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REFLECTION OF LIFE. In this photo posted on Twitter, children jump from tomb to tomb as their parents wade through flood waters to visit to their departed loved ones inside a public cemetery in Pampanga on Saturday, about a week before the traditional All Saints Day and All Souls Day or ‘Undas’ holidays. Cemeteries and columbariums nationwide will be closed from October 29 to November 4 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. George Calvelo via ABS-CBN
DPWH probe ‘to spare no one’ Villar to focus on project engineers; PACC won’t name solons involved
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UBLIC Works Secretary Mark Villar said Saturday no one would be spared from the investigation of the recently-created Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) task force to look into the alleged anomalies in the agency.
At the same time, Presidential AntiCorruption Commission (PACC) commissioner Greco Belgica said the agency would not name lawmakers under investigation for alleged involvement in corruption at the DPWH, saying this would “compromise” the probe. This, as Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor challenged him to reveal those involved after he earlier bared that some lawmakers were in cahoots with
DPWH personnel in alleged corrupt practices. “I understand the plight of Mrs. Nasino and I extend my condolence to her. I take this opportunity to extend my condolence to her,” Peralta said. “We tried our best... and I hope Mrs. Nasino understands also the court and the others. That’s what really happened. There was no intention to delay it,” the Chief Justice added.
“I don’t want to do blind items or make a bulletin board or noise board of our investigation...if I were to say who is being investigated before the inquiry or who the suspects are, it’s like telling the suspect that I will arrest them and that will compromise the investigation,” Belgica told a news briefing. Belgica said the National Bureau of Investigation or Office of the Ombudsman would conduct the investigation, citing PACC’s limitations. The Public Works chief made the statement during an interview on Dobol B sa News TV to clarify the probe would only focus on those in lower levels after President Rodrigo Duterte said those occupying lower ranks in DPWH were likely to be involved in corruption. Villar created the task force, to be com-
posed of five officials, in a department order dated October 17 to be headed by DPWH Assistant Secretary Mel John Verzosa. Villar said the investigation would put greater focus on the project engineer levels, adding DPWH would release its findings “in the next month or so.” Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier said corruption was an “open secret” in the implementation of public works projects, “involving not only some corrupt officials of the department but some legislators as well.” Villar said the thrust of the investigation was to collect evidence, and inquire into all accusations so the officials would have “hard result.” He said DPWH was also coordinating with the PACC and Infrawatch as well as the internal affairs of concerned agencies. Recently, a Commission on Audit re-
port showed that DPWH had P100 billion worth of delayed and unimplemented projects in violation of procurement law and agreed contracts. In its 2019 annual audit report on DPWH, COA said these delayed and unimplemented projects reached P101 billion in 2019, lower than the 2018 figure of P118 billion. DPWH attributed the delayed implementation of projects to the delayed release of capital outlay allotments, which only started in June 2019 due to delayed approval of 2019 national budget law. Senators earlier flagged around P345.25billion in lump sum inserted in the DPWH’s proposed 2021 budget, with lawmakers and officials of the department said to be asking for “kickbacks” from contractors that win projects from the agency.
Peralta: High Court did not neglect Nasino; ‘no intention to delay’ petition rulings By Rey E. Requejo
‘CJ’ SPEAKS. Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta speaks to reporters via videochat on Friday to mark his first year as the top magistrate of the Supreme Court.
COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE
(AS OF 4 PM OCT. 24)
367,819 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES
THE Supreme Court did not neglect jailed activist Reina Mae Nasino, the mother of a three-month-old child whose death has been blamed on the courts, according to Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta. “We did not neglect her. We tried to help her,” Peralta said in a virtual press conference marking his first year in office as chief justice. Nasino lost her daughter, River, to pneumonia on October 9. The baby was separated from her mother on August 13 and died while under the care of her grandmother. She was laid to rest under heavy security last week. Baby River was born on July 1 while Reina was, and still is, under detention, facing illegal possession of firearms and explosives charges following her arrest in November 2019 as part of a massive crackdown against the Left and left-leaning groups. “We tried our best... and I hope Mrs. Nasino also understands the court and the others. There was no intention to delay it. There really are limitations,” Peralta stressed. The legal barriers started when Nasino and 21 other petitioners pleaded in April to
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pages—to argue varying positions on a number of issues that could be applied to political prisoners-petitioners, and whether the socalled Nelson Mandela Rules could apply in the country. Peralta revealed that he personally went out of his way to instruct the Manila regional trial court judges, through Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, to act on Nasino’s separate pleas even before baby River died. However, the Nasino family, according to the Chief Justice, was not satisfied with Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 20 Judge Marivic Balisi-Umali’s orders and sought her inhibition.
Manila Judge Paulino Gallegos, who received Nasino’s re-raffled case, initially granted her a three-day furlough but cut it to three hours for each of two days, after jail authorities claimed they did not have enough personnel to escort the activist. When Nasino was allowed out of jail to bury her daughter, she was surrounded by dozens of armed guards. The Chief Justice extended his condolences to Nasino, who faces charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives and is on a 21-day quarantine after her brief time out of the Manila City Jail. Previously, Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, in his separate opinion on the SC decision on the Nasino case, suggested that the court come out with a writ of kalayaan to address prison congestion. Peralta said Leonen has yet to come up with a formal suggestion to the court. “But if there will be one, of course we have to study it and then organize a committee to study further the recommendation of Justice Marvic,” he said.
4 ‘PHENOMENAL’ WOMEN VIE FOR MS. UNIVERSE PH We can narrow down the top contenders in the Miss Universe Philippines beauty pageant to Miss Cavite, Miss Parañaque, Miss Bohol, and Miss Quezon City (pictured from left).
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release sick, elderly and pregnant detainees vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus inside crowded jails. The activist had asked the high court to release her from jail when she was six months pregnant, fearing COVID-19, but she gave birth and was separated from her child before the SC announced its decision. All 15 SC magistrates voted on July 28 to treat the petition as a petition for bail or recognizance, leaving it to trial courts to determine if the petitioners are individually entitled to post bail. The high court, Peralta said, is not a trier of facts. However, the result of the SC vote was not actually announced by the Supreme Court Public Information Office until September 10, or more than a month after. Nasino’s lawyers did not receive a full copy of the decision until October 9—the same day River died. The main decision was only nine pages long, but eight magistrates issued separate opinions—collectively reaching almost 300
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Recto to Palace: Name vaccine ‘czar’ now By Joel E. Zurbano, Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas
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ENATOR Ralph Recto on Saturday urged Malacañang to appoint someone capable of getting the right vaccine for coronavirus disease and ensure all the 110 million Filipinos will be injected.
ROADS BLOCKED. A landslide completely blocks this road between Claveria and Sta. Praxedes towns in Cagayan Province on Saturday, while the combined rains from storms ‘Pepito’ and ‘Quinta’ eroded this road (inset) also between the two towns, which the Cagelco electric cooperative and DPWH in Region 2 are trying to fix. Meanwhile, to prepare for when ‘Quinta’ hits the Bicol region on Sunday, members of the Philippine Coast Guard’s Deployable Response Group (DRG) prepare lifeboats and other gear (also inset). CAGELCO, DPWH, PCG photos
PAGASA warns of flash floods, landslides due to twin storms By Maricel V. Cruz THE state weather bureau on Saturday warned of possible flash floods or landslides during moderate to heavy rains in several areas due to Tropical Depression Quinta and the trough of severe tropical storm Pepito, which is already out of the Philippine area of responsibility. The two weather systems are forecast to bring cloudy skies with scattered rain show-
PH-Japan, US in contrasting SCS moves THE Philippines and Japan have underlined the need for countries to stop any activity that might provoke tensions in the disputed South China Sea, saying the agreement negotiated by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China should be upheld. At the same time, the United States said Friday it would deploy Coast Guard patrol ships in the western Pacific to counter “destabilizing and malign” activities by China in disputed fishing grounds of the South China Sea. Accusing China of “illegal” and “unregulated” fishing, as well as “harassment” of fishing boats from regional countries, White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said in a statement that the US Coast Guard “is strategically homeporting significantly enhanced Fast Response Cutters...in the western Pacific.” These Sentinel class vessels will carry out maritime security operations, including helping fishing boats “in collaboration with regional partners who have limited offshore surveillance and enforcement capacity, and ensure freedom of navigation,” he said.
ers and thunderstorms over the island provinces comprising the MIMAROPA Region, the Bicol Region, the Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro area, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said, in its 24-hour forecast. Meanwhile, ahead of the World Tsunami Day on November 5, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Under-
secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. is urging local government units (LGUs) to plan and prepare for it. In a taped DOST report aired on Friday afternoon, Solidum said the Philippines was prone to tsunamis because of its archipelagic nature and had earthquake generators. “Based on studies, there are about 10-14 million people living near the shores that may be hit if a tsunami happens,” he said. A weather disturbance is classified as
a tropical depression like Quinta when it packs winds of 61 kilometers per hour or less near the center, while a severe tropical storm such as Pepito is one that packs 81 to 117 kph near the center. At 3 p.m. on Saturday, the center of Quinta was estimated at 635 kilometers east of Juban, Sorsogon with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph.
EARLY ‘UNDAS’.
IN BRIEF
People line up to enter the Manila North Cemetery while Manila Police District personnel maintain order and ensure that health protocols are implemented in the area on Saturday. All cemeteries and columbariums in the capital city will be closed from October 29 to November 4 to avoid public gatherings during Undas season and to contain the spread of COVID-19. Norman Cruz
Airtime portion for info on gov’t work proposed
DA to probe possible collusion in surge in pork prices A POSSIBLE collusion among hog traders to withhold the release of pork products in the market is causing prices to jack up, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Saturday. Citing data from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), the DA noted a significant inventory of both locally slaughtered and imported pork in cold storage fa-
cilities accredited by the service. As of October 21, prices of kasim or pork ham reached P320 per kilo and liempo or pork belly at P360 per kilo in most Metro Manila public markets, P20 to P40 more compared to P300 and P320, respectively, two weeks ago. The DA is also looking at whether the
high prices were a result of inefficiencies in the supply chain, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said. As of the third week of October, the inventory of frozen pork, both local and imported, in NMIS-accredited cold storages nationwide was bigger by 55% than the same period in 2019, at 38,216 metric tons (MT), the DA said.
Año: Nothing wrong with anti-Red tarps THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Saturday it sees nothing wrong with the posting and display of tarpaulins or messages denouncing communist rebels or terrorist groups all over the country because speech or expression is protected under the Constitution. “The expressions of sentiment against CPP/NPA/NDF [Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front] atrocities are free speech and are legally protected under the Constitution,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said. “Remember, these are the terrorists’
groups driven by an archaic ideology who have been killing our police and soldiers and extorting from innocent civilians for the past 50 years. It is just right that people denounce them for their crimes against the people,” Ano added. “If you are not a member of the CPP/ NPA/NDF, then you have nothing to worry about. How can these be ‘red-tagging’ when they are Communists or Reds by their own admission,” he said. He added that it was CPP founder Joma Sison, who is comfortably in-exile in The Netherlands, who red-tagged the groups in the first place so they should complain to their leader and not to the government.
Designating the vaccine czar this early, according Recto, will also jumpstart the setting up of a “supply-to-syringe cold chain” as the vaccines have to be moved and stored in freezing temperatures in a tropical country that lacks infrastructure for it. There are 170 possible vaccines in various stages of development, but the World Health Organization stated that only about two billion doses can be rolled out by the end of 2021. “How much is left for the Filipinos? Countries who have sunk billions into their development have firm orders so they are first in line. Where is our place in the long line?” Recto asked. The senator also said countries who developed the vaccines might prioritize their own people. “We need a Filipino with global stature, excellent connections and diplomatic skills to successfully place the orders and outsmart the competition. On-the-job training is not allowed here,” he said. Recto said the other problems were insular in nature, after the first batches of vaccines had arrived. “First is the selection. The first wave has the element of rationing. Who will be chosen? What will be the selection guideline? It is already settled that medical personnel will be first on the line. Who’s next?” Recto said. “If the vaccines will be licensed to be produced here, do we have the infrastructure for that? And how fast can we scale up production?” he added. Regardless of the source, Recto said, whoever will be appointed as vaccine czar must know how to bring the vaccines to 110 million people in an archipelago lacking cold transport and storage facilities. “Like any frozen delight, the vaccine needs to be refrigerated. Filling the cold chain gap ranks high in the vaccine czar’s many duties,” he said. Recto cited the recent warning by logistics giant DHL that “temperature requirements are likely to be the main challenge” to a COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Pharmaceutical giant Moderna said its vaccines must be stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Pfizer, on the other hand, has notified the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that its vaccine must be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius.
RELIEF EFFORTS. Sen. Cynthia A. Villar (center) personally receives medical protective materials and medicines from the Philippine Fujian General Youth Association, Inc., headed by its President James Go, during a simple turn-over ceremony. The donations include face shields and face masks and medicines, which Villar in turn distributes to LGUs, frontliners and the people in communities in support of the government’s fight against COVID-19. The senator thanked the group for their support.
A LEADER of the House of Representatives has proposed that the broadcast media and online news sites allocate a portion of their airtime to disseminate information on enacted laws and government services, as well as announce vital information in the event of emergencies along with other matters of public interest. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte filed House Bill (HB) 7819 or the proposed “Public Service Announcement Act.” He said his proposal will ensure that the power of the media would be “harnessed for the common good instead of being abused for political messaging and propaganda.” “A disciplined society requires information. The State as guardian of the rights of the people should ensure that they are wellinformed of their rights and well-aware of matters regarding their public safety, civic duties and responsibilities,” Villafuerte said. Maricel V. Cruz
MMDA closes U-turn at Munoz for busway CHAIRMAN Danilo Lim of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said another U-turn slot along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue will be closed next week in line with the EDSA busway project aimed to provide faster mobility for the commuting public. “Beginning Monday, Oct. 26, the Edsa U-turn slot near Panorama Building and Waltermart Munoz will be closed,” said Lim. He said affected motorists may take the Quezon Avenue Service Road Uturn slot (northbound) or Dario Bridge U-turn slot (southbound) as alternate route. The EDSA busway project designates the innermost lane of EDSA as exclusive for buses travelling along the national highway. Joel E. Zurbano
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Pompeo urges end to Armenia, Azerbaijan row WASHINGTON—US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday urged an end to fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh as he met his counterparts from Azerbaijan and Armenia but there were no signs of progress. Pompeo held separate meetings in Washington an hour apart with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, without any three-way meeting. Pompeo, who had downplayed expectations and did not speak alongside either minister, “emphasized the need to end the violence and protect civilians,” the State Department said. He reiterated the US stance that the conflict should be resolved on the principles of “the non-use or threat of force, territorial integrity and the equal rights and self-determination of peoples,” a statement said. Two ceasefire bids have already failed in the month of fighting with Armenia acknowledging that Azerbaijan has made military gains on the ground. Bayramov said he told Pompeo that the “Armenian occupation must end” of Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan that is controlled by Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan. “We are committed to finding a political solution (to) the conflict and ready to resume substantive talks immediately,” Bayramov said in a statement after the talks. “Armenia must stop avoiding meaningful negotiations and choose lasting peace,” he said. But Armenia said that the aggressor was Azerbaijan, which it accused of intentionally targeting civilian sites. “There is no way that the security of our compatriots will be compromised. There is no way that we are going to allow another ethnic cleansing in NagornoKarabakh,” Mnatsakanyan said at the Atlantic Council. He called the talks with Pompeo “very encouraging” and said he pressed concerns about Azerbaijan receiving weapons from its ally Turkey. “The political and military encouragement of Azerbaijan to entertain the thought that there is a military solution to this conflict has been the role of Turkey,” he said. AFP
TAKING A BREAK. A volunteer fighter sits on a car in a village south-east of Stepanakert on Friday during the ongoing fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Russian president said on Thursday the death toll was nearing 5,000 since full-scale fighting reputed last month, in the worst flare-up in the disputed region in more than two decades. AFP
Europe, WHO alarmed over resurgent virus crisis
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TOCKHOLM—The European Union’s disease control agency has joined frantic health workers to sound the alarm over a coronavirus surge across the continent, as the World Health Organization warned of an “exponential” rise in infections.
Even countries that avoided severe outbreaks during Europe’s first wave of contagion in the spring have watched their case numbers surge, with Germany’s death toll passing 10,000 on Saturday. Governments have reintroduced containment measures to slow the renewed spread of the virus in nations that only weeks earlier believed they had triumphed over the crisis. But populations weary of social isolation
and economic hardship have pushed back against fresh restrictions, including overnight clashes in hard-hit Naples between Italian police and hundreds of protesters. The continent was facing a major threat to public health and a “highly concerning epidemiological situation,” said Andrea Ammon, director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The agency said all EU countries except
Cyprus, Estonia, Finland and Greece fell into a “serious concern” category, as did the United Kingdom, up from just seven a month ago. After Spain became the first European country to officially record a million Covid-19 cases earlier in the week, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Friday the real number of infections was likely more than triple that number. France followed Spain past the millioncase milestone on Friday while Germany hit a fresh daily record of nearly 15,000 new cases, with health authorities urging the public to follow social distancing measures. Urgent new restrictions on daily life have come into effect in several nations, with France extending a curfew to cover 46 million people. AFP
IN BRIEF Sudan to normalize ties with Israel WASHINGTON—Sudan on Friday became the latest Arab nation to agree to recognize Israel in a diplomatic triumph for President Donald Trump announced days before US elections. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed an accord at the White House last month to normalize relations with Israel but Sudan carries added symbolism as an Arab nation that has been at war with Israel. Trump announced the agreement by Sudan’s year-old civilian-backed government moments after he formally moved to end the nation’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, achieving a major objective for Khartoum. Reporters were escorted into the Oval Office where Trump was on speakerphone with Sudan’s leadership and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of the embattled Republican president. “This truly changes the region. It changes the lives of our peoples for the better and allows us to focus on the task of building our nations, building our future,” Netanyahu was heard telling Trump. AFP
Bach: Olympics not ‘marketplace of demos’ LONDON -- Olympics chief Thomas Bach warned against allowing the Games to “descend into a marketplace of demonstrations” on Saturday after criticism of a rule banning protests by athletes. The International Olympic Committee president has come under fire for the ruling, announced in a year which has seen widespread support by athletes for the Black Lives Matter movement. But Bach, who won a team fencing gold medal at the 1976 Olympics, said he had learned first-hand about the “political impotence of sport” when West Germany boycotted the 1980 Games over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. “The athletes personify the values of excellence, solidarity and peace. They express this inclusiveness and mutual respect also by being politically neutral on the field of play and during the ceremonies,” Bach wrote in British newspaper The Guardian. AFP
Mystery over Pope’s ‘missing’ gay union quote ROME—The Vatican may have cut Pope Francis’ remarks on same-sex civil unions out of an interview with a Mexican journalist in 2019, according to reports which raised the spectre Friday of papal censorship. Francis stunned many this week with his comment that gay couples should be allowed to have legally recognised civil unions -- a radical shift from the Vatican’s official stance. “What we have to create is a law of civil union, they have the right to be legally protected,” the Argentine pontiff said in a documentary which premiered at the Rome Film Festival Wednesday. Questions immediately arose over where and when Francis made the comments -- and whether they had been censored by the Vatican or Mexico’s largest media conglomerate. “The pope made the comments in an interview with the Vatican correspondent for the Mexican broadcaster Televisa,” Teresa Villa, a Televisa spokeswoman, was quoted by the New York Times as saying late Thursday. AFP
Poland president tests positive for coronavirus: aide
EGYPT VOTES. A man, mask-clad due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, prepares to cast his vote at a polling
statio≠≠≠n in the Agouza district in Giza, the twin-city of Egypt’s capital, on Saturday, while voting in the first stage of the lower house elections, in which there was little doubt of a sweeping victory for supporters of hardline President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi. AFP
Libya’s warring factions sign ‘permanent’ ceasefire GENEVA—Libya’s two warring factions signed a “permanent” ceasefire agreement on Friday after five days of talks at the United Nations, which hailed the deal as a historic moment following years of turmoil and bloodshed. “Today is a good day for the Libyan people,” said Stephanie Williams, the UN’s acting envoy to the troubled North
African country, where a UN-recognised government in Tripoli has been battling a rival administration based in the east and dominated by military commander Khalifa Haftar. “The two Libyan delegations... signed a complete, country-wide and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect,” she said.
Williams said the parties agreed that “all military units and armed groups on the front lines shall return to their camps”, while “all mercenaries and foreign fighters” must leave within three months. The United States also welcomed the agreement and urged all foreign fighters to leave. AFP
WARSAW—Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has tested positive for coronavirus, an aide said on Saturday, as the country faces a record rise in cases. “Ladies and Gentlemen, as recommended President @AndrzejDuda was tested yesterday for the presence of coronavirus. The result turned out to be positive. The president is fine,” Blazej Spychalski, secretary of state in the president’s office, said on Twitter. While it was unclear when Duda was infected, he had attended an investment forum in Tallinn on Monday where he met with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev who later went into quarantine. Poland went into a “red zone” lockdown on Saturday, including the partial closure of primary schools and restaurants. The move came as the EU country of 38 million people saw a new 24-hour record of 13,632 coronavirus cases on Friday. AFP
Trump launches intense campaign push PENSACOLA —Donald Trump launched an intense last-ditch reelection push Friday in Florida, insisting that Covid-19 is disappearing, while frontrunner Joe Biden hammered his message that the president had abdicated responsibility for a pandemic that is actually surging. With 50 million people having already cast early ballots, Biden has a firm lead in national polls, as well as in most of the battleground states like Florida that typically decide the winner of US presidential elections. The drama of the final Trump-Biden televised debate on Thursday was thought unlikely to move the needle significantly. But Trump pulled off a stunning upset when he defeated the favorite Hillary Clinton in 2016 and he will now make a grueling series of campaign stops through
the battlegrounds to try and repeat that feat. Targeting the politically powerful seniors’ vote in Florida, Trump began with a rally in the famous retirement community The Villages, where he told a large crowd that all Biden talks about is “Covid, Covid, Covid” to try and “scare people.” “We’re going to quickly end this pandemic, this horrible plague,” he said, underlining his consistent message that the virus is on a rapid decline, when in fact case numbers are spiralling upward again, with more than 220,000 Americans already dead. Referring to Biden’s warning of a “dark winter” ahead, Trump countered: “We’re not entering a dark winter. We’re entering the final turn and approaching the light at the end of the tunnel.” AFP
PREXY CLONE. A young boy is seen dressed as US President Donald Trump during a campaign rally at The Villages Polo Club in The Villages, Florida on Friday. AFP
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Business
Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net
Tagaytay moves to revive retail amid pandemic By Othel V. Campos
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THREE-DAY fair featuring local products at Fora Mall has reinvigorated the retail sector in Tagaytay City which suffered from the border restrictions over the past six months.
Tagaytay City had shunned city guests, even day-trip travelers since March for fear of exposing upland dwellers to the threat of COVID-19 infections. Cognizant of the need to help the economy bounce back, the city government and Filinvest Land Inc. agreed to host the 20th edition of the DTI Bagsakan Sales Fair this month. At the opening of the event, Trade Undersecretary for trade promotions Abdulgani Macatongan called on consumers to be the new “buy-ani”. “Being the new hero does not require us to sacrifice our lives. We can be a hero for others, for the economy, if we continue to support local products. So we urge everybody to eat local, buy local and travel local,” he said at the sidelines of the event. The Tagaytay fair is the 20th Bagsakan event organized by the DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotions and hosted by prominent mall operators like Filinvest Land. The three-day fair featured products and small businesses from Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bataan, Metro Manila, Sorsogon and Samar. Among the participating micro-, small- and medium enterprises from Cavite that participated in the event were Alexie Lily Farm Enterprise, Cafe Amadeo Development Cooperative, Crooc Agri Tourism, Delfa’s Food Products Inc. and Dhelightful Creations. Laguna MSMEs included Cocoplus Aquarian Development Corp., Jhaz Footwear and Patricia’s Food Manufacturing. Rizal sent two participants—Cut N Shape Crafts Manufacturing and Glofon Herbal Medicine. Bataan has the most number of participating MSMEs, including Amanda’s Marine Products, Beakries House of Goodies, Gloria’s Delicacies Gracielo’s Cashew Nuts, Magpoc’s Araro Cookies, Ruthy’s Food Processing, Terio’s Food
Mandaluyong barangay adopts cashless payments RESIDENTS and workers of Barangay Namayan in Mandaluyong City can now enjoy cashless transactions in their community as the local government taps PayMaya, in cooperation with PLDT Enterprise. This is the first barangay-level “cash-lite” community initiative in the Philippines. Residents of Barangay Namayan are now equipped with PayMaya-powered citizen IDs that both serve as an identification card and a payment card linked to the mobile phone. With this, citizens can use PayMaya app and cards for everyday transactions such as buying from neighborhood stores, shopping online, sending money, paying for bills, availing of digital goods, and many more. Barangay employees, meanwhile, can expect a safer and more efficient disbursement of their salaries as they are now set to receive their monthly pay through their own PayMaya-powered citizen ID card. “Our collaboration with PayMaya and PLDT Enterprise becomes even more relevant now, given the need for safer contactless transactions. By encouraging the use of cashless technologies in everyday transactions in our barangay, we are building a safer and more inclusive community,” said Namayan barangay chairman Victor Emmanuel Francisco Jr. To further promote safer transactions in the community, neighborhood businesses ranging from food stalls to the local bulalohan can accept contactless payments via PayMaya QR. These small businesses utilize PayMaya Negosyo, an app that allows MSMEs to accept cashless payments via PayMaya QR in-stores as well as PayMaya Send Money and Bank Transfers online. With this, citizens can use their PayMaya accounts to pay for their purchases contactless, reducing the risk of transmitting the COVID-19 virus through cash-handling.
Tagaytay City and Filinvest Land Inc. host the 20th edition of the DTI Bagsakan Sales Fair.
Products and Tess Enterprise. Ma. Delza’s Native Product was the lone participant from the NCR while Jacildo’s Handicraft represented Samar. Sorsogon brought two--Cerra Furniture and Isla de Mazita’s Enterprises. The Bagsakan Sales Fair was a concept borne out of the ruins of the pandemic and the need to bring stalled MSMEs back to the fold. Conceived at the parking lot of the DTI, Bagsakan started out as a small “tiangge” fair organized by the BDTP a few months after the strict lockdowns was eased to help small businesses recover from the
crisis. Macatongan reiterated the DTI’s call to consumers to support Philippine products and “help each other out to conquer this crisis.” “Instead of buying imported goods, foods and wearables, let us support local MSMEs. We have good quality consumer goods and even better quality fruits and vegetables,” he said. He said events like the Bagsakan Sales Fair emerged as a new marketing tool for the DTI to slowly and effectively help MSMEs mainstream their products through mall exposure.
The DTI has organized 20 Bagsakan fairs in a span of three months, three of them were hosted by Filinvest Lifestyle Malls in Cavite. The Fair also encouraged 11 regions to participate. Meanwhile, Filinvest is looking at having a dedicated area inside Filinvest malls where MSMEs can display and sell their products, free of charge. Filinvest hosted the three-day sales event at Fora Mall. This marked the third time the company hosted sales fairs for the DTI promotions group during the pandemic. Filinvest senior vice president for mixed-use and retail business Joselito Santos said the company is eager to assist the department in hosting trade and sales event that will help small entrepreneurs prosper. “Giving exposure to MSMEs, having them come and sell from our malls is also beneficial to us. We hope that events like this will encourage more people to go out of their houses to spend and get the economy going,” he said.
foodpanda ambassador and celebrity gamer Alodia Gosiengfiao
Home investments yield great returns SECURING a home has become more crucial than ever. For many Filipinos, long-term security begins with acquiring their own homes that provide everything that their families need—well-designed spaces for learning and work, access to transportation, proximity to essential locations and recreational options. To achieve this, one must make the wise choice of investing in property from Bria Homes—a leading real estate company in the Philippines. For Red Rosales, president of Bria Homes, there is no better time to do this than now. “Every Filipino dreams of owning a home,” Rosales says. “Because of the uncertainties engendered by the pandemic, purchasing a superior-quality home that will last through the years remains a hardworking Filipino’s biggest
Buying a good-quality Bria home is as easy as shelling out P2,994 a month through flexible payment schemes aspiration.” “Bria takes this to heart by offering Filipinos modern, well-built and affordable house-and-lot packages located in safe and secure communities. This will afford them a greater sense of security and comfort because they know that properties are real
P&A Grant Thornton was awarded as the first Corporate Silver Learning Partner of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the Philippines. ACCA is a globally-recognized organization with a thriving community based in 179 countries. As a Silver Learning Partner, P&A Grant Thornton can assist students in their journey to ACCA membership and the programs they are enrolled to. The ACCA’s Learning Partner program enables global availability of effective and innovative course delivery and first-class student support. Achieving this provides formal recognition to P&A Grant Thornton as a leading learning provider in delivering global quality education and support for its students. With the pandemic affecting education in our country, P&A Grant Thornton also offers on-demand certificate courses for finance and accountancy professionals via online study, which include the Certificate in International Financial Reporting, Certificate in International Auditing, Certificate in Business Valuations and the new Certificate in Digital Innovation for Finance. P&A Grant Thornton can also help manage the schedule of exams that the students will take, all the way to the CPDs to be submitted annually. Studying with ACCA guarantees support at every milestone of an accountant’s career, equipping them with skills and values needed which is important for our economy. The graduate-level ACCA qualifications are the gold standard in accountancy, opening doors to highly respected work in any sector. ACCA provides program offerings and qualification courses to polish and mold your skills and expertise in accounting and finance. Included in these programs are the ACCA certificate and diploma program offerings. Under this are the Foundations in Accountancy which is a Diploma in Accounting and Business, focusing on the core skills of financial accounting and management accounting, and the accountant’s wider role in a business at higher levels. FIA does not require minimum entry requirements and offers various entry points for students to select the most appropriate route to cater to their future career. When a student completes the Diploma in Accounting and Business, the student can choose to transfer to the ACCA Qualification proper or learn further to become a Certified Accounting Technician. Othel V. Campos
HMO taps Silicon Valley start-up
Foodpanda readies Christmas surprises MORE than the feasts, lights or gifts, it is the Christmas spirit that makes the Filipino Christmas uniquely special and beautiful. No challenge can ever dampen the merry that Christmas brings. To usher in the holidays, foodpanda will lighten up the nation with kumukutikuti-TAP: Isang Dosenang Pamaskong Hatid ng foodpanda (12 Surprises of Christmas). For the next 12 weeks starting Oct. 11, foodpanda will launch weekly surprises for customers. Kicking off the celebration is foodpanda’s biggest promotion. Customers get a chance to win the hottest gadgets in gaming, entertainment and foodpanda vouchers. In the first week, Foodpanda is giving away P500 foodpanda vouchers to 1,200 users weekly. Whether a gamer or just someone who wants to be entertained in style at home, one can enjoy what foodpanda has in store. Among the exciting prizes are 12 winners of “Casual Gaming Package” which includes a PS4, PS VR Headset, PS camera, PS move controllers and gift certificates for PS4 games In the second week, 12 winners will sing happy tunes with the “Music Package” which includes an AirPod Pro and an iPad Pro 128 GB. For the grand draw, 12 winners will celebrate with the “Ultimate Gaming Package”. Foodpanda ambassador and celebrity gamer Alodia Gosiengfiao personally picked the gaming rigs included in the set which consists of a whopping collection of monitor, CPU, headset, mouse and gaming chair. Another 12 will win the “Ultimate Entertainment Package” which includes a Samsung 4K 65” TV, a Samsung Soundbar 5.1 Channel, and a Bose Home Bluetooth Speaker. From Oct. 11 to 31, one should place order in foodpanda restaurants, pick-up or shops with only a minimum order of P299. Use the voucher code MERRYGALO on checkout. Each order using the voucher code is equivalent to one entry.
ACCA recognizes P&A Grant Thornton as corporate partner
and tangible assets that increase in value over time,” he says. A Bria home is considered a worthy investment because of the services it offers that are attuned to the requirements of the times. For instance, its customer relations management team is accessible 24/7 via online platforms. Because BRIA Homes clearly safeguards the welfare of residents, the latter can seek digital resolutions for various property-related concerns through the enhanced property management group. Rosales says Bria’s future residents can expect reliable maintenance services for their units in the ensuing years. With the company’s reliable construction and engineering teams, dwellings are not only made of high-quality materials—they are designed for the long term.
PHILCARE, a leading health maintenance organization in the Philippines, is teaming up with MyGolana--the most advanced mental wellness platform in the Philippines, developed by a Silicon Valley startup with operations in Manila. The partnership is timely as mental wellness concerns have grown amid the COVID-19 pandemic. MyGolana, which recently won as Best Healthtech Startup at a recent competition, operates a mobile and tele-counselling platform developed to address mental health concerns. This has been integrated into PhilCare’s pioneering HeyPhil app, which will significantly expand access to mental wellness and counselling services in the country. The synergy of PhilCare and MyGolana will then be called HeyPhil Mind Care. Now on its soft launch, mental wellness services are made available on the HeyPhil app, wherein PhilCare members will be able to receive a wide range of mental wellness services including online mental health tracking, free reporting, and instant booking of qualified and experienced counselors. PhilCare members who wish to avail of mental health services under HeyPhil Mind Care would undergo initial intake and assessment. Afterwards, appropriate counselors will be ready to do counselling and/or consultations with their respective patients. Should a more intensive and in-person psychological and psychiatric treatment be required, the member shall be referred to Philcare’s pool of accredited psychologists and psychiatrists. HeyPhil Mind Care services will also be available soon to non-PhilCare members via a prepaid health plan. For just P1,000, those 18 years old and above can avail of one 50-minute professional counselling session with a licensed Mind Care counselor through the HeyPhil app. The plan also covers a one-time teleconsultation with a family medicine specialist, internal medicine specialist, or a general practitioner.
Youth & Culture B1
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020
Bernadette Lunas, Editor
manilastandardlife@gmail.com
@manilastandardlife
@MStandardLIFE
By Steph Llarena
N
O TOOLS? No problem. Young Filipino artists prove that one doesn’t need fancy materials or equipment to make art. Imagination, creativity, and resourcefulness are enough to make artworks that are double tap-worthy.
Pantry paintings Grade 12 student from Nueva Ecija, Vincent Dwight Paulo went viral earlier this year because of his catsup artwork. He has created portraits of celebrities using UFC Banana Catsup, a staple in their family’s pantry. During the lockdown, he said, “I really engaged myself in doing catsup art since school and art supplies shops were closed. I was running out of materials, so I used catsup instead.” With catsup as his medium, he made portraits of Liza Soberano, Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Taylor Swift, and One Direction. “UFC Banana Catsup is always what is in our kitchen and I don’t like to stick to the conventional typical artworks that we see,” enthused Vincent. “I would recommend this because it is unique and easy to find in grocery stores.” Taking cues from the pantry playbook, Thea Sophia Disabelle, 19, from Cebu, uses soy sauce as her paint and plate as her canvas. “Basically, it just can be found at your kitchen. No more hassle,” said Thea, when asked about why she chose Silver Swan Soy Sauce. “I would love to recommend this kind of medium to artists. They just need soy sauce and a lot of imagination.” Due to their exceptional creativity and resourcefulness in making art out of household condiments, NutriAsia sent Vincent and Thea more products they can use for both their art and their dinners. The sauces and condiments maker
DRESSED UP DRESSES. Aspiring fashion designer Edgian James Florida turns his sketches into colorful artworks using leaves, petals, vegetables, and other things he can find in his surroundings. (Photos from Edgian James Florida / Facebook)
SOCIAL MEDIA
ART in everyday OBJECTS Soy sauce painting
Catsup portrait
Vincent Dwight Paulo uses catsup to create portraits.
also opened a challenge in July for its 100 percent Filipino juice brand Locally, asking netizens to submit digital, traditional, or unconventional art depicting the drink and their love for the Philippines. Many responded to the call, posting beautiful art on social media—some even created new recipes using Locally juices. The juice brand on September 9 announced Athea Monique as the grand prize winner, with Grace Maligalig and Dyanna Mae Cañas winning second and third prize, respectively. The winners received prizes and an
Thea Sophia Disabelle paints using soy sauce.
opportunity to work with the brand on special projects. “Filipinos are known for their resilience and creativity—and what better way to bring these two together than through art. We are truly amazed with the entries submitted to us. Each work of art is a showcase of talent, passion, and love for local!” said Gretchen King, category manager for beverage. Plant art Have you seen the malunggay dress? Aspiring fashion designer Edgian James Calapardo Florida makes his sketches colorful using everyday objects he can find in his surroundings—usually
weeds, petals, vegetables, and leaves. The 18-year-old senior high school student in Iloilo dresses up his sketches of dresses using plants—combining his love of nature and fashion design. He went viral in August for his whimsical work which he said were not for sale. In interviews, Edgian said his artworks were inspired by creations he saw on Pinterest as well as his desire to use his talent to help his family. He named Kapampangan designer Mak Tumang as one of his influences. According to him, he has created more than 50 sketches over the quarantine period.
How to level up your fandom experience on Twitter THE power of fandoms shines on Twitter, one quick glance at the list of trending topics will prove that. BTS ARMY, SB19’s A’TIN, MayWard fans, and more showcase their influence by banding together for their idols. Despite event cancellations, the social media platform found interaction among fans in support of their favorites became more prominent than ever during the current pandemic. To help those new to the scene level up their fandom experience on Twitter, the social media giant shares the following tips: Follow fan conversations One of the most popular ways for fans to communicate and receive updates on Twitter is through fan Twitter accounts. Run by some of the most devoted fans, these accounts also set hashtags to trend and even provide translations or update briefs, helping fellow fans anywhere to stay up-to-date and get closer to their favorites. To get started, simply search (using the search bar) for your favorite artists’ names on Twitter, and look through some of the top Tweets that show up—fan accounts will often mention fans and artist’s name in the bio, such as “fan account,” “fanbase,” or other similar terms—then hit the follow button for the account you like. Join the conversation Use hashtags to sort through all of the Tweets about your favorites and know what is talked about for the day. Fans also show their support through “hashtag parties” where they all join forces to make their hashtag trend. Trends by nature are determined by an algorithm and are tailored based on who a person follows, their interests, and their location. On desktop, users can view trends for a specific location
by clicking Change in the trends box. Users can choose to “Keep tailored trends” based on their location and who they follow, or they can select “Change” to choose a nearby location or search locations. Form real-life connections The current pandemic halted all fan meets or cup sleeve events. Fortunately, fans found a way to innovate and even spearhead projects for good causes. For example, fans of NCT Dream’s (@NCTsmtown_ DREAM) Na Jaemin created a birthday fan project that benefited local jeepney drivers. Fans of Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) and Angel Locsin (@143redangel) also gave full support for their respective efforts, #DoNationDrive and #UniTENTweStandPH. Twitter has a new conversation setting that makes it easier for fans to be a part of a conversation and have control on who can reply to them.
Twitter allows users to control who can reply to their Tweets.
No to ‘notification fatigue’ WITH endless messages, birthday reminders, delivery updates, conference call schedules, and other notifications popping up on our devices, it has become incredibly easy to be distracted or feel overwhelmed by the constant stimulus. Leading instant messaging platform Viber has rolled out a new feature that empowers users to set reminders for tasks and other important events in My Notes. The new capability enables users to keep track of all their messages with colleagues, family, and friends, as well as all important reminders in a single easy-to-use app that emphasizes user privacy. Users simply need to long-tap any message in My Notes and tap “Set R e m i n d e r. ” They are prompted to select a time and date for the reminder and decide whether they want it to repeat, and the reminder will pop up on their phone at
the selected time. This new feature comes on top of other capabilities available in My Notes, allowing users to: (1) Take down notes for tasks, events, or other purposes; (2) Mark their tasks as “done,” as well as hide finished notes; and (3) Forward messages from other chats to My Notes. Forwarded messages from other chats into My Notes will show from which chat they were forwarded, so the user always remembers the context. “We recognize our users’ need to maintain control over their lives and quickly adapt to a reality that changes, in many cases, by the minute. As such, Viber is happy to introduce this feature to help users streamline all their messages and reminders into one single app that is easy to use and actually values their p r i v a c y, ” said Anna Znamenskayal of Rakuten Viber.
B2
Home/Design
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020
Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor E-mail: jdlacsamana@gmail.com
OPTING OUT
OF CORONAVIRUS STRESS
LOTUS POD in Laguna
re-opens doors
to frazzled city folk
B
RGY. PUYPUY, BAY, Laguna— The reduction in travel during the pandemic, and people’s willingness to find simple pleasures closer to home, bode well for the ‘staycation’ – holidaying at home, or in one’s home country.
Many countries dependent on tourism are caught in a double bind. Opening the floodgates to visitors could bring foreign income to their struggling economies, but it could also risk a lifethreatening second wave of Covid-19. It was welcome news then when a bed and breakfast in Laguna – a well-known sanctuary for nature seekersescaping Metro Manila’s heat and traffic— announced that it was welcoming guests back last September. STRICT CAVEATS The re-openingof Lotus Pod bed and breakfast carried strict caveats, though, as per the minimum public health standards set by the Department of Tourism(DOT), Department of Health (DOH), and InterAgency Task Force (IATF). Only four of the eight casitas tucked between rice paddies and tranquil lotus ponds of the resort, can be booked at any given time. The popular spa pavilion and its services, e.g. massage, zen treatments, remain suspended indefinitely. Rules on social distancing, wearing of masks, and hand-washing are in place. FROM WEEKEND FARM TO TROPICAL OASIS Lotus Pod started as media icon Cheche Lazaro’s weekend farm, which she expanded through the years, converting it into a wonderful tropical oasis. It is accessible via a shortcut that Waze instantly points out—skirting traffic from SLEX to Los Baños. Styled by Lazaro herself, in fusion Filipino/Balinese style, the resort offers eight casitas, spacious huts, magnificent Bali-themed entryways, and elegant outdoor dining setup, interspersed with expansive backyard gardens that continuously nourish the 3-hectare
property in Bay, Laguna. The casitas (a number of which are PWD-friendly), are ensconced within rice paddies and lotus ponds, and are a short walk from the resort’s pool, a children’s playground and treehouse, a spa and dining pavilion. Each casita has its own hot-spring plunge pool. The large lounging and dining pavilion serves home-cooked Filipino food. Meal options extend to “dining under the stars” in one corner of the resort that magically transforms for one’s evening repast. SIMPLE, QUIET LIFE You’ve probably heard about “the simpler times” far too often from every aunt and grandma you’ve crossed paths with. But with Lotus Pod, where nature follows your every stride, you’ll find that there is so much life in simplicity. Here, there is music in the rhythmic rustling of leaves and the quiet hum that envelops the casitas. Each bite of the food they serve comes from the most natural ingredients sourced from their little gardens. Water flows in lotus ponds, spring water baths, and dipping pools perfect to soak one’s feet in after a long day under the summer sun. Balinese architecture woven intricately into the surrounding elements, greets visitors. It is all very simple, nothing to think too hard about. Yet every corner of this bed and breakfast immerses itself in its greenery and lotus pond with so much reverence and respect for nature. On the walls of the Casitas hang paintings of Nina Lim-Yuson, president of the Museo Pambata Foundation and sister to Cheche Lazaro. The delicate ink and watercolor artwork complements the simplicity of the
rooms’ uncomplicated combination of wood and soft textile patterns. Every casita has a private entrance that leads to a walkway with a garden and one’s very own open-air hot spring dipping tub. Once you’ve settled in, you’ll find an unobscured view of Laguna’s rice fields and plantations right from your terrace. The casitas can accommodate up to two adults and two kids, or three adults if you’re planning a staycation for you and your best friends. The traveler who yearns for ease and comfort will find a home for himself right here. Leisurely outdoor walks, whether during the day or at night, are so quiet that you can hear the faintest sounds. IDEAL FOR EVENTS, BEST FOR THE SPA – BUT NOT NOW Before the pandemic, Lotus Pod’s peaceful landscape entranced event planners in and outside Laguna. It opened its doors to weddings, parties, and other events that called for an elegant and tranquil space with the majestic Banahaw mountain range serving as a backdrop. Even today, guests – carefully spaced for social distancing— can enjoy dining al fresco underneath a canopy of lights. But the big events, just like the sybaritic amenities of the spa pavilion, will have to wait until possibly next year. But for now, guests from Metro Manila and elsewhere, can journey to Lotus Pod bed and breakfast to sample—even if briefly—the little pieces of home that would always remain within reach during these trying times.
COME HOME TO AZURE NORTH
MEGAWIDE WADES INTO SUSTAINABLE HOUSING CENTURY Properties’ PHirst Park Homes, Inc. (PPHI) recently tapped Megawide Construction Corporation to build over 4,700 row housing units in San Pablo and Calamba, Laguna, and Pandi, Bulacan. The units will be developed using Megawide’s precast system— an engineering innovation that eliminates the use of traditional building processes and materials. “Precast is highly customizable to the structural specification of clients and reduces construction timelines,” said Markus Hennig, Megawide EVP for business units. PHirst Park’s advocacy for sustainable housing and community developments, will bring first world products to more households in fast
A PERK of living in the Resort Residences at Azure North is that you can literally go on vacation every day—no flights required. The resort-inspired community, located in San Fernando, Pampanga, is only 45 minutes away from the north of Manila, combines a tropical getaway design—swimming pools including a wave pool, commodious clubhouse facilities—and Kapampangan hospitality fee. All without leaving the property. Developer Century Properties patterned Azure North after the successful Azure Urban Resort Residences in Paranaque City, where you can be in the middle of the city, feel like you’re in a faraway island, recharging your mind. Log into www.azurenorth.com.ph. to take a virtual tour of Azure North, and the available units.
DMCI HOMES PILOTS NEW CONDO FORMAT IN MANILA.
growing urbanized areas around Metro Manila. Megawide sees precast as the engineering standard for the new normal
since materials are prepared, cast, and cured off-site. Hennig explained that precast requires less manpower on site and faster construction times.
Developer DMCI Homes is eyeing to build homes that are fit for a mobile and experience-oriented lifestyle under a new product format. The new product segment, dubbed DMCI Homes Ascend, aims to offer right-sized homes near university towns and business centers with commercial areas, co-working spaces, and convenient indoor amenities and facilities. To test the market, DMCI Homes president Alfredo Austria, revealed the company is looking to utilize its property near College of St. Benilde and De La Salle University in Malate, Manila. “We hope to provide quality living spaces that better fit the needs of young working professionals and students especially with the evolving lifestyle brought about by the pandemic,” Austria explained. The company is looking to offer a mix of Studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units in a project slated for launch before the year ends.
Entertainment
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020
B3
Nickie Wang, Editor; E-mail: nickie.standard@ gmail.com
FOUR PHENOMENAL WOMEN for Miss Universe Philippines crown By Nickie Wang
M
ISS Manila Alexandra Abdon absolutely stole our hearts with her almost nonchalant way of answering the questions of the judges during the preliminary interviews of the inaugural Miss Universe Philippines pageant held up north in the City of Pines. But there are girls who made a mark because of their wit and spontaneity that if this runup event was the sole basis in choosing this year’s winner, then we can narrow down the top contenders to four phenomenal women: Miss Bohol, Miss Cavite, Miss Parañaque, and Miss Quezon City. Miss Bohol Pauline Amelinckx Bohol’s MUP bet could be the Philippine representative to the most prestigious pageant in the world. This natural speaker and head-turner is a complete package with a heart that goes out to the children of her home province via her ‘Hope in the Box’ campaign. When Miss Bohol opened her mouth during her preliminary interview, everybody in the room listened, and they listened attentively. She instantly captured the attention of the netizens watching the digital program and immediately put her on top of their list as the one to beat. It’s good to note that in 2017, when she snagged the Miss Bohol title, reigning Miss Universe Philippines Gazing Ganados was her first runner
changed her answer to green when asked to spell it. Aren’t we all rooting for a representative who can easily connect with anyone with her sense of humor? Miss Parañaque Maria Ysabella Ysmael If the MUP organization is looking for a stunningly eloquent spokesperson who is very passionate about mental health, who can gather her thoughts in split seconds and talk with depth and charm at the same time, Bella is the perfect candidate to take on the task. Most people who believe that her biggest advantage in the pageant was her being the niece of Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran got it all wrong. She’s her own person. During her performance, she was asked about her learning as a child that made much impact on her. She talked about dancing ballet at age four and how it involves numerous techniques. “That’s the beauty in ballet. It has techniques but you learn your own art, you learn your own style,” she said underscoring how empowering it is to be yourself in every situation you’re put in. Miss Quezon City Michele Theresa Gumabao Michelle is the girl to beat, as everybody says. She’s an all-around beauty. She speaks well, actually, that’s her strongest weapon on the pageant stage. No wonder Michele is every pageant fanatic
up. This alone says a lot about the capacity of this stunning beauty who believes that patience can take you a long way. Miss Cavite Kimberly Hakenson She had us in “I’m a bisexual and I’m proud to be here” statement during her performance. But even without her surprising revelation, Miss Cavite can easily walk home with the MUP crown in her bag, or on her head. Kimberly sashayed towards the microphone with so much confidence and her personality instantly showed up the moment she flashed a big smile. After nailing a number of questions, Billie (her nickname) was asked what color she thinks represents a phenomenal woman. She casually responded chartreuse (the color between green and yellow) but
By Paolo Manuel C. Fule
‘K-Dance Party’ for K-Pop enthusiasts The music of K-pop supergroup BTS is among the featured songs in K-Dance Party.
K-POP dance party at home is set to be as easy as one to three as Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC) teams up with well-loved and K-Pop Dancing Diva Dasuri Choi to bring the party into the Filipino homes. K-Pop fans are in for a huge treat this October, until November, as KCC gives free energetic and thematic dance tutorials courtesy of Dasuri featuring six of the most popular K-Pop groups of this generation. Divided into five themes namely: Boy Crush, Femme Fatale, Energy Pop, Legendary Idols and K-Pop Rookies, the K-Dance Party, K-Dance Party features the songs of idol groups’ BTS, Hwasa, Oh My Girl, Seventeen, Super Junior, and Itzy, which aims to light up the home dance floors and lead even non-dancers to bop into different grooves. After mastering the dance tutorials, K-Pop fans can also win K-Pop albums and other exclusive K-Pop merch and KCC goodies, when they join the K-Dance Party. Cover Dance Challenge segment.
By simply uploading their creative dance covers of their chosen songs on SNS, six winners, or one each theme, will be chosen by KCC based on Movement Accuracy, Facial Expression, and Creativity & Style. Submission of entries for K-Dance Party Cover Dance Challenge starts on Nov. 1, and the deadline for entries is on Nov. 13. K-Dance Party! Cover Dance Challenge is still part of KCC’s ongoing Korea At Home Campaign, which aims to bring a holistic Korean culture experience into the Filipino homes during his pandemic. Catch K-Dance Party exclusively on KCC Philippines’ YouTube Channel every Friday and Sundays at 5:00 p.m. until Nov. 1. Follow Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines on Facebook https://www. facebook.com/KoreanCulturalCenterPH/ and @kccphil on Instagram and Twitter for more updates about the K-Dance Party! Cover Dance Challenge and other KCC events and activities..
SIBLINGS in the hardcourt had always fascinated the fans of the sport especially as rivals like Paul Gasol of the Milwaukee Bucks and Marc Gasol of the Toronto Raptors, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Seth Curry of the Portland Trailblazers of the NBA. In 2013, the UAAP Men’s basketball finals saw the rivalry of the UST Growling Tigers and the De La Salle Green Archers with siblings Jeric Teng and Jeron Teng on the opposing sides of the grand finale. It was a field day for the fans. But siblings are not always rivals on the hardcourt. Take twins Andrey and Adam Doria of Laguna, for example. Born on April 11, 2000 to Manolito Doria and Lourdes Doria, the 6-foot1 twins hail from the peaceful town of Rizal, Laguna. They spend their secondary education at Saint Mary’s Academy of Nagcarlan (SMAN) in Nagcarlan, Laguna before playing for the UAAP league for the Adamson University Baby Falcons in Manila. Recently, they decided to take their
top bet to win the MUP crown. This volleyball-player-turned-beauty queen slayed the preliminary interview based on the video that has now been shared on numerous platforms. It even trended on Twitter the whole day. “I graduated from De La Salle University with three championships in my bag and I know that this is the color that inspires and empowers and shows a strong, confident, phenomenal woman,” she said alluding to green as the color of a phenomenal woman. Don’t we all want an achiever and a confidently beautiful representative? Who will be crowned the winner and bag the highly-coveted title? Don’t miss the grand coronation of Miss Universe Philippines at 9:00 am today with a replay at 10:30 p.m. on GMA-7. For the first time ever, there will be no live audience and with a limited production staff to ensure the safety of everyone. All pre-pageant events including the preliminary interview, national costume, swimsuit and evening gown, and grand finale were all filmed at the Baguio Country Club in Baguio City, in adherence to the FDCP - DOH Health and Safety Protocols for the Conduct of Film and Audiovisual Production Shoots to Mitigate COVID-19.
Basket’s twin magic
TWIN BILL. Towering heartthrobs Andrey and Adam Doria of Laguna take their talents to NCAA’s Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) playing for NCAA as EAC Generals. talents to NCAA’s Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) playing for NCAA as EAC Generals. Both have the same charisma and ability to be tough inside the hardcourt. Asked how they keep their body healthy and fit, “We always have our daily workout and exercise and eating eggs, fruits, and vegetables,” said the twin magic of Laguna. You see, these towering lads both have the same ambition to be successful in their chosen endeavor. Their passion for the game is really unquestionable and their perseverance to continue chasing their dream is indeed commendable. From their humble beginnings in Rizal, Laguna to ultimately achieving one of their goals to play for Universities and Colleges in the Metro proves the tenacity of these two young lads. With faith in God as their armor in life, the road to their success is not that farfetched.
B4
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020
Joyce Pangco Pañares, Editor
Feature mst.daydesk@gmail.com
‘CIA’-like street food vendors first on scene to feed Thai protesters W ITH an intelligence network so good they have been compared to the CIA, Thai street vendors are often first on the scene at “guerilla” democracy protests in Bangkok, where they hawk sour pork and fish balls to a democracyhungry crowd.
After a government crackdown last week, protest groups have begun keeping the venues for their demonstrations demanding the resignation of Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha secret until the last minute, in a bid to outsmart authorities. But protesters have quickly noticed that they are often second on the scene, behind food vendors setting up their carts and readying themselves for a busy night of brisk sales. Meatball seller Rattapol Sukpa says he stays ahead of the curve by monitoring Facebook for hints of the latest locations, and is in constant contact with other vendors who tip each other off. “My earnings were good before, but selling at the protest sites, you’d sell out faster than usual,” the 19-yearold told AFP as he set up near Victory Monument. Business has been booming since the protest movement kicked off in July, with the vendors now a regular feature on the sidelines. A post calling on people to come and rally at a new protest venue on Tuesday carried a picture of a food cart with the caption “Let’s send the CIA there first.” The bonanza has also given Rattapol a better work-life balance, he said, enabling him to sell out his entire cart by 8 pm instead of the usual midnight closing time. Protesters are calling for serious changes to Thailand’s status quo – an overhaul of Prayut’s administration,
Protesters often arrive second on the scene, behind food vendors setting up their carts and readying themselves for a busy night of brisk sales. AFP
a rewrite to the military-scripted constitution and reforms to the kingdom’s unassailable monarchy. But their gatherings also bring a food festival vibe. Sour pork and rice sausage balls, a delicacy of Thailand’s northeast provinces, hang like beaded necklaces from a street vendor’s push cart, ready to be fried up and served with cabbage in plastic bags. Also on the menu are hotdogs, soups, cold drinks, pickled fruits and satay sticks.
Cooking for democracy Some vendors have their cooking stations attached to their motorbikes, making it easier to high-tail to the rally zones. Selling food to captive crowds often numbering in the tens of thousands is increasingly lucrative, said Anucha Noipan, a fried chicken vendor who used to make $97 a day. “But since I’ve started selling at the protest sites, I have doubled my income to about 6,000 baht ($192) a day,” the 21-year-old said.
Dubai breaks world record for largest fountain The Palm Fountain in Dubai has been declared as the world’s largest by Guinness, calling it ‘Officially Amazing.’ AFP
THE glitzy emirate of Dubai broke the record for the world’s largest fountain this week, as the Gulf city seeks to boost its hard-hit tourism sector amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Palm Fountain, which covers an area of 1,335 square meters, is located at The Pointe shopping and dining district on Palm Jumeirah, a man-made palm-shaped island. Mask-clad people, in keeping with coronavirus safety measures, gathered on Thursday evening to watch a show of dancing jets of water, music and lights. “GWR is delighted to officially see The Palm Fountain breaking the title of the Largest fountain,” Shaddy Gaad, Senior Marketing Manager at Guinness World Records said in a statement. “This fountain is an example
of another milestone in Dubai’s architectural achievements,” it said, adding that Guinness was declaring it “Officially Amazing.” Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, already holds a string of world record titles – including the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, and the fastest police car in service, a Bugatti Veyron. The city that attracts millions of tourists already has one of the largest fountains in the world near Burj Khalifa. The new fountain has over 3,000 LED lights, 7,500 nozzles and can shoot water up to 105 metres, according to Guinness. Last month, British artist Sacha Jafri broke the record for the largest art canvas measuring 1,595 square metres, also in Dubai, Guinness said.
The 44-year-old contemporary artist has said he hoped to raise at least $30 million to fund health and education initiatives for children in impoverished parts of the world. Dubai, which has the most diversified economy in the oil-rich Gulf region, has been badly hit by the coronavirus slowdown. Its GDP has contracted 3.5 percent in the first quarter, following two years of modest growth. Tourism has long been a mainstay of the emirate, which welcomed more than 16 million visitors last year. Before the pandemic crippled global travel, the aim was to reach 20 million this year. Dubai is now largely open for business and tourism, but infection rates have been rising in recent weeks. AFP
New to the scene after leaving a job as a rubber farmer, Anucha says he agrees with the movement’s demands and wouldn’t sell his crispy fried chicken at rival rallies fronted by royalist supporters. “I do not think I have the same point of view on politics with the Yellow Shirts,” he said, referring to a term used for the pro-monarchy bloc. Tensions ratcheted last week, with police deploying water cannons against protesters in Bangkok’s central shopping district, drawing widespread
condemnation from Thai society as images of the attack pinged across social media. As his chicken thighs sizzle in a frying pan, Nattapol Sai-ngarm said he is conscious of the risks of doing business in such a dicey environment. But the economy’s freefall in the face of a coronavirus pandemic has left him without a choice. “I used to be scared” of a police crackdown, he told AFP. “But I’ve been coming every day so I’ve gotten used to it.” AFP
Old is gold: Like humans, aging chimps prioritize important friendships WHEN it comes to friendships, people are known to become more selective with age. It turns out the same is true of male chimps, who have fewer yet more genuine pals to ape around with as they get older, according to a study published in the journal Science this week. The research, which was led by animal psychologist Alexandra Rosati at the University of Michigan, was said to provide the first evidence that animals exhibit age-related social selectivity, and could help us understand more about why humans behave as they do. The authors drew on a huge dataset of 78,000 hours of observations performed at the Kibale National Park in Uganda between 1995 and 2016. They reported on the social interactions among 21 wild male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) ranging in age from 15 to 58 years. Males were chosen because they remain in the communities in which they are born, whereas the majority of females disperse to new groups when they become
sexually mature. Aside from being our closest animal relatives, chimpanzees are an ideal species to compare to humans because they live long lives—sometimes until their 60s —and have a wide-degree of choice in whom they befriend. Male friends groom one another, hunt and share meat together, collectively patrol the boundaries of their territories, and form alliances to attain and keep high rank in their groups, which in turn leads to more individual reproductive success. To study their affinities for one another, the team developed an “association index” that was based on how often a male within a party was in close proximity (under five meters) to another, relative to how much they associated with all group members. The team produced three categories: mutual friends, who both showed a preference for sitting with each other, one-sided friends where only one party showed a preference but the other did not, and non-friends where neither side preferred each other. AFP
Male chimps, like humans, have more genuine pals to ape around with as they get older, a study published in the journal Science showed. AFP