Manila Standard - 2020 December 12 - Saturday

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net BLACK HAWK. The Philippine Air Force takes delivery of the first six of 16 new S-70i “Black Hawk” combat utility

helicopters during an acceptance ceremony led by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, PAF chief Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes and Poland Embassu’s Chargé d’affaires ad interim Janus Roman Szczepankiewicz at Clark Air Base, Angeles City, Pampanga on Dec. 10, 2020. Inset shows Lorenzana aboard a Black Hawk, which is capable of doing combat duties but also rescue, relief and evacuation missions. DND

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 281 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

UK drug firm skips tests

FDA clarifies AstraZeneca will supply PH with 2.6m vaccine doses

By Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz

RESCUE TEAM.

Frontline medical workers attend to the ambulance driver who grimaces in pain as he is pinned between the wheel and the vehicle body during an accident involving a bus along EDSA corner Macapagal Boulevard. They manage to pull the driver out of the vehicle after several agonizing minutes. A pregnant woman and three other passengers of the ambulance have been brought to the hospital while the bus driver is unscathed. Norman Cruz

RUG firm AstraZeneca has withdrawn its application to conduct COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials in the country, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

D

Food and Drug Administration director general Eric Domingo said the UK-based pharmaceutical firm already has enough data to prove the efficacy of its vaccine and support its application for Emergency Use Authorization.

Domingo clarified that even with the withdrawal of its application for clinical trials in the Philippines, AstraZeneca can still supply the country with COVID-19 vaccines once these are approved for commercial use.

AstraZeneca, which applied for the conduct of Phase 3 clinical trials in the Philippines, became the second Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM DECEMBER 11)

447,039 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,504 29,001 NEW

8,709

ACTIVE

8

DEATHS

NEW

409,329

273

RECOVERIES

House panel: Bayanihan aid good until June 2021

By Maricel V Cruz THE House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations on Friday approved the proposed extension of the validity of Bayanihan to Recover as

NEW

One Act until June 30, 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 will expire on December 19, 2020 upon the adjournment of session of Congress.

Rody urged to veto dubious provisions in ‘21 budget

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Palace should begin its review of the P4.5 trillion 2021 national budget by scrutinizing double and overlapping appropriations in the Department of

Public Works and Highways, Senator Panfilo Lacson said.

Lacson, who questioned such irregularities in the DPWH budget in committee hearings all the way to the plenary, said he is willing to help in the review by

pointing out items on which the President might want to use his line veto.

“It is clear that questionable items such as double and overlapping appropriations should be vetoed, along with Next page

Biden, Harris named TIME’s ‘Person of the Year’

US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were named Time magazine’s 2020 “Person of the Year” for their election victory over Donald Trump.

“For changing the American story, for showing that the forces of empathy are greater than the furies of division, for sharing a vision of healing in a grieving world,” Time said, explaining its choice.

The Democratic pair were chosen ahead of three other finalists: frontline health care workers and Anthony Fauci, the racial justice movement and President Trump.

TRIUMPHANT TANDEM. US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice Presidentelect Kamala Harris stand onstage after delivering remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, after being declared the winners of the presidential election in this file photo taken on Nov, 7, 2020. Biden and Harris have been chosen as Time magazine’s 2020 “Person Next page of the Year,” the publication announced on December 10, 2020. AFP

WORLD ROUNDUP

Last Thursday, AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Sharon Garin and Deputy Speaker Weslie Gatchalian of Valenzuela filed House Bill 8099 seeking to extend the validity of Republic Act

ADB members assured of $9b LOCAL ROUNDUP anti-virus fund Next page

OCTA Team sees new cases hitting 480,000

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Philippines may end the year with about 480,000 cases of COVID-19 infections based on the current trajectory, hitting the lower end Next page

MANILA-based multilateral lender Asian Development Bank launched on Friday a $9-billion vaccine financing initiative to support developing countries in procuring and delivering coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines.

“As ADB’s developing members prepare to vaccinate their people as soon as possible, they need financing to procure vaccines as well as appropriate plans and knowledge to be able to safely, equitably, and efficiently manage the vaccination process,” ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa said in a statement.

The Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX), Asakawa said, will Next page

‘Reds unwanted in most LGUs’ THE government has announced at least 90 percent or 1,546 of the 1,715 local government units in the country have declared the Communist Party of the Philippines as persona non grata or unwanted persons.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Friday this

meant 64 provinces, 110 cities and 1,372 towns.

Año , in a statement, also said at least 12,474 of the 42,046 barangays in the country have closed their doors on the local communists, also rejecting the rebels as unwanted persons.

Next page

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News

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Envoy pushes China-Asean talks taining communication on resuming the COC consultation. But recently, a working level online meeting was held successfully, it can be noted.

Huang emphasized that Beijing is willing to continue to strengthen practical cooperation on the South China Sea with the Philippines and promote joint development of oil and gas so as to bring tangible benefits to the two countries.

“What is worth paying attention to is that the world has entered the information age, and data has become the most important “oil and gas “ in the era of digital economy. China and the Philippines have mutual advantages in the field of digital economy and have a broad room for cooperation,” he said.

“The two countries should not only promote the traditional joint development of offshore oil and gas, but also vigorously expand cooperation in the field of digital

economy,” the Chinese envoy stressed.

Huang insisted that China wants resolution of the maritime dispute through dialogue in line with the interests of the countries in the region, and for the sake of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. The Chinese ambassador stressed that China would not recognize the 2016 Arbitral Award rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Netherlands, which invalidated Beijing’s massive claims over the South China Sea and upheld Manila’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. According to Huang, the proper handling of the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines must be grounded on the earnest implementation of the principles and consensus reached by the two heads of state on the SCS dispute.

cines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, which have been shown to be 95 percent effective after human trials.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said that COVID-19 vaccines will be available in the country by March or April 2021 in a best-case scenario.

Duque on Friday urged hospitals to be ready to provide medicines to patients who would show allergic reactions after taking COVID-19 vaccines.

Duque said allergic reactions or what they call the adverse effect following immunization (AEFI) should be documented.

Health officials in the United Kingdom issued a warning on Wednesday that anyone with a history of allergic reactions should not have the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID shot for the time being after two people showed severe allergic reactions to the vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine may become available to the Philippines in the first or second quarter of next year, he said.

Meanwhile, the DOH said there was nothing wrong in Russia advising people not to drink alcohol before and after immunization against COVID-19.

“The warning of Russia to avoid drinking alcohol before and after receiving the vaccine, these are just precautionary measures,” Vergeire said.

Reuters recently reported that Russia had advised anyone taking its Sputnik V vaccine not to drink alcohol two weeks before being vaccinated and 42 days after that.

The Russian health official who gave the advice said alcohol can reduce the body’s ability to build immunity against COVID-19. This opinion was shared by Vergeire.

“We all know that when you drink alcohol, especially if you drink it too much, your immunity can be weakened.

And when you take a vaccine, for it to work, your system must be robust, your immune system should be okay for your body to develop antibodies,” she said.

Vergeire said such precautions are “part of the uncertainty of what is happening right now with this pandemic.”

“I think people should heed this call to get a good effect from the vaccine.

We should just avoid things that are bad for our health,” she said.

Russia’s Gamaleya Institute is among those applying for clinical trials in the Philippines. The government also recently said that the first vaccine for public use in the Philippines next year might be Gamaleya’s Sputnik V or China’s vaccine from Sinovac.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to start updating its list of indigents and senior citizens in preparation for the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine.

“As we wait for the vaccination guidelines, I advise DSWD to start checking their master list of senior citizens and indigents. Duplications and errors should be removed. Accurate data is crucial in planning the vaccination program, so DSWD must ensure its master list is updated,” Vargas said.

The DOH has identified senior citizens and indigent Filipinos as among those who will be first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes locally available next year.

Around 3.7 million indigent senior citizens will be second in line to get the vaccine, after frontline health workers.

Another 5.6 million senior citizens and 12.9 million poor Filipinos make up the third and fourth priority.

at least 793 line items for multi-purpose buildings with a uniform P1 million appropriation each,” he said.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, however, said the first priority for the 2021 national budget was clearly the COVID response.

Congress made sure there will be sufficient funding to cover items such as the purchase of vaccines, testing, contact tracing and treatment, Angara said.

Still, Lacson said not even the devastating effects of the pandemic could slake the greed of some lawmakers.

During his interpellation of the bicameral conference committee report of the 2021 budget, Lacson questioned

the P28.348-billion increase in the DPWH’s budget despite its track record of underspending and questionable, wasteful projects.

Before this, Lacson recommended a reduction of P60 billion from the DPWH’s proposed budget for 2021, including for multi-purpose buildings except those to be used as evacuation and quarantine facilities, as well as double appropriations, right-of-way payments and overlapping projects.

Lacson recalled how President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed some P95 billion in items in the 2019 budget, after senators, including himself, raised concerns over how some lawmakers had inserted pork into the spending bill.

The bicameral committee report, he said, showed not only questionable insertions but also cuts from the budgets

of other departments.

“As if it wasn’t enough to satisfy their greed, they cut the budgets of other departments by P28.35B. Story of our lives,” Lacson said on his Twitter account.

“These realignments being capricious and arbitrary on the part of the bicameral conference committee members, they did not involve proper planning by the DPWH. This explains why... year in and year out, DPWH suffers one of the lowest budget utilization rates with an annual average of P82 billion from 2011 to 2018 and even lower average disbursement rate since 2017,” he added.

“This only shows that for some, a pandemic – and the crippling effects it has on all sectors of society – should not get in the way of personal interests,” Lacson said.

8099, several bills proposing the extension of the validity of the law had been filed at the Lower House.

But Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza during the meeting expressed his reservations on the extension of the law, citing “inability” of the Department of Budget and Management to account for the total 2020 budget that has been released.

But DBM Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo said that of the total

P165-billion appropriation, P102 billion under the Bayanihan 2 has already been released.

The Bayanihan 2 law empowers President Duterte to realign the budget of respective agencies to fund the country’s COVID-19 response.

According to the report presented by the Executive Department to Congress on the implementation of the first two Bayanihan packages, a sub-

stantial delay was revealed in the release of the funds intended to provide assistance to the people through the various programs and activities, and projects, particularly those enumerated in RA 11494, was revealed.

Garin, in filing House Bill 8099, maintained that these programs and projects were vital in the recovery path envisioned

by Congress and the measures necessary to avert economic collapse.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said there will be no adjustment of the general community quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila unless there is a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in an interview on ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo, rejected rumors that the government would impose a stricter COVID-19 lockdown before Christmas.

for ousting an incumbent president for just the 10th time in US history.

“Biden and Harris had to revive the party’s fading strength with white voters without college degrees; energize its emerging base of diverse, urban young voters; and motivate the hordes of angry suburbanites, particularly college graduates and women, who had fled the Trump-era GOP,” it wrote.

Time magazine’s award – handed out annually since 1927 – honors the person or people who most impacted the news, for better or worse, during the calendar year.

When asked by Time what he would like people to say about him after four years in the White House, Biden replied: “That America was better off and average Americans are better off the day we left than the day we arrived.

That’s my objective.”

Harris is the first Vice President-elect to be named Person of the Year.

She said in an interview with Time that Biden’s administration would have to tackle a host of issues from the White House, including the pandemic, an “economic crisis” and a “long overdue reckoning on racial justice.”

“We have to be able to multitask, just like any parent or any human being does,” Harris said.

Essential workers on the frontline against the coronavirus pandemic, including doctors, nurses and grocery store employees, had topped a readers’ poll of who should be named Person of the Year.

Earlier Thursday, Time named basketball superstar LeBron James Athlete of the Year for his achievements on and off the court. AFP

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Chinese ambassador to the Philippines has encouraged China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to hold speedy face-to-face negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the disputed South China Sea.

The ambassador, Huang Xilian, made the call Thursday as Beijing expressed preference for a 2021 deadline for the completion of the consultation of the COC for the South China Sea. “China hopes that all parties will work harder to speed up the negotiation in a flexible and pragmatic way,” Huang said, in a written interview.

“China has proposed to hold face-toface consultations in China once conditions permit to push forward the second reading of the COC.” he added.

In August 2018, ASEAN and China

agreed to a single draft of the code of conduct (COC), with an agreement reached in November 2018 for both sides to finalize the document within three years, starting from 2019.

The first reading of the Single Draft COC Negotiating Text (SDNT) was completed, but the pandemic has stalled talks for the document’s second reading.

The pandemic has temporarily delayed the consultation process, but China, the Philippines, as the coordinator of China-ASEAN relations, and other ASEAN countries have been main-

World...

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UK drug...

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play a critical role in helping developing member-countries overcome the pandemic and focus on economic recovery.

“APVAX promotes safe and effective vaccines to be accessed in a fair manner. For a vaccine to be eligible for financing, it must meet one of three criteria. It must be procured via COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility), prequalified by WHO (World Health Organization), or authorized by a Stringent Regulatory Authority.”

“Additional access criteria, such as a vaccination needs assessment, a vaccine allocation plan by the developing member, and a mechanism for effective coordination among development partners also help ensure that vaccine support under APVAX can be fairly and effectively implemented,” the lender added.

The ADB said more than 14.3 million positive cases have been identified in the Asia Pacific region, accounting for more than 200,000 deaths.

vaccine developer to call off plans to hold trials in the country after Chinese firm Sinopharm.

The country earlier secured 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca’s candidate vaccine through an agreement with the government and the private sector.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health said there will be at least six cold storage facilities for COVID-19 vaccines in Metro Manila and three others across the country.

“There will be four cold storage rooms and two walk-in freezers in Metro Manila since it will be the central hub of all COVID-19 vaccines,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online forum.

The most number of COVID-19 cases are in Metro Manila, which will remain under general community quarantine — a protocol which allows limited access to public transport and scaled down operation for businesses — until the end of the year.

Vergeire, however, said there will also be vaccine storage hubs across the country.

“We need to have strategic areas in the country where we will have cold chain hubs. The vaccines will be delivered here before they get distributed to specific health facilities,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“We are looking at Bicol, Cebu, Zamboanga… We’ll see where it is feasible and where it is efficient in terms of distributing the vaccines,” she said.

Vergeire did not say if these cold storage hubs would be capable of the ultralow temperatures required by the vac-

Low immune response leads to vaccine delay

France’s Sanofi and Britain’s GSK said Friday their COVID-19 vaccines will not be ready until the end of 2021, after interim results showed a low immune response in older adults.

The announcement is a huge setback in efforts to fight the pandemic, which emerged in China last December and has killed over 1.5 million people worldwide.

Sanofi and GSK said the delay in their adjuvanted recombinant proteinbased COVID-19 vaccine program was to “improve immune response in older adults.”

The vaccine candidate, developed

by Sanofi in partnership with GSK, is based on technology that Sanofi has used to produce seasonal influenza vaccines and on immunological agents developed by GSK.

US recommends PfizerBioNTech approval

US experts voted Thursday to recommend granting emergency approval for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, paving the way for America to become the next country to move ahead with mass immunization.

It comes as the worst-hit country in the world logged nearly 6,000 virus deaths in 48 hours and its overall toll was approaching 300,000. AFP

House...

From A1 (RA) 11494, otherwise known as Bayanihan to Recover as One. But their bill proposes to extend the validity law until March 27, 2021, “to ensure consistent and efficient delivery of assistance to the Filipino people and help aid economic recovery.” Aside from House Bill

‘Reds...

From A1 Año lauded the LGUs for their move, stressing “Much like the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to finally end this very old problem using a whole-of-nation approach, and the support from our LGUs gives us great assurance that we are not alone in this war.”

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) has been allotted a P19-billion budget for 2021—the amount is over seven times higher than the P2.5 billion allotted for procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday defended the retention of the P19 billion budget for

Dengvaxia raps vs. Garin et alii in peril—PAO

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the government’s anti-insurgency task force under the P4.5 trillion national budget for next year.

In a statement, Sotto said conflicted and geographically isolated barangays cleared of insurgents under the government’s anti-insurgency campaign must be rehabilitated and rebuilt into developed rural communities to sustain government efforts to cut them off from communist influence.

Under the NTF-ELCAC are 17 Regional Task Forces, 81 Provincial Task Forces, 1,405 City, and Municipal Task Forces, and 26,044 Barangay Task Forces.

The New People’s Army is the armed wing of the CPP while the National Democratic Front is the umbrella organization of all communist groups in the country.

Biden...

From A1 Time’s magazine cover boasts portraits of Biden, 78, and Harris, 56, with the subtitle “Changing America’s story.”

“Together, they offered restoration and renewal in a single ticket. And America bought what they were selling,” the publication said.

Biden beat Trump by 306 electoral college votes to Trump’s 232 to end the real estate tycoon-turned-politician’s presidency after one term.

Biden received roughly seven million more votes than his Republican adversary, who is yet to concede, claiming widespread fraud of which there is no evidence.

Time praised the Democratic ticket

By Rio N. Araja THE Public Attorney’s Office believes the 206 Dengvaxia-related cases filed against ex-health secretary Janette Garin and 38 other respondents, including Sanofi Pasteur Inc. executives, might not win in court due to suppression of evidence.

At a news conference in Quezon City, Dr. Erwin Erfe, PAO forensic laboratory chief, said Garin; former and active officials of the Department of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, “especially” those from Sanofi and Zuellig Pharma Inc. “are now rejoicing” over the “illegal” insertion of a provision in the 2021 budget that would effectively dissolve the agency’s forensic division.

“We have filed 155 criminal cases and 51 civil cases. When the hearing starts, the forensic laboratory could no longer testify in court to represent the parents of the school children,” he told reporters.

“Who could be the witnesses if those forensic experts who conducted autopsies on the children are no longer employees? Who holds the pieces of evidence? Only the PAO forensic laboratory,” he said.

“My source from DOH was right.

Way back in 2019, I was told that ‘Operation Black’ would be launched against PAO. All the while, we thought it was a plot to kill us in October or November (this year) but it was a plot to kill the evidence,” he added.

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From A1 of earlier projections, the OCTA Research Team said on Friday.

An earlier monitoring report from the group pegged cases to reach 470,000 to 500,000, but current trends show the lower end is more likely, said Dr. Guido David.

“If the situation worsens a little bit, we might get closer to 500,000. But right now, that is not the case,” he said on ANC’s Headstart.

David said latest data show that the number of cases is decreasing, with fewer than 2,000 new infections reported everyday nationwide and only about 400 in Metro Manila. However, he said there are indicators that “an uptick might already be starting.

Marcos: Plan for post-yuletide spike

Senator Imee Marcos on Friday called on the government to prepare for a possible spike in COVID-19 cases after Christmas, even as community quarantines remain in place.

Marcos said the public’s “quarantine fatigue” amid muted festivity this Christmas could swell infection rates that remained “significantly high” at the end of November, particularly in Metro Manila, Batangas, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Tacloban City, Iligan City, and Lanao del Sur. “Let’s already settle what contacttracing system should be put in place, contingency measures in hospitals if critical levels are reached, [and] coping mechanisms that can be devolved to local government units,” Marcos said.

No change in GCQ seen

News Death of NBI official ruled as an accident

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DOJ to look into resort incident Rey E. Requejo

T

he Department of Justice on Friday vowed to investigate the alleged discrimination against the mother of an autistic child in a Cebu resort.

By Rey E. Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Friday the National Bureau of Investigation had found no foul play in the death of its counter-terrorism division chief this week.

Guevarra said NBI OIC Director Eric Distor had told them that the death of Head Agent Raoul Manguerra was due to “accidental fire” from a gun, but he did not say who fired the gun.

“Foul play, however, appears to be out of the question,” Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

Manguerra died around midnight on Tuesday of a gunshot wound in the abdomen, according to police.

He was rushed to the hospital after his driver and an NBI employee heard a gunshot in his office at the bureau headquarters in Manila.

Guevarra expressed sadness over Manguerra’s death because it happened when the government is going “full blast” in the implementation of the anti-terrorism law.

“It’s just too bad that this happened, this passing away of Attorney Manguerra, but we’ll have to deal with that and we express our deepest sympathies to the family of Attorney Manguerra and we hope that the NBI will be able to proceed with its task of dealing with anti-terrorism in honor of the late Attorney Manguerra,” he said.

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FAREWELL. President Rodrigo Duterte confers the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu on outgoing South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man, who paid a farewell call on the President in Malacañang on Dec. 10.

Customs to get P2.4B more from rice imports

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Customs will collect some P2.4 billion in tax deficiencies uncovered in a post-clearance audit of cooperatives that imported rice in 2019 and 2020.

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said a post-clearance audit on the rice imports for 2019 showed 48 cooperatives with tax deficiencies totaling P1.4 billion.

Meanwhile, the agency has destroyed 4.28 tons of unregistered and hazardous goods in Trece Martires, Cavite.

“The condemnation of unregistered cosmetics and food products is part of the Bureau of Customs’ border protection initiatives to protect the public against unsafe and hazardous consumer products,” BOC-NAIA District collector Carmelita Talusan said.

The Port of NAIA has already condemned 371.42 tons of unregistered and hazardous goods as part of the government’s efforts to decongest all ports and warehouses.

The 48 cooperatives came from an initial batch of top 60 importers out of more than 320 cooperatives that imported rice

last year, Guerrero said in his report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III. “They have been issued audit notices and subsequent demand letters for the payment of additional duties and taxes as a result of the under-declarations of their imports,” Guerrero said during a recent Department of Finance Executive Committee meeting.

Guerrero said several of the importers with tax deficiencies were contesting the demand letters, which had slowed down the bureau’s efforts to collect the additional duties and taxes from them.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the DOJ will conduct its own probe parallel to that of the Department of Tourism considering it may set a precedent for similar situations in the future.

The case arose from the Trip Advisor review of Mai Pages, the mother of a sixyear-old child with autism. She said they were told off by the lifeguards of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa when her son made squealing sounds, which she said signaled that he was excited or happy, when they went to the water.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat earlier said they had launched an investigation into the incident and vowed to “mete the proper administrative sanctions to the resort” after due notice and hearing.

“As chief enforcer of the magna carta for disabled persons, the DOJ will conduct a parallel investigation of the Plantation Bay incident,” Guevarra said.

He said he was not discounting the possibility of tapping the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the incident, but they were still determining the most expedient way to handle the situation.

“Our action in this regard may set a precedent for similar situations in the future,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

The management of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa justified the action, saying it had strict rules against noisy guests.

But the resort drew flak after its resident stakeholder, Manny Gonzales, accused the mother of lying. He later apologized.

Groups urge passage of DFO bill

By Maricel V. Cruz THE leaders of migrant workers’ groups on Thursday urged the Senate to resume the deliberations on the bills on the creation of the Department of Filipinos Overseas, saying a single agency that would address their concerns had long been overdue.

“Now is the right time. We have been waiting for this for a long time. Don’t deprive us of a single office that will be accountable when services to the OFWs become slow,” OFW Global Movement Association and Cooperation Inc. president Lalaine Dazille Siason said.

The OFW Global Movement Association and Cooperation has 200 chapters worldwide.

“If you consider us modern-day heroes,

then the government should act on what we have long been asking for and presenting to Congress,” Siason said.

She said from the time President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016, migrant workers had been given assurance of the establishment of a department that would serve as a one-stop-shop for their needs, “especially if our lives are placed in grave danger or if we fall victim to abuse or if a pandemic like this current one happens.”

The Department of Filipinos Overseas and Foreign Employment bill was approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives on March 11, 2020, during the time of then-Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, who was also one of its principal authors. There are nine bills seeking the creation of a DFO pending at the committee level in the Senate.

Legislator: Teachers need more

By Maricel V. Cruz A PARTY-LIST legislator on Friday welcomed the “initial gains” of the teachers’ campaigns for allowances in the bicameral conference committee-approved 2021 General Appropriations Act. But she said it still fell short of the teachers’ demands to adequately fund quality, safe and accessible education for all.

“I welcome the reinstatement of the P1,000 World Teachers Day incentive in the approved bicameral committee report of the 2021 General Appropriations Act, an incentive for teachers that was removed in the initial proposed National Expenditures Program,” Assistant Minority Leader France Castro said.

“I also note that the cash allowance for teachers was also increased from P3,500

to P5,000 for FY 2021, though it lumped expenses for Internet, other communications and medical expenses of teachers. P5,000 for all those expenses for the whole year is a far cry from our proposal of P5,000 teaching supplies allowance, P10,000 internet allowance for the whole school year and P500 medical checkup for every teacher.”

Castro, the nominee of the party-list group ACT Teachers, also noted that the slashed budget items for the Special Education Program in the Malacanangproposed budget remained unfunded in the approved bicameral conference committee report for the 2021 national budget.

“I am concerned that the important programs of the Department of Education were not funded, particularly those for special children,” Castro said.

DISTRIBUTION. A policeman distributes face masks and face shields for the launching of the “Santa Cops” of the Dasmariñas City police in Cavite on Friday.

Laws urged to end hunger in the Philippines

By Ronald O. Reyes A GROUP of anti-hunger advocates on Friday urged the immediate passage of laws to help the government achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals on zero hunger in the Philippines.

“We earnestly request the Duterte administration to certify as urgent the Right to Adequate Food Framework Bill, or the Zero Hunger Bill, now pending in the House and the Senate,” said Aurea MiclatTeves, president and convener of the National Food Coalition.

In a virtual press conference, the anti-

hunger advocate said food and nutrition “is not yet explicitly recognized in the Philippine Constitution.

“We want to help the nation’s leaders push the right policies regarding [hunger and poverty],” she said.

Unlike political rights and civil liberties enjoyed by the Filipinos, the convenor said, various laws on their rights to food were “non-complementary, inadequately and improperly implemented, incoherent and sometimes in conflict with each other.”

She says “actions must be taken” to implement the government’s National Food Policy that is supposed to address

the country’s priority concerns of hunger and poverty.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who heads the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger, said they had concluded a series of consultations with stakeholders in government and in the private sector on the NFP last week.

“We conducted the consultations thoroughly with as many partners as possible because we wanted a comprehensive and doable set of solutions. We also wanted all stakeholders to actively participate in enforcing the NFP based on their own inputs,” the official said.

MMDA officer’s simple act of kindness lauded

By Maricel V. Cruz

PRAISE. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez lauded Friday an unidentified officer of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority who was seen helping an old woman cross the street along Ortigas Avenue on Thursday.

HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Friday praised an unidentified officer of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority who was seen helping an old woman cross the street on Ortigas Avenue on Thursday.

“These simple acts of kindness become even more laudable now that we are in a pandemic. Despite this year’s struggles, it is good to know that Filipinos, especially public servants, are still willing to help others even in just a simple way,” Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, said in a statement.

Romualdez, president of the LakasChristian Muslim Democrats and the Philippine Constitution Association, congratulated MMDA chairman Danilo Lim for

instilling discipline among his people.

He said the MMDA officer’s act of kindness after going above and beyond his duty was photographed and shared in various viber groups and other social media platforms.

“Sometimes, we are too busy thinking of the big, heroic acts of charity that the small acts of compassion go unnoticed, when in fact they are the purest acts of all.

We laud the MMDA officer for his kindness and dedication in these trying times.

Indeed, this is an act worth emulating by everyone, especially us who serve the Filipino people,” Romualdez said.

“I hope this inspires not just me but everyone in public service to do better and always remember the public who count on us. If a humble MMDA officer can do his job with kindness and dedication, I am sure we can too.”

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Tighter controls in QC

By Rio N. Araja

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HE Quezon City government has deployed more personnel for the strict enforcement of health protocols in public places.

Retired police general Elmo San Diego, the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety chief, said they have trained additional enforcers to be assigned to markets and other public areas around the city to ensure the strict enforcement of minimum health protocols this holiday season amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

He said 134 enforcers from the Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD) recently underwent orientation and would be deployed to various public places, particularly in large public markets and areas where more people are expected to flock during the holidays.

“The additional personnel underwent training on the proper issuance of Ordinance Violation Receipts (OVR) to quarantine protocol violators,” San Diego said.

“Violators need to pay the fine within five days. If not, a case shall be filed with the prosecutor’s office and will be reflected on their record when they apply for police clearance,” he warned.

The city government also tapped the assistance of barangays to fully implement and enforce the minimum health protocols in the communities.

Mayor Joy Belmonte underscored the need for the strict enforcement of health protocols during the holidays to avoid a spike in COVID-19 cases.

“We ate anticipating that people would go out this Christmas. That’s why we added more personnel to enforce the protocols,” she said.

“If we will not do this, there is a big possibility that cases of COVID-19 to increase. Given the holidays, experts are predicting a surge. While we are ready for any eventuality, we would like to reinforce our efforts to campaign for a safer Christmas. That is why we would like to remind our citizens and those visiting our city to please follow all health protocols because this will be strictly enforced,” she added.

TREE LIGHTING. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora leads the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Pinaglabanan Shrine on the evening of Dec. 10, joined by his wife Keri and daughter Amanda and members of the city council.

During the ceremony, Zamora also awarded 43 bikes to 43 San Juaneños in celebration of his 43rd birthday last Dec. 5. He held a contest on his Facebook page and personally picked all the winners himself. As a bike enthusiast, Zamora hopes these gifts to his constituents will encourage more people to bike around San Juan and to stay healthy. Manny Palmero

CL cops alerted on ‘basag-kotse’

By Jess Malabanan CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga—Central Luzon police director BGen. Valeriano De Leon alerted all police units in the region to prevent the spike of holiday season criminal activities, specifically robbery break-ins and theft.

De Leon attributed the increase in the number of break-ins to poverty, “especially in these challenging times when lots of people have been economically dislocated due to pandemic.” However, he did not show any comparative reports and figures from the same period last year.

The Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director ordered policemen to be vigilant against all forms of criminality during the holiday season. He warned lawless elements to stop their activities because the long arm of the law will get them.

“Go out into the streets and look for the criminals,” De Leon ordered.

Hate posts flooded the PRO3 social media accounts from victims of “basagkotse” thieves in Mabalacat City, Angeles City, and City of San Fernando, as they called the attention of the police to arrest and put behind bars the people responsible for the series of break-ins of parked vehicles.

Marikina gets lift from Smart jobs

City pays tribute to queens of ‘Mutya Ning Angeles’ ANGELES CITY—The city government recently held its first-ever Tribute to the Queens of Mutya Ning Angeles.

The beauty event, streamed live via the City Information Facebook account, was a brainchild of Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel.

Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. described the event as symbol of the city’s resiliency, proving that “no calamity, disaster or pandemic can stop Angelenos” from celebrating beauty.

Mutya Ning Angeles first crowned a

queen in 1992 in Crisanta Delfin. The pageant is on its 28th year.

“This one-of-a-kind tribute to Mutya Ning Angeles previous queens conveys an even deeper meaning for all of us.

Amid the uncertainties brought by the Covid 19 pandemic, the Mutya Ning Angeles serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of hours, we can still find beauty and inspiration,” Lazatin said.

Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting formally opened the virtual event and emphasized the contribution of women in so-

ciety. She recalled the days when women were not given proper recognition.

“Beauty pageants have become venues wherein women can speak up and have their voices heard on important societal issues. Beauty queens have inspired young girls to dream more,” she added.

Lazatin’s Chief Adviser and Tactician Director IC Calaguas cited the efforts of the Mutya Ning Angeles Working Committee led by Manuel, Angeles City Tourism Officer Anneleen Antonio-Sugui, and event director Cecille Flores-Sanchez. Butch Gunio

SMART Communications is helping Marikina residents who were heavily impacted by Typhoon Ulysses get back on their feet. Together with PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF), PayMaya and the local government of Marikina, the wireless unit of PLDT launched a cash-forwork program in the city that allowed families immediate livelihood opportunities after the wrath of the typhoon.

“The typhoon flooded many communities in Marikina. This initiative gives hope to affected residents that they can rise from this calamity along with the city,” said Marikina Vice Mayor Marion Andres.

Around 100 beneficiaries in Barangay Industrial Valley Complex received daily wages, as well as cleaning materials and hygiene kits for their efforts.

Smart also handed out relief packs and face masks.

“We launched the cash-for-work program in the city to help Marikenyos who bore the brunt of Typhoon Ulysses jump-start their lives and recover from this devastation,” said Jowel Du, Smart AVP and Regional Development Head for NCR 2.

Firm eyes Bataan socialized housing BALANGA CITY—A private company is eyeing to build a socialized housing project in Mariveles town, Bataan Governor Abet Garcia revealed.

The governor said Metro Stonerich Corporation Chairman Ibrahim Nuno spoke to him of the company’s keen intention to initiate a housing venture here.

Nuno personally met the governor in the latter’s office at the modern capitol building called “The Bunker” a week ago.

The socialized housing project would

cater to informal settlers in the industrial town of Mariveles.

Garcia said the project could be undertaken through public-private-partnership scheme, as the province has created Bataan Public-Private Partnership Investment Center.

He said the provincial government is continuously coordinating with other government agencies to find similar projects that would help Bataan folks, especially in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Butch Gunio

Popcom lauds RPRH efforts of LGUs THE Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) is acknowledging the efforts of local government units (LGUs) nationwide in elevating the number of Filipinos currently availing of family planning, as evidenced from the latest annual report of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, or the RPRH Law. POPCOM revealed the RPRH Law has resulted in a two-fold increase in the number of family planning service clients in the Philippines: from 4 million married women of reproductive

age, or WRA, who use modern family planning methods during the enactment of the law, to about 8 million in 2019.

The annual accomplishment report cites that the 2019 modern contraceptive prevalence rate for all women was projected at 58%, or around 7.8 million women, as modern family planning users—almost within target of the Philippine Development Plan, which is 60% to 65%. As such, it is deemed that 2.8 million unintended pregnancies, 669,000 unsafe abortions and 1,470 maternal deaths were averted.

HELPING MARIKINA. Smart launched a cash-for-work program in the city that allows families immediate livelihood opportunities after the typhoon. Around 100 beneficiaries in Barangay Industrial Valley Complex received daily wages, as well as cleaning materials and hygiene kits for their efforts.

MYEG QR helps in contact tracing

QR FOR LGUS. Signing the Memorandum of Agreement at the MYQR signing are (seated) Ann Saldana, MYEG Philippines’ Chief Executive Officer, and Victorino Cruz Alejandro, Rodriguez Rizal’s Senior Administrative Officer. Meanwhile, a woman demonstrates how a scanner on a smartphone captures a QR code printed on paper (inset).

FOR the past few months, the government has been dealing with challenges in implementing an efficient way to do contact tracing for citizens who have been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive.

Establishments ask their customers to provide their contact details through forms that are given on entrance doors, which causes heavy crowd getting bottlenecked, forgetting the physical distance rule. Not to mention that high inaccuracy as this is done manual and with no means of verifying if the customer information provided is true and correct.

MYEG Philippines, Inc. (MYEG PH), a market leader in electronic solutions championing government services online automation, has been providing eGovernment services in both Malaysia and the Philippines for the last 18 years through its technology platform encompassing inter-

net, automation, big data, and electronic payments.

Its latest developments, MYQR, is a simple, seamless, and free contact tracing solution mobile application designed to monitor and track individuals entering establishment and business premises. The app assists establishment owners to monitor individuals by scanning their visitors’ QR code on their mobile phone prior allowing entry to their businesses.

The Scan & GO! feature of the MYQR will have minimal impact to their operations allowing faster recording and entry to the premises of their customers. What makes MYQR different from the other contact tracing aps is that it doesn’t need Bluetooth nor GPS to function. A user doesn’t also need to have a smartphone as they can print the QR code in a piece of paper, making it userfriendly even for the elderly.

Opinion Carbon neutrality by 2050

By UN Secretary-General António Guterres

the wisdom of this path. According to the International Labour Organization, despite inevitable job losses, the clean energy tranAS THE world marks the fifth anniversa- sition will create 18 million net new jobs ry of the adoption of the landmark Paris by 2030. But we must recognize the huAgreement on climate change, a promis- man costs of decarbonization, and support ing movement for carbon neutrality is tak- workers with social protection, re-skilling ing shape. By next month, countries rep- and up-skilling so that the transition is just.

Second, we need to align global finance resenting more than 65 percent of harmful greenhouse gasses and more than 70 per with the Paris Agreement and the Suscent of the world economy will have com- tainable Development Goals, the world’s mitted to achieve net zero emissions by the blueprint for a better future.

It is time to put a price on carbon; end middle of the century.

At the same time, the main climate fossil fuel subsidies and finance; stop indicators are worsening. While the building new coal power plants; shift the COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily re- tax burden from income to carbon, from duced emissions, carbon dioxide levels are taxpayers to polluters; make climate-restill at record highs – and rising. The past lated financial risk disclosures mandatory; decade was the hottest on record; Arctic and integrate the goal of carbon neutrality sea ice in October was the lowest ever, into all economic and fiscal decision-makand apocalyptic fires, floods, droughts ing. Banks must align their lending with and storms are increasingly the new nor- the net zero objective, and asset owners mal. Biodiversity is collapsing, deserts and managers must decarbonize their portare spreading, oceans are warming and folios.

Third, we must sechoking with plascure a breakthrough tic waste. Science on adaptation and retells us that unless silience to help those we cut fossil fuel It’s the world’s already facing dire improduction by 6 pacts of climate change. per cent every year most urgent That’s not happening between now and mission enough today: adap2030, things will get tation represents only worse. Instead, the 20 percent of climate word is on track for finance. This hinders a 2 per cent annual our efforts to reduce rise.

Pandemic recovery gives us an unex- disaster risk. It also isn’t smart; every $1 pected yet vital opportunity to attack cli- invested in adaptation measures could mate change, fix our global environment, yield almost $4 in benefits. Adaptation and re-engineer economies and re-imagine our resilience are especially urgent for small island developing states, for which climate future. Here is what we must do: First, we need build a truly global coali- change is an existential threat.

Next year gives us a wealth of opportion for carbon neutrality by 2050.

The European Union has committed tunities to address our planetary emerto do so. The United Kingdom, Japan, gencies, through major United Nations the Republic of Korea and more than 110 conferences and other efforts on biodicountries have done the same. So, too, has versity, oceans, transport, energy, cities the incoming United States administra- and food systems. One of our best allies tion. China has pledged to get there before is nature itself: nature-based solutions could provide one-third of the net re2060.

Every country, city, financial institu- ductions in greenhouse gas emissions tion and company should adopt plans for required to meet the goals of the Paris net zero -- and act now to get on the right Agreement. Indigenous knowledge can path to that goal, which means cutting help to point the way. And as humanglobal emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 kind devises strategies for preserving compared with 2010 levels. In advance the environment and building a green of next November’s UN Climate Confer- economy, we need more women decience in Glasgow, Governments are obli- sion-makers at the table.

COVID and climate have brought us gated by the Paris Agreement to be ever more ambitious every five years and sub- to a threshold. We cannot go back to the mit strengthened commitments known as old normal of inequality and fragility; Nationally Determined Contributions, and instead we must step towards a safer, these NDCs must show true ambition for more sustainable path. This is a complex policy test and an urgent moral test. carbon neutrality.

Technology is on our side. It costs more With decisions today setting our course to simply run most of today’s coal plants for decades to come, we must make panthan it does to build new renewable plants demic recovery and climate action two from scratch. Economic analysis confirms sides of the same coin.

Vindicating Corona THE Yellows’ reaction to the impeachment complaint filed by writer Ed Cordevilla against Associate Justice Marivic Leonen only validates what we have known ever since – that they were very wrong in impeaching and declaring guilty the late Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

When Cordevilla, with the assistance of lawyer Larry Gadon, filed the impeachment complaint against Leonen last Monday, the Yellows were quick to dismiss the complaint as nothing but a vindictive act executed by the Marcoses for Leonen’s failure to resolve the electoral protest of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr against Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo. This, they say, is attested by the fact that the complaint was endorsed by no less than Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba, an uncle of the former senator.

House Deputy Speaker, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, seemed to have already prejudged the case when he said newspaper accounts which were cited in the complaint, won’t hold as evidence. He also vowed the House of Representatives will be firm on its jurisdiction over the case as rumors abound Leone could suffer the same fate as that of Ma. Lourdes Sereno whose appointment as Chief Justice was invalidated following a quo warrant petition initiated against her for failing to file her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, an offense she reportedly shares with Leonen.

Former Associate Justice Antonio Carpio also joined the fray, saying there is no case with Leonen over his unfiled SALN as the prescription period for said offense is only eight years and Leonen supposedly failed to file his SALN, more than ten years ago when he was still teaching at the University of the Philippines.

First things first. On Barba’s endorsement. So what if he is a relative of Bong-

bong whose protest has been before the SC for over four years now, more than a year on Leonen’s desk? According to reports, Leonen is supposed to release his ponencia on the case in October next year, just days before the filing of the certificates of candidacy for the 2022 elections. Will a different endorser change the narrative? The story will remain the same – Leonen is doing Bongbong and the people an injustice for delaying the decision over the case, in the same manner he is doing an injustice for those who have pending protest cases before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal which he also heads.

Is that being vindictive? Clearly, Leonen has been sitting on his cases over the years, all 82 of them. Have the Yellows been that vocal, accusing former Malacañang’s resident bum of vindictiveness when he effected the impeachment of Corona, whose only crime was upholding the invalidity of the stock distribution option issued by Cory Aquino which effectively exempted their family-owned Hacienda Luisita from agrarian reform?

Newspaper accounts will not hold as evidence in the impeachment case. Well, did the Yellows and their allies from the Left have any piece of evidence against Corona when they impeached him? As far as I remember, they have only gotten hold of their “evidence” during the trial proper when they were mysteriously handed by a small lady or have been left in front of the gate of the debonaire congressman from Quezon City.

Why do I have an uneasy feeling this case would be dismissed? Aside from the fact Rodriguez had declared there is no evidence against Leonen, he is firm in saying he won’t let the case off his hands, just like what happened in Sereno’s case.

According to Rodriguez, “the Constitution is very clear. Impeachable officials like Supreme Court associate justices can only be removed by impeachment,” as he stressed that “the Constitution is supreme over the rules of court.

But Gadon can take the former law dean to some schooling when he said that while it is true the House has the executive authority in initiating an impeachment proceeding,

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020

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EDITORIAL

Restoration and renewal

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IME Magazine has announced that its Person of the Year for 2020 is the tandem of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, incoming president and vice president, respectively, of the United States.

ping five battleground states.”

Indeed America needs restoration and renewal, after four years of bitterness, pettiness, narcissism and a scandalous disregard for the truth. Mr.

By no means are Biden and Harris the saviors of America. But from all indications, they seem capable of leading their country in saving itself.

The pair will assume office next month, even as the current president, Donald Trump, insists the election was rigged, displaying a common malaise of politicians who think so highly of themselves they believe they are incapable of loss.

In truth, the Biden-Harris team “offered restoration and renewal in a single ticket,” says TIME. “And America bought what they were selling: after the highest turnout in a century, they racked up 81 million votes and counting, the most in presidential history, topping Trump by some 7 million votes and flip-

Biden was initially perceived as boring and predictable, a stark contrast to the bombastic, larger-than-life personality of Trump. But this steadiness might be exactly what the country needs as it battles the still-raging pandemic, which takes as many as 3,000 American lives per day.

Ms. Harris is a trailblazer in her own right, the child of an Indian mother and Jamaican father. A seasoned lawyer and senator, she is poised to inject both rationality and compassion into the national discourse.

Make no mistake about it: The pair are not magicians who would make everything all right at once. They are up against many odds. Their own party is not perfect. And they have the daunting task of leading tens of millions of Americans who did not vote for them, who might reject and resist their leadership, and who might in fact make governing difficult for them.

Still, the initial steps have been encouraging. Nominees for key positions in the government are competent, experienced and appear to conduct themselves with integrity. Pronouncements on containing the virus and distributing the vaccine are science-based and logical.

By no means are Biden and Harris the saviors of America. But from all indications, they seem capable of leading their country in saving itself.

Legalizing an ideology, joining a terror group about denouncing the present leadership, particularly after President Marcos opened diplomatic relations in exchange for China’s ceasing support to the local insurgency movement.

WHEN the Philippines opted to abrogate Republic Act No. 1700 or the Anti-Subversion Law on September 22, 1992 with President Fidel Ramos signing R.A. No. 7637, it did not realize that the Anti-Subversion Law it abrogated refers to the old Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP) founded in 1932 or the so-called pro-Soviet communists.

Because of our deeply embedded hatred of communism, Congress enacted on June 20, 1957 a law outlawing membership in the party, which law came about at the height of the Hukbalahap rebellion in the 1950s. To overcome the possible violation of freedom of expression and the right to peaceably assemble to petition the government for redress of grievances, the then hysterical anti-communist government come out to declare illegal membership in a communist organization.

By any stretch of one’s imagination, the Communist Party of the Philippines referred to in R.A. No. 1700 has no reference to the present although it bears the same party name. First, when R.A. No. 1700 was conceived, the CPP organized by Jose Ma. Sison and his band of idealist students from UP and remnants from the old PKP have yet to be organized. The CPP was founded on December 26, 1968, and its birth was an offshoot of the ideological split between the then Soviet Union and China with an ideology based on what it calls Marxist-Leninist Mao Zedung Thought with an armed group called New People’s Army to distinguish itself from the old Hukbong Magapapalaya ng Bayan or HMB. The greatest irony about this communist party is it was purposely organized on the date of birth of China’s great communist leader and founder. While they not have publicly denounced the so-called “thoughts of Mao,” surely they have no reservations Sereno’s case was decided not on the merits of an impeachable offense but that of an act she committed prior to her appointment.

“Perhaps Congressman Rufus forgot the fact that the ground relied on the quo warranto of Sereno is different from grounds of impeachment,” says Gadon.

“Impeachable offenses pertain to acts committed while in office. Quo warrant pertains to grounds prior to appointment such as lack of qualification,” Gadon explains. “(And) With due respect to Dean Rufus Rodriguez as many lawyers would agree, he cannot be more authoritative than the Supreme Court, hence his interpretation of the law on removal of officials of the SC cannot be more superior than the SC itself when it ruled on the removal of Sereno. We must be reminded that the SC is the final interpreter of the law,” the lawyer adds.

With regard to Carpio’s assertion, Gadon explains that prescription of a crime is different from that of Leone’s case.

“One may have been a corrupt public official whose crime of theft was not discovered and prosecuted that after 10 years his crime has prescribed and that he can no longer be prosecuted. But he remains a theft and a corrupt official. The integrity was not cleansed,”

The opposition we see today is a virtual clone of the most conservative and reactionary American political party.

There is no question the CPP “is in fact an organized conspiracy to overthrow the Government not only by force and violence but also by deceit, subversion and other illegal means, for the purpose of establishing in the Philippines a totalitarian regime.”

However, for the CPP, the National Democratic Front and NPA to openly denounce China for its continued support to what it sees as the dictatorial and fascist government, it now collaterally endorses US sponsored policies on human rights, war on terror, on our issue in the South China Sea, China’s threat of economic dominance in the Philippines, and our implied need for the continued stay of the US military bases in the Philippines.

The decision to abrogate the Anti-Subversion Law paradoxically legalized the Re-Established Communist Party of the Philippines was never in fact declared illegal by R.A. No. 1700. What R.A. No. 7636 repealed were the decrees specifically P.D. Nos. 885, 1736, 1835 and 1975 and all other laws relative to the CPP, NDF and NPA, Moreover, the old PKP which have long been declared legal by President Marcos and a decree issued recognizing the HMB for their contribution to the

liberation of the Philippines during the Japanese occupation entitling them to receive pension and veterans pay just like the Filipino veterans during World War II. Any decision to revive the Anti-Subversion Law or R.A. No. 1700 may not be as easy as our strategists would conceive. The CPP and the PKP are totally different political parties subscribing and espousing a similar ideology known as Marxist socialism, but in substance have remarkable different.

Today, there no longer exists such ideological groupings as pro-Soviet and pro-Chinese as the Soviet Union no longer exist, and the two have long settled their differences in favor of seeking better political and economic relations.

By strange coincidence, every time there is a remarkable warming in the relations between China and this country, the tempo of the local insurgency intensifies. While there is no evidence of the US funneling direct financial and military assistance to the local CPP/NDF/NPA, but there are collateral evidence to support this fact as done by the open and covert support made by the Church, the oligarchy and by the opposition.

First, the CPP/NDF/NPA have consistently made as their permanent allies the enemies of the Marcos administration. They have however been selective, vacillating in their treatment of oligarchs, the Church, and the opposition based on their financial need and realization for mass support.

Second, the CPP/NDF/NPA has generally kept silent about US presence in this country or in shaping the country’s foreign policy by the US. The CPP, NDF and NPA like the oligarchy, the Church and the opposition just stop short of demanding support from the US to help them check China’s inroad to our economy.

The CPP insurgency movement became upbeat after President Duterte announced the government will pursue and independent foreign policy and at one time even threatened to scrap the VFA. Full version at www.manilastandard.net And Corona? He was convicted for an erroneous filing of SALN, a simple offense that can be corrected, unlike the SALN cases of Sereno and Leonen where there was no actual filing.

And weren’t these the same Yellows who declared then that an impeachment proceeding is not a criminal trial but a political act?

From the way they are acting and talking now, they are actually vindicating the late Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Weren’t these the same Yellows who declared then that an impeachment proceeding is not a criminal trial but a political act?

Gadon says.

“Justice Carpio is so confused. Integrity does not prescribe because it is attached to the character of the person. Sereno was removed not because of the crime of non-filing of SALN but for lack of integrity, lack of honesty in obeying the law. Integrity does not prescribe. It is tacked in one’s character,” Gadon’s lengthy explanation.

So, is the impeachment complaint against Leonen an act of vindictiveness? The complaints raised against him tackles on his integrity or the seeming lack of it and the injustices he had caused those whose case have been pending before him since he got appointed to the SC.

MORE OPINION ONLINE

(www.manilastandard.net)

Can we rejoice in a pandemic?

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

UK braces for chaotic, ‘no-deal’ Brexit

F

OOD shortages, tailbacks and congested ports: as talks with Brussels remain unresolved three weeks before leaving the EU single market, the UK is preparing for a chaotic “no-deal”.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that BRIA HOMES, INC. (Formerly: CASA REGALIA, INCORPORATED) with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a new developer of economic and low-cost housing project (Lumina Camarines Sur Classic) with a capacity of 191 economic and low-cost units on a NonPioneer status with project site located at Palestina, Pili, Camarines Sur. Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

Business groups this week warned of difficulties from January 1 as a frustrating lack of clarity on a post-Brexit trade deal has left many companies unable to plan properly.

“While Britain’s businesses are hoping that a Brexit deal will be reached, companies across many sectors will face disruption,” said Darren Jones, chair of parliament’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, after meet-

HK media tycoon Lai charged under national security law HONG KONG media tycoon and Beijing critic Jimmy Lai was charged under a new national security law Friday, accused of colluding with foreign forces, the latest pro-democracy figure targeted under the legislation.

Lai, 73, is the most high-profile figure charged under the sweeping law, which has targeted the city’s prodemocracy movement but brought a semblance of calm to the finance hub after months of often-violent protests.

The city’s new national security unit

charged him “with one count of ‘collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security’”, police said in a statement.

National security offences carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The publisher will appear in court on Saturday in relation to the national security charge, police said.

Lai is the owner of Hong Kong’s best-selling Apple Daily, a popular tabloid that is unashamedly pro-democracy and fiercely critical of authorities.

N OTICE

N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that BRIA HOMES, INC. (Formerly: CASA REGALIA, INCORPORATED) with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Low-Cost housing project (Lumina Dumaguete Ph. 1) with a capacity of 290 economic and low-cost housing units on a Non-Pioneer status with project site located at Brgy.

Cantil-e, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental.

Notice is hereby given that COMMUNITIES NAGA, INC. with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Housing Project under the Preferred List-Mass Housing (Camella Sorsogon) with a capacity of 220 house and lot units on a NonPioneer status with project site located at Cabid-an, East District, Sorsogon.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

Police raided the newspaper’s headquarters in August and arrested a string of senior company figures, including Lai, on suspicion of “collusion with foreign forces” under the vaguely worded new law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong.

Last week he was denied bail and remanded into custody until April after being charged with fraud, the latest in a string of prosecutions brought against high-profile democracy campaigners.

He is set to apply for bail on that charge at the High Court on Tuesday.

China’s clampdown on Hong Kong has dramatically accelerated since it imposed the security law in June, with opposition politicians disqualified from the legislature and dozens of activists charged or investigated.

Last week three prominent young democracy campaigners—including Joshua Wong—were jailed for taking part in last year’s democracy protests.

On Friday Hong Kong teenager Tony Chung was found guilty of insulting China’s national flag and unlawful assembly. AFP

(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

N OTICE

N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that BRIA HOMES, INC. (Formerly: CASA REGALIA, INCORPORATED) with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a new developer of economic and low-cost housing project (Lumina Camarines Sur) with a capacity of 430 economic and low-cost housing units on a nonpioneer status with project site located at Palestina, Pili, Camarines Sur.

Notice is hereby given that PRIMA CASA LAND & HOUSES INC. (Formerly: LUMINA HOMES, INC.), with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Low-Cost housing project (Lumina Sorsogon) with a capacity of 622 economic and low-cost units on a Non-Pioneer status with project site at Brgy. Macabog, Sorsogon City.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

N OTICE

N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that BRIA HOMES, INC. (Formerly: CASA REGALIA, INCORPORATED) with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Housing Project under the Preferred List-Mass Housing (Bria Flats Cagayan de Oro-Azure Building) with a capacity of 80 residential units on a Non-Pioneer status, with project site located at Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City.

Notice is hereby given that PRIMA CASA LAND & HOUSES INC. (Formerly: LUMINA HOMES, INC.), with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Low-Cost housing project (Lumina Bauan) with a capacity of 1,078 economic and low-cost units on a Non-Pioneer status with project site at Brgy. As-is, Bauan, Batangas.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

N OTICE

N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that BRIA HOMES, INC. (Formerly: CASA REGALIA, INCORPORATED) with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a new developer of Economic and lowcost housing project (Lumina Dumaguete II) with a capacity of 67 economic and low-cost housing units on a Non-Pioneer status with project site located at Brgy.

Cantil-e, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental.

Notice is hereby given that HOUSEHOLD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Housing Project under the Preferred List-Mass Housing (Camella Baia) with a capacity of 302 house and lot units on a Non-Pioneer status with project site located at Brgy. Maitim (Sto. Domingo), Bay, Laguna.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

N OTICE

N OTICE

Notice is hereby given that COMMUNITIES NAGA, INC. with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Housing Project under the Preferred List-Mass Housing (Bria Homes Camarines Sur) with a capacity of 846 house and lot units on a Non-Pioneer status with project site located at Brgy. Palestina, Pili, Camarines Sur.

Notice is hereby given that COMMUNITIES QUEZON, INC. with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Housing Project under the Preferred List - Mass Housing (Lessandra Quezon Phase 3) with a capacity of 305 house and lot units on a Non-Pioneer status with project site located at Brgy.

Isabang, Tayabas City, Quezon.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(MS-DEC. 12 , 2020)

ing business representatives on Tuesday.

But even as the clock ticks down to Brexit, Businesses warned of “potential food short- the country has already had a taster: a logjam ages and price rises, and the threat of heaping at seaports has lasted several weeks, disrupting significant costs onto our car industry, and also supply chains. of concerns around financial services”, he said.

Many businesses are trying to order in supJames Sibley, head of international affairs plies early as a precaution while others are orat the UK’s Federation of Small Businesses, dering larger quantities to boost production to MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK locktold the BBC he expected “terrible disruption CYAN compensate for this year’s coronavirus in January”. down. AFP

(MS-DEC. 12 , 2020)

DAMAGED. A damaged truck, belonging to Tigrayan forces, lays abandoned on a road near the village of Ayasu Gebriel, East of the Ethiopian city of Alamata, on December 10, 2020. AFP

EU leaders decide to list down sanctions vs. Turkey targets EU LEADERS decided on Friday to draw up a list of Turkish targets for sanctions in response to Ankara’s prospecting for gas in Greek and Cypriot waters.

“The council adopted sanctions in the face of Turkey’s ‘unilateral actions and provocations’,” French minister for European affairs Clement Beaune tweeted, citing the conclusions agreed by the bloc’s 27 leaders.

A diplomat told AFP the sanctions would target individuals and that further measures could be imposed “if Turkey pursues its actions”.

There will be disappointment in Athens that the leaders, meeting at a summit in Brussels, did not agree to seek an arms embargo or to target entire sector’s of Turkey’s economy.

But the conclusions, released by a European Council spokesman, called for a list to be drawn up of targets for “restrictive measures”.

The leaders mandated chief EU diplomat Josep Borrell to prepare a report on more measures that could be taken to “expand the scope” of the action, to be submitted by next March.

“The idea is to turn the vice progressively,” a diplomat said.

“Turkey has engaged in unilateral actions and provocations and escalated its rhetoric against the EU, EU Member States and European leaders,” the leaders said.

“Turkish unilateral and provocative activities in the Eastern Mediterranean are still taking place, including in Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone.”

On the eve of the EU summit, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed the sanctions threat.

“Turkey does not care much about any sanctions decision to be made by the EU,” he said. AFP

Biden appoints ex-Obama officials Rice, McDonough US PRESIDENT-ELECt Joe Biden announced several administration picks Thursday, including Obama-era officials such as former national security advisor Susan Rice as White House Domestic Policy Council director and ex-chief of staff Denis McDonough as veterans affairs secretary.

The appointments, laid out by Biden’s presidential transition team, highlight the diversity which Biden pledged to bring to his cabinet.

“This is the right team for this moment in history, and I know that each of these leaders will hit the ground running on day one to take on the interconnected crises families are facing today,” Biden said in a statement.

Rice, who is Black, had been a contender for secretary of state.

But she was expected to face intense opposition from Republicans

in the Senate confirmation process over her role in the Benghazi crisis of 2012, and that prestigious cabinet position went to close Biden advisor Antony Blinken.

Heading the Domestic Policy Council will assure Rice, 56, gets into the president-elect’s White House inner circle and see her influence key elements of Biden’s “build back better” agenda amid a surging coronavirus pandemic and strains over racial justice.

But it may be seen as a surprise appointment given her experience in foreign policy. The position, which she tweeted she was “humbled and excited” to take, does not need Senate confirmation.

McDonough, 51, served multiple roles in Barack Obama’s administration, including White House chief of staff and deputy national security advisor. AFP

IN BRIEF Pacific island nations: Help save the planet PACIFIC island nations on the frontline of climate change demanded Friday the world “get serious” about saving the planet ahead of UN-brokered talks on global warming.

The Pacific’s low-lying islands are among the countries worst affected by climate change, threatened by rising seas and increasingly extreme cyclones.

Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama told a virtual summit of the Pacific Islands Forum that progress had stalled since the Paris climate agreement was signed five years ago.

“We Pacific nations owe it to our people, and to humanity as a whole, to raise our voices more to demand that major emitters step up their climate actions and commitments,” he said.

“Without this, we will lose our homes, our way of life our wellbeing and livelihoods -- it’s past time to get serious.

“We all signed the Paris agreement, now let’s insist we put it to work.”

The 18-member PIF called the summit to articulate the region’s concerns ahead of talks on Saturday—co-hosted by the United Nations, Britain and France -- to mark the fifth anniversary of the Paris deal. AFP

Four staff members killled in Ethiopia’s Tigray region TWO international aid agencies on Friday said four staff members were killed during last month’s fighting in Ethiopia’s troubled northern Tigray region.

The Danish Refugee Council reported the deaths of three security guards, while the International Rescue Committee said one of its staff members had been killed.

An estimated 600,000 people in Tigray were dependent on food aid before the fighting began, including 96,000 refugees from neighbouring Eritrea.

When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered troops into Tigray on November 4, following alleged attacks by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front forces, aid workers were left stranded and vulnerable.

A communications blackout imposed by the government combined with tight restrictions on access to Tigray has made it very difficult for aid agencies to confirm the whereabouts and safety of their staff in the area.

DRC said it was “deeply saddened to confirm the death of three colleagues,” adding that its “workers are at the forefront of the humanitarian imperative to provide assistance to those in need. AFP

Business

B3

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Airbnb jumps 113% in US market debut NEW YORK—Airbnb shares more than doubled in a sizzling US market debut Thursday which vaulted the home-sharing platform into an elite group of richly valued companies.

Shares opened at $146, a dizzying rise after the San Francisco-based firm priced them at $68 for its initial public offering.

They closed at $144.71, a jump of 113 percent in the market debut.

At those levels Airbnb is worth more than $100 billion, including options and restricted shares, up from the bumped-up $47 billion at the IPO price.

That puts the 13-year-old company on par with major global firms such as IBM, 3M Corp and American Express, for example.

Airbnb raised some $3.4 billion in the offering amid a feverish rush for new shares in companies adapting to lifestyle changes imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol “ABNB.” Gregori Volokhine, portfolio manager at Meeschaert Financial Services, said interest in Airbnb was high because “investors have the impression that this is the birth of a new platform, a company that can completely disrupt the world of tourism.”

The Airbnb debut comes just a day after meal delivery group DoorDash’s spectacular Wall Street entry with a jump of 75 percent in its first day of trading.

DoorDash made its debut with a lofty $39 billion valuation, on the heels of IPOs from others in the tech sector and on-demand economy which point to frenzied demand for the stocks.

Airbnb has said its home-sharing model proved resilient during the global pandemic, as it posted a profit of $219 million for the just-ended quarter.

The 13-year-old company, valued at $31 billion in its latest private funding round, is confident it will thrive over time.

“We believe that as the world recovers from this pandemic, Airbnb will be a vital source of economic empowerment for millions of people,” it said in its IPO filing.

Airbnb recently implemented new safety protocols for many of its hosts and maintains that listings meeting its upgraded guidelines are safer than hotels during the pandemic. AFP

PSEi December 11, 2020

TOP GAINERS

CHRISTMAS MARKET. People walk in the Christmas market in Amneville-les-Thermes on December 10, 2020, the only

0.215 0.98

0.04 0.14

22.86% 16.67%

3

FERRO

5.11

0.61

13.56%

4

FEU

646

64

11.00%

5 6

PRMX T

1.54 0.94

0.15 0.09

10.79% 10.59%

7

PTC

104.6

9.6

10.11%

8 9

MA DELM

0.011 6.95

0.001 0.61

10.00% 9.62%

10

ABA

0.69

0.06

9.52%

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index surged 91.73 points, or 1.3 percent, to 7,246.16 on a value turnover of P9.9 billion. Gainers overwhelmed losers, 155 to 77, with 40 issues unchanged.

Robinsons Land Corp., the property unit of the Gokongwei Group, advanced 4.1 percent to P20.50, while Dito CME Holdings Corp., the third major telecommunications firm, climbed 4 percent to P7.46.

Major property developer Ayala Land Inc. gained 3.9 percent at P41.60, while SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group added 2.1 percent to P39.20. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second biggest lender in terms of assets, rose 2.1 percent to P51.45.

The rest of Asian markets mostly rose

LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

BHI LFM

0.043 50

-0.004 -4.5

-8.51% -8.26%

3

OV

0.0094

-0.0006

-6.00%

4 5

BSC UPM

0.305 0.0064

-0.015 -0.0003

-4.69% -4.48%

er, bipartisan proposal.

“We’re just kind of waiting on a deal,” 6 AR 0.0025 -0.0001 -3.85% said Keith Gangl at Gradient Investments.

“I wouldn’t expect the market to do a 7 MBC 12 -0.46 -3.69% whole lot one way or the other going into REG 2.9 -0.1 -3.33% year-end from here, especially if the stim- 8 ulus package keeps getting pushed out.”

9 TFC 44.5 -1.5 -3.26% The standoff comes despite a slew of 1.8 -0.06 -3.23% worsening economic data, which analysts 10 SUN had hoped would spur politicians to work Manila harder for a deal.

Standard TODAY The latest figures showed the number of people applying for unemployment benefits VOLUME VALUE (PHP) surged last week by 137,000, far more than expected, as record new virus cases have 1 N O T I C E MBT 17,058,890 872,837,270.50 forced leaders to impose strict and economi- Notice is hereby given that CZARK MAK cally painful containment measures.

CORPORATION address 697,122,410.00 at 48 Polaris 2 ALI with office 16,865,700 Polaris Center, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City is With millions of unemployed workersStreet, applying for registration with the Board of Investments 4,771,680 523,566,831.00 facing a bleak Christmas, Pelosi said law-(BOI)3 as aBDO New Operator of Domestic Industrial the Preferred Activity - Infrastructure and makers may stay in Washington throughZone4underSMPH 12,631,500 496,383,785.00 Logistics includ ing LGU-PPPs - Domestic Industrial the holiday to pass a new bill.

Zone (Polaris Industrial Estates) on a Non-Pioneer 5 withPHAproject site411,521,000 381,797,990.00 “We’ll see how it goes. But we cannotstatus, located at Brgy. Tarcan leave here without having a piece of legis-(formerly Sta. Barbara), Baliuag, Bulacan..

6 TEL 280,310 375,521,070.00 lation,” Pelosi told reporters on Thursday. Any person with valid objection/s on the abovemay file his/her objection in writing, Michael Hewson of CMC Marketsmentioned 7 oath,project SM 273,610 293,249,050.00 with the BOI within three (3) days from the said: “If this surprise jump in the joblessunder date of this publication.

AC 340,920 288,219,105.00 claim’s numbers, and rising virus cases 8 (SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA doesn’t concentrate minds amongst US 9 BPI 3,257,660 Director 271,143,023.50 lawmakers on Capitol Hill, it’s difficult to Infrastructure and Services Industries Service 10 JFC 1,170,070 243,301,354.00 imagine what will.” With AFP

EU chief bares Virus shrinks profits of Europe’s top restaurants ‘no deal’ Brexit contingency set BRUSSELS, Belgium—EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday published a back-up plan to protect road and air travel and fishing rights if Britain leaves the union without a trade deal.

The UK left the European Union on January 31 and at the end of this month will leave the bloc’s single market and customs union, bringing a half-century of ever closer economic integration to an end.

Negotiators from London and Brussels have been trying to agree a follow-on trade pact that would govern cross-Channel business after the transition period ends, but talks are deadlocked with three weeks to go.

The EU’s Michel Barnier and his UK counterpart David Frost resumed their talks on Thursday with barely 72 hours left before the decisive moment, and the contingency plan served as “no deal” warning shot.

“Negotiations are still ongoing.

However, given that the end of the transition is very near, there is no guarantee that if and when an agreement is found, it can enter into force on time,” von der Leyen said.

“Our responsibility is to be prepared for all eventualities, including not having a deal in place with the UK on 1 January 2021. That is why we are coming forward with these measures today.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson travelled to Brussels on Wednesday for a working dinner with von der Leyen to talk through the logjam, and the leaders agreed to give the negotiators until Sunday to make a breakthrough.

But London is refusing to, in Johnson’s view, compromise its newly reclaimed sovereignty by signing up to match future EU regulation.

Several EU members, notably France, have been pushing for von der Leyen’s Commission and her negotiator Michel Barnier to take a tougher line, and to publish the contingency plan to show they are ready for “no deal.”AFP

MG PHA

TOP LOSERS

Stocks climb; Ayala Land, Robinsons Land advance S Friday but stalled US stimulus talks and rising virus infections continue to counter vaccine optimism, while the pound struggled after Boris Johnson warned Britain could crash out of the European Union without a trade deal.

Wall Street ended on a mixed note, with the Dow and S&P 500 in the red but the Nasdaq rising.

But Asia enjoyed a better performance, with Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Jakarta, Mumbai and Wellington all rising.

But Tokyo, Shanghai and Sydney all fell.

While most observers are confident the world economy will enjoy a healthy recovery next year as inoculations are administered, the immediate impact of the disease as countries endure a fresh wave was acting as a drag on trading floors.

A major headache for investors is US lawmakers’ inability to agree a new stimulus, with both sides still blaming each other just weeks before they break up for the new congressional session.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has given his backing to a $916-billion plan put forward by the White House but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has thrown her weight behind a slightly small-

% CHANGE CHANGE

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one of the kind in the eastern France department of Moselle. AFP

TOCKS rose for the second straight day in anticipation of a strong economic recovery next year with the start of vaccination in the country in the first quarter.

LAST PRICE

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(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

Manila

Standard

TODAY

NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING DEAR STOCKHOLDERS: Please be informed that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of Allied Care Experts (ACE) Medical Center- Tacloban, Inc. (“ACEMC-Tacloban”) will be held on December 29, 2020 (Tuesday) at 9:00 o’clock in the morning, via Zoom Webinar, in light of the COVID pandemic.

For the conduct of the Webinar, please register on or before December 21, 2020, through the following link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_toJABeFzQ_iWdAfR8HpEgQ Once you have successfully registered, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about the webinar meeting.

The link will provide you the process for the registration. You will receive a confirmation email once you have successfully registered in the platform, including the details and procedures in the conduct of the meeting. Voting will be done via the online tool which you can access once you have logged in to the Webinar; voting in the election of directors may also be done in absentia through the above link.

The meeting shall be recorded (visual and audio) for future reference.

Spanish chef Pepa Munoz cleans mushrooms in her Quenco de Pepa restaurant in Madrid on December 3, 2020. For Pepa Munoz, the chef who heads FAYRE, the Spanish federation of chefs and pastry chefs, creating a line of luxury lunch boxes to try and cut losses due to the pandemic “doesn’t solve anything” because since the first lockdown, there have been far too many players in the market, she says. AFP

By Thomas Perroteau MADRID, Spain—An elegant Madrid institution known for exquisite souffle potatoes, Zalacain closed its doors last month, the latest top European restaurant to have its fate sealed by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We did everything we could,” said Carmen Gonzalez, manager of Zalacain that opened nearly five decades ago and became the first Spanish restaurant to obtain three Michelin stars in the early 1980s.

Other prestigious European eateries are in the same predicament, with the closure in June of two Manila iconic London venues, The Greenhouse and The Ledbury, both of which held Standard two Michelin stars.

TODAY “If (the crisis) continues in 2021, it will be very difficult for the sector to survive,” warned Mauro Colagreco, the celebrated Argentine chef who runs the three-starred Mirazur in Menton on the French Riviera.

Like other French restaurants, Mirazur will not be able to reopen until January 20 at the earliest due to the ongoing virus restrictions.

Running a prestigious restaurant “is often the project of a lifetime,” explains Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide.

He said that only 15 to 20 percent of Europe’s top eateries are open, with the rest closed by COVID restrictions or financial difficulties.

For now, the number of permanent closures remains “comparable to previous years,” Poullennec said, while noting that European restaurants are dependent on international tourists, leaving them Manila

Standard

TODAY

far worse off than those in Asia where “the local clientele carries the restaurant business.”

‘A huge crisis’ In the kitchens at his two-starred Terraza del Casino restaurant in central Madrid, chef Paco Roncero is preparing a dish of clams with “a hint of coffee.”

“We are a hugely important sector for the survival of a country which is basically dependent on tourism... if we fall along the way, what will be left?” wondered the 51-year-old chef who has shelved several menus to cut costs after a 70-percent drop in numbers. AFP

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that CZARK MAK CORPORATION with office address at 48 Polaris Street, Polaris Center, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Operator of Domestic Industrial Zone under the Preferred Activity - Infrastructure and Logistics includ ing LGU-PPPs - Domestic Industrial Zone (Polaris Industrial Estates) on a Non-Pioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. Tarcan (formerly Sta. Barbara), Baliuag, Bulacan..

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

The Agenda: I. II. III. IV. V.

Call to Order Invocation Determination of Quorum Welcome Message Reading and Approval of the Minutes of the Y2019 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting VI. Audited Financial Report 2019 VII. President’s Report VIII. Ratification of the Acts and Proceedings of the Board of Directors, Officers, and Management of the Corporation IX. Amendments of the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws 1.

2.

3.

4.

Section 6, Article II of the by-laws (Tele/Video Conference) Section 6, Article III (Tele/Video Conference) Section 7, Article II (Manner of voting and Submission of Proxies) Section 8, Article II (Closing of Transfer of Books or Fixing of Record Date) 5. Section 1, Article II (Date of Annual Stockholders’ Meeting) X. Election of the Board of Directors 2020-2021 XI. Appointment of External Auditor for the year 2020 XII. Other Matters XIII. Adjournment Only stockholders of record at the close of business on December 9, 2020, Wednesday, shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting. If you cannot personally attend the meeting, you may opt to send your proxy to attend in your behalf. Kindly submit your duly executed proxy form with the undersigned, via email, at acemctacloban2015@gmail.comnot later than 5:00 p.m. on December 28, 2020, but preferably, on December 21, 2020, to enable your proxy to register in the Zoom Webinar. Attached is a sample proxy form for your reference. [NOTE: Management is not soliciting proxies.]

The Information Statement and Management Report and SEC Form 17-A are available at the Corporation’s website athttps://acemctacloban.com You may contact the undersigned via email at acemctacloban2015@gmail. comthroughmobile number09178178394if you have inquiries/concerns regarding the meeting.

Very truly yours, LA RHAINE G. VIERNES Corporate Secretary

(MS-DEC. 12, 2020)

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

B4

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020

PSE INDEX CLOSING Wednesday, December 11, 2020 91.73 PTS. 7,246.16

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

75,928,171,767 176,117 9,885,774,226.50 155 77 40

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2020

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.0670

Japan

Yen

0.009597

0.4613

UK

Pound

1.329600

63.9099

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129014

6.2013

Switzerland

Franc

1.128923

54.2639

Canada

Dollar

0.785114

37.7381

Singapore

Dollar

0.748951

35.9998

Australia

Dollar

0.753300

36.2089

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655196

127.6273

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266624

12.8158

Brunei

Dollar

0.746157

35.8655

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.033278

1.5996

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0873

Euro

Euro

1.214000

58.3533

Korea

Won

0.000921

0.0443

China

Yuan

0.152767

7.3431

India

Rupee

0.013561

0.6518

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.246305

11.8391

New Zealand

Dollar

0.709600

34.1083

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035492

1.7060 Source: BSP

Foreign debt climbed to $92b in September

Business Consunji’s real estate unit buys PLDT’s Smart Tower for $128m

By Jenniffer B. Austria

P

LDT Inc. sold its Smart Tower building in Makati City to DMC Urban Property Developers Inc. of the Consunji family for $128 million, according to real estate services firm JLL.

JLL said in a statement the deal represents the largest commercial real estate transaction completed in the Philippines this year.

PLDT under the terms of the transaction will continue to occupy Smart Tower, which houses the corporate headquarters of its subsidiary Smart over the next five years through a leaseback agreement.

“Investor appetite for Grade A assets in the Metro Manila area has remained high throughout an unpredictable year.

The sale of the marquee Smart Tower reinforces the long-term confidence in the office market and the ambitions of corporate occupiers to reimagine their real estate holdings,” JLL Philippines country head Christophe Vicic said.

Smart Tower is a 37-story Grade A office development with gross floor area of 38,000 square meters and 244 parking slots located along Ayala Ave. in Makati, the country’s central business district.

“An asset of this size and prestige is a rarity in the market. In a more telling sign of the evolving maturity of the Philippines real estate sector, we expect the sale and leaseback component of this transaction to prompt corporations to further re-evaluate asset light operating models,” JLL Philippines senior director and head of capital markets P. Ryan Isip said.

PLDT early this year disclosed plan to sell some of its real estate assets to reduce the company’s borrowings for aggressive capital spending initiatives.

The Philippine Competition Commis-

sion approved in September the acquisition by DMC Urban Property Developers Inc. of two Smart buildings and their 2,400-square-meter lot in Makati City from PLDT. DMC-UPDI is a real estate development company established by the Consunji family in 1977. It leases office spaces in Makati and BGC, land in Davao and Antique and land and improvement in Makati, Taguig and Manila.

DMC-UPDI also has subdivision housing and condominium projects in Davao and Bataan.

The anti-trust body said it approved the transaction after assessments showed it would not affect the competition in the office leasing space in the central business districts of Makati and Bonifacio Global City.

The transaction involves the acquisition of two parcels of land from PLDT aggregating 2,400 square meters by the property developer, along with improvements consisting of two buildings—Smart Tower I and II— along Ayala Ave.

By Julito G. Rada THE country’s outstanding external debt reached $92 billion as of endSeptember, up by $4.5 billion or 5.2 percent from $87.5 billion level in June, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Friday.

Diokno said the increase in the foreign debt stock in the third quarter was due to net availments of $2.8 billion by private non-banks to augment working capital and $2.4 billion by the national government to fund its COVID-19 pandemic response programs/projects and various infrastructure development projects.

It said contributing to the increase in the debt level was the positive foreign exchange revaluation of $636 million as the US dollar weakened against other currencies amid a slowdown in the United States’ economic recovery and escalating US-China tension in the quarter and the increase in non-resident investments in Philippine debt papers issued offshore of $294 million.

The rise in the external debt was partially offset by prior period’s adjustments of$2.1 billion.

Data from the BSP showed that on a year-on-year basis, the foreign debt stock jumped by $9.3 billion from September 2019 on the back of net availments ($5 billion) mainly by the government and transfer of Philippine debt papers from residents to non-residents ($2.8 billion) as several credit rating agencies affirmed their confidence in the economy during the period.

Other contributors were the positive FX revaluation ($936 million) and the prior period’s adjustments ($645 million).

External debt refers to all types of borrowings by Philippine residents from non-residents, following the residency criterion for international statistics.

Diokno said that despite the increase in the external debt level, “key external debt indicators remained at prudent levels.”

He said the gross international reserves reached $100.4 billion as of end-September and represented 9.0 times cover for short-term debt based on original maturity.

INTERMODAL RAIL FACILITY.

Baltic Container Terminal in Gdynia, Poland joins the EU-backed COMODALCE project, designed to take intermodal rail operations to a new, higher level.

Participation in the COMODALCE initiative is the latest in a series of measures implemented by BCT that have combined to lift intermodal rail traffic to account for 30 per cent of BCT’s annual container throughput. BCT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc., processes 250 intermodal trains operated by 13 intermodal operators on a monthly basis.

Cusi halts permit policy on critical energy projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores ENERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi suspended the issuance of certificate on energy projects of national significance to evaluate its effectiveness.

The Department of Energy said in an advisory dated Dec. 10 it suspended the issuance of the CEPNS “to give way to a thorough review of its effectiveness with respect to securing regulatory permits and license endorsements and other requirements relevant to the timely development and completion of energy projects.”

The Energy Investment Coordinating Council, through the DOE, is responsible for the issuance of CEPNS, which is supposed to speed up the issuance of permits and clearances required from relevant government agencies and instrumentalities for energy projects.

Established by virtue of Executive Order No. 30, the EICC was created to streamline the regulatory procedures of energy projects as part of the Ease of Doing Business Program of the Duterte administration.

Cusi said in parallel with the CEPNS process evaluation, all applications for CEPNS would be automatically migrated to the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop.

“A separate advisory shall be issued once the said suspension is lifted based on the results of the evaluation,” Cusi said.

The DOE already issued CEPNS to 149 projects with estimated total investments of P794.52 billion.

“Out of 399 received applications, 149 were certified as CEPNS while 35 applications are still under evaluation. Total estimated investment for the 145 issued CEPNS is P794.52 billion,” data from the department showed.

IN BRIEF BOP surplus likely to hit $12.8b this year

SATURDAY BANKING. Following its move to open all branches nationwide to help in the gradual economic recovery, BDO Unibank Inc. announces the reopening of its mall-based branches for Saturday banking until 4 p.m. since Dec. 5. One of them is the BDO branch inside SM Mall of Asia as shown above.

BSP launches P725-b relief measure Virgin coconut oil to boost lending to big firms, MSMEs producers assure

By Julito G. Rada THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Friday unveiled P726 billion worth of loans that can be extended to micro-, small- and medium enterprises and large businesses as banks’ alternative compliance with the reserve requirements.

It said in a statement the aggregate loans to MSMEs and large enterprises under the relief measure should not exceed P300 billion and P425 billion, respectively.

“Limits are calibrated based on different simulations and are meant to ensure that the use of loans as an alternative mode of compliance is in line with domestic liquidity conditions and projected growth,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, who is also the board chairman, said.

Diokno said BSP-supervised finan-

cial institutions were encouraged to continue to avail of the relief measure to sustain lending and financial support to viable MSMEs and large enterprises.

“Access to finance by these businesses will contribute to the recovery of the domestic economy and will help secure our envisioned path of sustainable and inclusive growth,” Diokno said.

Based on preliminary data, the average amount of MSME loans and loans to large enterprises utilized by banks as compliance with the reserve requirements for the reserve week ending Nov. 12, 2020 amounted to P123.6 billion and P29.5 billion, respectively.

Existing guidelines allow supervised financial institutions to utilize loans to MSMEs and large enterprises as alternative compliance with reserve requirement until Dec. 29, 2022, subject to early closure, if warranted and with prior notice.

ample PH supply

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE United Coconut Associations of the Philippines and VCO Producers and Traders Association of the Philippines on Friday assured consumers they have enough supply of virgin coconut oil amid the anticipated increase in demand.

They issued the statement after studies from the Department of Science and Technology revealed that VCO decreased symptoms in suspected and probable COVID-19 cases in as early as the second day of testing.

UCAP and VCO Philippines encouraged government agencies such as the Department of Health to support and promote the use of natural alternative options against COVID-19.

“Coconut oils and the inherent medium-chain triglyceride properties in it have long been recognized for their antiviral action,” UCAP executive director Yvonne Agustin said.

“Many who tested COVID-19 positive have recovered rapidly by incorporating coconut oil into their daily diet while those who are taking it as a supplement have seen their immunity strengthened,” she said.

According to UCAP and VCO Philippines, only 30 percent of the industry’s 73,000-metric-ton capacity was being utilized.

Local sales and export of VCO reached around 20,000 metric tons in 2019.

The local market consumed about 470 metric tons of VCO based on 2019 data.

Stakeholders expect a 20-percent growth in the demand by 2021 with renewed public interest in VCO, MCT and other coconut oil’s health benefits.

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas raised the balance of payment surplus forecast this year to $12.8 billion from the $8.1-billion surplus estimate it made in September following the gradual recovery in global trade.

The new BOP surplus target is equivalent to around 3.4 percent of the gross domestic product this year.

BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila said during the online briefing on the Third-Quarter 2020 Balance of Payments Developments Report that the upward revision was supported by the “higher foreign borrowings of the government [amid the pandemic] and lower merchandise trade deficit.”

Current account, one of the main components of the balance of payments, is seen to post a surplus of $8.4 billion in 2020, higher than the previous projection of $6 billion.

Julito G. Rada

DPWH completes 2 sections of CL roads THE Department of Public Works and Highways said Friday it completed two major segments of Central Luzon Link Expressway Project Phase 1 leading to Cabanatuan City.

“Construction of 4.1-km Contract Package 1-Tarlac Section and 6.4-km CP 2-Rio Chico River Bridge section are now 100-percent finished,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

The completed sections form part of the 30-kilometer four-lane expressway project that will connect and improve access between the cities of Tarlac and Cabanatuan.

The project also involves the construction of a 300-meter temporary off and onramp to be used as exit in La Paz-Victoria Road. CP 2 includes the construction of the 1.5-km Rio Chico River viaduct, the 42-meter Sta. Lucia River Bridge and the 38-meter La Paz-Victoria underpass bridge. Darwin G. Amojelar

Sta. Lucia Land eyes P10-b bond offering STA. Lucia Land Inc. said Friday it plans to raise up to P10 billion through the issuance of fixed-rate unsecured bonds.

SLI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board of directors approved the filing of up to P8-billon bond shelf registration program with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SLI plans to issue up to P1 billion worth of fixed-rate bonds, with an oversubscription of a maximum of P1 billion under the first tranche.

The property developer tapped China Bank Capital Corp. as its lead underwriter, issue manager and book runner for the transaction.

Aside from the planned bond offering, SLI is also availing up to P500 million worth of loans and credit facilities from Philippine Commercial Capital Inc.-Trust and Investment Group. Jenniffer B. Austria

Sports Saso 2 strokes behind American leader at US Open Yuka Saso of the Philippines looks over a putt on the 18th green during the first round of the 75th U.S. Women’s Open Championship at Champions Golf Club Cypress Creek Course on December 10, 2020 in Houston, Texas. AFP

L

OS ANGELES—Philippine pride and Asian Games gold medalist Yuka Saso shot a 2-under par 69, just two behind American Amy Olson at the start of the the US Women’s Open Friday morning (Manila time).

Pascual, Oftana vow to continue SBC’s tradition THE San Beda Red Cubs are back on top, while the San Beda Red Lions are looking to get back on top and roar again in the NCAA. For an institution that has a strong basketball program like San Beda, winning has become a habit and it’s not surprising why their respective varsity squads are raring to get back in action in the resumption of the NCAA next season.

Whether it’s going to be played under a bubble set up or with a reduced audience inside the venue, what’s Migs Pascual more important for these teams is to continue their winning legacy and team captains Migs Pascual, team captain of the Red Cubs and Calvin Oftana, the skipper of the Red Lions, shared the challenges they expect to encounter once they return to action.

“Siguro ‘yung team chemistry. Parang eight players ‘yung nag-graduate sa amin,” Pascual said during his interview with The Link Podcast. “Pero kumpiyansa naman kami and ‘yung mga coaches dahil alam namin na ili-lead nila kami. Sandali lang ‘yung mga training namin or konti man lang ‘yung time mag-prepare, alam namin dahil nagkakausap naman kami thru messages lang, mask ‘yung mga bagong teammates namin.

Mababait naman sila at alam kong kaya rin nilang I-lead ‘yung team at tulungan ako with the help of the coaches.”

Pascual is one of the graduating players for the coming season and he intends to leave a legacy in his last playing stint with the Red Cubs. A former national youth team member, Pascual spent the quarantine period brought about by COVID-19 pandemic doing skills workout.

He has been training with the legendary Allan Caidic to work on his shooting while also doing workouts with former PBA player Rob Labagala to work on his ball handling and defensive skills at the point guard spot.

Oftana, on the other hand, had his baptism of fire playing in an international competition where he was included to be a part of Gilas Pilipinas composed by young players in the second window of the FIBA Asia Qualifier in Bahrain.

The 19-year-old Saso,the moneyleader in the recent LPGA of Japan Tour with winnings of Y93,891,170 or P43,350,001, momentarily held halfway lead with four birdies at 4-under, but slowed down in the last nine holes, where she went birdie-less while submitting bogeys on the 11th and 18th holes to find herself tied for fifth along with six others.

Saso’s fellow Filipina and Asiad cogold medalist Bianca Pagdanganan fired a 1-over 72.

Olson, buoyed by a hole-in-one, grabbed a one-stroke lead in the first round of the US Women’s Open at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, on Thursday.

The 68th-ranked Olson, who is in search of not only her first major title but her first LPGA crown, fired a four-under par 67 on the Cypress Creek course to hold a narrow lead over Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn, 2019 Women’s British Open champion Hinako Shibuno of Japan and South Korean Kim A-Lim. Shibuno also played Cypress Creek,

one of two in use over the first two rounds, while Moriya and Kim fired their three-under 68s on the par-71 Jackrabbit course.

“I’m definitely pleased with how I played,” Olson said. “I made some really good putts, made a key par save on my 16th hole, hole seven out here.

“I think that was pretty crucial and a nice birdie right on top of that on my 17th hole.”

But the highlight was her ace at the par-three 16th, where she had 141 yards to the pin and went with an eight-iron.

“The wind was kind of coming off my right a little bit and the pin’s on the right.

So I hit a little cut to hold the breeze and it was literaily perfect,” said Olson, who threw her arms up and laughed with delight as her ball took a small hop and rolled into the cup.

“It landed two paces short of the flag and had some good spin on it and just trickled in,” Olson said. “We saw the whole thing, which is fun.”

Although coronavirus restrictions meant there was no roar from a crowd,

Olson was happy to savor the moment.

“I think it’s important to enjoy the little things, the moments along the way,” said Olson, who had gotten off to a stuttering start with a bogey at her second hole, the 11th but told herself to stay patient.

“There’s birdies out here,” she said, “but you can’t go at every pin.”

She followed up her ace with a birdie at the par-four 17th and added a birdie at the par-four first as she picked up four shots in the space of four holes.

Reigning British Women’s Open champion Sophia Popov of Germany was among a group of seven players sharing fifth place on two-under 69, a group that also included Sweden’s Linnea Strom and Linn Grant, Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, England’s Charley Hull, American Gerina Piller and Yuka Saso of the Philippines.

The championship rescheduled from June because of the Covid-19 pandemic drew nine of the world’s top 10.

Both world number one Ko Jinyoung and South Korean compatriot and defending champion Lee6 Jeongeun carded opening rounds of twoover 73.

World number two Kim Sei-young, who has a chance to topple Ko from atop the rankings this week, opened with a one-over par 72. AFP

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

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020

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Strict PSC protocols set for training of athletes

By Peter Atencio THE training of national and student athletes alike will be conditionally allowed to resume.

But a strict 10-point guideline issued by the Philippine Sports Commission will have to be followed for this to happen.

The safety and health protocols which the PSC has set are aimed to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus infection to concerned athletes and coaches.

PSC chairman William Ramirez said this yesterday during a presentation on Zoom on the sports body’s accomplishments for the year and its plans and programs in 2021.

And, if the instructions laid down by the PSC are not complied with, sporting activities of certain sports disciplines will not be allowed to take place.

“Sa pananaw ng PSC, kapag isa lang ang na-infect, isasara namin sila,” said Ramirez.

Tegular testing will have be done, in agreement with the local public health authorities.

“If they are not able to observe, they will not be allowed,” added Ramirez.

Contacts of confirmed positive cases must be done by all sports bodies that are considering to return to training. And before any gathering, two swab tests will have to be performed.

Ramirez said the protocols that they have composed is even stricter than the bubble of the Philippine Basketball Association when the league held the PBA Philippine Cup in Pampanga.

“Napaka-strikto ng protocol, mas strikto pa nga sa PBA ito,” added Ramirez, who himself had to undergo home quarantine last month, after one of his drivers tested positive for COVID-19.

Ramirez added that for asymptomatic cases, an immediate test and repeat test and antibody test will be done on the individual.

If the athlete has symptoms, but is negative, there should be repeat tests.

Alido breezes to 9-shot ICTSI Riviera romp WITH a huge lead, Ira Alido turned the final round of the ICTSI Riviera Championship into a victory walk—cruising to a nine-stroke romp over Jobim Carlos, Nilo Salahog and Michael Bibat despite a closing 73 at the Langer course in Silang, Cavite yesterday.

Thanks to a solid 64 in the third round, a stirring output fashioned out in exacting conditions that put him way out in front by eight strokes over Bibat and second day leader Zanieboy Gialon.

The lead was so huge it probably made his pursuers grow tired just figuring out how to overhaul it as Bibat and Gialon came out flat in a final round practically reduced to a coronation stroll for the 19-year-old Alido.

Pressure-free, he bogeyed Nos. 3 and 4, miscues that hardly mattered as Bibat also made the turn at 37 and Gialon faded with a 40, paving the way for Alido’s unhampered roll that erased the stigma of his two meltdowns after leading through 54 holes in a young pro career, including in PGT Asia at Wack Wack last year.

Alido assembled a seven-under 277 to complete one of the Tour’s most lop-

Ira Alido flashes the No. 1 sign after a dominant win in the ICTSI Riviera Championship.

sided wins. It more than doubled Tony Lascuña’s four-shot triumph over him and Rupert Zaragosa in the first of two PGT bubble tournaments in the ICTSI Riviera Invitational Challenge at the

Couples course, the less daunting of the two Riviera championship courses, three weeks ago.

But after firing back-to-back 70s at the par-71 Langer layout and trailed by just

one off Gialon, he knew he had a chance.

So did the majority of the rest. Unlike them, however, Alido, who turned in five Top 10 finishes to finish No. 6 in the Order of Merit last season, cashed in on his fine form and stamina to produce a brilliant 64 Thursday which he used as springboard to a career breakthrough worth P337,500.

Carlos matched par 71 to tie Bibat, who limped with a 74, and Salahog, who carded a 72, at second at 286 worth P150,000 each while Lascuña regained his range, rhythm and touch too late, finishing with a 68 but salvages a share of fifth at 287 with Zaragosa, who also carded a 71.

Each received P88,750.

Angelo Que, who sizzled with a 67 in the opener of the P2.5 million championship put up by ICTSI but struggled with 73 and 74 to drop out of the race, wound up with another three-over card for solo seventh at 288, while Gialon, who sparkled with a 65 Wednesday to wrest control, skied to a 77 and ended up tied for eighth at 289 with Sean Talmadge and Korean Park Jun Sung, who, shot 72 and 75, respectively.

Never say no crowd

By Yugel Losorata IN A PBA conference forced to play games without a live audience, the league’s biggest draw, the one perennially labeled as having a sixth man that delivers a familiar chant every game, ironically came out as the winner.

The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel completed a masterful performance in the first and hopefully only PBA Bubble, becoming its champion at the expense of TNT Tropang Giga last Wednesday at the Angeles University Foundation in Clark, Pampanga. The team’s triumphant outing was meaningful in several ways, serving as a celebratory occasion to a poignant effort in bringing a sense of normalcy in this basketball-crazy country.

The championship is more than an All-Filipino crown jewel 13 years in the making, or the first without import support for Finals MVP and PBA Iron Man L.A Tenorio. In essence it was a statement performance for the squad known for its Never Say Die (NSD) attitude, having won it all without the privilege it has enjoyed since the legendary Robert Jaworksi joined the team in the mid-80s.

The iconic, all-too-familiar Ginebra chant was obviously in mute mode throughout the conference. Netizens may have noticed that the numbers of online viewers significantly surged during Ginebra games. But it was merely just that: numbers. That really couldn’t help fire up the team in crucial moments or when trailing.

No worries.

Anchored on effective coaching by Tim Cone and powered by a lineup that consistently bagged championships in the past five years, Ginebra won its first four games -- a feat last done when they had Billy Ray Bates and Michael Hackett—and went on to top the eliminations. They beat dangerous Rain Or Shine in the Quarterfinals without going to a knockout match and got past its playoff rival Meralco Bolts in a thrilling series highlighted by a booming endgame trey by Scottie Thompson to settle the score.

In the Finals, the first two games could have gone either way but a strong drive from rookie Arvin Tolentino forced an overtime in the opener and Thompson scored a big triple anew in the waning seconds of Game 2 to edge the Tropang Giga. Tenorio’s heroics were evident in the series, either through big shots to

respond to RR Pogoy’s rampage or important free throws to keep the TNT at bay.

Stanley Pringle played his little Brownlee role all tournament long while Japeth Aguilar tied his careerbest 32 points in last Wednesday’s clincher.

“This is for the fans,” echoed all those who were interviewed in the Ginebra camp, from Coach Tim Cone who surpassed Jaworski’s record haul of four crowns piloting Ginebra to Mark Caguioa who entered the tourney as the first player who played 18 seasons for one team.

It’s a minor miracle of sorts that Ginebra joined the Bubble as among the strong teams on paper, on the The Gin Kings, led by Finals’MVP LA Tenorio, take a championship selfie. floor. They had to do it minus their legions of fans loudly mantra fittingly screamed as a rallying point for everyone believing that cheering for them or booing their opponents.

A league schedule twist took them to capturing no matter how difficult, the ongoing global trouble will be overcome as the 44th season’s Governor’s Cup January this year long as there’s still hope and a fighting chance.

(Editor’s note: The author, who writes a weekly music column for or before Covid-19 put on hold many things in our lives. They partied to the tune of Queen’s “We Are the Manila Standard, once covered the PBA for Manila Bulletin and The Champions” twice in 2020 which to many people Sports Digest magazine. He composed and recorded a song called “Basketball Pinoy” with his band Syato and penned an essay titled is a year of sickness and death.

The most popular team in the PBA, and in the country “Yesterday’s Never-Say-Die Spirit of Legends” as part of his “How To for that matter, stood tall amidst the pandemic. Its NSD Survive the New Normal” e-book published last July.)

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020

rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Tech & Gadgets

Globe uses global best practice for customer service

Convenient shopping via AllToys Christmas Express

“H

I, I’D like to check my data usage.”

“As of December 11, 2020, you have 9.2 GB left out of your 10.0 GB data allowance.

Your data allowance will refresh on December 31. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Most of the time, customer support inquiries are directed to live agents. Today, chatbots are reshaping the way companies interact with their customers especially under the new normal.

A chatbot is a software application that allows human-like online conversations using messaging platforms such as Facebook Messenger. It is programmed with the necessary information that allows the bot to respond to customer inquiries or suggest the next best course of action.

It enables customers to get the help they need through channels that customers are familiar with.

Bots can easily work together with live agents to support customers. Instead of agents answering all inquiries, which may take time, bots can respond to simple, commonly-asked questions. They can also hand off customers to live agents for multiple transactions that may be too complex for a bot to handle.

Globally, many companies are starting to use chatbots to make customer service more responsive and have the capability to quickly resolve concerns. A survey conducted by HelpShift, a digital customer service platform, said that 30% of their 2019 respondents from the US, UK, Netherlands, Germany and France are willing to engage with a chatbot because “(they) are very helpful.” This is double the number of respondents who reacted positively in 2018. The number of consumers who preferred chat-based messaging as a way to contact customer support for complicated issues has also risen by 25% in the past year, it added.

In 2016, Globe started using chatbots for customer assistance. Gie of Globe and Thea of Globe Platinum are digital asIN THE midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, most companies are implementing voluntary and mandatory work-from-home policies. It’s hardly surprising, especially since most of us are new and has to adapt with this new work setup. With this, Harman Kardon has listed items that you can give your multitasker friends and loved ones this Christmas season.

The perfect work-from-home companion, Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2.

Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2 is the perfect work from home companion.

Even with a slim design, there's no compromise on sound. The powerful super thin speaker drivers and specially tuned acoustics deliver high-fidelity sound. The Esquire Mini 2 features a conferencing system with noise cancellation for crystal clear conference calls anywhere you go. It supports up to 10 hours of playtime and comes with built-in powerbank to quickly charge your devices, so you will never run out of power especially when you need it. Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2 is priced at Php 8,499.

For the on-the-go professionals, Harman Kardon Fly TWS.

sistants who are available 24/7 to support customers. Gie, whom customers can chat on Globe's Facebook page, is a digitallysavvy, millennial Filipina bot who helps customers with their account inquiries.

On the other hand, Thea can assist Globe Platinum customers with lifestyle requests such as reservations, personal shopping, and airport lounge access, aside from account related concerns.

Globe’s digital assistants can handle requests for both mobile and broadband accounts. For broadband customers, getting assistance to troubleshoot technical issues, requesting repair with a technician,

and tracking the status of a job order can now be done with the help of a bot on Globe At Home’s Facebook Messenger.

Customers who would like to apply for a broadband service may go to the same FB Messenger account to check availability in their area. Those who availed of a Home Prepaid WiFi device may also activate their free 10GB with the help of a bot.

“The use of chatbots is a global best practice which we adopted early on because we wanted to provide superior customer experience at scale using digital technology,” said Rebecca Eclipse, Globe Chief Customer Experience Officer.

She said that Gie and Thea are particularly helpful during the current pandemic when call centers shut down or downscaled their operations, resulting in fewer agents to help companies like Globe attend to the needs of customers.

“We are doing our best to continuously improve the various touch points in the customer journey despite manpower limitations, and one of the most effective ways to address customer service requests in a timely manner is the chatbot. It allows our customers to get answers to simple requests without having to wait for a live agent,” she added.

Techie gift ideas from Harman Kardon

Harman Kardon 2020 holiday gifts for young professionals

The Fly series is specifically designed with the savvy commuter in mind. And if you’re looking for a true wireless connection, then Harman Kardon Fly TWS is for you. Harman Kardon’s high-quality audio takes center-stage, further enhanced by the headphones’ integrated technologies and support for Google Assistant. Just say,

“Hey, Google!” to help you tick-off your to-do list! Harman Kardon Fly TWS is available for Php 8,999.

For travelling professionals, Harman Kardon Neo. For those looking for a more compact but elegant speaker, the Harman Kardon Neo delivers impeccable sound in a palmsized, portable package that is easily transportable with the use of a sturdy strap. Artfully crafted from durable metal, the speaker is the perfect blend of form and function that can easily withstand both indoor and outdoor environments with its IPX7 waterproof rating. Its echo-cancelling speakerphone also enables crystal-clear phone calls, perfect for the office and business travel. Harman Kardon Neo is priced at Php 6,499.

For passionate audio enthusiasts, Harman Kardon SoundSticks 4.

Harman Kardon SoundSticks 4 make a statement in any contemporary home. Its unparalleled sound quality and beautiful transparent materials will definitely bring harmony into your living space. Transform the look and sound of your life this holiday season with Harman Kardon SoundSticks 4.

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These items are available at Harman Kardon website (https:// bit.ly/HKChristmasGiftGuide), Harman Kardon Shopee Flagship Store (https://bit.ly/HK_Shopee), and Harman Kardon Lazada Flagship Store (https://bit.ly/HK_Lazada).

Mariwasa rolls out innovative Skim Coat MARIWASA Siam Ceramics Inc., the Philippines' leading tile derwent a quality assurance check to make sure that it is in exmanufacturer is introducing the new and techically advanced cellent condition and aligns with the company’s goal of becomMariwasa Skim Coat, a ready-to-use, cement-like plastering ing a complete home solutions provider.

Uncompromising Quality mortar suitable for smoothing and finishing off concrete surMariwasa was built on the vision of producing ceramic faces, as well as pre-casting for interior and exterior application.

Skim coating is a texturing technique used to make a products that would meet global standards for beauty and durability. wall or ceiling smooth. It is also The company holds the disused to repair damaged drywall tinction of being the first manumaking it a quick, long-term facturer of both wall and floor solution for fixing minor cracks, tiles in a wide array of colors and filling a joint, or leveling an sizes. Each tile comes from the existing flat surface. company’s commitment to prodThe new product is designed to uct excellence that is fully supwork even on rough surfaces withported by extensive research and out leaving any pin holes or cracks development along with innovawhile creating a smooth finish that tive design and some of the most corrects unevenness. Moreover, modern production facilities and the new Mariwasa Skim Coat can Mariwasa's new Skin Coat underwent a quality processes in the country. work for surfaces both indoors and assurance check to make sure that it is in excellent Over time, Mariwasa has outdoors so that homeowners don’t condition and aligns with the company’s goal of amassed a number of collections have to pay extra just to buy sepabecoming a complete home solutions provider. that showcase unique designs for rate materials.

Usually, skim coats are grey or white in color. Mariwasa opt- each selection. The company has also branched out to ofed to make their skim coat in superfine white to allow the paint fering home construction products such as sanitary wares, that would be applied on the surface to have more vibrancy and tile adhesives, and grout, as well as the skim coat to provide solutions for every home and manifest their vision of quality a low tendency of shade variation.

Available at a reasonable price, the new Mariwasa Skim products that are sturdy and appealing.

Not only does the company showcase the continuing legacy Coat can help homeowners save more from the usual cost of of Filipino craftsmanship and ingenuity locally, it also exports materials and labor when having walls finished off.

Like all Mariwasa products, the brand’s new skim coat un- its finished products to other countries in the ASEAN region.

CHRISTMAS shopping is an activity a lot of people look forward to—going through hordes of clothes, toys, trinkets, and whatnots in search for the perfect gifts for your loved ones. But with restrictions due to the pandemic still in place, shopping for gifts has become a challenge for most, if not a nightmare.

However, thanks to AllToys, shopping for toys this Christmas just got so much easier and 100% safe through their Christmas Express—it is a concierge and delivery service dedicated solely for toys and other gift items for kids! AllToys Christmas Express is a hassle-free service that allows customers to shop for Christmas presents from the safety of their homes; from choosing the toys up to the wrapper and making sure that they are delivered right to the recipient’s doorstep— everything is handled by AllToys.

There are different ways that one can shop using AllToys Christmas Express.

Here’s how: Message AllToys Christmas Express on Viber Inquiries for specific toy models or items can be sent via Viber. For those who would like to explore their options, they may request for a toy catalog through Viber as well. A representative will be attending to Viber inquiries from 10AM to 3 PM daily. Customers from Southern Manila and Cavite Area can message AllToys at 0961 539 3316 while those from Northern Manila and Central Luzon can send their inquiries via Viber at 0919 083 8689.

Take a virtual tour Customers will be able to see actual toy displays at an AllToys store via Virtual Tour through their website at shop. alltoys.com.ph or through this link: https://bit.ly/AllToysVirtualTour.

This way, shoppers will not be left guessing about which toys are available.

Once something catches the shopper’s attention, they can take a screenshot and send to AllToys via Viber as well.

Customers are asked to fill out the wish list form in order for AllToys Little Shoppers to process their orders. Their Christmas presents can either be picked up at the AllToys location of their choice or delivered on the same day via GetAll delivery service from 10AM to 3PM. Shop online through shop.alltoys. com.ph For those who simply prefer the ease of adding to cart and checking out their orders, they can simply opt to shop directly on the AllToys website. Customers can choose to pay through PayPal, credit card, debit card, bank deposit, or via Paymaya and GCash.

Check out AllToys on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alltoysofficial or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alltoys.ph/

Cisco announces wave of Webex innovation SAN JOSE, California—Cisco announced at WebexOne a wave of Webex innovation to help organizations collaborate seamlessly and transform their employee and customer experiences.

Taking place today and tomorrow, WebexOne is Cisco’s premier digital collaboration conference that brings together thought leaders, customers and partners to discuss the future of work.

“More and more, the line between work and play have become more blurred into a complex life experience,” said Karrie Ilagan, Managing Director for Cisco Philippines.

“What we’ve created is a tool that simplifies that complexity and provides a platform where everyone can experience life as seamlessly and safely as possible.”

Webex has a rich history of helping employees innovate and remain productive wherever they are. Since the pandemic, Webex has not only continued to help businesses thrive, it has also been an integral platform for governments to continue to lead remotely, doctors to meet with patients safely, and educators to teach students at a distance.

The announcement of the latest innovations come as companies across the world are

preparing for ‘hybrid’ future of work – where employees move between office-based and remote working with greater frequency – in a post pandemic world. Cisco has set out a clear vision of how technology can help customers realize that future today and create a more inclusive world for all. The innovations announced today include: The All New Webex The all new Webex available today, provides a single secure place for connecting and getting things done: call, meet and message in one app.

More than 50 innovations announced today fall into three areas: seamless collaboration, smart hybrid work experiences, and intelligent customer experiences, all built on the rock-solid security and privacy synonymous with Cisco.

New features available today include: • noise cancellation and speech enhancement • transcriptions and closed captioning • highlights and action items • enhanced video layouts and Webex Huddle (spontaneous meetings with a single click) • a number of AI-powered features in messaging and new calling features help you focus on what matters most.

Tech & Gadgets

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020

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Google reveals top search queries in PH

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OOGLE announced today the local lists—trends, news, personalities, shows, events and more—that topped Filipinos’ search queries in 2020. The local results of the annual Year in Search provide an insight on what mattered most to Filipinos this year and how they navigated the uncertainties and challenges brought about by the pandemic.

Taking the number one spot on the list is the recently concluded US presidential elections. The whole world, including the Philippines, had their eyes on the race which saw a tight competition between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Basketball fans continued to pay close attention to their favorite NBA teams. All queries related to the NBA such as scores, schedules, and the highly anticipated finals match between Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat landed on the trending searches. Meanwhile, the passing of Black Mamba and basketball legend Kobe Bryant shocked the whole world including the Philippines, making him the only personality in this year’s overall trending searches for 2020.

Aside from coronavirus-related searches, completing the list are searches related to the Taal Volcano eruption in January, crisis response efforts (www.reliefagad.ph), and even the Department of Education for queries about the commencement of the school year.

A new category called “Education” emerged this year after a relative spike in academic-related searches as students embraced home-based learning, and looked up lectures and topics online.

In the Game-related Searches category, breakout mobile games Among Us, Genshin Impact, Valorant, and League of Legends: Wild Rift secured places in the list.

Filipinos’ love for Hallyu (Korean wave) deepened during the lockdown as they continued to search and enjoy content from their favorite K-pop personalities.

K-dramas Crash Landing on You, It’s Okay To Not Be Okay, Start Up, Itaewon Class, The World of the Married, and The King: Eternal Monarch dominated the TV shows category. Academy Award-winning Korean film Parasite along with Train to Busan 2 also took up spots in the top movies list.

Korean celebrities who starred in this year’s top series dominated the personalities categories. This included fan favorites such as Hyun Bin, Kim Soohyun, Park Ji-hoon, Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Go-eun, and Seo Ye-ji, among others.

Netizens leaned on the helpfulness of Google Search during the pandemic to discover and learn new things. How-to articles and video tutorials were once again popular this year, and among the most searched were related to health such as com-

Supporting families, youth on TikTok

US President-elect Joe Biden speaks before announcing his team tasked with dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic at The Queen in Wilmington, Delaware. The US election and the coronavirus pandemic are the top news searches on Google in 2020. AFP

puting BMI, proper way to wear a surgical mask, and boosting the immune system, as well as hobby-centric topics like making dalgona coffee and leche flan.

“Looking back at the year that was, many Filipinos realized the importance of going digital now more than ever to search for answers and cope with the new changes happening around them. As per the latest SEA e-Conomy report, a significant number of Filipinos tried new digital services and 54% of these new consumers came from non-metro areas,” said Geia Lopez, Analytical Head for Consumer Packaged Goods and Retail, Google Southeast Asia. “Google is committed to making Search constantly helpful to Filipinos as they rely on technology to look for useful and trusted information, and reap the benefits of the digital economy to succeed and grow.”

The lists below can also be found at: g.co/2020trends/PH. Year in Search 2020 Philippines (Local) Overall Trending Searches: 1. US election 2020; 2.

NBA score; 3. Coronavirus; 4. DepEd Commons; 5. Taal Volcano; 6. NBA schedule; 7. Kobe Bryant; 8. Lakers vs Heat; 9. first day of school; 10. www.reliefagad.ph Trending Searches by category: News: 1. US election 2020; 2. Coronavirus; 3. Taal Volcano; 4. first day of school; 5. www.reliefagad.ph; 6. Kim Jong Un; 7. Joe Biden; 8. hantavirus; 9. SSS calamity loan; 10. Typhoon Ulysses Education: 1. DepEd Commons; 2. first day of school; 3. English to Filipino translation; 4. quadratic equation; 5.

Venn diagram; 6. homogenous mixture; 7. fraction calcu-

lator; 8. scientific method; 9. arithmetic sequence; 10. heterogeneous mixture Sports: 1. NBA score; 2. NBA schedule; 3. Lakers vs Heat; 4. NBA standings; 5. Lakers vs Nuggets; 6. NBA games today; 7. Lakers vs Rockets; 8. Clippers vs Nuggets; 9. Lakers vs Trail Blazers; 10. Australian Open 2020 TV Shows/Series: 1. Crash Landing on You; 2. Money Heist; 3. It’s Okay To Not Be Okay; 4. Start-Up; 5. Itaewon Class; 6. The World of the Married; 7. Girl from Nowhere; 8. Backstreet Rookie; 9. Prison Break; 10. The King: Eternal Monarch Songs and Lyrics: 1. When I Look at You lyrics; 2. Tala; 3. Love Story lyrics; 4. Paubaya lyrics; 5. Imahe lyrics; 6. Catriona lyrics; 7. At My Worst lyrics; 8. Make It With You lyrics; 9. Kabilang Buhay lyrics; 10. Ice Cream lyrics Movies: 1. Through Night and Day; 2. Parasite; 3.

Enola Holmes; 4. Mulan; 5. Black Panther; 6. Train to Busan 2; 7. Extraction; 8. Contagion; 9. Birds of Prey; 10.

Miracle in Cell No. 7 Losses: 1. Kobe Bryant; 2. Lloyd Cadena; 3. Chadwick Boseman; 4. Naya Rivera; 5. George Floyd; 6. Go Soo-jung; 7. Emman Nimedez: 8. Park Ji-hoon; 9. Oh In-hye; 10.

Sean Connery How-to: 1. How to make dalgona coffee?; 2. How to wear a surgical mask?; 3. How to compute BMI?; 4. How to boost the immune system?; 5. How to make leche flan; 6. divide fractions?; 7. How to solve quadratic equations?; 8. How to make pancakes?; 9. How to apply for an SSS calamity loan online?; 10. How to prevent COVID-19?

realme offers 12 fun facts as Shopee celebrates 5th year up to 51% off at Shopee’s Christmas Sale JUST when we thought Christmas couldn’t get any merrier, the country’s top smartphone brand realme Philippines offers another wave of exciting deals for its fans and supporters just right before Christmas!

Up to 51 percent discount on select realme smartphones and AIoT devices await the squad at the much-awaited Shopee’s 12.12 Big Christmas Sale on December 12.

As part of its #realmeWithYou Christmas campaign, the leading smartphone brand is offering its biggest discount yet to make its products much more attainable for Filipinos this holiday season.

Squad and fans may start adding to cart the realme devices they have been eyeing to gift themselves or their loved ones starting at 12 midnight on December 12. During Shopee’s successive Flash Sales, all products from realme will be receiving discounts in alternation.

The realme 7 series receives the highest price drop among the smartphone offerings of the brand during the flash sales. The two variants of the realme 7i will be available for only P7,490 and P9,990, respectively.

Philippines’ fastest-charging smartphone realme 7 Pro is up for grabs for only P15,990, P2,000 off of its original price of P17,990.

The realme 7 will also receive a markdown whose flash sale price only at P12,079.

To make more Filipinos have an elevated audio experience, realme also offers price discounts for its AIoT devices. The AIoT device to receive the highest discount is the incredibly stylish realme Buds Q. From its original price of P1,490, the realme Buds Q is offered at a flash sale price of P969. realme Buds Air is also getting a huge 12.12 exclusive discount of P1,590, making it available at P2,390 from its original price of P3,990.

As the brand continues to expand its product line-up this year, realme Philippines also offers its smart lifestyle devices at much affordable prices. The realme Smart Cam 360 is discounted to P1,990, from its original price of P2,790 while the realme Smart Scale is available with a 31 percent discount, retailing with a flash sale price at P1,090.

“What better way to cap off this year but with big discounts and great deals for our squad and fans! We are joining Shopee Philippines in its much-anticipated 12.12 Big Christmas Sale to bring our devices to more Filipinos this season of giving. Hopefully, through our promos, we make the Christmas celebration of our squad much merrier and happier this year! With this, we want to greet our fans and supporters a joyous holiday,” shares Austine Huang, VP for marketing of realme Philippines.

SHOPEE, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, celebrates its fifth anniversary this December.

To commemorate the company’s growth over the past five years, Shopee shares key achievements and milestones across its seven markets - from taking steps to build inclusivity in the workplace, increasing consumer engagement both on and off the app, onboarding more brands for a wider variety of products, continuously finding ways to innovate for both sellers and shoppers, and more.

The year 2020 also marked a momentous year of growth for Shopee. It was the year consumers increasingly turned to e-commerce for their everyday needs as they spent more time at home.

Needless to say, healthcare products such as masks and sanitizers were popular among shoppers across the region.

Consumers also turned to online shopping for everyday essentials such as food & beverages, kitchenware, and health & beauty products.

They were also on the hunt for gadgets, from work-from-home essentials to gaming must-haves. Filipino shoppers were particularly drawn to bluetooth earphones this year.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Shopee’s milestones to date

are a reflection of the continuous evolution of e-commerce in the region. We will continue to innovate our features and offerings to stay ahead of the curve and power the growth of e-commerce in the region. Our seller support programs and initiatives fortify our commitment to em-

power and support local sellers, and we plan to strengthen our brand partnerships to offer more choices and value for our users this 12.12 Big Christmas Sale and beyond.”

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

IN THE second installment of its TikTok Creator Convo webinar series, TikTok Philippines brings to light relevant issues among teens, and the importance of guidance and parental control in dealing with these concerns. Held on November 26, 2020, the session also served as the official launch event for TikTok’s new Family Pairing feature, which is designed to keep teens and families safe while on the app.

During the virtual session, a panel of creators made up of both parents and teens engaged in a Teen Says, Parent Says open discussion about digital safety, and building trust and stronger relationships through communication. The conversation also touched on other timely issues among teens and parents, such as mental health, expressing one’s passion online, and the value of having parental controls in place.

Nanay Cess, a mom influencer and work at home mom who uses TikTok as an engaging platform to share parenting advice, was part of the panel together with her teenage sister, Merill Zamora. The third panelist in the discussion was Mommy Avvy. Known on TikTok as @mommyconfessionalsph, she shares parenting-related content, such as how to teach kids to be courteous, and tips for online homeschooling. Joining the conversation as moderator was Alexis Soon, TikTok Philippines’ Community Operations Manager for Health and Lifestyle.

Viewers learned a lot from all the speakers, who also talked a little about how TikTok’s Family Pairing feature has been a great help in making the app a safe online space for teens, giving parents peace of mind.

The webinar ended with a more in-depth rundown of the new Family Pairing features on the app and how they work, shared

by Cat Avelino, TikTok Philippines’ Head of Communications. This new update provides parents with new ways to monitor and regulate their teens’ TikTok activity, including the content that they can view and share.

New features include: Search: This allows parents to directly control whether a teen can search for content, users, hashtags, or sounds on the app.

Comments: Parents may decide who can leave comments on a teen's videos Either all users, friends only, or no one.

Discoverability: This lets you regulate whether your teen's account is private or public. With a private account, your teen can choose who can see their content. When the account is set to public, anyone can search for your teen’s profile, and view their content.

Liked videos: Here, you decide who can view the videos your teen liked.

Other controls that parents can manage through the Family Pairing feature are restricted duets, setting of screen time limits, and reporting of bad behavior seen on the app. To use Family Pairing, parents need to have their own TikTok accounts, which they should link to their kids’ accounts by following these simple steps: Go to Settings.

Tap on Family Pairing, and select Parent. The screen will display a QR code.

Follow the same steps on your teen’s TikTok account, and select Teen.

Scan the QR code from the Parent’s account using the Teen’s account to link.

Once accounts are linked, parents will be able to control their kids’ settings using their own devices.

TikTok strives to continue being a safe, positive and happy online environment where parents and teens can freely express themselves. Be part of the amazing community on the app by downloading TikTok on your iOS and Android devices today.

Taiwanese firms to champion development of eco-friendly products THE Taiwanese government holds the "circular economy," "purifying air," "improving water quality," and "caring for the earth" as core parts of its administration, integrating them through recycling and reusing, hoping to achieve the goal of sustainability and zero-waste. Under its governance, Taiwanese companies have also rapidly developed products that exceed the current global environmental standards.

Taiwan has a strong concern on how humans treat the environment, which explains why it continues to champion the design and development of eco-friendly products that will not harm the earth.

Currently, statistics show that the world uses around 370 billion disposable plastic straws each year. Disposable plastic waste is perhaps one of the most serious forms of global pollution, and that is why more and more consumers are concerned about whether the products they buy are environment friendly and whether they have also become complicit in destroying the environment when they buy certain products made out of plastic. The use of natural, non-toxic chemicals, biodegradable and recycled materials has become a big trend in daily household products as well.

Also, the Kantar Consumer Index report (“Who Cares, Who Does”) revealed that more than half of consumers are concerned about sustainability or have begun to actively reduce waste in various ways. The Purpose in Asia report also shows that 75% of consumers believe that corporate social responsibility will affect their willingness to buy. The trend that was once called "ecofriendly" has gradually transformed into an "eco-friendly lifestyle."

Recycling and reprocessing materials: Creating new business opportunities by bringing waste back to life Recently, Taiwan held the "Taiwan Excellence Eco-friendly Lifestyle Virtual Press Conference”that was organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). They invited four award-winning Taiwan Excellence brands: Taiwan Lung Meng Advanced Composite Materials, Ju-Tian Cleantech Co., Ltd., Jiun Yo Co., Ltd, and Kai Suh Suh Enterprise Co., Ltd., to present eco-friendly products they have developed in recent years as well as their concepts and plans for future developments.

Established in 1969, Kai Suh Suh (KSS) is the world's third-largest multinational company specializing in manu-

Shown here are (from left) Vivian Tsai,Marketing and Sales Advisor, JIUN YO CO., LTD.; Henry Liang, Vice Chairman, Taiwan Lung Meng Advanced Composite Materials Co., Ltd.; Mark Wu,Director of Strategic Marketing Department, TAITRA; Ping-Che Chiu,General Manager ,KAI SUH SUH ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.; and Chloe Shao, Special Assistant,Ju Tian Cleantech Co., Ltd.

facturing wiring equipment. Its products are sold in 126 countries and it has more than 40,000 clients, putting it in a leading position globally.

With the research and development goal of "environmental protection, plastic reduction, and functional upgrading," KSS breaks through the existing "hook-and-loop fasteners" used in zip ties and innovatively

combines zip ties and hooks that can rotate 360 degrees, surpassing the structure and applications of traditional zip ties. With an additional retractable head structure, it can be reused, creating more flexible applications.

It uses UL qualified materials, does not contain heavy metals and plasticizers, and meets FDA food standards, making it completely safe for human use.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020

Motoring

LEXUS LM 350

A space for luxury

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N A CROWDED and fast-paced world, an opulent cocoon that embraces you in its comfort and exceptional craftsmanship is indeed welcome. There is a new space for luxury, and it is the Lexus LM 350.

Imagine being ferried to your destination in a vehicle that was built and engineered to be the most comfortable and luxurious one in its segment. A vehicle that was designed to not just take advantage of the available interior space, but was also a canvas where designers and engineers were given free rein to elevate the passenger-riding experience.

Envision settling into a private environment before every trip, thanks to a clever glass partition that separates the driver from the rear passengers on demand. Picture an interior that showcases the best of what the Takumi craftsmen of Lexus have to offer, but also gives you space to stretch your arms and legs. Visualize that

at the centerpiece of the cabin—just ahead of the fully adjustable captain seats with built-in automatic ottoman—is a 26-inch high-definition screen paired with a Mark Levinson audio system. The clarity, definition, and full-bodied sound stage will surely isolate you from the hectic world outside.

Yes, the ultimate in chauffeur-driven vehicles exists, and it is the Lexus LM 350—and it redefines the meaning of the words ‘best seat in the house.’ Priced from P5,408,000, the LM 350 has been luxuriously crafted in anticipation of your every need and delivers on the promise of exceptional comfort, performance, and safety.

Enter the four-seater LM 350, and you will be welcomed by its Reclining Massage seats that give you seven massage options and five levels of pressure. Each passenger seat is also lined with a unique AdaptiPedic foam that absorbs road vibration and also conforms to the body.

While enjoying the seats, gaze up at the sky through twin power moonroofs and

Changing to the New Normal: Changan CS35 Plus THE official distributor of Changan vehicles in the Philippines has launched a subcompact SUV that is engineered to keep you connected when it comes to style and adventure: Changan CS35 Plus.

According to Changan Motor Philippines Inc, the CS35 Plus stands confident with its sporty rear spoiler with LED high mount stop lamp, dynamic 18-inch alloy wheels, and even a panoramic sunroof for moments when you want to take a breath of fresh air.

Inside, the CS35 is equipped with 10inch Touchscreen Multimedia System that allows you not only to play music and access the AM/FM radio, do video playback through the phone mirroring feature using the Easy Connection app, and make wireless phone calls via Bluetooth as well as access your Blind Spot View Monitor and Reverse Camera Display for an easier and safer parking experience.

Apart from these connectivity features, the CS35 Plus lets you connect with your

passengers comfortably, thanks to its spacious 5-seat capacity designed with plush leather seats. And, to keep everyone cool, its air-conditioning system comes with Auto Climate Control which automatically sets the temperature suited for your cabin while keeping the air clean. The CS35 air conditioning system is equipped with a certified PM0.1 grade compound anti-bacterial and anti-viral air filter that achieves 97.7% filtration of 0.3-micron particles, giving the entire vehicle the safety level of an N95 mask.

As for performance, the CS35 Plus satisfies your thirst for adventure with its turbocharged 1.4L gasoline engine with direct injection technology mated to a 7-Speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) with maximum power of 158ps and maximum torque of 235Nm. What is more, driving is made fun and easy with its Engine Remote Start technology that enables the driver to turn on the engine and air conditioning from the outside by just pressing a button on the Smart Key Fob. So, once you hop in, you already have a pre-cooled cabin and a warmed-up engine.

revel in the airy and spacious greenhouse.

There’s no doubt that every jaunt will be a relaxing one.

And then let’s not forget the smallest interior details that remind you of the care that was put into every surface that you can see and feel. The Gin Sui Boku ornamentation takes inspiration from Japanese paintings, harmonizes with the cabin, and easily identifies the LM 350 as a Lexus.

But there’s more to the LM 350 than just comfort. The design is centered around the passenger, after all. Assist grips, side steps, and sliding doors allow passengers to enter and exit with ease. There’s plenty of clever cabin storage for handbags and attache cases on the lower partitions of either side of the cabin. For seamless convenience, there is also an onboard refrigerator. Despite all of these luxury accou-

trements, it is also quite practical thanks to the easy-to-configure interior arrangements even when in seven-seater guise.

The exterior is no less stunning. The bold Spindle grille exudes a sense of power; arrowhead accents complement the side profile; three-dimensional spoke design wheels enhance road presence; and the L-shaped tailights emphasize the LM 350’s wide stance and low center of gravity.

The heart of the LM 350 is a 296hp 3.5-liter V6 engine that can accelerate to 100kph in 7sec. Of course safety is also paramount. The LM 350 utilizes the Adaptive High-Beam System; Pre-Collision System; Lane-Tracing Assist; Dynamic Radar Cruise Control; Blind-Spot Monitor; Parking Support Brake; and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.

FASTLANE Isuzu-Maharlika contract signed EXACTLY a year after the two parties formally held the groundbreaking ceremonies on December 3, 2019, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) and One Maharlika Motor Sales and Services Corporation signed the contract launching the newly built Isuzu La Union dealership.

The formal contract signing was held this December 3, 2020 at the IPC’s main office in Biñan, Laguna province.

The expansive 7,300-sqm Isuzu La Union dealership, located along the national highway in Barrio Paringao in Bauang, La Union province, features the new Isuzu Outlet Standard (IOS) for Isuzu dealerships, which has a cleaner and more streamlined interior and facade. Its 3,000-sqm showroom and service area can accommodate multiple vehicles for display and service.

Apart from showcasing the modernized design and upgraded facilities of Isuzu’s IOS dealership, Isuzu La Union is ex-

pected to offer the full roster of brand-new Isuzu LCVs and CVs, such as the mu-X SUV, the D-MAX pickup, the Traviz light weight truck, as well as the N-Series, FSeries, and C&E-Series trucks.

The Isuzu La Union dealership places Isuzu Philippines at the heart of a rapidly progressing agritourism industry in northeastern Luzon, making the worldclass Isuzu brand of diesel-powered LCVs and CVs and its comprehensive parts and aftersales services easily accessible to the region’s hardworking families and entrepreneurs who need that Responsible Partner for their motoring and transport needs and lifestyles.

With the formal contract signing, Isuzu La Union becomes Isuzu Philippines’ 45th dealership, a significant step closer to the “Road to 50 Dealerships” campaign of the country’s leading manufacturer and distributor of brand-new trucks.

Hyundai Dream Center hailed by LCF Guild H.A.R.I. Foundation, the CSR arm of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. closes 2020 on an inspiring note with Hyundai Dream Center Philippines hailed “Outstanding CSR Program in Education” at the virtual awards ceremony of the 2020 League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) CSR Guild Awards.

This new and first-time citation from the LCF is a recognition program of outstanding social good initiatives of the country’s premier business organizations in the areas of education, arts and culture, enterprise development, environment, and health.

Hyundai Dream Centre-Philippines passed the scrutiny of the LCF’s 96 member organizations for its meaningful and sustainable impact on the communities and institutions that it serves.

Said HFI President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo: “Hyundai Dream Centre Philippines embodies H.A.R.I. Foundation’s core advocacy for education--the education of bright young people who do not have the resources, but who have the capacity and

Ford Ranger Raptor reaches 10,000th sales

the drive for a better shot at life. With this new and first-time citation from the LCF, we know that we are on the right track: For as we uplift lives, it will be easier for people to look beyond their basic needs, aim for higher goals, and take charge of their lives. Thank you for the inspiration and the renewed push for us to carry on.”

The HDCP, launched on April 10, 2018 in Calamba City, Laguna, is a world-class automotive training and education hub established by HARI in partnership with Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) and humanitarian organization Plan International.

It is the fifth Dream Centre that HMC has set up in the Asia-African region since 2013. HARI is the first Hyundai distributor to be tapped to craft Dream Centre training programs that respond to local industry needs. HDCP scholars are referrals from Hyundai dealerships and Plan International program areas (Mindoro, Masbate, Cebu, Samar, Leyte, Cotabato, and Maguindanao). Its training programs are made up of three TESDA-certified train-

FORD Philippines is marking its 10,000th Ranger Raptor customer milestone this month by launching its first-ever Ranger Raptor Raffle promo in time for the holidays. The American marquee celebrates the feat two years since the launch of its performance pick-up truck in the country.

“This huge success for the Ranger Raptor is a testament to its consistent and growing popularity in the Philippines,” shares PK

ing courses. Since its launch, HDCP has produced 174 graduates from 4 batches, 87% of whom are employed as automotive technicians, service advisors, and warranty officers at Hyundai dealerships across the country.

HFI President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo

Umashankar, managing director, Ford Philippines. “We thank our over 10,000 customers for choosing the Ranger Raptor and for being part of the growing community of performance pick-up enthusiasts in the country.”

In 2019, the Ranger Raptor cornered over 40 percent share of total Ranger sales in the Philippines. Regionally, the Philippines has become the leading contributor in total Ranger Raptor sales across ASEAN markets

From left: Shojiro Sakoda, Isuzu Philippines Corporation, Vice President; Hajime Koso, Isuzu Philippines Corporation, President; Benigno Garcia—One Maharlika Motor Sales and Service Corporation, President; and Dr. Susana Garcia Ong—One Maharlika Motor Sales and Service Corporation,Vice President.

Azkarra gets 5-star safety rating IN A BID to uphold the high-quality standards set by Geely for its customers globally, Geely continues to make sure that all of its units embody uncompromised safety, high technology, and sophistication.In the latest China New Car Assessment Program (C-NCAP), the Geely Azkarra, popularly known as Boyue in China, has earned 5 stars in safety rating.“Since the very beginning, safety has always been Geely’s primary concern for its vehicles. We equate value with safety. From research and development, pre-production, manufacturing, sale, and after-sales service, we keep in our minds the drivers, passengers, and pedestrians – their safety and peace of mind in every drive”, Sojitz G Auto Phil-

with a 64 percent share and across Ford’s International Markets Group with a 37 percent market share over the past two years.

With the growing preference for the Raptor brand in the market since its launch, Ford Philippines is launching its first-ever Ranger Raptor Raffle promotions in time for the holiday season.

Customers who will purchase any Ford vehicle until December 31, 2020 from

ippines president Mikihisa Takayama said.China has been actively participating with other global automotive safety assessment agencies. It continuously raises its vehicle safety standards and educate the public on road safety.

Last October, the Geely Coolray passed the ASEAN NCAP assessment with a 5-star safety rating.

Ford dealerships nationwide will earn one (1) raffle entry that will give them a chance to win a brand-new Ranger Raptor. On the other hand, customers who will purchase through an EastWest Bank auto loan transaction will earn two (2) raffle entries. Five (5) Ranger Raptor vehicles, or up to PHP10 million worth of prizes, will be up for grabs as grand raffle prizes, which the winners can enjoy tax-free.