction,” Fernandez said.

The Meralco official said prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor of electricity, reached P32 per kilowatt-hour on Sept, 5 and 7, while prices for the rest of September remained higher than in August.

The Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, the operator of WESM, earlier said average power rates were expected to rise as more power plants went on planned and unplanned outages in the first two weeks of September.

“There were multiple price spikes due to thin supply margin due to planned and forced outages of major plants and at the same time, demand has been go-

ing up, it reached 12,586 MW on Sept.

8, 2020, which is so far the highest since July 2020,” John Paul Grayda, IEMOP manager for trading operations department, said.

“Given that there were a lot of price spikes for the month of September, we expect that the rates for September is somehow higher as compared to previous months,” Grayda said.

Meralco’s overall power rate went down by P0.0623 per kilowatt-hour to P8.4288 per kWh in September from P8.4911 per kWh in August.

Meralco’s generation charge went down by P0.0381 per kWh to P4.0860 in September from P4.1241 in August as the power retailer continued to impose its force majeure claims.

IN BRIEF

Meralco PowerGen to join supply bidding

MERALCO PowerGen Corp. expressed interest to join the competitive selection process for the supply of 1,800 megawatts of base load power to Manila Electric Co. “Yes, MGen will join,” Meralco PowerGen president Rogelio Singson said when asked for comment.

Meralco PowerGen is the power unit of Meralco, the country’s biggest power distributor that is planning to build the country’s first 1,200-megawatt ultrasupercritical power plant in Quezon.

Singson said the company continued “to prepare the site” for the Atimonan power plant.

Other power generators are expected to join the bidding, including San Miguel Corp., Aboitz Power Corp. and AC Energy Philippines Inc. of the Ayala Group, among others.

Meralco published the terms of reference on Thursday for the invitation to bid for 1,800 MW of supply, of which 1,200 MW should be available by December 2024 and 600 MW by May 2025. Alena Mae S. Flores

Substandard steel sold in Central Luzon THE Philippine Iron and Steel Institute said over the weekend it will intensify the campaign against substandard and unmarked reinforced steel bars after a new batch of suspect rebars were found in a recent testbuy operation.

PISI informed the Department of Trade and Industry that substandard rebars were found in hardware stores in Central Luzon.

Unmarked rebars along with rebars embossed with non-registered logos were also discovered. These rebars are banned because their manufacturer could not be identified, traced and sanctioned, according to PISI president Ronald Magsajo.

Magsajo said PISI would intensify its testbuy operations and work closely with DTI to stop the malpractice and to protect the public.

The latest samples were taken by PISI representatives from hardware stores and sent to the Bureau of Philippine Standards which sent them for testing by the Metals Industry Research and Development Center.

Othel V. Campos

LTO taps German firm, PT&T for portal

A GERMAN-BASED biometrics company tapped Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. to provide connectivity for the new online portal of the Land Transportation Office.

Dermalog Identification Systems GmBH said PT&T would ensure an optimized network and connectivity setup of LTO’s newly launched portal.lto.gov.ph, which allows the public to process their driver’s licenses, motor vehicle registration, payment of apprehensions with various payment channels and other transactions online.

The new portal, which was co-developed

by LTO and Dermalog, aims to lessen the faceto-face transactions amid the rising cases of coronavirus disease 2019 in the country.

Initially available to 24 pilot sites across the Philippines, the LTO Online Services will dramatically reduce in-person transactions, optimize LTO operations and cover more areas in the country.

PT&T will also provide 24/7 support and coordination with LTO. “Our partnership with PT&T on the connectivity component has been a crucial part of our service. It allows our team to focus on the other critical aspects of the system. We thank PT&T’s excellent support for that,” said Dermalog chief executive and founder Gunther Mull. Darwin G. Amojelar

Environmentalists, consumer advocates reject MGB’s mapping of Magat watershed ENVIRONMENTALISTS and consumerism advocates urged the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to revoke the gold mining permit of a whollyowned British corporation for allegedly pursuing operations within the state-protected Magat River Forest Reserve.

“The granting of the FTAA was before your time as acting director of MGB. Now, as the acting director, it is up to you to correct the errors of the past administration and enforce the pertinent

provisions of the Mining Act of 1995 and other environmental laws, rules and regulations, and issue as cease and desist and cancellation orders against FCF Minerals Corp,” a lawyer of Action for Consumerism and Transparency in Nation-Building said in a Sept. 16, 2020 letter to MGB acting director Wilfredo Moncano.

Lawyer Arnel Victor Valeña, acting on behalf of ACTION, asked the MGB to perform its duty of enforcing pertinent provisions of the mining law and

other statutes and regulations.

Valeña questioned the documents, including sketch maps of Magat Watershed used by the MGB as justification for the grant of mining license to the FCF. The MGB earlier denied the request for a cease-and-desist order against the Runruno Gold Project of FCF Minerals in Nueva Vizcaya province.

The agency also defended the financial or technical assistance agreement it issued for the project, saying the

contract area under FTAA No. 004 granted to FCF Minerals is outside the area covered by Proclamation No. 573 issued on June 26, 1969.

Valeña, however, dismissed as “grievously erroneous” the sketch map presented by the MGB purporting to show that the FCF mine site is 64 kilometers away from the Magat Watershed.

Valeña claimed the FCF’s FTAA “is within the Magat River Forest Reserve, also called the Magat Watershed, which is a protected area.”

Sports

Adebayo and Dragic ‘doubtful’ for Game 3 MIAMI, United States—The Miami Heat’s chances of turning the tables on the Los Angeles Lakers took a hit with Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic officially listed as “doubtful” Saturday for Sunday’s (Monday Philippine time) Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Star center Adebayo and high-scoring guard Dragic both missed Game 2 on Friday with injuries suffered in the Heat’s Game 1 defeat.

Adebayo has a neck strain and Dragic has a torn plantar fascia in his left foot.

Their absence leaves a big void for the Heat, who willa be trying to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole in the best-of-seven championship series on Sunday.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before Game 2 that both players were eager to return to action.

“They are warriors and are continuing to try to lobby, but they just need rest, recovery, and treatment and that’s the only course of action right now,” Spoelstra said.

Star forward Jimmy Butler said after Game 2 that Dragic and Adebayo were lobbying to play “every second before the game” but added that the pair’s teammates backed the decision to keep them sidelined.

“Yeah, we need those guys, we want those guys out there with us. But it’s just bigger than basketball,” Butler said. “We want them to have a long career and whenever they do get back in this series we want them to be ready to go.”

Miami’s star rookie Tyler Herro, like Butler and Spoelstra, remained confident that the Heat can respond, regardless of who is on the floor.

“We have two options: We can fold and we can fight, like the Miami Heat do,” Herro said. “We know what kind of team we are. We know what we’re capable of, and next game we’re going to have to fight and make some plays.” AFP

By Peter Atencio

W

ITH principles grounded on accountability and transparency, Archery chief Clint Aranas laid out his plans if he were to become the next president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

And this is because the POC needs to hold accountable and responsible those who were involved in its finances and operations.

Aranas talked about this while he seeks the presidency of the Philippine Olympic Committee in the coming elections this November.

Aranas explained that a financial statement has yet to forwarded to the POC by the Philippine SEA Game Organizing Committee, some 10 months after the Games are finished.

The questions that are being raised are part of his platform for good governance and transparency under Aranas’ ticket.

“The POC should be an ambassador for Philippine sports for unity to the corporations, to the schools, the government and the community,” said Aranas.

Aranas, who heads the World Archery Philippines, said this as he revealed the rest of his ticket, and announced those his group will be supporting.

Wushu chief Julian Camacho has joined Aranas’ group, and will seek the post of treasurer once again, along with Richard Bachmann (squash) as part of the board of directors.

Also signing for the post of directors are Atty. Charlie Ho (netball) and Robert Mananquil (billiards).

Their group has adopted independent

candidates like Ada Milby (rugby), as secretary-general and Monico Puentevella (weightlifting) as auditor.

Pearl Managuelod (muay) is running for director under incumbent POC Abraham Tolentino’s ticket.

But Aranas’ group will still support Managuelod.

They will make up the rest of Aranas’ ticket, which initially had POC chairman Steve Hontiveros of handball and Former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Philip Ella Juico of athletics.

Hontiveros will once again seek the post of chairman, while Juico will run for the position of first vice president.

The unblemished record of Hontiveros as a long time hand in the POC, and Juico’s good showing as head of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association has convinced Aranas to team up with the two.

De los Santos says love of Karate key to success

World ranked No. 2 karateka James de los Santos holds up his index finger to indicate his goal to become No. 1 in the world.

JAMES de los Santos has experienced remarkable success in his sport this past year.

He is currently ranked No. 2 in the world in e-kata online karate competition and just recently nailed his 12th gold medal this year with a victory at the Venice Cup 2020 to inch closer to world No. 1 Eduardo Garcia of Portugal.

He can vault to No. 1 in the standings with victories at the Okinawa World Series and the First Euro Grand Prix E-Tournament.

De los Santos says he is enjoying this welcome success because of his passion for the sport and his willingness to work hard and make the needed sacrifices in order to excel.

“I would say that I’ve become successful in these virtual international tournaments because I love what I do; put a lot of hard work and dedication into it. I have my parents who are supporting me, my kata coaches from Japan working with me online as well as my conditioning coach,” said De los Santos.

The world-ranked karateka also expressed his gratitude to the Maharlika Karatedo Kai of the Philippines Incorporated Hondu dojo in Quezon City where he films his routines.

“I’m also fortunate to have a dojo lent to me

by MKKPI as my tournament venue. I wouldn’t have gone this far without their support. But the

Abueva nears PBA reinstatement THERE are two more steps that need to be fulfilled before the Games and Amusements (GAB) allows Philippine Basketball Association cager Calvin Abueva to play more than a year after he was banned indefinitely from the league.

First Abueva, needs to go through a seminar of The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of a Professional Athlete.

And then, Abueva needs to sign that he will abide by it.

Second, Abueva, should undergo

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020

C1

Bam Adebayo (13) of the Miami Heat shoots the ball against Los Angeles Lakers Anthony Davis (left) and LeBron James during Game 1 of the NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena in Orlando, Florida. AFP

Aranas lays out plans, foundation of POC run

And this means being able to connect with other national sports associations and to be there for them.

“The platform is grounded on the heart and accountability. It’s under a concept that is understood and acceptable for best practices,” said Aranas, who heads World Archery Philippines.

With this principle in mind, questions will continue and will again be raised on the financial activities that were done by organizers of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

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

the mandatory drug test as part of the medical requirements.

The two conditions were set after the Phoenix forward was allowed to enter the PBA bubble in Clark, Pampanga.

And this is while Abueva waits for the green light for him to join the league restart.

So far, Abueva has joined the Fuel Masters at the Quest Hotel.

And he has shown confidence on his social media posts that he will possibly be able to play.

Abueva has since joined the Fuel Masters’ practices.

Abueva has been banned from the league since June 2019.

His suspension came after a series of on-court incidents which included altercations with former Blackwater rookie Ray Parks and former TNT KaTropa import Terrence Jones.

He has since apologized for his actions and has gone through community service and counseling sessions.

Peter Atencio

main thing is, you have to love what you do in order to become successful in your craft,” said De los Santos.

He is a participant in the ongoing online karate world series where athletes submit video of their performance in executing their kata.

Athletes are evaluated based on the technical aspect covering proper delivery of technique, proper stances and proper form. They are also judged based athleticism where the judges look for power, speed, balance and flexibility.

He says he dreams of showing that Filipinos are capable of succeeding in world class competition.

“It’s very important not just for myself, but also to bring pride to our country. I want to show that the Philippines can also become world class in the sport of Karate,” says De los Santos.

De los Santos has 8,110 points and is just 465 points behind World No. 1 Garcia of Portugal with 8,575. De los Santos hopes to top the Okinawa World Series and First Euro Grand Prix E-Tournament to finally achieve his dream of becoming No. 1 in the world.

Eala battles Szabanin at Roland Garros Junior Tennis WORLD no. 55 Natalia Szabanin will be Filipina netter Alexandra Eala’s rival in the first round of the 2020 French Open’s Roland Garros Junior Tennis Championships girls’ singles.

As the world no. 4 junior player, Eala hopes to breeze past Szabanin, who claimed a grade 2 junior title in Siauliai, Lithuania in February, and before many of the lockdowns in Europe began.

As the only Asian in the tournament, the second seeded Eala will seek to improve on her world rankings if she is able to get past Szabanin, a 16-year-old from Hungary.

“I’m the only Asian in the draw,” said Eala in her messages to wellwishers on Facebook.

She is in the company of many who are considered as the future of professional tennis.

This includes world junior no.

1 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva of Andorra, who will face French bet Sharmie Roignot.

Second seed, and world no.

6 Elsa Jacquemot of France is there, and takes on Pia Louvric of Slovenia, and so is fourth seeded Polina Kudermetrova, no. 9 in the world.

Kudermetrova takes on Sofia Costoulas of Belgium.

“I’m excited for Alex to be able to compete at this level. She is the only player in the girls draw from Asia,” said Alex’s father Michael.

The elder Michael said the tourney will be a great experience for Alex because she was a wildcard when she first played back in 2018.

“It’s a nice journey for her because in 2018 she was able to play only in the qualifying rounds as a wildcard,” added Michael.

Since April, Eala and other athlete-scholars of the Rafa Nadal Academy stayed in shape, while in home quarantine in Mallorca. Peter Atencio

Phoenix Fuelmasters forward Calvin Abueva (8) is doubleteamed by Alaska Aces forward Jeng Teng (10) and Carl Bryan Cruz (21) who is now with the Blackwater Elite. PBA

C2

Sports

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020

Holm dominates Aldana at UFC on ESPN in UAE

By Reuel Vidal HOLLY Holm started strong and finished stronger to post a unanimous decision victory over Irene Aldana yesterday, Sunday, October 4, 2020 at UFC on ESPN at the Flash Forum, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Holm won every round and was totally dominant in the fifth when late in the round she hit Aldana with left and right combinations in the head and face forcing Aldana back against the cage.

“If felt good to just go in there and have a dominating performance not something that would be too close. I could have had a brawl. And there are some in the clinch where I am trying to like put it all together. I wanted to be a full, well-rounded fighter and I felt like I was able to do that tonight,” said Holm.

Holm pedaled backward to avoid Aldana’s attacks. She kept Aldana at bay with stinging counter punches to win their every exchange.

She also showed her newly discovered grappling skills. A known striker, Holm took down Aldana in every one of the five rounds. While she could not convert her takedowns to a submission or stoppage

NFL game postponed after positive COVID-19 tests NEW YORK, United States—Sunday’s scheduled NFL game between the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs was postponed by the league on Saturday after positive Covid-19 tests by Patriots quarterback Cam Newton and Chiefs reserve Jordan Ta’amu.

The NFL postponed the contest to Monday or Tuesday in the wake of the positive tests for the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who closed their facility according to the NFL Network, and Patriots, who altered plans to travel to Kansas City for the game.

“In consultation with infectious disease experts, both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA to evaluate multiple close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments,” the league said in a statement.

“All decisions will be made with the health and safety of players, team and game day personnel as our primary consideration.”

The Chiefs-Patriots clash marks the second game originally set for this weekend postponed by Covid-19 positive tests.

The Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers contest was moved to October 25 after first being delayed to Monday or Tuesday by the NFL before additional positive results were returned.

If the Chiefs (3-0) are forced to play Tuesday, the Patrick Mahomes-led squad would be looking at three games in nine days with their next contests set for October 11 at home against Las Vegas and four days later at Buffalo.

The first sign of trouble came when the Patriots announced a player had tested positive, his identity later confirmed as star run-pass threat Newton when he was placed on Covid-19 reserve, ensuring he would not play this weekend.

Newton replaced Tom Brady as the signal caller for the Patriots (2-1) this season after Brady spent 20 years with New England, winning six Super Bowl titles. AFP

Holm still clearly dominated.

“Coming here, it was just a lot of sacrifice for my team. And I just wanted to get in there and I didn’t want to let the time pass me by without making the most of it. Get out there and get it done.

We came this far for (the) 25 minutes. I should at least get something done for 25 minutes,” said Holm.

She said that while she would be grateful to get another chance she isn’t impatient to get another shot at the bantamweight title held by Amanda Nunes.

“I’m gonna keep working hard. That’s all I’m gonna do. I know she (Nunes) has a lot going on right now. Another fighter already scheduled. And there are still some tough girls scheduled in that,” said Holm.

“I feel that the 135-pound division is pretty stacked. So I’ll just wait until the opportunity comes. The next fight is the next fight. And whatever that will be I’m gonna put my heart and soul into it and win again.”

Holm was also asked about a possible rematch against Germaine De Randamie who posted an impressive third round submission victory over Juliana Peña in an earlier bout.

Holly Holm (left) connects with a kick to the head of Bethe Correia in this file photo of their fight during UFC Fight Night 111 held June 17, 2017. AFP

Magsayo retains WBC-ABC title with split decision over Mexican

By Peter Atencio

F

ILIPINO fighter Mark Magsayo had a hard time against Mexican Rigoberto Hermosillo.

But, Magsayo still managed to pull through and handed Hermosillo his first loss in 15 fights to retain his World Boxing Council-Association of Boxing Commissions featherweight crown Saturday evening.

The 27-year-old Magsayo has stayed unbeaten after 27 bouts after he asserted a split decision verdict over Hermosillo in their 10-round clash at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

The judging of the fight, however was criticized by boxing observers after Rudy Barragan scored it, 100-90

in favor of Magsayo while Dr. Lou Moret ruled it 96-94 in favor of Hermosillo, and Zachary Young had it, 96-94, for Magsayo.

It was the Tagbilaran City-born Magsayo who established the pace of the fight, and that’s after he connected a big counter-right hander towards the end of the first round.

But Hermosillo charged back in the next round and began outpacing the Filipino who now lives in Pasig City.

Hermosillo had a cut outside of his right eyebrow heading into round two when traded heavy blows with Magsayo.

Magsayo struck and found his marks in rounds three and four, but it was Hermosillo who was still making it difficult with his counters.

In round five, Magsayo finally got the advantage over Hermosillo after the Filipino focused on his body shots.

Hermosillo who averaged more than 85 punches per

round, landed hard in round seven, hitting with a left hander.

From there, Hermosillo continued landing hard blows in round eight, but with Magsayo sending harder blows in retaliation.

In the ninth, Magsayo attacked and landed a swirl of blows, and this forced Hermosillo to retreat for the first time.

Hermosillo went down the canvas, but it was ruled a slip by referee Jack Reiss.

Magsayo continued with his offense, and found his target with a left uppercut and right hand while moving in and out of Hermosillo’s range.

Both continued trading blows in the last round, with the Mexican tagging the Filipino with a right uppercut and left hand down the stretch.

This was his Magsayo’s first fight since a victory over Panya Uthok in a local card in Bohol last year.

Djokovic into last 16 as women seeds scattered PARIS, France—Novak Djokovic demolished Colombian lucky loser Daniel Galan to reach the Roland Garros last 16 for a record-equaling 11th successive year on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time) as unheralded Daniel Altmaier struck another blow for the underdogs.

The women’s draw also had a new look ahead of the second week with only five of the top 20 seeds reaching the fourth round.

World number one Djokovic swept past 153rd-ranked Galan 6-0, 6-3, 6-2, his most challenging moment coming when he helped ground staff lay more clay on the surface of Court Philippe Chatrier after rain had made it treacherous.

“I played pretty solid today, I’m happy about that,” said Djokovic, the 2016 champion who is chasing an 18th Grand Slam title, after his 71st win in Paris.

Djokovic, who has dropped just 15 games in three rounds, took his 2020 record to 34 wins against one loss as he continues his bid to become the first man in half a century to win all four Grand Slam titles twice.

Next up is Russian 15th seed Karen Khachanov who put out Chile’s Cristian Garin.

The day after world number 239 Hugo Gaston and Sebastian Korda, ranked at 213, made the last 16, German qualifier Altmaier kept the sport’s outsiders in the headlines.

The world number 186 stunned seventh seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, becoming just the fourth man in 20 years to reach the round of 16 on his

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan during their men’s singles third round tennis match on Day 7 of The Roland Garros 2020 French Open tennis tournament in Paris. AFP

Grand Slam debut.

Victory also means an unexpected financial windfall for the 22-year-old who is guaranteed at least $221,400 having earned $173,600 in his entire six-year career.

Altmaier paid tribute to three-time major winner Stan Wawrinka for his help when he missed virtually all of

2018 through injury.

“When I was watching him, he always says ‘Allez, Stan.’ I copy him a little bit because I like to say, ‘Allez, Dan’. He has been a huge reason why I’m healthy now.”

Arab landmark for Jabeur Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas made the fourth round for a second successive year when Slovenia’s

Aljaz Bedene retired with a right foot injury.

The 22-year-old was on court for just 80 minutes and was leading 6-1, 6-2, 3-1 when Bedene called it quits.

Next up for Tsitsipas is Bulgarian 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov who also profitted from a retirement with Roberto Carballes Baena 6-1, 6-3 down when he gave up due to illness.

The Spaniard had shocked ninth seed Denis Shapovalov in the previous round but that five-hour epic came back to haunt him.

Russian 13th seed Andrey Rublev, the champion on clay in Hamburg on the eve of Roland Garros, eased past veteran South African Kevin Anderson in just 94 minutes.

Rublev didn’t face a break point in his 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win as he moved into the last 16 for the first time where he will face world number 63 Marton Fucsovics, the first Hungarian man in the second week since Balazs Taroczy in 1984.

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur became the first Arab woman to make the last 16 with a 7-6 (9/7), 2-6, 6-3 win over Belarusian eighth seed Aryna Sabalenka.

Jabeur, seeded 30, who made the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in January, next faces 57th-ranked American Danielle Collins who stunned 2016 champion and 11th seed Garbine Muguruza 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. AFP

Eagle lifts England’s Reid to LPGA lead

Mel Reid of England hits her drive on the ninth hole during the third round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer on the Bay Course at Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey. AFP

NEW YORK, United States— Mel Reid fired an eagle and three birdies in a five-under par 66 on Saturday to seize a one-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA ShopRite Classic.

England’s Reid, who was one off the pace heading into the round, had 15-under par total at the Seaview resort in Galloway New Jersey, and was one in front of Americans Jennifer Song and Jennifer Kupcho, who both shot 65.

It’s the second straight event that Reid, a six-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, has held the 54-hole lead in search of a first LPGA Tour title.

She was two-up through three

rounds in Portland but finished tied for fifth in a tournament won by compatriot Georgia Hall in a playoff.

“Another great opportunity this week to get it done,” Reid said. “Tomorrow I’m going to take my time a little bit more, and hopefully it will make a bit of a difference.”

Reid put herself in position again with a quick start at Seaview, where she birdied the first and third.

She was on the green in two at the par-five ninth and twoputted for birdie and a birdie at the 10th put her alone atop the leaderboard.

“I knew it was always in me to do this,” Reid said. “I wasn’t sure how

to get there. It has just taken me a lot more years than I expected it to.”

Kupcho and Song both birdied the par-five 18th to close the gap.

Kupcho’s four-foot birdie attempt wobbled a bit but dropped in the right side as she capped a bogeyfree round.

The 23-year-old had drained a dazzling birdie putt at the 13th, her effort from the tier above the pin breaking wide and curling back toward the hole, finally dropping in the back side of the cup.

“It was just curling and it just back-doored in,” Kupcho said.

Song also played without a bogey, grabbing three birdies on each side for her share of second.

With her lead down to one as she arrived at 18, Reid missed the fairway and her approach from the rough flew high and through the green, leaving her a tough downhill chip. She left a birdie putt short but still walked off with a slender advantage.

Overnight leader Nasa Hataoka of Japan was alone in fourth after a one-under par 70 for 201.

Hataoka was even for the day after two bogeys and two birdies through 16 holes. She missed the green at the par-three 17th but produced a great par-saving putt and gave herself a closing boost with a birdie from a bunker at the last. AFP

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com MONday, october 5, 2020

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ABS-CBN continues to find ways to reach more Filipinos More Filipinos will be able to enjoy ABS-CBN shows as direct-to-home satellite TV service GSAT adds Jeepney TV, Cinemo, and Metro Channel to its line-up of channels to bring more entertainment starting today.

Serving up a slice of the good life is Metro Channel (Ch 70) as it features life-

Paolo Contis and Andrea Torres in a scene from ‘I Can See You’ second installment, ‘The Promise.’ (Inset) Paolo joined by the mini-series cast members (from left) Benjamin Alves, Yasmien Kurdi, and Maey Bautista.

Paolo Contis’ undying promise

I

n tonight’s second installment of I Can See You drama anthology, Paolo Contis once again unmasks his dramatic side playing a rich widowed man who loses his passion for life and becomes a recluse after Frank takes an interest in the latter’s losing his wife from an accident.

Titled The Promise, which also stars Yasmien Kurdi, Andrea Torres, and Benjamin Alves, the mini-series vows to give viewers more reasons to believe in the power of love.

“The whole story is about my love for my wife played by Yasmien. You know, love sometimes can make you do good and bad things. In the story, we are the good people who are willing to do bad things for the ones we love and it’s all because of the promise we made to them. But the core message of the story is about moving on. In our life, a lot of people come and go, and we should move forward when they’re gone,” Paolo told Manila Standard Entertainment in a virtual interview.

The story begins with a rich widowed man named Frank (Paolo) who loses his passion for life after losing his wife Clarisse (Yasmien) from an accident.

When Jude (Benjamin), his cousin and right-hand man in the company, visits him in the lake house where he stays at,

girlfriend Ivy (Andrea), an aspiring artist who is willing to do anything to take her family out of poverty. As Ivy starts to exhibit certain characteristics of Clarisse, Frank starts to be in a dilemma. He is wondering if he’s seeing Ivy for who she is or he is just holding on to the spirit of his deceased wife.

Meanwhile, Yasmien expresses her admiration to her co-actor Paolo for lightening up the mood on set,.

“Paolo is easy and super fun to work with. He lightens up the mood of everyone on the set including the staff and production team,” Yasmien shared.

In response, Paolo, who recalls being tended to by his seniors, believes that it is his duty to look after everyone on set.

“Naranasan ko noon, ‘yung mga kuya ko sa set they take it upon themselves to lead the set. Dahil ako ‘yung parang ‘senior’ dito, I bring food and check on everyone. More than anything else, I want the set to be happy.”

In observance of anti-COVID-19 protocols alongside the network’s pre-

‘Pia’s Postcards’ is a one-hour travel show that takes Miss Universe 2015, Pia Wurtzbach, to interesting local and foreign destinations.

cautionary measures, the cast and crew of the show underwent RT-PCR tests, lock-in tapings and strictly practiced government-mandated safety and health protocols on the set.

Andrea shares that her trust in the network and their team to keep them safe prompted her to enjoy the taping.

“Trust your network and production team dahil pinaghahandaan nila ang lahat.

Actually, because of what the network did, we were able to enjoy the taping and we went home happy that we are looking forward na ako sa next kong work,” she said.

Benjamin also commends the precautionary measures taken by GMA and the production team to safeguard everyone on set.

“We were one of the first productions to start taping in GMA, as far as the teledrama. It was good and it was a great stepping stone for everyone else to start going. We really thank the network and production for making sure that we are safe and that we were able to perform without worrying about anything else,” the actor noted.

Joining Paolo, Yasmien, Andrea, and Benjamin, playing an exciting role in this series is Maey Bautista as Rowena Marquez, Frank’s cheerful house helper who is a witness to the latter’s undying love for his deceased wife.

I Can See You: The Promise, which premieres tonight after Encantadia on GMA 7, is under the helm of Zig Dulay

style icons and international celebrities in various exciting locally-produced and foreign programs that talk about food, travel, home, living, fashion, and style.

Viewers will be delighted to see veteran actor Edu Manzano back in his element as a talk show host in Good Vibes with Edu and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach as she takes viewers to local and foreign destinations in Pia’s Postcards.

They will also get to learn from celebrity chef and restaurant owner Sandy Daza as he teaches food lovers the many ways to enjoy the Philippines’ best regional cuisines in Casa Daza. Exciting foreign programs include Million Dollar Listing, Secret Lives of the Super Rich, and Get a Room With Carson and Thom.

GSAT viewers get to go back in time as Jeepney TV (Ch 55) brings well-loved and all-time viewer-favorite ABS-CBN programs and movies. Meanwhile, a wide range of action and comedy movies and series, both local and foreign all-day await them on the entertainment channel Cinemo (Ch 13). Catch top Pinoy movie icons Fernando Poe, Jr., Dolphy, Rudy Fernandez, and more in their unforgettable hits.

Kapamilya Channel has been on GSAT since June, giving Filipinos the chance to enjoy fresh new episodes of It’s Showtime, FPJ›s Ang Probinsyano, Angel Locsin’s Iba Yan, and Judy Ann Santos’s Paano Kita Pasasalamatan, and the nightly newscast TV Patrol. GSAT viewers now also get to watch the Twitter-trending and iWantTFC’s most-viewed show, Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin.

GSAT has been airing local and international news and entertainment channels in the Philippines. It also has an online app, GSAT +, where Kapamilya Online Live is available.

ABS-CBN continues to find more ways to reach more Filipinos around the world with its news, public service, and entertainment.

Beauty that is skin deep That “life begins at 40” statement rings true for all. It’s interesting that others proclaim that 40 is the new 20 because to look young than your actual age is no longer impossible.

A living and beautiful proof to this pronouncement is the force behind Skin Magical, its powerful head Ghie Pangilinan who became part of the fabulous 40 club early last month.

While the country is still in the quarantine period due to the pandemic, Pangilinan continues to make her birthday celebration more meaningful by making others feel her love.

“I opted to celebrate my most treasured day with the elderly being taken care of at the Haven for the Elderly in Tanay, Rizal.” Pangilinan begins. “It felt good to distribute bags of groceries and bundles of assorted clothes and give them to each lolo and lola. Teary eyed sila, ang hihigpit ng mga yakap. You can see in their eyes na they were so happy.

My heart was so full of love dahil they were appreciative of what we brought them. They were also delighted with our salo-salo.”

Pangilinan’s celebration with the elderly is now in its 6th year. She regularly sends them food and medicine, without fail and this quarantine season. She is more attentive to the needs of the elderly under her care.

Also worth mentioning, she made Christmas early this September for over 400 Skin Magical employees were likewise treated to a special feast during her birthday shindig and she also distributed sacks of rice to her neighbors and to all the tricycle drivers of Sitio Butig, Brgy San Pedro in Morong, Rizal, where the manufacturing plant of her

Maja Salvador is the new face of Skin Magical products. beauty products is located.

More surprises during her birthday include gifts from celebrity endorsers of her various brands like Dimples Romana, Jolina Magdangal, Joseph Marco, Anna Cay, Lars Pacheco, DJ Loonyo, Tim and China, Viy Cortez, Cong TV, and Agsunta, JaMill, Mannex, and Ivana Alawi.

Incidentally, Skin Magical celebrates its fifth anniversary with the formal launch of Maja Salvador, and Joseph Marco as latest ambassadors.

“We are committed to providing a better opportunity for all aspiring entrepreneurs.

With our roster of celebrity ambassadors, our goal is to continue to inspire many Filipinos through our locally made brands, and to soar high like butterflies with integrity and determination,” Pangilinan concludes.

extra international ‘Frontline Pilipinas’ main anchors (from left) Cheryl Cosim, Raffy Tulfo, and Luchi Cruz-Valdez.

Seasoned broadcast journalists play frontliners in new primetime newscast For veteran broadcast journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdez, now that we are living in a different time because of the pandemic, television newscasts should only provide essential and critical information. Thus, as TV5 strengthens its commitment to upholding the highest standard for broadcast news reporting as it launches Frontline Pilipinas, the newest primetime evening newscast covering the most relevant headlines locally and around the globe.

The renowned journalist, admired for her exemplary display of drawing out stories and connecting with her subjects, will be leading one-on-one interviews with key people behind the country’s biggest headlines. Throughout her career, Luchi has received legacy recognitions such as the PMPC Excellence in Broadcasting Lifetime Achievement

Award, KBP Golden Dove’s Broadcaster of the Year, and Best Female Newscaster.

“We believe that news must be filtered in a way that only the most essential data and information are given to the public. Balita at impormasyon na, that’s our battle cry. Dapat essential information lang and ibibigay natin. Boses ng may alam at may pakiaalam is our second battlecry. We wanted to share the opinion of the expert and the sentiments of ordinary citizens,” CruzValdez said of the rallying motto of the newscast that premieres tonight at 6:30.

“Our third battlecry...kasangga sa pagbalita at serbisyo publiko. We are the frontliners, with the segment hosts, in delivering the news,” she added.

The multi-awarded host is joined

by Raffy Tulfo, Cheryl Cosim, Ed Lingao and Lourd de Veyra.

The show promises to uphold the highest standards of delivering timely and relevant news while providing context to the most important issues that impact the lives of Filipinos today. It’ll dissect breaking headlines in ways that the public can easily digest and better appreciate. The program opens with a main headline and will be supported by stories under the same cluster. Anchors will provide annotations, key visuals, reports, and analysis to make the information more inclusive and understandable to the viewers.

Frontline Pilipinas airs from Monday to Friday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on TV5.

Viewers can also catch it weeknights at 8:00 o.m. on One PH Channel 1 available on Cignal TV.

Chrissy Teigen, John Legend reveal ‘deep pain’ over losing baby The post included a black and white Model Chrissy Teigen and her awardwinning singer husband John Leg- picture of her in the hospital, crying with her hands clasped and end have disclosed that her head bowed. they are in «deep pain» The couple has a roafter losing their baby bust presence on social following a difficult media, sharing details pregnancy. about everything from Teigen, who was extheir political views to pecting her third child their home life. with Legend, was hosTeigen has shared a pitalized last week for video of an ultrasound excessive bleeding. The exam, celebrated the recouple’s frank posts moval of her breast imabout their personal tragplants by sharing pictures edy triggered an outpourof her scars, and often ing of messages netizens features images of chiland celebrities alike.

Model Chrissy Teigen and “Driving home from her husband, award-winning dren Luna and Miles.

The entertainment the hospital with no baby. singer John Legend -- seen How can this be real,” here in an Instagram photo -- power couple wed in Teigen wrote on Twitter. have announced they have lost 2013, after meeting years before on the set “We are shocked and their baby. of one of Legend’s muin the kind of deep pain sic videos. They had anyou only hear about, the kind of pain we’ve never felt before,” Teigen nounced in August they were expecting a third child. AFP wrote in a separate post on Instagram.

Life

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

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FOOD

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020

CHEERS. Get to know new alcoholic

SIP

beverage releases for a quiet nightcap or drinks with friends via Zoom.

Choose your fighter:

gin, whisky, wine

T

HERE are days when a drink makes us feel better, or the situation much more bearable, even just a little. And with everything that’s happening around us today, we here at Manila Standard LIFE think that calls for a glass or three (but drink moderately!)

A whisky journey Johnnie Walker marks its 200th year by bringing whisky drinkers on a journey of flavor.

The new the Johnnie Walker Black Label Origin Series features two blends: Johnnie Walker Black Label Speyside Origin and Johnnie Walker Black Label Lowlands Origin, each named after the region where it was made.

Johnnie Walker Black Label Speyside Origin is a light and fruity whisky with hints of cut green apple and orchard fruit. Made exclusively from quality single malts from the Speyside region, it features whisky from the distilleries of Cardhu and Glendullan at its heart.

Meanwhile, Johnnie Walker Black Label Lowlands Origin has a luxuriously sweet and creamy mouth-feel, with vanilla character and subtle notes of toffee. It is made exclusively from a variety of single malt and grain whiskies from the Lowlands, including distilleries of Glenkinchie and Cameronbridge.

“The Johnnie Walker Black Label Origin Series focuses on the most distinct flavors that Johnnie Walker Black Label drinkers love, and creates other expressions out of those,” said Rian Asiddao, Diageo Reserve brand ambassador.

“It’s perfect for those who are feeling adventurous and want to dabble into different tastes.”

The new whisky blends are priced at P1,899 per bottle, available exclusively at The Booze Shop (www.boozeshop.ph).

Hendrick’s limited edition Midsummer Solstice is a refreshing gin that heavily features deeply floral character.

Bloom like summer Gin lovers are in for a summer-y treat with Hendrick’s limited edition Midsummer Solstice.

The premium gin label said in a statement, “Midsummer Solstice discerns itself with the infusion of deeply floral essences that enhance the liquid’s existing botanical bouquet and captures the mystery of some of nature’s most effervescent blooms.

“The result is an enchantingly floral and exquisitely refreshing gin that blossoms on the palate while remaining unmistakably Hendrick’s.”

Its bright and deep floral character makes it perfect for a variety of refreshing mixed drinks and cocktails. Go to www.hendricksgin.com/us/midsummer-solstice for a list of recipes.

Midsummer Solstice was created by Hendrick’s Master Distiller Lesley Gracie at the heart of the Hendrick’s Gin Palace in the Cabinet of Curiosities.

“A deeply rooted respect for nature

and its most beautiful creations excited me to capture the aromas and flavors of a midsummer day and I am truly enamored over this first release from the Cabinet of Curiosities,” said Gracie.

The Gin Palace is dedicated to the exploration and discovery of new tastes and flavors, it is a center of distilling excellence and a place where Hendrick’s expands the taste spectrum through the creation of new variants.

Over the past two decades, Gracie has amassed in her Cabinet of Curiosities an array of treasured botanicals, distillates, and experimental liquids from around the world.

According to Hendrick’s, additional new and unique gins will be released, replacing the previous expression, and each variant will only be available exclusively during its launch year.

Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice is now available at selected S&R stores.

WORKSHOP

Beth Robles will be conducting a four-part watercolor painting workshop series via Zoom.

Johnnie Walker Black Label Lowlands Origin and Johnnie Walker Black Label Speyside Origin.

Wine for beginners

This wine range consists of popular grape varieties, made especially for new wine lovers.

New wine-lovers or those who are clueless about the world of grapes can easily find what they’re looking for in M&S’ (Marks and Spencer) new budget-friendly wine range, This Is. Created by M&S expert winemakers, led by Belinda Kleinig, the new wine range showcases popular styles and grape varieties, with bright, helpful labels showing customers exactly what kind of wine is inside.

It is composed of 15 wines, whose prices range from P450 to P495.

The full This Is range includes: French White 2019, Pinot Grigio 2019, Italian Red 2019, Fruity White 2019, Spanish Red 2019, Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Merlot 2019, Chardonnay 2019, Malbec 2019, Shiraz 2019, Chenin Blanc 2019, Spanish Rosé 2019, Italian Sparkling NV, and Italian Sparkling Rosé NV. The new range of wines is available at all Marks & Spencer stores nationwide except Limketkai Center in CDO.

Hotel offers luxury platters LAVISH dishes in platters created by a five-star hotel’s culinary staff are now available for delivery.

Diamond Hotel launches its new food offering dubbed luxury platters for a cause, as “with every sumptuous feast brought to your table, the hotel associates are granted the irreplaceable opportunity to continue to be of service to their guests during these uncertain times.”

The Weekday Specials feature dishes good for four to six persons, ideal for classy dinners at home or intimate occasions celebrated with the family.

Among the signature platters available from Monday to Friday are Baked Mediterranean Crusted Salmon, Homemade Salmon Gravlax, Slow-cooked Beef Belly in Red Wine Sauce or Por-

chetta (Pork Belly), and a selection of filling paellas: Paella Valenciana, Vegetable Paella, Paella Negra, and Paella de Cochinillo (Suckling Pig Paella).

Lighter yet luxurious fare comes in the form of Stir-fried Clams with Ginger and Onion or Noodles and Mushroom, and Steamed Clams with Special House Sauce.

Available on Saturdays and Sundays, meanwhile, is the Weekend Premium selection. At the helm of the range is the Seafood Paella. Not to shy from the limelight are signature crab specialties: Stir-fried Crab with Black Pepper Sauce, Stir-fried Crab with Bihon and Mushroom, and Deep-fried Crab with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce.

The Spanish Specialty Menu, Filipino Specialty Menu, and Premium Special-

Seafood Paella

Watercolor painting learning series INTERESTED to learn how to paint using watercolor? A senior recreation center in Makati offers a series of online watercolor painting workshops from October to November.

Beth Robles of Play Crafts PH will conduct Sunshine Place’s workshops via Zoom. Each workshop will last for three hours from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. They are open for participants aged 11 and above.

The first workshop, Watercolor Basic Landscapes, on October 10 will focus on creating simple landscapes using soft and hard edges and light contrast techniques. Enrollment deadline is on October 5.

Scheduled on October 24 is Autumn Landscapes, during which participants will be taught how to use the properties

of watercolors to create a simple autumn landscape. They will also learn perspective, soft and hard edges, and light contrast techniques. Deadline of enrollment is on October 19.

Sea Corals, the third in the workshop series, is scheduled on November 14, with enrollment deadline on November 9. The last in the series is Sunset, which will be held on November 28. Deadline of enrollment is on November 23.

Participants can purchase an art kit consisting of watercolor paper, four types of brushes and watercolor paint set, masking fluid, and magic eraser sponge, at a reasonable price.

Contact (02) 8856-4162 or 0917515-5656, or email online.sunshineplace@gmail.com for more details.

Porchetta

ty Menu showcase several courses of platters like Croquetas De Jamon Serrano, Halabos Na Sugpo with Garlic Chips, Lapu-Lapu Fillet Crusted with Crabmeat and Lumpfish Caviar, and Prawn Thermidor, among others.

Diamond Hotel Premium Set menu available on Saturdays and Sundays.

Guests may place their orders at onlineshopping.diamondhotel.com. Payments may be made via credit card, PayPal, or online bank transfers (for Bank of Commerce and Metrobank only).