Manila Standard - 2020 November 27 - Friday

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LOCAL ROUNDUP

Vaccine supply issues push back PH timeline

By Willie Casas CHALLENGES in supply of vaccines against COVID-19 plus the General Community Quarantine in Metro Manila are certain to push back the vaccination timeline in the country, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Thursday.

This means the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program will take three to five years because of the challenges and the availability of services, Galvez said.

He said the Philippines would usually manage only five million vaccinations annually under its immunization program.

At the same time, mayors of Metro Manila want the COVID-19 lockdown

PRICE CHECK.

Trade and Industry Undersecretary Ruth Castelo leads the price monitoring on noche buena food items at a supermarket in Makati on Thursday. Food manufacturers have agreed to keep the suggested retail prices of noche buena products the same as last year’s in light of the coronavirus pandemic that has impoverished many consumers.

Norman Cruz

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Solon fumes over corrupt tag

By Maricel V. Cruz and Vito Barcelo

A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Thursday challenged Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) member Grego Belgica to prove his claim that up to 12 congressmen were linked to corruption involving public works projects.

“To my recollection, this is the second time in recent months that he has made this allegation, although he refuses to name names, saying he does not have solid evidence to file cases,” Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Michael Defensor said.

“If that is so, then he should just shut up. If he has evidence that can stand in

Senate OKs P4.5-t budget VOL. XXXIV • NO. 266 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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House forms 21-member team to thresh out issues at bicam

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel Cruz

V

OTING 22-0, the Senate on Thursday approved the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget for 2021 on third and final reading.

Senate finance committee chairperson Senator Juan Edgardo Angara asserted the national spending plan would be the budget of the country’s recovery.

He thanked his colleagues for staying on schedule despite the serious challenges that included typhoons, floods, power outages, connectivity problems and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

He also acknowledged the amendments introduced by his colleagues to strengthen the COVID-19 response, provide assistance to victims of calamities and resuscitate the economy.

Angara said they set aside a “huge amount in unprogrammed appropriations” for the purchase, storage, and distribution of coronavirus vaccines.

He said they also allotted funds under the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s budget to recruit and deploy support contact tracers.

Under the Senate version of the budget bill, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine will get more funds for its quality assurance program, the training of more COVNext page

BUDGET BILL. Senate leaders pose for a group photo after approval on third and final reading of the P4.5 trillion national budget bill at the the plenary. From right: Joel Villanueva, Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and senators Pia Cayetano, Sherwin Gatchalian and Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Thursday, November 26, 2020. The Senate also passed Senate Bill No. 1357 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bill sponsored by Cayetano. Alex Nueva Espana

Lawmaker finds ‘no value’ in Sotto’s red-tag probe

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo A PARTY-LIST legislator who represents the education sector on Thursday hit Senate President Vicente Sotto III for “finding value” in a military warn-

ing against female celebrities working with leftist groups.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said Sotto was “apparently using the Senate inquiry allegedly to justify the red-tagging against us and other progressive individuals.”

“First, this is not a warning but a threat and red tagging. That is why I don’t believe that it is of value,”Castro said, referring to Sotto.

The military, meanwhile, maintained its attack on the legal left, saying they Next page

Duterte taps Arroyo for Clark projects

By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Presidential Adviser on Clark Programs and Projects.

At the same time, he named Davao del Norte’s provincial election supervisor Aimee FerolinoNext page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM NOVEMBER 26)

424,297 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,392 28,789 NEW

ACTIVE

8,242

27

387,266

328

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

NEW

‘Teener a Dengvaxia victim’

By Rio N. Araja

THE Public Attorney’s Office on Thursday said it had conducted an autopsy on the 159th victim of Dengvaxia whose death was linked to the controversial vaccine.

RESCUED. Coastguards rescue 15 of the 17 crewmen of LCT Lady Athena, battered by big waves and strong winds and sank off Cambari

Island, Araceli, Palawan at around 3:30 p.m. on November 25, 2020. They will resume the search for the two missing crew members today.

The rescued individuals have been brought to the PCG sub-station in Palawan.

Tailor’s son tops 2020 physician licensure exam JOMEL Lapides, a tailor’s son who works night shifts as a nurse at the state-run Philippine General Hospital, has notched double honors after topping this year’s 2020 Physician Licensure Examination, with an average of 88.67 percent, released Thursday.

The Professional Regulation Commission said the licensure exams granted the title to 3,538 new doctors this year out of the 4,704 examinees.

The details on the date and venue for their oath-taking ceremony are yet to be announced.

Lapides, cum laude graduate from Montalban, Rizal, also Next page

Lapides

Robredo

Chief Persida Acosta said the latest victim was a 15-year-old boy whose remains underwent post mortem examination.

The boy received the Dengvaxia shots when he was in grade 5 at his school in San Ildefonso, Bulacan Next page

Lopez, ex-Standard editor, passes away JOURNALIST and dang Hayop sa Balat screenplay writer ng Lupa; Pagputi ng Ishko Lopez died of Uwak...Pag-itim ng cardiac arrest yesterTagak; and Reputasyday. He was 72. on, among others.

He served under two He was a member of presidents – Gloria SEED (Society of EnArroyo and Benigno tertainment Editors), Aquino III – in various the forerunner of what capacities, including as is now the Society of speech writer and head Philippine Entertainof the Presidential News Desk. ment Editors (SPEED).

He wrote the screenplay of clasLopez was a former lifestyle edisics such as Ang Pinakamagan- tor of Manila Standard.

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Bangsamoro transition: 3 more years

By Vito Barcelo

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is supporting the possible extension of the Bangsamoro transition period to three more years due to “difficulties” in achieving normalization in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mandanao, according to Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez.

Galvez said he recommended for the extension after the President asked for his opinion on the request of the Bangsamaro Transition Authority to extend its term until 2025, or three more years after the transition period is expected to lapse in 2022.

Galvez said that the three-year transi-

tion is “a very short time.”

In a separate press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President has agreed to the plea of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to extend the region’s transition period to 2025, while the country is in a public health crisis.

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were collaborating with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).

Appearing a second time before the Senate hearing on red tagging, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. pointed to more activists who ended up with the NPA and eventually held high positions in the CPP. Esperon, vice chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said the statements of these witnesses clearly showed that Makabayan bloc members were involved in the recruitment of members for the NPA. “They are living proof of the indisputable ties between the legal fronts and the NPA. Therefore, the Makabayan bloc cannot deny their complicity in the armed struggle,” Esperon said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Sotto said a warning from Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade could be valid after former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño told a Senate inquiry that the NPA normally recruits activists.

During the same Senate hearing, Esperon told Casino: “You cannot deny responsibility for the recruitment of our youth by the NPA. It is your front organizations that eradicate these young minds in their early years in the League of Filipino students (LFS) and Kabataan party-list group.”

Meanwhile, most of the 37 groups of petitions seeking to nullify the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 urged the Supreme Court to stop its implementation ahead of oral arguments scheduled next year.

Lawyers for 24 groups of petitioners signed a joint motion for the Court to issue a status quo ante or a temporary restraining order to stop the government from enforcing the anti-terrorism law.

Among the signatories are lawyers for the groups of retired SC justices Antonio Carpio and Conchita Carpio Morales, opposition lawmakers, activists, journalists, youth leaders, religious personalities, lawyers, and humanitarian workers.

The motion was filed the same day the Court held a preliminary conference in preparation for oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 19, 2021.

Earlier, several groups of petitioners separately reiterated their pleas for the Court to issue a preliminary injunction, fearing the continued implementation of the law would result in human rights violations.

“As has been manifested by some petitioners, there were already cases involving its implementation including the filing of a criminal case against two still detained Aetas in Zambales,” the petitioners told the justices.

“There is reportedly another case involving farmers in Negros Island,” the motion said.

The Zambales case involves Aetas accused of being communist rebels.

According to their lawyers, the Aetas were charged under the anti-terrorism law in a “reprisal” by the military against unarmed civilians and indigenous peoples for the death of a soldier in an alleged encounter with members of the NPA. The petitioners said these cases do not yet include the enforcement of other provisions of the law, like surveillance.

The military has admitted it is surveilling some of the petitioners and lawyers challenging the law, it said.

The petitioners also stressed that some of them have been “red-tagged” or accused of communist links by officials who are part of the Anti-Terrorism Council created by the law.

The petitioners emphasized that an injunction is necessary to “prevent, in the meantime running up to almost two months before the oral arguments,

ID-19 lab personnel, and its surveillance of other f lu-like illnesses and severe and acute respiratory infections.

House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco welcomed the Senate’s passage of the budget bill.

“We now look forward to sitting with our Senate counterparts in conference possibly starting next week to come up with a common version of the budget,” Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said as he lauded the Senate for what he described as a “timely” passage.

“We have already formed a contingent composed of 21 members from various political parties to represent the House during the bicameral conference on the 2021 budget bill,” he added.

Velasco said that the House under his leadership will make sure there will be enough funds for the government’s COVID-19 response, especially the procurement of vaccines for an initial 20 million poor Filipinos and eventually for at least 60 million of

Solon...

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Defensor, chairman of the House committee on public accounts, said it is unfair to all congressmen and the House of Representatives as an institution for Belgica to allege that some lawmakers are engaged in corrupt activities and to refuse to name them and file charges.

“If he cannot support what he is saying, then what is his purpose? To taint all House members and their institution and put them under a cloud of suspicion? We have been trying to improve the image of the House and he is tarnishing it,” he added.

Ako-Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. echoed Defensor’s challenge to Belgica even as he urged the PACC to name the legislators and file appropriate charges against them.

“To be fair to Congress, the PACC should name the “less than 12” legislators allegedly involved in corruption activities alongside DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) officials,” said Garbin.

“More importantly, evidence must be presented and cases must be filed.”

“We are all against corruption and if indeed true, then the corruption

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The appointments of the two were confirmed to reporters by Senator Christopher Go and Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas respectively.

The Clark Freeport Zone is in Pampanga, Arroyo’s home province,

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His parents said their son, JC Albert Legaspi, was vaccinated without any screening test or consent from them, and that he received the second shot in 2017.

The last vaccine shot was in 2018.

The boy’s mother, Maricel, said the boy was taken to the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City, where he was confined for seven days.

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The local chief executives are “very cautious” about downgrading the region’s current general community quarantine status, the 3rd strictest of four lockdown levels, he said.

Metro Manila, which accounts for about a third of the country’s gross domestic product, has been under GCQ since August, with stricter lockdowns enforced in earlier months as COVID-19 infections rose.

Only select businesses are allowed to operate at full capacity in GCQ areas.

“President Duterte also believes that three years is too short and he agrees for the possible extension,” he said.

The BARMM, an expanded autonomous region created upon the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in January 2019, is the outcome of the comprehensive peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after years of negotiations.

Cur rently, the BARMM is under transition.

Roque said the President will “help” in efforts to amend the BOL, the law that says the transition period will end in 2022 to give way to the Bangsamoro region’s first elections.

“He will help in amending the law but BARMM officials have to talk to congressmen and senators,” Roque said.

The BTA recently adopted Resolution 332 urging the House and Senate to extend the transition period to give them more time to put in place the normalization and peace-keeping process.

Once Congress agrees to extend the transition period, the schedule of the first parliamentary elections in the region may be moved from 2022 to 2025.

The first regular elections for the Bangsamoro Parliament is slated for May 2022, simultaneous with the national and local elections in the Philippines.

the country’s population.

“We also want to ensure sufficient funding for the rehabilitation and recovery of communities devastated by recent typhoons, including Rolly and Ulysses. We should help our people rebuild their lives,” Velasco said.

“Let us also not forget President Duterte’s other priority programs like Build, Build, Build and his anti-poverty projects. We must appropriate the funds needed to sustain them,” he added.

Velasco expressed confidence that the 2021 general appropriations bill will be signed by the President before the year ends.

Meanwhile, ousted Speaker and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano urged his fellow legislators to ensure that the public is informed of the House- and Senate-approved versions of the budget bill and the final draft approved at the bicameral conference committee level.

He said this would ensure that no unconstitutional insertions were made after the budget is approved by the bicameral conference committee.

“In order to avoid baseless mud-

slinging, my proposal is for the people to see where the funds are allocated or whether additions are made before the budget is approved in the bicameral. This is to make it all transparent.

Otherwise, we can be in for a shock,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano made the statement after he was asked by the media about the President’s assertion that some lawmakers were getting kickbacks on government infrastructure projects.

Cayetano said publishing both versions of the budget bill will also allow the media to know what to tell the public as part of their duty to report on allegations of corruption by some members of Congress.

He recalled that as Speaker, he led the House of Representatives in the swift passage of the 2020 national budget, leaving no opportunity for pork, corruption, or parking of funds. “We prohibited that when I was Speaker and we had many caucuses for the purpose. I told the House members, ‘In order not to drag everyone down, anyone who gets caught will not be protected. No one will be helped or condoned.”

must end and those responsible must be held accountable,” Garbin said.

Defensor said Belgica’s job “is not to engage in trial by publicity but to gather evidence and build cases against corrupt officials and file them before the proper forum like the Department of Justice (DOJ) or Office of the Ombudsman.”

In a radio interview on Wednesday, Belgica said the names of the congressmen were mentioned in complaints about irregularities involving projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

“This has to be investigated formally. We need solid documents. We probably need a forensic of the projects... All of these should be substantiated so a case can be filed…

All of these have to be substantiated and validated, so that the cases can stand in court,” he said.

Defensor said Belgica himself is admitting that the evidence he has collected is not sufficient for the filing of charges against the House members allegedly involved in corruption.

He also asserted that his agency does not have jurisdiction over lawmakers and other elective officials.

“If that is so, why talk about this issue, titillate the imagination of the public and put all House members in bad light?” he asked.

He suggested that Belgica should turn over whatever formal complaints he has in his possession to

the DOJ or the Ombudsman’s office, where preliminary investigations are mostly kept secret until charges are filed.

In the Palace, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said any informant who could identify corrupt activities in government must give his or her name to get the whistleblower reward offered by President Duterte.

Earlier, the Presidentoffered a cash incentive of as much as P100,000 to any person who can give information on any anomalous activity in government and the people involved.

Duterte said those who will report corruption involving small contracts will be given P50,000 while those reporting on big contracts will be rewarded P100,000. Those who will report “petty graft” in government agencies may earn P10,000, he said.

Duterte said informants may remain anonymous if they want, and vowed to ensure their protection. He pledged to “deal with the devil” if the informant complains about any harassment.

The Palace issued the statement after the Office of the President teamed up with two telecommunications firms to launch the text service platform 8888 citizens’ complaint hotline.

Under the program, the public can simply text 8888 to raise their complaints about corruption and inefficient delivery of service free of charge.

whose second congressional district she represented from 2010 to 2019 after her 10-year term as president.

Ampoloquio is an election supervisor of Davao del Norte and she is a lawyer with over two decades of experience in the poll body.

“Commissioner Ferolino-Ampoloquio’s vast experience in the frontline of election service will greatly contribute to the Commission’s thrust to ensure that our electoral processes are responsive to the varying needs of our electorate — making sure that our

elections are more inclusive,” Abas said in a statement.

Ferolino-Ampoloquio first joined Comelec as an emergency laborer in 1994 and became an election assistant for 12 years, Abas said.

Before stepping down from office, Duterte will be able to name three more commissioners as Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, Abas, and Commissioner Antonio Kho Jr. are set to end their terms in February 2022, three months away from the 2022 presidential elections.

topped the Nurses Licensure Examination with a rating of 88.40 percent in 2011, and led fellow topnotchers from the UP Manila, like Tiffany Uy, with an average of 88.08 percent, who broke the record of the highest grade point average in UP in 2015, and placed fifth in this year’s board exam.

The new more than 3,500 doctors included Tricia, daughter of Vice President Leni Robredo.

Also making the top five were: Patrick Joseph Mabugat from the University of Saint La Salle and Adrian Emmanuel Teves from the University of Santo Tomas who had a rating of 88.58 percent.

Henrick Ryan Fong from UST and Raphael Cecilio Rodolfo from UP Manila who had a rating of 88.33 percent.

Rafael Emmanuel Mendoza from the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health who had a rating of 88.17 percent.

Hannah Chito from UP Manila and Chino Samson from the Lyceum Northwestern University-Dagupan City who also got the same rating as Uy Cebu Institute of Medicine earned the honor as the top-performing school place with 100 percent passing rate In July this year, Uy graduated magna cum laude from UP College of Medicine. She was also the class valedictorian. She was summa cum laude when she finished her BS Biology premed course.

Two days ago, the boy was discharged from the hospital.

The boy’s mother said they were conversing when the boy suddenly collapsed.

She said they rushed their son to the Veteran’s Memorial Medical Center, where he was declared dead on arrival.

She said she voluntarily sought PAO’s help.

Dr. Erwin Erfe, chief of the PAO Forensic Laboratory, said Legaspi had multi-organ enlargements and bleeding.

“It is consistent with the other victims we autopsied,” he said.

Erfe revealed that Legaspi had multiorgan enlargements and bleeding.

“It is consistent with the other victims we autopsied since December 2017,” he said.

Erfe reminded that Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur itself issued warnings that the vaccine had four adverse side effects, namely, severe dengue, anaphylactic reaction, viscerotropism, and neurotropism.

He noted that the autopsy of Legaspi showed there was an enlargement of the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, and pancreas.

Erfe added there were also extensive bleedings of his heart, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and brain. He assured that the PAO will file complaints against those who should be held responsible for the latest death.

“The findings of the forensics team is very clear,” he said.

The PAO has been accepting the requests of the families of Dengvaxia victims to assist them in the prosecution of those who should be held responsible for those who suffered and died due to the vaccine.

Vaccine drive

Meanwhile, the private sector is buying up to 3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from BritishSwedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to augment the government’s vaccine drive, one of the country’s presidential advisers said.

In a statement, Go Negosyo founder and presidential adviser on Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said around 1.5 million people would benefit from this initiative.

“We’re targeting 2.5 million to 3 million doses which will help 1.5 million people in the upper end of the range since the vaccine requires two doses. We want to ensure that the Philippines will not be left behind when the vaccines come out in 2021,” Concepcion said.

Vaccine priority

Frontline health workers both in the public and private sectors, senior citizens, and poor Filipinos are among those to be prioritized to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under the current proposal of the government, an official from the Department of Health said.

DOH Bureau of International Health Cooperation’s Dr. Aleli Annie Sudiacal said that while the goal was to have every Filipino inoculated, the first part of the program proposes to cover only some 24.7 million Filipinos.

They are the ones covered in the top five priority groups.

Health workers

In her presentation to Congress, Sudiacal said the country’s 1,762,994 frontline health workers are the first priority for the coronavirus vaccine, once available.

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News ‘Biden to invest in multilateral ASEAN dialogs’ ERNEST Bower, president and CEO of Bower Group Asia, said the election of Joe Biden as the new US president would continue to highlight the need for multilateral dialogues to resolve the issue over the South China Sea. “Expect the Biden administration to reinvest in Asian architecture, particularly ASEAN-based architecture and structures for economic security and cooperation such as the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN-US Summit and related fora that are not necessarily ASEAN-centric like APEC,” Bower said.

“Then you can see less bottlenecking and a more policy-based approach, more predictable outcomes. Also expect to see a great new US ambassador sent to Manila, along the lines of the traditional highly-experienced career officers or someone who may have left the State Department as a senior officer under the Trump administration and who may be called back to the ranks of the State Department, but expect a well-connected pro to succeed who has left Manila and been moved to Jakarta.”

“It’ll be a question of how Asia wants to engage in those issues, but I think we’ll make progress. It could cause some pain points in the bilateral relationship, particularly with the Duterte administration, but I think that’ll be well-managed by a good ambassador, and the Philippines will experience some issues around human rights around the drug war in the Philippines and other issues such as the freedom of the press.”

“Look for progress in issues and sectors such as healthcare, technology cooperation, digital trade, cloud computing and data management.”

Bower said he expected the Biden administration to renew the alliances with its Asian partners.

MMDA honored for third year Joel E. Zurbano and Vito Barcelo THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority was honored with the Hall of Fame award for winning the Freedom of Information, Agency Category, for the third consecutive year on Wednesday.

The FOI Awards are an annual event aimed at recognizing the contributions of government offices in the Executive branch—including government-owned and controlled corporations, state universities and colleges and local water districts— in the program initiated by the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

MMDA chairman Danilo Lim, together with the agency’s FOI Committee, accepted the award bestowed by PCOO Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar and FOI Program Director Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan at the 2020 FOI Awards on Nov. 25 held at the ASEAN Theater at the Philippine Information Agency in Diliman, Quezon City.

“We are humbled to be one of the firstever agencies to receive the Hall of Fame Award for being the FOI Champion for three straight years now. The recognition we have received will serve as additional motivation to continue the work that we do for the people.” Lim said in his acceptance speech.

“As long as I am in MMDA, FOI will remain a priority of the Agency. I believe that the government must actively promote transparency and citizen empowerment through open access to information.”

Meanwhile, The Labor department was conferred the hall of fame award for besting other national government agencies for three consecutive years as Freedom of Information champion.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Holiday pay ordered released T

HE Department of Labor and Employment on Thursday ordered private companies to release the deferred holiday pay of their workers before the end of the year.

“This advisory shall apply to all employers in the private sector that deferred the holiday pay on account of the existence of a national emergency arising from the COVID-19 situation,” the agency said in an advisory signed by Secretary Silvestre Bello III. The order covers the holiday pay for previous regular holidays such as April 9 (Araw ng Kagitingan and Holy Thursday), April 10 (Good Friday), May 1 (Labor Day), May 25 (Eid’l Fitr), June 12 (Independence Day), July 31 (Eid’l Adha) and Aug. 31 (National Heroes’ Day).

The order also covers the holiday pay for the past special nonworking days such as April 11 (Black Saturday), Aug. 21 (Ninoy Aquino Day), Nov. 1 (All Saints’ Day) and Nov. 2 (All Souls’ Day).

It also orders employers to release the holiday pay of those who will work on Nov. 30 (Bonifacio Day), a regular holiday.

“Employers who were allowed to defer the payment of the holiday pay of their employees as referred herein are required to pay all covered employees of the deferred holiday pay equivalent to 100-percent of their daily wage,” the department said.

It said the covered employers should pay the qualified employees their deferred holiday pay on or before Dec. 31.

The department earlier allowed the deferment of the holiday pay to help companies recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WORK MONITORS. A worker is watched by three men as he paints a portion of the Bonifacio and Katipunan Revolution Monument at the Bonifacio Shrine in Ermita, Manila, City on Wednesday.

Many seen starving from rising food prices SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Thursday warned that the continuing increase in food prices will increase the number of starving Filipinos.

He said the next Cabinet meeting should map out plans to tame what seemed to be runaway prices of food, placing them beyond the reach of households made poorer by the pandemic-caused economic slowdown.

Recto made his statement even as Senator Win Gatchalian called on the government to ensure interventions that would prevent a possible spike in teenage pregnancies in the storm-hit areas, a phenomenon observed in the aftermath of Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013.

Gatchalian cited a study by the Department of Science and Technology-National

Research Council of the Philippines in 2017, which said when “Yolanda” hit Eastern Visayas, 23.5 percent of the region’s total population of teenage girls became pregnant.

The study also showed that 14.8 percent had another child the following year.

Recto says the people who are having a hard time making ends meet are looking for answers on the “food price shocks.”

In the meantime, he said, Trade and Agriculture officials should share with the public what their plans were in bringing down the prices of fish vegetables and meat.

Recto said the government’s own daily monitoring of prices of “agri-fishery commodities” in several markets in Metro Manila showed an alarming upswing.

The Nov.23 price of ampalaya was up by 194 percent compared to the month before, and sili by 200 percent. Cabbage and sayote, based on the Philippine Statistics Authority report, doubled in price in 30 days.

Year-on-year, the price of pechay was up 167 percent, tomato, 133 percent and red onion 108 percent.

Based on the prevailing mandated daily floor wage of P537 in the National Capital Region, “a worker has to work almost half a day to buy a kilo of ampalaya,” Recto said.

That worker would also have to work half a day to buy a kilo of galunggong, monitored by the PSA as being retailed at P250 per kilo during the week ending Nov. 23.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Govt urged: Aid affected farmers

OPEN AGAIN.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and other officials walk through the “sapot” or web-style view deck during the reopening of the Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal, on Wednesday.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Cynthia Villar on Thursday called on the government to give farmers financial assistance from the Rice Enhancement Fund to help them recover from the P10 billion in losses incurred by the agricultural sector from the successive typhoons.

Since the agricultural sector was the hardest hit, Villar proposed in a Senate Resolution that the 2021 General Appropriations Act include a special provision that the excess amount collected by the Bureau of Customs be given as cash assistance to the farmers owning one hectare and below to help them recover.

The only qualification is that the farmer beneficiaries be registered in the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture, or the RSBSA, to compensate them for the loss of farm income and help them start anew.

Based on the initial estimates, the agricultural damage from typhoons “Quinta”, “Rolly and “Ulysses” could reach over P10 billion. It would also take time and a huge infusion of capital to help the farmers recover.

The Bureau of Customs reported an approximately P5- Billion tariff collection in excess of the P10 billion collected in 2019 and in 2020 as of September 30,2020).

Unity urged following anti-RESA petition FOLLOWING last week’s filing of a classaction petition against the Real Estate Service Act of 2009 or RESA, President of A Better Real Estate Philippines Anthony Leuterio called for unity among all stakeholders in the movement to amend what he calls the law’s “anti-poor, anti-Pinoy and anti-technology” provisions.

“For us to make a meaningful impact on the industry, the effort to amend RESA must be a collaboration between everyone.

The real estate brokers, the salespersons, the appraisers, the developers and the

Professional Regulation Commission. We must all unite to ensure that any change is a positive one,” said Leuterio.

“Everyone has their own set of concerns, and this movement strives to be one that gives them a voice.”

In a press conference last week, ABREP and representatives from the country’s largest real estate groups convened to discuss some of the more salient issues with RESA’s provisions, including the allegedly prohibitive and onerous Bachelor of Science in Real Es-

House honors legacy of Raul del Mar

By Maricel V. Cruz

BIKE-SHARING PROGRAM. Mayor Francis Zamora launches the free bike-sharing program at the San Juan city hall employees. With this program, any city hall employee may borrow a bicycle for use throughout the week.

THE House of Representatives’ Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin G. Romualdez on Thursday honored the legacy and wonderful life of the late Cebu City 1st District Rep. Raul Veloso Del Mar. Romualdez, chairman of the House rules committee and a close friend of Del Mar, remembered del Mar as a lawmaker who never missed a day of work at the House of Representatives.

“We are gathered today [Thursday] to honor the legacy of a great man, one who exemplifies the best in pub-

lic service. A legislator par excellence.

The quintessential congressman,” Romualdez said in a statement as past and present House members led by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, friends and longtime staff of the House of Representatives paid tribute to Del Mar during Thursday afternoon’s memorial service at the Batasang Pambansa.

Del Mar died on Nov. 16 at age 79.

“Cong. Raul, as we fondly called him, was not only admired and respected for his perfect attendance in the House of the Representatives. He belonged to that rare breed of statesmen in Philippine Congress who masterfully balance their work as legislator

tate Management degree requirement, the restrictive 1-is-to-20 rule for real estate brokers and salespersons, and the lack of consideration toward equal opportunity and the role of technology in today’s industry.

According to the Chamber of Real Estate Builders’ Associations’ National President Noel Cariño, the intention is not to seek the abolition of RESA, but to revisit and revise the provisions that had made the practice of real estate difficult for many.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA) for its consent to the nomination of: Ms. AIMEE P. FEROLINO-AMPOLOQUIO, as Commissioner, Commission on Elections, for a term expiring on 02 February 2027, vice AI A. Parreño.

The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions in thirty - two (32) copies on the above nomination to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, D. Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 8834-2713, 8831-1824, 8831-0527, 88329830, 8834-2706 and 8551-1989.

26 November 2020.

HECTOR A. VILLACORTA Secretary (MS-NOV. 27, 2020)

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

A4

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

HEALTH CHECK. Detainees at the Navotas city jail (inset) had their x-ray (main photo) under Project HEAL (HEalthy and Active Lungs), a program of the Department of Health and the City Government of Navotas in coordination with USAID and Philippine Business for Social Progress. Jun David

IN BRIEF 5k whistles handed out in Laguna ‘Project PNP’ STA. CRUZ, Laguna—The Laguna Police Provincial Office (PPO) and its Police Stations simultaneously launched the Project P.N.P. (Pito ni Petalio): ‘Silbato para sa Saklolo’ coinciding with the celebration of Children’s Month and the 18th Day to End Campaign Violence against Women (VAW) at the Covered Court of the Laguna PPO in Camp BGen Paciano Rizal here.

Laguna PPO thru its police stations and force companies distributed a total of 5,000 whistles, Project ‘PNP’ leaflets and bookmarks across the province Project P.N.P. is an anti-criminality campaign project that focuses to address problems on gender-based violence incidents through the empowerment of women, teenagers, and children.

The project aims to empower women and children by promoting awareness on women’s and children’s rights, genderbased violence, safety education, legal remedies available, and now to report forms abuse to authorities, and government agencies that they can seek help from or can assist them.

A seminar on Gender and Development (GAD) and a Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) was conducted to educate and inform the participants about Women and Children Protection Program of the PNP and to promote the Campaign to End Violence against Women. Roy Tomandao

Book about ‘Tarzan’ Lazatin in the works ANGELES CITY—Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. and Clark International Airport Corporation’s (CIAC) Vice President for Operations IC Calaguas initiated a book project that would serve as a tribute to the late Carmelo “Tarzan” F. Lazatin, former Pampanga first district representative and the first ever threetermer Angeles City mayor.

The book will focus on the public service career of my father (Tarzan Lazatin),” the mayor said.

The elder Lazatin served as the first district representative of the province from 1987 to 1998. He became the first three-termer Angeles City mayor from 1998 to 2007. Afterwards, he served again congressman in 2007 to 2013.

He did not stop serving his constituents as he became the village chief of Barangay Balibago in 2018.

“We miss him every day. And every day he will be remembered not just by us, his family, but also by Angelenos and residents from Mabalacat City and Magalang town,” the younger Lazatin said.

The book will be composed of three sections, Calaguas said. Butch Gunio

CLARK FREEPOR—Clark International Airport Corp. is conducting an appraisal of non-performing assets to determine their market value for future disposal as part of the inventory of facilities within the Civil Aviation Complex.

“One of our proactive responses to the pandemic is to conduct a thorough inventory of both fixed and movable assets, including non-performing assets, which will be converted into additional revenues for the government,” CIAC President Aaron Aquino said.

He added that the appraisal is needed to determine the market value of these

Some 200 detainees in Navotas underwent x-ray and swab testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Tuesday.

Mayor Toby Tiangco said the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)Navotas sought the city government’s help to have the detainees undergo chest x-ray before their transfer to the BJMP quarantine facility in Bicutan, Taguig.

The detainees are currently under the custody of the Navotas City Police.

“BJMP required that detainees be xrayed and sent to the Bicutan facility for a 28-day quarantine. Afterwards, they will be brought to the Navotas City Jail. Those who were found to have lung problems will be separated to avoid the spread of infection,” he explained.

The detainees had their x-ray under Project HEAL (HEalthy and Active Lungs), a program of the Department of Health and the City Government of Navotas in coordination with USAID and Philippine Business for Social Progress.

“While the BJMP only requested for the x-ray, we also had the detainees tested for COVID-19 to ensure that they are safe from the virus,” he added.

As of November 23, Navotas has conducted 39,980 swab tests or 14.9 of the city’s population.

The city also recorded 5,252 total cases with 5,038 recoveries, 57 active, and 157 deaths. Jun David

More MASB biz grantees sought T

By Joel E. Zurbano

HE city government of Makati continues giving financial assistance to businesses under its P2.5billion economic relief program to pump-prime the local economy during the pandemic On Thursday, Mayor Abigail Binay urged business owners to apply for the P100,000 cash grant ahead of the Dec.31 deadline.

She said over the past two weeks, around 5,000 applications have been received online via the designated website, www.proudmakatizen.com, and are being processed with expediency to pro-

vide funding for the salaries of workers and payments to suppliers.

“The Makati Assistance and Support for Businesses (MASB) Program aims to provide recovery funds to businesses, boost the local economy, and promote the employment of Makatizens, especially those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Binay said.

Binay explained that only businesses operating in the city, including branches with head offices outside Makati, and those with a valid business permit for this year with no tax obligations, are qualified to apply for the program.

The financial assistance will be released directly to registered and accredited Makati-based suppliers as payment for goods and services, as well as to employees for their salaries and allowances through drawdowns.

Under the MASB Program, qualified businesses will be entitled to grants ranging from P10,000 to P100,000, depending on the type of business and the number of Makatizens employed by the business.

The guidelines define a “Makatizen” as any person at least 18 years of age

who is a resident within the territory of Makati City or in city-run relocation areas in Calauan, Laguna and San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan. He or she must also be any of the following: a Makatizen Card holder, a beneficiary of the Makati Health Plus program (Yellow Card), or a registered voter in Makati.

For small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with special business permits (capital of P50,000 or less), the amount of grant will be as follows: 100 percent owned by a Makatizen, with no Makatizen employee, P10,000; not owned by a Makatizen but with one to two Makatizen employees, P10,000; 100 percent owned by a Makatizen with one to two employees, P15,000; owned or not owned by a Makatizen with more than two Makatizen employees, P20,000.

Plaza Miranda makeover slated

By Willie Casas MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said Thursday the city government is giving the historic Plaza Miranda in Quiapo a makeover and that it is expected to sport a new look in time for Christmas.

Domagoso said the efforts stemmed from a request made by a netizen who took a picture of the said plaza and then appealed to the mayor to have it rehabilitated.

According to Domagoso, he has tasked the parks and recreation bureau under Pio Morabe to take charge and that the work has already begun, as he appealed to the vendors to make the task of the city personnel by getting out of the way of the city personnel’s job in the meantime.

So far, Domagoso said that a check made by Morabe and his team on the public square and the structures in it, through coordination with the office of city engineer Armand Andres, showed that its structural integrity remains okay and that it has suffered mere superficial damage due to wear and tear, noting that the Plaza Miranda was inaugurated as far back as in 1961.

It was learned that Morabe had mobilized the PRB personnel to undertake the repainting of the whole area including the posts, pillars, and columns, among others.

CIAC appraising non-performing assets

By Jess Malabanan

X-ray, swab test for COVID done to 200 detainees in Navotas jail

facilities and to ensure a just and efficient real property valuation system beneficial to the government.

The CIAC chief said the appraisal committee, led by two CIAC vice presidents, Irish Calaguas of the operations group, and Nancy Paglinawan of the finance office, along with property management staff and a licensed third-party appraiser, were instructed to inspect and create an updated database of CIAC’s real property, facilities and equipment.

Clearing operations have started in areas around buildings, including idle facilities, along with engineering works and identification of market value of all structures within the aviation complex.

‘SILBATO NI PETALIO.’ Laguna Provincial Police Director PCol. Serafin Petalio (center) leads women in presenting some of the 5,000 whistles they received to help prevent gender-based violence through empowerment of women, teenagers, and children. Petalio said the whistle or ‘silbato’ (inset) is for cases of snatching, rape, theft, robbery, and other gender-based violence (see In Brief below). Roy Tomandao

Illegal quarrying Mariveles dads file raps vs. mayor lands 12 in jail MABALACAT CITY—Government agents arrested 12 persons following a raid on an illegal quarrying operation at Barangay Sapang Balen here Wednesday.

The suspects were identified as John Patrick Reyes, Jhun Murillo, Egilberto San Pascual, Ronald Linsangan, Edcel Ruiz, Vincent Canlas, Eldren Anson, Jomar Nazar, Christopher Moreno, Joel Ong, Francis Pangilinan and John Michael Matias, all residents of the village.

National Bureau of Investigation Environmental Crime Division (NBIEnCD) in Manila raided the quarrying site after it received complaints from concerned citizens in this city regarding the presence of illegal quarry operations by a group of individuals who allowed the extractions of sands and lahar without the necessary permit from the local government unit.

The group leader identified as Virgilio Gamez was not around during the raid.

NBI-EnCD conducted surveillance operations week before the raid. Operatives also checked with the LGU if the quarry operations of Gamez has the permit.

MARIVELES, Bataan—Members of this town’s Sangguniang Bayan have lodged administrative charges against Mayor Jocelyn Castaneda at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, charging her with dishonesty, oppression, misconduct in office, gross negligence, and abuse of authority.

Vice Mayor Lito Rubia led SB Mariveles members Councilors Tito Catipon, Angel Sunga, Susan Murillo, Ronald Arcenal, Joey Carandang, Harry Golocan, Turing Isip, SK Municipal Federation President Vincent Charles Banzon, and IP Representative Manuel Pacayay in personally

filing the administrative charges with the provincial board at the capitol compound in Balanga City on Wednesday.

They were accompanied by their lawyer Hospicio Laygo. The mayor had yet to issue a statement at press time.

“We wanted to sincerely work with her since the first day we all got elected despite belonging to different political parties for the sake of the people of Mariveles. We supported her with the needed legislation, but we are forced to the file these charges with her relentless attack on us,” said Rubia. Butch Gunio

COMPLAINT FILED. Mariveles Vice Mayor Lito Rubia (2nd from left) and members of the Sangguniang Bayan (from left) Councilor Angel Sunga, Tito Catipon, Susan Madla-Murillo, Turing Isip, IP Representative Manuel Pacayay, Harry Golocan, Ronald Arcenal, SK Municipal Federation President Vincent Charles Banzon, and Joey Carandang show a copy of the administrative complaint they filed against Mayor Jocelyn Castaneda at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Butch Gunio

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World

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Australian-British academic jailed for spying in Iran freed after 2 years AN Australian-British academic jailed for spying by Iran has been released after two “traumatic” years behind bars, in a swap for three Iranians linked to a botched Bangkok bomb plot.

Middle East scholar Kylie MooreGilbert said Thursday that departing Iran was “bittersweet” despite “injustices” endured during more than 800 days detained in the country’s toughest prisons.

“I came to Iran as a friend and with friendly intentions,” she said, praising the “warm-hearted, generous and brave” Iranian people, despite what she called a “long and traumatic ordeal”.

The 33-year-old was arrested by Iran’s hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 2018, after attending an academic conference in the holy city of Qom in central Iran. She was later charged with espionage and sentenced to ten years in jail.

Her release was secured as part of a prisoner swap for three men: Masoud Sedaghatzadeh, Mohammad Khazaei and wheelchair-bound Saeid Moradi, who blew off his own legs with homemade explosives.

All three were linked to a failed plot to assassinate Israeli diplomats in Thailand in 2012. Thai corrections authorities on Thursday confirmed that Sedaghatzadeh and Moradi were transferred back to Iran as prisoners, while Khazaei was granted a royal pardon in August.

The first images of a freed MooreGilbert emerged from Iranian state television late Wednesday, sparking elation from friends and family who had campaigned for her freedom and maintain her innocence.

“We are relieved and ecstatic,” the family said in a statement. “We cannot convey the overwhelming happiness that each of us feel at this incredible news.”

In footage broadcast by Iran’s Irib news agency from Tehran airport, Moore-Gilbert was seen wearing a headscarf and a face mask, accompanied by the Australian ambassador. AFP

FINALLY FREED. An image grab from footage obtained from Iranian State TV IRIB on November 25, 2020, shows Australian-British academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was serving a 10-year prison sentence for spying, during her release in Iran. Iran agreed to the release in exchange for three Iranians, state television in the Islamic republic reported on November 25. The broadcaster’s Iribnews website showed video footage of three unidentified men -- one of them in a wheelchair—draped in Iranian flags and being met by officials. AFP

Russia posts record number of infections

R

USSIA on Thursday registered record numbers for daily infections and deaths from the coronavirus for the second time in less than a week.

Health officials reported 25,487 new infections, bringing the national total to 2,187,990 cases since the beginning of the pandemic—the fifthhighest caseload in the world.

Health authorities also reported 524 deaths, raising Russia’s total fatalities from Covid-19 to 38,062.

It was the second time since Saturday that the country had registered record increases for both cases and

deaths.

Despite the surge—which President Vladimir Putin last week described as “alarming—Russia has not imposed the kind of lockdowns seen in some parts of Europe.

Authorities in many regions have required mask-wearing in public spaces and limited the number of inoffice workers, but have not reintroduced the strict stay-at-home order

ETHIOPIA-TIGRAY CONFLICT. Photograph shows Amlaku Demeke (left) recovering with other survivors of the November 9, 2020

Mai Kadra massacre, at the Gondar University Hospital, in the city of Gondar. A local youth group aided by police and militia killed at least 600 people in a “rampage” during the first week of fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, the national rights watchdog said on November 24, 2020. AFP

Indian farmers clash with cops in New Delhi INDIAN police fired tear gas and water cannon on Thursday in clashes with several thousand farmers marching to New Delhi to protest against recent agricultural reforms.

The confrontation happened when police tried to stop the farmers, from the northern state of Punjab, crossing a bridge about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Delhi.

Armed with sticks and rocks, some of the farmers threw police barriers into the river below. The police opened fire with water cannon and tear gas, further enraging the protestors.

After a two-hour stand-off, police eventually allowed the marchers to continue towards the capital.

The plight of farmers is a major political issue in India, with about 70 percent of rural households depending primarily on agriculture. Issues such as drought and mounting debt have been blamed for the suicides of thousands of farmers in recent years.

Legislation passed earlier this year means that farmers are now free to sell their produce to anyone at any price, instead of to state-controlled markets at fixed rates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed this as a “complete transformation of the agriculture sector” that would empower “tens of millions of farmers” and encourage much-needed investment and modernisation. AFP

Turkish jail 27 ex-pilots for 2016 coup A TURKISH court jailed 27 former pilots and other suspects for life in one of the largest trials stemming from the bloody 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim preacher who was once an Erdogan ally, is accused of ordering the failed putsch.

His movement has been proscribed as a terrorist group by Ankara, although he strongly denies all charges.

A total of 251 people died and more than 2,000 were injured in what has turned into the defining moment of Erdogan’s rule and contemporary Turkish politics.

The country’s largest courtroom was packed with dozens of security person-

nel and lawyers and the presiding judge ordered one protesting defendent to “Sit down!” several times before reading the verdict.

He handed down multiple life sentences to disgruntled air force pilots who bombed the capital Ankara and civilians who orchestrated the coup attempt from inside the Akinci military base near the capital.

They were convicted of crimes including murder, attempting to violate the constitutional order and attempting to assassinate Erdogan.

“Justice has been served,” Ufuk Yegin, who represents a victims’ families association, told AFP after the verdict was read. AFP

put in place in the spring.

Russia has registered a much lower virus fatality rate than other badly hit countries, raising concerns that authorities are downplaying the severity of the health crisis.

Russia’s federal statistics service has released data showing excess deaths of more than 117,000 year-onyear between March and September, indicating that virus fatalities could be much higher.

While Moscow saw the most new cases on Thursday, the second wave is hitting the country’s poorly funded regions the hardest.

Russia is pinning its hopes for con-

trolling the pandemic on home-made vaccines, including the Sputnik V vaccine that researchers said Tuesday was 95 percent effective.

The jab will be provided free to Russian citizens and Moscow is looking to secure major international orders in the global race to supply vaccines.

Last Putin announced that Russia had registered a second vaccine, EpiVacCorona.

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko on Thursday said that Russian manufacturers would begin mass producing vaccines in December or January.

AFP

Four teeners charged with teacher’s murder

IN BRIEF

FOUR teenage students have been charged in France over the killing of Samuel Paty, including three for allegedly pointing out the teacher to his murderer, a judical source said Thursday.

Three other pupils were charged with complicity earlier this month over the beheading last month of Paty, who had shown his students cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed as part of a lesson on free speech.

Three of the four students charged Thursday were suspected of identifying Paty to his killer, 18-year-old Abdullakh Anzorov, who then tracked him down and beheaded him in a street near his school.

The three, who are between 13 and 14 years old, are being charged with “complicity in a terrorist murder,” the source said.

The fourth is the daughter of Brahim Chnina, who launched a virulent online campaign against Paty denouncing the teacher’s use of the cartoons published by satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

She has been charged with “slanderous denunciation” of Paty after relating her version of events in the classroom, though she did not actually attend his civics lesson.

Paty’s murder sparked a torrent of outrage that prompted President Emmanuel Macron to crack down on Islamist extremism and violence in a country reeling from a wave of jihadist attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 250 people. AFP

Israel releases Palestinian who waged 103-day hunger strike ISRAEL on Thursday released a Palestinian who waged a 103-day hunger strike to protest Israeli rules allowing his detention without charge, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club said.

Maher al-Akhras, arrested over alleged membership of a militia group, was transferred from a Tel Aviv hospital to Nablus’s Al-Najah University Hospital in the occupied West Bank, the prisoners’ rights group said in a statement.

A decision on releasing him to return home will follow “a medical assessment of his condition”, Al-Najah hospital medical director Abdul-Karim Al-Barqawi said.

Akhras, 49, was arrested near Nablus in July and put in administrative detention, a policy that Israel uses to hold suspected militants without charge.

He is suspected of links to the armed Palestinian group Islamic Jihad, labelled

a terrorist group by Israel, the United States and the European Union.

The father of six launched his fast to protest a four-month detention order, which had been due to end on November 26.

Akhras, who been arrested by Israel several times previously, ended his hunger strike after Israeli authorities committed to not extending his detention beyond that date. AFP

Disney to cut 32,000 BRI jobs in 2021 from US theme parks DISNEY said Thursday it will cut 32,000 jobs in 2021, primarily from its US theme parks division, an increase from layoffs announced in September.

The company, which previously said it would cut 28,000 jobs, has struggled with the pandemic and social restrictions.

According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the cuts -- which Variety reported are part of September’s announcement -- would be made in the first half of next year.

“Due to the current climate, including COVID-19 impacts, and changing environment in which we are operating, the Company has generated efficiencies in its staffing, including limiting hiring to critical business roles, furloughs and reductions-in-force,” Disney said in a filing explaining the job losses.

The majority of the terminations would be in “Parks, Experiences and Products” it added.

Additionally, around 37,000 employees were placed on furlough from October 3, Variety reported.

Disney employs around 203,000 people globally, with around 20 percent parttime workers, according to CNBC. AFP

Zimbabwe’s gold mine collapses; 40 trapped AT LEAST 40 informal miners in Zimbabwe have been trapped underground after a shaft in a disused gold mine collapsed, the country’s miners’ federation said Thursday.

The incident occurred late Wednesday in the town of Bindura, around 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of the capital Harare, said Wellington Takavarasha, head of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation.

Takavarasha told AFP the miners were working inside the disused Ran Gold Mine when a shaft caved in.

Six miners have since been pulled from the rubble and taken to hospital.

“Those who were rescued said there were about 40 people in the mine shaft at the time of the incident,” said Takavarasha, adding that rescue efforts were ongoing.

Mining is a major source of foreign currency for Zimbabwe, where gold alone accounts for 60 percent of exports.

The landlocked southern African country is home to vast gold and mineral reserves, including diamonds and platinum.

The gold sector provides jobs to nearly 10 percent of the country’s population, according to the International Crisis Group (ICG). AFP

Business

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market retreats again; URC advances

T

HE stock market declined Wednesday as investors started consolidating their portfolio after recent gains that sent the benchmark index above 7,000 points.

The Philippines Stock Exchange Index dropped 73.76 points, or 1 percent, to 6,927.75 on a value turnover of P15.5 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 148 to 69, with 46 issues unchanged.

Property developer Robinsons Land Corp. fell 5.6 percent to P17, while parent JG Summit Holdings Inc. decreased 5.2 percent to P67.

International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator and owned by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., dropped 4.1 percent to P116.80, but Universal Robina Corp., the largest snack

food maker, rose 4.2 percent to P148.

Meanwhile, most Asian stocks rose Thursday—continuing this month’s vaccine-fueled markets rally—but traders moved cautiously, with an eye on virus infections across the globe that are forcing governments to impose containment measures.

With at least three inoculations in the pipeline and possibly rolled out within weeks, the general mood on trading floors is upbeat for 2021, but a fresh batch of data out of the US underlined the immediate impact of the disease and the long road ahead for economies.

And notes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting warned that the country’s recovery would be tougher without a new stimulus package.

Official figures showed applications for jobless aid rose for a second straight week as businesses were hit by a sharp increase in new infections and deaths that have led several major cities includ-

ing New York and Los Angeles to close bars and restaurants.

The readings gave traders a dose of reality following weeks of fervent buying in reaction to vaccine successes and Joe Biden’s election victory.

“The data... suggested that the US recovery was slowing as government support programs ran off, and that the massive spike in Covid-19 is infecting the real economy,” said OANDA’s Jeffrey Halley.

The crisis elsewhere was laid bare as Britain warned it expects to suffer its heaviest annual slump in more than three centuries, with the economy tipped to shrink 11.3 percent in 2020.

The Dow and S&P 500 ended lower Wednesday after hitting records the day before, while the Nasdaq hit a new alltime high as tech firms—which have benefited from people being forced to stay home—surged.

Asian markets drifted in the morning

but moved broadly positive as the day wore on.

Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Mumbai, Taipei, Jakarta and Bangkok rose but there were losses in Sydney, Singapore and Wellington.

Still, analysts were positive about the outlook, with UBS Global Wealth Management’s Xi Qiao saying: “We believe the market rally can continue from here powered by all the positive vaccine news, more political clarity with a peaceful White House transition and with more stimulus to come.

“We are already seeing a strong rotation into cyclical and reopening trades with the vaccine news and we expect this trend to continue.”

But Fed officials are worried the US economy faces continued pain unless lawmakers agree on a new rescue deal, with minutes showing they said no action would mean “significant hardships for a number of households.” With AFP

US economic suffering may grow without stimulus—Fed OFFICIALS at the Federal Reserve feared the US economy was on a course for renewed pain without Congress approving more stimulus to help its recovery from the pandemic, according to minutes of the central bank’s latest policy meeting released Wednesday.

Members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) also considered future changes in its strategy of buying Treasury assets and mortgagebacked securities, the minutes from the November 4-5 meeting said.

US central bankers including Fed Chair Jerome Powell have been gently prodding Washington lawmakers for more stimulus spending to help dig the US economy out of the deep hole the coronavirus pandemic pushed it into.

But with Democrats and Republicans in Washington deadlocked over such a measure, FOMC staff said the lack of stimulus would cause “significant hardships for a number of households,” according to the meeting minutes.

Congress’s passage earlier in the year of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act rescue package helped Americans build up their savings during the worst of the downturn, which FOMC members said may see households through.

“The savings cushion accumulated by other households would be enough to allow total consumption to be largely maintained through year-end,” staff noted.

FOMC participants viewed the nationwide surge of Covid-19 cases as “a downside risk to the recovery,” the minutes said, while “a few” noted that the worsening odds for new congressional stimulus “increased downside risks and added to uncertainty about the economic outlook.”

At the pandemic’s onset, the Fed slashed its benchmark lending rate to zero and rolled out trillions of dollars in new liquidity lines, some of which have now been discontinued.

FOMC participants mulled tweaks to its asset purchase regime at its latest meeting.

“Many participants judged that the Committee might want to enhance its guidance for asset purchases fairly soon,” the minutes said. AFP

TOP GAINERS 1

LFM

LAST PRICE 67.9

% CHANGE CHANGE 17.9 35.80%

2 3

COAL IPO

0.33 9.18

0.055 1.19

20.00% 14.89%

4 5

MG IPM

0.179 4.85

0.019 0.5

11.88% 11.49%

6 7

AR BSC

0.001 0.3

0.0001 0.03

11.11% 11.11%

8 9

JAS SPM

1.95 2

0.11 0.11

5.98% 5.82%

10

BHI

0.037

0.002

5.71%

TOP LOSERS 1

MACAY

LAST PRICE 7.91

% CHANGE CHANGE -1.09 -12.11%

2 3

ACEX MAHB

7.85 2.01

-1.05 -0.26

-11.80% -11.45%

4 5

WPI IDC

0.63 2.93

-0.05 -0.22

-7.35% -6.98%

6 7 8 9 10

LR TECH SSI ABA HOUSE

1.86 6.55 1.7 0.62 8.55

-0.13 -0.45 -0.11 -0.04 -0.54

-6.53% -6.43% -6.08% -6.06% -5.94%

MOST ACTIVE

MAJOR THIRD WAVE. Dumplings are displayed outside a restaurant in a market in Seoul on November 26, 2020. South Korea reported its highest daily number of coronavirus cases since March on November 26, with a surge of new infections sparking fears of a major third wave. AFP

Russian oil giant announces start of large Arctic project MOSCOW―Russian oil giant Rosneft on Wednesday announced the start of operations for its giant Vostok oil project in the Arctic, part of the country’s strategic energy plan which has been criticized by environmentalists.

“It is with great pleasure that I inform you of the start of the practical implementation of the project,” Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin told President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Moscow.

He thanked Putin, with whom he has close relations, for the adoption of a law facilitating Russian investments in the Arctic.

“The prospecting and exploration work are now underway, in accordance with our timetable,” Sechin said, adding that the design work for a 770-kilometer (480-mile) oil pipeline and a port had been completed.

The strategic plan for Russia’s mineral resources stretches to 2035 and is

banking on growing global demand, though it does predict that natural gas will partially replace oil and coal.

“Mineral resources will remain a competitive advantage of Russia’s economy, and will determine the place and role of the country in the world,” it says.

Environmentalists urged the Russian government last year to stop granting licenses to exploit several Arctic deposits.

The Vostok project, the cornerstone of Russia’s Arctic ambitions, brings together several Rosneft activities in the Russian Far North, near the northern sea route that the company intends to exploit to deliver to Europe and Asia.

In February, Sechin promised Putin that the scheme would create a “new oil and gas province” on Siberia’s Taymyr peninsula, the northernmost part of the Asian continent.

The complete project will represent a

total investment of 10,000 billion rubles ($111 billion), including two airports and 15 “industry towns.”

The project has also been forecast to create 130,000 jobs and allow access to estimated reserves of around five billion tons of oil.

The construction alone will require 400,000 workers, Sechin said.

Last week Rosneft announced the sale of 10 percent of the project to Singapore’s Trafigura group, without mentioning a price. The Russian group had previously said that there was interest in the project from India.

Sechin said the Arctic endeavor would eventually produce 100 million tons of oil per year.

Between now and 2024 he said that 30 million tons would be sent from the Arctic along the so-called Northern Sea route connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. AFP

Europe’s Christmas ski season threatened by virus as cases hit 60m BERLIN, Germany―Germany announced Wednesday that it will push for Europe to ban ski holidays in a bid to curb coronavirus infections, while cases of Covid-19 reached a new peak of more than 60 million globally.

The prospect of Christmas behind closed doors rather than on the slopes stretched before Europeans as Americans faced their own gloom, recording the highest daily death toll from the virus in six months on the eve of a subdued Thanksgiving holiday.

US President-elect Joe Biden cited accelerating plans to deliver a vaccine as he appealed for his “weary” countrymen to dig deep, with Covid-19 surging around the country.

“There is real hope, tangible hope.

So hang on. Don’t let yourself surrender to the fatigue,” Biden said in a televised Thanksgiving address.

“You will get your lives back. Life is going to return to normal. That will happen. This will not last forever.”

Biden spoke as a tally of official sources compiled by AFP showed that more than 60 million infections leading to 1.4 million deaths have been recorded around the world since the new

PSEi November 26, 2020

First snow is in the empty ski area Sudelfeld, southern Germany, on November 23, 2020, amid the ongoing novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. AFP

coronavirus emerged in China late last year.

The number of infections―roughly equivalent to the population of Italy― likely only reflects a fraction of the actual total, as many countries lack testing capacity.

Rising cases have seen countries

around the world impose new restrictions in recent weeks, though some― such as France and the United Kingdom―have begun cautiously opening back up again.

Germany, however, announced Wednesday that it will extend its virus curbs until 2021 and plans to seek

a deal with European partners to close ski slopes until January 10.

The statement from Chancellor Angela Merkel dovetailed with French plans announced one day earlier to shutter ski resorts through the year’s end. Infected tourists at ski resorts helped spread the virus across Europe earlier this year.

“I will say this openly that it won’t be easy, but we will try,” Merkel said.

The move put Berlin and Paris on a collision course with resort operators and holiday hotspot Austria ahead of the crucial Christmas season.

In non-EU member Switzerland, however, skis resorts are open―although police have been spotted patrolling to ensure that skiers respect antiCovid measures such as wearing masks and social distancing.

Grieving families In the US, thousands of grieving families were bracing for a Thanksgiving marked by loss.

Americans usually criss-cross the country to be with family and friends for the carbs-laden feast on Thursday marking one of their most important national holidays. AFP

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BPI BDO SMPH ALI MBT MM SM ICT ACEN RLC

VOLUME 12360330 7068760 15411800 14530600 9719400 72763700 369560 3165740 60325800 20916300

VALUE (PHP) 1082927163 747557588 563256705 540999370 455991375 427702544 371808840 371428286 363442406 359671224

France risks US ire with move to apply digital tax PARIS―France will enforce a new digital levy for online technology giants this year, breaking a truce with Washington over the long-running tax fight that could prompt a round of punitive US tariffs on French goods.

“The companies subject to this tax have been notified,” a French finance ministry official said Wednesday, referring in particular to Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple, collectively referred to as the “GAFA” in France.

A deposit on the estimated taxes owed will be required in December, with the remainder due next year, the official said.

US President Donald Trump has assailed the tax as unfairly targeting American tech heavyweights, and last year threatened import duties of 25 percent on $1.3 billion worth of French products, including cosmetics and handbags by renowned brands.

The US Trade Representative did not respond to a request for comment from AFP. France and other European countries are taking action after intense public pressure to make US multinationals pay a larger share of their revenues in taxes in the countries where they operate.

Under EU law, companies in the United States can declare profits from across the bloc in a single member state―and most pick low-tax jurisdictions such as Ireland or the Netherlands.

In 2019, President Emmanuel Macron’s government enacted a three-percent levy on the profits from providing online sales for third-party retailers― such as Amazon’s Marketplace―as well as on digital advertising and the sale of private data.

That year the taxes brought in around 400 million euros ($475 million), an amount expected to grow steadily in the coming years.

But Paris struck a deal with Trump’s administration last year to suspend collection of the levy while seeking a global digital tax deal under the auspices of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).AFP

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

B4 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020

Dyson plans software lab in PH, to hire 400 Filipinos

By Jenniffer B. Austria DYSON, a British technology company, is building a software laboratory in the Philippines that will employ 400 highly-skilled software engineers over the next three years.

Dyson chief operating officer Scott Maguire said in a news briefing Wednesday the new software hub would focus on research and development to create a new generation of intelligent machines which understand their environment and their users.

Maguire said Dyson selected the Philippines for its software hub not only because of the talent pool available in the country but also because the company wanted to build on the success of its manufacturing facility in Calamba Laguna, which employs 600 people and produces 13 million Dyson Hyperdymium motors annually.

“The Philippines is home to bright, young engineers who share Dyson’s ambition to develop technologies for the future. Dyson has been growing in the Philippines for this reason and it is a nation that clearly celebrates both engineers and technology. We already have a brilliant team of engineers here and have manufactured over 20 million Dyson Hyperdymium motors from our advanced manufacturing facility in Calamba,” Maguire said.

“We will continue to invest in the Philippines and look forward to having more highly skilled Filipino engineers join our ranks to develop and manufacture exciting new technologies for the future, which will be used all around the world,” he said.

The software hub will form part of Dyson’s global research, design and development team which spans the United States, the UK, China, Singapore and Malaysia.

Roles in the software lab will include embedded software engineers, automation test engineers, scrum masters, product owners, program managers, release train engineers and team leaders.

PLDT to invest in two new cable landing stations

By Darwin G. Amojelar PLDT Group said Thursday it will build at least two new cable landing stations in the country to serve the increasing need of customers for data.

PLDT chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said as an integrated network, PLDT and Smart were investing in international connectivity “like nobody else can.”

These include submarine cables, also made of fiber, which connect its network to the rest of the world. PLDT and Smart are part of a network of 16 international cable systems.

“We are investing in more,” Pangilinan said.

“We already have three cable landing stations and at least two more are coming up next year. I think that’s something a single fixed broadband operator cannot do. In particular, when they have to grow outside of the big main post, it becomes very costly to lay all the fiber in the country. We can do that because we are using fiber not only for fiber-to-thehome but also for mobile and for enterprise customers,” Panglinan said.

PLDT earlier joined an international consortium to build the Asia Direct Cable—a high performance submarine cable connecting the Philippines to other Asian countries, allowing it to support bandwidth-intensive applications such as 5G, cloud services, internet- of-things and artificial intelligence.

As an integrated telco service, PLDT and Smart offer more products to the market. “PLDT and Smart offers include mobile internet as well as your fixed wireless and fiber-to-the-home,” said Smart president and chief executive Alfredo Panlilio, who is also the PLDT chief revenue officer.

PLDT’s vast network, the most extensive and advanced digital transport network in the country at 395,000 kilometers as of end-September, supports all internet delivery platforms such as fiber fixed broadband, mobile data services via 4G and increasingly 5G and carriergrade WiFi.

Business PSALM seen to leave gov’t with P208b in debt by 2026

By Alena Mae S. Flores

P

OWER Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. which was formed in 2001 to dispose of state-owned power assets will cease as a company by June 2026 and leave the government with about P208 billion in debt, an official said Thursday.

PSALM president Irene Garcia said the agency would incur the estimated P208billion deficit at the end of its life under Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act. “That’s an approximation and it will still move depending on various factors,” Garcia said when asked to clarify her pro-

nouncement during a Senate hearing.

Garcia said many factors could affect the projected deficit, such as exchange rate, borrowing conditions, collections, privatization activities, defaulting customers, rate of national government’s guarantee and approvals of the Energy Regulatory Commission of its rate adjustments.

PSALM has 25 years from the effectivity of EPIRA law in 2001 to fulfill its twin mandates unless extended by law.

Under the law, all assets of PSALM, money and properties belonging to it and outstanding liabilities will revert to and be assumed by the national government at the end of its corporate life.

PSALM began operations on July 1, 2001 with the primarily mandate to privatize the assets of the National Power Corp. PSALM was able to pare down its financial obligations to P393.3 billion as of end-June.

“For this year alone, notwithstanding the pandemic we have already reduced the financial obligations down to P393.3

billion. For the first half of 2020, we paid already P28.8 billion,” Garcia said earlier.

PSALM’s financial obligations include debts, interest and other charges and independent power producer lease obligations.

The agency’s financial obligations peaked at P1.24 trillion in 2003.

“On liability management, in 2019, we were able to reduce the financial obligations by P27.2 billion in terms of principal amounts of financial obligations from a high of P1.2 trillion that was passed on to PSALM from NPC,” Garcia said.

PSALM announced in May that it would secure a loan of P43 billion from the Development Bank of the Philippines to cover other maturing obligations in 2020.

PSALM said the loan was needed because the revenues from privatization proceeds, power sales, delinquent and overdue accounts collections and universal charge stranded debts proceeds would not be sufficient to cover all the maturing obligations and operating expenses.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, November 26, 2020 -73.76 PTS. 6,927.75

Total Volume Total Trades Total Value

3,280,780,373 167,383 15,491,307,019.11

Advances Declines

69 148

Unchanged

46

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.1100

Japan

Yen

0.009574

0.4606

UK

Pound

1.338600

64.4000

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129021

6.2072

Switzerland

Franc

1.101322

52.9846

Canada

Dollar

0.769231

37.0077

Singapore

Dollar

0.746436

35.9110

Australia

Dollar

0.736300

35.4234

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655055

127.7347

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

12.8293

Brunei

Dollar

0.743660

35.7775

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.032976

1.5865

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0990

Euro

Euro

1.191600

57.3279

Korea

Won

0.000904

0.0435

China

Yuan

0.151976

7.3116

India

Rupee

0.013556

0.6522

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.244798

11.7772

New Zealand

Dollar

0.700300

33.6914

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035112

1.6892 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF BDO buys out Nomura stake in joint venture BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s largest lender controlled by the Sy family, said Thursday it completed the buyout of Nomura Holdings Inc.’s ownership in BDO Nomura Securities Inc. BDO said the latest development followed an announcement on June 23, 2020 terminating their joint-venture arrangement. BDO Capital & Investment Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of BDO, acquired Nomura’s 49-percent stake in BDO Nomura.

BDO Nomura will then be merged with BDO Securities Corp., with the latter as the surviving entity. BDO Securities will be reorganized into a full-service brokerage firm with an expanded product offering to include non-equity securities.

BDO announced in June a plan to buy out Nomura Holdings Inc.’s entire holdings in their joint-venture arrangement under BDO Nomura Securities Inc. BDO owned 51 percent of BDO Nomura, with Nomura (through Nomura Asia Investment (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) holding the remaining 49 percent. Julito G. Rada

ICTSI sells P4.68b in treasury shares

PANUBLION FAIR. Mall shoppers drop by to check and buy products at the Panublion Heritage Fair 2020 at SM City Iloilo Activity Center. Despite the limited movement of people to travel and experience the products of the region during the five-day Panublion Heritage Fair, the participants surpass their sales target of P9 million, according to Department of Trade and Industy Region VI Regional Director Ermelina Pollentes.

Balance of payments surplus exceeded $10b in 10 months

By Julito G. Rada THE country’s balance of payments surplus exceeded $10 billion in the first 10 months and surpassed the full-year target of an $8.1-billion surplus, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Thursday.

Diokno said in a statement the BOP surplus hit $3.44 billion in October and $10.31 billion in the first 10 months.

“The surplus reflected mainly the BSP’s income from investments abroad, the national government’s foreign currency deposits with the BSP and inflows from the foreign exchange operations.

These were partly offset by the government’s payments of its foreign currency debt obligations,” Diokno said.

The cumulative surplus was also higher than the $5.73-billion surplus recorded a year ago. The BOP position reflected an increase in gross international reserves to

$103.8 billion at the end of October.

The BSP expects larger BOP surplus and gross international reserves for 2020 and 2021, taking into consideration the expected recovery of the global economy from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Monetary Board earlier approved the upward revision in the BOP surplus to $8.1 billion (2.2 percent of GDP) in 2020 from the previous estimate of $600 million (0.2 percent of GDP) surplus for the year.

Diokno said the new set of forecasts considered the latest available BOP data in the first half and the global and domestic economic developments, including the macroeconomic impact of the pandemic.

He said the global economy was showing signs of recovery but remained susceptible to setbacks, while the domestic economy was slowly lifting its way out of containment measures.

Diokno said that while uncertainty continued to weigh down on business

and investor confidence, factors such as expectations of a better-than-initiallyanticipated global economic performance for the year; the reopening of advanced economies with investment interests in the Philippines; the country’s investment-grade credit standing; and its expected gradual economic recovery were also seen to support foreign investment inflows for the rest of the year.

The end-2020 GIR level is expected to remain above $100 billion, taking into account the increased foreign borrowings by the national government and the revaluation adjustments arising from the accounting treatment of the BSP’s gold holdings.

For 2021, the BOP position is seen to remain in surplus but at a lower level of $3.4 billion or 0.9 percent of GDP, reflecting the lower forecasted current account surplus of $3.1 billion (0.8 percent of GDP) amid an expected widening of trade deficit.

INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. said Thursday it raised P4.68 billion from the sale of treasury shares to partly finance capital expenditures.

The port operator led by businessman Enrique Razon signed a placement agreement to sell 40 million treasury shares at P117 apiece. The shares were crossed in the Philippine Stock Exchange Thursday morning.

“Proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes including funding committed capital expenditures,” it said.

ICTSI said the offering was well received and multiple-times oversubscribed by highquality foreign and local institutional investors.

“Proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes including funding committed capital expenditures,” the company said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Digital banks obtain new category—BSP THE Monetary Board, the policy-setting body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said Thursday it approved the recognition of digital bank as a new bank category that is separate and distinct from current classifications.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, who is also the chairman of the board, defines a digital bank as one that offers financial products and services that are processed end-to-end through a digital platform and/or electronic channels with no physical branches.

“Digital banks will play an important role in the digital financial ecosystem. We see these banks as additional partners in further promoting market efficiencies and expanding access of Filipinos to a broad range of financial services, bringing us closer to the realization of our target that at least 50 percent of total retail payment transactions have shifted to digital, and 70 percent of adult Filipinos have transaction accounts by year 2023. This is seen to remove sticky points and leapfrog our financial inclusiveness agenda,” Diokno said in a statement.

He said digital banking applicants were expected to have sound digital governance, robust, secure and resilient technology infrastructure and effective data management strategy and practices. Julito G. Rada

Office space, residential vacancy rates rose in Q3

DRIVERS’ SUBSIDY. Bus and jeepney drivers in the National Capital Region sign up to receive subsidy from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board through their PayMaya accounts as part of the Service Contracting program of the agency. Under the program, some 60,000 public utility vehicle drivers and operators stand to receive subsidies when they enter into a service contracting scheme with the government as a way to help transport sector players displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

VACANCY rates in Metro Manila’s real estate sector widened in the third quarter, property consultancy firm JLL Philippines said Thursday.

The property consultancy firm said Metro Manila’s office segment faced a rising vacancy rate of 9.5 percent in third quarter as many occupants moved out.

“We have seen entry and expansion plans put on hold. There were lease contract pre-terminations especially in the POGO [Philippine offshore gaming operators] sector, as well as downsizing of offices by BPO [business process outsourcing] firms as they re-evaluate their real estate portfolio,” said JLL head of research Janlo de los Reyes.

The overall pre-commitment rate of office spaces also fell to 24.4 percent at the end of the third quarter as potential tenants were holding off leasing plans as they continued to assess space requirements in the next normal.

JLL said, however, the BPO sector would continue to drive demand in the

long term, despite the exodus of POGO firms.

“Office demand from POGO firms may still remain despite ongoing tax concerns and reports of exits. We anticipate that operators that will stay are those that are keen to expand their operations in the country and lead to stable office demand moving forward,” De los Reyes said.

JLL said that in the residential sector, the average rental vacancy rose to 8.2 percent in the third quarter amid the weak leasing activity. Manila posted the highest increase as the work-from-home setup and online schooling affected lease activity from students and professionals.

It said that on terms of sales, trajectory differed for ready-for-occupancy and pre-selling projects. Take-up of recently completed projects showed improvement in the third quarter because of favorable payment terms and availability, while the pre-selling market faced weaker demand as buyers were more cautious of longterm spending. Othel V. Campos

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020

C1

Go, Paras lead young Gilas team against veteran Thais

Barangay Ginebra big man Japeth Aguilar (with ball) challenges the defense of Meralco Bolts counterpart Reynel Hugnatan. The two teams square off today for the final time to determine who advances to the Finals of the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup. PBA

POC elections held today at East Ocean ALL 54 eligible members have been cleared to cast their ballots on election day of the Philippine Olympic Committee today.

These include two troubled national sports associations. The General Assembly of the POC gave their nod to let representatives of the Philippine Tennis Association and the Philippine Badminton Association to cast their ballots during electoral proceedings this afternoon.

The go-signal was given during an online meeting yesterday, on the eve of polls which would choose the leaders of the POC for the next four years.

PHILTA president and lawyer Antonio Cablitas said their association remained under the threat of suspension from the International Tennis Federation because of an unresolved leadership dispute.

But since the POC has not received an update from the ITF on their status, tennis will be able to join the proceedings that will commence at the East Ocean Restaurant in Macapagal Avenue in Parañaque.

POC chairman Steve Hontiveros ruled that the PBA will be allowed to join the proceedings. But it will be on the condition that they have to decide among themselves if former vice president Jejomar Binay will be the one to vote, or if ex-Negros Occidental congressman Alfredo “Albee” Benitez will be allowed do so.

Benitez is said to be the duly elected president of the PBA during polls held without POC observer last year, while Binay was elected back in 2017.

The decision on the status of badminton and tennis was reached after members of the General Assembly discussed issues concerning the elections with election body headed by lawyer Teodoro Kalaw IV, former International Olympic Committee representative Francisco Elizalde and University of the Philippine president Danilo Concepcion.

Incumbent president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who is the head of national body of cycling (Philcycling), wants to make a difference when he goes for a full four-year term against archery chief Clint Aranas.

The POC is looking forward to electing its 12th president after Ricky Vargas quit last June 2019. Peter Atencio

PBA Philippine Cup Finals slots up for grabs

By Peter Atencio

T

ODAY is do-or-die Friday for four teams which will be gunning for a place in the Finals of the 2020 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.

Phoenix Super LPG takes on TNT Tropang Giga 3:45 p.m. while the Meralco Bolts battle Barangay Ginebra 6:30 p.m., today, November 27 at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena & Cultural Center Powered by Smart 5G. Winners advance to the championship series while the losers go home.

While Bobby Ray Parks provided the spark in Game 4, other prolific players are expected to step up for TNT in Game 5.

Parks supplied the needed fuel when he took over for TNT in bringing down Phoenix, 102-101,

Wednesday evening.

Coach Bong Ravena is upbeat that Jayson Castro, Simon Enciso, and the likes of struggling players Troy Rosario and Poy Erram will be able to step up their game today.

“Hopefully, they can bring their game in Game 5,” said Ravena after the Tropang Giga forced a decisive Game 5.

Ravena took note of the supporting role which Castro and Enciso gave as Parks carried the Tropang Giga with 36 points on 10-for-16 shooting.

“Hindi lang sa offense ang binibigay nila. They can also give on defense.

They can contain their man and get a

lot of outside shots. Suerte kami sa kanila,” said Ravena.

That evening TNT hit 18-for-46 threes (39.1 percent) in a shootout against Phoenix.

Phoenix, which had just 12 points in the opening quarter, had four less threes but they were a little more accurate (14for-34, 41.2 percent).

On the other hand, the Meralco Bolts have a chance to enter the AllFilipino finals for the first time in franchise history with a win against Barangay Ginebra.

This was made possible after Reynel Hugnatan scored on clutch baskets that enabled Meralco Bolts to tie their bestof-five semifinals series at two games apiece, with an 83-80 win.

“I’m just happy that the players bounced back from our game three days ago, where we didn’t really play well.

They played much better tonight,” said Bolts coach Norman Black.

BIG man George Isaac Go and Kobe Paras will have big shoes to fill when the young Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team finally meet Thailand tonight in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers begins in Manama.

Go and Paras will be adjusting and stepping into roles that once belonged to more experienced players Roger Pogoy and Thirdy Ravena.

And the leadership that they can provide will help Gilas Pilipinas take on the Thais in their 9 p.m. encounter.

“They have lots intensity. Hopefully, this will give us a win in our home and away game,” said Uichico.

And they are cagers who national coach Jong Uichico will turn to when action in the November window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers begin in Manama.

Go leads the returnees of Gilas which also include Juan Gomez De Liaño, Matt Nieto, and Dwight Ramos.

He is expected to dominate the boards.

On the other hand, Paras will play a big role in giving Gilas the needed points, since Ravena won’t be around to do so. And this will be his first stint in the men’s squad.

Gilas is looking for their second straight triumph.

During their February game, Gilas prevailed over Indonesia in Jakarta, 100-70.

At that time, Gomez De Liaño scored 10 points in 11.3 minutes played.

Among the new members of Gilas are Dave Ildefonso, Paras and Kenmark Carino. They are seen to bring more energy to the squad.

Ildefonso was able to see action for the Philippines under-18 squad in the Asian Championship 2018, up to the U19 World Cup 2019.

Gilas is in Group A of the Qualifiers with Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.

They will be up against an experienced Thailand squad that’s led by former Thai-American standout Tyler Lamb.

The Thais will be looking for a win after bowing to Korea, 83-96, last February. Peter Atencio

NBA switches Indianapolis’ all-star game to 2024

PAPAL AUDIENCE. This handout photo taken on November 23, 2020, and released by the Vatican press office, the Vatican Media, shows Pope Francis (left) meeting with NBA players in the Pope’s private studio at the Vatican. AFP

LOS ANGELES, United States—Indianapolis will now host the 2024 NBA all-star game, leaving the 2021 showcase in limbo as the league grapples with scheduling changes due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced on Wednesday (Thursday Philippine time).

Indianapolis was supposed to play host to the 2021 game in February but the league said that the health situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to reschedule it.

“While we are disappointed that the NBA All-Star Game will not take place in Indianapolis in 2021, we are looking forward to the Pacers and the city hosting the game and surrounding events in 2024,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

“I want to thank Herb Simon, Steve Simon, Rick Fuson and the entire Pacers organization as well as the NBA All-Star 2021 Host Committee and the community of Indianapolis for working with us to reschedule our All-Star activities.”

No details about the 2021 game were released.

Cleveland will host in 2022 and Salt Lake City will do so in 2023. The 2024 game will be played in February at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the home of the Pacers.

The state of Indiana has seen a spike in coronavirus deaths in the past month with a record 103 deaths on Thursday, taking the state’s total deaths to close to 5,500. AFP

Kingad predicts knockout victory over Akhmetov TEAM Lakay fighter and no. 2-ranked flyweight Danny “The King” Kingad finally gets a shot at the man he’s called out for so long.

Kingad will face former ONE Flyweight World Champion and current no. 3-ranked flyweight Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov of Kazakhstan at ONE: Big Bang which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore on December 4, Friday.

Kingad predicts a quick finish saying he will knock out his foe.

“I’m definitely going for the finish. I think this won’t last two rounds. It will end with a second round knockout. I think I’m better than him in the striking department, but we’ll have to wait and see in the fight. He’s improved a lot,” said Kingad.

“I’ve wanted to face him for a long time because I want to test my skills against him, particularly in wrestling. It’s not going to be easy,

but it’s going to be a fun fight.”

Akhmetov is a three-time National GrecoRoman Champion in Kazakhstan, and a regional taekwondo champion.

The biggest misconception about Akhmetov is that he doesn’t have the striking skills to match his wrestling, but Kingad believes otherwise.

“I think his biggest strength is that he’s very well-rounded. He has good wrestling skills, but he’s not just a wrestler. He can strike too, and I shouldn’t underestimate him,” said Kingad.

“I think I’m better than him all-around. I’m very proud of my skills, and I think I have the best team behind me. We’ve prepared very well for this fight. We have a good strategy coming into this. I want to win for my family, my fans, and for the Filipino people.”

ONE: Big Bang is the first of ONE Championship’s live event offerings in the month of December. The main event features a show-

down between ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion Roman Kryklia of the Ukraine and challenger Murat “The Butcher” Aygun of the Netherlands.

There are high stakes riding on this bout. If Kingad can beat Akhmetov, it could set him up to face the winner of the highly-anticipated title showdown between reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes and former UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson.

Kingad is fully fixated on victory, working double time with his comrades at Team Lakay.

The Filipino star is aiming for a spectacular performance, one that will signal his readiness to challenge for the world title once more.

Of course, he’s very good on the ground, has strong control, and can finish opponents on the mat. If he had any area of weakness, it would have to be in his striking. That’s what I’m going to try to expose. I’m focusing on that,” said Kingad.

Team Lakay fighter Danny Kingad (left) keeps his opponent Wei Xie at bay during their fight at ONE Championship: Fire & Fury held Jan. 31, 2020.

ONE Championship

C2

Sports

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020

Diego: I represent the nobodies

N

APLES—Few places will mourn the death of Diego Maradona as much as Naples, the downtrodden, gritty Italian city that clasped the troubled Argentine to its heart at his time of need and was repaid with the best years of perhaps the greatest footballer to ever play the game.

Diego Maradona

Football mourns eternal icon Diego Maradona LONDON—Brazilian great Pele led global tributes to Diego Maradona, whose death was announced on Wednesday, saying one day they would “play soccer together in the sky”.

Renowned for inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, Maradona was most loved at club level for his spells with Boca Juniors in his homeland and Napoli in Italy, where he won the club’s only two Serie A titles.

AFP Sport looks at who is saying what as tributes pour in to one of football’s greatest ever players: “Sad news today. I have lost a dear friend, and the world has lost a legend.

There is much more to say, but for now may God give his family strength. One day, I hope, we will play soccer together in the sky.”

-- Brazilian legend Pele, who is widely regarded as Maradona’s competition to being called the best player in history.

“It is a very sad day for all Argentines and football. He leaves us but he does not go because he is eternal. I am left with many of the nice moments we shared and I want to send my condolences to all his family and friends.”

-- Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, who played under Maradona for Argentina at the 2010 World Cup, and has struggled to match his success at international level.

“By some distance the best player of my generation and arguably the greatest of all time. After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he’ll finally find some comfort in the hands of God. #RipDiego.”

-- Former England striker Gary Lineker, who was on the losing side thanks to Maradona’s two iconic goals for Argentina in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final.

“It could be an idea to call the stadium in Naples San Paolo-Maradona.”

-- Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis on the prospect of renaming the club’s San Paolo stadium, where Maradona’s name and face still adorn shirts and flags in memory of the part he played in the southern Italian club’s most successful era.

“You gave everything for your people, you defended this land, you loved it. You gave us joy, smiles, trophies, love. I grew up hearing my family’s stories about your exploits, seeing and reviewing your endless games. You were the greatest player in history, you were our Diego.”

-- Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne.

“Today I say goodbye to a friend and the world says goodbye to an eternal genius. One of the best ever. An unparalleled magician. He leaves too soon, but leaves a legacy without limits and a void that will never be filled. Rest in peace, ace. You will never be forgotten.”

-- Five-time Ballon d’Or winner and Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

“There was a banner in Argentina one time I read years ago, it said: ‘It doesn’t matter what you have done with your life, it matters what you have done with our lives’. There are a few incredible players in all of history, he is one of them. For people of our generation, the World Cup in ‘86 in Mexico was something which made this sport better.”

-- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

“I’m 53 years old and it feels like my entire life, he was part of it. When I was very young—maybe eight or nine, 10 years old—I saw him for the first time and he was 16 or 17. In any video, juggling the ball, from that moment on he was the player for me.”

-- Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

“What Diego has done for football, for making all of us fall in love with this beautiful game, is unique. It is, as he is, simply immense.”

-- FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

“A bit of our past has gone... I am nostalgic for what was a wonderful era.”

-- French legend and former UEFA president Michel Platini.

“We will never forget you. You will always be with us. #ThankyouDiego” -- Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, who was previously married to and has a child with Maradona’s daughter Gianinna.

“Our sport lost one of its biggest idols. I lost a great friend, whose talent inspired me from the time I was a boy.

I’m in shock that he’s gone, but grateful that our paths crossed in life. El Pibe, your legacy is eternal. Your magic on the pitch will never be forgotten.” AFP

Buildings around Naples are adorned with depictions of the man who took Napoli to the top of the Italian game and beyond and became an icon and spokesman for Neapolitans, whose chaotic city was feared and loathed in equal measure by the rest of Italy.

“I feel like I represented a part of Italy that didn’t count for anything,” he said in ‘Diego Maradona’, the 2019 Asif Kapadia documentary about his life in Naples.

So deep was ‘barrio boy’ Maradona’s attachment to Naples that he called Napoli’s first ever league title, won a year after he led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup, the “greatest triumph” of his career.

Surrounded by jubilant fans on the pitch of Napoli’s Stadio San Paolo, he explained why: “I won this one at my home.”

Maradona’s achievements at Napoli, who had been also-rans until he arrived in 1984 following a difficult two-year

spell at Barcelona, cemented his position as the greatest player of his generation and, in many peoples’ eyes, make him the best ever.

Another league title in 1990—pipping Arrigo Sacchi’s great AC Milan—the 1989 UEFA Cup and an Italian Cup also arrived during Maradona’s seven years in southern Italy, a golden age that has never come close to being repeated since.

Maradona’s 115 goals in all competitions was a club record that stood for 26 years and his heroics came at a time when Serie A was the world’s strongest, richest league, where the likes of Michel Platini and Zico strutted their stuff in front of bulging, bouncing stadiums.

He fled in disgrace in 1991, a failed drugs test, an unrecognised son and a billion-lira tax dispute all left back in Naples, where his penchant for late-night parties, cocaine and women were almost as famous as his magical displays on the pitch.

Camorra links Courted by criminals, the King of Spain and even the Pope, Maradona became a quasi-religious figure in Naples.

He brought joy to a desperately poor city blighted by bloody conflicts between the competing clans of the powerful Camorra organised crime network, one of whom Maradona would get to know very well.

Indeed the 1984 signing of a genuine superstar by Napoli—who were heavily in debt and had finished 11th the previous season—immediately raised eyebrows, with persistent rumours that a chunk of the world record $10.48 million fee that brought him to Italy came from the Camorra’s deep pockets.

The opening question in his first press conference came from a reporter who asked a confused Maradona whether he knew about the Camorra and its “influence on football” and was immediately ejected by livid club owner Corrado Ferlaino.

“I never asked for anything from the Camorra, they gave me the security of knowing that nothing was going to happen to my two children,” Maradona insisted in a 2017 interview to Italian TV station Canale 5.

However his access to drugs and women

came thanks to the infamous Giuliano clan, who immediately befriended Maradona, furnished his burgeoning cocaine habit and went to great lengths to make sure they were photographed partying with the world’s most famous footballer.

Maradona himself admitted that every week he would binge from Sunday night until Wednesday, beginning an intense detox programme each Thursday that would get him ready for the following weekend’s match.

Things fall apart It took Napoli two years to provide Maradona with teammates capable of challenging for honours, and when the title came in 1987 it caused such wild celebrations that stories of a summer-long party became as famous as the triumph itself.

In reality the city came to a standstill for around a week. To this day Neapolitans name their sons after a football god they’ve only seen play on old VHS players and YouTube.

Another title arrived three years later before it all began to fall apart, not long after he and the Argentine national team enraged Italy by dumping the ‘Azzurri’ out of the 1990 World Cup in the semifinals—in Naples of all places. AFP

NFL postpones Thanksgiving Day tiff after Ravens’ virus outbreak

View of an improvised altar set up by Fans of Argentinos Juniors’ Football Team at the La Paternal neighbourhood, Buenos Aires, where Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona used to play. AFP

Hamilton eyes more records, a new contract in Bahrain MANAMA—Lewis Hamilton goes into this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix aiming to continue his record-breaking romp this year and make a successful start on final talks to stay with Mercedes in 2021 and beyond.

The newly-crowned seven-time champion will be bidding to claim a fourth career victory at the Sakhir Circuit, where he won last year, and seal his own future with the champion team.

Despite clinching his record-equalling seventh drivers’ title in Turkey two weeks ago, the 35-year-old Briton and his Mercedes team have no intention of easing off in the final triple-header of three floodlit Middle Eastern races of this Covid-19 affected season.

“It’s a bit more chilled now, but I still have three races ahead of me that I really want to win,” said Hamilton, following his momentous victory at Istanbul, his 10th this season.

“It’s important for us all to keep working and to maintain our momentum. There is no thought of us slowing down.”

Hamilton, now established as the most successful driver in Formula One his-

tory, has never won more than 11 races in a season, but has a chance to do that this weekend.

He can go on to reach a total of 13 wins if he triumphs in the following Sakhir Grand Prix, at the same track, and the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, on the two following weekends.

If he does that, he will be only the third driver to claim 13 victories in a season, following fellow-seven-time champion Michael Schumacher and

four-time champion Sebastian Vettel.

Hamilton has already overtaken Schumacher’s record of 91 wins and is now on 94. He also holds the records for most poles, with 97, and most podium finishes, with 163–-feats that he is likely to surpass next year if, as expected, he stays with Mercedes.

The champions have already clinched their record seventh consecutive title triumph, but they have not yet agreed a new contract with Hamilton beyond this year.

Talks are expected to take place during the next three weeks.

Hamilton and his ‘black arrows’ teammate Valtteri Bottas will be the favourites, but much interest will be focused on the battle for positions behind them in the constructors’ championship. AFP Mercedes team principle Toto Wolff (left) pours sparkling wine over the race winner and world champion Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (center) on the podium after the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix at the Intercity Istanbul Park circuit in Istanbul. AFP

LOS ANGELES—The NFL’s Thanksgiving Day showcase has been slammed by the coronavirus after the league suffered another Covid-19 outbreak, prompting officials to postpone Thursday’s contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens.

The Steelers-Ravens game has been moved to Sunday because of a widespread team outbreak that includes seven Ravens players either testing positive or being identified as close contacts.

On Wednesday, the Ravens added three more players to the coronavirus list, comprising offensive linemen Patrick Mekari and Matt Skura and defensive end Calais Campbell.

Several Ravens coaches and support staff have also tested positive.

The NFL brought in tough new restrictions last week in an attempt to curb the rash of positive tests and avoid having to postpone further games, but the outbreaks appear to be continuing. The Ravens are just the latest NFL team to get hit hard.

“This decision was made out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts,” the NFL said in a statement.

This is the second time the undefeated Steelers have had a game moved because of Covid-19 and the decision brought an angry response from the Steelers players.

“First the NFL takes away our bye week because another team can’t get their Covid situation together, now they take away our Thanksgiving primetime game for the same reason. Smh,” Pittsburgh receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster wrote on social media.

The AFC North Division rivalry game was supposed to be the marquee game of a tripleheader on the American Thanksgiving which is one of the biggest days of the season for gridiron fans.

But with the United States’ death toll surpassing 260,000 people, health officials are urging Americans not to travel or congregate this week. AFP

Varquez, Anton clinch top spots in Phoenix Pulse FV1 Virtual Cup Race 3 ANDRE Varquez and Iñigo Anton emerged as champions in Race 3 of the Phoenix Pulse Formula V1 Virtual Cup, broadcast at the Tuason Racing Facebook Page last November 21.

Raced in the replica of the Laguna Seca racetrack,

the battles in the Phoenix Pulse Formula V1 Virtual Cup Race 3 continued, with Varquez and Anton mastering the field in the Reverse Grid Position of the PC-based Assetto Corsa game.

Varquez easily grabbed the top position in the Race 3 AM Class and never let go, followed by Race 2 champion Julian Colvin Tang in 2nd place, and Patrick Malicsi at 3rd spot in the Virtual Cup backed by Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc., LG Philippines, BlueChem, Bendix, PC Express, and Family Mart.

Varquez, who regained his top position in the AM Class, also set the fastest lap time of 01:34.424.

“I had a good start on the race. I already secured my position at the first corner of the racetrack. I’ve seen that there was a huge pile at the back, so I kept going on. I don’t have to push myself, I just need to retain my consistency. Laguna Seca is super slippery, AM Class driver Andre Varquez (left) and PRO Class driver one mistake, and it will make a huge loss in everyIñigo Anton one’s performance,” said Varquez.

In the PRO Class category, Anton, Estefano Rivera and Russel Reyes, all playing it safe due to the slippery and challenging track, started and finished holding on to their spots.

Rivera, however, set the fastest lap time of 01:32.603.

“The track was so difficult and the grip level was so low. So during the race, I got a very keen start and very keen lap. From there on, I just kept the level head and just tried to be very consistent and at the same time try not to commit any mistakes,” said Anton.

Since physical races are not yet allowed due to community quarantine restrictions set by the government, Tuason Racing and Phoenix Pulse are bringing the Formula V1 series on the comfort and safety of the participants’ homes via the Virtual Cup, also supported by Autocar, Auto Deal, C! Magazine, Inquirer Mobility, Time Attack Manila, and Wheels Philippines.

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Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020

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Newlywed Starter Pack, which Matteo Guidicelli endorses, is a bundle of financial solutions ideal for those who are starting a family or saving up for their future milestones.

Training the spotlight on Philippine love ballads

Filipino-American music director to the stars Troy Laureta has released Kaibigan: A Troy Laureta OPM Collective featuring the voices of worldclass artists AILEE, Cheesa, Jake Zyrus, Matt Bloyd, Nicole Scherzinger, Pia Toscano, Regine Velasquez, and Sheléa.

Co-produced with ABS-CBN Music International, Laureta’s Kaibigan album seeks to put legendary Pinoy love songs in the global spotlight.

The fresh music collection, released on Nov. 22, kicks off with a short intro of “Harana” followed by eight Filipino tracks rendered by musicians from the US and Asia performed by Laureta’s friends he met in his musical journey.

South Korean artist AILEE interpreted Martin Nievera’s “Kahit Isang Saglit,” a staple in the Laureta household being one of the karaoke anthems of music Big names in music like Ailee, Cheesa, Jake Zyrus, Matt Bloyd, Nicole Scherzinger, Pia Toscano, Regine Velasquez, and Sheléa lend their voices for ‘Kaibigan: A Troy Laurete OPM director’s father.

YouTube star Matt Bloyd, whom Collective’ album.

Laureta described as a “phenomenal singer” from Los Angeles is the singer behind the rendition of Jay-R’s “Bakit Pa Ba,” which is one of Laureta’s favorite songs by his OPM songwriting idol, Vehnee Saturno.

America’s The Voice season 2 quarterfinalist Cheesa, meanwhile, rendered the Jessa Zaragoza original “Bakit Pa.” “I grew up singing ‘Bakit Pa’ with my little sister, Cheesa. We knew we had to revive this song together, put our spin on it and bring it back to our childhood days,” Laureta divulged.

He also tapped former Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger to do a version of Regine’s original song “Pangako.”

For the song “Kailangan Kita” written

by Ogie Alcasid, he selected American Idol season 10 finalist Pia Toscano to do the interpretation. The New York-based singer who loves Filipino music, according to Laureta, has an

The name effulgent queens

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ILIPINO-AMERICAN Olivia Quido-Co, CEO and Founder of LA-based O Skin Med Spa, has devoted 16 years to making women feel and look beautiful. Her clinic, which has been servicing a number of A-listers, is popular among Americans and members of the Filipino community in thecelebrates States.

‘Imbestigador’ its 20 years

on air with a special feature on its host Mike Enriquez.

Filipinas who successfully

incomparable talent for belting out love songs.

Jake Zyrus was chosen to sing “Usahay,” a song Troy dedicates to his grandmother and mother who hail from Cebu. “I wanted to do a stoic, simple version of this song with Jake, concentrating on his tone and drawing out the emotion that exudes from a song like ‘Usahay,’” he said.

Laureta also included “Patuloy Ang Pangarap,” composed by Jonathan Manalo and first recorded by Angeline Quinto, for its encouraging message of following one’s dreams. He tapped the American singer, songwriter, and pianist Sheléa whom he believed was perfect for the song.

Laureta ends the album with a track dedicated to his grandfather, a special rendition of “Hanggang Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan” by Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez.

Kaibigan album is out now on digital platforms worldwide.

Myrtle marks eight years in the biz with virtual show

wore the Philippine sash ‘Imbestigador’ on the Miss Universe stage like Shamcey Supsup, Janine celebrates 20Ariela yearsArida, Tugonon, Gazini Ganados, and Pia with special feature Wurtbach were among the beauty who have hers.” on Mikequeens Enriquez y, I’m trusted the service of O Skin Med Spa. Even Miss World

MULTI-HYPHENATE. Cosplayer, host, singer, songwriter, and actress Myrtle Sarrosa is celebrating her 8th year in the business by staging a virtual concert that will feature the songs she wrote.

According to a police report, rocker Jamir Garcia, 42, was found lifeless at his home in Brgy. Sangandaan, Quezon City from an apparent suicide.

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MeganGMA Young,News celebrities like KC Conception, Boy Public Affairs’ longestnts theand Abunda, and Claudine Barretto have endorsed this investigative e thoserunning brand.

Thus, it’s program not surprising that Hollywood star Patti Imbestigador celebrates 20 out yearsto LA just to avail a signature facial .”

Austin would drive on Philippine television. ing is while Danah Cleaton and Shanty Lowry raved about the was born in 2000 ROCK singer Vladimir “Jamir” eering Imbestigador clinic’s products. to expose wrongdoings and hold Garcia, the frontman of the Filipino rock Armed with a deeply-rooted passion for skin esthetics guilty parties accountable.

Two heavy metal band Slapshock, has died. single andlater, nurturing instincts, decades it remains as a voiceher holistic approach to beauty and He was 42. ut off life, who in general, brought her success as an esthetician, A report from the Quezon City for those demand has and seek UNIVERSAL GLAM. Fil-Am beauty expert Olivia Quido-Co Town.justiceentrepreneur, Police District showed that Garcia was women’s advocate, and Christian philanthropist. for various crimes. (right) with endorser Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach.

Nov. The “It found lifeless at his home in Barangay gives me so much tosatisfaction when I get to make other program continues mnessachieve Sangandaan. His body was found peoplemilestones—becoming feel confident about themselves. Of course, it all starts hanging on a steel window using a poeticone of GMA Public Affairs’ with having clear skin,topthat bright aura that boosts someone’s blanket around his neck inside the adowsratingconfidence,” programs as well as having beauty expert told Manila Standard the top-rated comfort room. strongEntertainment traction in various social interview. in a virtual Garcia was rushed to the MetroNorth ement,media platforms. Through the Hospital but was declared dead on “Ms. O,” as most people call her, started her career as a ause ityears, Imbestigador has become yrtle Sarrosa arrival by the attending physician.

California-licensed esthetician inside a leased spare room t loudalmost synonymous with one name The rock singer joined Slapshock would like to be in man: a beauty salon in Artesia, CA in 2003. Undaunted by the in 1998 after being formed the year Mike Enriquez. e old-and one not just pressures of being newngin the industry, known she zealously honed before. the “Imbestigador know While herisskills in that performing facials the things confinesshe of an eight-byThe band’s name came from funky forinthe does as Bayan” happy the public guitar plucking and chord slapping six-feet space, while learning the ropes of running a spa.

Her service program remains on top, g “that an actress or a cosplayer. technique that characterized much of resilience andcredit determination to take for its paid off as word spread about her personhe refuses the nu metal sound. Members of the She’d want the public talent and work ethics, which later earned her the Woman em insuccess. band list rap-funk-punk-metal fusion her contemporaries.

Most importantly, the All these will be narrated through her own also recognize herAARP’s Imbestigador, ang100 to of not the Year award, Top Filipinos in the USA, band Red Hot Chili Peppers as their h that “I’m virtual concert echoes Myrtle’s gratitude songs and today’s hottest hits in the virtual Imbestigador ay kung ano ang Top 8 Woman Entrepreneur in LA, talents and a Mayor’s Award for concert. major influence. to all her fans and supporters who have other including ng programa,” always stood by her through the years.

Slapshock popularized the songs Entrepreneurs in the LosGMA Angeles.

With the concert title inspired by one n baseginagawa her skills as a singer“One of the songs na sinulat ko dati is “Agent Orange,” “Sigaw,” “Misterio,” News pillar and award-winning of the songs she wrote, the show also In 2007, Olivia moved to a bigger clinic. By 2012, she e sincebroadcast called ‘Still Love Me,’ which is a song “Cariño Brutal,” “Unshakable,” and songwriter and a concert highlights Myrtle as a singer-songwriter journalist pointed out. her second branch in Eagle Rock Plaza Mall. In that makes Quido-Co, who was chosen to sit as judge at the Miss about loving someone despite all the ut four He opened her a cut above the rest among ”Langit” among others. rather gives the credit to performer. changes that happens through time. We 2013, she moved her Artesia branch in Cerritos Mall to Universe Chile pageant on Nov. 20, is a well-known personality Other members of the band are Lee the viewers whose continued “I want people to know me as an allchose it as the concert title because there accommodate more clients.

With 2 branches, 12 treatment among Miss Universe contestants.

Nadela (bass guitar), Lean Ansing (lead ove insupport around artist.

Since I started in showbiz, to the show propelled the are so many people who still show me love guitar), Chi Evora (drums), and Jerry rooms, program 3 consultation and pursuing a widenumerous rangeendeavors of skin I’ve been and support. Despite all the ups and downs, investigative to be onerooms, Basco (rhythm guitar, backup vocals). of topical products as a non-invasive alternative. and I always give my full attention in I really want to show people that we still services; from facials, 3D eyebrow sculpting, IV of thetreatment most trusted public service In April 2019, the rock quintet launched everything I do,” Myrtle told Manila love and care,” explained Myrtle.

The Olivia Quido Skincare line is distributed globally; glutathione, Botox and fillers, to Stem Cell rejuvenation, programs in the country today.

Standard Entertainment in a virtual “Bandera,” a song that celebrated the As the nation and Beach, various parts of the Virginia New Plasma lift, and recent innovation, “Magic foundation,” mainly in Nepal, San Francisco, “GMA wouldn’t let atheir program interview. band’s 22 years in the business. world adjust to the new reality of life amidst Jersey, Baltimore, Philippines, the Cebu, Canada, and soon in “Some people call meFilipino-owned a multi-hyphenate stay on thisMed long Spa -- twoisdecades O air Skin now the most sought-after coronavirus pandemic, Myrtle, together “It’s for those who come to our artist. I’d likeThey to thinkhave that I employed portray a with her special guests, hopes to share some Dubai. Because of its ever-increasing popularity, the line show wearing our flag. We can’t think -- without specific purpose, California. medicala spa in Southern positive image, and if that’s how they see musical joy during concluded these trying times. of a better way to thank them,” Garcia made its red carpet debut at the recently 46th it serving the public.mostly TV butionwithout over 40 employees, Filipinos comprised ofandlicensed me, I need to work hard to meet exceed She said, “Life is a journey and my told Manila Standard Entertainment in and radio programs wouldn’t be Emmy Award Academy where Olivia was officially invited launch their expectations,” she added. and boardnurses, estheticians, doctors, micro-blading artists, experiences in showbiz has been filled with a previous interview. successful if notplastic for thesurgeons. support of The cosplayer, host, singer, songwriter, to the Emmy Lounge Gifting Suite so theobstacles, stars,heartaches, producers, many lessons, joy, and . certified The frontman of the alternative metal and actress is celebrating her 8th year in who believe them,”with ABSCBN International and The media outlets, and bloggers could manyexperience special memories. the past eight herIn products goodthe viewers In 2009, Oliviainsigned band further said that the song took the entertainment industry with a virtual years, I learned so much along the way and I said. firsthand. vocallyEnriquez inspiration from the various banners Filipino Channel (TFC) to starconcert in hercalled own TV beauty segment.

Myrtle: Still Love Me realized that everything happens for a reason.

On its 20th anniversary, that the Slap Armies, a nickname for happening virtually tomorrow. e song Though her products Especially duringand thisservices pandemic, have grateful Her show entitled, “Beauty by O,” is Imbestigador proudly presents the The concert traces her showbiz career the band’s loyal fans, created showing ako na as an artist, every day I have the a song long been on the radar of several beauty its the 10th year and inisa rating story running of no lessonthan program musical spectacle never seen before which province or city they represent. chance to make those who follow me smile t.’ Andhost. fairly personalities, the events have brought well.

Oliviain the also appeared from the Kapuso star. It shows her Enriquez has been and inspire those around me.”

“The song is also an ode to Filipinos excitedindustry in more clients Hollywood Myrtle: including Still Love Me is at 8:00 pm and on for Balitang award- from a teenybopper to the around the world who continuously close toAmerika, 50 years, an metamorphosis ording,mostly are available online via Ticket2Me.net. and Days tickets of our Lives’ stars, Kyler and tirelessly work for their family,” winning international news well-rounded program artist that she is right now. as a radio talent. He has uld bebeen aairing Garcia ended. Nickie Wang Pettis and Victoria Konefal, as well as Kapuso 25same years already. onfor the network. s song Unknown actress and Lily Melgar and host Dan to many, Enriquez is In 2011, Olivia launched her own an accidental media personality Babic to Olivia’s clientele of celebrities skincare line which quickly attained a hat thewho massive had no wish or intention to and A-listers. following due to its amazing youngbecome a radio or television talent.

Olivia and her journey is a classic results. They released their 24-karatd 13. But it seems destiny had other told and retold in thecustomers Filipinogold infused products under “The of music, mayhem, and multi-dimensional Smart as success A NIGHT the modestory of payment.

Smart Prepaid musicplans for him as he later went on Community.

From battling conveniently buy their concert pass using their experience awaits all Dua Lipa fans as the hitmaker gears can also American Secret Collection,” in 2017.

Since 2006.to become one of the most popular up for Studio 2054, a live virtual concert streaming across prepaid load. acne as a teenager and discovering her then, the collection which composed accomplished broadcast n 2004and theGlow”, world on Saturday, at 5:00 p.m. Philippine time.

Virtual passion concerts for have becometo agrowing huge source of esthetics her brand of “Secret Gold,” journalists in the country.

In “Secret this ‘Studio 2054’ Bautista for Filipinos in the new normal, and through Shot live in a massive warehouse, Studio 2054 promises entertainment and eventually becoming a household describes “Secret Radiance” and soon to be of the past, present, and future as Dua Lipa these, Smart Mike shares the highlights a kaleidoscope continues to bring subscribers closer to their ng, andspecial, name,andOlivia’s storyforof Dua Lipa’s “Secret Pearl” one personal and professional life became performs tracks from her albums Future Nostalgia, Club favorite artists performers,quintessential fueling their passion s of theof hisreleased, music. an immigrant fulfilling her Americankaleidoscopic Future Nostalgia, and her debut album, Studio 2054. and how he most has become a success of the raved-about skin products.

In the concert, the two-time Grammy Award winner Dua Lipa’s Studio 2054 Digital Concert adds to string of rocket-fueled dream has inspired thousands ofa Filipinos the field top of broadcasting. of the line ingredients musical ersionsstory in Using move through custom-built sets including surreal tv local and worldwide. international artists Smart brought As athat way to has give backcloser to the journey. this one-off specialparts episode, different of thewill world, o really Forfrom fans. Last August also teamed up with in shows, roller discos, rocker hangouts, voguing ballrooms, to Filipinocommunity, actor Olivia’s Rocco Nacino she27,isSmart actively involved productsportrays have earned Withby Miss s 2020 and more,a accompanied surprise superstar guests LIVENow to bring Ellie Goulding’s The Brightest Blue Enriquez and willof bedramatically supported women advocacies, using reputation replacing Universe and a cast of musicians, dancers, skaters, aerialists, and Experience Online empowerment concert as part of the GigaFest line-up ding ofby award-winning and seasoned her profession to uplift and encourage of activities to thank loyal subscribers. acrobats. for curing certain skin Philippines 2019 of Starartistssurgery Gina Alajar and Nonie easy for Filipino fans to Smart subscribers can enjoy the concert seamlessly women from different walks of life.

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Slapshock frontman’s death shocks fans

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Dua Lipa goes live with ‘Studio 2054’ concert

Buencamino. experience this spectacle, mobile services provider Smart powered by the country’s fastest mobile data network, Mr. Imbestigador ng Bayan, an Communications, Inc. has partnered with LIVENow, a pay- as recognized by third-party analytics firms, such as per-view service, to enable Smart Signature subscribers Opensignal and Ookla.

Imbestigador 20th Anniversary to buy their ticket and conveniently charge this to their To know more about Dua Lipa’s Studio 2054 Special, airs tomorrow at 4:45 streaming on Spotify and YouTube on Dec. 11. postpaid bill. To do this, simply sign up at https://tinyurl. digital concert, visit www.smart.com.ph/Pages/ p.m., after Wish Ko Lang on GMA PhilPop 2020 pulled all the stops by gathering com/SmartDuaLipa, select Pay Your Phone, then choose SmartDuaLipa.

Network. finalists from the following clusters: Mindanao, ms of producing the songs, for example, it was advantage in terms of costs of production but to Visayas, North Luzon, South Luzon, and Metro e a different process owing to the restrictions make it more appealing and creative on digital is a Manila. Those who will top the votes per cluster ravel and mobility. But I’m happy to say that tough challenge.” will be named Smart’s People’s Choice awardee

2020 Philpop goes nationwide

Life

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

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TRAVEL & LEISURE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020

A

Artistry shines in Baguio City

S BAGUIO City gradually reopens its doors to tourists, the City of Pines highlights its vibrant art and culture that proves it is also the city of creativity in the region.

The city is celebrating Ibagiw 2020, a month-long festival that showcases its rich culture and history.

“Baguio is more than just its natural wonders, and we want more Filipinos to rediscover what UNESCO designated as a Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts.

Initiatives like Ibagiw will certainly help revive tourism in the region and jumpstart the local economy,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said during her recent visit to Baguio.

The northern region’s artistry shines in the lineup of creative crawls and events happening during the month-long festival.

Over at the newly refurbished Baguio Convention Center, Kidlat Tahimik showcases pieces that explore themes of “community, collective memory, personal and cultural identity, environmental activism, social commentary, contemporary society, humor, and local color” together with local artists in the

National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto 'BenCab' Cabrera spearheads the Wood Carving Competition at BenCab Museum.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat visits the exhibit at Baguio Convention Center with National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik. (Photo courtesy of Denison G. Manuel)

exhibit dubbed “Interlinked.”

Local visual artists, meanwhile, are conducting spot painting at Art in the Park at Sunshine Park. Local artisans are likewise demonstrating textile weaving and wood carving at the venue.

A photo exhibit of native plants in the Philippines is also ongoing.

Meanwhile, those who want to participate in the creative crawl can explore the Mirador Hill, a nine-hectare Jesuit property that offers breathtaking views

for local and emerging artists.

Next stop is at Mandeko Kito Artisanal Market, an arts and crafts fair organized by the University of the Philippines Baguio to feature local talent in the Cordillera Region. Lastly, guests will visit the Museo Kordilyera, the first ethnographic m u seum in the northern part of the country.

“The pandemic has brought on challenges for everyone, especially

of Baguio and Benguet. This is followed by a trip to the BenCab Museum where works of National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, other Filipino masters, and rising contemporary creatives are on display.

Another itinerary that is part of the creative crawl is Ili-Likha Artists Village, the brainchild of Tahimik. Built around trees redesigned with recycled materials, the village showcases artistic works, and serves as an inspiration hub

those working in the tourism industry.

Creative crawls bring guests to places they may not have visited before, thus supporting more locals,” noted Puyat.

To visit Ibagiw 2020 and the city’s other destinations, Baguio City requires tourists to show proof of a negative swab test, go through various health checks, and follow protocols such as wearing of face mask and face shield. Go to app.philippines.travel for more information.

Local artists showcase their works (left) while on the spot weaving by a local artisan is happening at the Sunshine Park for the Art in the Park opening ceremony

SHOPPING ShopBack awards P3.5-m cashback to 11.11 shoppers WHILE Filipino shoppers were busy adding to their carts and checking out during the first two hours of 11.11 sale, pre-shopping portal ShopBack was working hard to put cash back into its users’ accounts.

According to the platform, it awarded about P3.5 million in cashback to app users during the Nov. 11 mega sale event. The top cash earner received P41,201 on the same day.

“The results of this year’s 11.11 sale just proves that in times of uncertainty, consumers rely even more on mega sale events to access deals and discounts for essential items, fashion goods, groceries, and food delivery,” said ShopBack Philippines country general manager Prashant Kala.

Kala said ShopBack saw a sharp increase in the number of Filipino shoppers going online during the latest mega sale, with data pointing to an uplift of nine times in total traffic on 11.11 compared to an average day.

Data showed con su me r s flocked to Shopee, Lazada, and Zalora to hunt mainly for health and beauty, food, and fashion products.

“As a whole, Shoppers are busy adding the e-commerce items into their carts. industry has been steadily growing in the Philippines as people of all ages and demographics had to turn to online shopping to purchase their groceries, essentials, and more due to COVID-19,” explained Kala.

“The trend of our users purchasing health products; such as vitamins and supplements, food, and sports goods online is reflected in the top categories and top brands,” he added.

First launched in Singapore in 2014, the ShopBack app is a one-stop rewards and pre-shopping platform. Users typically get rebates of 4 to 5 percent, but the number could go as high as 70 percent depending on the partner merchant. ShopBack has 4,000 partner stores internationally, with over 500 of those merchants in the Philippines.

Hilton International’s new hygiene protocol hygiene and safety standards adWITH its 50-year presence in dressing cleanliness, safety, and Southeast Asia playing a maflexibility for guests’ stay and jor role in its growth across the for in-house events, in light of Asia Pacific region, Hilton Interthe current pandemic. national has been experiencing Hilton’s “EventReady with unprecedented revenue growth CleanStay” offers a solution to these past years. The chain opevent planners with upgraded erates 43 hotels, with a total of MERCURY RISING cleanliness and customer service almost 13,000 rooms spread

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO standards. over nine countries—Indonesia, This new innovation was reMalaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, cently unveiled in Hilton’s de luxe the Philippines, Singapore, Sri property here in the country, the Conrad Manila, Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

This is why Paul Hutton, vice president of op- which has now fully implemented this program.

The EventReady with CleanStay program proerations in Southeast Asia, sees to it that the hotels in this area are always updated with the latest en- vides curated solutions for every step of the event hancements in service procedures and amenities, planning process, from redesigned event spaces towards further strengthening their presence in and innovative technology resources, to inspiring food and beverage presentations. Conrad Manila’s these locations.

As hotel guests become increasingly discerning incoming general manager Linda Pecoraro illusin their preferences and demands, Hilton Inter- trated, to a select group of friends, what guests can expect during their national finds the need to stay at the hotel, at every continuously explore new key touch-point, from preways to cater to them, toYOUR WEEKEND arrival through check-out. wards remaining relevant.

CHUCKLE A walk-through was Now, more than ever, conducted, including safety has emerged as the Q: Have you got anything to drink? breaking the EventReady top concern for travelers A: Water. with CleanStay seal of the who have become more Q: I meant something harder. function room on display, conscious of heightened A: Ice. indicating that before an cleaning and hygiene pracevent starts, planners have tices. In this COVID-19 environment, consumers will naturally go for accom- the chance to review and approve the cleanliness modations and venues that ensure their well-being. of the space, according to Hilton International’s This reinforces the need to provide guests the established global standards.

With this innovative approach to customer serassurance and peace of mind when they stay at any Hilton property. To meet these new expecta- vice, Conrad Manila can now assure their guests tions, the hotel chain has rolled out new, stringent of a worry-free and memorable stay, while MICE planners can easily promise safe, seamless, and productive meetings or events in the hotel.

Incidentally, Conrad Manila recently ushered in the Christmas season with the ceremonial lighting of its beautiful tree, with its incandescent blue lights glowing across the hotel’s massive lobby.

The event highlighted the start of the hotel’s luxu-

A pleasant way to encourage physical distancing while dining, the hotel puts stuffed toy animals on the seat.

Conrad Manila’s incoming general manager explaining the benefits of Hilton International’s innovative EventReady with CleanStay program.

rious dining, rooms, and spa offerings which the local bon vivants have been scampering for.

Guests of honor at the tree-lighting ceremony were Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Pasay City Congressman Antonio Calixto, Pasay City Mayor Imelda Rubiano, Australian Ambassador Steven Robinson, Italian Ambassador Giorgio Guglielmino, SM Hotel and Conventions president Elizabeth Sy, and SM Hotels and Conventions executive vice president Peggy Angeles.

With the EventReady with CleanStay program in place and its festive Holiday offerings rocking the local scene, Conrad Manila has paved the way for us all to have a joyful Christmas!

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

Conrad Manila’s beautiful Christmas Tree was lit by (from left) Hans Sy, Conrad’s incoming general manager Linda Pecoraro, SM Hotels and Conventions president Elizabeth Sy, Pasay City Mayor Imelda Rubiano, Pasay City Congressman Antonio Calixto, and SM Hotels and Conventions executive vice president Peggy Angeles.