Manila Standard - 2020 October 11 - Sunday

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 219 • 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BLOOM DESPITE GLOOM. Two women scan bouquets of flowers at the Tagaytay Flower Market in Cavite on Saturday. They said they intend to lay them on their deceased family members’ graves when they visit ahead of a government-imposed lockdown on cemeteries on October 29 to November 3 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease. JR Josue

Another suicide bombing foiled Indonesian woman, wives of 2 Abu Sayyaf men nabbed in dawn raid

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N INDONESIAN woman suspected of planning a suicide bomb attack in the southern Philippines was arrested Saturday in a pre-dawn raid in Barangay San Raymundo in the provincial capital town of Jolo, Sulu, the military said.

The Indonesian woman was identified killed in Sulu in August, the Joint Task as 17-year-old Rezky Fantasya Rullie and Force for the restive region said in a statewas the widow of an Indonesian militant ment.

The suspect was apprehended along with two others: Inda Nurhaina, the 41-year-old wife of Abu Sayyaf Group sub-leader Ben Tattoo, and Fatima Sandra Jimlani, 19, wife of ASG member Jahid Jam, on the strength of a search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court in Jolo, Sulu.

(AS OF 4 PM OCT. 10) Rullie, alias Cici, is also believed to be the daughter of two suicide bombers who killed 21 people in an attack on a Catholic cathedral in Jolo early last year, it added.

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES That attack was blamed on a group linked to Abu Sayyaf.

The arrest comes less than two months after a pair of female suicide bombers NEW ACTIVE blew themselves up on Jolo island in Muslim-majority Sulu, which killed 15 people and wounded 74 others.

DEATHS NEW Security forces blamed the August 24 attack on the Abu Sayyaf.

“We have been pursuing foreign terrorist suicide bombers in Sulu after the twin RECOVERIES NEW bombing of Jolo town (in August),” said

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

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2,249 54,594 6,238

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BOMBER FOILED. These images from Joint Task Force Sulu show Indonesian Rezky Fantasya Rullie (left) and the suicide bomber vest she would have worn had she not been apprehended by authorities in a predawn raid in Jolo, Sulu.

Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu.

“Rullie was first on our list since we have received intelligence reports that she is going to conduct (a) suicide bombing,” he added.

A vest rigged with pipe bombs was seized along with other improvised explosive device components from the Jolo island house that is believed to be owned by an Abu Sayyaf leader, the military said.

Listed by the United States as a terrorist organization, Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of Islamist militants blamed

TRUMP BACK ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL

NEW PH PLATFORM LINKS CELEBS, FANS

US President Donald Trump will give a public speech at the White House Saturday (Sunday in Manila) for the first time since testing positive for Covid-19, as he prepares a rapid return to the campaign trail just three weeks before the election.

A group of Filipino technology entrepreneurs met online to launch a new business model to connect fans and celebrities who are also staying at home to wait out the pandemic.

for the Philippines’ worst terror attacks and kidnappings of foreign tourists and Christian missionaries.

Suicide attacks were once very rare in the Philippines, but since July 2018 there have been at least five.

Gonzales said the military had been been pursuing foreign terrorist suicide bombers in Sulu since the twin bombings in Jolo last August 24.

The suspected suicide bomber was “first on our list since we have received intelligence reports that she is going to conduct suicide bombing after the death

‘ULTI-MUTT’ ADOPTED PETS ORLANDO— Jimmy Butler put the Miami Heat on his back in the final minutes and refused to let their championship dreams die, outdueling LeBron James down the stretch in the NBA Finals.

Animal Kingdom Foundation launched an online event for pet owners to find the ultimate pets—cats or dogs—within the second week of September, and picked three winners last October 4, World Animal Day.

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COPING WITH LIFE IN QUARANTINE

CHOOSING THE RIGHT COMMUNITY

WATCH OUT FOR CHARLIE DIZON

Being cooped up at home, with more time on our hands, has turned many individuals into a new version of themselves.

Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) shows no signs of reining in its passion for building sustainable communities.

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Her birth name is April Dizon, but ABS-CBN top gun Charo Santos-Concio has given her another name, which turned out to be the young talent’s golden ticket to local Tinseltown.

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of her husband, Andi Baso, an Indonesian foreign terrorist who was reportedly neutralized during an encounter last August 29, 2020 with two Scout Ranger Battalions under 1102nd Brigade in Patikul, Sulu,” Gonzales said.

“The JTF Sulu under the direction of our Westmincom Commander Lt Gen Corleto Vinluan Jr will never cease to hunt down these foreign terrorists, coddled by Mundi Sawadjaan and Radulan Sahiron,” the general added, noting the brains behind the most recent bombings. AFP

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Jimmy Butler (left) of the Miami Heat foils a driving LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of their NBA Finals match in Orlando on Friday. AFP

HEAT FORCE FINALS GAME 6 STORY ON A2

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Palace eyes signed budget bill by yearend

By Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz

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ALACAÑANG hopes the proposed P4.506trillion 2021 national budget bill will be signed before the year ends, after President Rodrigo Duterte certified the measure as urgent.

BLESS THE BIKERS. Lorna A. Paderon, Mall Manager of SM City San Mateo, hands out one of a thousand ‘Share the Road’ string bags with reflectors to bikers passing the mall in Rizal on Saturday. It was part of the SM Cares launch of its Bike Friendly Campaign, following the success of the #BikeFriendlyMOA kick-off in September. The scene was repeated at SM City Marikina, as a priest sprinkles holy water on bikers (inset) who rely on the two-wheeled vehicles amid the lack of public transportation during the coronavirus pandemic. Manny Palmero and Norman Cruz

Butler extends Heat life with Finals heroics ORLANDO—Jimmy Butler put the Miami Heat on his back in the final minutes and refused to let their championship dreams die, outdueling LeBron James down the stretch in the NBA Finals.

Playing to the point of exhaustion and beyond, Butler scored 35 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, passed off 11 assists and made five steals in Miami’s 111-108 victory Friday over the Los Angeles Lakers, pulling within 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

“His will to win is remarkable,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

“To do that in 47-plus minutes and take the challenge on the other end, every young player coming into this league should study footage on Jimmy Butler.”

Butler shot 11-of-19 from the floor and 12-of-12 from the free throw line in a game-high 47 minutes for a Miami squad that used only seven players.

The weary playmaker slumped on an advertisement board beyond the end of the court before hitting the free throws that put the Heat ahead to stay with 16.8 seconds remaining.

“I left it all out there on the floor along with my guys,” Butler said.

“And that’s what we’re going to have to do the rest of the way.

We’ve got two more games to get.”

Butler traded scores with fourtime NBA Most Valuable Player James on six straight possessions in the final two minutes, carrying Miami just far enough to force a game six on Sunday. AFP

Isko frowns on PUVs overcharging fares MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Saturday told public utility drivers in the city not to overcharge their passengers, especially now that the capital is in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

Domagoso’s pronouncement came after receiving complaints that some unscrupulous drivers of pedicabs and tricycles are making their passengers pay more than what is actually allowed under the fare rate set by the city government.

The mayor said he himself was once a driver of a pedicab but said he never duped anyone and earned a living in a fair manner.

“What goes around, comes around.

Let’s fear karma,” he said.

Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau chief Dennis Viaje was tasked by Domagoso to meet with the drivers and warn them against taking undue advantage of their passengers.

The drivers, according to Domagoso, are supposed to charge only P20 for the first kilometer and then P5 for every additional half kilometer. Willie Casas

Lockdown tests faith in virus-hit Catholic churches

By Ron Lopez, AFP AFTER months of livestreaming mass to millions of faithful from behind closed doors, churches in the Catholic-majority Philippines are beginning to reopen.

But strict coronavirus rules mean worship is still far from normal, and the contagion spreading across the deeply religious country has forced churches to get creative to meet the spiritual needs of their congregations.

In the usually packed Baclaran

Church in the capital Manil—which has the highest number of infections in the archipelago—temperature guns, hand sanitiser, contact-tracing forms and uniformed security guards greet the faithful wearing masks and plastic face shields.

Social distancing rules limit three people to pews that normally sit 10 and every second bench is left empty in the cavernous church where thousands of worshippers once flocked for mass.

Face coverings must be worn at all

times—even when believers take the piece of bread given to them during the Holy Communion by a priest or minister who is not exempt from the protocols.

Holy water fonts—into which people used to dip their fingers to make the sign of the cross—are dry and covered with a white cloth.

Religious icons are in storage or behind fences to prevent people from touching and kissing them—a common practice believed to help cure the sick but that could now help spread Covid-19.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the remark on Saturday after the Chief Executive called for a special session of Congress.

“We hope that before Congress recesses, they could pass the bill and be signed

by President Duterte,” Roque said in an interview over Dobol B News TV. “We can always hope it will pass on time because any delay will again affect our economy and I’m sure the members of Congress know that,” he added.

Meanwhile, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Saturday gave assurance the special session Duterte called for would be “fruitful” as the members of the House majority continued to work on the 2021 National Budget during the break.

Cayetano said the group had been poring over the budget to make sure it was responsive to the needs of every sector and locality as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are checking each program, every sector, and every place with a finetoothed comb,” Cayetano said.

He said this was because each sector has different needs that need to be addressed.

In related developments, more lawmakers have backed Duterte’s call for a special session to ensure the timely passage of next year’s proposed budget.

Reps. Edcel Lagman of Albay, Bernadette Herrera of Bagong Henerasyon, and Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna said the House needed more time to debate on the budget bill contained in House Bill 7727 before it gets enacted.

IN BRIEF Scholarships for legal aid for poor pushed THE legal aid advocate in the House of Representatives on Saturday said a foundation that is working for the welfare of indigent court litigants will offer scholarship grants to law students in exchange for them rendering free legal services.

Deputy Majority Leader and Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles said Lakbay Hustisya Foundation is “offering scholarship grants to law students nationwide to encourage them to explore advocacy work, specifically in providing legal aid to indigent Filipinos.”

Lakbay Hustisya Foundation is a legal aid trust fund that advocates for free legal consultations for poor jail inmates. It also recently expanded its services by providing free legal consultations online.

Nograles, who established the foundation, has been pushing for the institutionalization of legal aid in the country since his election to the House.

Maricel V. Cruz

QUARANTINE CENTER. Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade (left) an Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral George Ursabia (third from right) unveil the marker for the first PCG quarantine facility during its inauguration Saturday at the PCG base in Taguig City. Tugade said the 224-bed facility is available to the public if the need arises. Norman Cruz

Citing law, Bello says 13th month pay won’t be deferred

By Willie Casas THE Department of Labor and Employment did not intend to call for a deferment of employees’ 13th month pay come Christmas time as businesses continued to struggle amid the coronavirus pandemic, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III clarified on Saturday.

This developed as labor groups slammed the proposal to allow distressed small and medium enterprises to defer the bonus pay of their employees due to the

health crisis that has affected thousands of businesses.

Labor group Pagkakaisa ng UringManggagawa (PAGGAWA) lambasted the DOLE after its October 8 statement that the agency is eyeing to allow firms and businesses to delay the payouts of 13thmonth bonuses of their workers.

“It is very clear under the law that the 13th month pay has to be paid on or before Dec. 25. That is the law. There is no way you can delay or defer the payment of 13 month pay,” Bello said.

“I was misunderstood when I mentioned especially in the implementing rules and regulations, there is a provision which says that companies in distress are exempted from paying 13th month pay,” he added.

PAGGAWA strongly opposed the move, saying it will only exacerbate the dire condition of workers who have borne the brunt of the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, “on top of already rampant labor violations and contractualization they have always faced from employers.”

BOC-NAIA starts info campaign on goods THE Bureau of Customs - Ninoy Aquino International Airport has started distributing flyers and pamphlets in Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to provide information to travelers on existing Customs laws, rules and regulations on importing goods and clearance procedures at the airport.

The bureau came up with the information drive as the government decided to gradually resume a number of international flights intended for the holiday season.

NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan said the ‘BOC Guidelines on Arriving Travelers’ pamphlets provide basic information when duty and taxes are due, prohibited goods, documentary requirements for regulated goods, clearance procedures and the duty-andtax-free privileges. Joel E. Zurbano

‘Nearly P1B in PhilHealth overpayments’ THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) made overpayments of P936.653 million to health care institutions (HCIs) in 2019, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in its annual audit report.

For the same year, the state health insurer also incurred a total of P6.967 billion in unsettled audit suspensions (P84.36 million), disallowances (P6.88 billion) and charges (P2.41 million), COA also reported.

“Full reimbursement of the package rates (All Case Rates or ARC and Z Benefit) to various health care institutions for 312,577 sampled claims despite

the lower member-patients’ hospital charges plus the maximum amount of professional fees resulted in overpayment of P936.653 million,” the state auditor said.

It pointed out that this deprived the people and the government of “fully achieving PhilHealth’s program objective of increasing financial health protection of member-patients since the HCIs were the ones who benefited more therefrom.”

The cases of overpayments to hospitals were noted in the National Capital Region and Rizal, CARAGA, Region 1, Region 8 and Region 9.

BLANKET DONATION. Sen. Cynthia A. Villar recently donated blankets to more than 60 families who were rendered homeless following a fire in Barangay Tuktukan, Taguig. The fire victims earlier sought help from the senator, who has been known for assisting victims of fires and other calamities.

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Armenia agrees to ceasefire, talks with Azerbaijan STEPANAKERT, Azerbaijan—Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on Saturday to a ceasefire and to begin “substantive talks” over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh after nearly two weeks of fierce clashes.

Bitter fighting in the Caucasus region has claimed hundreds of lives, forced thousands to flee, and stirred fears of a full-blown war that could suck in regional powers Turkey and Russia.

Speaking after 11 hours of Moscowmediated talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the warring sides had agreed to a ceasefire from “12 hours 00 minutes on October 10 on humanitarian grounds.”

It was not immediately clear whether the pause in fighting would come into effect at noon in Moscow or the local time in Karabakh.

During the ceasefire—mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross—the parties will exchange bodies and prisoners, Lavrov said, reading from a statement.

“Concrete parameters of the ceasefire will be agreed separately,” the statement added.

Russia’s top diplomat also said that Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to start negotiating a peaceful solution to the territorial dispute.

“Azerbaijan and Armenia begin substantive negotiations with the purpose of achieving a peaceful settlement as soon as possible,” Lavrov told reporters, adding that such talks would be mediated

by France, Russia and the US. Renewed fighting over Karabakh— an ethnic Armenian region of Azerbaijan that broke from Baku’s control in a devastating war in the early 1990s—has claimed some 400 lives and forced thousands of people from their homes.

The heavy clashes erupted late last month, with both sides blaming the other for the biggest outbreak in violence since a 1994 ceasefire left the status of Karabakh in limbo.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who has repeatedly vowed to use his military to retake the breakaway province, said earlier that the talks represented a historic opportunity for Armenia.

“We are giving Armenia a chance to settle the conflict peacefully,” he said.

“This is their last chance.” AFP

PRIZED DINOSAUR. French auctioneer

Alexandre Giquello poses next an Allosaurus skeleton at the Drouot auction house, in Paris on October 9. More than 150 million years old, a rare Allosaurus skeleton, one of the oldest dinosaurs, considered by palaeontologists to be the “grandfather” of the legendary T-Rex, will be auctioned in Paris by Maison Binoche et Giquello on October 13 at the Drouot hotel. Almost 10 meters long and 3.5 meters high, the allosaurus is estimated to fetch between 1 and 1.2 million euros (about P69 million). AFP

Trump restarts speeches, Biden blasts it as ‘reckless’ W ASHINGTON—US President Donald Trump will give a public speech at the White House Saturday (Sunday in Manila) for the first time since testing positive for Covid-19, as he prepares a rapid return to the campaign trail just three weeks before the election.

The 74-year-old commander-in-chief has also announced a Florida rally on Monday in an attempt to relaunch his stumbling reelection campaign against surging Democratic rival Joe Biden, who called the president’s behavior “reckless.”

Seeking to project strength and improved health, Trump had refused to participate in next week’s scheduled debate after organizers shifted it to an online format out of coronavirus concerns.

On Friday, the Commission on Presidential Debates made it official, saying next Thursday’s debate is scrapped, leaving an October 22 event the final TrumpBiden showdown before election day on November 3.

That prompted accusations of bias from Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh, who said “there is no medical reason to stop” the October 15 debate from proceeding.

Knocked off the campaign trail by his

three-night hospitalization last week, the president is in the midst of a frenetic bid to catch Biden.

On Friday, during an extended media blitz, Trump falsely claimed that Covid-19 now has a cure.

He also revealed that he’d been told he was near death at the worst of his bout with the virus, which has killed more than 213,000 Americans and severely dented his chances of winning a second term.

Saturday’s speech, which a senior administration official said would be on Trump’s favored theme of “law and order,” will give him a chance to dispel lingering doubts about his health.

The crowd will be on the South Lawn of the White House, while the president will speak from the balcony. AFP

IN BRIEF Celebs to lead TED global call on climate SAN FRANCISCO—The Pope and Prince William will join activists, artists, celebrities and politicians on Saturday at a free streamed TED event aimed at unifying people to confront the climate crisis.

The Countdown program will kick off on the TED channel at YouTube starting at 8 am (1500 GMT) in California and feature 50 speakers, the pontiff and the second-in-line to the British throne among them.

“You’ll be hearing from all different kinds of folks from all walks of life; from the front lines to the grassroots to the treetops,” actor Mark Ruffalo, who is among the Countdown hosts, said during a briefing ahead of the event.

“They’ll be talking a little bit about the problems and a lot about the solutions.”

Countdown will last about five hours, for the first time providing a free look at the blend of arts, ideas, innovation and enlightenment that are trademarks of prestigious TED conferences.

“Climate can’t wait,” said TED head Chris Anderson. AFP

Twitter tightens rules to thwart poll threats SAN FRANCISCO—Twitter said Friday it will take down calls for violence starting after polls close on US election day and slap warnings on premature victory claims to fight efforts to undermine the election.

When it comes to a winner in any race, Twitter will require an announcement by an election official or a public projection from at least two authoritative, national news outlets making independent election calls.

The California tech giant will also invite people to add their thoughts to retweets instead of just mindlessly sharing, according to legal lead Vijaya Gadde and product lead Kayvon Beykpour.

The platform, a favorite method of communicating for President Donald Trump, will also broaden its application of warning labels for misleading tweets by candidates leading up to election day on November 3. AFP

Nokor has huge military parade, says S. Korea SEOUL—Nuclear-armed North Korea appears to have held a giant military parade early Saturday, Seoul said, with Pyongyang’s latest and most advanced weapons expected to have been on show in the coronavirus-barricaded country’s capital.

The widely anticipated display is part of commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party.

Such events typically feature thousands of troops goose-stepping through Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square, named for North Korea’s founder, under the gaze of his grandson Kim Jong Un, the third member of the family to rule the country.

A cavalcade of progressively larger armoured vehicles and tanks usually follows, culminating with whatever missiles Pyongyang wants to highlight.

They are keenly watched by observers for clues to its weapons development.

“Signs of a military parade—involving equipment and people on a large scale—were detected at Kim Il Sung Square early this morning,” Seoul’s joint chiefs of staff said in a statement. AFP

Teenager poised to become first millennial saint

MARCHING BAND. Students from Taipei First Girls High School perform during the Taiwanese National Day in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei on October 10. AFP

Taiwan’s Tsai urges China to ‘never seek hegemony’ TAIPEI—Taiwan’s leader on Saturday appealed to her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to deescalate military tensions and live up to his promise to “never seek hegemony” after months of Beijing ramping up fighter jet incursions.

In a speech on Taiwan’s national day, President Tsai Ing-wen said the international community was becoming concerned

about the “expanding hegemony” of China.

Beijing views democratic, self-ruling Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it back into fold.

But Tsai referenced a recent speech

by Xi to the United Nations that she said gave the Taiwanese some hope.

“I am also aware that the leader across the

Strait (Xi) has publicly stated in a video message to the United Nations General Assembly that China will never seek hegemony, expansion, or a sphere of influence ... we hope this is the beginning of genuine change.”

“We are committed to upholding crossstrait stability, but this is not something Taiwan can shoulder alone—it is the joint responsibility of both sides,” she added. AFP

VATICAN CITY—A British-born Italian teenager who dedicated his short life to spreading the faith online and helping the poor will be beatified by the Catholic Church Saturday.

That leaves him just one miracle away from becoming the world’s first millennial saint.

Internet and computer-mad youngster Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006 aged 15, was placed on the path to sainthood after the Vatican ruled he had miraculously saved another boy’s life.

The Vatican claims he interceded from heaven in 2013 to cure a Brazilian boy suffering from a rare pancreatic disease.

He will be beatified in Assisi, the home of his idol Saint Francis, who dedicated his life to the poor. Some 3,000 people are expected to follow the ceremony on giant screens set up in five squares in the central Italian city. AFP

‘Delta’ roars ashore US southern coast LAKE CHARLES—Hurricane Delta made landfall on the Louisiana coast Friday evening, packing ferocious winds and a “life-threatening” storm surge— and driving out residents still rebuilding from a devastating storm less than two months ago.

Delta became the 10th named storm of the year to make US landfall, a record, meteorologists said.

It roared ashore near Creole, Louisiana as a Category 2 storm on a scale of five, with winds of 100 miles per hour (155 kilometers per hour), the National Hurricane Center said.

“Damaging winds and a life-threatening storm surge continue over portions of southern Louisiana,” the Miami-based center said, adding that one monitoring site was reporting a storm surge of eight

feet (2.4 meters) above ground.

The storm -- which the NHC said quickly weakened to a Category 1 as it moved inland -- caused widespread power outages in the state.

In Lake Charles, a city in southwest Louisiana that was hit hard by Hurricane Laura on August 20, the streets were deserted Friday as a steady rain fell ahead of Delta’s arrival.

The city is still in disarray from the more powerful Laura, which was a Category 4 and ripped roofs off houses and uprooted trees. Streets are still littered with debris.

“I don’t even know if we’ll have a house when we come back,” said resident Kimberly Hester.

“I just pray to God every night we can at least have a house to come home to.” AFP

MASKED PLAY. Children wear ventilation masks against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic at a park in Bogota, Colombia on October 9. AFP

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New platform opens amid pandemic to link Filipino celebrities and fans

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s the government locked down communities to curb the spread of coronavirus early this year, a group of Filipino technology entrepreneurs met online to launch a new business model to connect fans and celebrities who are also staying at home to wait out the pandemic.

Serial tech entrepreneur Anton Ojeda, who has helped launch restaurant aggregator Zomato in the Philippines as country manager and online car service platform Beepbeep.ph as chief executive, teamed up with several partners to establish Shawtout.com which provides customized or personalized video shoutout greetings from celebrities for a fee.

“It is a good way for celebrities to monetize their status. For customers and fans, it is a good way for them to have access to the celebrities,” Ojeda says in a Zoom interview. “It is a whole new medium for everybody.”

Ojeda describes Shawtout, which had a soft launching in September, as a platform that connects fans with their favorite celebrities through personalized video greetings for occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and graduation. The prices are set by the celebrities themselves, so they vary from P500 to P4,400 each.

Ojeda oversees a small team of 15 who manage everything from their homes through technology. “So almost everything we do is automated,” he says.

Customers include Filipinos here and abroad. “We are very good here locally, because it is all Filipino talent. But there are so many OFWs who also want to get greetings from the talents that they want to send as gifts to their friends and families in the Philippines,” he says.

Ojeda says he believes that Shawtout’s business model is sustainable. “As long as there are celebrities, I think Shawtout will be okay,” he says. Among the celebrities already on the platform are Richard Gutierrez, Rhian Ramos, Martin Nievera, Billy Crawford, Rachel Alejandro, Jay-R, Gab Pangilinan, Albie Casino, Chinkee Tan and Cherie Gil. Ojeda says while the concept of Shawtout was developed a year and a half ago, it was only this year that they found the time to bring it to the next level.

“Some people said that because it is pandemic, you should not open any business.

But I said that now is the time you should do it. If you don’t try to do something new, if you don’t try to stimulate business during this time, then what are you gonna do?

There is no perfect time. The right time to do it is always now. All our celebrities agree with us, and they think it is a good time for us to do it. If we opened it two years ago, maybe we would have not gotten that attention of the celebrities and even the fans,” he says.

“During this pandemic, we were locked at home and I messaged my partners that this is the perfect time to have this when there is no fun interac-

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Singapore start-up enters Philippine real estate market

By Othel V. Campos

tion between fans and celebrities. There are no more shows, production, events or concerts. So I thought this would be the perfect time for us to start amid the quarantine and lockdown,” Ojeda says.

“We actually soft opened it last month.

Right now, we have close to 400 talents already. Many of them are happy to have this because there is a lack of way for them to interact with fans. People want interactions with their celebrities,” he says.

Ojeda says convincing the celebrities to join the platform was not as difficult as they thought it would be. “At the start, I thought it would be a problem. But their response is pretty good. The first few celebrities we talked to, they liked it so much they introduced us to their friends.

We also approached the bigger studios like Viva. It is a change of environment also for the celebrities,” he says.

Ojeda says Shawtout instantly became popular because of Filipinos’ gift-giving habit. “Our main use for Shawout is not really for yourself. It is something you give to somebody else. If I know that my friend is a big fan of a certain celebrity, and his birthday is coming up, what birthday gift would be better than to give him a shout-out from his favorite celebrity,” he says.

“We are doing it all in good will. Gift giving is a fun thing. Gift giving is also about receiving the gifts. And you want those gifts to be memorable. That is really what we want with Shawtout,” he says.

What makes the shout-out greetings especial, he says, is that they are personalized, customized and can be kept through the years. “It is something that you can save. With the traditional radio greeting, it is an experience but it is not something that you can relieve. Shawout is different in that regard,” says Ojeda.

“It is novel. Everybody is a fan of somebody. You can be a fan of a movie star, an athlete or a musician. You can be a fan of a character or a personality, a doctor, a lawyer or a business person.

We have all those talents, as long as they have celebrity status. We also include new generation of celebrities such

Shawtout.com co-founder Anton Ojeda

as content creators, Youtubers, Tiktokers and social media stars,” he says.

“We have some comedians on the platform as well. We have political impersonators. For kids, we have princesses for example. We have cosplayers. Imagine that instead of your children watching a movie, the characters are talking to them, greeting them and telling them to be good and study hard,” he says.

Ojeda says Shawtout also provides celebrities a platform to raise funds for charities. “We also want to give out and help. Many of our celebrities have charities. They have their own organizations that they support. And they use Shawtout to generate support for them,” he says.

The plan, he says, is to scale up and provide Shawtout with more payment features and introduce new e-commerce products for small businesses soon.

“Many requests we get are from those who would like shout-out greetings for their businesses,” he says.

“We built Shawtout as a platform for celebrity interactions. But it is also an e-commerce platform, so we have other services lined up. Right now, you can do shout-outs, greetings, video messages.

Some of our celebrities already accept songs, so you can request a song number.

Soon, we will be introducing advice and tips from celebrities,” says Ojeda.

“Our expectations are obviously to get more talents on board and make it a regular medium for the celebrities and for the fans. And we expect to have more services also,” he says. “We also have plans to expand to the region.”

Ojeda encourages other Filipino technology entrepreneurs to bring their business ideas to the next level. “If you have a good idea, you have to actually do it, be passionate about it, do research, talk to the right people, actually do it and validate if it works. If it works, you can then expand,” he says.

“For us it is about scaling it. So we are looking at a lot more talents. We are in hundreds of talents already, and we want to get to thousands,” he says.

“There are always going to be opportunities for tech at this time. Even the biggest tech guys are actually making more money now. It is because the world needs it now more than ever. Technology as solutions are needed now more than ever,” says Ojeda. Roderick T. dela Cruz

LEADING Singapore property startup Ohmyhome is building on Filipinos’ desire to own a home at the right price, at the right site.

Ohmyhome chief executive Rhonda Wong said the company is the first doit-yourself buy-and-sell app for those looking for a home or office and for those who want to sell or lease a house, residential space or office.

“In all our markets, we offer the same thing, the same menu. It’s a onestop-shop offering. We can send an agent to you, meet you at home. But if you don’t want to pay for any fees, we totally understand that. Agent fees can be very high and unaffordable that we allow you to do it yourself on our platform. That means you download our app, you can post your home, your address, your pictures and buyers or tenants will look for you directly. This is all within the Ohmyhome app and it’s completely free of charge. There are no hidden fees. It’s just free,” she said.

Ohmyhome provides a DIY option, allowing Filipino customers a chance to simplify their home transaction process. They can browse genuine listings that are free of dummy or duplicate accounts, saving them time in searching for the right property. They can enjoy savings, from listing all the way to deal closing.

For customers needing assistance, they may also engage the services of Ohmyhome’s full-time in-house property agents at a cost-friendly price.

“The company’s proprietary technology will handle approximately 90 percent of the agents’ work such as sourcing for new leads, matching of suitable buyers to sellers, scheduling and advertising. This frees up the agents to focus on the most crucial element of the job—our customers,” said Wong.

This arrangement has been proven effective in Singapore, where Ohmyhome agents perform at the rate of the top 0.1 percent of agents, a level of competence they intend to bring to the Philippine property market.

Wong said customers may also seek the help of Ohmyhome agents. “That’s perfectly okay. If they want help with the mortgage, any legal process, our agents can meet them right at their homes, on their beck and call,” she said.

“In the Philippines, we’re going to roll out every single service, one by one, because we need to make sure that everything is very localized and is done right. These you can expect to see from us within the next 12 to 18 months. What we do at Ohmyhome system is that we provide them a full suite of solutions,” Wong said.

Entrepreneur upholds Mindoro’s Artificial Intelligence CEO wins Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Award thriving food scenery WHILE Occidental Mindoro is known as a promising hub for sustainable tourism, the province boasts of more than white beaches and agricultural lands. Hailing from the small municipality of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro is a booming enterprise called Mids Foods Pasalubong.

Mids Foods Pasalubong is the brainchild of Ernan Declito, a local from the province who envisioned to promote Mindoro’s traditional yet genuine products characterized by distinct version, style and flavors that are consumed and passed on from generation to generation.

The shop’s variety of products consist of sweets and pastries, Yema spread, a sweet custard confectionery and Bagoong Alamang that comes with five flavors, bagnet, tocino, liempo, longanisa and chicken.

Their humble beginnings can be traced back to their first creation—polvoron, dubbed as every child’s delight. Mids Foods produces high-quality, rich-in-flavor delicacies and pastries that are baked with love. Mids Foods brand of “The Good Taste of Happiness” comes from their vision of providing the perfect taste

of felicity and affordable pasalubong for tourists and balikbayans.

The idea of Mids Foods Pasalubong was put in reality after Declito finished the first batch of the KMME or Kapatid Mentor Me program of the Department of Trade and Industry in 2017. Because of the success stories shared by other participating micro, small and medium enterprises, he was inspired to start his business even with a small capital on hand.

The Kapatid Mentor ME program aims to help MSMEs scale up through coaching and mentoring by business owners and practitioners on different functional areas of entrepreneurship.

Likewise, the enterprise has undergone product development assistance from DTI MIMAROPA which also paved way for its participation at the Agbiliwa Trade Fair. Several trainings on packaging and label, food safety and sanitation with SGS Philippines, basic of trademarks and trademark search, e-commerce and strategic digital marketing were attended by the enterprise owner.

LEADING artificial intelligence company Senti AI gained another momentous milestone as its chief executive Ralph Vincent Regalado was named the 2020 Injap-Sia Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Awardee in the Service Category at Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s 46th Philippine Business Conference & Expo.

The PCCI Injap Sia award recognizes young entrepreneurs who are able to innovate ideas to develop new markets, create wealth and generate jobs.

Coming from the academe as a professor at De La Salle University, Regalado dabbled in the startup scene when he joined Ideaspace’s StartUp Weekend Manila. He pitched the concept of an AIbacked analytics software that was able to understand Filipino languages and ended up winning. The winning solution became Senti AI’s first product—Pulse.

Fast forward a few years later, Senti AI launched five more products and became the leading AI solutions and services company in the Philippines. Under Regalado’s leadership, the company combines nearly three decades of academic research with deep industry experience to produce cutting-edge AI projects with meaningful impact.

Two of these projects are the Machine Learning HackFest 2019 where the com-

Ralph Regalado, CEO of leading artificial intelligence company Senti AI and a former professor from De La Salle University, wins the Injap-Sia Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Award in the Service Category.

pany conducted a hackathon that encouraged the local AI community to help NGOs in the Philippines augment their limited manpower by leveraging Artificial Intelligence.

Most recently, Regalado and his team teamed up with the Department of Health to create an AI system that helps deliver accurate, timely and updated information on Covid-19 policies for the whole Philippines.

As countries around the world embrace AI at a rapid pace, Regalado continues to use his knowledge and expertise to help the Philippines become AI-ready. With his passion for education and innovation, he conducts activities that help nurture the local tech community and empower the country.

Some of these activities include traveling around the Philippines to educate marketers, teachers and doctors about artificial intelligence, helping the country nurture a generation of AI engineers, data scientists and AI enthusiasts by establishing the AI Pilipinas community.

He represented the Philippines in the ASEAN-ROK Start-up Summit at Busan, Korea (where he bagged 2nd place against other countries), judged and mentored startups, technology teams locally and internationally and produced numerous NLP background projects and research papers to help expand and develop the scientific knowledge about the subject. His works can be found in Google Scholar.

Youth & Culture B1

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2020

Bernadette Lunas, Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

How millennials and Gen Zs cope with life in quarantine

EING cooped up at home, with more time on our hands, has turned many individuals into a new version of themselves.

Some have become bakers and eventually small business owners, others have learned they can cut and style their or someone else’s hair, and many have grown a small patch of jungle in their living spaces.

We also have instant celebrities who regularly post videos on TikTok and those working on becoming their stronger and fitter self by working out.

Of course, there a lot more ways people did and still do to use their time better or cope with the stress and anxiety this current pandemic brings. It’s all a matter of seeing things with a fresh perspective—as a brand of lager beer puts it.

Young online personalities are just like many us. They have turned to various coping mechanisms to adjust to life in the current normal.

ing a Heineken keg as weights.

Camille Co also got creative using the five-liter keg to work out. “No gym? No weights? No problem,” she said. After consuming the Heineken keg with friends, she uses it as a substitute for weights.

Pursuing one’s passion

Brand ambassador Kerwin King has recently found time to rediscover with two of his old passions: collecting comic books and vinyl records. He even finished reading a comic book in one sitting, while listening to one of his favorite artists and enjoying a Staying committed to fitness Heineken beer.

Dominic Roque misses the raceDuring the quarantine, Brazilian model and actor Daniel Matsunaga de- track, but he channels his energy into cided to try a new workout routine, us- his newfound love for photography. Daniel Matsunaga looks for ways to spice up his workout routine.

Camille Co poses for a photo after a fun workout session at home.

When he started his company, Domo Caps, he learned that there’s always a fresh experience waiting to be discovered. His business has now grown bigger than he expected, and he is exploring different ways to be productive while ending his busy days with a bottle of lager beer.

Appreciating the simple things in life

Vladimir Grand uses his extra time to read books.

Dominic Roque is proud of the growth of his business.

Mike Miguel loves surrounding himself—and his feed—with plants. During the quarantine, he finally got to channel his “inner plantito” again. He shared he had gotten so caught up with the city life ever since he moved to Manila that he Kerwin King rediscovers his old passion for had forgotten how therapeutic it was to be one with nature. vinyl records.

STORIES

Inspiring employee anthologies STORIES of hope and success offer a much-needed glimmer of light on dark days.

Offering a slice of positivity, a global company highlights the tales of some of its employees in a three-part anthology series.

Teleperformance’s TP Anthology consists of three episodes titled “Homecoming,” “Pangarap,” and “Unbroken” which feature stories of resilience, dreams coming true, and finding one’s true home.

“TP Anthology: Homecoming” is about the coming home story of Frances Eileen Ancheta, currently a center manager at Teleperformance Aura site.

While working in a different company for five months after leaving Teleperformance during her seventh year, she was asked by her former leader if she wanted to come back.

“I was tapped by my former EVP and I felt like it was because he trusted me that much for him to reach out to me and say ‘we would love to have you back with us,’” she shared.

Ancheta decided then and there to return to the place she has always called home.

Ancheta has been with the company for 10 years now.

“At Teleperformance, I can be as passionate as I want to be, and seeing my team be as passionate as I am helps

Emerson Balagtas

Spotting opportunities to enhance relationships

With the current boom in the plant business, financial advisor Degee Razon decided to help his mom grow hers. During this endeavor, he discovered that a lot of his friends find joy and comfort in taking care of plants. He said helped the business increase its financial gains, but the real benefit was growing closer to his mom.

Focusing on self-improvement

Ukrainian model Vladimir Grand said he was not the type of person who was fond of reading books, saying “it takes me forever to finish one.” But with extra time on his hands, he did his best to read more.

He improved his English vocabulary and pronunciation through reading.

Catch it while you can:

K-fest at SM Supermalls FANS of all things Korean have one more day left to check out the K-fest at SM Supermalls.

The event, which started on October 3 and runs until October 11, features a variety of activities and pop-ups that celebrate the Korean culture.

K-market digital catalogue

SM’s digital catalogue features everything Korean—including food favorites, restaurants, K-beauty musthaves from The SM Store, Watsons, and more.

K-feast

Frances Eileen Ancheta considers her current company her home.

me do my job a lot better. It’s not about the company as a company, it’s about the entire organization and the people that I work with. That’s what makes it feel like home.”

Meanwhile, perseverance in pursuing one’s dream is the theme in “TP Anthology: Pangarap.” This episode chronicles the journey of Emerson Balagtas, who was part of the housekeeping staff at Teleperformance for eight years before he became a customer service representative at its EDSA Greenfield site today.

With the help of leaders and other customer service representatives, he

Nina Kristine Abad

learned, studied, and eventually applied to become an agent—a dream he once thought was unattainable.

“The managers motivate us, and the trainers and supervisors are always there to guide us in the correct path.

Here at Teleperformance, they support career growth. They treat employees as family,” Balagtas shared.

The final episode, “TP Anthology: Unbroken,” is the inspiring story of Nina Kristine Abad, a director for client services at Teleperformance Ayala site, who has been with the company for 15 years.

Abad went through a life-changing accident during her vacation abroad that resulted in the amputation of her leg. Her confidence was shaken; she even worried that she might lose her job because of this disability.

With the support of the company, both during and after her recovery stage, Abad was able to regain her confidence and learn to be an even better and stronger leader.

“Regardless of my disabilities, whenever I apply for positions, face clients, conduct a workshop, or implement a new program, they see my skills, experience, and knowledge, and not my physical disability, appearance,

Korean restaurants at SM, including Samgyeopmasarap, offer great dining deals to satisfy guests during the festival.

Can’t go out just yet? Indulge in a Korean feast at home and check out the K-food bundles and promos available at SM Supermarkets (shop.smmarkets.ph).

Diners can enjoy their meals with an oppapillow companion and exclusive Korean content courtesy of Viu and WatchSM during the K-fest.

clusive Korean content from Viu and WatchSM by simply scanning the QR Shoppers can avail of K-beauty bun- code located on top of the table. dles from The SM Store, Watsons, The K-pop battle Face Shop, and more, as well as score Aspiring K-pop idols can show off some tips and advice from makeup and beauty experts as they go live on SM their dance moves on TikTok. Take a Supermalls Facebook page for an ex- video (maximum of three members) dressed up as K-pop idols and dance clusive K-beauty tutorial. to any 2020 K-pop song, post it on SM Supermalls K-Pop Sing and Dance BatDine with your oppa SM lets guests dine with famous tle Facebook post’s comment thread K-drama actors imprinted on fun, with the hashtags #SMDaresYOU and colorful pillows at the Korean-themed #KFestAtSM2020. Lucky winners get designated dining area. While dining a chance to win SM GCs and Viu prein, customers get special access to ex- mium subscriptions.

K-beauty

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

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

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

B2

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2020

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

Home/Design

Choosing the right community to live in RIDING SAFE WITH MONET. A carefully-laid out palette of parks and gardens at the 2,290-hectare Nuvali eco-city, may be just what the doctor ordered for these stressful times.

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YALA Land Inc. (ALI) shows no signs of reining in its passion for building sustainable communities.

The company, which pioneered the development of the Makati central business district (CBD) and other estates known for balanced residential, commercial, retail, and green open spaces, is banking on the time-old dictum that people consider finding the right community to live in as one of the best investments there is.

PRIORITIZING ACCESSIBILITY Living in a community that positions you within walking or biking distance from your office, medical facilities, stores, retail outlets, or other places of leisure, relieves one of the stress of driving, or commuting.

Having access to amenities gives one more time to enjoy leisure activities with friends and loved ones, or more time to

explore new hobbies and pastimes.

Everyday resources are within reach across all Ayala Land estates including Nuvali, the company’s 2,290-hectare eco-city development in the south.

Nuvali houses several residential communities, business spaces, educational institutions such as Xavier School and Miriam College, shopping centers, a Qualimed Hospital, and a Seda Hotel.

AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE BECKONS Having more time means one can can easily develop a more active lifestyle.

Communities with vast open spaces and sports facilities will help one achieve fitness goals faster.

Vermosa, Ayala Land’s 725-hectare

estate in Cavite, features athletic amenities inside the Vermosa Sports Hub. SAFETY IS A GIVEN Amenities are nothing without the comfort of knowing that one is safe at home. Ayala Land estates are equipped with round-the-clock security to ensure residents are can relax at home or explore outdoors without compromising their safety.

These estates are supervised by property managers who make sure that everything is going smoothly inside the community, paving the way to a healthier environment for all its occupants.

Most importantly, living in a community helps fend off feelings of isolation—especially now that the country is still under strict quarantine protocols. A community that has access to all the essentials, can help one be active despite the pandemic.

LIFESTYLE HUB. The Vermosa sports facility looms as a one-stop training and lifestyle beacon for sports buffs.

REINVENTING THE FILIPINO TOWNHOME. Boutique townhome communities developer TransPhil Real Estate, is taking the lead in gentrifying communities to create exceptional living spaces in Metro Manila, taking inspiration from Brooklyn, one of New York’s hippest neighborhoods. TransPhil Real Estate has eight projects lined up for this year alone with three already in the works—specifically Rosevale Estates, Buenconsejo, and The Bedford, spread across Paco, Manila, Mandaluyong City, and Quezon City. Most, if not all, TransPhil Real Estate units have 3 to 4 bedrooms (Seen in photo) with 4 to 5 bathrooms, walk-in closets, balcony, living room, dining area, powder room, help’s room, service area, driver’s quarters, and a 2 to 3-car garage, among other amenities. Each unit has a floor area ranging from 155 to 381 square meters, depending on the type of development. For more information, follow @TransPhilRealEstate on facebook and instagram.

GREENFIELD BUILDS HOMES FOR TOP COMPANIES.

FOOD FOR POOR COMMUNITIES. Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF) recently launched Bayan Tanim!, a program to help disadvantaged communities recover from the adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic by growing household crops. Bayan Tanim! was developed to provide communities with the means to grow their own vegetables safely at home. In partnership with First Pacific Company Ltd., MPIF turned over the first 100 Bayan Tanim! plant crates to the local government of Brgy.128 Smokey Mountain in Tondo, Manila last week. The Department of Agriculture supplied the seeds, the “Move Food Initiative” of Agrea Agriculture System International Inc., supplied the planting crates. The crates contained seeds, seedlings, fertilizer, potting mix, as well as fresh vegetables directly sourced from local farmers.“Growing your own produce is a simple solution to numerous health, environmental and economic problems,” MPIF president Melody del Rosario (Shown here at the Smokey Mountain turnover) told the Manila Standard. Bayan Tanim is the third phase of MPIF’s COVID-19 efforts, following PPE distributions to medical frontliners in over a dozen hospitals, and Kaya Natin To, a relief pack distribution effort to over 3,700 families in underserved and marginalized communities.

JLL PHILIPPINES APPOINTS NEW VICE CHAIRMAN. Joey Radovan recently joined

JLL Philippines as vice chairman. Reporting to country head Christophe Vicic, Radovan will focus on building the firm’s position in the market, and strengthening key client relationships in Philippines. He brings more than two decades of experience spanning across commercial real estate providers. Most recently, he was at Santos Knight Frank, where he represented the US-based bank, according to the S&P Global, in completing the single largest build-to-suit office lease transaction located in Bonifacio Global City for 70,000 sqm in 2018.JLL has been operating in the Philippines since 1997 as a 100% wholly-owned entity, and currently manages about 5.3 million square meters of real estate with a workforce of over 1,300 employees.

Greenfield Tower is one the latest highrise office buildings in Greenfield district of MandaluyongThe project is accessible to both private and public transportation owing to its proximity to major thoroughfares such as EDSA and Shaw Boulevard. Greenfield Tower’s digital backbone with fiber-to-the-office technology (FTTO) meets global standards with its integrated fiber optic system. Greenfield Tower is currently home to both fledgling start-ups and established companies. Its present locators include money transfer company Remitly, medical equipment provider Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, government agency Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), Teletransform, ECCL Singapore PTE Ltd and Goldilocks.

COVID-19 TESTING FOR EMPLOYEES, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. Century Properties

Group recently rolled out the latest antigen test from the United States, the Sofia 2 SARS antigen fluorescent immunoassay (Shown here), as part of the testing protocols for its on-site company employees and construction workers. “Fast and accurate results from this new test allow us to act swiftly and prevent the spread of infection in our construction sites, communities, and offices,” said CPG president Marco R. Antonio. Sofia 2 detects active COVID-19 virus in less than 20 minutes through painless swabs with 100% specificity and 96.7% accuracy. CPG’s outpatient medical arts facility, Centuria Medical Makati, partnered with LabX to open a drive-thru service for Sofia 2 in Century City.

CPG also conducted COVID-19 rapid tests to more than 1,700 workers and site personnel before resuming construction of its in-city vertical developments in Century City, Makati.

Entertainment

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2020

B3

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

A new girl to watch out for

By Nickie Wang

H

RISING STAR. Charlie Dizon, positioned for big and small screen stardom, is one of the talents being groomed by Rise Artists Studio and Star Magic, the country’s premier talent agency. (Photo from Charlie’s Instagram)

ER birth name is April Dizon, but ABS-CBN top gun Charo SantosConcio has given her another name, which turned out to be the young talent’s golden ticket to local Tinseltown.

Introducing Charlie Dizon.

The 24-year-old bella dama is an emerging film and television actress represented by Rise Artists Studio and Star Magic, the country’s premier talent agency known for discovering and honing young talents into reputable artists.

“It’s just so funny, a lot of people thought Charlie Dizon was a guy,” the young talent told Manila Standard Entertainment in an exclusive interview. “I like names suitable for both sexes. So, when Ma’am Charo told me that Charlie suits me, I kind of embraced it.”

ABS-CBN is already investing in this young star. Early this year, it was announced hat she is going to play young Toni Gonzaga in the prequel to the iconic Star Cinema film Four Sisters and a Wedding, which was produced

by Charo Santos and Malou Santos.

Titled Four Sisters Before the Wedding, the film that is currently in the planning stage also stars Alexa Ilacad, Gillian Vicencio, and Belle Mariano.

“It’s an iconic film, but what really makes me feel pressured is the fact that I’m playing the role portrayed by my idol. But I’m extremely honored and I promise to do my best so people will not get disappointed,” she said.

Charlie has already proven her mettle in acting when she was cast in Fan Girl, a film directed by Antoinette Jadaone.

Before she snatched the title role, a thorough and tedious casting process was needed to find the best fan girl for the film. With three major casting calls around several cities in Metro Manila and with almost 600 aspiring young ladies who auditioned, Charlie was chosen to be the lead actress for this one-of-a-kind film.

“I was late for the audition so I didn’t expect to get the part. They asked me to read something then I went through a few interviews. I felt very fortunate to get the role and I’m very happy that the director guided from the time we started shooting until we wrapped up,” Charlie narrated.

“I have learned a lot from her. Her method helped me a lot to get into the character,” she said of the film’s director.

Jannine Weigel’s

As a fan girl herself in real life, Charlie shows her compelling and breathtaking first lead performance of a highschool girl who is obsessed with a huge and famous Filipino celebrity. That celebrity is Paulo Avelino, who portrays himself in the film.

The film, a collaboration project by Blacksheep, Globe Studios, Project 8. Epicmedia and Crossword Productions, embarks on its journey with its World Premiere at 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival happening from Oct. 31 to Nov. 9.

“Fan Girl tells a tale of an obsessed teenage fan who finds herself inside a mansion with her celebrity idol she thought she knew and learns exactly why they say never meet your heroes. It’s a story that every fan should watch,” she ended.

Watch our exclusive interview with Charlie Dizon tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. on Very Wang streaming on Manila Standard PHFacebook page.

Charlie Dizon with Paulo Avelino in ‘Fan Girl.’

Slam’s towering eye candy

‘Passcode’ unlocks huge streaming figures

is to become a successful professional basketball player and make it to the PBA and at the same time run his own business.

Miguel is already a familiar face on the modeling TRUTH be told, character and attitude stand and commercial scenes. He did a commercial for Mighty tall amidst the glittering and hustling world of Sports apparel and had been with the Virtual Playground fame and stardom.

An armada of patience, faith, and resilience sports and modeling agency. will really bring one to the real meaning of stardom and success. This is what holds true to the young, humble, and talented FilipinoAustrian Miguel Roy Tan who is treading his studies and basketball sports at the same time.

Blessed with both good looks and talent inside the hard court, let’s take a peek at this young future superstar’s career and more.

Born Miguel Roy B. Tan on March 6, 2002 in Quezon City to Ryan Tan and Betty Tan, the 6-foot-4 cager and model will now be playing as power forward for the UP Fighting Maroons.

“My most unforgettable game was against Ateneo during our JAM (Jesuit Athletic Meet) tournament on November 2018. There, we faced Ateneo’s Kai Sotto, Forthsky Padrigao, and Geo Chiu, to name a few. This was memorable because from the get-go, the game was close. I and my teammates fought our hearts out, it wasn’t until the very last minutes of the fourth quarter where Ateneo was able to pull away. I made six 3-pointers and finished the game with 30 points,” Miguel recalls.

His idol in NBA is superstar Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers while in the PBA, he likes Calvin Abueva.

“Lebron always lives up to the hype. He was able to beat the Golden State Warriors during the 2016 NBA Finals which gives me a lot of inspiration because it was nearly impossible to do. Calvin Abueva, on the other hand, is a really hardworking guy. His grit in the game makes me Towering eye candy Miguel Tan is 18 years old and currently plays for UP Fighting Maroons. want to play like him,” added Miguel.

Photo courtesy of Xavier School Media Team.

His career-high is 39 points in a game against La Salle Greenhills (Paya). His favorite shot is dunking. His ambition

By Paolo Manuel C. Fule

JANNINE Weigel’s debut single ”Passcode” has only been out for two weeks and its video has already hit a landmark one million views on YouTube. The euphoric dance-pop anthem is connecting on a huge scale, also racking up an eye-popping number of streams since release.

The single is accompanied by a dazzling video directed by Philip Rom Kulleh. Some of Malaysia and Thailand’s biggest TikTok influencers feature amongst the cast of the video, shot and produced in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“Passcode” marks a watershed moment for Asian pop music and Weigel is set to be A-Pop’s first megastar. As well as the success on YouTube, streaming numbers are also edging towards the million mark and “Passcode” has featured on influential playlists across all of the majorsleading streaming partners in the region. A raft of notable TikTok users including Darren Espanto andBertrand Tio have created videos Thai-German po p has released a sin star Jannine Weigel using the song’s exhilarating sound and the gle accompanied by a #passcodechallenge hashtag has garnered 2.4 euphoric music video. million views since release.

International success beckons for Weigel, who is a fresh breed of pop star.

The 20-year-old is already huge in Thailand, where her infectious personality has converted into jaw-dropping social media numbers. She has 3.7 million subscribers on YouTube, 3.2 million followers on Facebook, 1.7 million on Instagram, and more than 570,000 on TikTok. Born in Steinfurt, Germany, Weigel moved to Thailand when she was 10. She made her first musical waves when, as a teenager, she uploaded cover versions of her favorite songs to her YouTube channel. Weigel became the first Thai singer to receive YouTube’s highlycoveted Gold Button.

“Passcode” is the debut release for RedRecords, the exciting joint venture between AirAsia and Universal Music Group. The label is dedicated to ushering in a new era of success for Asian pop music.

YouTube FanFest pays tribute to vloggers Lloyd Cadena and Emman Nimedez TO CELEBRATE their legacy and look back at the ways they touched the lives of so many netizens and communities, YouTube FanFest, in the opening of its Philippine segment, will pay tribute to the Filipino creators we’ve lost this year including Lloyd Cadena, fondly known as Kween LC, and Emman Nimedez.

The tribute will be in the form of a short video where some of the country’s local creators and FanFest participants such as About RAF, Fumiya Sankai, and music artists Ben&Ben and SB19, among others, will share their message about the two wonderful creators, their most memorable moments with them, and how they made an impact in people’s lives.

Lloyd Cafe Cadena is known as one of the most genuine, kind-hearted, and funniest Filipino content creators.

Having started his online career in 2011 with parody videos, challenges, and the famous LC Learns series, the 26-yearold internet sensation quickly rose as one of the pioneers of content creation in the Philippines and has built his fanbase to over five million subscribers.

Before he passed away, he was finally able to make his dream come true: to buy himself and his family their own house.

Like her beloved son, Nanay Lorita has her own YouTube channel called Mother Kween Vlogs, which already has 1.55 million subscribers.

Meanwhile, a graduate of Broadcast

YouTube first digital fanfest honors Filipino content creators Lloyd Cadena (left) and Emman Nimedez who both recently passed on.

Communication at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Emman Nimedez was naturally gifted as a director, actor, and filmmaker. He started creating and sharing short films, covers, and videos back in 2011, and soared to popularity in 2017 for his viral parody of the hit K-drama Goblin.

With his well-loved videos that brought joy in the online community, Emman has earned himself a whopping 2.73 million subscribers. Among his many achievements as a creator and artist include the release of his debut single “Uuwian” last July 2020.

YouTube FanFest stream live today on YouTube FanFest’s official YouTube channel starting at 4:30 p.m..

B4

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2020

Desiree Carlos, Editor

Pets

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Ulti-mutt Adopted Pets of the Year ers to find the ultimate pets, cats or dogs within the second week of September,

BY GREG SALIDO QUIMPO and picked three winners last October AND HEIDI MARQUEZ 4, World Animal Day. This online contest has a twist: Only T WAS a search like no entries of pets that have been adopted other. by their hoomans are accepted.

With more than 23 thousand online viewers of its promotional page, the Animal Kingdom Foundation page was flooded with entries and 38 launched an online event for pet own- heartwarming stories stood out.

CLAWS PROTECTION

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The judges picked 17 finalists from the 38 wonderful adoption stories and three winners was announced last October 4.

The contest was tilted “The Search for the Ulti-Mutt Adopted Pet of the Year” Eight special winners were also chosen. They can avail of a photoshoot, art portrait and 1, 000 pesos worth of pet products.

The Ulti-Mutt Adopted Pet of 2020 was awarded to Aura and Onyok, adopt-

ed pets of Micahella Bacud of Pampanga, the respective awards were given to Argus, adopted pet of jeng Mamiit of Cavite and Fil, adopted pet of Charmaine Lui Pio of Bulacan.

This online contest took AKF by surprise as the various heartwarming stories of adopted pets were just too good to be true. We never expected we would read how furparents sacrificed so much to save their adopted pets and, in return,

how significantly their lives were impacted by these special cats and dogs.

Our objective was met way beyond our expectations.

AKF has always campaigned for potential adopters to not shop for pets but, instead, adopt them from shelters or dog pounds.

Here are the amazingly inspiring stories of The Ulti-Mutt Adopted Pets of 2020:

Argus

Adopter: Jeng Paradero-Mamiit of Cavite Argus was a blind, mangy, and tick-infested dog when CARA Welfare Philippines rescued him mid-2015.

We were very nervous when we got him because it was the first time that we adopted a special needs dog. We were told that his blindness was irreversible and that he would need special attention from us.

After a few months living with us, we discovered that he had erlichia and while we were focused on treating this condition, he started regaining his eyesight. It turned out that his blindness was from erlichia and him having poor nutrition when he was still a stray.

But this little dog didn’t stop defying odds! Upon regaining his eyesight, he started showing the world what he could do. He joined the PAWS Doctor Dog program where he served as a therapy and a literacy assistance dog- calming and bringing joy to hospital patients, while also teaching young children to foster their love for reading.

Argus is one of the best examples that a former stray can be all that and more given the chance to start anew.

Aura and Onyok

Fil

Adopter: Michaella and Emelyn Bacud of Pampanga Most people would be holding flowers and chocolates on Valentines' Day. But, surprisingly, my father went home with a box of Zesto tied in front of his bike.

I expected him to bring me freshly picked flowers from the garden of whoever-it-is (we can't afford to buy bouquets) until a Zesto box greeted me along with puppy cries. They were day-old puppies and their eyes were still closed, kinda like a newborn rat! I felt excited, surprised, confused, and happy all at the same time.

My heart broke. I might not be a passionate pet-lover but these puppies still have a life like us humans.

Raising 2 puppies wasn't easy. Money wasn’t available during that time or in short — kapos. But we can't let the pups drink the instant noodle soup that we can only afford. My dad counted all our coins and ran to the nearest store. He went home with a pouch of milk and a baby bottle. Infant milk was now included on our list of debts in the sari-sari store. They were with us as we struggled financially.

Now I understand why those people with pets fought for the importance of their lives.

Having a dog is more than just being assured that someone will bark whenever there's an intruder, it’s like having a warmth that you don’t deserve. Those eyes and sticking tongues are the reminder that you are someone’s world, that you are someone’s everything, and that you are someone’s home.

Adopter: Charmaine Vistan of Bulacan The very first time I saw him, I had to stop the car because I couldn't believe my eyes. He was like a dead dog walking! He was pure skin and bones and his bloody skin looked like it was peeled off of his body. He also had a string tied around his neck.

I lost sight of him and was so bothered that I spent days looking for him. On the third day, I finally found him.

I took him to a vet in QC and with the help of kind people who donated for his care, he was able to go home after almost a month. I visited him regularly. The changes he went through and the progress he made was so visible! He is an incredible fighter who loves life.

It sometimes breaks my heart when I sit and think about Fil's past.

He lasted so long out in the streets probably having to fight for every scrap, every incomplete meal, and every sip of water.

Fil was my very first rescue. He paved the way for all my other rescues by opening my heart to the plight of dogs in the Philippines. He is the reason I started personally rescuing, adopting, and fostering dogs. Now, I run my own "mini" sanctuary with 29 dogs and 12 cats.

I love this boy with all of my heart and I hope that when people read his story and see his transformation, they too can be convinced to make a difference in a needy animal's life. It will not just change their rescue's life; it will also change theirs, just like Fil changed mine.

***** Thank you for all your amazing adoption stories!

The objective of this contest is to raise awareness on adoption and those of you who may have been touched by these adopted dog stories will hopefully find the courage and inspiration to rescue or adopt hapless animals. No doubt, their lives will become better and, more importantly, they will change yours in the most wonderful way.

Boredom Busters for Dogs

By Philippine Pet Institute ONE of the many responsibilities pet owners must take is to keep their pets safe and happy. However, as the country is undergoing a long quarantine period, pet owners are faced with limitations that may prevent them from keeping their pets active through outdoors exercise. Luckily, with a little bit of creativity and resources to work with, pet parents can come up with fun and exciting activities to get their furry loved ones moving without leaving the four corners of their home.

The Pet Food institute, together with its member brands, shares activities pet owners can do with their furry companions this upcoming month.

Tug of War

Look for fabric scraps and tie them together in knots and you got yourself a prop for tug of war. This game is a collaborative activity that owners can enjoy with their pets. Not only does this help their four-legged companions get their daily exercise but it also has several other health benefits that vary from dental hygiene to confidence building.

Pet owners must remember that for some pets, especially certain breeds of dogs, tug of war may encourage them to become dominant and aggressive towards other animals and even their owners. In order to enjoy a game of tug of war, owners must be in control of the game and their pet to avoid unwanted accidents like being bitten.

Teach Old Pets, New Tricks

If you have no items to spare, why not teach your pets a few tricks? Many would say that teaching tricks can be a long-winded endeavor; but the benefits

it provides can contribute favorably to the pet’s wellbeing. However simple or advanced it may be, trick training can improve a pet’s mental and physical health. It stimulates the pet’s reflexes and promotes better concentration, and most importantly, establish a better connection with the pet owner. Trick training is also a great tool to for pet owners to give their pets positive reinforcement which will help them cope with anxiety and raise their self-esteem.

Owners can find useful tips from reliable pet trainers online on proper trick training, and apply their learnings to their furry loved ones that both of them can enjoy. It will take a lot of patience for pets to learn so owners must remember to start at a slower pace to avoid their pets from getting stressed out which may result to aggression or abandonment.

Basic and Interactive Toys

Toys and other play things are very useful items to keep pets occupied. Regular bone and chew toys are good starters, but when your dog needs more entertainment, interactive toys, such as puzzles and ball launchers, may do the trick. Interactive toys can be in various forms and offer multitudes of features that can stimulate your pet’s mental activity while keeping them physically active.

Puzzle toys, for instance, helps pets think and use their heightened sense of smell to figure how to solve a puzzle.

Interactive food bowls are also popular for its features that help slow down the pet’s food intake. These interactive food bowls are usually designed with ridges to control food portions, preventing pets from experiencing bloating which may lead to more serious health issues like obesity.

Meanwhile, cat owners can do the classic laser chase game to keep their beloved felines engaged. Laser chase is a highlyphysical activity, yet it brings out the cat’s silly antics and cuteness. But cat owners must always be cautious not to point the laser directly onto their cat’s eyes. Doing so may damage their cat’s eyes and lead to blindness. If they wish to play laser chase with their cats, owners can use lasers like pet cube which are not harmful to cats.

Apart from these fun games and activities, pet owners must keep in mind that the best way to keep their pets healthy while staying indoors is by providing them a well-balanced diet. Commercially-available pet food had been made to ensure that pets receive their nutritional requirement that will enable them to grow strong and happy.

Pet Food Institute (PFI) is committed in educating pet owners about proper pet nutrition to keep pets healthy and happy. Through its local initiative, Well-Fed, Well-Nurtured campaign in partnership with the Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP), PFI seeks to advocate responsible pet ownership to the ever-growing Filipino pet community.

About the Pet Food Institute : Since 1958, the Pet Food Institute has been the voice of the U.S. pet food industry.

PFI is the industry's representative before Congress and state legislatures, as well as state and federal agencies; public education and media relations resource; organizer of seminars and educational programs; and liaison with other organizations. PFI represents the companies that make 98 percent of U.S. dog and cat food, an industry with more than $20 billion in U.S. retail sales and $1.3 billion in exports in 2015.

Krauss loves chew toys, and plays catch-a-ball and grab-a-toy with caretakers at the home for rescued dogs and cats of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL Inc.). Krauss was only 1.5 years old when he was supposed to be put to sleep by a vet as requested by the owner because he was reportedly aggressive. Save ALL decided to get him instead and those who take care of he rescues have been amazed by Krauss' sweet nature and intelligence. He actually listens to humans and finds a way to tell them what he wants. Playing is one way to help dogs expend energies so that they will not become aggressive.

For inquiries, contact Jinny Dolendo/ Andrea Alido Strategic Edge, Inc. jjacaria@seinc.com.ph/ group3@seinc.com.ph 892-0247 or 50