Manila Standard - 2021 January 4 - Monday

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Gordon hits PhilHealth anew Demands P800-m debt to Red Cross, threatens to stop swab testing

By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja

’Bato’ hails PSG for being ’guinea pigs’, says willing to take illegal jab

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EBTS owed by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for its COVID-19 tests have piled up again and have reached P800 million due to the state insurer’s failure to pay on time, PRC chairman and Senator Richard Gordon said over the weekend. “It should not be the case that they will only pay when they want to because the debts will only grow and we will be forced to stop our services because we need to buy supplies and maintain the laboratories.”

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 300 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja SENATOR Ronald dela Rosa on Sunday thanked members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) for allowing themselves to be guinea pigs by taking an unauthorized and smuggled COVID-19 vaccine from China.

“It’s not been established that the vaccine is effective because it hasn’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration,” Dela Rosa said in Filipino in an interview on radio dzMM. “So let’s thank them for making themselves guinea pigs in that experiment.”

“If the results are goo, then thank you. If not, it will be too bad because they staked their lives for that vaccine,” he added.

PSG commander Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III admitted members of the President’s close-in security had acquired the vaccines for free and said the President did not know about it until the inoculation was done.

He refused to say where the vaccines

Gordon said he has already sent a letter to PhilHealth asking them to update their payments.

PhilHealth spokesman Rey Baleña, in an interview on radio dzBB, asked the PRC for understanding because the state insurer must comply with the accounting rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit in processing claims.

In early October, the PRC stopped conducting COVID tests chargeable to PhilHealth due to the agency’s inability to settle its outstanding balance of over P930 million at that time.

The PRC resumed testing after the PhilHealth settled half of the balance. Next page

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COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JAN. 3)

477,807 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

891

20,292

9,257

4

NEW

DEATHS

ACTIVE

NEW

448,258 8,316 RECOVERIES

NEW

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'DRAGON' SPEWS FIRE. AT least two persons died when a Golden Dragon passenger bus (NAL 6673)

caught fire yesterday afternoon while traversing the southbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue in Fairview area, Quezon City. According to some passengers, the bus conductor and a passenger had a quarrel after the conductor for unknown reason spilled gas on the floor, causing fire inside the bus. Barangay fire and rescue teams said the bus driver and an undetermined number of passengers managed to flee the burning bus but the charred bodies of two were found inside the vehicle. It wasn't known if the bus conductor survived. The Bureau of Fire Protection was still investigating. Courtesy of Bansud News Update/Norman Cruz

US saliva test 99% effective; found to be cheaper, simpler

By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja

FIRST SUNDAY BIKING 2021. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong together with biking enthusiasts start the year with a uphill bike ride at Tiptop, Ambuclao Road Sunday morning on January 3, 2020. He and the other bikers observe the single peloton formation to give way for motorists. PIO

A LOW-COST saliva test for COVID-19 has shown a 99 percent detection rate in the United States, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) said Sunday.

The non-government organization is waiting for the Department of Health (DOH) to approve the use of the test, said the chief of the PRC’s biomolecular laboratories, former Health secretary Paulyn Ubial.

“The saliva test is cheaper and sim-

pler to perform,” Ubial told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo, speaking in Filipino. “The University of Illinois has conducted 1 million saliva tests, and it has a 99 percent detection or concordance rate.”

Ubial said the PRC will continue its COVID-19 testing even after the government launches its immunization program later this year.

“When the vaccine comes, not everyone will be inoculated immediately.

In fact, they’re saying only 20 percent of the world’s population can be vaccinated within 2021. So, officials are looking at Next page

SOLONS PRAISED FOR COVID ACTION NEWS / A2

2 DIE IN BICOL AS BOAT SINKS NEWS / A2

QC CUTS BLAST CASES BY 80% NEWS / A3

Queen Elizabeth awards Pinay nurse NY opener: Oil Larry King hospitalised with COVID

prices up P0.40

By Willie Casas A FEMALE Filipino nurse working in a care home in Surrey, England, received an award from Queen Elizabeth for her courageous work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charito Leonardo-Romano, a staff nurse in Esher town, was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM). The award is given to community volunteers for their "meritorious" actions, the BBC said.

Leonardo-Romano said she was "overwhelmed and thankful" for the award.

"I think one of the meritorious things we have done in our home is, would you believe, up to now, we

By Alena Mae S. Flores

Charito Leonardo-Romano

have zero COVID. None of our (42) residents have contracted COVID," she told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo on Sunday.

“If you can remember, there was a shortage of PPE in England. It was so heartbreaking at the time that you are Next page

CONSUMERS can expect higher pump prices this week by as much as P0.40 per liter following reports of a new U.S. stimulus bill signed last week that could prop up demand.

“Expect fuel prices to go up next week (January 5-11, 2021). Diesel should increase by P0.25 to P0.35 per liter. Gasoline should increase

by P0.30 to P0.40 per liter,” Unioil Philippines said in its weekly advisory.

The global oil price rally last week, however, was dampened by the rising COVID-19 infections in the US and Next page Europe.

VETERAN talk show host Larry King has been hospitalized with Covid-19, US media reported Saturday.

Citing a "source close to the family," CNN reported that King, one of the network's biggest stars, has been hospitalized for more than a week at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

King, 87, has Type 2 diabetes and has had a long history of medical issues, including several heart attacks, lung cancer and angina, a condition caused by

reduced blood flow to the heart.

The legendary host is one of the most recognizable figures on US television, known for his signature rolled-up shirtsleeves, multi-colored ties, suspenders and big glasses.

His list of interviewees has ranged from every US president since 1974 to world leaders Yasser Arafat and Vladimir Putin, and celebrities Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and Barbra Streisand.

K i n g hosted CNN's Next page

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News

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Solons praised for anti-virus response

By Rio N. Araja

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EYTE Rep. and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez on Sunday commended his colleagues for passing legislation to support President Rodrigo Duterte’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic since the opening of the 18th Congress in July 2019.

He said the creation of the Defeat COVID-19 committee, of which he was co-chairman, was one of the best decisions that Congress had made in addressing the needs of the people during the pandemic.

“I commend my colleagues for their hard work in introducing legislative measures and producing laws that helped us survive the present crisis.

Based on our public consultations, we were able to come up with legislative measures that focus on three major themes: Kaligtasan, Kabuhayan and Kaunlaran. These measures made sure that our people are safe, free from financial worries and bound for recovery at the soonest time possible,” he said.

“Through that committee, we were able to conduct public consultations and hear directly from our people their concerns with regard to the virus outbreak. The marathon hearings provided us with the real grasp of issues, which allowed us to focus on what needs to be prioritized.”

Under Cayetano’s leadership, the House of Representatives got a very impressive popularity rating with a 64-percent approval and a 62-percent trust rating in a Pulse Asia survey in 2019.

According to Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, the passage of Republic Act 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1) during a special session in March 2020, and R.A. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) last September were the committee’s best.

“I consider the two Bayanihan laws as the most significant products that came out of the DCC and plenary deliberations. Without these laws, the national government would have found it difficult to address our people’s immediate needs,” Romualdez said.

On March 24, 2020, then Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano formed the committee to take up all measures on the COVID-19 response.

Gordon...

pandemic,” Go said.

He also encouraged government finance managers and fellow legislators to work together and explore options for postponing or restructuring payment terms and rates of various financial obligations in accordance with existing laws.

The senator acknowledged that the increase, mandated under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law, is necessary to sustain the services of the state insurance agency.

However, he pointed out that thousands of Filipinos, including overseas Filipino workers, have lost their jobs and livelihoods and, as a result, may be unable to pay or be overburdened by the increased premium rate.

He urged government to help millions of Filipino workers, especially those grappling with monetary and health challenges, keep their health insurance while easing their financial burdens.

Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor said PhilHealth members must enjoy a six-month reprieve from the higher premium contributions because of the pandemic.

“We are in the middle of a oncein-a-century pandemic. Even private pre-need companies are declaring a ‘fortuitous event’ to justify delays in the payment of their contractual obligations to thousands of plan holders,” he said.

“Surely, Philhealth members also deserve a temporary reprieve from the half percentage point increase in premium contributions,” he added.

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Malacañang has earlier assured PRC that it would make good its obligations.

Starting this month, the premium rate of PhilHealth members will rise to 3.5 percent of their monthly basic salary, up from 3 percent in 2020.

Under the Universal Health Care (UHC) law, the premium rate will increase by increments of 0.5 percent every year, starting 2021 until it reaches the 5 percent limit in 2025.

While PhilHealth recognizes that the country is currently facing a pandemic, it said it is bound to implement the UHC law.

Balena said the premium hike was necessary to ensure the sustainable funding for the universal health care program, which automatically enrolled all Filipinos into the National Health Insurance program.

“This will enable us to sustain and expand the current level of benefits not only for hospitalization but for out-patient servics,” he said.

Senator Christopher Go, however, said in view of the pandemic and its negative impact on the jobs and livelihoods of Filipinos, the increase in premium contributions might be deferred.

“While I recognize that this increase is mandated by law, we must explore all possible legal remedies to avoid any additional burden to Filipinos at this time when we are still addressing the impact of the COVID-19

US...

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up to three years of vaccination to achieve herd immunity. So, our COVID-19 testing will continue,” she added.

The Philippines logged 891 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections to 477,807, even as 11 laboratories failed to submit their data on time, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.

The department cautioned the public against misinterpreting the decline in cases, as the drop could be traced to a drop in the number f patients who went to the testing laboratories during the New Year.

“The DOH asks all stakeholders to be vigilant in guarding against complacency in the fight against COVID-19,” a statement said.

The DOH reported 8,316 new recoveries, as asymptomatic and mild cases are re-tagged as recovered after completing

NY...

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The new strain of coronavirus found in Europe recently has forced other countries to impose lockdowns which could affect hopes of global economic recovery soon amid the rollout of vaccines in many countries.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecast for higher crude oil prices in 2021, reflecting its expectation that while inventories will remain

14 days of quarantine without developing symptoms. Sunday’s total brought the total number of patients who have recovered from the disease to 448,258, which is 93.8 percent of the total cases.

At the same time, four new deaths brought the total fatalities to 9,257, representing 1.94 percent of total cases.

This left 20,292 active cases, which are 4.2 percent of the total cases.

Of the active cases, 80.9 percent are mild cases; 8.2 percent are asymptomatic; 6.7 percent are critical; 3.6 percent are severe; and 0.58 percent are moderate.

The Bureau of Immigration, meanwhile, said Filipinos returning from abroad who have received a COVID-19 vaccine or who test negative on a swab test will still have to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival in the Philippines.

The Philippines earlier expanded its travel restrictions to 21 territories to prevent the entry of a more contagious coronavirus variant first documented in the United Kingdom. high, they will decline with rising global oil demand and restrained OPEC oil production.

EIA forecasts OPEC crude oil production will average 25.7 million barrels per day in the first quarter.

On December 29, the oil firms cut the price of diesel by P0.05 per liter and P0.25 per liter decrease for kerosene.

No movement was implemented on the price of gasoline.

These prices resulted in the year-todate adjustments for a net decrease of P5.96 per liter for diesel and P9.49 per liter for kerosene. Gasoline remained at net decrease of P1.97 per liter.

Two die in Bicol as boat capsizes; flooding worsens

By Rio N. Araja

BRIGHTER DAYS. House Majority Leader and Committee on Rules Chairman Martin Romualdez expresses hope that brighter days in 2021 are forthcoming, including the end of pandemic through safe,effective and affordable vaccine against COVID-19 for all Filipinos. Ver Noveno

’Bato...

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came from, but said he took full responsibility for the unauthorized use of an unregistered vaccine.

Dela Rosa even said he would be willing to get the vaccine even if it was not approved yet by the Food and Drug Administration.

He defended the PSG members, saying it was their personal decision to protect the President from contracting the coronavirus.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), meanwhile, said it will start investigating the unauthorized importation and use of COVID-19 vaccines even as it has yet to receive the written order from the Department of Justice to do so, NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said on Saturday.

"We already have the verbal order from the secretary. We have yet to receive the written order but we are ready to investigate," Lavin said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV. "There are already agents on standby in the next few days," he said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra ordered the NBI last week to look into unauthorized inoculations against COVID-19 using unregistered vaccines.

Guevarra said he gave the instruction on Monday to NBI officer-in-charge Eric Distor.

Two days before that, President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that some Filipino soldiers — they would later turn out to be members of the his security team—had been vaccinated against COVID-19 using a vaccine that has not been approved for use in the Philippines.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said vaccines could be considered smuggled since they did not go through the Bureau of Customs and were not approved by the FDA. Also on Sunday, Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday called on the Duterte administration for greater transparency on the inoculation of members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) using smuggled Chinese COVID-19 vaccines. She urged authorities to

Queen...

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dealing with infection, you don’t have anything to use to protect you. We rallied, it was a team effort. All throughout the pandemic, none of our residents contracted COVID," she said.

Leonardo-Romano, who arrived in England in 2002, said she contracted COVID-19 in September but tested negative after two days, and went back to work after 14 days of quarantine.

She said she was inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 on Dec. 20, and is due for a second dose on Jan. 10.

Two other Filipino health care workers were awarded by the Queen, LeonardoRomano said.

“We're really lucky because England embraces the Filipino culture. They trust us and they care for us in their country,” she said.

conduct an investigation into the early, unauthorized vaccination.

“There must be an investigation to send a strong message that we could not let this go on just like this,” she said in her Sunday weekly radio program.

She said the PSG's inoculation against COVID-19 triggered so many questions, such as who supposedly donated the vaccine and why it did not go through the Bureau of Customs, the Department of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration.

The PSG supposedly used the vaccine candidate of Chinese firm Sinopharm.

“We hope they would not fool the people. We hope that they are transparent because we do not want people to cast doubt [on the vaccination program]. That is where the problem lies.

The confidence of the public must be high,” Robredo said.

Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera, meanwhile, urged authorities to prepare for a possible proliferation of counterfeit COVID-19 shots amid the limited supply of genuine vaccines.

To guard against fake vaccine is part of the government’s duty to ensure public health and safety, she said.

“As we await the arrival of the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccines, ensuring that vaccines are authentic could emerge as an important issue,” Herrera said.

Counterfeiters could capitalize on the opportunity due to “mismatch of COVID-19 vaccine supply and demand,” she said.

She warned that the sale of counterfeit vaccines is a criminal activity that poses serious risks to public health and safety.

She called on the Department of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration to ensure the availability of affordable, safe and effective vaccines for Filipinos.

She urged authorities to distribute the vaccines properly once they become available.

“Proper distribution means we have to follow the guidelines on which area and sectors would be given COVID-19 shots first,” she said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Roman made all Filipinos proud.

“Our congratulations may not be enough to express how our government is grateful to her for making our people very proud,” Bello said.

“Nurse Romano’s outstanding performance exemplifies the Filipino virtues at work even under the worst conditions and personal risks.

What a very inspiring story for our overseas workers to start the new year.”

Romano works as a staff nurse at the Arbrook House Care Home in Esher, England since 2018. During the first wave of the pandemic in March 2020, she said their manager of the nursing home trusted her to make immediate decisions to assist their patients and protect their residents and keep them safe from the virus.

She and her fellow health care workers worked together tirelessly to make sure that no one in the care home would be infected. All their efforts paid off.

A TAIL-END of a frontal system is affecting Southern Luzon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

It is forecast to spawn moderate with at times heavy rains over Bicol, and Quezon, including Pollilo Islands.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila, MIMAROPA, the Visayas, Mindanao, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and the rest of CALABARZON will have scattered light to moderate rains.

Pagasa warned that flooding, including fals floods, and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged periods of rainfall, especially in areas identified to be highly susceptible to such hazards or in localities that received significant amount of rainfall over the past couple of days or weeks.

Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience floods in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels.

“The public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned are advised to take appropriate measures and watch for the next update on these weather systems…,” Pagasa said.

Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol said Sunday it was verifying reports of two deaths after bad weather triggered flooding and caused a boat to capsize in the region.

In a report, the OCD said it was validating the reported deaths of a 3-yearold boy who drowned after their boat capsized in Camarines Sur last Dec. 30, and of a 28-year-old man from Pilar, Sorsogon who was washed away by floods.

Bicol region has been experiencing rains in the past days due to the tailend of a frontal system, which is also affecting parts of Visayas and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the OCD also reported that 2 unidentified individuals are missing after their boat capsized in Garchitorena town, Camarines Sur last Dec. 31.

There is another missing individual in Garchitorena, who may have drowned in the Ason river last Dec. 31, the OCD said.

Authorities are also conducting a search and rescue operation after a 13-year-old boy went missing in Bulan, Sorsogon, the agency added.

The OCD also recorded 24 landslide incidents in 15 municipalities and two cities in the region.

In a separate report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said rains prompted by the tail end of a frontal system triggered flooding in various parts of Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western Visayas.

A boat capsized in the waters near Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro last Dec. 30, but authorities were able to rescue the 5 passengers, the NDRRMC said.

The weather disturbance has affected 2,409 families or 9,158 persons in Mimaropa, Bicol and Western Visayas, according to the NDRRMC. Of the figure, 562 families were brought to evacuation centers while 450 opted to stay with relatives.

Fifty-four houses in Bicol and Western Visayas were damaged because of the bad weather, the NDRRMC said.

The NDRRMC also reported that 19 road sections and 3 bridges in Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western Visayas are not passable to motorists due to damage, landslide or flooding.

PAGASA earlier said eastern portions of the country would continue to experience frequent rain until March due to the La Niña phenomenon.

In other reports, a total of 9,158 persons or 2,409 families were affected by the flooding and landslides due to the tail-end of a frontal system, the NDRRMC said in a report on Sunday.

The affected persons were from 70 barangays in MIMAROPA, Region V and Region VI. Of the total number of affected individuals, 2,067 persons or 562 families are staying in 13 evacuation centres.

Meanwhile, 1,224 persons or 450 families are staying with relatives.

The death toll remained at two and the number of missing persons was still four. The fatalities and missing persons were reported in Region V.

Larry...

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"Larry King Live" for 25 years, retiring in 2010. He continued to do interviews on his own website and then, in 2012, he began hosting "Larry King Now" on Ora TV, an on-demand digital network that he co-founded.

In 2013, he also began hosting a show called "Politicking with Larry King" on Ora TV. AFP

News

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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QC cuts firecracker injuries by 80%

By Rio N. Araja

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HE incidence of firecracker-related injuries was reduced dramatically by 80 percent in Quezon City this year with the confiscation of P546,000 worth of pyrotechnics, an official said Sunday.

Overseas Filipino Workers who completed their quarantine arrive at the Ninoy International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City for their scheduled travel to their respective provinces on Saturday, January 02, 2021. Norman Cruz

DOJ: Prosecutors sure to secure Nuezca conviction

By Rey E. Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Sunday expressed optimism that government prosecutors will be able to secure a conviction against Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca for the cold-blooded murder of a mother and her son in Paniqui, Tarlac last December 20.

“Our prosecutors are waiting for the court’s order setting the arraignment of the accused (Nuezca), subject to

the court’s calendar,” Guevarra said in message to reporters.

“We intend to terminate this case and obtain a conviction for double murder as quickly as possible,” Guevarra added.

The Department of Justice’s prosecutor recommended no bail for Nuezca when it filed the criminal information before the Paniqui regional trial court for the killing of Sonia Gregorio, 55, and her son, Frank Anthony, 25.

The Paniqui RTC Branch 67 is expected to conduct its first hearing on Monday, January 4.

The criminal complaint filed with the RTC alleged that Sonia was shot twice at the back of her head. The first shot was fired “while the victim was embracing her son and the second shot was made when she already fell on the ground.”

In the case of Frank Anthony, the charge sheet stated that he was shot “at his head, while defenseless as he was

Court warns on disbarment cases Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has bewailed the filing of “malicious suits” against lawyers as a way of getting back at them, but said it will impose disciplinary action against the members of the Bar only when there is substantial evidence to hold them administratively liable.

In an en banc decision written by Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, the high court said it will wield its power to disbar only when substantial evidence proved the lack of fitness to engage in the practice of law.

“The primary purpose of administrative disciplinary proceedings against delinquent lawyers is to uphold the law and to prevent the ranks of the legal profession from being corrupted by unscrupulous practices—not to shelter or nurse a wounded ego,” the high court said.

“In disbarment proceedings, the quantum of proof is substantial evidence and the burden of proof is on the complainant to establish the allegations in his complaint … the Court finds that complainant failed to discharge his burden of proof as he did not establish his claims through relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support the conclusion that Atty. Alvarico is guilty of representing conflicting interests and betrayal of trust and confidence reposed in him by his client Manco.”

The high court made the warning as it dismissed the disbarment complaint filed against James Roulyn R. Alvarico by businessman Wilson B. Tan who lodged a criminal case for theft against the lawyer’s client, Blas Fier Manco, before the Dumaguete City regional trial court in 2017.

BALOON DISPLAY. SM Mall of Asia welcomes the New Year with a grand balloon display on mall grounds in Pasay City. JR Josue

Probe urged on sexy photos’ sale

By Macon Ramos-Araneta CITING reports of students holding the “Christmas sale” of sensual photos and videos to raise funds for distance learningrelated expenses, Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Justice’s Office of Cybercrime and the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Cybercrime Group to intensify their probe and to crack down on these activities.

According to a news report by The Philippine Online Student Tambayan or POST, a news portal on the student sector, some students use #AlterPH, #AlterPinay

and #AlterPhilippines on Twitter to sell their photos and videos.

The reports also said these students use what they earn to buy gadgets for their siblings and pay for internet bills.

A Christmas bundle, which contains an array of photos and videos that sometimes reveal the face of sellers, is sold for as low P150.

Between March 1 and May 24 this year, there were 279,166 cases of online sexual exploitation of children recorded in Metro Manila, a spike of 264 percent from the 76,561 cases recorded from the same period last year.

then being embraced by his mother.”

“Upon determination of the validity of respondent’s arrest, the inquest proceeding ensued based on the affidavits and supporting documents and evidence submitted, there is probable cause to charge the respondent for two counts of murder,” the DOJ resolution ruled.

Guevarra earlier said that the DOJ “will closely monitor developments in this case and ensure that justice is done.”

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the Quezon City Police District and the city’s Market Development and Administration Department were able to seize various kinds of pyrotechnics worth P546,073.

“The intensified campaign against the sale and distribution of firecrackers has drastically reduced the number of firecracker-related injuries this year,” she said.

“Again, I thank the QCPD and MDAD for their hard work and dedication to ensure the safety of our people in welcoming 2021.”

Meanwhile, a man, mistaken as a robbery hold-up suspect was shot dead by a policeman during a hot pursuit in San Matias village in Santa Rita, Pampanga, following a robbery break-in at a computer shop in this late Saturday night.

Police said the victim was a 29-year-old construction worker who succumbed to a gunshot wound in his back. The victim’s sister said her brother was walking toward a relative’s house when he was shot from behind by a policeman tailing him.

The Interior department said Saturday did not receive any report of fires linked to firecrackers throughout the country during the holiday season.

Firecracker-related injuries also went down by 85 percent compared to the same period the previous year. Only 50 people were injured for firecracker use from Dec. 21, 2020, to Jan. 1 compared to 340 in December 2019.

Based on data from the Quezon City’s Health department, a total of seven fireworks-related injuries were reported by various hospitals in the city from Dec. 21, 2020, up to 6 a.m. of Jan. 2.

Belmonte said the number was lower by 80 percent compared to the 35 firecracker-related incidents recorded during the same period last year. The ages of those involved ranged from five years to 44 years old.

“Three cases were caused by Kuwitis, the other three were caused by Piccolo which is illegal and the last case was caused by Pop-pop,” Belmonte said.

Two cases were recorded at the East Avenue Medical Center and Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, while Saint Luke’s Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center and Chinese General and Medical Center had one case each.No case of death, gunshot wound, stray bullet and firecracker ingestion was reported, Belmonte said.

Bill designates sea lanes in PH

By Rio N. Araja CAMARINES Sur Rep. Luis Ray Villafuerte has filed a bill directing the Department of Foreign Affairs to establish the archipelagic sea lanes of the Philippines as espoused in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS and other relevant international conventions.

He introduced House Bill 8018 to enable the government to designate sea lanes where foreign merchant ships, warships and aircraft could pass in accordance with THE UNCLOS provisions.

“Under UNCLOS, an archipelagic State has sovereignty over its archipelagic waters and the airspace above it, as well as its seabed and subsoil. The archipelagic State may designate sea lanes and air routes suitable for the continuous and expeditious passage of ships and aircraft through or over its archipelagic waters and the adjacent territorial sea,” Villafuerte said.

Republic Act 9255 has effectively delineated the archipelagic baselines of the Philippines, but has failed to provide and establish the archipelagic sea lanes of the Philippines as espoused in Article 53 of the UNCLOS. “With its waters linked to important and busy navigational routes, it is imperative that the Philippines designate its archipelagic sea lanes in consideration of its own security, economic and environmental interests,” Villafuerte said.

HB 8018 sets the conditions and requirements for foreign ships and aircraft exercising their right to archipelagic sea lanes passage and the conduct of oceanographic or hydrographic surveys.

It also sets prohibitions on fishing and the loading and unloading of people, goods or currency in Philippine territory. It also seeks to prohibit foreign ships from expelling oil or other toxic substances into the Philippine marine environment, among others.

BUSINESS AS USUAL. A man pulls a hand trolley loaded with large boxes containing

goods for delivery at the Kadiwa Public Market on Congressional Ave., Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Saturday (Jan. 2, 2021). Many businesses have resumed operations after the long holidays. Gil Calinga

Vow against human trafficking

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice on Sunday vowed to intensify the government’s campaign against all forms of online human trafficking following reports that students are offering a “Christmas sale” of their sensual photos and videos to buy gadgets for their distance-learning classes.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the National Bureau of Investigation and the DOJ’s Office of Cybercrime will step up their efforts to locate and apprehend individuals and syndicates involved in human trafficking activities in the Philippines.

Reports showed that unscrupulous individuals have taken advantage of the

lockdown imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people lost jobs and were forced to stay at home to stem the spread of the deadly virus.

“The DOJ, through its Office of Cybercrime, and the NBI’s Cybercrime Division, will intensify their efforts to crack down on cybercrimes and all forms of human trafficking through the Internet, which are expected to rise during these times of limited physical movement and interaction,” Guevarra said.

Reports reaching the Senate committee on basic education showed students holding a “Christmas sale” of sensual photos and videos wherein their earnings are used to buy the gadgets that they reportedly need for their distance-learning classes.

15 masses set to be held in Quiapo Church MORE than a dozen masses will be held in Quiapo Church on Jan. 9 as this year’s Traslacion or the grand procession of the Black Nazarene is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a Church official said Sunday.

Fifteen masses will be held in the home of the Black Nazarene to prevent crowds as many are expected to gather in Quiapo Church, said Rev. Msgr. Hernando Coronel, rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

“Tens of thousands” had already attended this year’s First Friday mass, he said.

“We reported that there were thousands who attended the First Friday mass. Thank God—we were afraid we would be accused of violating social distancing—we managed it thanks to the police, the barangay and our hijos,” Coronel told ABSCBN’s TeleRadyo.

On Jan. 9, mass services will begin at 4:30 a.m. while eight LED screen stations

will be set up where communion will also be given, Coronel said. The last mass will be at 10:15 p.m. to be presided over by Coronel.

To limit crowds, eight masses will be held at the Sta. Cruz Church, six at the San Sebastian Church and three at the Nazarene Catholic School, according to Coronel.

The image of the Black Nazarene has also been in display at the balcony of Quiapo Church since Christmas, he added.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

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MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

RED CROSS AID. Some of the 16,000 people in Shariff Saydona Mustapha line up to receive cash grants of P12,000 per family from the International Committee of the Red Cross last Dec 10 to 17 in Maguindanao.

Davao Norte town offers biz permit perks DAVAO CITY—Perks and prizes await business owners who will apply or renew their business permit early as the Sto. Tomas town in Davao del Norte gears up for the opening of the 2021 “BOSS (Business One-Stop Shop) NI TOMAS” on Monday.

Jane Gatillo, head of the Business Permits and Licenses Office (BPLO), said Sunday her office is closely coordinating with the Municipal Treasurer’s Office (MTO) to ensure they will be able to receive a token of appreciation from the Sto. Tomas local government unit.

Apart from that, Gatillo said BPLO and MTO had established 11 one-stopshop locations in various barangays to also fast-track the processing of business permits and licenses with a lesser risk from exposure of clients to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“Those business permit applicants who missed their barangays’ schedules will still be accommodated at the Municipal Recreation and Cultural Center. A separate team from BPLO will accommodate them to ensure that they are accorded appropriate assistance while renewing or applying for a business permit this year,” she added.

Mayor Ernesto Evangelista said a no-contact policy and simplified business permit renewal process that are compliant with Republic Act 11032 would be enforced strictly in this year’s BOSS NI TOMAS as it “diminishes red tape, help the businesses, and specifically avoid mass gatherings that could trigger the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019).”

RA 11032 is also known as the “Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018”.

Maguindanao gets cash aid from ICRC

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OTABATO CITY—Villagers affected by armed clashes in Maguindanao have received aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the form of cash grants toward year-end last week.

About 16,000 people have benefitted from the ICRC multipurpose cash grants program amounting to P 12,000 to each of 3,200 families in four barangays in Datu Salibo, and five barangays in Shariff Saydona Mustapha between December 10 and 17, 2020, ICRC field workers in Maguindanao said distribution of multipurpose cash grants to families affected by conflict in the two municipalities had been supported by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), ICRC’s primary humanitarian partner in the country.

“We conducted a needs-assessment before the distribution to better understand the affected families’ situation and their priorities. The grant will help cover their

immediate needs and livelihood-related expenses,” said Yannis Khemiri, head of the ICRC subdelegation in Cotabato.

The beneficiary families have been locked into hostilities of armed clashes between government forces and a nonstate armed group since July 2020.

The recurring clashes limit the community members’ access to farmlands and fishing on inland waters. Perennial flooding and movement restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have further deteriorated their economic situation.

From October to November, the ICRC had also distributed conditional cash gifts of P 8,000 to nearly 6,000 people (or 1,193 families) in Barangay

Tasiman, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.

A package for a half-month food ration consisting of 25kg rice, two liters of oil, one liter of soy sauce, one kg sugar, 500g salt and 12 cans of sardines, was provided to 3,500 people (or 700 families) in Datu Hoffer and Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

The distribution done in batches, to avoid overcrowding, required recipients to wear masks and were also provided with alcohol disinfectant.

The ICRC is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance, regardless of their political affiliation. It has a mandate to promote knowledge and respect of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the law on armed conflict. Nash B. Maulana

ACQUIRED HOSPITALS. AC Health, through Healthway Philippines Inc. (HPI), has signed agreements to acquire a controlling stake

of Mercado General Hospital, Inc. (Qualimed), which owns or has interests in the Qualimed Health Network. With Qualimed now part of its clinic and hospital portfolio, under HPI, AC Health will now have four general hospitals, over 85 outpatient clinics , 80 corporate clinics and the country’s first cancer specialty hospital.

Bataan State U VP’s paper cops first place in PCAARD S&T awards BALANGA CITY, Bataan—The paper of Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) Vice President for Research, Extension and Training Services Dr. Hermogenes Paguia was adjudged First Place Best Development Paper in the 2020 PCAARRD’s Science and Technology Awards.

Paguia’s paper is titled “Improvement of Mango Production through Science and Technology Innovations and Support Mechanisms for Capacity Development in Bataan and Zambales.”

Winners were announced during the virtual PCAARRD’s 9th Science and

Technology Awards and Recognition rites a week ago.

Paguia presented the paper in the National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (NSAARRD) online on December 1.

The paper was entered to compete at national level when it was awarded regional champion Development Category in Central Luzon Agriculture and Aquatic Resources Research and Development Consortium (CLAARRDEC) Best Development Paper 2019.

Organized by PCAARRD yearly,

Neg. Occ. will recover from COVID—gov BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson has expressed optimism the province will recover from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis this year as he reminded Negrenses to remain vigilant by adhering to health and safety protocols. “(M)ay this new year bring recovery, peace, and prosperity for all of us.

Armed with our ardent prayers and faith in God, let us face 2021 with hope and confidence,” Lacson said in his New Year’s message over the weekend.

Although trials dominated the past year, Lacson said Negrenses should not overlook the triumphs of the human spirit demonstrated throughout the adversity.

He cited the courage and commitment of the medical front-liners, the resolve of the government to contain the pandemic, the charity of volunteers, the resilience of the elderly and the children as well as the industry of those in the service sector, the adaptability of the business sector, and the genius of the experts in formulating a cure.

“These are testimonies of what humanity is capable of. Let us allow the lessons of 2020 to strengthen our resolve to be better individuals and members of society,” Lacson said.

Lacson said “one truth presented by the Covid-19 crisis is the undeniable reality of our interdependence,” adding “no instance has shown as clearly as this pandemic, that what happens to one person can so rapidly affect many others.”

“Thus, the serious need for unity, respect and solidarity among all of us. The world is reminding us, quite strongly this time, that we are our brother’s keeper,” he added.

Data released by the Department of Health-Western Visayas on Saturday night showed that Negros Occidental, which is under modified general community quarantine, logged 6,404 Covid-19 cases, including 5,961 recoveries, 287 active cases, and 156 deaths.

SNAP forums focus on CSR sustainability

By Jessica M. Bacud

TUGUEGARAO City, Cagayan—Renewable energy solutions provider SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) Group has concluded its series of blended and virtual host communities’ forums across Benguet, Ifugao, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya.

SNAP President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joseph Yu touched on the forums’ theme, “Responding with Resilience, Adapting with Ability”, stressing on the importance of reinforcing innate resilience with ability through sustained partnerships, especially in challenging times.

This was the first of its kind. The nature of the forums was in the interest of health and safety and in support of the government’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, Yu said.

In 2020 alone, SNAP spent close to P25.5 million from its CSR fund to support host communities through COVID-19 response projects and around P3.5 million for relief operations (with an additional P2 million donated by Aboitiz Foundation in partnership with SNAP) following the typhoons that hit the country later in the year, Yu added.

Governor Diclas, who headed the Benguet contingent, expressed gratitude to SNAP for its partnership and programs, saying, “Benguet is still lucky that you (SNAP) are around.”

NSAARRD recognizes outstanding contributions of individuals and institutions in improving the state of Research and Development in the country in agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sector.

For over a decade, Paguia has been leading the research on mango production in Central Luzon.

BPSU President Greg Rodis has been pushing for sustainable innovations and researches of the university to reach end users.

“The innovations and researches we are doing in BPSU will mean nothing if do not reach end users”, the university president earlier said. Butch Gunio

Mariveles VM, dads thank virus frontliners MARIVELES, Bataan----The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Mariveles led by Vice Mayor Lito Rubia expressed gratitude to the frontliners and individuals who helped to provide the needs of others and fight the Covid 19 pandemic in the challenging year of 2020.

“Salamat sa lahat ng nakatuwang ng ating lokal na pamahalaan sa pagbibigay ng agarang aksyon sa pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan”, the municipal council said in a statement.

“Maraming salamat sa mga frontlin-

ers na hinarap at ginampanan ng buong tapang ang kanilang tungkulin na magligtas ng kapwa at paglingkuran ng buong puso ang bayan ng walang pagaalinlangan”, the council added.

Other SB members who gave thanks are Councilor Tito Catipon, Councilor Angel Sunga, Councilor Susan Murillo, Councilor Ronald Arcenal, Councilor Joey Carandang, Councilor Harry Golocan, Councilor Turing Isip, ABC President Venancio Villapando, SK Municipal Federation President Vincent Charles Banzon,

and IP Representative Manuel Pacayay.

Rubia said year 2020 has taught people many lessons and strengthened faith in God. “Ang mga nagdaang panahon ay napakaraming aral na itinuro sa atin. May mga problema man tayong kinaharap ngunit malakas ang aking tiwala sa Poong Maykapal na lahat ng problema ay ating malalagpasan lalo’t tayo’y nagtitiwala sa Kanya at sinusunod ang Kanyang kagustuhan sa Kanyang bayan”, he said. Butch Gunio

BOARDING CHECK. A Philippine Coast Guard officers inspects a boat and passengers leaving Boracay Island on Saturday. The world famous resort island continues to screen tourists for the dreaded coronavirus. PCG photo

Opinion The businesswoman MOST politicians in this country like to portray themselves as having “poor” origins.

Some of these are true, notably so in the case of Diosdado Pangan Macapagal of Lubao, Pampanga who became the fifth president of the Third Republic.

His successors in office were either of wealthy parentage or of the middle class— Ferdinand Marcos, heiress Cory Aquino, Gen. Fidel Valdez Ramos, movie actor Joseph Estrada, Macapagal’s daughter Gloria, who was born when her father was already a lawyer, followed of course by Benigno Simeon Aquino III y Cojuangco, to the manor born and to wealth bred.

Rodrigo Roa Duterte was never poor, although at one time, in search of greener pastures, his father who belonged to the political Durano-Almendras-Duterte clan of Danao in Cebu, moved to Mindanao, eventually settling in Davao City, where he eventually became governor of then undivided Davao. One could best classify the provenance as middle class eventually becoming upper middle.

She will calculate the odds before taking the plunge.

Because the majority of our voters are poor, politicians love to tout contrived or exaggerated poor origins, with their wealth or success due to hard work and/or brilliance.

I was in grade school when I heard a former Senate President, classified as wealthy because his father was a pioneering industrialist, ask in a television interview (then still black and white with a corner-curved screen), “Why do we glorify poverty, as if it is badge of honor?”

That was Gil Puyat, a statesman who had a distinguished legislative career. He wanted to be the Nacionalista Party candidate against Macapagal in 1965, but along with Fernando Lopez, he gave to Liberal Party import Marcos his first round convention vote. Marcos eventually defeated Macapagal in the elections.

But enough of historical trivia. This article is about the topnotcher in the last senatorial elections of 2019, Cynthia Aguilar Villar, who received an amazing 25 million votes in her second term.

There was a time when Senate election topnotchers were immediately perceived to be potential presidential candidates. That was the time when the Senate itself was such a hallowed institution regarded as training ground for presidents.

Before the Cory Constitution prescribed term limits, names like Recto, Laurel, Tañada, Diokno, Puyat, Paredes, Primicias, Kalaw, Salonga, Manglapus, among other political illustrati, could stay senators forever.

Ferdinand Marcos was bar topnotcher, senatorial election topnotcher, and then Senate President before being elected President. So was Jovito Salonga, but he was defeated by a career military officer, FVR, who was anointed by Cory Aquino to succeed her.

So when Cynthia Villar, heiress to the huge landholdings of the Aguilars of Muntinlupa and Las Piñas, itself a political family that has controlled Las Piñas for the last 40 years, topped the elections on her second term, everyone started looking at her as “presidentiable.”

She is also married to Manny Villar, former Speaker of the HoR and former Senate President, and is now listed by Forbes as the richest man in the Philippines. Together they control

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

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EDITORIAL

the largest real estate and housing development enterprise in the country, and have since branched out to other ventures.

The senadora is quite hardworking, diligently attending and presiding over substantive committee hearings, especially where her particular interests—in agriculture and the environment—are concerned.

She has little patience for incompetents and laggards, and her candor can be cutting- edge, abrasive even. Those bureaucrats who have been unable to give cogent and sensible responses to her questions have been met with her trademark, “maloloka ako!” and instantly dismissed with derision.

Observers do not feel sympathy toward the objects of her candor, but instead gleefully remark, “buti nga!”. She does not particularly care about the “political correctness” of what she says as long as she speaks her point.

When once she asked why government spends so much on research, particularly on agriculture, the academic community bent fury upon her. What she perhaps meant was why despite all the funds spent on agricultural research, our productivity is still in the doldrums.

She can be super-passionate about environmental issues, not so much like the late Gina Lopez, although she has single-handedly prevented reclamation projects in Manila Bay that would endanger the habitat of migratory birds on the estuaries of Las Piñas and environs.

The impression she cuts is that of a stern school teacher, better yet a disciplinarian mother. She would make an effective cabinet secretary or even an executive secretary who would always call the attention of peers when they do not deliver on promises or schedules.

She shows genuine and consistent interest in helping the marginalized not by dole but through livelihood projects, training them “to learn how to fish” instead. Her foundation’s livelihood projects have truly helped families to augment their incomes.

Apart from the deep pockets, she and her husband control the grand old party, the historic Nacionalista Party which before martial law and the Cory constitution, was one of the traditional duopoly in Philippine politics.

Would she parlay these advantages into a stab at the presidency in 2022?

Her staff has been quite busy in sending out chronicles of her activities, sometimes photo-shopping her presence in activities where she was not. This has caught the attention of activists in social media who then created memes of her bordering on the hilarious.

But nary a word has come from the 70-year old senator that would show interest in the presidency—yet. Talk is rife about her wish to have her son, DPWH’s Sec. Mark Villar, to be the vice-presidential teammate of the president’s daughter come 2022.

The President, for his part, has always had good words for the Villar family, and even when he decried instances of corruption at the infrastructure agency chiefly tasked with his pet “Build, Build, Build” program, he praised the integrity and diligence of the young Villar.

Truth is, when he was seriously considering a run for the presidency in 2015, Mayor Duterte kept telling us that he preferred to run as a Nacionalista, which was the political party of his father.

Only the drama of the Comelec deadline that he did not beat in October 2015 pushed his candidacy towards the banner of the PDP-Laban and that substitution effort which all the more raised public interest in the Duterte candidacy.

Many ambitious political personalities do not have the personal wealth or the flag of convenience that is a political party in the Philippine setting. These Sen. Cynthia Villar already have. But being a businesswoman, she is not the type to be hearing “voices from above.”

She will calculate the odds before taking the plunge.

A better us for a better year MANY of us seemed just too eager to see 2020 go.

The year was marked by the proverbial series of unfortunate events. Crisis after calamity tested our people’s resilience— starting with the eruption of Taal Volcano in January and ending with the succession of typhoons within a few weeks in November, causing massive flooding in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.

Of course, there is the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, which has paralyzed the world and significantly changed our lives as we know it.

If at the beginning of the year, we had already known that 2020 would be as frantic and frightening as it turned out to be, I sometimes wonder if we would be greeting each other a Happy New Year.

Throughout human history, our world has seen so much pain and suffering around us caused by wars and conflict, disease and pestilence. But not even the total sum of these adverse situations was enough to drown out humanity’s capacity to be hopeful. Thus, uncertain we may be

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

about what the coming year holds for us – we remain hopeful that 2021 will be a much better year.

But what will make it a better year, though, is not our wishful thinking of brighter fortunes in the months to come —whether it is the lasting cure to the pandemic, a resolute end to climate change, or better yet, a happy solution to the political strife brewing around us.

Hope springs eternal.

What will truly make 2021 a better year is a better us—our enduring faith in humanity’s capacity for goodness. Our continuing confidence in human genius. Our persistent trust in the human gift of compassion.

If there is one telling story that 2020 has reminded us, it is the often-ignored lesson of human suffering. With modern science providing us the technology and tools to improve our quality of living, human suffering has become antithetical to contemporary standards of expediency, comfort and convenience. Even our own moral compasses have been so altered to define what an ideal life is—solely on the basis of what is expedient, comfortable, and convenient to our social preferences and personal interest.

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Turning the page

HE coming of a new year always occasions hope and optimism. 2020 was certainly harrowing for Filipinos, collectively and individually. The COVID-19 pandemic, the loss of loved ones and friends, anxiety over our health, the toll on our healthcare system and frontliners, the economic recession and resulting loss of jobs and closure of businesses, the string of natural disasters and the uninspiring missteps that our leaders took when they could have done better—these all served to weigh us down. Indeed we could not wait to get 2020 over and done with.

Welcoming 2021 was a relief, because we wanted to leave behind a terrible year and start a new one.

Things have to be better, we tell ourselves. Turning the page is almost a symbolic image. It allows us to imagine fi nally beating the virus and rebuilding our nation.

But let’s not place too much weight on symbols.

This year and the next ones will continue to bring us woes if we rely only on changes that come from outside.

Doing things exactly the way we have been doing—and then simply hoping

Doing things exactly the way we have been doing —and then simply hoping for change—is a formula for defeat and frustration. for change—is a formula for defeat and frustration.

This year, we have got to do better.

For instance, we have to commit to

exacting accountability from our officials. We cannot simply complain for a day or two on social media, and then lose track of the issues. We can be angered and exasperated by the things we read on the news, but let us use these feelings to remember who among our leaders are worthy and who are simply living off our taxes.

We have to keep calm amid many temptations and provocations online, and engage only in insightful, issues-based discussions.

Finally, we must remove the blinders that we have from our biases and pre-conceptions. If there is somebody doing a good job, commend him or her, offer to help instead of denigrating her efforts or resenting that they might be perceived as doing better. If there is somebody incompetent or acting with downright impunity, punish them as fit regardless of their political loyalties.

Let’s not squander the hope that 2021 brings by relying on old patterns. We turn the page, yes, but we also need to write a better, newer story.

Invest in our digital potential platforms, and health services are going online. All these need dependable broadband services.

The lead author of the World Bank report “A Better Normal Under Covid-19: Digitalizing the Philippine Economy Now,” economist Kevin Chua, said that increasing digital adoption by the government, businesses, and citizens is critical, not only to help the Philippines adapt to the post-COVID-19 world, but also to achieve its vision of becoming a society free of poverty by 2040.

THE safety restrictions on children and seniors in hotels, resorts and restaurants were a real holiday bummer. My family—and I am sure millions of families—had to adjust by doing online reunions. Thanks to technology, we managed to virtually connect and exchange Christmas and New Year greetings with loved ones and friends.

Come to think of it, I am able to reach a record number of friends and relatives in my Facebook and other messaging accounts compared to my more analog years. All my transactions are done online. I venture out only for medical tests, healthy walks, and a few meal dates with my wife.

This is the new reality that many experts predict will permanently transform human life. The big question is: Are we ready for a highly digital world economy?

According to the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR) 2020, which measures the capacity and readiness of 63 economies to adopt and explore digital technologies as a key driver for economic transformation in business, government and wider society, the Philippines is on the bottom 10 falling two ranks to 57th. In the Asia-Pacific, the report places the Philippines second to the last out of 14 countries, less than 7 points over Mongolia.

Until we reach herd immunity, workfrom-home and online transactions will be the default mode of working for many businesses and will greatly increase demand and pressure for more investments in upgrading digital infrastructure and smart mobile technologies to support productivity. With 3.8 million people unemployed (Philippine Statistics Authority’s October 2020 numbers) many have resorted to e-commerce for income. Schools shifting to e-Education The year 2020 brought us face to face with the frailties of our human existence.

With an invisible and seemingly invincible enemy suddenly rendering our society helpless—and almost overnight, what is expedient, comfortable, and convenient doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

The pandemic caught us unaware and unprepared, forcing us to see life in a very unusual way. Travel was not even suspended during the two world wars, but in recent months, trains and planes have been ‘kept on hold’ and countries were forced to go into a lockdown. With businesses closing and leaving no jobs available for them, overseas migrant workers were forced to return to their home countries. Even the most recent advancements in medicine seem could not match up to the effects that this virus caused on our health and wellbeing.

Our Christian faith has a beautiful way of expressing in words this paradox of circumstances—“mysterium iniquitatis”—the mystery of evil. Whether these attributes of evil, such as death, sin, pain and suffering, happen in the physical or moral sense, the question of why God allows evil to happen has been an enduring conundrum for people of faith.

I admit I have asked myself many times over in the last year, “Why did God allow

Government investments in strategic telecommunications infrastructure will promote an economic revival.

Chua stated that, the government can take the lead in a society-wide digital transformation by accelerating “e-governance projects, such as the foundational identification system and the digitization of its processes and procedures, which will help promote greater inclusion, improve efficiency, and enhance security.”

Leading by example is one thing but the digital infrastructure needed to deliver nationwide access to broadband services requires huge investments fostered in a conducive and enabling policy environment.

For example, the unprecedented $900 billion coronavirus relief package signed recently by outgoing US President Donald Trump allocates $7 billion to help millions of affected individuals pay for broadband services during the pandemic. $3.2 billion is for emergency broadband benefits for low-income Americans. Eligible households will also be given a $50-$75 monthly these bad things to happen?”

In the end, the response appears to defy logic—because the things that break us make us better. For that reason, God permits certain evils to bring out of them a greater good.

As we hope for a better 2021, the challenge for us is to always look for the good that could come out of such a difficult situation—and there is no better place to begin with that search for goodness than in the human heart.

Early on the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis reminded us that these trying months are times not of God’s judgment, “but of our own choosing”—that is of carefully rethinking our lifestyle choices and decisions.

The crisis around us has exposed the weaknesses inherent in the false and superfluous certainties around which we have shaped our politics, economies and society itself, as expressed in our pre-packaged principles, policies and priorities. This misperception of the world has left us dull and feeble to the very things that nourish, sustain and strengthen our lives and our communities, and kept us out of touch with the very roots of our existence—faith, family and friendship.

discount from broadband internet services to address the digital divide in underserved communities.

ASEAN governments that beat us in the digital competitiveness rankings are aggressively investing. Malaysia is boosting broadband speed and coverage budgeted at $233 million, Thailand is connecting thousands of villages spending $343 million, and Vietnam invested in a 23,000-kilometer submarine cable system worth $820 million.

At the level of the developed economies, China’s reported investment in the past four years was at $289 billion, Japan’s annual spend averages US$162 billion, while South Korea public internet backbone will have more upgrades at $24 billion. Note that these countries already have coverage and bandwidth speeds that we are still dreaming of.

In the Philippines, investments in telecommunications infrastructure are being driven by the two telcos—Globe Telecom and Smart Communications. Fitch Ratings projected that they would accelerate capital expenditures by 20 to 25 percent in the next years and rated the Philippines as having one of the highest capex/revenue ratios in the Asia-Pacific region. The two telco giants’ investments up to 2019 have likewise earned a place for them in the World Bank’s top ten ranking.

The Department of Information and Communications proposed P18 billion to implement the National Broadband Plan.

This would have been a great start, but according to the recently released 2021 General Appropriations Act, the capital outlay allocated for this critical program is only less than P1.5 billion, a paltry sum compared to our ASEAN neighbors. This is a missed opportunity to address the 50 thousand telco tower backlog and operationalize an existing nationwide fiber optic backbone that we desperately need to improve and expand broadband services.

It is clear that our recovery from this crisis depends on how quickly we can transform our human resource potential into a highly competitive digital force ready to engage the world of e-commerce and innovative cloud solutions. Government investments in strategic telecommunications infrastructure will promote an economic revival that will unleash the country’s digital potential to become a key player in a digitized global economy.

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Saudi Arabia reopens borders aftet two-week suspension

India authorizes two vaccines for emergency use INDIA has authorized the emergency use of two coronavirus vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and by local pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech, the country’s drug regulator said Sunday.

“The... vaccines of Serum Institute (AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine) and Bharat Biotech are being approved for restricted use in emergency situations,” the Drugs Controller General of India, V.G. Somani, said at a briefing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the fast-track approvals were “a decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight” that “accelerates the road to a healthier and Covid-free nation”.

India is the world’s second mostinfected nation with more than 10.3 million cases and almost 150,000 deaths, although its rate of infection has come down significantly from a mid-September peak of more than 90,000 cases daily.

The approval is expected to kick off one of the world’s biggest vaccination drives in the country of 1.3 billion people.

The government has already been holding nationwide drills ahead of the mass inoculation drive and 96,000 health workers have been trained to administer the shots.

Somani added to reporters after the briefing that the drug regulator would “never approve anything if there is the slightest safety concern”.

“The vaccines are 100 percent safe,” he said, adding that side effects such as “mild fever, pain and allergy are common for every vaccine”.

The Serum Institute of India, the world’s biggest manufacturer of vaccines, has said it is making between 50 and 60 million doses a month of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine.

Serum Institutes chief executive Adar Poonawalla tweeted after the approvals that the vaccine would be “ready to roll-out in the coming weeks”. AFP

SAUDI Arabia on Sunday announced the reopening of borders and the resumption of international flights after a two-week suspension aimed to stem the spread of a new Covid-19 strain.

The government ordered the lifting of “precautionary measures related to the spread of a new variant of coronavirus”, the Ministry of the Interior said, according to the official Saudi Press

Agency.

Saudi Arabia has recorded more than 363,000 cases, including over 6,200 deaths –- the highest among the Gulf Arab states -- but has also reported a high recovery rate.

Riyadh suspended international flights and access through land crossings and ports on December 21.

Other Gulf countries, Oman and Ku-

wait, who had taken similar measures, have also lifted them in recent days.

But travellers returning from Britain, South Africa or “any country where the new variant of the coronavirus is spreading” are subject to more restrictions, the statement added.

Foreigners coming from those countries must spend 14 days in another country before entering Saudi Arabia,

12 Republican senators buck Biden A

GROUP of Republican senators led by veteran lawmaker Ted Cruz said Saturday they will challenge Joe Biden’s election win—the latest last-ditch move to support Donald Trump’s efforts to undermine the vote.

Twelve Republican senators have said they will vote against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s election winelve Republican senators have said they will vote against certifying Presiden AFP

Gulf crisis between Qatar vs. regional players near resolution THE Gulf crisis, which has pitted regional players against Qatar, could be moving closer to resolution as the key countries prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Riyadh led a coalition of countries in the Gulf and beyond in 2017 to cut ties with Doha, over charges it was too close to Tehran and backed radical Islamist groups. Qatar denies the claims.

and show a negative test.

Saudi nationals returning from those countries will be able to enter directly -- but must then spend two weeks in quarantine on arrival, and be subject to tests.

Last month Saudi Arabia was one of the first Gulf countries to launch a massive vaccination campaign using the Pfizer-BioNTech jab. AFP

Washington has intensified pressure on the nations imposing what Qatar calls a “blockade” to resolve the crisis, insisting Gulf unity is necessary to isolate US rival Iran as the curtain falls on Donald Trump’s presidency.

The row will top the agenda at Tuesday’s meeting of leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the northwestern Saudi city of Al-Ula. While Gulf sources say an agree-

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 221, QUEZON CITY IN THE MATTER OF CHANGE OF NAME OF ASTRID MAMARIL MANAOG, A MINOR, represented by AILEEN M. MAMARIL, S.P. PROC. NO. R-QZN-20-06944-SP ASTRID MAMARIL MANAOG, Petitioner. x----------------------------------------------x

ORDER A verified Petition was filed before this Court on September 16, 2020 by petitioner, Astrid Mamaril Manaog, represented by her mother Aileen M. Mamaril, praying for the change of name in the Certificate of Live Birth of her daughter, Astrid Mamaril Manaog.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the Court gives due course thereto.

Wherefore, let a copy of this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at the expense of the petitioner, upon coordination with the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City.

Initial hearing on the verified Petition is set on January 25, 2021 at 8:30 in the morning at the Regional Trial Court, Branch 221, Rm. 608, Hall of Justice Bldg.-Annex, Quezon City, at which date, time, and place all interested persons are required to appear and show cause why the petition should not be granted.

Let copies of this Order be posted by the Branch Sheriff thirty (30) days before the hearing date at the following places at the expense of the petitioner: 1. At the main entrance of the City Hall Building, Quezon City; 2. On the Bulletin board of the Court, Hall of Justice Bldg., Quezon City; and 3. At the Barangay Hall of the barangay where the petitioner resides.

Likewise, let copy of this Order be furnished the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City; the Philippine Statistics Authority; the Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City, and the Office of the City Prosecutor, Quezon City.

Further, Petitioner thru counsel is directed to furnish the petitioner’s father, Arlan J. Manaog, a copy of this Order together with the petition and its annexes thereto at his given address, and to show proof of compliance hereof before the hearing date.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, October 28, 2020.

(Sgd.) JOCELYN A. SOLIS-REYES Presiding Judge Cc: Astrid Mamaril Manaog Rep. by Aileen M. Mamaril Petitioner Atty. Rod Criswin V. Formoso Counsel for the Petitioner Office of the Solicitor General Local Civil Registry of Quezon City Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority Arlan J. Manaog 122 M.H. Del Pilar, Sto. Tomas Pasig City Office of the City Prosecutor (MStandard - Dec. 21, 28, 2020 & Jan. 4, 2021)

ment on further talks and limited confidence building measures is ready, not all of the boycotting countries have yet signed up.

The GCC is a bloc that includes boycotting countries Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, neutral Kuwait and Oman, and Qatar.

After severing ties in June 2017, the Saudi-led alliance subsequently forced out Qatari expatriate residents,

New round of peace talks between Afghan gov’t, Taliban start A STRING of assassinations has sowed fear and chaos across Afghanistan as a fresh round of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban begin in Qatar Tuesday.

Months of deliberations between the two sides have yielded little so far, but both parties made something of a breakthrough last year when they finally agreed at least on what to discuss in the next round.

Afghan government negotiators will push for a permanent ceasefire and to protect the existing system of governance, in place since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001 by a US-led invasion in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

“The talks are going to be very complicated and time-consuming,” Ghulam Farooq Majroh, a government negotiator told AFP. “But we are hopeful to arrive at a result as soon as possible as people are tired of this bloody war.”

The Taliban did not offer any comment.

The first direct talks between the warring sides opened in September after months of delays, but quickly became bogged down by disputes on the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations.

A concerted diplomatic effort from Washington finally led to a consensus.

The negotiations follow a landmark troop withdrawal deal signed in February by the Taliban and Washington, which saw the US pledge to pull out all foreign forces from Afghanistan by May 2021. AFP

closed their airspace to Qatari aircraft and sealed their borders and ports, separating some mixed-nationality families.

The boycott countries later issued a list of 13 demands for Doha, including the closure of pan-Arab satellite television channel Al Jazeera, undertakings on terror financing, and the shuttering of a Turkish military base in Qatar. AFP

The initiative, which appears certain to fail, flies in the face of rulings in dozens of courts and the findings by officials in several key states that there were no widespread voting problems.

The Republicans’ statement, signed by Cruz and six other current senators along with four senators-elect, asserts that “allegations of fraud and irregularities in the 2020 election exceed any in our lifetimes.”

The group said that when Congress convenes in a joint session on Wednesday—for what normally would be a pro-forma certification of Biden’s victory—they will demand the creation of a special commission to conduct an “emergency 10-day audit” of the election results.

The statement says individual states could then convene special legislative sessions and potentially revise their vote totals.

“An attempt to steal a landslide win. Can’t let it happen!” Trump tweeted Saturday.

Posting a list of the 11 senators, Trump added: “And after they see the facts, plenty more to come... Our Country will love them for it!”

They join Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, who said earlier that he planned to raise objections on Wednesday.

A Republican member of the House of Representatives, Louie Gohmert, has also announced his plan to oppose certification, and more than 100 House Republicans reportedly will back his challenge.

Gohmert sought to further raise the stakes with a lawsuit that would have given Vice President Mike Pence— traditionally in a ceremonial role in Wednesday’s session—the power to overturn the election result.

Pence opposed that effort, and a federal judge in Texas on Friday rejected the suit. On Saturday, a federal appeals court upheld that dismissal.

The Hawley and Gohmert challenges will ensure that Congress must meet to hear the complaints.

‘The Electoral College has spoken’ The Congress sessions, sure to be contentious, will play out against a backdrop of pro-Trump rallies in Washington next week.

As with Trump’s other attempts to reverse his election defeat, the latest political maneuvering appears doomed.

Democrats control the House, and many Republicans are expected to vote Wednesday for certification.

The 11 senators conceded that most Democrats and “more than a few Republicans” would likely oppose their initiative.

Among them is Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, a battleground state that helped Biden to victory. Its result is expected to be among those contested on Wednesday. AFP

BREXIT WOES.

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he holds a remote press conference to update the nation on the post-Brexit trade agreement, inside 10 Downing Street in central London on December 24, 2020. Britain said on Thursday, December 24, 2020 an agreement had been secured on the country’s future relationship with the European Union, after lastgasp talks just days before a cliff-edge deadline. AFP

Two French soldiers killed by IED in northeastern Mali TWO French soldiers died when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in northeastern Mali on Saturday, just days after three others were killed in similar fashion.

Their deaths brought to 50 the number of French soldiers killed in the West African nation since France first intervened in 2013 to help drive back jihadist forces, according to army staff.

President Emmanuel Macron “learnt with great sadness” of the deaths of sergeant Yvonne Huynh and corporal Loic Risser in the Menaka region, his office said.

Huynh, aged 33 and mother of a young child, was the first female soldier killed in

since the French operation began in the Sahel region.

Risser was 24. Both were members of a regiment specializing in intelligence work.

“Their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device during an intelligence mission,” the French presidency said of Saturday’s incident.

Another soldier was wounded in the blast but the injuries were not life-threatening, it added.

‘Battle against terrorism’ France’s Barkhane force numbers 5,100 troops spread across the arid Sahel and has been fighting jihadist groups

alongside soldiers from Mauritania, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, who together make up the G5 Sahel group.

But lack of equipment, funds and training, together with problems in deployment and coordination on the ground have left the operation struggling for credibility and still dependent on France, the force’s major political backer.

Macron affirmed France’s determination to pursue “the battle against terrorism” after the latest attacks which come as Paris considers reducing the size of the forces in West Africa and negotiating with some local groups other than Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State. AFP

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ONG KONG― PSEi December 29, 2020 Asian markets mostly enjoyed gains Wednesday following the previous day’s advances, LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE with vaccine and economic recovery optimism helping 1 IPM 7.95 2.15 37.07% investors look past a 2 PTC 120 22 22.45% frightening surge in virus 3 ACEN 9 0.98 12.22% cases around the world.

4 DITO 10.9 1.09 11.11% 5

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6

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12.8

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7 8

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1.81 3.74

0.17 0.34

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10

FPI

0.225

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TOP LOSERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

AR VUL JOH FJP MAB IMP BKR NOW PA KPPI

LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

0.0029 1.05 5.2 2.99 0.011 1.67 0.91 4.33 3.19 6.1

-0.0006 -0.16 -0.7 -0.32 -0.001 -0.15 -0.08 -0.32 -0.21 -0.4

-17.14% -13.22% -11.86% -9.67% -8.33% -8.24% -8.08% -6.88% -6.18% -6.15%

MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DITO ACEN APL MM FNI SMPH AR BDO ALI SM

VOLUME 257,080,800 54,844,400 3,239,380,000 69,269,200 150,745,000 9,207,200 89,845,000,000 2,768,820 6,322,500 248,185

VALUE (PHP) 2,762,857,934.00 480,598,219.00 434,248,530.00 432,238,340.00 399,792,470.00 354,615,305.00 301,270,600.00 294,847,331.00 260,995,205.00 260,662,395.00

As a rollercoaster year draws to a close, two major weights on sentiment―US stimulus and the Brexit trade deal―have been navigated reasonably positively, leaving traders a little more upbeat about the next few months.

outs, though there is a feeling US lawmakers will eventually push ahead with more support measures as Joe Biden takes over at the White House.

Hong Kong led gains in Asia, rallying 1.5 percent, while Seoul jumped 1.9 percent and Shanghai and Taipei also put on more than one percent each. There were also advances in Singapore but Tokyo eased after piling on more than two percent Tuesday, while Wellington, Bangkok and Jakarta were also in the red.

Sydney retreated as investor confidence is jolted by fears over a spike in infections in the city.

The clusters come as a mutated strain of the disease, which spreads more quickly but is no more deadly, has been detected in several countries, putting pressure on governments to impose

END OF THE ROAD. Trucks leave for Britain from the harbor of Calais, northern France on January 1, 2021, on the day that the

Brexit transition period ends and Britain leaves the EU single market and customs union four-and-a-half years afterRESTAURANT voting to leave the bloc. Brexit became a reality on December 31 after Britain left Europe’s customs union and single market, ending nearly half a Pisticci century RELIEF. of often turbulent ties with its closest neighbors.

restaurant and bar owners Michael and Vivian Forte set up a table outdoors in front of their establishment in New York on December 29, 2020.Washington’s long-awaited pandemic relief package offers threatened anew by a mutated strain of eign funds were net sellers in 2020 by

By Jenniffer B. Austria a lifeline to the coronavirus. Expect corrections in eq- P128.65 billion from P14.26 billion a devastated US uity prices alongside caseload spikes,” year ago.

HE local market is restaurant industry, the online brokerage firm added.

Wall Street indices, meanwhile, finbut eateries likely to usher in the Philippine Stock Exchange president ished 2020 at all-time highs on still Thursface months and chief executive Ramon Monzon ex- day, a surprising conclusion to of a year first trading week of theya pects the market to perform better this in which the Unitedturmoil States before endured 2021 on a cautious note, are clear of the year recession caused by the deadly COcoronavirus crisis. to with investors looking for “The government’s announced plan VID-19 pandemic that continues Vivian Forte, who to start local mass inoculation to fight plague the country.

The Dow and S&P fresh catalysts to support her husband COVID-19 starting the second half of 500 finished at fresh with records, capping a stocks. ownswith Pisticci 2021 would enable the lifting of all re- year in which they, along theinNasNew Yorkeven City, amid said gains Analysts said while the overall eco- strictions, prompt a strong rebound in daq, scored significant she wasand rising hunger nomic outlook for this year remains corporate earnings and thus allow the elevated joblessness, Monday acute pain in sectors such as hospitality, “exuberant” the positive, concerns about a possible economy to take off,” Monzon said.

Monzon, however, conceded that airlines, oil and gas and reliefthe billperforming was finally spike in COVID-19 cases in the country it wasWithout a terrible enacted. following the holiday season continue restoring the confidence of investors arts. “For Main Street, would continue to be a challenge. year,” said Briefing.com analyst it, she wouldPatrick have to weigh on the market.

The PSEi last week closed at 7,139.71, O’Hare. “For Wall Street, a fanhad toitlaywas off the “Our investment thesis for 2021 S&P rests heavily ion how the pandemic down down 8.6 percent year-on-year. tastic year.” The broad-based entire staff. AFP500, will continue to shape lives—both The index managed climbed 54.4 per- which swooned below the 2,200-point in the medical and economic sense. cent from its lowest closing level of level at its nadir in March, finished the year at 3,756.07, up 16.3 percent for the While the downside risks are not to 4,623.42 on March 19.

The All Shares index also finished year. European equity markets had a be discounted, there are tailwinds that may push the index towards the lower year-on-year, down 8.1 percent. mixed year, with Frankfurt higher, but world’sonly largest Covid-19 WASHINGTON―Jobless Americans whoAmong risked not the receivsector indices, mining Parisoutbreak. declined and London suffered its 8,000 level,” online brokerage firm and oil closed in the green, up by 17.8 worst year since spike the global The United States saw unemployment to 14.7financial percent ing unemployment aid this week due to President Donald 2TradeAsia.com said. percent.receive The financials sectorafter dropped crisis.

The gains in ordered US indices seemed business shutdowns were to stop the Trump’s delay scenario in signing offdepend on it will the in April The positive will on indeed the most after shedding 22.3 spreading. percent impossible in March, when exchanges several factors, the said rapidondevirus from money, the Laborincluding Department Tuesday. year-on-year.safety forced to suspend tradingLabor as stocks ployment of in vaccines the country.

Though it decreasedwere to 6.7 percent in November, DeCongress March across expanded the US unemployment The daily average value turnover went into free-fall as much of thepeoUS are crossedpandemic for 2021 struck, to be acreating the Pandem- partment data released last week said more than 800,000 net“Fingers as the coronavirus slightly improved to P7.35 billion economy was shut down to combat the year for repair and recuperation at a time ic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) for freelancers and Pan- ple on average are losing their jobs each week, a level above where the lockdown economy is being from the P7.29 billion in 2019. For- coronavirus. With AFP

Stocks to trade on cautious note as virus run-up weighs

T

Jobless to get weekly aid despite Trump’s late approval

demic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) for the worst single week of the 2008-2010 global financial crisis.

As of the week ended December 5, the Labor Department the long-term unemployed but only funding them until the said more than 9.2 million people were receiving PUA benend of the year.

After months of stuttering negotiations, Congress agreedJOSE to efits and more than 4.8 million were receiving PEUC. BENIGNO Meanwhile, American workers could start seeing stimulus reauthorize those programs in a $900-billion spending packBERNARDO age passed only days before their DecemberI. 26 expiration, payments of as much as $600 in their accounts as soon as their faces and will somehow uplift Tuesday night, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. but Trump objected to its contents before eventually reensigning iGht spirits. The said project has two “Treasury and the IRS are working with unprecedented ittheir on Sunday―one day after those programs lapsed. objectives: (1) Gamit Mo, Kailangan peace to issue a second round of Economic Impact Payments Because many states determine benefit paymentsWe forpray the forspeed Ko (for in-kind donations of food items Comfort for family, protection while eligible Americans and their families,” Mnuchin said. week ahead on Sunday morning, experts feared Trump’s eve- to and hygiene kits) and (2) Piso Para sa we sleep“These payments are an integral part of our commitment ning signing of the bill could mean benefits under the two Cagayan Valley (for financial aids).

We pray for healing, prosperity to for providing vital additional economic relief to the American programs wouldn’t be paid this week. a lot of Filipinos are cheerful We pray for Your mighty hand to ease InTruly, a statement to AFP, a Labor Department spokesperson people during this unprecedented time.” givers. We received various in-kind On Twitter, he added that for those not receiving electronic said it would work with individual states to make sureour pay-suffering donations from different parts of the All the while,until You hear each spoken payment, “paper checks will begin to be mailed tomorrow.” ments under the programs, which were reauthorized country coming from individuals and need The stimulus bill set aside $166 billion to provide cash for March 14, continue uninterrupted. social groups, wherein we tapped the Yet loveasisquickway too families much to to give us weather the pandemic, but Trump blasted the help “As states are implementing these new provisions and air force to deliver the same lesser things amount and demanded it be increased to $2,000. lymilitary as possible, the department does not anticipate that eligible in Cagayan and Isabela. Moreover, we what your blessings come Democrats agreed, and the House of Representatives apclaimants will miss a week of benefits due to ‘Cause the timing ofifthe have accumulated cash donations of through raindrops proved a bill to do that, but Republican Senate Majority Leadlaw’s enactment,” the spokesperson said. almost P75,000. Our youth leaders and Whatwould if Yourhave healingercomes Mitchthrough McConnell blocked the measure, refusing to allow An interruption in weekly jobless payments volunteers in the province organized tearsa vote. AFP increased the pressure on Americans put out of work by the

020 Wind generates The Resilient Filipino more than half of UK electricity

an Markle, announced their intention to take a less e in royal affairs.

CONSIDERING our location 2020 Oscars, Parasite, a 2019 Ring Koreanofdark comwithin the Pacific Fire, the t the interactions between two families from oppoPhilippines is a country prone to of the economic divide walked away with the most natural hazards existential ncluding Best Picture and Bestand Director.

It was risks the of climate change.

An average ign language film to be namedpower Best Picture byofthe20 LONDON―Wind accounted typhoons pass through our territory y. for more than half of Britain’s daily every year, the latest of which were entagon officially videos of unidentified flygeneratedreleased electricity on Saturday in ts. typhoons Rolly, Siony, Tonyo and the wake of Storm Bella, according tothe rancis named Luis Antonio Tagle Carinal-Bishop, Ulysses that all visited the country in energy in giant tle of a cardinal the Drax.

Catholic Pope Frances November.

With Church. the torrential rains percentage of wind power in the sed parentsThe of LGBTQ children that God their brought about by these loves typhoons, energy mix a civil record 50.67the and camecountry’s out in support samehit sex unions. many of theofdams in the country, BS-CBNpercent franchiseonexpired.

Filipinos witnessedsaid a rare Saturday, the company Magat Dam specifically, were filled annular solar eclipse and an even rarer over the beatingforcing the previous upgreat to weekend, critical levels, them conjunction Jupiter and Saturn,to record of 50 percent inofvolume August. release significant of water to a once-in-800 years event believed “For the first time ever (on Saturday),by avoid some further to have harm. been the same event that amidguided #StormBella, more than cities half ofand toe wise men to Bethlehem.

Consequently, various Great Britain’s electricity was generated Joe Biden was presidentmunicipalities in declared Cagayan Valley by (particularly the wind,” tweeted. elect of theDrax United States, which makes in Group Cagayan and Isabela) Kamala Harris first female viceever presItwere added: “This the is the first time submerged into water.

Many ident ofsupplied the country. wind has the majority of the families, especially those who are In 2020, weover lost Kobe Bryant,ofRuth country’s powerof the course a near bodies water (i.e., theBoseman, Cagayan Bader Ginsburg, Chadwick whole day.” were affected―having their bek (host ofRiver), Jeopardy), and Naya Rivera.

The encouraging news comes ahead of homes flooded and their livelihood A hopeful ending COP26, UN’s climate change (farms) devastated.

What the year draws to a the close, we global look back at amade year and summit, which will be held in Glasgow avaged by situation probably worse the worst epidemic in currently modern is that we are next year.the As I write this, Philippines has reported over under a pandemic brought about by the COVID-19The cases and over 9100 deaths.

Thewants global British government 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). uch higher, over 81.2grace, million andone overthird 1.77in offshore wind farms my tocases provide By God’s parents residing deaths. of the country’s electricity by 2030, Isabela were spared from the flooding. ver, we also end the year with the promise of the availas (Thank part of its strategy to Lord!) reach net zero so much, f multiple vaccinesyou against COVID-19.

The speed carbon emissions by 2050 help meet Through various social media ch these vaccines were developed andto became comitshas commitments Paris platforms, weunder werethe able toclimate see how y available been unprecedented and is reflective of devastated are― be done accord. when people and these countriesprovinces work together.

At The UK has placedand nuclear power vaccines have received emergency approval by mulpeople are also asking shouting for ntries andatare rolled out before the children endenergy of 2020. thebeing heart of its rooftops, low-carbon help from their and of the good news for were 2020 comes fromfrom the field scipolicy. animals drowned the of floods, technology,“Britain not just with the COVID-19 vaccine but and many people are astarving.

With has experienced renewables h things as advances in sustainable energy that could the help over and the initiative of my with friends revolution last decade worsening global climate situation. and fellow youth leaders (mostly the growth of biomass, wind and solar ore important part of the good news is in how we all former student presidents from power,” Drax said.acouncil All things virtual received boost from the enforced various colleges and universities Added tostate the brightening picture, n. Many people are now much more comfortable with in tothe Philippines), we came up with gy. The boost e-commerce, e-payments, e-banking National Grid’s Electricity System r online services are(NGESO) unlikely to division unwind the criProject “WE NEED HELP:post Bayanihan Operator declared ediscovered communities.

We to spent more time saour Cagayan help families Tuesday that thisValley,” year was a historic year and alone.

We rediscovered old passions and Cagayan thatand hasspent been forin UKIsabela renewables. e on our health.

We rebuilt friendships across miles as affected by the typhoon.

We believe “2020ofwas the greenest year on record vered the magic electronic hangouts. that our simple help will bring smiles Britain’s electricity with to of all, wefor discovered what things are system, truly important. average carbon intensity―the red the boundaries of the human spirit and measure found that of CO2 emissions per unit of electricity e vast. We discovered our own resilience and marthe graceconsumed―reaching and generosity of thoseawilling help in new to low,” difficulty.NGESO said in a statement.

With central banks unlikely to step back anytime soon from their vast monetary easing programs, and vaccines allowing life to get back to some semblance of normality, analysts are hopeful that equities have a long way to go higher.

“This is an economy that is recovering, policy is going to be accommodative for years to come, it suggests a good backdrop for risk assets―it doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be some challenges as we progress over the next couple of years,” Brian Levitt, a strategist at Invesco, told Bloomberg TV. “The reality is the markets are going to be focused on a recovery.”

Wall Street’s three main indexes dipped from Monday’s records on disappointment that Republicans had blocked a move to ramp up stimulus cash hand-

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relief operations that reached almost 500 affected families.

Aside from our initiative, I also witnessed several donation drives conducted by my (high school college) batch mates and colleagues for the benefit of those affected not only in

By Blaise Gauquelin our region but also in other areas such as Marikina.Austria—In This only shows the GRODIG, his that waders, spirit of civic unity and cooperation Stefan Astner checks on the albino among as sturgeon: Filipinos Almost two(also decadesknows after they ‘bayanihan’) is still alive. hatched, they’re ready to be gutted for Undeniably, has out been very their caviar to be2020 shipped for New rough for almost all of us―the Year’s celebrations.

“The fishand havethealready been through pandemic natural calamities the ultrasound so we saw thatturnarounds they are full brought unprecedented (of our roe) and theyMany will golost intotheir production in lives. jobs, soon,” some Astnerlost says,their dipping hisones. net into while loved Thea small pondphysical teemingand withmental the rare, white financial, burdens sturgeon. we experience sometimes tempt us to Deemed thewalk most expensive in the give up and away. Yet,food here we world, demand for caviar—essentially, are―in the first month of 2021! salted roe—has No matter howdriven many most times sturgeon we fall, species to the brink of extinction in the Filipinos are known to have a strong wild. will to rise again. I do believe that such But fish farms like the one where strength was aingift theofFather.

He Astner works thefrom village Groedig, knows that these challenges will make near the Austrian city of Salzburg, offer us better individuals, better citizens, a more sustainable alternative. better children of God. share Owner Walter Gruell isLet oneme of about with you one of my favorite songs 2,500 sturgeon farmers worldwide that entitled produce “Blessings” a combined by 415Laura tons Story: of caviar “We praytoforthe blessings a year, according World Sturgeon

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MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

stricter containment measures.

Biden’s virus warning And Biden warned that the dire situation may not ease up until “well into March.”

“The next few weeks and months are going to be very tough―a very tough period for our nation, maybe the toughest during this entire pandemic,” he added.

Traders are keeping tabs on Capitol Hill after Donald Trump on Sunday finally signed off on a $900-billion rescue

By Paul Handley package, which will see hard-up Americans receive up to $600major handouts to help WASHINGTON―A avenue for them through the crisis. global money laundering and tax evaThere hopes his demand thatlaw to sion hasarebeen closed off by afor new requiring disclosure of owners of US be hiked to $2,000 could come to fruition shellthe companies used House to hidepassed billionsa after Democrat-run of dollars. top-up bill, but Republican Senate MajorThe Corporate Transparency Act itywas Leader Mitch McConnell blocked the included in the US defense appromeasure, refusing to allow vote.AFP priations bill passed intoa law

by Con-

tax evasion, dirty money

gress late Friday, overriding President Donald Trump’s veto.

The law forces “beneficial owners” behind shell companies to report their identities to the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN. While the law still grants them protection from public knowledge―only the Treasury and law enforcement will be able to access the FinCEN database―transparency advocates say it is a huge step against kleptocrats, organized crime and rich tax evaders who have been able to anonymously wash their suspect wealth through the LONDON―The UK and European world’s largest economy.

Union will Wednesday sign a ranked mam“For years, experts routinely moth trade pact put the seal...onastheir anonymous shelltocompanies the biggest weakness in our inanti-money drawn-out Brexit divorce the dwinlaundering Gary, dling hourssafeguards,” before they said part Ian ways deexecutive of the of FACT finitively atdirector the dawning 2021.Coalition, EUwhich chiefslobbied Ursula for vonthe derlegislation.

Leyen and “It’s the single most important step Charles Michel will ink the 1,246-page we could take to better protect our fiTrade and Cooperation Agreement at nancial system from abuse.”

0830 officials in estimates Brussels said, TheGMT, United Nations that days after it was clinched $800 billion to $2 trillionon is Christmas laundered Eve following months of hard-fought through the global financial system evtalks. ery years.

The hefty will then be While muchdocument of the attention on has focused havens like Panama flown byon thetax Royal Air Force to Lonand the Prime Cayman Islands, experts say don for Minister Boris Johnson that thehis size of the US economy, and to add signature, as the UK parliaits ability to absorb dollars ment embarks on a billions rushed of debate to without notice, has made it crucial clear the decks before a December for 31 converting illicit funds into legitimate deadline. assets.

According to Downing In early 2020 the Tax Street, JusticeJohnNetson will tell MPs that the agreement work ranked the Cayman Islands and heralds “a States new relationship the United as the globalbetween leaders Britain andpeople the EUconceal as sovereign equals, in helping their financjoined commerce, hises fromby lawfriendship, and tax enforcement.

Property andand artvalues.” tory, interests Gary Kalman, theonly US released director the of The government Transparency the accompanying International, UK legislation said on TuesCorporate Transparency day afternoon―less than 24Act hourswas be“foundational” for fighting money fore the debate is to start in parliament laundering. AFP

Leaders set to sign UK-EU deal as MPs rush debate

an hour after the signing in Brussels.

The government intends to ram all stages of the 85-page European Union (Future Relationship) Bill through the Commons and the House of Lords in one day, before the EU trade deal takes effect at 11:00 pm (2300 GMT) on Thursday.

At that hour―midnight in Brussels―the UK will be entirely out of the EU, following an 11-month transition period in place since Brexit took legal effect and more than four years after Britons voted to leave in a divisive referendum.

Each side will work “hand-inglove whenever our values and interests coincide, while fulfilling the sovereign wish of the British people to live under their own laws, made by their own elected parliament,” Johnson will say. AFP

‘Don’t leave me this way,’ sing Britons in Spain as Brexit kicks in

In the Alps, white caviar offers an exclusive alternative

Conservation Society’s most recent figures dating from 2018.

But patience is imperative for producers.

People play to pull a rope in Anti-Brexit British bar during a mock EU goodbye party in Jimera de Libar on January 1, 2021. AFP

JIMERA DE LIBAR, SPAIN― Bangers and mash, pints of beer, a Europeans vs Britons tug-of-war and renditions of “Don’t Leave me This Way” and “We’ll Meet Again.” UK expats in Spain marked Britain’s departure from the European Union in true British style.

Although many are unhappy at the decision to leave, with some facing residency and other bureaucratic probIn the end, despite the challenges we lems, Britons at the Bar Allioli in the face, let us remain to be faithful and southern village of Jimera de Libar destrong-willed; let us remain to be true cided to make the best of a bad job and resilient Filipinos! throw a party.

A blessed New Year to all!

The tongue-in-cheek celebration featured a menu of all British favorites The author is an MBA student at such as fish and chips and beans on the Ramon V. del Rosario College of toast.

Business, De La Salle University. This “While most of us are not altogether article is part of his blog for the course happy about the whole thing, we might on Leadership, Ethics, and CSR. as well celebrate in a fashion and enjoy ourselves,” said Paul Darwent, a Rare 16-year-old albino female sturgeons ,whose caviar at astronomical will soon 65-year-old Briton whocost runs the bar viewsaround expressed above are Year’s the Eve, beThe shipped the world on New at Walter Gruell’s fish farm in are theseen Andalusian mountains about an author’s do not reflecton December in Groedigand village nearnecessarily Salzburg, Austria, 15, 2020. the most hour by car from Deemed the coast. the position of De La Salle University, expensive food in the world, demand for caviar—essentially “The realitysalted is it roe—has is going driven to create a its faculty, andspecies its administrators. most sturgeon to the brink of extinction wild, but for farms theadded one inDarlotinoftheproblems uslike all,” the village of Groedig, close to Salzburg, offer awent, more who sustainable alternative.

AFP has lived in Spain for over What if my greatest disappointments Or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy What if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are your mercies in disguise

Slowly, he removes, rinses, and weighs that lack of pigmentation affects caviar’s the cream-colored roe, which, like the taste, Gruell is convinced of its superiority, fish, lacks pigmentation. asserting that “it’s even sweeter, even

twoblack decades, a reference to Britain’s that caviarinfetches. completion of its Sturgeondivorce rustlersfrom the European Union (EU) on December 31.

The coronavirus pandemic has curbed Around 370,000 Britons are regisdemand as upscale restaurants, like all tered as living in Spain―more than in eateries in Austria, have been closed, but any other EU country―and thousands retail is booming, partly because people still more are believed to be settled in the want to treat themselves, Gruell believes. country without ever having notified “People want to savor the present the authorities. moment,” he says, between many Many are retirees who livethe on Spain’s phone calls ahead of the end-of-year sunny southern coast, drawn by the celebrations, when heclimate makes close 40 country’s warmer and tolower percent his annual turnover. cost of of living.

While farm,residency Gruell BritonsAFP canvisited keephistheir spoke to a luxury automaker, and shortly rights in Spain―as long as they applied before had been inbefore contact December with an airline for residency 31, hoping to servetransition first-class travelers when Britain’s period out of caviar “Made in Austria.” the EU ended.

Demand for caviar high,a and To qualify, they remains must have permanent a local bank account, not just address, from paying customers, but show sufficient funds and have healthsturgeon rustlers, too. care cover.

A year ago, 400 kilos of sturgeon were ‘Very annoyed’ stolen from a farm less than two hours Many, away fromhowever, Groedig. do not meet the requirements, said fish Myra The eviscerated wereAzzopardi, later found a paralegal and the founder of the Citiin a reservoir. zens Advice Bureau (CAB), a British A year before that, 400 individual charity that expats sturgeon worthhelps 50,000 euroswith werelegal stolenissues.AFP from another farm.

At Gruell’s farm, the fish, which include sturgeon native to the Danube, are protected by surveillance cameras

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

B4

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020

PSE INDEX CLOSING Tuesday, December 29, 2020 17.46 PTS. 7,139.71

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES

95,975,334,126 188,528

TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES

11,111,420,745.74 119

DECLINES UNCHANGED

122 36

Foreign e xchange r ate

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020

Somum d to mbamum 000, MSC 000. the gud at per000 and that for

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.0360

Japan

Yen

0.009636

0.4629

UK

Pound

1.345300

64.6228

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128934

6.1935

Switzerland

Franc

1.125619

54.0702

Canada

Dollar

0.778513

37.3967

Singapore

Dollar

0.751936

36.1200

Australia

Dollar

0.757700

36.3969

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655267

127.5484

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266482

12.8007

Brunei

Dollar

0.749120

35.9847

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.033156

1.5927

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0789

Euro

Euro

1.221800

58.6904

Korea

Won

0.000913

0.0439

China

Yuan

0.152945

7.3469

India

Rupee

0.013597

0.6531

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.247066

11.8681

New Zealand

Dollar

0.709800

34.0960

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035564

1.7084 Source: BSP

DA cuts expects DTI ‘22 2.5% growth export goalin farm, fishery to $103.9b sector in 2021 from $130b

By Othel V. Campos

By Othel V. Campos

THE Department of Agriculture exTHE of Trade andpercent Induspects Department a modest growth of 2.5 try reduced its medium-term in agriculture next year, fasterexport than projections from $130this billion in the 1-percent increase yearset amid the Philippine Export Development the pandemic.

Plan (PEDP) Secretary 2018-2022William to $103.9 Agriculture Dar billion. said in a year-end report while COV“Given that the COVID-19 disID-19 continued to affect the national rupted several business models, it economy, the need for sustenance rewill difficult to go achieve our mainsbea top priority. pre-pandemic targets.

Hence, we had “For this reason alone, agriculture to adjust our projections based registered positive contributionsalso to on variouscompared inputs from industry the the economy to the other stakeholders,” saidCentury DTIsuch Secretary ose and striving forof innovation, Properties movers the economy as conmes. From ensuring the safety of employees Ramon Lopez. struction, real estate and manufacturcontinues to be of goods, service—delivering on woodits Travel garments and ing,” he said. based industries were hit the most Agriculture joined the top three inbecause of weak global demand and dustries that posted positive rates in a decrease in production due to COthe third quarter. These were finanVID-19 restrictions, he said cial and insurance activities at 6.2 Lopez said the new goal was a percent; public administration and fighting target for the DTI “given the defense, compulsory social activities, challenges of the pandemic and the sion, system loss, lifeline subsidy and senior 4.5 percent; andbut agriculture, forestry, citizenemergence discount rates, also incurred a toof new strains, and given and this fishing, atunder 1.2than percent. tal of P2.38 billion collection in bilthe that is higher the US$86 generation rate,” ERC chairperson Agnes The Philippine Statistical Authorlion set by the Development Budget Devanadera said. said the Philippine gross ity earlier Committee (DBCC).”its The Coordination ERC asked Meralco to implement domestic shrank 11.5 over and under-recoveries bywas way of percent refundHe saidproduct the DTI optimistic in the third quarter, an improvement ing and collecting the same, subject to the new investments and the build-up of final evaluation by the commission. from the previous quarter’s contraccapacities were highly pos“Letexport it be emphasized that the commistion ofwith 16.9 percent. sible coming from conthe sion, in acting onsupport the pass-on charges The Asian Development Bank sees firmation has the consumers’ welfare as Corporate Recovery and Tax Incenits primordial consideration.

We will find the Philippine economy dropping 7.3 tives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act means,percent such aswhile stretching the collection of the of International Monand the extension the Bayanihan 2, any under collection to a longer period and etary Fund predicts an 8.3-percent WeaRecover As One effecting quick refund forAct. over collection, decline in 2020. in order to temper the impact consumer’s Goods and serviceson exports in bill,” Devanadera said. the forecast is, your “But whatever 2020, based on industry forecasts, Meralco head of utility economics Lawdepartment sees the Philippine shrink toagricul$80.5 rence would Fernandez said14.7 the percent company would ture sector to remain as a robust conbillion.begin Theypreparations are expected rise immediately to to comply tributor to the economy,” Dar said. with the ruling.

12.4 percent to $90.5 billion in 2021 The ERC said the include saidpercent the over sector could do more if andHe14.8 tocollections $103.9 billion in transmission rate, system loss rate, lifeline it was given the recognition and sup2022.

Lopez asked the DTI’s Export subsidy rate and senior citizen subsidy rate. port it deserved, especially in the Marketing Bureau to review the case tarof its modest share to the national gets given the drastic change in the budget.business environment. global Agriculture’s in thethe general For electronicshare products, DTI appropriations at a minimal 1.7 noted that thestood Semiconductor and phytosanitary import clearances in Septempercent in 2020, which was quite inber 2020 as a belated response to the drastic Electronics Industry of the Philipdrop inpines palayalready prices during the wet harvest significant compared with Indonesia’s announced a 7-percent season.

3.4 however, percent, Thailand’s 3.6 percent and decline in exports for 2020, while the It said, the department neglectVietnam’s percent, said. industry is6.5 projected toDar rebound ed to clarify that SPSICs issued beforeby the7 suspension had a validity periodconof He order said share is minuscule percent in the 2021. at leastsidering 60 days.

As a result, over 131,000 that the sector contributes Meanwhile, based on market intelmetric tons or 2.64 million bags of rice imabout 10forecasts, percent to the theservices GDP and emligence sector ports still arrived duringthe peak harvest ploys around third of the Filipino expected toagrow percent in periodis between October and17.1 December.

Data2020, showed of Dec. total and rice 14.8 imlabor force.

11 as percent in4,2021 ports reached million surpasspercent 1.974 in 2022.

Thetons, Information ing the 1.857 million tons imported in the Technology and Business Process Asfirst ten months of implementation of the sociation of Law the Philippines’ Rice Tariffication from Marchassumpto Decembertion 2019. of a 0.5-percent slowdown in FFF2020 national Raul Montemayor andmanager 3.5 percent growth in 2021 said there was is no logical and consistent were also taken into account. basis “for allowing or suspending the issu-

to collect P2.38b er next 24 months

n of rice import permit

ance of SPSICs”.

“As a result, the DA usually reacts and suspends the issuance of clearances only when it is already too late, and then relaxes the rules even when it is too early,” he said.

Business NEDA warns of P2.1b in daily wage losses in case of MECQ

T

HE National Economic and Development Authority on Wednesday warned that reverting back to modified enhanced community quarantine could cost workers in Metro Manila and adjacent regions some P2.1 billion in daily wages.

P700 million, but this amount is still significant enough to bring hardship to many people,” said acting Economic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua.

“When we restricted the economy in the second quarter, GDP fell by 16.9 percent and the unemployment rate increased to 17.7 percent. On the other hand, when we further relaxed the quarantine in the second semester, GDP improved to -11.5 percent in the third quarter and the unemployment rate decreased to 8.7 percent in the fourth quarter,” he said.

It said the general community quarantine in these areas “The combined efafects of these were concretely felt by the were already costing these regions around P700 million in people. According to the most recent Social Weather Stations wages daily.

Survey, the hunger rate fell significantly to 15.7 percent in “These losses and setbacks point to the need to work to- November from a record-high of 30.7 percent in September gether to safely reopen the economy further in 2021,” NEDA 2020. But we can still do better,” said Chua. said in a statement.

Chua said a big part of these forgone wages came from reIt noted that for almost 10 months, the government imple- stricting children and family activities. “For years, the counmented a series of strict community quarantines to help save try’s strong growth has been supported by its demographic TEMPORARY LOCKDOWN. Diners food in Chinatown, Bangkok January 2, 2021, after the Thailand’s capital lives from COVID-19, while building up eat thestreet health system dividend, whereonthe country’s young population forms a large imposed temporary lockdown measures aimed at curbing the rising coronavirus toll.

AFP capacity. In three of these 10 months, the stricter ECQ/MECQ part of the labor force, earning income and driving demand,” effectively shut down around 75 percent of the economy, re- he said. sulting in huge losses in jobs and income.

The Philippine median age is 25, and 36 percent of the pop“Based on the second and third-quarter GDP numbers, ulation is 18 years old or younger, data showed.

NEDA estimates that every week of ECQ/MECQ in NCR and The 2018 family income and expenditure survey also its adjacent regions alone shaves off 0.28 percentage points showed that families with at least three members acfrom GDP growth. This is equivalent to around P2.1 billion in counted for around 90 percent of total non-essential lost wages a day. The amount during GCQ is lower at around spending.

SMC’s P13.10-b Quezon toll road project gets BOI perks

earned in the same period in 2019.

The company’s toll revenue in the first nine months declined 32 percent to OUTH Luzon Tollways Corp. secured an approval P3.18 billion from P4.68 billion followfrom the Board of Investments on its P13.1-billion ing the significant drop in traffic volume in the second quarter. expressway stretching from Batangas to Quezon.

SLTC has allotted P1.55 billion capiThe tollway unit of San Miguel Corp.

The toll road will shorten the travel tal expenditures this year and operating said its board of directors “approved to time from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Ba- expenditures budget of P5.44 billion.

San Miguel is also in separate talks accept all the specific and general terms rangay Mayao in Lucena City from the with the Toll Regulatory Board for the and conditions of the BOI in relation to usual three hours to just 45 minutes. the approval of the registration as a new The project is expected to be com- construction of two toll roads worth over P100 billion which would be comoperator of Tollways Project (SLEX pleted in by 2022.

Toll Road 4) on a non-pioneer status The toll road will be divided into six pleted over the next three years.

TRB, in a resolution dated June 29, under Executive Order No. 226 and the sections, namely Sto Tomas, Batangas 2017 Investments Priorities Plan, as to Makban in Laguna (11.32 km); Mak- classified South Luzon Expressway Toll listed in the BOI Project.” ban to San Pablo City (12.75 km); San Road 5 and Pasig River Expressway BOI-registered enterprises with non- Pablo to Tiaong in Quezon (7.5 km); Ti- projects as toll roads under the proposal pioneer status are exempt from the pay- aong to Candelaria (15 km); Candelaria submitted by the joint venture of Philment of income tax starting from the to Tayabas (10.21 km); and Tayabas to ippine National Construction Corp. and San Miguel. scheduled start of commercial opera- Lucena (9.96 km).

The Department of Public Works and tions.

TR4 is a part of SLTC’s 30-year conHighways, meanwhile, may pursue the SLTC in March 2019 started the con- cession that will last until 2036. struction of the 66.74-kilometer SLEX SLTC booked a net income of P1.20 construction of the Quezon-to-Bicol exROLLER RIDE.Sto. The Philippine Stock Exchange index closes at 7,139.71 on Dec. 29, the last trading 2020. separate from day Sanof Miguel’s Toll Road 4COASTER that would connect To- billion in the January-September period pressway The PSEi climbed 54.4 percent from its lowest closing level in 2020 of 4,623.42 on March 19.proposed However, tollway the mainproject. index dropped mas, Batangas to Lucena City, Quezon. last year, down from P2.43 billion it

By Darwin G. Amojelar

S

8.6 percent year-on-year. Leading the closing bell ringing ceremony are (from left, by row) PSE finance division head Roberto Jose Jimenez and Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines chief operating officer Renee Rubio; and PSE chief operating officer Roel Refran and PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon.

PSE approves one-year voluntary suspension of King’s Power Securities for financial troubles

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine Stock Exchange said Wednesday it approved the one-year voluntary suspension of a brokerage firm over financial incapacity.

PSE president Ramon Monzon said in a memorandum King’s Power Securities Inc. applied for voluntary suspension because of financial incapacity brought about by the decreased trading transactions and the impact of pandemic on operations.

The one-year voluntary suspension will be effective beginning Jan. 1, 2021 By Mae S. Flores untilAlena Dec. 31, 2021.

It said the application for voluntary SMC Globalwas Power Holdings, Inc.,King’s a unit suspension approved after Power’s complied with the relevant of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., is purrules the andexpansion regulations of Masinloc the exchange suing of the coaland Capital Markets Integrity Corp. at a fired power plant by 630 megawatts The cost PSE ofsaid with thebillion. suspension of project about P73 operations, the client accounts ofDepartKing’s In documents submitted to the Power were transferred to COL Finanment of Environment and Natural Recial Group Inc., Solar Securities Inc. and sources, Masinloc Power Partners Co. Quality Investments Securities Corp.

Ltd, a unit of SMC & Global, bared plans to expand the capacity of the power plant through the construction of units 4 and unit 5 capable of generating 315 MW and 315 MW of electricity, respectively.

MPPCL owns and operates the Masinloc coal-fired coal-fired power plants with Units 1, 2 and 3 in operation and

Average daily average value turnover slightly improved to P7.35 billion in 2020 from the P7.29-billion average in 2019. Foreign selling, however, increased to P128.65 billion from P14.26 billion last year.

“This year is truly unprecedented for the stock market with the circuit breaker triggered three times and with the PSEi recording its steepest intraday drop in PSE history. The main index may have failed to return to pre-pandemic levels but it’s good to see that it managed to stay above the 7,100 level,” said Monzon.

Unit The4 under PSE development index endedat Barangay 2020 at Bani, Masinloc, province.

7,139.71, down Zambales 8.6 percent year-onMPPCL said however, the generated year.

The index, climbedpower 54.4 from thefrom unitsitsis lowest delivered to thelevel Luzon percent closing in grid through two transmission 2020 of 4,623.42 on March 19.lines running Masinloc to the Kadampat Thefrom all-share index also finished lowsubstation.

The plant’s meanwhile, er year-on-year, down site, by 8.1 percent.

Among the sector indices, only has enough space to support themining operaand closed in the unit. green, up by 17.8 tion oil of an additional percent.

The financials sector down “In recent years, there haswas been an the most by demand 22.3 percent increasing for year-on-year. electricity, at the same time reducing carbon dioxide emission by adopting supercritical technology with higher pressure PLDTsteam AWARDS. and temperature. To reduce CO2 emisPLDT Inc. and sion and improvewireless powerunitgeneration, Smart Communications MPPCL has decided to utilize the same Inc. receive back-tosupercritical technology for Unit 5,” the

PSE DONATION.

Mike Toledo joins Metro Pacific as managing director

Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. donates 1,000 bags of rice and canned goods to the Taguig government for the benefit of the indigent families of the city. Fort Bonifacio Barangay Captain Jorge Daniel Bocobo (center) received the behalf ofMetro the MICHAEL donation Toledo isonjoining city government.

With him Pacific Investments Corp. as managing are (from left)and PSEpublic president director for government afand chief executive Ramon fairs.

Monzon and PSE chief was A lawyer by profession, Toledo operating officer Roel the managing director of the MVP Refran.

Group of Companies Media Bureau,

chief operating officer of Silangan Mindanao Mining Company Inc., and senior vice-president for public and regulatory affairs of Philex Mining Corp. company MPIC said. is a leading infrastructure MPPLC company said smaller were more holdings withunits operations in toll roads, watertheand electricityofdistripopular and that availability a 315bution, andturbine rail networks.

MW sizehospitals boiler and had also inPriorin to his times, engagement the creased recent makingwith it feasible of Companies, toMVP buildGroup such units at efficientToledo cost. was the president and chief executive of theto It said the company is committed Manilaenergy office generation of Weber wherever Shandwick, cleaner the one of the world’s opportunity occurs. largest and leading full-service publicinstitutions relations and “Also, financial areadvoshowcacy firm with offices in every majorto ing more interest in providing loans business andunits government capital. units. supercritical than subcritical as topress secretary It isToledo gettingserved difficult justify investand presidential spokesperson ment in coal-fired power plantduring unless the administration President there is clear effortofinformer reducing carbon Joseph Ejercito Estrada and was also dioxide emission by increasing plant efthe campaign spokesman and media ficiency by adopting higher steam presbureau director of former Defense Secsure and temperature,” MPPCL said. retary Gilbert Teodoro, who ran for back recognitions president in 2010. throughout 2020 Toledo was a corporate, litigation, from renowned labor, intellectual property and crimiinternational and nal lawyer. He started his legal career local institutions said at the time that Cruz, the order fund military and intelligence services, O’Brien at the Angara, Concepcion, Reand award-giving Americans from including the development and deploy- would gala prevent and Abello law offices or unknowACCRA bodies. The group’s ingly providing passive capital to Chinese ment of weapons ofmost massrecent destruction.

Law. citation on exchanges around It was one of a series executive or- companies―listed He obtained his Bachelor of Arts came of from the World world―that support the improvement ders and regulatory Benchmarking actions that have tar- theand Bachelor of Laws degrees from Beijing’s army and spyPhilippines. agencies. He geted China’s economic andwhere military ex- of the Alliance, PLDT University of the Under hisMaster “America First” banner, pansion in recent months. ranked first in Asia earned his of Laws in Public InTrump has portrayed China as the Trump’s order prohibits US companies and Emerging Markets ternational Law at the prestigiousgreatLonthreat to the Statesand and global and individuals from shares andowning fourth out of in estdon School ofUnited Economics Political pursued aa trade war with it, any of the 31 companies, also in- democracy, the Topwhich 100 Most Science through scholarship grant Chinese tech firms, and laid all clude video surveillance firmTechnology Hikvision harangued Influential (Chevening) from the British Governthement. blameHe forwas the accepted coronavirus pandemic at and China Railway Companies Construction Corp.

Worldwide at The Fletcher door.

AFP National Security Robert Beijing’s in theAdvisor group’s 2020 School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts Digital Inclusion University, Boston in 1993.

SMC Global Power expanding Masinloc coal plant by 630 MW

New York stock exchange starts process of delisting 3 Chinese telecom companies

NEW YORK―The New York stock exchange has begun the process of delisting three Chinese telecoms companies as it seeks to comply with an order by the Trump administration barring investment in firms with ties to the Chinese military.

It comes as relations between the world’s two biggest economies spiral downwards over sore points ranging from trade and the coronavirus to Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

Trading in China Mobile Communications, China Telecommunications Corp

and China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited will end within the next week, subject to transactions being settled, the exchange said in a statement Friday.

In November President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning Americans from investing in Chinese companies deemed to be supplying or supporting Beijing’s military and security apparatus, earning a sharp rebuke from China.

The order listed 31 companies it said China was using for the “increasing exploitation” of US investment capital to

Benchmark.

Hilton opens IN BRIEF

308-room hotel in Clark Freeport amid pandemic

Bitcoin’s price exceeds $30,000 for the 1st time

PARIS, France—Bitcoin, the leading virtual currency, saw its price pass $30,000 on Saturday for the first time in just its latest record high.

The first decentralized cryptocurrency surpassed $30,823.30 at 1313 GMT, according to data compiled by the Bloomberg news HILTON, onebroken of the fastest-growing agency, having $20,000 on December 16. hospitality companies in the world, Analyst Timo Emden noted the that “the apannounced Wednesday opening petite for risk,” which is reflected in buying of the 308-room Hilton Clark Sun of bitcoin, “remains unshakeable.”

Valley Clark and “MoreResort historic in highs couldFreeport follow,” the Special Economic Germany-based analystZone, added. Pampanga.

Just 12 yearsbyold, Donggwang bitcoin has seen aClark meOwned teoric rise March, when it12-minute stood at Corp., thesince hotel is a short $5,000, from spurredClark by online payments giant drive International AirPayPal saying it would enable account holdport and located close to the city’s ers to use cryptocurrency. main business and entertainment After PayPal’s hubs announcement in October, attractions, such as Clark Museum, analysts at investment banking giant JPMorgan Chase compared the cryptocurrency Aqua Planet and Nayong Pilipino.to gold.

“We are delighted to welcome Hil“Bitcoin could compete more intensely ton Clark Sun Valley Resort to the with gold as an ‘alternative’ currency over Hilton family ourthat third hotel will the coming years as given millennials in the country,” said Paul compoHutton, become over time a more important nent of investors’ universe,” they AFP Hilton vice president for said. operations

in Southeast Asia.

“Hilton is on a promising growth ERC denies FIT rate trajectory in the Philippines, bid of Ocean Energywith the launch of Conrad Manila back in THE Energy Regulatory Commission denied 2016, followed by Hilton Manila in the feed-in-tariff rate sought by Ocean Ener2018.

This is testament to ourpower comgy Resources, which plans to generate mitment to tide. the Philippines, and we from the ocean of ocean power projects awardare“Majority confident emerging destinations ed with service contracts byClark, the Department in the country, such as are well of Energy usestoTidal Energy Conpositioned caterIn-stream to version. The Commission, therefore, found it both business and leisure reasonable to use the said technology,travelers instead from within and Energy outside the Philipof the Ocean Thermal Conversion, as pines,” said Hutton. the representative project for the determination“As of the FITflagship rate for Ocean Technology...,” our brand, Hilton Hosaid ERC chairperson Agnesthe Devanatels & Resorts is and known world dera. over for its exceptional service, The ERC said there is more informabythea tidal teamin-stream of committed tiondelivered available on energy and passionate Teamwhich Members.

Our conversion technology, can be the basis forhotels the calculation of the initial FIT Hilton have also forset Ocean instead of for OTEC whose theEnergy, benchmark hospitaloperations have yet reached commercial ity around thenotworld, providing new scale. product innovations andthe approval of The ERC earlier deferred to meet guests’ evolving theservices FIT for ocean technology in 2012 after needs,” said Alexandra Jaritz, the National Renewable Energy BoardHilton proposed OTEC the representative project, senior vice as president for brand manalthough there was no OTEC plant in comagement in Asia Pacific. mercial operation yet at that time. Only a “I am confident Hilton Clark offers handful of pilot projects have been launched domestic in the world.and, in the longer-term, international travelers to Clark, exactly that and more with its strategic location More borrowers join and a wide range of leisure facilities that database, saysproviding CIC an are all readily accessible, MORE borrowers from lending and all-encompassing experience forfinancguests ing companies into the datastaying with are us,”being saidloaded Jaritz.

base of Credit Information Corp. as the sector topped the most recent list of CIC’s financial institutions that are already submitting live or actual credit data of their borrowers.

The state-run repository of credit information published the list of 23 additional financial institutions consisting of 11 lending and financing companies, seven cooperatives and five rural banks, bringing the total to 557.

The list includes Grab Financial Services Philippines andBoard, Hewlett Financial THE Monetary the Packard policy-making body Services (Philippines) of Bangko Sentral ng Corp.

Pilipinas, approved the “We gratefulrelief to these financial instigrant of are regulatory to branches of foreign tutionsthat because despite and the panbanks were established in amid the country prior demic, they still of strived to comply with the to the effectivity Republic Act 10641. law.

Therelief addition of this setfrom of submitThe exempts thenew banks penalty ting entities in production is expected furuntil Dec. 31, 2021 if they breach theto single ther expandlimit. the already growing database of borrower’s theBSP CIC,” said Aileen Amor-Bautista, Governor Benjamin Diokno, senior who is vice president businesssaid development also the board for chairman, consistentand with communications. the other regulatory reliefs or initiatives earlier implemented by the BSP, the latest measure was expected to help boost lending in support of businesses and sectors, and pump prime the country’s economic growth and post-pandemic recovery.

“Additionally, this will diversify credit exposures, particularly in financing big ticket projects, that otherwise will be concentrated to domestic banks,” he said in a statement to reporters.

The regulatory relief was extended in view THE Philippines and period Indian of the lapse of the transitory for governthe SBL computation Dec. 31,ways 2020 implementing ments are onseeking to enhance R.A. No. 10641.

Julito G. Rada economic cooperation, especially in

IN BRIEF

MB: Foreign banks get relief from SBL

PH, India eye ways to boost economic ties

the areas of financial and digital technologies and infrastructure developGCash books over ment, the Department of Finance P1t in transactions said over the weekend.

GCASH, the mobile wallet of Globe Telecom In a recent virtual courtesy call on Inc., has recorded over P1 trillion in transacFinance Secretary Dominguez tions earlier this year, Carlos a 254-percent growth III, Indian Ambassador to the Philipyear-on-year.

The service peakedKumaran to P7.5 billion in daily pines Shambhu expressed gross transaction value, more than 6 milIndia’s interest in and strengthening its lion transactionswith a day.the Philippines in the cooperation Meanwhile, customer base ballooned to fields of banking and finance, particumore than 33 million―a third of the Philiplarly on expanding 20 themillion use in of2019. fintech pines population―from to “The help remarkable attain President Duterte’s goal growth GCash experiof financial inclusion for all Filipinos. enced this year shows that Filipinos have embraced People have Both financial officialstechnology. acknowledged the realized that fintech isn’t justbeneficial an option butopa numerous mutually necessity, allowing them to fulfill their finanportunities open to the Philippines cial lifestyle conveniently,” GCash president and India as economic partners in the and chief executive Martha Sazon said.

Indo-Pacific region, as both countries Sazon attributed the exponential growth of are poisedwallet to strongly bounce backtoin the mobile firm to people’s readiness shift tofrom cashless. fintech a 2021 the Consumers economic found impact of the necessity during the pandemic.

COVID-19 pandemic.

The growth is driven by an unprecedented Ambassador Kumaran said India surge in usage in GCash to GCash money could lend its expertise to the Philiptransfers, bank transfers, online and offline pines settingand upbills its national cash-in in services, payments, broadall of band network a national syswhich have becomeand necessities during ID the pantem. demic. Darwin G. Amojelar Dominguez welcomed Kumaran’s offerSales of assistance and invited Indian of electricity companies to participate in the upcom3% ing co-ops rollout of aimprove shared cyber-defense ELECTRIC cooperatives in the country replan for Philippine state-run banks and corded a three-percent increase in electricity their subsidiaries. sales during the third quarter year-on-year as Dominguez also expressed apsome economic activities resumed, the his Nationpreciation forAdministration India’s interest al Electrification said. in helpingNEA’s the government implement itsComdigiInformation Technology and munication Services Department a re-to tal transformation programssaid thatinaim port to NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongexpand financial inclusion among Filisong that the ECsthe solddelivery 6,153 gigawatt-hours pinos, upgrade of frontline of electricity from July to September this year government services and further curb from 5,950 Gwh a year ago. official corruption.

NEA ITCSD also reported that the figure said during thethevirtual wasKumaran also three-percent higher than 5,988 meeting Indiansold companies were inGWh of electricity by the electric co-ops in the second year.in the Duterte terested in quarter takingthispart NEA ITCSD manager Padua administration’s “Build,Roderick Build, Build” said the energy consumption level program but were in need of registered more inin the third quarter was “gearing towards the formation thetovarious opportunities normal level on prior the coronavirus disease available to them under the President’s pandemic.” centerpiece infrastructure Most businesses resumed full modernizacommercial operations the thirdG. quarter as transportation tion plan.in Julito Rada became more available. Alena Mae S. Flores

Athletes training monitored strictly A SINGLE COVID-19 infection will cause all planned training activities under a bubble to be halted.

This is why the Philippine Sports Commission is bringing in medical personnel who will watch over training of national athletes which is set to begin this January at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

The presence of medical staffers from the PSC will make sure that all safety and health protocols that they have laid out will be followed.

“Dahil kapag isa lang ang ma-infect diyan, hinto na ang training. Para hindi mahinto, striktuhan na sa start pa lang,” said Ramirez.

The government sports agency is planning to begin the training of national athletes at continuous and regular pace in the first month of 2021.

The agency is making arrangement for a bubble-type of setup.

This will enable national athletes who are preparing for international meets to sharpen their skills after spending almost a year in lockdown.

“These athletes are veterans, they’re very disciplined athletes, and are role models for the country. Kayang-kaya naman nilang sundin iyung mga protocols,” added Ramirez.

Since March, many national athletes are either training virtually, and have done workouts while in their respective provinces with a more relaxed set of protocols.

The training activities will start off in boxing, karatedo and taekwondo, before national athletes from other disciplines will be allowed inside the Calamba bubble.

The agency is now making arrangements with businessman-sportsman Hans Sy on the use of the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and the PhilSports Complex in Pasig remain unavailable for such activities since March.

Both venues are still being use as quarantine facilities for COVID-19 positive patients.

The duration of the training bubble is set for 90 days. Peter Atencio

Sinangote rules España Chess Club tourney NATIONAL Master Julius Sinangote of Tacloban City had every reason to keep his head high at the start of the year.

Showing a big heart and enthusiasm, the former mainstay of Rizal Technological University Mandaluyong City Chess Team bagged the Championship crown of the 22nd Espana Chess Club competition.

Sinangote finished with 52 points in 19 games for a win rate of 84 percent and performance rating of 2448 to win the event that drew 83 players last January 1, 2021 at lichess.org.

“This was the first Championship crown of NM Julius Sinangote since joining España Chess Club Tournaments. But his contribution to the team in International Competition cannot be ignored. Sinangote led the team into Championship versus Turkey Chess Team and other European Teams last August 16, in the 4YL Online Satranc Ligi Team Battle. He was also the tournament leader in 2YL Super League last August 30, where the team got 2nd place behind powerhouse Chesslandia of Russia.” said España Chess Club top honcho engineer Ernie Fetisan Faledonia.

The online bullet tournament had time control of one minute and players must win as many games in 45 minutes of play explained by engineer Ernie Fetisan Faeldonia, who is also the national secretarygeneral of the World Kickboxing Association - Philippines.

Sinangote won 16 games, drew two and lost one game for his aggregate score.

Thailand-based Fide Master Jony Habla took the second spot with 42 points on 20 games and a win rate of 70 percent on 14 wins for a performance rating of 2356.

In third place is Nephtali Bantang of Corcuera, Romblon who had 38 points, three points ahead with fourth placer Ralph Jordan Floro of Caloocan City.

Judemund Ramirez of Quezon City and Jordaine Tupaz of Talisay City, Negros Occidental finished fifth and 6th with 32 points apiece.

Rounding up to the top 10 winners are Allan Gabriel Hilario of Manila (7th), Allen Gandia of Imus City, Cavite (8th), Jiggy Miguel Vicente of Batangas City (9th) and Julian Rogello Labaja of Iligan City (10th).

Nicaragua’s Felix Alvarado (left) connects with a body shot against South Africa’s DeeJay Kriel.

Alvarado stopped Kriel after 99 seconds of the 10th round to retain his IBF light flyweight title. AFP

Sports

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

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

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Houston Rockets guard John Wall (1) shoots the ball against the Sacramento Kings at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. AFP

Wall powers Rockets past Kings even as Harden sits out game L OS ANGELES, United States—John Wall delivered a game-high 28 points as the Houston Rockets won their second straight game over the Sacramento Kings 102-94, despite playing without NBA all-star James Harden.

Eric Gordon replaced Harden and scored 21 points, while Christian Wood finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Rockets, who also beat the Kings 122-119. ‘’I just put in a lot of hard work and dedication to get to this point,’’ Wall said. ‘’I couldn’t ask for a better start to be 2-0 in my first two games.’’

Harden had 33 points in the New Year’s Eve game but was a late scratch Saturday (Sunday Philippine time).

The disgruntled American, who has asked for a trade, sat out with a sore ankle, although he has not been placed

on the injury list.

Without Harden, Wall carried the offensive load for the Rockets. He had missed their first two games of the new season because of Covid-19 restrictions and was out all of last season because of injuries.

Sterling Brown came off the bench to score 11 points in the win.

Rockets coach Stephen Silas said he is pleasantly surprised with the immediate impact from Wall. ‘’Whatever expectations I had, he’s obviously exceeded them,’’ he said.

The Rockets seized their first dou-

ble-digit lead of the game, 92-81, early in the fourth quarter when David Nwaba and Gordon drained back to back threes.

The Kings got to 92-83 with just over eight minutes left, but then cold shooting and tur novers resulted in them going scoreless for five minutes.

De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 23 points, while Buddy Hield chipped in 17 points in the loss.

Oklahoma City beats Orlando Elsewhere, Darius Bazley had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 108-99 road win over the Orlando Magic.

Bazley posted his second doubledouble of the season after making just one last season for the Thunder, who had six players in double-figure scoring.

George Hill finished with 18 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alex-

ander had 16 for the Thunder, who snapped a three-game losing skid.

Nikola Vucevic scored a teamhigh 30 points, while Terrence Ross added 26 for Orlando, who have lost two straight after starting the season 4-0., Orlando was just eight of 28 from the floor in the fourth, missing all 10 of its three-point attempts.

In Philadelphia, Ben Simmons had a triple-double, and Joel Embiid tallied 19 points and 14 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers dominated the Charlotte Hornets 127-112.

Tobias Harris scored a team-high 24 points, and Simmons finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists as the Sixers won their 12th consecutive game over the Hornets.

Philadelphia has not lost to Charlotte since 2016.

Terry Rozier had 35 points for the Hornets in the loss. AFP

PBA commissioner considering all options for 2021 PBA season

By Peter Atencio CONDUCTING the recent Philippine Cup under bubble in Clark, Pampanga proved to be quite an expense for the Philippine Basketball Association.

After spending P65 to P70 million, commissioner Willie Marcial said the PBA is reconsidering its plans if they can still hold another such conference again this year.

And Marcial believes that many factors in the next conference will now depend on the availability of the coronavirus vaccine.

“Ang laki, pero at least napantayan ang cost. Pero magbigat pa rin. Titingnan nating kung sa April ay may vaccine na at kung anong klaseng bubble ito,” said Marcial.

The two-month bubble conference was held from November to December at the Angeles University Foundation in Clark, Pampanga.

And it ended with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coming out as the new All-Filipino conference champion.

Competitions could still be held in Pampanga, or it could once be held again at the Araneta Center in Cubao, and if the board of governors will give in to the clamor to hold it within Metro Manila.

And it could even be done in a venue where fans will be able to come and watch the games.

Marcial added that they could the matches under a closed circuit-type of bubble.

Under the closed circuit option, members of the team will have limited movements between home and venue like what they did when the squads were still practicing.

The PBA successfully held a two-month bubble conference last year at Clark, Pampanga.

But aside from its remoteness from Metro Manila, the league also had to shell out a massive budget ranging between P65 to P70 million to run the bubble that saw the 500plus strong delegation billeted at the Quest Plus Hotel in Mimosa and games played at the Angeles University Foundation gym.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial

Alvarado stops Kriel to retain IBF light flyweight crown WASHINGTON, United States—Nicaragua’s Felix Alvarado stopped South Africa’s DeeJay Kriel after 99 seconds of the 10th round on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time) to retain his International Boxing Federation light f lyweight title.

Making his US debut in Dallas, Texas, Alvarado improved to 36-2 with his 31st stoppage inside the distance.

Alvarado stretched his win streak to 18 fights since losing to Argentina’s Juan Carlos Reveco by decision for a flyweight title in June 2014.

Kriel, a former IBF strawweight world

champion, fell to 16-2 with one drawn.

The 25-year-old from Johannesburg was knocked to the canvas in the second and fourth rounds.

“I knew this would be a tough fight,” Alvarado said. “I dropped him with a hook, and I didn’t even expect for a punch like that to land.

But rather than keep looking for that punch, I kept pushing him to the ropes to wear him down.”

It marked the second time Alvarado, whose twin brother Rene fights at super featherweight, has defended the IBF crown he took from Filipino Randy Pet-

alcorin in 2018.

Alvarado, 31, defended for the first time in May 2019 by taking a 12-round decision from Japan’s Reiya Konishi in Kobe in May 2019. Alvarado had not fought since then due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Next on Alvarado’s wish list would be a rival world champion, whose ranks include a pair of Japanese unbeatens, WBA super champion Hiroto Kyoguchi and WBC champion Kenshiro Teraji.

“I want any of the other world champions so I can show who is the best in the division,” Alvarado said. AFP

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Sports

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

Real Madrid defeats Celta to take Liga top spot MADRID—Real Madrid jumped to the top of La Liga on Saturday with a 2-0 home victory over in-form Celta Vigo.

Lucas Vazquez headed in a cross from Marco Asensio at the far post in the sixth minute, barely a minute after Real centre back Nacho had cleared a shot by Celta striker Iago Aspas off the line.

He returned the favour in the 53rd minute, laying a diagonal ball into the path of Asensio with the visiting defence in disarray. Asensio drove his shot into the roof of the net.

“We said before the game that if we counter-attacked we could do damage and that’s how it turned out,” said Asensio.

Real rebounded from a draw with promoted Elche on Wednesday to move one point clear at the top of the table, but second-place Atletico Madrid have played three fewer games and can regain the lead when they face Alaves on Sunday.

“After the draw in Elche we wanted to show aggression,” said Vazquez.

With Real Madrid in control, coach Zinedine Zidane took off Asensio, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos and, right at the end, captain Karim Benzema and brought on Eden Hazard and Fede Valverde, who are returning from injuries, and youngsters Martin Odegaard and Vinicius Junior.

“Today we played well from the first minute until the end,” said Zidane. “There is a lot of the season left and we have to keep going.”

It was Celta’s first loss since Eduardo Coudet took over as manager on November 12, ending a run of seven games unbeaten that had lifted them from the relegation zone to eighth in the table.

“We generated very little for the amount of possession we had,” said Coudet.

Earlier, Sevilla, who could have climbed to third, were fortunate to escape with a 1-1 draw at neighbours Betis.

Suso opened the scoring for Sevilla after 48 minutes.

Sergio Canales replied with a penalty after 53 minutes. AFP

NFL Browns, Saints hit by COVID-19 on eve of big tiffs

Record 42 starters join PGA Tourney of Champs Dustin Johnson of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The top-ranked Johnson, third-ranked defending champion Justin Thomas and US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau will lead a record 42 starters when the US PGA Tournament of Champions tees off Thursday. AFP

M

IAMI—Top-ranked Dustin Johnson, third-ranked defending champion Justin Thomas and US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau will lead a record 42 starters when the US PGA Tournament of Champions tees off Thursday.

The traditional first tour event of a calendar year at Kapalua, Hawaii, opened its field to players who reached last season’s Tour Championship as well as event winners after a season disrupted by a two-month COVID-19 layoff.

PGA Player of the Year Johnson captured his second major title in November at the Masters after winning the Tour Championship in September. The 36-year-old American also won the Hawaii champions event in 2013 and 2018.

Thomas won the WGC St. Jude Invitational as well as the Tournament of Champions last year while fifth-ranked US compatriot DeChambeau won in Detroit last July before taking his first major crown at Winged Foot.

Fourth-ranked Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Britain’s 10th-ranked Tyrrell Hatton are skipping the Hawaii event after qualifying, while American Jim Herman, ranked 96th, announced he will not play after contracting COVID-19.

“Some lousy news to end the year - I’ve had CV19 for the last couple of days and

therefore will not be playing Kapalua,” Herman tweeted.

Fowler’s foul-up Meanwhile, one of golf’s ‘Mr. Nice Guys’, Rickie Fowler American this month dropped out of world’s top 50 for the first time since his rookie season in 2009.

Fowler failed to register a top-10 after the June resumption, but nothing summed up his abject year more than a tiny putt on the sixth hole of his second round of the US PGA Championship in August.

Four inches for a tap-in par, easy right?

But no. His putter struck only thin air and the whiff cost him a bogey. He missed the cut by one, in a major. Ouch.

Fowler will, like many, be glad to see the back of 2020.

Lawrie signs off Paul Lawrie retired from the European Tour in October at his home Scottish Open, with no fans and little fanfare.

Lawrie’s sole major win, the 1999 Open Champion at Carnoustie, is forever remembered for Jean Van de Velde’s water-wading antics that blew a three-shot lead at the last.

But the 51-year-old has never let the lack of recognition bother him, and was typically modest as he hung up his clubs.

“To have played 620 events is not a bad innings, considering I turned pro with a five handicap and didn’t think I’d play any,” said Lawrie.

“I haven’t been a great player. But I’ve been decent. And that’s all you can ask for.”

‘McDonald’ is not loving it The first tee announcer at the Honda Classic in February committed the verbal equivalent of a three-putt when introducing former world number one Luke Donald.

First he managed to turn Donald’s home town in England, Hemel Hempstead, into a tongue-twister by horribly mispronouncing it. Then he told the crowds at the pre-shutdown event that Donald had won the tournament in 2016 instead of 2006.

But the worst was yet to come as he cried: “On the tee, Luke McDonald!”

You had one job...

Poults slaps down zinger Three days later, player-turned-commentator Paul Azinger was labelled as “embarrassing” after saying Tommy Fleetwood had choked in the Honda Classic final round as he missed out on the chance of a first PGA Tour win.

“You can win all you want on the European Tour,” said former US Ryder Cup captain Azinger. “But you have to win on the PGA Tour”. AFP

NEW YORK—The Cleveland Browns, chasing their first NFL playoff berth in 17 seasons, closed their training facility Saturday for the third time in four days after a coach tested positive for Covid-19.

The Browns (10-5) entertain Pittsburgh (12-3) on Sunday needing a victory after a week of disruptions to ensure a long-sought post-season berth.

“The Cleveland Browns were informed this morning that a member of their coaching staff has tested positive for COVID-19,” the team said in a statement.

“The team will continue virtual meetings as the facility is currently closed while contact tracing is conducted. We will consult with league medical professionals on the appropriate next steps.”

The latest test marks the second positive result for the virus from the coaching staff this week, with wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea already ruled out for Sunday.

The Browns also closed their facility Wednesday and Thursday after positive tests and at least five players are expected to miss the Steelers game due to COVID-19 safety protocol rules, either testing positive or being in close contact with someone who has.

Multiple reports said Browns linebacker Malcolm Smith, tight end Harrison Bryant and cornerback Denzel Ward tested positive for COVID-19.

At New Orleans, the Saints will be without their entire set of running backs after star rusher Alvin Kamara tested positive for Covid-19 and all other running backs were in close contact with him, according to ESPN and the NFL Network.

Saints running backs Latavius Murray, Dwayne Washington, Michael Burton and running backs coach Joel Thomas will be unavailable Sunday against the Carolina Panthers (5-10).

The Saints (11-4) need a victory to have any chance at overtaking Green Bay (12-3) for the top seed in the National Conference and a first-round bye.

Valientes 1 PH team to join Australian cage 3x3 family st

THE Zamboanga Valientes MLV posted another milestone as it formally became part of the Australia 3x3 family on New Year’s eve.

This was confirmed by Matt Hollard, the CEO of the Champions League Basketball 3x3 in Australia, who cited the Zamboanga Valientes as “the first Filipino team to play in the official CLB 3x3 league,” which is the biggest in Australia and New Zealand.

Fielding an All-Zamboangueno roster, the Valientes earned the distinction as the most popular team in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President’s Cup held in Calamba, Laguna, in October.

It was in the 3x3 Christmas Hustle in Canberra, Australia, however, that the Valientes, the only Asian team entered, made their mark when they bested three Australia teams and an African selection en route to the crown.

The Valientes, led by Barangay Tumaga native

Chris “Peng” Concepcion, will continue their foreign journey and seek their second title on January 9 when they compete at Bendigo Stadium in regional Victoria.

Completing the team are Melbourne-based Eric Miraflores, formerly of the Zamboanga Valientes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, Alex Compton, who traces his roots in Zamboanga, and Sudanese-Australian Duom Dawan.

Zamboanga Valientes co-owners Michael Venezuela and Rolando Navarro Jr., see a bright future for the team in 2021.

According to Navarro, a former Philippine Youth team player who is doubling up as Valientes coach, Venezuela wants more international opportunities for local players, especially Zamboanguenos, to gain more exposure and carve their name in 3x3 basketball.

In this file photo taken on September 05, 2019, Enshrinee Paul Westphal gives his speech during the 2019 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. Westphal, who won an NBA title with Boston and became an icon over 14 seasons as a player and coach for the Phoenix Suns, has died. He was 70. “Westy will not be immortalized for just playing basketball. He will be remembered for how he lived his life, and how he treated others,” the Suns said in a statement.

Matt Holard, CEO of Champions Basketball League 3x3 CEO, with Junnie Navarro (left) and Mike Venezuela (right).

Suns’ playing/coaching icon Westphal dead at 70 LOS ANGELES—Paul Westphal, who won an NBA title with Boston and became an icon over 14 seasons as a player and coach for the Phoenix Suns, has died. He was 70.

“Westy will not be immortalized for just playing basketball. He will be remembered for how he lived his life, and how he treated others,” the Suns said in a statement.

Westphal was taken 10th overall by Boston in the 1972 NBA Draft and won an NBA crown with the Celtics in 1974 but became a star in Phoenix after being traded to the Suns in 1975.

Westphal, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, helped the Suns reach the 1976 NBA Finals as a guard, losing to Boston, and coached the Suns into the 1993 NBA Finals, where they lost to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.

“Westy will forever be remembered as a

prominent Valley (of the Sun) sports legend both on and off the court,” Suns managing partner Robert Sarver. “He built an illustrious career as both a player and a coach. His legacy ranks among the most quintessential basketball icons of all time.”

Westphal, who also played for Seattle and New York, had his jersey number, 44, retired by the Suns ended with a final season at Phoenix in 1983-84.

As a coach, Westphal spent five years as an assistant with Phoenix and more than three seasons as head coach. He spent slightly more than two seasons each as head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings with a stint in between guiding Pepperdine University.

Westphal finished his career as an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets from 20142016. AFP

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

Showbiz’s new batch of hope

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

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HE local Tinseltown has become more exciting with the arrival of youngbloods. Some names are already familiar, the others, totally fresh. Their being part of the dizzying and dazzling world of Pinoy entertainment is proof that the saying “one day you’re in, the next day you’re out” is a universal truth.

BINI

Charlie Dizon

Ladies with attitude and fellows that are in the groove, let us embrace and welcome 2021 with a “new batch of hopes:”

CHARLIE DIZON Anyone who steals the thunder and limelight from superstar Nora Aunor and her supposedly shoo-in best actress win, truly deserves the top spot. In her breakthrough role in Fan Girl, Dizon became the MMFF’s belle of the moment.

THE CAST OF GAMEBOYS These young actors, collectively, are a force to reckon, individually, they shine like diamonds. Take a bow URIAN and FAMAS best actor and CNN Philippines Actor of the Year Elijah Canlas, the reluctant Cairo, Kokoy de Santos, the insouciant Gavreel, Adrianna So, Queen Fag Hag Pearl, Kyle Velino, Terrence the Terrible, Miggy Jimenez, and Wesly the Flip Flopper and Kych Minemoto.

JANE DE LEON Now that she tests the waters in the longest-running primetime drama led by superstar Coco Martin, FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano, she’s more than ready to film the current television incarnation of Mars Ravelo’s Darna before it hits the silver screen. Anyone given the opportunity to shout “Ding, ang bato, dali!”is for sure to ascend to superstardom.

XAVMI AND THE PANGPANG COUPLES Fanatics went ballistic when the photos of Tony Labrusca and JC Alcantara—as Hello Stranger’s Xavier and Mico—share the same bed made rounds online. These photos were followed by the two, half naked in board shorts of course, while they hold hands on the beach. Meanwhile, Ian Pangilinan and Paolo Pangilan, of the Gaya Sa Pelikula fame are giving their fans more kilig than they’re supposed to get. Reports have it that the two are taking their partnership to the next level, from reel to real. No acting anymore.

BINI The eight-member girl group wows with their rendition of the Smokey Mountain classic and Maestro Ryan Cayabyab-composed song “Da Coconut Nut.” Consisting of Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Sheena, and Jhoanna, these pretty young misses are bubbly, chirpy and can make you sing and dance with them.

The cast of Gameboys

Jessica Villarubin

Sarah Edwards

Keann Johnson

Migs Almendras

Jane de Leon Kira Balinger and Grae Fernandez

XavMi and the PangPang couples

JESSICA VILLARUBIN The Clash Season 3 followers proclaim that finally, the singing competition has discovered the one most likely to become a sensation. The chanteuse from Cebu, people say, has moments when she sounds like Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and a manner of singing that tells the stories and intimacies of the anthem she emotionally interprets.

KEANN JOHNSON Adrian Lindayag’s love interest in the successful MMFF boys love drama The Boy Foretold By The Stars is a delish dreamboat and a heartthrob that fills you with kilig. His good looks,

gentlemanly demeanor, and yes, the fact that he speaks the King’s language with an American twang, gives him more beautiful boy points.

SARAH EDWARDS Everyone loved her as Yana in the BL drama Ben X Jim. In the series, she is the damsel distressed by the fact that her boyfriend Jim, played by Jerome Ponce, dumps her for Ben, portrayed by Teejay Marquez. She speaks in a lovely, colegiala sing-song manner who gives life to the character “who acted like a lady till the end and was the last to know.”

KIRA BALINGER AND GRAE FERNANDEZ The millennials are hooked and root for the two upstarts, who give justice to their characters named Hope and Jake, respectively.

Undeniable onscreen chemistry, acting abilities on point and the fact that they are eye candies make them everyone’s favorite onscreen pair.

MIGS ALMENDRAS The ALIW Award-winning lead actor scores much praise with his heartfelt portrayal of the young Rey, who became the seasoned Michael de Mesa. As JunJun Sandico, one of the young Padawans in Hello Stranger, all hope that he will be the Hua Ze Lei in Mico’s life in the silver screen version.

Atom Araullo, Maki Pulido anchor ‘State of the Nation’ A scene from the student film ‘Paano Maging Babae.’

Short film against misogyny wins Best Student Short Film in MMFF 2020

PAANO Maging Babae, a short film that speaks against the socially-accepted injustice brought by misogyny, was recognized as the Best Student Short Film at the recently concluded 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Written and directed by Digital Filmmaking student Gian Arre from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts, Paano Maging Babae seeks to answer the titular question as it follows a mandatory nationwide examination. Its cloying and manipulative misogynistic questions became a turning point for a woman to demonstrate and take a stand against the normalized social issue.

Other shorts by Benildean students were likewise in the film lineup, to include AaBaKaDa by Tyrone James Luanzon which tackles the influx of foreigners in our country; Sala, Salin-Laway by Daniella Verzosa which brings the family and barangay together in one living room due to Miss Universe; and Sina Alexa, Xander at Ang Universe by Vahn Leinard Pascual which treats viewers to the simple wonders of life via a play of pageantry among siblings.

To complete the roster are Balik-Bayan of University of Makati, Kyokok (Nilingaw) of Western Mindanao State University, Lipstick and Paraisong Parisukat of the Philippine High School for Art, Laruang Baril of Far Eastern University, and Garbo of University of Southeastern Philippines.

Paano Maging Babae is the opening short attached to full feature film Fan Girl, which swept multiple MMFF awards. These are Best Picture, Best Actor (Paulo Avelino), Best Actress (Charlie Dizon), Best Director (Antoinette Jadaone), Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound.

MMFF is available worldwide and may be viewed until Thursday, Jan. 7 on the video-on-demand platform Upstream PH through this link: https:// upstream.ph/mmff/.

AWARD-WINNING broadcast journalists Atom Araullo and Maki Pulido take the helm as the new anchors of GMA News TV’s flagship newscast State of the Nation, now on its earlier timeslot at 9:15 p.m. weeknights.

Considered as one of this generation’s notable journalists, Araullo currently anchors the pioneering mobile journalism newscast Stand for Truth where he leads the new breed of journalists with the program’s compelling and exclusive stories.

Pulido, who is known for her passion for news and in-depth reporting, made a niche in the industry for her exclusive reports and coverage on significant national issues. She previously anchored the afternoon daily newscast Balita Pilipinas Ngayon alongside Mark Salazar where they reported on the day’s news from the different regions in the Philippines.

Both Araullo and Pulido have shown their eloquence beyond news reporting. A documentarist at heart, Araullo also banners the bi-monthly documentary show The Atom Araullo Specials and is one of the hosts of the top-notch documentary program I-Witness.

Pulido, on the other hand, has extended her craft in journalism to investigative reporting via the internationally-acclaimed public affairs program Reporter’s Notebook, which she hosts together with Jun Veneracion.

They continue to gain honors from various award-giving bodies. At the 2020 New York Festivals Television and Film Awards, Araullo’s “Babies4Sale.PH” documentary for The Atom Araullo Specials won a Silver World Medal in the Best Investigative Report category. The same episode previously emerged as national winner in the Best Documentary Programme (one-off) category at the Asian Academy Creative Awards and received a “highly commended” plaque from the Association for International Broadcasting

Catch Atom Araullo and Maki Pulido in ‘State of the Nation’ beginning tonight on GMA News TV. (AIBs) Awards in 2019. Just recently, The Atom Araullo Specials’ “Nang Tumigil ang Mundo’” was named as the Best TV Special at the 42nd Catholic Mass Media Awards.

Meanwhile, Pulido’s stories for Reporter’s Notebook gave the Philippines numerous recognitions. Her in-depth report “Backdoor” about Filipinos who illegally entered Malaysia, won the Silver Screen Award at the 2006 U.S. International Film & Video Festival. In 2008, her story “Batang Kalakal” took home the Gold World Medal for Best Human Interest Story at the New York Festivals Television and Film Awards. This was followed by another gold medal in 2017 for her Reporter’s Notebook episode “Pasan-Pasang Pangarap.” This year, Reporter’s Notebook was recognized as Best Public Service Program at the 42nd Catholic Mass Media Awards for her story “Mga Sugat ni Miguel”.

As seasoned journalists, Araullo and Pulido are expected to show an accurate and deep understanding of the stories they present and help the audience make sense of the news—its importance, implications, and context.

“We want to continue the excellent contextual news reporting that State of the Nation became known for under the irreplaceable Jessica Soho.

At the same time, we want to bring important national stories even closer to everyday Filipinos who are ultimately most affected by these events,” Araullo said.

As a veteran news reporter and documentarist, Pulido added: “I’ve been in the streets, rain or shine, at peace or in war time, COVID or no COVID, covering the news for more than two decades. I won’t be just reading the news for State of the Nation, I will be covering the news we will be delivering on that day. We hope to deliver the news with more context, not just the whos and the whens.”

Originally anchored by Jessica Soho, State of the Nation has been providing viewers with depth and context to the headlines. It is geared to provide the audience not only with stories that matter, but with insightful and well-explained reporting of the day’s biggest news as well.

The newscast is known for securing first and exclusive interviews where viewers are sure to gain added knowledge and a wider perspective of the issue at hand. It recently took home the Best News Program win at the 42nd Catholic Mass Media Awards for its “Tracing the Origins of COVID-19 in the Philippines” story.

Viewers can still watch Soho in the awardwinning and trending news magazine program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho airing on GMA Network as well as other special programs of GMA News and Public Affairs.

State of the Nation airs weeknights on GMA News TV.

Life

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

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FOOD

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

Michelle Morte supports her family by selling ice, soap, and sundry items after losing her job at a salon.

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Former choreographer Ronald Sto. Domingo receives a brand new laptop and sari-sari store package.

‘Acts of kindness’ campaign

HE gift of hope and new opportunity. This is exactly what a brand of banana ketchup intended to give as it recently celebrated its 50th year in the local food industry.

NutriAsia’s UFC tapped celebrity endorsers to be part of its 50 Acts of Kindness campaign. The celebrities, who supported the brand through the years, helped select the families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic who each received a special gift.

Comedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas nominated Ronald Sto. Domingo. Domingo, 50, worked as a choreographer before the pandemic struck and froze the projects that gave him a steady stream of income.

To support himself and his aging father, Domingo turned to cooking and selling food online.

Despite his difficulties, his innate kindness and generosity remained. As he worked hard to provide for his family, he also reached out to people who needed support as well.

NEW YEAR, FRESH START. All 50 Acts of Kindness beneficiaries, which were chosen by celebrities,

uplifts families in need each receives a Sama-samang Sarap ng Pamilya bundle composed of livelihood package.

“Since may pandemic, binigay ko po yung kinikita ko sa mga frontliners,” he shared. “Kahit hindi ko po sila kilala, matulungan ko lang po sila, masaya na po ako nun.”

On Dec. 13 and 14, Domingo and six other families received a Sama-samang Sarap ng Pamilya bundle from UFC. The bundle came with a sari-sari store pack-

age that included a signage as well as various NutriAsia products and grocery items; a bicycle with a basket for groceries; and a laptop with pocket Wi-Fi. Another beneficiary nominated by Delas Alas was Michelle Morte, a 40-year-old mother of three. Formerly a salon worker, Morte now stays at home with her children and her

husband who is unable to work after suffering a stroke. Over the past few months, she has gotten by through selling ice, soap, and sundry items to help support her family.

Through it all, Morte remained hopeful and undaunted. Her family is a constant reminder that there are things to be grateful for even in the worst of times.

“Naging inspirasyon ko ang pamilya ko,” she said. “At least kahit hirap, masaya pa rin kami. Magkakasama pa rin kami kahit may pinagdadaanang crisis.”

Delas Alas also nominated Juanita M. Caponga, a 76-year-old widow who helps support her daughter’s family; and Calvin T. Zabale, a single father of two who lost his job as a waiter and now works as a delivery man.

Aside from Delas Alas, the Guerrero siblings also nominated multiple beneficiaries to receive a Sama-samang Sarap ng Pamilya package this Christmas.

Among them was Ilene G. Labador, a 24-year-old housewife who’s been struggling to sustain their family’s needs ever since her husband lost his job as a construction worker.

Another was Reynaldo Jose, a 53-yearold contractor struggling to support his family after the pandemic took away most of his construction projects.

OPM rapper Gloc-9 also joined UFC’s 50 Acts of Kindness campaign by nominating Carlito Bolima, a 48-year-old tricycle driver who toils from 4:00 a.m. to midnight every day to feed his wife and three children.

FOOD NEWS ROUNDUP

Locals and tourists alike enjoy diverse cuisines at hawker centers in Singapore.

Singapore’s hawker culture added to UNESCO heritage list THE hawker culture of Singapore has centers have become markers of Singabeen recently added to the UNESCO pore as a multicultural city-state, comrepresentative list of Intangible Cul- posed of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and tural Heritage of Humanity, the Singa- other cultures.

“We are incredibly honored that Sinpore Tourism Board in the Philippines gapore’s hawker culture has been ofannounced.

The nomination of hawker culture in ficially recognized by UNESCO and Singapore fulfilled all five evaluation shared with the world today,” said Edcriteria used by the Intergovernmental win Tong, Minister for Culture, ComCommittee, with the island nation com- munity and Youth, Second Minister for Law, and mended for Chairman the active inof the Sinvolvement of gapore Navarious comtional Communities in mission for the nominaUNESCO. tion process.

He continAs deued, “Hawker scribed by culture holds U N ESCO, a special place hawkers, in the hearts of which are a Singaporeans major tourfrom all walks ist draw in of life, and is a Si ngap ore, prepare a Chinese, Malay, and Indian, among other cuisines can be living heritage enjoyed in SG’s ‘community dining rooms.’ that reflects variety of our everyday food that are exper ience served to patrons at hawker centers. These cent- and identity as a multicultural society.”

To celebrate the hawkers, the SG ers serve as “community dining rooms” where people from diverse backgrounds HawkerFest is currently happening gather and share the experience of dining in Singapore until Jan. 11. The event over breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Activi- allows the public to rediscover Sinties such as chess-playing, busking, and gapore’s vibrant hawker culture and express their wishes for Singapore’s art-jamming also take place.

From street food culture, hawker future hawker centers.

BEFORE 2020 ended, fast food chain Popeyes opened its biggest store in Southeast Asia at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Located on the Level 1 of South Entertainment Mall, the newest Popeyes PH branch sits 200 diners in its spacious dining area—ideal for physical distancing. In addition to proper distance among customers, other health measures and safety protocols are strictly implemented in the store.

The MOA branch offers diners the chain’s bestselling fried chicken, honey biscuits, Popeyes Spaghetti, Cajun fries, and US Spicy Chicken Sandwich.

The inauguration of the new restaurant also marked Popeyes’ second store opening since the country implemented community quarantine (the first being in Eton Centris, Quezon City).

“The opening of this new store is an important milestone for us because, aside from being the biggest Popeyes branch in Southeast Asia, this new location will also allow us to generate em-

New Popeyes MOA branch biggest in SEA

Popeyes’ Mall of Asia branch boasts a 200-seating capacity, the biggest in Southeast Asia.

ployment at a time when our fellow Filipinos need it most,” said Ton Gatmaitan, marketing director of Kuya J Group, the parent company of Popeyes Philippines.

The new branch welcomed the opening with a week-long celebration, complete with fun games, freebies, and

countless surprises to all customers.

The first three customers received one-year, six-month, and three-month supplies of Popeyes Chicken, respectively; while the first 100 customers were treated to free Chicken Tenders, Cajun Fries, and Box of 3 Biscuits.

Jim Beam bar at Bonifacio High Street LAST few days left to check out the holiday display and bar Jim Beam installed at Bonifacio High Street in BGC, Taguig.

Until Jan. 16, whiskey enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike can chill by the giant Christmas tree decorated with Jim Beam bottles and rosettes, shimmering fairy lights, and neon signs, while enjoying refreshing highballs.

Among the drinks served is the Classic Jim Beam Highball, a great introduction to the crisp, zesty na-

ture of this iconic drink. The drink menu also features other holiday delights such as the Calamansi Pandan Jim Beam Highball and the Honey Umeshu Jim Beam Highball.

To ensure that everyone can safely appreciate this eye-catching display, strict health and safety protocols are enforced, with frequent sanitation of high-touch points and floor markers for social distancing. Hand sanitation stations are present in different areas of the installation space.

Resorts World Manila’s revamped Bar 360 is now open.

Resorts World Manila reopens signature bar AFTER the renovation of its Garden Wing, Pasay-based Resorts World Manila reopened its premier entertainment stage and dining outlet Bar 360.

The updated design of Bar 360 remains the crowning piece of Garden Wing’s ground floor, with regular DJ playing hits to entertain diners and guests situated all around the stage. The bar is open daily from 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

Jim Beam Christmas Tree and bar installation in BGC.