Manila Standard - 2021 January 5 - Tuesday

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VOL. XXXIV • NO. 301 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace blasts Senate probe on illegal vax

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque

By Vito Barcelo

the commander of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) be summoned to a hearing to shed light on the early, unauRESIDENTIAL spokesman Harry Roque on Mon- thorized vaccination of the President’s bodyguards. day accused some senators of interfering in the “What I don’t understand is why the internal matters of the executive department, after Senate, a co-equal branch of government, is interfering with the security of some of them called for a Senate inquiry into the unauthe President when the President is not thorized inoculation of members of President Duterte’s interfering with the Senate’s security.

Perhaps, there should be mutual respect security detail against for co-equal branches of government,” Roque said.

Roque added that he didn’t COVID-19, using an unregistered powers between the executive and legisknow if PSG commander Brig. vaccine from China. lative branches of government.

In a press briefing, Roque appealed He was reacting to a call by Senate Gen. Jesus Durante III, who admitted to the to the Senate to respect the separation of Minority Leader Franklin Drilon that Next page

P

Senate President Vicente Sotto III

China nationals, mostly POGO workers, get local jab Rody: Defer PhilHealth’s fee increase

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SOME 100,000 Chinese nationals living and working in the Philippines have already been vaccinated against COVID-19, despite the lack of approval of any vaccine, according to a ChineseFilipino civic leader.

Teresita Ang See said the vaccinations started as early as November last

year but she had no idea how the Chinese-developed vaccine was brought into the country.

She said most of the Chinese nationals who received the vaccine work for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

Ang See said these Chinese nationals had confidence in the vaccine.

Roque could not confirm Ang See’s

statement but said if it were true, that was “100,000 less possible carriers of COVID-19.”

The Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 prohibits the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, and distribution, among others, of "any health product that is adulterated, unregistered or misbranded."

Those convicted of the crime

will be sentenced to one to 10 years of imprisonment or a fine of P50,000 to P500,000, according to the law.

Manila’s Ambassador to Beijing Jose Santiago Sta. Romana said Monday two of China’s vaccine makers, Sinopharm and Sinovak, will seek emergency use approval from the FDA this week.

Next page

By Willie Casas, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has already agreed to defer the increase in Philhealth premiums, according to Senator Christopher Go. Go said Monday he would urge

JACK MA MISSING

Next page

STORY ON PAGE2

Health officials won't rush use of saliva tests

By Willie Casas SALIVA tests for COVID-19 will need further study before they can be used here, the Department of Health said Monday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire issued this statement after the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) suggested that saliva tests be used as Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JAN. 4)

478,761 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

959

21,219

9,263

6

NEW

ACTIVE

DEATHS

NEW

448,279

26

RECOVERIES

NEW

BACK IN THE BIG CITY. Thousands returning from the provinces after the holidays queue up to take free rapid test at the Quirino Grandstand Manila after a new strain of Sars-Covid surfaced in the United Kingdom. This prompted the Duterte administration to ban arrivals from 21 countries such as the UK and United States.

More Dengvaxia cases vs. Garin, 38 others—PAO

By Rio N. Araja US President Donald Trump

THE Public Attorney’s Office on Monday disclosed the filing of more Dengvaxia-related cases “in the coming days” against ex-health secretary Janette Garin, now Iloilo representative, and 38 others before the Department of Justice.

At a media briefing, Dr. Erwin Erfe, PAO forensic division chief and a lawyer, said PAO’s panel of lawyers and the forensic staff are in the process of building more cases over the deaths of school children who received the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine in 2016 until 2018.

Christine Dacera's Instagram

PAL attendant found Trump linked to ‘smoking gun‘ tape dead, three arrested

US President Donald Trump told Georgia officials they were taking a "big risk" if they did not pursue his request for them to find more votes for him in the state.

President Donald Trump pressured Georgia's top election of-

Next page

ficial, a fellow Republican, in an extraordinary phone conversation to "find" enough votes to overturn Joe Biden's victory in the Southern state, US media reported Sunday.

In the conversation with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Saturday, a Next page

By Joel E. Zurbano

POLICE arrested three individuals in connection with the case of a Philippine Airlines flight attendant found dead inside a hotel room in Makati City on Jan. 1.

The three suspects were among the 11 Next page

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Sotto seeks new ABS-CBN franchise Where is Sotto filed Senate Bill 7966, otherwise known as An Act granting ABSCBN franchise to construct, install, operate and maintain television and radio broadcasting stations in the Philippines, and for other purposes for 25 years from the effectivity of this Act.” in his proposed measure, Sotto cited a Social Weather Station Survey in December 2019 which was released Sep-

tember 2020 noting that ABS-CBN remains to be the top source of news in the country.

The survey said that 69 percent of Filipino adults or about 45 million individuals get their news through it while 19 percent of Filipinos rely on its radio for their news.

“This is despite the existence if several online social media and networking

sites,” added Sotto.

The Senate president said ABS-CBN is the Philippines’ largest entertsinment and media network operating various platforms including domestic television, radio networks, worldwide OTT, and online platforms.

He said that In September (2020), ABS-CBN is still the top choice of nationwide viewers in the country as they prefer to catch relevant news and inspiring TV series on ABS-CBN. He said the network registered an average audience share of 45 percent or 14 points higher than GMA’s 31 percent based on the data from Kantar Media.

Likewise, Filipinos abroad feel a little less away fom home due to the Filipino channel, commonly known sd TFC, also owned and operatdd by ABS-

Palace...

Sinopharm could also be penalized if it was involved in the process.

“Everyone is liable, even Sinopharm. If they knew something and they imported it here they can be banned and fined by our government because they did so without permission,” Gordon said.

“Whoever gave it is liable, including those who injected it and imported it.”

The clandestine inoculation violated the Medical Practice Act, and the smuggling in of the vaccine violated the FDA Law, Gordon said.

Roque said the PSG was ready to face any investigation, even though he objected to a Senate inquiry. He also urged the public to close the issue and move on—ignoring the legal questions raised.

"Well, I think the message of the PSG is that they are ready to die for the security of the President. Their mission is to protect the President of the Republic of the Philippines and his immediate family.

So they made the decision, even if it was without authorization, to get vaccinated. In other words, because they were ready to die for him, they decided to get inoculated in order to lessen the chances of the President transmitting the virus," Roque said.

Roque did not address objections that the early vaccination of the PSG members violated the administration’s own stated policy was to give health care workers and the elderly priority access

to vaccines.

"Let us stop this discussion because our conversations at this moment should now be focused on the vaccines, when they're coming, and how we'll be able to spread it among our countrymen.

Let's stop the politics. We already know that this issue that is being used by the enemies of the government,” he said, without mentioning that people within the administration, including the Department of Health and the FDA had also objected to the unauthorized use of untested vaccines.

Roque insisted that the PSG did not violate the FDA Law because the vaccines were given to them as “a token” during the yuletide season—even though Durante said the PSG members had beens inoculated as early as September.

Justice Secretary Menardo Gueverra also weighed in on the issue saying that any person who voluntarily gets himself inoculated with unregistered anti-COVID-19 vaccine cannot be held liable under the law.

Guevarra however strongly advised vaccine recipients that it would be better if they complied with the laws on the approval, distribution and administration of vaccines.

“Under our existing laws, a person who freely and voluntarily gets himself inoculated with an unregistered or unauthorized drug or vaccine does not incur any criminal liability, unless he himself has caused its unlawful procurement or

promotes its use by other people,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

Those behind the smuggling and distribution of unregistered COVID-19 vaccines were warned that they can be held criminally liable under the law, he said.

The Justice Secretary cited Section 11 of the Food and Drug Act which prohibits the manufacture, importation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, promotion etc. of any health product that is unregistered with the Food and Drug Administration.

The law also imposes the penalty of fine and/or imprisonment.

“On other hand, persons who knowingly or willfully administered an unregistered vaccine may be held liable under the Medical Practice Act of 1959,” Guevarra warned.

Guevarra made the statement amid reports that there were at least 100,000 Chinese POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) workers who have already received shots of unregistered COVID-19 vaccines.

Also on Monday, the Department of Health warned doctors that they could lose their license if proven that they participated in the administration of unregistered COVID-19 vaccines.

At a briefing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the DOH will coordinate with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to determine the liability of doctors involved in illegal vaccination.

on Jan. 11, when the Senate Committee of the Whole begins hearings on the government’s program to roll out COVID-19 vaccines.

The original question was why does the country not have a vaccine yet, and how will it be stored and distributed, Sotto said.

Now, with the controversy over the early inoculation of members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), the issue has become why do others already have the vaccine, he added.

He also raised questions about the PSG vaccination.

“How are they sure that an anti-COVID (vaccine) was used and not (an) anti-flu (shot)? Right? How did President Duterte know it was an anti-COVID vaccine? Was there a lab report? Which lab?” Sotto said.

Senator Francis Pangilinan supported Vice President Leni Robredo's call for a transparent investigation of the unregistered vaccines given to some members of the military and the President's security personnel.

"An honest and transparent investigation of the so-called smuggled vaccines and a credible result will bring back the confidence of the people in the government's vaccination program,” he said, adding that the persons who ordered an illegal act should be punished.

Rody:...

pended again if PhilHealth won't be able to settle its mounting debt, expressed exasperation over the payment strategy of the state health insurer.

In a separate interview on Dobol B sa News TV, Gordon said he hoped that PhilHealth would avoid having the debt swell to P1 billion.

To continue providing COVID-19 testing and other services, the PRC needed the money to replenish its supplies, Gordon said.

He added that even during the holidays, the PRC continued with COVID-19 testing.

“PhilHealth’s failure to settle its debts on time is killing the Red Cross which is spending about P25 million daily for tests chargeable to the insurer,” Gordon said.

“The important thing is that materials must be replaced, and the salaries of our employees be paid," Gordon said in Filipino.

The Palace assured the PRC that PhilHealth’s debts would be settled.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that certain verification and audit rules must be followed before settling the state health insurance corporation’s obligation to the Red Cross.

“PhiHealth is not a private organization. Verifications must be made, COA rules and regulations must be followed because PHilHealth is a government firm,” he said during an online press briefing.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

ENATE President Vicente Sotto III on Monday filed a proposed measure seeking for the renewal of media giant ABC-CBN Corporation’s franchise which was rejected by the House of Representatives in March in March last year.

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unauthorized vaccinations, would be allowed to join a Senate inquiry.

In his earlier remarks, Durante said they did not seek permission from the President but informed him after the inoculation. He refused to say where the vaccine doses came from or who provided them.

Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said everyone involved in the illegal vaccination of members of the PSG was liable for violating several laws.

Durante earlier said “a handful” of his team were inoculated with a “donated vaccine” as early as September, even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to approve the use of any COVID-19 vaccine.

Gordon said the PSG could have sought emergency use authorization from the FDA. In an interview on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo, Gordon said the PSG and the Cabinet members who had the early, unauthorized shots set a poor example for the public. He added that ignorance of the law was not an excuse for violating it.

“If everyone in government would do that, then some would be more equal than others, and some are more illegal than others,” Gordon said in Filipino.

Gordon said the Chinese company

China...

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The private sector has allocated some P120 million to procure 450,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine for the COVID-19, half of which will be donated to the government to inoculate people chosen by the government.

In a virtual briefing with presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., Ayala Corp. chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said the private sector will assist in both the procurement of the vaccines, and the distribution throughout the country.

The government requested that 50% be given to individuals that the government selects, and 50% will be given back to the private sector so that we can also provide the vaccine for the people who need it," said Zobel.

Zobel said the unit price of the vaccine is at $5.50, with $0.50 set aside for the logistics given the requirements for transporting the medicines.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday asked why the country still doesn’t have a COVID-19 vaccine when other countries have already begun administering them.

This, he said, would be among the questions he hopes will be answered

Health...

From A1

an alternative to RT-PCR or nasal swab tests since they are cheaper and yield faster results. PRC said saliva test has show 99 percent detection rate in the United States.

Vergeire said the DOH had recommended that the PRC conduct more studies and increase the number of participants in its trial and secure Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the saliva text kit.

“We provided our recommendations last November and we did not get a response from them [since then],” Vergeire said, referring to the PRC. Vergeire said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) also started studying the viability of saliva tests for COVID-19 last November.

In Malacañang, presidential spokesman Harry Roque called for a “speedy evaluation” of the saliva test.

On Monday, PRC biomolecular laboratories head Paulyn Ubial said the PRC submitted its application in October for

saliva testing, but has not received approval from the DOH’s Health Technology Assessment Council.

But Vergeire said they specifically asked PRC to have its saliva test kits validated and approved by the FDA. Ubial, a former Health secretary, said a COVID-19 test using saliva samples would only cost P1,500 to P2,000, compared to the P3,800 to P5,000 price range of PCR tests.

She said the turnaround time for saliva testing is also less than 12 hours as opposed to PCR tests with results released at least 24 hours after.

PRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon said they are hoping for DOH approval for the saliva tests.

“It’s taking them a long time. It was submitted Oct. 17 and other countries are also using saliva test,” Gordon said.

He did not address Vergeire’s account, however.

The Philippines logged on Monday 959 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 478,761, as three laboratories failed to submit their data on time, the Department of Health reported.

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his colleagues to amend the Universal Health Care Act to defer the scheduled increase in premiums for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

Under the law, the state health insurance agency will raise premium starting this year.

Go said they could defer the higher premiums either by amending the UHC law or including it as a provision in the Bayanihan 3 bill that would allow the moving of statutory deadlines for payments required by law.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III welcomed Go's suggestion, saying the chamber can work to expedite the passage of the measure.

Meanwhile, Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) said PhilHealth should pay the bulk of its P762.8 million debt to the organization or it would stop its COVID-19 testing immediately.

"They should pay at least half a billion right away and then they can pay P200 million in one to three days," Gordon said in an interview on CNN-Philippines.

Now that the holidays are over, he said the COVID-19 tests that the PRC needs to facilitate are expected to reach an average of 6,000 to 7,000 daily.

Gordon, who earlier warned that the PRC's COVID-19 testing may be sus-

More...

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He said PAO is also preparing for the trial of the criminal cases filed with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court against Garin; former and active officials from the Department of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and Philippine Children’s Medical Center, and Sanofi Pasteur Inc. representatives.

“PAO is ready (for the trial). The victims’ kin must closely coordinate with us,” he added.

He called the Dengvaxia cases “the biggest trial in Philippine history” and “the trial of the century because of the involvement of some politicians and high-ranking government officIals.”

“Next is the filing of more cases in the coming days. There is something you have to look forward to. Just wait, it’s coming soon,” he told reporters.

“To the other relatives of the Dengvaxia victims, I am giving you the

CBN. TFC airs program being shown in the ABS-CBN television network.

“ABS-CBN wide reach to Filipinos, alongside with the undeniable advantages of broadcast media relative to mass communication, definitely calls for the immediate renewal of the network’s franchise.

Thus the passage of the bills is earnestly sought,” Sotto said.

Sotto said there could be a better chance for an ABS-CBN franchise with new House Speaker- Lord Allan Velasco, and new officers.

"There could be a better chance. I noticed the TV stations have been replacing their news programs with Animes. It means competition is absent and mediocrity is creeping in because of the absence of a strong competitor like ABSCBN," Sotto said.

assurance that cases would be filed. Do not worry,” he said.

PAO chief Persida Acosta thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for his direct veto of an insertion in the P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021 by Senators Franklin Drilon and Sonny Angara disallowing the utilization of PAO’s budget for the salaries and compensation of personnel, travel allowance, meetings and maintenance and other operating expenses of PAO’s forensic laboratory.

In his Dec. 28 veto message, the President tagged Drilon and Angara’s unconstitutional insertion as “logrolling” or a give-and-take scheme among lawmakers.

Acosta said the two senators belonged to the ACRRA Law Office handling the Dengvaxia criminal suits against Sanofi.

Moreover, she said 100 civil suits would be filed against Garin and the other accused, including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and executives of Zuellig Pharma Inc., the distributor of the Dengvaxia vaccines, with the Quezon City family court.

Jack Ma?

CHINA'S fourth richest man, Jack Ma of Alibaba and Ant Group, hasn't been seen in public two months following Beijing's crackdown on his companies, Yahoo Finance reported on Sunday.

Last month, Chinese regulators launched an antitrust investigation into Alibaba, the country's biggest e-commerce company, sometimes referred to as "the Amazon of China." And in November, China introduced regulations that halted what would have been a massive initial public offering for Ant Group, Ma's fintech company, Yahoo Finance said.

The new rules came weeks after Ma criticized China's financial regulatory system at a conference in Shanghai.

Ma reportedly dismissed the global financial regulations used by China as "an old people's club" and said that "we can't use yesterday's methods to regulate the future," Yahoo Finance said.

The Alibaba founder also failed to appear as scheduled in the final episode of his own talent show, Africa’s Business Heroes, which gives budding African entrepreneurs the chance to compete for a slice of US $1.5 million.

Ma was supposed to be part of the judging, but was replaced by an Alibaba executive in the November final, UK’s Telegraph reported. His picture was also taken off the website.

An Alibaba spokesperson said Ma was unable to take part on the judging panel “due to a schedule conflict”, according to Financial Times.

Trump...

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recording of which was first obtained

by The Washington Post, Trump warns Raffensperger that he and his general counsel could face "a big risk" if they failed to pursue his request.

"The people of Georgia are angry, the people in the country are angry," Trump is heard saying on the tape, which was also aired by other media.

"And there's nothing wrong with saying, you know, um, that you've recalculated," the president says. "You're off by hundreds of thousands of votes."

Raffensperger is heard responding: "Well, Mr. President, the challenge that you have is, the data you have is wrong."

Biden won the traditionally conservative state by fewer than 12,000 votes—a margin unchanged after recounts and audits.

Even a hypothetical reversal there would not be enough to deprive Biden of victory.

Word of the recording came at an extraordinary juncture, two days before special runoff elections in Georgia that will decide control of the US Senate, and three days before Congress is to certify the results of the November 3 election.

That certification, normally routine, is now being challenged by scores of lawmakers at Trump's behest—though Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger urged them to reconsider in light of the tape.

"This is absolutely appalling. To every member of Congress considering objecting to the election results, you cannot— in light of this—do so with a clean conscience," he tweeted.

'Contempt for democracy' Ahead of the release of the audio, Trump tweeted about the call, saying that Raffensperger "was unwilling, or unable, to answer questions such as the 'ballots under table' scam, ballot destruction, out of state 'voters', dead voters, and more."

PAL...

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persons being investigated by the Makati City police in the death of Christine Angelica Dacera, 23.

Philippine National Police chief Director Debold Sinas said the case of Dacera was considered solved with the arrest and indictment of the three suspects.

Sinas said John Pascual Dela Serna III, 27; Rommel Daluro Galido, 29; and John Paul Reyes Halili, 25, were charged for the crime of rape with homicide during inquest proceedings at the Makati City Prosecutors Office Monday.

Sinas said nine other persons who were with the victim during her stay at the hotel were being hunted by the police.

They were identified as Gregorio Angelo de Guzman; Louie de Lima; Clark Jezreel Rapinan; Rey Englis; Mark Anthony Rosales; Jammyr Cunanan; Valentine Rosales; a certain Ed Madrid; and a certain Paul.

Police said the victim was found dead at the bathroom of an adjacen room of City Garden Hotel hours after celebrating New Year with her friends and acquaintances.

One of her friend/companions, Rommel Galida, initially told investigators that he thought Dacera was just sleeping when he found her at the bathroom around 10 a.m. He covered her with a blanket and returned to bed.

News

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A3

4 areas around Quiapo church for devotees

By Willie Casas

Nazareno printed shirts are always on display and available for sale along Carriedo St., Quiapo, Manila This year, the traditional Traslacion of the Black Nazarene will not push through as agreed upon the the Quiapo Church Administrators and the City of Manila to refrain mass gatherings that might aggravate the spread of the COVID19 virus.

DOJ panel indicts 9 Jolo policemen

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Department of Justice has indicted nine policemen for their alleged involvement in the killing of four Philippine Army soldiers in June in Jolo.

A panel of prosecutors has found probable cause to hold the nine policemen liable for four counts of murder in the killing of the four Army intelligence officers out on a mission to track down a suspected suicide bomber of the Abu Sayyaf.

The prosecutors also found sufficient evidence to charge the accused nine policemen with the violation of “The Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition

Regulation Act” for planting evidence.

Charged with four counts of murder were Police S/MS. Abdelzhimar Pajiri, M/S. Hanie Badirri, S/Sgts. Iskandar Susulan, Ernisar Sappal and Almudzrin Hadjaruddin, Cpl. Sulki Andaki and Patrolmen Muhammad Nur Pasani, Rajiv Putalan and Alkajal Mandangan.

The DOJ panel said the charge refers to the firearm purposely planted near the left

hand of one of the victims: Maj. Marvin Indammog, who was right handed.

“The qualitative test to determine the presence of gunpowder nitrates conducted (after the shooting incident) on the hands of Maj. Indammog yielded negative results. The foregoing indicates that respondents planted the firearm to cover up for the intentional killing of the victims,” the DOJ resolution says.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra directed Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento to immediately release the resolution of the panel, file the criminal information against the 9 policemen in court and to secure the arrest warrants against them.

“I understand that the accused police

officers have been dismissed from the service, so the court should immediately obtain jurisdiction over their person, lest they be able to flee,” Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

According to the panel, the killing of the army officers was attended by treachery since the victims were “unarmed, unsuspecting and were not in a position to defend themselves when they were shot.”

However, the DOJ panel dismissed the charge of neglect of duty under the doctrine of command responsibility under Executive Order 226 against PCol. Michael Bawayan, Jr., P/Maj. Walter Annayo and P/Cpt. Ariel Corcino, the superiors of the nine Jolo policemen.

Crime volume drops 39.59% THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday reported a decrease of 39.59 percent in the total eight focus crimes for the year 2020 compared to 2019 mainly due to the implementation of the community quarantine across the country amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Maj. Gen. Marni Marcos, Director of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), said the national Total Crime Volume dropped by 39.51 percent -- from 68,214 cases in 2019 to 41,269 cases in 2020.

“The total crime volume for 2020 is significantly lower than that of the previous year,” Marcos told reporters in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Monday.

The eight focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft, vehicle theft, motorcycle theft, and rape.

The downtrend in the crime volume for the succeeding months can be attributed as people adapted to the new normal and observed quarantine-related protocols, Marcos said.

Meanwhile, on eight focus crimes, theft has the largest decrease by almost 50 percent, he added.

GSIS subsidy set for 5k college kids THE Government Service Insurance System is subsidizing the college education of 5,025 of its members’ kin for School Year 2020-2021 under the GSIS Educational Subsidy Program.

The grantees were selected from 5,427 nominees. Priority was given to children of GSIS members with the lowest annual basic salary.

The grantees will be notified via email and text message. The list will be uploaded to the GSIS website at www.gsis.gov.ph.

GSIS will give a Php10,000 yearly financial assistance to the grantees to augment their educational fund. They will continue to receive the subsidy until they finish their college course provided they meet the 80 percent general weighted average with no failing grade or incomplete mark in any subject in the previous semester or term of the academic year.

The GESP allowance will be deposited to the bank account of the grantees at the Land Bank of the Philippines.

GSIS opened GESP from March to September 2020 to accommodate as many active members as possible considering the movement restrictions of the nationwide community quarantine.

Thousand people returning back from the province after a long holiday season must need to take free rapid test in Quirino Grandstand Manila according to DOH after a new detect Sars-Covi 2 mutation.

THE Manila City government will designate four areas to accommodate the devotees who will be attending mass in Quiapo Church on the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9.

Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso told GMA News’ Unang Balita on Monday he allowed the opening of the areas in consideration of the complaint of the church in its gatherings amid the pandemic.

“Doon naman sa dadako sa ating area sa Quiapo, we will make Villalobos, Carriedo, Hidalgo and Plaza Miranda available sa excess sa loob ng simbahan kasi may maximum requirement,” Domagoso said.

Domagoso also said the Manila government had provided face shields and face masks to Quiapo Church that will be distributed to the devotees inside the church during the feast.

On Sunday, Quiapo Church spokesman Fr. Douglas Badong said the celebration of the feast will exclude traditional activities such as the procession and salubong or pahalik to avoid COVID-19 transmission.

Aside from this, devotees were told to attend mass in their own parishes instead of coming all the way to Quiapo Church.

Badong said the church asked the Manila government to close off certain roads along the southern part of Quezon Boulevard to make way for the devotees.

Millions of devotees are expected to arrive at Quiapo Church during the traslacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene.

Purok Biyaya now on Maynilad line

By Rio N. Araja WEST zone Maynilad Water Services Inc. said Monday it had recently connected Purok Biyaya in Barangay 167, Caloocan City, to its water network, giving some 141 urban poor families access to safe and affordable water.

For almost 24 years, Purok Biyaya residents relied on expensive deliveries of deep-well water from private water truck operators since the issues of land ownership and right-of-way clearance prevented Maynilad from connecting their community to its network.

The families in Purok Biyaya typically consumed around 48 drums per month or 10 cubic meters, tantamount to an expenditure of P1,920 a month just to have water for their household needs.

Now that they have a Maynilad connection, their monthly spending for potable water has dropped to only P130 for the same volume of water.

The residents of Purok Biyaya thanked Maynilad the huge blessing to their community.

The water firm continuously seeks to extend services to urban poor households within its concession area.

“Everyone has the right to enjoy safe water supply at affordable rates. This is why we strive to connect these poor communities which, ironically, are spending more for water than those in affluent areas,” Maynilad president and chief executive amoncito Fernandez said.

DFA: Total 327k Pinoys repatriated in 2020, 51k in December

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday it repatriated 327,511 Filipinos abroad last year.

In a statement, the department said 231,537 or 70.7 percent of them were landbased coming from around 90 countries.

Some 95,974 or 29.3 percent were

seafarers from about 150 cruise ships, oil tankers and other bulk vessels.

The majority of the repatriates came from the Middle East with at least 228,893 or 69.89 percent followed by the repatriates from Asia and the Pacific with 36,868 or 11.26 percent.

Some 30,971 or 9.46 percent were brought home from the Americas, 28,909

or 8.83 percent from Europe and 1,870 or 0.57 percent from Africa.

The department the highest monthly total of repatriated overseas Filipinos was recorded in December at 51,770 amid the cancellation of flights due to the new COVID-19 variant.

“Sweeper flights were also organized to bring home distressed Filipinos from

Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE in time for the holiday season,” the department said.

The Philippine government started repatriating distressed Filipinos abroad in February when the DFA facilitated their return from Wuhan in China, the reported epicenter of the virus, who were stranded in the area during the pandemic.

PAL resumes Riyadh, Dammam flights

By Joel E. Zurbano

BACK TO WORK. A construction worker performs an on-site task at an MRT-7 post The construction of the 22-kilometer MRT-7 from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan with 14 stations is expected to be finished by 2022. PNA

PHILIPPINE Airlines on Monday resumed its commercial flight operations to and from Riyadh and Dammam after Saudi Arabia lifted its suspension of international flights.

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the KSA required a non-Saudi citizen coming from countries affected by the new COVID-19 variant to spend no less than 14 days outside the country where they came from before entering Saudi Arabia.

She said upon arrival, travelers must submit a negative reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result from an accredited laboratory in their home-countries.

Villaluna said the tests must have been carried out not later than 72 hours before

departure for Saudi Arabia.

The RT-PCR test is limited to non-Saudi citizens more than eight years of age. A seven-day home quarantine must be carried out by non-Saudis after their arrival in KSA. The travel of Saudi nationals and those allowed to enter for humanitarian and urgent cases from any of the flagged countries are exempted from the requirements. However, they are required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine.

All other passengers originating from non-flagged countries must present on arrival in KSA a negative RT-PCR test carried out not later than 72 hours before departure for Saudi Arabia. The RT-PCR test is limited to non-Saudis more than 8 years of age. A 7-day home quarantine follows.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

A4

TUESDAY, JANUIARY 5, 2021 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Bicol Region remembers ‘15 Martires’ LOCAL officials of Naga City and other city and municipal governments in the Bicol region recently commemorated in simple rites the 124th anniversary of the martyrdom of 15 patriots, collectively known as “Quince Martires”.

Falsely accused of plotting to kill Spanish officials in the region, they were hastily tried and sentenced by a military court on Dec. 29, 1896 with death, imprisonment and exile.

Composed of prominent ilustrados, 11 of them were executed at Bagumbayan on Jan. 4, 1897, two died in prison, while the other 2 died while on exile.

Aimed at stopping the spread of the Philippine Revolution in the Bicolandia, the execution instead further fanned the flames of the uprising in the region.

The 15 martyrs are priests Inocencio Herrera, Gabriel Prieto and Severino Diaz, Manuel Abella, Domingo Abella, Camilo Jacob, Florendo Lerma, Macario Valentin, Mariano Melgarejo and Cornelio Mercado.

Their remains were buried at a common grave which were never identified.

Those who died in prison were Leon Hernandez and Mariano Ordenanza, while those who died in exile were Mariano Araña and Ramon Abella.

Their martyrdom are immortalized at Plaza Quince Martires in the heart of Naga City, which was formally dedicated on November 30, 1923. Text and photos by Bernard Supetran

BICOL’S MARTYRS. The 15 martyrs are priests Inocencio Herrera, Gabriel Prieto and Severino Diaz, Manuel Abella, Domingo Abella, Camilo Jacob, Florendo Lerma, Macario Valentin, Mariano Melgarejo and Cornelio Mercado. Their remains were buried at a common grave which were never identified. Bernard Supetran

Makati sets P1-b vaccine budget T

By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Makati City government will be spending P1 billion to buy COVID-19 vaccines for its residents.

City officials led by Mayor Abigail Binay are coordinating with vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. and members of the InterAgency Task Force (IATF) to finalize details of the purchase and mass vaccination.

“This is our number one priority for 2021. I want each and every Makatizen to receive both doses of the coronavirus vaccine for free to protect them and their families against the virus,” said Binay.

“We’ve seen the damage it can do both

to human lives and our economy. After everything we’ve lost this year, we will do whatever it takes to protect our residents, employees, and our business community,” she added.

Binay said she will ask the City Council to pass a supplemental budget as soon as the city gets the go ahead from the IATF. “We will exhaust all means to get the much-needed vaccines early and have all Makatizens vaccinated. The city will

also assist companies and businesses that would like to buy vaccines for their employees and workers. We are aiming for 100 percent vaccination in Makati,” she said.

The city chief executive said that preparations for online registration are underway to ensure safe and convenient access of residents to free vaccination against the deadly coronavirus disease.

Last month, the local government inoculated the last batch of residents to be vaccinated in its flu vaccination program aim to prevent hospitalizations and reduce complications of COVID-19.

The trivalent flu shots cover three influenza strains, namely, influenza A or H1N1, influenza A or H3N2, and influenza B.

Aside from flu shots, residents and City Hall employees have also received free vaccination shots against pneumonia.

The local government also conducts house-to-house distribution of free vitamins to senior citizens, and also provides the said benefit to personnel who have been reporting for duty since the enhanced community quarantine.

Mayor Binay reiterated her reminders to her constituents to wash their hands regularly with clean soap and water, wear face masks and face shields, avoid crowded places, observe coughing and sneezing etiquette, maintain a distance of at least one meter from other people, and avoid touching surfaces during the holiday season to curb the spread of COVID-19.

QC starts online tax payment portal

By Rio N. Araja AMID the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Quezon City government continues to offer convenient tax payment options.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said with the limited means of travel due to the general community quarantine, the city’s taxpayers can now settle their dues in the comfort of their homes with its online platform QC E-Services.

She reminded taxpayers to maximize the online portal as the tax deadline approaches, and if they wish to avail of the discounts given to early payers.

Launched in October, the portal is meant to provide convenience in settling tax payments and in the application and renewal of business permits among others, she said.

“We urge our citizens to use our QC

BACK TO WORK. On the first Monday of the year, Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan met with all the heads of the departments and offices of the City Government. One of the priorities discussed at the meeting was the budget and process for getting vaccinated against Covid-19. Mayor Oca earlier assured the people of Caloocan that he will ensure that everyone is given a free vaccine. Also discussed at the meeting the updates on the distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) and other current and readymade City Government projects for this year. Jun David

Biz permit renewal unwraps in Manila THE Bureau of Permits and License Division announced on Monday that the 2021 renewal of business permits and payment of business taxes and other regulatory fees will be held at SM City Manila, on January 4 to 20, 2021.

Business Taxpayers may proceed at the 4th floor, Cinema 7-12 area in order to process the renewal of their permits from Monday to Saturday at 8am.

The following are the basic requirements needed for renewal: 1. Renewal form (available at the business permit renewal area) 2. Latest business permit 3. Official receipt from last year’s payment 4. Business license (photocopy) 5. Barangay Certificate 6. Original Barangay Clearance 7. VAT Returns 2020 (Quarterly/ Monthly) Bureau of Permits Director Levi Facundo said that taxpayers may also renew their business permits online through the GO MANILA APP. Facundo noted that renewal forms were made available in the said application and that the public may submit all the requirements online.

He likewise said that business owners wanting to get a business permit may also secure a permit during the said dates. Willie Casas

E-services to transact with the city. This way, they are saved from the hassle of physically going to the city hall and from the possible risk of being exposed to the coronavirus disease,” Belmonte said.

Edgar Villanueva, city treasurer, advised individuals who wish to pay their real property tax to visit the QC E-services page (https://qceservices.quezoncity.gov.ph/) and create a user account to initiate the process.

As for individuals who will pay business tax, Villanueva said they may download and fill out the tax declaration form from the official city website: (https://quezoncity.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ Tax-Declaration-Form-2021.pdf).

Once accomplished, the form should then be submitted to the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) via email at cto@quezoncity.gov.ph.

Cops nab robbery suspect, rookie shoots wrong man

By Jess Malabanan

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Police arrested the alleged suspect in the Jan 3 robbery break-in at a computer shop during a hot pursuit along Sitio Matuang Dalan, Barangay San Matias, Sta. Rita, Pampanga.

While hot on trail of the suspect, a rookie cop shot dead a man who was mistakenly identified as the suspect in the robbery break-in.

The victim was identified as Federico Pineda Jr., of Zone 6, Bgy. San Matias. He succumbed to lone gunshot in his back while enroute to nearby hospital.

Pineda was on his way to visit his relatives after hosting a birthday party for his daughter. The victim fell at the doorstep of his cousin’s house where he cried for help. He expired moments later.

Patrolman Efraim Ramirez surrendered to his superior and was disarmed

moments later. He was placed under investigation while under detention.

Meanwhile, policemen arrested the real suspect in the computer shop robbery breakin. He was identified as Joven Basera.

Police recovered P6,000.00 taken by the suspect from the Peso Net shop owned by spouse Rafael Ang Garcia and Carolina, who both suffered deep cuts after being hit by an empty bottle to the head.

The Garcia couple are recuperating at

a hospital in nearby Porac town, stated in the police report.

Police Colonel Arnold Thomas Ibay, director of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office (PPO), said administrative and criminal charges are being readied againt Ramirez.

“A summary dismissal proceedings have been readied for the administrative case of Ramirez while the criminal aspect will be filed in court,” said Ibay.

Bataan begins swine-raising project BALANGA CITY, Bataan—Board Member Benjie Serrano said the province in a tie up with the Department of Agriculture (DA) will start swine-raising project to benefit local pig raisers.

“We have conducted series of meetings with Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Alberto Venturing and other concerned officers, and the project will now push through”, he said.

Serrano is the Chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Agriculture.

“The Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by our Presiding Officer Vice Gov. Cris Garcia already adopted a resolution authorizing Gov. Albert Garcia to enter into an agreement with the Department of Agriculture for the project”, he also said.

“We ensure that the project will push through since we want to help our constituents in sync with the thrust Gov. Garcia”, Serrano said.

Venturina said the “Bataan Swine Multiplier and Technodemo Farm Project” is a joint undertaking among DA, Agricultural Training Institute-International Training Center on Pig Husbandry, and the provincial government of Bataan.

He said a one-building swine demo farm will constructed in the province.

He also said top-breed swine will be distributed to qualified beneficiaries in the province.

Beneficiaries will be required onetime return of swine offspring as their obligation to the project. The project has P10 million funding. Butch Gunio

CLARK CARES, PANDA SHARES. A partnership between the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and Food Panda Philippines Inc. (FPPI) will give hope to 77 displaced workers of Clark and their families in the new year. (CDC-CD Photo)

B2

World

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Britain faces first true test of ‘Brexit’

B

RITAIN faced the first true test of its Brexit preparations on Monday, with thousands of lorries expected to make the Channel crossing for the first time since the country left the EU’s single market and customs union.

Britain left the EU’s institutions late Thursday, but light holiday season traffic has meant little work for border officials implementing new customs checks.

However, the government expects thousands of lorries to make the crossing on Monday, bringing goods to and from the continent and testing its plans to keep traffic flowing around key ports such as Dover.

The government, which has employed 1,000 new border officials, is phasing in the new customs checks, with full import control checks for all goods not to be implemented until July.

But it is concerned that truckers will turn up at Dover without the proper paperwork, causing delays at the port itself and blocking surrounding roads if they are turned away.

While it believes most large businesses are ready for the new rules, the government is worried that around 50 percent of medium and small firms have not carried out the measures now needed to export goods to Europe.

In its reasonable worst-case scenario, over half of trucks turning up to Dover

may not be ready for travel, leading to queues of 7,000 lorries that will be directed towards a disused local airfield.

Bitter wrangling That could lead to a return to the chaotic scenes witnessed before Christmas, when thousands of trucks were marooned in Britain after France closed the border to all traffic due to surging coronavirus cases.

The lorries ended up being stuck for days at the Manston airfield while the drivers were all tested for the virus.

France still requires a negative test for drivers crossing the Channel, adding an extra layer of complexity for officials trying to keep traffic flowing.

The Department for Transport announced on Saturday the creation of 10 new testing sites, with 10 more opening on Sunday.

In a bid to prevent lorries arriving at Dover unprepared, truckers heading across the Channel are required to obtain temporary permits to allow them to drive on the roads of Kent, the county in which the port is situated. AFP

Manila

SCN FORM NO. 1 Standard (R.A. NO. 9139)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF SHERYL CHUA SO to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139.

SCN CASE NO. x------------------ ------- x

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is SHERYL CHUA SO, but I have also been known since childhood as SHERYL or I have been judicially N/A . authorized to use the alias name(s) 2. My present place of residence is Unit 2135 Cityland Pasong Tamo Tower Inc., 2210 Don Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City/Municipality of Makati Province of Metro Manila , and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence) __2007-2017 Dian Street, Makati City___________ __childhood-2007 Tondo, Manila______________ 3. I was born on May 2, 1981 in Lucena, Quezon Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of Taiwan.

4. My father's name is Yuen Chek Ang So and he was born on March 21, 1950, in China. He is a citizen or subject of China. My mother's name is Rosita Yu Chua and she was born on Sept. 5, 1954 in Philippines. She is a citizen or subject of Taiwan.

5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is Analyst / MIS Officer and from which I derive an average annual income of P760,000.00, inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from which she derives an average annual income of N/A (Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained: BS Commerce in Computer Data Management, (2) name of school: Chiang Kai Shek College and (3) years graduated: 2003 who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship.

6. My civil status is Single, I was married on N/A My wife's/ husband's name is N/A and she/he was born on N/A. She/ he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently resides N/A 7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A. 8. I have no child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

N/A

Date of Birth N/A

Place of Birth N/A

Residence

Chiang Kai Shek College

Place of School Tondo, Manila

Dates of Study 1999-2003

Highest Grade Completed College Graduate

Chiang Kai Shek College

Tondo, Manila

1994-1999

Chiang Kai Shek College

Tondo, Manila

1988-1994

Chiang Kai Shek College

Tondo, Manila

1986-1988

High School Graduate Elementary Graduate Kindergarden

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines:English.

11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of Child N/A

Name and Place of School N/A

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to Taiwan of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

14. My character witnesses are Hershey Go Lim and Gina Louisse Lastimosa both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at 724 Bulacan St., Tondo, Manila and 1586 Benitez St., Malate, Manila respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box): [ ] a. Petitioner's birth certificate [ ] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR) [ ] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence (NBCR) [ ] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married [ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed [ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact [ ] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children [ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties [ ] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence [ ] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease. [ ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines [ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality [ ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years [ ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the past three years

Date of Enrollment N/A

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

100 people killed by terrorists in two villages in western Niger “TERRORISTS” killed around 100 people in two villages in western Niger, the latest in a string of civilian massacres that have rocked the jihadist-plagued Tillaberi region, a local mayor said Sunday.

The attacks on the villages of Tchoma Bangou and Zaroumadareye occurred Saturday just as first-round presidential results were announced.

They were waged by “terrorists who came riding about 100 motorcycles,” said Almou Hassane, the mayor of the Tondikiwindi commune that administers both villages.

“There were up to 70 dead in Tchoma Bangou and 30 dead in Zaroumadareye,” he told AFP, adding he had just returned from the scene of the attacks.

The two villages are 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of the capital Niamey.

“There have also been 75 wound-

ed, some of whom have been evacuated to Niamey and to Ouallam for treatment,” Hassane said.

The attackers split into two columns to carry out simultaneous attacks on the two villages, which lie seven kilometres (four miles) apart, the mayor added.

Prime Minister Brigi Rafini led a delegation to the area on Sunday, while President Mahamadou Issoufou will hold an extraordinary security council on Monday, the presidency’s office said.

Local elected officials first reported the raids on Saturday, but the death toll was unclear, with one source putting it at around 50.

Issoufou Issaka, a former government minister who comes from the region, said the jihadists carried out the double massacre after local people had lynched two of their number. He gave an estimated death toll of 83. AFP

16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139.

Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this 29 th day of September, 2020.

N/A

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of School

the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the UK and the EU, the Brexit trade deal, at 10 Downing Street in central London. The former London mayor was a figurehead in the official Leave campaign, urging Britain to “take back control” from Brussels, where he was once an EU-bashing political correspondent. Boris Johnson was then made foreign secretary by Theresa May, but his two-year stint ended when he resigned over her Brexit strategy. Johnson retained a high profile, using his weekly column in The Daily Telegraph to attack her approach, and was well-placed to take advantage when May eventually stood down. Scoring a thumping majority in 2019’s general election he went on to secure a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU but his promises of a trans-Atlantic pact by the end of the year fell by the wayside. AFP

violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

TODAY

Name

THUMBS UP. In this file photo taken on December 30, 2020 Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a double thumbs up after signing

SHERYL SO Name and Signature of Petitioner Address: Unit 2135 Cityland Pasong Tamo Tower Inc., 2210 Don Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, Makati City Telephone Number: +639497751937

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF MAKATI) S.S. I, SHERYL CHUA SO of legal age and a resident of Unit 2135 Cityland Pasong Tamo Tower Inc., 2210 Don Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, Makati City after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

SHERYL CHUA SO Name and Signature of Petitioner SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at MAKATI CITY, CITY this 29 SEPT 2020.

(MS-DEC. 29, 2020/ JAN. 5 & 12,2021 2020)

BAIL HEARING. Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai (center) arrives at the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong on December 31, 2020, to face the prosecution’s appeal against his bail after he was charged with the new national security law. AFP

US blames Taliban for spate Of assassinations in Aghanistan THE US military on Monday blamed the Taliban for a spate of assassinations of prominent Afghans, the first time Washington has directly accused the insurgent group of the killings.

The charge comes as the Afghan government and Taliban are due Tuesday to resume peace talks in Qatar, as both sides seek an end to the long-running conflict.

“The Taliban’s campaign of unclaimed attacks and targeted killings of government officials, civil society leaders & journalists must... cease for peace to succeed,” Colonel Sonny Leggett, spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, said on Twitter.

The deputy governor of Kabul province, five journalists, and a prominent election activist have been among those assassinated since November.

Afghan officials blame the Taliban for the killings, but the hardline

group has denied the charge, while the rival Islamic State group says its fighters were responsible for some of them.

Leggett’s statement comes as the Taliban accused US forces of carrying out air strikes against insurgents in Kandahar, Nangarhar and Helmand provinces in recent days.

The Taliban said the strikes violated an agreement signed in February that paved the way for the withdrawal of all foreign forces by May 2021.

Leggett said the US would continue to defend Afghan forces against Taliban attacks.

Violence has surged across Afghanistan, with the Taliban and government forces fighting daily across swathes of rural areas.

The Taliban carried out more than 18,000 attacks in 2020, Afghanistan’s spy chief Ahmad Zia Siraj told lawmakers Monday. AFP

IN BRIEF 15 bus passengers killed in road ambush in Syria GUNMEN killed at least 15 people in Syria, mostly government soldiers travelling on a bus in the second such road ambush in recent days, a war monitor said Monday.

The ambush late Sunday resulted in the deaths of eight soldiers, four allied fighters and three civilians, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, updating an earlier toll.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the monitor said the Islamic State group was to blame.

Another 15 people were wounded, with cars and fuel tankers also attacked, in the Wadi al-Azib area of Hama province.

Syria’s official news agency SANA said the “terrorist attack” killed nine people, all civilians.

Last week, the IS group said it ambushed a bus on December 30 in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor province, killing at least 37 soldiers.

The extremist group overran large parts of Syria and Iraq and proclaimed a cross-border “caliphate” there in 2014, before multiple offensives in the two countries led to its territorial defeat. AFP

Wikileaks founder Assange faces UK court ruling for extradition WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange faces a UK court ruling on Monday over whether he should be extradited to the United States on espionage charges for publishing hundreds of thousands of secret documents online.

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser is due to give her decision at the Old Bailey court in central London from 1000 GMT, in a case that has become a cause celebre for media freedom.

Assange, 49, faces 18 charges in the United States relating to the 2010 release

by WikiLeaks of 500,000 secret files detailing aspects of military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The extradition hearing follows over a decade of international legal controversies surrounding the Australian publisher.

Monday’s court decision is subject to appeal, meaning legal proceedings in the country could still continue before any possible extradition.

If convicted in the United States, Assange could be jailed for up to 175 years.

Before the ruling, both Germany and a UN rights expert expressed concern over the human rights and humanitarian problems presented by the extradition. AFP

Seventh body uncovered From landslide in Norway RESCUE workers have uncovered a seventh body from a landslide that buried homes in a village near Norway’s capital, police said Sunday, with a two-year-old girl and her father among the dead.

The tragedy occurred early on Wednesday when houses were destroyed and shifted hundreds of meters under a torrent of mud in the village of Ask, 25 kilometer (15 miles) northeast of Oslo.

Police spokesman Bjorn Christian Willersrud told journalists they hoped to find more survivors in the landslide zone.

“It is still a rescue operation until we decide otherwise,” he said.

Earlier Sunday, the head of the rescue operation, Goran Syversen, told reporters: “We are working hard in the depression created by the landslide.

“We have five teams working at the same time. They are doing very difficult work which is not without risk. Nevertheless, we are making good progress.”

Police said the latest body was found near where two others had been recovered, but gave no further details. The teams, backed up by sniffer dogs, helicopters and drones, have now found three bodies on Sunday, one on Saturday and three on Friday. AFP

Manila

Standard

Business

Market climbs in 1 trading day; MerryMart, Dito surge st

PSEi January 4, 2020

TOP GAINERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

MM APL

7.99 0.163

1.81 0.035

29.29% 27.34%

3 4

ACEX PHA

14.02 1.32

2.52 0.22

21.91% 20.00%

5 6

DITO TECB2

13.02 0.78

2.12 0.11

19.45% 16.42%

7 8

LCB LC

0.18 0.183

0.024 0.023

15.38% 14.38%

9

ACEN

10.2

1.2

13.33%

10

TFC

47.5

5.35

12.69%

TOP LOSERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

IPM PHES ROX MACAY FEU OPM CHI FPI BCOR

LAST PRICE 7 0.385 1.64 8.03 581.5 0.012 5.48 0.21 5.6

10

PRMX

1.4

% CHANGE CHANGE -0.95 -11.95% -0.04 -9.41% -0.17 -9.39% -0.83 -9.37% -48.5 -7.70% -0.001 -7.69% -0.42 -7.12% -0.015 -6.67% -0.4 -6.67% -0.1

-6.67%

MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

DITO MM ACEN SMPH BDO PHA APL RLC TEL

VOLUME 129,105,000 127,127,800 67,713,900 12,522,700 4,355,110 328,062,000 2,648,830,000 14,959,600 183,700

10

MBT

5,111,800

VALUE (PHP) 1,573,406,628.00 930,194,819.00 664,761,639.00 495,011,890.00 460,975,189.00 411,018,870.00 389,256,010.00 313,328,825.00 252,948,565.00 246,009,550.00

HE stock market rose Monday in the first trading day of 2021 on optimism about the economic outlook in 2021 and the rollout of vaccines in the Philippines.

T

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index climbed 57.79 points, or 0.8 percent, to 7,197.50 on a value turnover of P10 billion. Gainers edged losers, 124 to 121, with 36 issues unchanged.

MerryMart Consumer Corp. jumped 29.3 percent to P7.99, while Dito CME Holdings Corp., the third major mobile phone company, surged 19.4 percent to P13.02.

Major property developer Ayala Land Inc. advanced 2.7 percent to P42, while Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, added 2.4 percent to P4.18.

Optimism about the economic outlook in 2021, meanwhile, helped Asian investors kick off the new year on a positive note Monday, as hopes surrounding the rollout of coronavirus vaccines offset a frightening surge in infections.

With uncertainty over Brexit and a new US stimulus gone, sights are now on the economic recovery from the calamity that was 2020, with a broad expectation that countries will enjoy strong rebounds as life gets back to some semblance of normal.

Vast amounts of government and central bank cash have been a crucial driver of a global rally in equities from their March troughs, and analysts expect loose monetary policies—particularly at the Federal Reserve—to stay in place for the foreseeable future.

“Stock markets are headed higher and they are headed higher without the old traditional valuation techniques” as long as the Fed “keeps the liquidity bubble going,” David Kotok, at Cumberland Advisors, told Bloomberg TV. However, while the consensus is for a strong performance for markets this year, he did warn that the first quarter will likely be tough as vaccinations are administered but the virus continues to spread.

Seoul rallied 2.5 percent following strong export data, while Sydney put on more than one percent as there were signs a spike in new infections in the city was being brought under control.

Hong Kong rose, though China Mobile Communications, China Telecommunications Corp and China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited all dipped more than three percent after they were delisted in New York to comply with an order by Donald Trump barring investment in firms with ties to the Chinese military.

State-owned oil giants CNOOC and Petrochina were also hit on speculation they could be next in line.

Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Mumbai and Jakarta also began the year on a positive note.

But Tokyo fell as investors fretted over reports that Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was considering issuing a regional state of emergency for the capital and surrounding areas as new virus cases soar.

Still, Rakuten Securities said the Nikkei could hit 30,000 by September as people are vaccinated.

The broad gains in Asia came after the Dow and S&P 500 finished at fresh records on Wall Street.

“COVID cases and vaccine distribution will remain the key focus for investors for now. The political forces that influenced markets late in 2020 have almost faded as the US election and Brexit have passed,” said Kerry Craig at JP Morgan Asset Management. With AFP

B3

TODAY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Department Administrative Order No. 20-11 Series of 2020 IN THE MATTER OF THE PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF THE SAFEGUARD MEASURES CASE ON THE IMPORTATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES (AHTN Codes 8703 (Passenger Cars), 8704.21.19 and 8704.21.29 (Light Commercial Vehicles) (Safeguard Measures Case No. SG01-2020) x----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------x

ORDER The Philippine Metalworkers’ Alliance (PMA), belonging to the motor vehicle industry filed a petition for safeguard measures on the importation of motor vehicles under AHTN Codes 8703 (passenger cars/vehicles), 8704.21.19 and 8704.21.29 (light commercial vehicles) from various countries.

The period of investigation covered imports from 2014 to 2018. Updated data for 2019 were also presented. For injury determination, the Department considered relevant information for the same period.

The Department, acting under Section 7 of RA 8800, the “Safeguard Measures Act” and on the basis of the submissions of interested parties and pieces of evidence made available to the Department, has established the existence of a causal link between the increased imports of the products under consideration and serious injury to the domestic industry.

Further, pursuant to Section 8 of RA 8800 which provides that “in critical circumstances where a delay would cause damage which would be difficult to repair, and pursuant to a preliminary determination that increased imports are the substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry”, a provisional safeguard measure in the form of a cash bond amounting to P70,000/unit for passenger cars/vehicles under AHTN Code 8703 and P110,000/unit for light commercial vehicles under AHTN Codes 8704.21.19 and 8704.21.29, shall be imposed while the case is under formal investigation by the Tariff Commission for a period of 200 days from the date of issuance by the Bureau of Customs of an Order.

Imported passenger cars/vehicles that are described as completely knocked -down (CKD), semi knocked-down (SKD), and used vehicles are excluded from the investigation. Also excluded are special purpose vehicles such as ambulance, hearse, electric motor vehicles, and luxury cars that have high-end features that go above and beyond the average necessities amounting to more than US$25,000 based on FOB price.

Likewise, imported light commercial vehicles that are described as completely knocked-down (CKD), semi knocked-down (SKD), and used vehicles are excluded from the investigation. Also excluded are special purpose vehicles such as ambulance, hearse, e-motor vehicles, and luxury cars that have high-end features that go above and beyond the average necessities amounting to more than US$28,000 based on FOB price.

Imports originating from developing countries listed in Annexes “A and “B” covered by Rule 8.8 of the IRR of RA 8800 shall not be subject to the provisional safeguard measure.

Importers of passenger cars/vehicles and light motor vehicles from a country that is exempt from the safeguard duty shall submit a Certificate of Origin (CO) issued by the authorized agency/office in the source country of manufacture, subject to affixation of “Apostille” to the document or authentication by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate General, as applicable.

Moreover, Rule 5.2 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 8800 provides that “the Secretary when establishing that the application of a safeguard measure will be in the public interest shall take into consideration the following factors; among others: x x x (ii) the extent to which such imposition will cause a shortage of a product under consideration in the domestic market”.

It must be noted that buyers of motor vehicles retain their option to choose between the local and imported motor vehicles since imports will still be allowed. The imposition of a safeguard measure is not expected to cause a shortage of motor vehicles in the domestic market.

It will provide a level playing field to enable the domestic industry to compete with imports. This will allow the expansion of the country’s manufacturing base and generate more jobs for Filipinos. For these reasons, the Department has determined that it is in the public interest to impose the provisional safeguard measure.

WHEREFORE, IN VIEW THEREOF, the case records will be transmitted to the Tariff Commission for a formal investigation to determine whether or not there is a need to impose a definitive safeguard measure.

The non-confidential report of the preliminary safeguard measures investigation can be accessed at the DTI website: https://bit.ly/prelimmotor-vehicles The notification and consultation requirements under Article 12 of the WTO Safeguards Agreement and Section 17 of RA 8800 and its IRR shall be complied with. Imports originating from ASEAN member states shall be governed by the provisions of Articles 11 and 23 of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA).

Let this Order be published in two (2) newspapers of general circulation and let individual notices be sent to all interested parties including the country members concerned.

This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication or from the date of the issuance of relevant BOC-CMO, whichever comes earlier.

SO ORDERED. 29 December 2020

RAMON M. LOPEZ Secretary

ANNEX A List of Developing Countries and Separate Customs Territories Excluded from the Imposition of Provisional Safeguard Measure on Passenger Cars/Vehicles East & Southern Africa Angola Botswana Burundi Comoros Congo. Dem. Rep. Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Reunion Rwanda Seychelles Somalia South Africa Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Europe & Central Asia Albania Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Bosnia & Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Georgia Greenland Hungary Kazakhstan Kyrgyz Republic Latvia Lithuania Macedonia, FYR Malta Moldova Poland Romania Russian Federation Slovakia Slovenia Tajikistan Turkey Turkmenistan Ukraine Uzbekistan Yugoslavia, Fed. Rep.

West Africa Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Rep. Chad Congo, Rep. Cote d’ Ivoire Equatorial Guinea Gabon Gambia, The Ghana Guinea Guinea, Bissau Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Sao Tome & Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Togo

Middle East Bahrain Iran, Islamic Rep. Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudia Arabia Syrian Arab Rep. United Arab Emirates West Bank & Gaza Yemen, Rep.

Singapore posts worst economic contraction—data SINGAPORE—Singapore’s economy suffered its worst ever annual contraction in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic hammered the city-state’s vital trade and tourism sectors, official data showed Monday.

But the 5.8 percent decline was not as bad as feared—official forecasts had predicted a fall of up to 6.5 percent— as economic activity picked up with the easing of curbs.

The financial hub plunged into its first recession since the 2008 global financial crisis in the second quarter when the government closed most workplaces as part of drastic measures to contain infections.

One of the world’s most open economies, Singapore is seen as a bellwether for the health of global trade, and its economy’s dramatic deterioration rang alarm bells.

But curbs were eased in the second half of the year and key sectors of the economy, such as manufacturing, have begun to recover.

In the fourth quarter, the economy shrank 3.8 percent year-on-year, less than expected, according to preliminary growth data released by the trade ministry.

Song Seng Wun, a regional economist with CIMB Private Banking, told AFP the contraction was not as bad as feared due to strong exports of some goods.

Song said he expects a “rebound of around six percent” this year.

“We are seeing businesses continuing to benefit from the further easing of restrictions and stronger global demand for (microchips) and medicines,” he said.

Singapore’s small economy is typically hit first by external shocks before ripples spread across the region.

However, it usually also recovers quickly from any downturn. AFP

North Africa Algeria Egypt, Arab Rep. Libya Morocco Tunisia

Americas Anguilla Antigua & Barbuda Argentina Aruba Bahamas Barbados Belize Bermuda Bolivia Brazil British Virgin Is. Cayman Is. Chile Columbia Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Rep. Ecuador El Salvador Falkland Is. (Malvinas) French Guiana Grenada Guadeloupe Guatamela Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique Mexico Montserrat Netherland Antilles Nicaragua Norfolk Is. Panama Paraguay Peru Puerto Rico St. Helena St. Kitts & Navis St. Lucia St. Pierre & Miquelon St. Vincent & the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Is. Uruguay US Virgin Is. Venezuela

South Asia Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan British Indian Ocean Territory East Timor India Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka

East Asia & Pacific American Samoa Brunei Darussalam Cambodia Chinese Taipei Christmas Is. Cocos (Keeling) Is. Cook Is. Fiji French Polynesia Guam Hong Kong, China Johnston Is. Kiribati Korea, Dem. Rep. Lao PDR Macau, China Malaysia Marshall Islands Micronesia, Fed. Sts. Midway Is. Mongolia Myanmar Nauru New Caledonia Niue Northern Marianas Is. Palau Papua New Guinea Pitcairn Is. Samoa Singapore Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Viet Nam Wake Is. Wallis & Futuna Is.

ANNEX B List of Developing Countries and Separate Customs Territories Excluded from the Imposition of Provisional Safeguard Measure on Light Commercial Vehicles

South Korean financial officers attend a ceremony marking the opening of the stock market at the Korea Exchange in Seoul on January 4, 2021, on the first trading day of the new year. AFP

Peugeot, Fiat shareholders to clear merger to form 4th biggest auto firm PARIS, France—The shareholders of France’s PSA and US-Italian rival Fiat Chrysler are expected to approve their merger on Monday, creating the world’s fourth-biggest automaker by volume, Stellantis.

The outcome of the vote by PSA and Fiat shareholders is seen as a foregone conclusion, coming two weeks after the European Commission gave conditional approval to the mega-merger announced in late 2019.

The 50/50 tie-up, which was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, is seen as crucial for the two groups to undertake the investment needed to transition to clean car technology.

“This merger is a matter of survival for both Fiat and PSA,” Giuliano Noci, professor of strategy at Milan Business School said, citing the “enormous technological and strategic challenges” faced by both as well as the damage wrought by the pandemic.

The merger allows Fiat-Chrysler to strengthen its presence in Europe and the French group to regain a foothold in the US. Ranking behind global rivals such as Volkswagen, Renault-NissanMitsubishi and Toyota, Stellantis will be the fourth-largest automaker by volume and the third-largest by revenue, with a workforce of over 400,000.

The new company will group producers such as Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, each of which will continue under their own brand names.

PSA and Fiat expect the merger to allow them to achieve billions of euros in synergies each year.

Weathering COVID. “Only the most agile, with a Darwinian spirit, will survive,” PSA chief Carlos Tavares, who will take the helm of the merged group, said in November.

The European Commission had been worried the merger could affect competition in Europe’s lucrative van market, with PSA and FCA together accounting for 34 percent of market share.

To assuage those concerns, the commission said PSA would continue an agreement with Toyota to manufacture vans to be sold under the Japanese brand in Europe.AFP

East & Southern Africa Angola Botswana Burundi Comoros Congo. Dem. Rep. Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Reunion Rwanda Seychelles Somalia South Africa Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe

Europe & Central Asia Albania Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Bosnia & Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Georgia Greenland Hungary Kazakhstan Kyrgyz Republic Latvia Lithuania Macedonia, FYR Malta Moldova Poland Romania Russian Federation Slovakia Slovenia Tajikistan Turkey Turkmenistan Ukraine Uzbekistan Yugoslavia, Fed. Rep.

MS (JAN. 5, 2021)

West Africa Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Rep. Chad Congo, Rep. Cote d’ Ivoire Equatorial Guinea Gabon Gambia, The Ghana Guinea Guinea, Bissau Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Sao Tome & Principe Senegal Sierra Leone Togo

Middle East Bahrain Iran, Islamic Rep. Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Qatar Saudia Arabia Syrian Arab Rep. United Arab Emirates West Bank & Gaza Yemen, Rep.

North Africa Algeria Egypt, Arab Rep. Libya Morocco Tunisia

South Asia Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan British Indian Ocean Territory East Timor India Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka

Americas

East Asia & Pacific

Anguilla Antigua & Barbuda Argentina Aruba Bahamas Barbados Belize Bermuda Bolivia Brazil British Virgin Is. Cayman Is. Chile Columbia Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Rep. Ecuador El Salvador Falkland Is. (Malvinas) French Guiana Grenada Guadeloupe Guatamela Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique Mexico Montserrat Netherland Antilles Nicaragua Norfolk Is. Panama Paraguay Peru Puerto Rico St. Helena St. Kitts & Navis St. Lucia St. Pierre & Miquelon St. Vincent & the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Is. Uruguay US Virgin Is. Venezuela

American Samoa Brunei Darussalam Cambodia Chinese Taipei Christmas Is. Cocos (Keeling) Is. Cook Is. Fiji French Polynesia Guam Hong Kong, China Indonesia Johnston Is. Kiribati Korea, Dem. Rep. Korea, Rep. Lao PDR Macau, China Malaysia Marshall Islands Micronesia, Fed. Sts. Midway Is. Mongolia Myanmar Nauru New Caledonia Niue Northern Marianas Is. Palau Papua New Guinea People’s Republic of China Pitcairn Is. Samoa Singapore Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Viet Nam Wake Is. Wallis & Futuna Is.

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

B4

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021

IN BRIEF

Maynilad connects Caloocan barangay

MAYNILAD Water Services Inc., the concessionaire in the the western part of Metro Manila, has connected at least 141 urban poor families in Purok Biyaya in Barangay 167 of Caloocan City to the Maynilad water network, giving them families access to safe and affordable water supply.

Maynilad noted that Purok Biyaya residents for almost 24 years had been paying for expensive deliveries of deep well water from private water truck operators. Issues on land ownership and right-of-way clearance prevented Maynilad from connecting the community to its network.

Families in Purok Biyaya typically consume around 48 drums a month, or about 10 cubic meters of water, approximately worth P1,920.

Having been connected to the Maynilad water network, the monthly water bill for potable water has dropped to just P130 for the same volume of water.

Maynilad is seeking to extend services to urban poor households within its concession area. Othel V. Campos

LandBank surpasses credit goals in 2020 LAND Bank of the Philippines surpassed its accomplishment targets in the agriculture sector in November last year, with an additional P1.44 billion in loans released during the month that brought the total credit extended to farmers, agribusiness enterprises and other beneficiaries to P231.67 billion.

Bank president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo said the additional loans in November increased the accomplishment rate of the institution to 94.5 percent of its target of P245 billion in agricultural lending for 2020.

The loans extended in October reached P230.23 billion, or 94 percent of the goal for the year.

A report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who also chairs the bank board, showed that from 2,502,640 farmers and fishers assisted by the bank as of October, another 85,987 (representing a 3-percent increase) benefited from the credit package provided by the state lender in the form of soft loans, subsidies and training programs in November.

The 2,588,627 farmers and fisherfolk assisted by the bank as of November translated into a 129-percent accomplishment rate over the 2-million target for 2020 set by the bank. Julito G. Rada

Gatchalian seeking Malampaya options SENATOR Win Gatchalian has set in motion the Senate deliberations on a measure that will further develop the natural gas industry, providing for a replacement of the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project even before its supply runs out to avert possible rotational brownouts beginning 2022.

He said Senate Bill No. 1819 was introduced in anticipation of the nearing depletion of gas output from Malampaya-Camago wells, adding natural gas was a good transition fuel. The Senate Energy Committee chaired by Gatchalian will conduct its first Senate hearing on the proposed measure today.

“The output of the gas will start going down by 2024. The direction of the Department of Energy (DOE) is to encourage the private sector to build receiving terminals for imported liquefied natural gas (LNG),” he said.

“And because we haven’t discovered new sources of gas in our country, we have to resort to importing LNG just to make sure that those 3,200-megawatt gas-fired power plants keep on running,” said Gatchalian.

Business

DTI imposes up to P110,000 in duty on imported vehicles

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Department of Trade and Industry said Monday it imposed safeguard duties in the form of cash bond amounting to P70,000 per unit of imported passenger cars and P110,000 per unit of imported light commercial vehicles to protect the local automotive industry.

It said in a statement all imported vehicles would be subjected to provisional safeguard duties after an investigation showed the entry of imported vehicles may cause injury to the local industry.

It said a delay in the imposition of the measure would cause damage to the industry and be difficult to repair.

“The Philippines has one of the most open markets relative to our ASEAN neighbors. While we generally do not

restrict products coming into the market, we also need to ensure the level playing field for our local industry,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

“Safeguards are imposed to protect local manufacturers and producers and to prevent other companies from leaving the country. If we recall, the discontinuation of the production of Isuzu D-Max in July 2019 and the assembly plant closure of Honda Motors Philippines in the first quarter of 2020 affect-

ed local jobs and the Philippine economy.

It may also attract vehicle manufacturers to operate in the country and create more jobs,” Lopez said.

The DTI said it acted on the petition for safeguard measures filed by the Philippine Metalworkers Alliance after the group raised concerns on increasing importation of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.

Under Republic Act No. 8800 or the Safeguard Measures Act, anybody may file with the DTI a verified petition requesting that action be taken to remedy the serious injury to the domestic industry caused by increased imports of a like or directly substitutable product.

The provisional safeguard measures will take effect for 200 days from the issuance of the order by the Commissioner of Customs and while the case is under formal investigation by the Tariff Commission.

1ST TRADING DAY. The board of directors of Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. and management committee and heads of PSE subsidiaries welcome the first trading day of 2021 with a bell-ringing ceremony. Leading the event are (from left, by row) Capital Markets Integrity Corp. president Daisy Arce and Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines chief operating officer Renee Rubio; PSE COO Roel Refran and PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon; PSE finance division head Roberto Jose Jimenez; and technology division head Philip Driz.

Ayala cautiously optimistic, allocates P182b for 2021 capex

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. said Monday capital expenditures could reach P182 billion in 2021 as the group remains “cautiously optimistic” about the growth of the domestic economy.

This year’s planned spending would be 16 percent higher than P157 billion the Ayala Group invested in 2020.

Ayala Corp. president and chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said in a televised briefing with Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque consumer behavior and mobility improved over the past several months while companies started to expand and invest again.

“I was quite pleasantly surprised that our overseas Filipino remittance num-

bers did not go down as much as we thought they would and are now doing a little better. So I am cautiously optimistic and hopeful that we will see growth of 5 percent to 6 percent this year, which is a very dramatic reversal from what we have seen last year, for understandable reasons,” Zobel de Ayala said.

He said the low-interest rate environment allowed many companies to raise capital to help people and keep businesses running amid the pandemic.

The situation, however, could change if a second wave of infections hit the country, he said.

“I hope we don’t get a second wave.

Our government officials have cautioned us that we must be extremely careful. If we get to the second wave,

the situation will be very different,” he said.

Fernando Zobel de Ayala, 60, will become the new president and chief executive of Ayala Corp. in April 2021 in place of older brother Jaime Zobel de Ayala who will stay as the chairman of the group.

Ayala Corp. is one of the country’s largest conglomerates with investments in real estate, retail, hotel, power, automotive, manufacturing, telecommunications and banking.

Ayala Corp.’s net income fell 75 percent in the first nine months of 2020 to P11.4 billion from a year ago, after its mall and property businesses suffered from the mobility restrictions amid the pandemic.

PSE INDEX

Monday, JANUARY 4, 2021

57.79 PTS. 7,197.50

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

21,550,544,436 182,877 10,029,254,127.99 124 121 36

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.0210

Japan

Yen

0.009699

0.4658

UK

Pound

1.365800

65.5871

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128981

6.1938

Switzerland

Franc

1.132631

54.3901

Canada

Dollar

0.786411

37.7642

Singapore

Dollar

0.756945

36.3493

Australia

Dollar

0.770000

36.9762

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655408

127.5153

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266631

12.8039

Brunei

Dollar

0.754091

36.2122

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.033400

1.6039

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0748

Euro

Euro

1.224100

58.7825

Korea

Won

0.000922

0.0443

China

Yuan

0.153179

7.3558

India

Rupee

0.013676

0.6567

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.248756

11.9455

New Zealand

Dollar

0.719000

34.5271

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035633

1.7111 Source: BSP

Singapore fund completes deal to acquire 17.5% of AC Energy

By Alena Mae S. Flores A UNIT of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund completed the acquisition of a 17.5-percent stake in AC Energy Philippines Inc. for P20 billion.

ACEN said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday that along with parent company AC Energy and Infrastructure Corp., it signed an investment agreement on Dec. 30 with Arran Investment Pte Ltd., an affiliate of GIC Private Ltd. involving a 17.5-percent ownership stake in ACEN. The ACEN board earlier approved the GIC investment during its meeting on Nov. 11.

“The investment will be implemented through a combination of subscription to 4 billion primary shares [via a private placement] and purchase of secondary shares from AC Energy,” it said.

It said the completion of the subscription by the GIC affiliate to primary shares was subject to conditions, which include the completion

by ACEN of its stock rights offering that is expected to occur in the first quarter, and applicable regulatory approvals.

ACEN said the completion of the purchase by the GIC affiliate of secondary shares from AC Energy was also subject to the completion of the infusion of the international business into ACEN by way of a property for shares swap slated in the third quarter, and applicable regulatory approvals.

AlphaPrimus Advisors acted as financial advisor to ACEN and AC Energy for the transaction.

ACEN earlier said the GIC acquisition price represented a 25-percent premium to the board-approved SRO price of P2.37 per share, which is subject to regulatory approval.

The terms of ACEN’s SRO, including the offer price, are subject to approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The ACEN board approved the pricing and volume of the shares that would be issued under the stock rights offering.

DOE vows to focus on cutting power costs, ensuring ample supply in 2021 ENERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Monday the Department of Energy is focusing on lowering power rates and ensuring security of supply this year despite the moratorium on new coalpower plants.

“The mandate is to reduce power rate costs and to provide a more robust, stable and dynamic supply mix with emphasis on indigenous and renewable energy,” Cusi said in a statement.

The energy chief said the department should continue to do its share to ensure “the supply of oil, petroleum and power remained available, constant and reliable throughout the natural calamities and the pandemic last year.”

The DOE is at the forefront of pushing for the development of more renewable energy sources.

Cusi opened geothermal energy development to foreign investors and imposed a moratorium on greenfield coal power projects.

He also opened the West Philippine Sea for exploration and joint development for investors.

Cusi called on DOE employees to “be better and do better” in 2021 as the organization continued to serve the public and its stakeholders amid the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Cusi challenged the employees to “give back better” and the keep the “bayanihan” spirit alive.

“One thing that made us survive 2020 was our bayanihan spirit. And I think that is the same thing that will keep us floating in 2021,” he said.

“We do our jobs well so that others will be able to do their share. And that is what the DOE, the DOE family, and our industry players did in 2020,” he said.

Cusi said that when the pandemic hit the country, the DOE made sure that energy, power and petroleum would have continuous supply “so that our frontliners would be able to do their jobs efficiently.”

Cusi thanked the DOE personnel for the support they extended to him and the leadership team, saying this enabled him to effectively perform his job and made a responsive and active organization out of the DOE. He said the public and consumers were looking at DOE “to deliver and work for affordable energy that is sustainable, a secured future and access to energy by all.”

Alena Mae S. Flores

2020 MILESTONE. Adriatic Gate Container Terminal in Rijeka, Croatia reaches a milestone, surpassing 300,000 TEUs (twentyfoot equivalent units) on Dec. 23 and setting a record annual terminal volume. Following a 20-percent growth in 2019, AGCT’s volume expanded 12 percent in 2020, driven by a 30-percent increase in rail volume. International Container Terminal Services Inc. in March 2011 forged a 30-year strategic partnership with Luka Rijeka D.D. for the operation, management and development of AGCT.

Globe Telecom taps Amazon Web Services for digital transformation

By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Monday it teamed up with Amazon Web Services Inc. to accelerate its digital transformation and improve customer experience.

The telecom unit of the Ayala Group said it would draw on AWS’s broad and deep portfolio of cloud services, including compute, databases, analytics, machine learning and customer engagement, to enrich the lives of Filipinos by connecting more communities to the internet.

“Globe is committed to delivering new services that promote digital inclusion and improve the lives of Filipinos, and AWS

helps us do just that,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

“The capabilities of AWS enable us to foster a customer-focused company culture that uses technology to solve meaningful customer problems. This helps us develop more purposeful relationships with our customers, making us their network of choice,” he said.

Conor McNamara, managing director for ASEAN at AWS, said Globe was successfully transforming to become more innovative and agile to better meet the rapidly changing demands of its customers.

“By selecting AWS for the majority of its cloud infrastructure, Globe enables all employees across the organization to

access the technology and applications needed to innovate new services at speed and scale, bringing opportunities to deliver new customer experiences and further drive digital inclusion in the Philippines,” McNamara said.

Globe has migrated carrier-grade and mission-critical applications, including contact center operations, customer analytics, network and service assurance systems and infrastructure operations, monitoring, and security, from its on-premises data centers to AWS. Globe said it continued to migrate applications to AWS to further modernize its technology infrastructure and innovate new services.

Sports

Fernandez hopeful of continuous PH training

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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021

C1

By Peter Atencio HOPES are that there will be no disruptions when training activities of national athletes resume this week.

Commissioner Ramon Fernandez of the Philippine Sports Commission expressed his optimism now that preparations of national athletes for the Tokyo Olympics and other major international meets this year are set to get underway at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

“We hope that their training will be continuous to prepare them in case na matuloy ang Tokyo Olympics,” said Fernandez.

The PSC official said this following reports that there was a surge of new coronavirus infections and a new strain of the COVID-19 last week in Japan.

Aside from four Filipino athletes who are already qualifiers, the Philippines is sending more aspirants to international meets abroad, and in a bid to get more qualifying slots.

Following the discovery of a new variant of COVID-19 in Japan, the Japanese government has imposed a ban on non-resident arrivals.

This is now one of the challenges facing Olympic officials.

Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics are now preparing for the release of plans for a scaled-down games this March.

Talks of having a scaled-down games are expected to ensure the safety of more than 11,000 athletes coming to join.

Meanwhile, the presence of medical staffers from the PSC in Laguna will make sure that all safety and health protocols that the agency has laid out will be followed.

“We are hoping that it will push through even if we are facing another (virus) variant. That will be another challenge. I hope that they (Olympic organizers) cope with that, na hindi pumasok,” added Fernandez.

The PSC has made arrangements of a bubble-type of setup.

This will enable national athletes to finally train after spending almost a year in lockdowns, with some of them doing their training activities online.

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors is “cooled down” by Damion Lee after delivering a scorching hot performance with a career-high 62 points against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. AFP

Scorching display nets Curry career-high 62 pts L

OS ANGELES—Two-time MVP Stephen Curry got his swagger back on Sunday night, scoring a career-high 62 points as the Golden State Warriors outgunned the Portland Trail Blazers 137-122.

It was just like old times for Curry, arguably the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA. Curry, who played just five games in the coronavirus-shortened 2019-20 season due to a broken hand, drained eight of 16 from beyond the arc to score the most points by a Warrior since Rick Barry scored 64 in the 1970s.

The Warriors went wire-to-wire for the win at the Chase Center in San Francisco and Curry got into the zone early, delivering 21 points in the first quarter and capping his night with 17 points and several late threes in the fourth.

Curry topped his previous high of 54 with two free throws with 2:23 to play and capped his night with a nothing-but-net three pointer with 42 seconds remaining. It was his seventh career 50-point game.

“I just try to stay humble and stay in the

moment. As long as I keep being aggressive and decisive then good things will happen,” he said.

“I want to make the right decisions. A lot of it is just not rushing things. I got to make sure I see everything right.”

The 50-point night was the NBA’s first of the season, while the 60-pointer was the first for a Warrior since Klay Thompson had 60 in 2016.

The only blemish for Curry was that his streak of free throws was snapped at a franchise-record 80 in the first quarter.

The run dated to March 2019.

Elsewhere, Thomas Bryant stuffed the go-ahead dunk with 14.9 seconds left and the Washington Wizards held on for a 123122 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 27 points and 10 rebounds and assisted on Bryant’s decisive basket, which stood up as Nets stars Kyrie

Irving and Kevin Durant both missed on the final possession of the contest.

It was a drama-filled finish at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot put the Nets ahead 122-121 with a wide-open layup with 28.2 seconds remaining.

After a timeout, a double-teamed Beal managed to find Bryant under the basket.

Irving, who led all scorers with 30 points, missed a three-pointer with less than six seconds remaining. Brooklyn corralled the rebound, but Durant’s lastgasp effort also missed.

“We’ve got two of the best players ever to touch a basketball on the other side, so it’s a tough task, man, but I think we did an excellent job of accepting that challenge,” Beal said of the Wizards defense.

Russell Westbrook finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards In Memphis, reigning champions the Los Angeles Lakers notched their third straight road win, with LeBron James scoring 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter of a 108-94 victory over the Grizzlies in Memphis. AFP

Alvarado stops Kriel in 10 , keeps IBF light flyweight title th

WASHINGTON—Nicaragua’s Felix Alvarado stopped South Africa’s DeeJay Kriel after 99 seconds of the 10th round on Saturday to retain his International Boxing Federation light flyweight 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 rath-

er 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 Petalcorin 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

Felix Alvarado (left) lands a left to the body of DeeJay Kriel during the IBF Light Flyweight Title Fight at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. AFP

BEST Center boys crowned UNB world champions THE award-winning BEST Center (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center) ended last year with a bang when its boys’ team won the overall crown, while its girls’ squad settled for the silver medal in the inaugural United Nations of Basketball U17 World Team Skills Championships before the new year.

The Best Center boys’ squad was crowned world champion by beating participants from Spain, Samoa, Palestine, Romania, Lebanon, and Hawaii.

The squad formed around National Capital Region representatives Peeco Napenas, Adrian Malapo, Kennard Alde, and Lanze Ronquillo; and joined by Harvy Guevarra (Pampanga), Asher Vidal (Pangasinan), Pankie Capistrano (Lucena), Emmon Ferrer (Cabanatuan), Paul Barcelona (Bacolod), Zak Gumaya (Baguio), LJ Dellosa (CDO), and Lebron Lim (Zamboanga), won all three drills in impressive fashion over their Spanish counterparts from Molina Basket Club.

BEST Center Sports scored five, six and four in the agility, ball handling and shooting drills, respectively, to win the world crown.

The girls’ team of Ysabela Gonzales, Aishe Solis, Kharel Siapoc, Bonie Solis, Ava Fajardo, Issa Martires, Shinee Solis, Marga Villanueva, Princess Villarin, Shanna Nuguid, Ynnia Abella, Kyla Mataga, and Julliene Galgana, however, bowed to PROformance of Hawaii in the battle for gold.

The BEST Center, founded by the late national coach Nicanor Jorge in 1978, is also a Philippine Sportswriters Association Hall-ofFame awardee and a recipient of the Philippine Olympic Committee Olympism Award.

Filipino MMA stars share their New Year’s resolutions THE year 2021 is officially in full swing. There’s definitely a lot to look forward to in the Philippine mixed martial arts scene. The next 12 months should be interesting for the Filipino fighting contingent, with a handful of potentially massive bouts on offer.

From the resurgence of Team Lakay and Catalan Fighting System, to the Zamboanga siblings Denice and Drex, and the impending challenges for Filipino-American superstar Brandon Vera, Filipino MMA fans have enough to get excited about.

As we look into the new year hopeful for a better and brighter future, ONE Championship stars Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio, Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang, and Rene “The Challenger” Catalan took time out to share their

visions for 2021 on the official ONE Championship website.

“My New Year’s resolution is to be more positive, to always look at the beauty of everything whether in good times or bad. As an athlete, it’s the same – just to keep on working to be a better athlete. I look forward to competing more and, of course, to stretch my winning run further,” said Eustaquio, the former ONE Flyweight World Champion.

Eustaquio ended the past year with his one and only appearance ending in victory, but it was a very important one for Team Lakay, which suffered a string of painful setbacks recently.

Eustaquio’s November win over South Korea’s Song Min Jong could set him up for some very important bouts

down the road, including a showdown with top flyweight Reece McLaren, a rematch with Yuya Wakamatsu, and a super-fight against former UFC Flyweight World Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.

For Eustaquio’s up-and-coming Team Lakay teammate, Adiwang, it’s all about coming for that gold belt.

“It’s all simply about being a better person and, of course, I want to explore more things in life. Also, I look forward to achieving both my goals in my life and in my career. Such goals are winning and being at my best in my future fights so I can get closer to the strap. If I can challenge for it next year, then that’s the ultimate goal,” said Adiwang.

“On the other hand, my goal for my

family is that I get to finish the house that I’m building for them. I hope to finish it this year.”

Adiwang’s meteoric rise through the ranks and seven bout win streak were snapped in November in a close split decision loss to Japan’s Hiroba Minowa. The Team Lakay stalwart is hopeful he can start another epic run.

Adiwang may have to refocus his efforts into a move to flyweight, however, as Team Lakay teammate Joshua Pacio has a firm hold on the strawweight world title in his current weight class. Regardless, expect Adiwang to make a furious 2021 debut when he makes his first appearance this year.

Another veteran, former ONE World Title challenger Catalan, wants more than just to further his fighting career.

Like he’s been doing for so long, Catalan wants to continue helping the next generation of Filipino mixed martial arts stars better their careers in the coming year.

“My resolution is to help more athletes build their dreams, guide them in honing their skills, and hopefully get them to ONE Championship so they can have the chance to rise above their personal hardships in life,” said Catalan.

Catalan suffered a quick first-round knockout loss to Bokang Masunyane in early December. The veteran Filipino martial arts pioneer leads his Catalan Fighting System troupe which includes his brother Robin, and highlyregarded women’s atomweight Jomary Torres, among others.

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Sports

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021

Packers grab bye; Browns, 5 others in playoffs

W

ASHINGTON—Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers threw for 240 yards and four touchdowns Sunday to give the Packers a 35-16 victory at Chicago, a home-field edge in the NFL playoffs and a first-round bye.

Rodgers completed 19-of-24 passes with second-quarter touchdown tosses of 3 yards to Robert Tonyan, 13 yards to Dominique Dafney and 72 yards to Marquez Valdes-Scantling plus a late 6-yarder clincher to Davante Adams as the Packers finished 13-3 with the National Conference (NFC) top seed.

“It was a good win for us. We had a lot to play for,” Rodgers said. “Very happy with our guys. Excited about the post-season. Excited to be the number one seed.”

The paths to next month’s Super Bowl in Tampa run through frigid Green Bay and American Conference (AFC) top seeded defending champion Kansas City (14-2). But Rodgers won’t ponder that.

“We can’t think about that yet,” he said. “We’re going to enjoy this week off, see who we play and wait for a cold and possibly snowy game.”

The regular season came to a dramatic conclusion as the Cleveland Browns reached the playoffs for the first time since 2002, edging Pittsburgh 24-22 to snap the NFL’s longest active playoff drought.

Half the NFL’s 14 playoff berths were decided Sunday with Cleveland joined by the Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts for the post-season chase that opens Saturday.

Washington (6-9) met Philadelphia in a late game needing a victory to win the woeful NFC East division for the last playoff spot over the New York Giants (6-10).

AFC games next weekend find Indy at Buffalo, Baltimore at Tennessee and Cleveland again facing the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

NFC games find the Rams at Seattle, Chicago at New Orleans and Tampa Bay at Washington or the Giants.

Cleveland’s Nick Chubb and Jarvis Landry each ran for a touchdown and Baker Mayfield threw for another as the Browns sealed their first playoff appearance since 2002.

“We wanted this. I could see that determination,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “It’s not over. We’ve

got work left to do. I like how this team responds when their back is up against the wall.”

Lamar Jackson threw for 113 yards and three touchdowns and ran 11 times for 97 yards to spark Baltimore over Cincinnati 38-3.

Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history with back-to-back 1,000yard rushing seasons while J.K. Dobbins ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens’ romp.

The Titans secured a playoff spot when the Miami Dolphins were routed 56-26 at Buffalo and took the AFC South division crown by beating host Houston 41-38 on Sam Sloman’s last-play 37-yard field goal that struck the right upright and bounced

through the posts for the triumph.

NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry of the Titans became the eighth player to run for 2,000 yards in a season, rushing 34 times for 250 yards and two touchdowns to finish on 2,027 while Ryan Tannehill ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in the victory.

Indianapolis took the final AFC berth by beating league-worst Jacksonville 2814 to end Miami’s hope. The 10-win Dolphins missed the playoffs and were without starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick due to COVID-19 issues.

The Giants, who started 1-7, beat visiting Dallas 23-19 to end the Cowboys’ playoff dreams.

‘Crazy season’ ends The season finished on time despite multiple game postponements due to COVID-19.

The Browns, three years after an 0-16 campaign, withstood a disrupted week of preparation with a facility closed three of the past four days with COVID-19 issues.

Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers scores a 4-yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. AFP

Defending champ Sainz takes Dakar 1 stage st

BISHA, Saudi Arabia—Defending champion Carlos Sainz won the first stage of the Dakar Rally on Sunday in Saudi Arabia with the kingdom hosting motorsport’s most punishing event for the second year since its move from South America.

The Spaniard, a three-time Dakar winner, covered the 277km special between Jeddah and Bisha in his Mini Buggy in 3hr 18min 56sec.

Sainz, whose son Carlos drives for Ferrari in Formula One, finished 25sec ahead of French teammate Stephane Peterhansel after a gripping see-saw battle which record 13-time champion Peterhansel appeared to have won until Sainz stormed home to deny his celebrated rival.

“We spent lots of time in the midst of the vegetation, with bushes, tight corners,” said Peterhansel, who counts seven auto titles in his collection of Dakar triumphs.

“We knew the bodywork would be in pretty poor shape by this evening, but when you want to be fast, you can’t drive too conservatively.

Czech Martin Prokop (Ford) completed the first day’s car podium.

While Sainz leads Peterhansel by eight seconds in the fledgling standings, for another luminary of the rally world the

FREE THROW SHOOTER NATHANIEL DELA CRUZ I ALWAYS ask the question of whether it is time for Stephen Curry to create his own identity as a winner without Klay Thompson. I dare not say “away from his (Klay’s) shadow” because the success of their partnership that resulted in three Golden State championships (2015, 2017, and 2018) was achieved with both players playing as equals. Shoulder to shoulder. No one cast a shadow over the other.

I revisit this question once again as I watch Steph torch Portland with a new career-high in points made in a single game. 62 at 32. That is no small feat, considering Portland’s defense and the gas in the tank of a 32-year-old veteran who is by now feeling the effects of having to deal with his injury-prone ankles and hand injured not so long ago. He is by far the oldest NBA player to have a 62-point game. Carmelo Anthony did it in 2014. He was 30 years

Defensive plays sparked the Rams over visiting Arizona 18-7, including an 84yard Troy Hill interception return touchdown. That eliminated the Cardinals and allowed Chicago to advance despite the loss to Green Bay. The Saints, whose entire set of running backs were out due to COVID-19 safety measures, ripped Carolina 33-7 to grab a second seed ahead of Seattle, which edged san Francisco 26-23.

“One of those crazy seasons,” Saints star Drew Brees said. “It was a great way to cap off the regular season with a win without our running backs. We had to step up and play different roles.

“We’ll see how it shakes out,” he said.

“Just happy with the position we’re in.”

Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans became the first player with more than 1,000 reception yards in each of hifirst seven NFL seasons with a 20-yard catch in the first quarter but departed on the next play with a left knee injury in the Buccaneers’ 4427 triumph over Atlanta. AFP

Mini’s Spanish driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz compete during Stage 1 of the 2021 Dakar Rally between Jeddah and Bisha in Saudi Arabia. AFP

2021 Dakar had barely begun before it was all but over.

Nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb trails by more than 24 minutes

after a day to forget.

“I’ve rarely had such a terrible stage,” the Frenchman lamented, after three punctures.

Nasser Al-Attiyah, the three-time winner

from Qatar, was in 10th place, 12 minutes behind Sainz.

“We decided to win the prologue, and we expected to lose time opening the road today,” said the 50-year-old.

“Tomorrow’s stage is what really matters. I’m really happy with how it went because we made no mistakes.”

In the motorbike category Australian Toby Price began his quest for a third crown in style, taking the first stage honours by more than half a minute from Argentine Kevin Benavides (Honda) and his KTM teammate, Matthias Walkner of Austria.

But the opening day proved tough going for reigning champion Ricky Brabec, Honda’s American rider who trailed in almost 20 minutes behind Price after losing his way in the early part of the 277km special.

Monday’s second stage sees competitors covering 685km, including a 457km special, between Bisha and Wadi Ad-Dawasir featuring the first taste of racing in dunes.

Launched in 1979 between Paris and the Senegalese capital Dakar, the celebrated endurance challenge moved to Saudi Arabia for the first time last year after a decade in South America, sparking angry reaction from human rights organisations who accused the kingdom of ‘sports-washing’.

The rally concludes back in Jeddah on January 15. AFP

The burden of expectation old. Kobe Bryant was 27 when he had 62 in 2005. Tracy McGrady was 25 when he reached the 62-point plateau in 2004. Wilt Chamberlain was 26 the first time he did it (the legend that he is, Wilt had six 62-point games).

When the cornrows came off, so did the rust. Steph didn’t just look like his old self, he played like his old self. There was a spring to his step and a rhythm in his offense that tells you he is back in the hunt, and by the way he is slashing, throwing teardrops, and bombing Portland from outside, you can tell he is armed to the teeth - knife, rifle, and shotgun. He brought his entire arsenal and Portland was shot, skinned, and quartered.

For the fans, it was, without a doubt, fun to watch. For his teammates, I bet it would have been an inspiring show of grit and fighting spirit. To the rest of the league, it is a scary flex of offensive prowess not just from Steph but from the rest of the team who fed off of Steph’s energy and leadership. This is Steph rising to the occasion. Klay is out for the sea-

son. For Steph, there are just two choices: fight hard, or fight harder. He seems bent on taking the higher and tougher road.

Since tip-off, there is no indication that Steph is inclined to take it easy even with the other half of the Splash Brothers sidelined for the rest of the season. Following the December massacres, no one could have held it against Steph if he allowed his injury-riddled body seek refuge and let others decide the fate of Golden State this season, to rest and wait until Klay is back in the harness and the Warriors can mount a real run for the title in full strength.

But that is not Steph. He chose the burden of expectation over the convenience of mediocrity, even when the latter would have been a reasonable choice. At the close of the game day, Golden State is 3-3 and 8th in the West, ahead of other favorites like Denver and Dallas.

Sure, it is too early in the season to say for sure if Golden State is a lock for a playoff spot. Nonetheless, this is a good sign for Golden State and the fans.

There is hopeful optimism in watching Steph grind it out and do battle. It is good to see the fight in Steph despite being a three-time champion already. It is easy to sit back and relax, but that lethargy is also how stars quickly lose their luster, and Steph knows that. It is good to see Steph helping the new pieces fit in. It is admirable that Steph took the challenge of making the Warriors championshipcaliber once again, humbly, quietly, and passionately, while everyone was busy talking about the championship prospects of other NBA superstars they seem to have forgotten that Steph is still one of the best in the business.

He was great alongside Klay Thompson. Now he is showing us he can be just as spectacular removed from his role as gunslinger of the Bay Area tandem shooters. He is now a pack leader, and he is behaving that way as a matter of choice over circumstance.

All these thoughts, questions, and musings, and I am not even a Stephen Curry fan.

Barca wins as Messi makes 500th Liga stint MADRID—Barcelona won 1-0 at bottom side Huesca on Sunday as Lionel Messi became the first foreigner to make 500 appearances in Spain’s La Liga, while a late Luis Suarez goal secured leaders Atletico Madrid victory against Alaves.

Messi returned for Barca after missing the final game of 2020 with an ankle knock and swung in a cross for Frenkie de Jong to divert home for the only goal on 27 minutes.

Although Ronald Koeman’s side began a potentially season-defining run of four consecutive away matches with a comfortable win, they remain a distant 10 points behind Atletico in fifth having played a game more.

“In general, aside from the last 20 minutes we played well,” said Koeman.

“We created a lot of danger, which isn’t easy against a team that shuts up at the back. We got a great goal and we had two or three more chances to pull away.”

Barca dominated possession and created a number of chances but Huesca goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez produced several fine saves to keep the hosts in touch.

After De Jong’s opener Messi was denied a second just before half-time when Fernandez superbly clawed away his freekick heading towards the top corner.

The Argentine was again thwarted by the legs of Fernandez in the second half after combining well with Pedri, moments after Marc-Andre ter Stegen reacted sharply to keep out Rafa Mir’s inventive back-heel.

That was a rare threat from Huesca who have now won just once in 17 tries this season but had taken points off most visitors to their Estadio El Alcoraz so far, including Atletico in September.

“We came out strong and very concentrated. It’s the main base we need. If we have that, we improve a lot with the ball and if we get better in front of goal then we can have a very good start to the year,” added Koeman.

Meanwhile in Milan, Italy, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as champions Juventus bounced back from their first Serie A defeat of the season by beating Udinese 4-1 on Sunday to move up to fifth place.

The Milan clubs are top of the Italian league with Juventus 10 points adrift of the summit having played a game less.

Leaders AC Milan stayed one point ahead of Inter with a 2-0 win over midtable Benevento despite playing an hour a man down.

City rivals Inter crushed lowly Crotone 6-2 with Lautaro Martinez bagging his first hat-trick for the club.

But Milan restored their advantage thanks to a Franck Kessie penalty on 15 minutes and Rafael Leao’s terrific curling strike from a tight angle shortly after half-time.

Sandro Tonali’s sending off after 33 minutes for a high tackle on Artur Ionita did not hold back Stefano Pioli’s side.

Gianluigi Donnarumma was solid in the Milan goal while Gianluca Caprari dragged a penalty wide on the hour.

“We don’t let ourselves be put under pressure by the results of the opponents,” said Pioli whose side are unbeaten in 27 league games going back to March.

“We’re ambitious, we’re not hiding it and we aim to win the next match as well against Juventus (on Wednesday).” AFP

PSC chief Tolentino is Forum guest THE Philippine Sportswriters Association begins 2021 with a bang as it will have no less than Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino as its lone, special guest in Tuesday’s PSA Forum webcast edition.

Tolentino is expected to talk about a wide array of sports matters, ranging from the country’s campaign in the Tokyo Olympics to the title retention bid of the Southeast Asian Games’ overall championship later this year.

The incumbent representative of the 8th District of Cavite will likewise discuss about cycling following his recent re-election as president of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines.

The 10 a.m. session is presented by San Miguel Beer, Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

Powered by Smart and Upstream Media as official webcast partner, the public sports program is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page f b.com/ PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and also shared by Radyo Pilipinas 2 Facebook page.

Entertainment

Pageant

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021

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in the time of

COVID-19

Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo

Miss USA 1st runner-up Kim Layne

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HE coronavirus pandemic has massively affected big public events beginning the first quarter of 2020. Organizers of festivals, shows and concerts, and sports events, and pageants had to think of other ways to still stage their annual tradition while ensuring the safety of everyone involved.

In the world of pageantry, Miss World and Miss International pageants were scrapped this year, Miss Earth 2020 was held virtually, while Miss Universe was shelved to 2021.

On the local front, aspiring beauty queens still had chances to chase their dreams. Miss Universe Philippines and Miss Earth-Philippines organizers crowned their 2020 winners in a virtual show, while the Bb. Pilipinas search was postponed indefinitely choosing to do some charities involving their 40 candidates to help in relief efforts for COVID-19 and typhoon-affected communities.

Roxanne Allison Baeyens was named Miss Earth Philippines 2020 during the pageant’s first virtual coronation in Baguio City on July 5. The 23-yearold Fil-Belgian model and Tourism graduate was named Miss Earth-Water in the virtual Miss Earth 2020 pageant won by USA’s Lindsey Coffey, the first American beauty to win the title, on Nov. 29.

Rabiya Mateo, a 24-year-old HalfIndian physical therapist from Iloilo was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2020 succeeding last year’s Gazini Ganados during a semi-virtual competition held at Baguio Country Club, Baguio City on Oct. 25.

Rowena Sasuluya, handpicked to represent the Philippines, placed 4th runner-up at Miss Globe 2020, held in Albania on Nov. 12. The crown was won by Kosovo’s Lorinda Kolgeci.

Roberta Angela Tamondong, an 18-year-old, student at San Beda College, bested 34 girls from around the world and brought home the Miss ECO Teen International 2020 title in Hurghada, Egypt on Dec. 6 with the Netherlands’ Danielle Isabelle Dolk, a Dutch-Filipina, finishing as 2nd runnerup.

Two Filipina-Americans rocked the Miss USA stage with Ki’ilani Arruda of Kauai, Hawaii, winning Miss Teen USA 2020 in Memphis, Tennessee on Nov. 7. The 18-year-old freshman at University of Puget Sound was born in the island of Kapaa to American father and Filipino mother.

It could have been a historic double victory for half-Pinays, but Miss Idaho Kim Layne, who was born to an Irish father and a Filipino mother, finished as first runner-up to Miss Mississippi Asya Branch at Miss USA 2020, held in Memphis on Nov. 9. There is a clamor now for Layne to compete in Miss Universe Philippines 2021.

On the first week of 2020, Myla Villagonzalo Tsutaichi won Mrs. Tourism Ambassador International 2020 at the Mrs. Tourism Ambassador Universe 2020 pageant held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Aliwan Fiesta Digital Queen 2020 winners were named: Jannarie Zarzoso - Aliwan Fiesta Digital Queen 2020 (Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte); Jasmine Omay - first runnerup (Tarlac City); and Allyssa May

Miss Philippines-Earth 2020 Roxanne Bayaens

Noble Queen International 2020 Giselle Sanchez

Nicholls - 2nd runner-up (Sultan Kudarat).

Mrs. Queen of Hearts Philippines 2020, the pageant for married women, held its live coronation finals under strict health protocols to crown six new winners at Dusit D2 in Bonifacio Global City on Oct. 30. They were Annette Mendoza, Mrs. Worldwide Philippines 2020; Louise Suzanne Alba Lopez, Mrs. Asia Pacific Global 2020; Darling Topacio Edralin, Mrs. Asia Pacific All Nations 2020; Joana Krisanta La Madrid, Mrs. Asia Pacific Tourism 2020; Ma. Glovel Tasico, Mrs. Asia Pacific Intercontinental Philippines; and Sarima Paglas, Mrs. Asia Pacific Cosmopolitan Philippines 2020. Other winners were Catherine Jordan Flores as Mrs. Queen of Hearts 2020, and Ivy Dianna Manzon Bo, Mrs. Queen of Hearts Tourism 2020.

Comedian and TV host Giselle Sanchez, competing for Philippines Visayas, was named Noble Queen International 2020 while sultry singer Malu Barry, Noble Queen of the Universe Classic. The pageant was won by Megan Camaisa of Southern California USA on December 30.

Radio GMA stations take top spots in Mega Manila, Cebu, and Bacolod LEADING broadcast company GMA Network’s radio stations are the listeners’ top choice in Mega Manila based on the latest data from Nielsen’s Radio Audience Measurement.

Flagship AM station Super Radyo DZBB 594 holds the top spot in Mega Manila with its 41.9 percent audience share for the month of December.

Similarly, emerging as Mega Manila’s number one FM Station is flagship FM station Barangay LS 97.1. It tallied a 29.5 percent audience share for the same period.

In Cebu, securing the top

spot in the AM radio station list is Radio GMA’s Super Radyo DYSS 999, which registered a whopping 74.6 percent audience share.

Likewise in Bacolod, winning over the FM stations in the area is Barangay FM 107.1 with a 55.4 percent audience share. These are based on the Fourth Quarter 2020 data of Nielsen’s Radio Audience Measurement.

Meanwhile, Super Radyo DZBB continues to be recognized by award-giving bodies. At the recent 42nd Catholic Mass Media Awards, DZBB’s Super Balita sa

Tanghali was named Best Radio News Program while Pinoy M.D. sa Dobol B was honored as Best Counselling Program. Its “Bantay COVID-19: Special Coverage” was also conferred the Best News Commentary award.

Tune in to GMA’s flagship AM and FM radio stations Super Radyo DZBB 594 and Barangay LS 97.1 in Metro Manila. Listeners in Cebu and Bacolod can catch Super Radyo DYSS 999 and Barangay FM 107.1, respectively.

Online, listeners can also catch these stations via live audio stream on www.gmanetwork.com/radio.

Leading broadcast company GMA Network’s radio stations are the listeners’ top choice in Mega Manila based on the latest data from Nielsen’s Radio Audience Measurement.

Extending the promise of good drama in ‘Paano Ang Pangako’ THE IdeaFirst Company and Cignal Entertainment proudly present Paano Ang Pangako, a continuation of the sought-after family holiday saga Paano ang Pasko that has gripped the audiences and left them wanting for more.

Paano Ang Pangako Book 2 follows the highly successful run and rave reviews of Book 1 and started airing last night, Jan. 4 at 9:00 o.m. on TV5.

The secrets and scandals in the Aguinaldo family, led by matriarch Faith played by Maricel Laxa, get more complicated as a new family threatens to upend their lives. The arrival of the Dominante-Cruz family helmed by its matriarch Elvira, portrayed by actress Bing Loyzaga, takes an interesting twist as she vows to strip the Aguinaldo’s of their everything - wealth, honor, and heir.

Elijah Canlas, dubbed by CNN as 2020 Actor of the Year due to him bagging

More stars join the star-studded cast of ‘Paano Ang Pangako,’ the second book of the holiday family drama ‘Paano Ang Pasko.’ the Best Actor plums of Gawad Urian 2020 and 68th FAMAS Awards, depicts the role of Noel, the heir, and exhibits his mettle as an actor as he takes on the challenging role of a young man torn between his loyalty to

the family he grew up with and the family he wants to belong to.

With Noel at the center of the warring families, Faith’s daughters Love (Julia Clarete), Hope (Beauty Gonzalez), and

Joy (Devon Seron) take on a full battle gear to protect him against the DominanteCruz clan, portrayed by powerhouse celebrities that includes Karel Marquez, Miles Ocampo, Kyle Velino, and Ahron Villena.

Other remarkable talents such as Ricky Davao and Allan Paule reprise their roles together with Ejay Falcon, John Sweet Lapus, Matt Evans, Danita Paner, Cedrick Juan, Ace Ismael, and Justine Buenaflor in the second season.

The second book is based on a winning story by Palanca Hall of Famer Jun Robles Lana and helmed by the country’s top directors Ricky Davao, Eric Quizon, and Perci Intalan, who all directed the first season.

Paano Ang Pangako has a catch-up airing which premieres on One Screen via Cignal TV Channel 09 starting tonight at 6:30. Viewers can access both TV5 and One Screen via the Cignal Play app. Download for free for Android and iOS users.

How an outsourcing solutions portal won P1-m in AXN’s ‘Project Go’ Project GO, the brand new reality series

by GoDaddy, in collaboration with KC Global Media Asia’s AXN, has revealed its first-ever winner.

Staffz, represented by 25-year-old Pearl Janine de Guzman, beat out three other teams in a final pitch to an international panel of judges, coming out on top as the winner of Project GO and the recipient of its P1 million cash prize.

With the guidance of Project GO Mentors who put the show’s Top 4 Contestants through rigorous bootcamps, De Guzman made a final pitch to the show’s panel of judges, which was comprised of seasoned business veterans: Lyrna Esmeralda-Hewitt, President & Co-Founder of Bona Fortuna Farms, Inc; Carlo Buenaflor, CEO of Biggs, In; James Carroll, President of GoDaddy International; and Jodi Valenta, Vice President of Global Marketing at GoDaddy “We looked forward to hearing innovative ideas and solutions that fit actual market needs and clarity in the approach to fulfill those needs,” says Carroll. “The contestants more than delivered.

We were very impressed with the creativity, skill, and passion that we witnessed in their Staffz, represented presentations.”

The judges by 25-year-old Pearl followed a scoring Janine de Guzman, system that graded is an outsourcing each of the Top solutions portal.

4 Contestants’ final pitch on a variety of stringent criteria, including originality, potential for growth and profit, and feasibility of plans. At the end of this rigorous process, Staffz emerged as the winner.

Staffz is an outsourcing solutions portal, and one that also includes advocacy. The roster of skilled workers that carry out SEO, copywriting, and graphic design services for their clients are all underprivileged youths trained in these specialized skills by the core team of Staffz. This business model allows them to offer cost-effective services to small and medium enterprises around the world, while also opening more inclusive job opportunities to those who may not otherwise have them.

While De Guzman and her collaborators are careful to remain grounded in the reality that it is not a simple task to end poverty or change the world, they run Staffz with the optimism that they can make a genuine impact in the lives of others.

“I truly feel humbled and honored that Staffz was chosen as the winner of Project GO,” De Guzman shares.

“My teammates and I are immensely grateful to our friends, our families, the Mentors, GoDaddy, and AXN Asia for this opportunity. As we journey from this new beginning, we will continue to scale more businesses and bridge bigger dreams, one task at a time.”

Derek Wong, Vice President and Head of Production at KC Global Media Asia, has this to say: “AXN is proud to crown Staffz as the first-ever winner of Project GO. With their truly innovative and empathic business model, Staffz is set to turn even more dreams into reality, which resonates with what Project GO has aimed to do from the beginning.”

Life

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

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020, or “the year that must not be named,” was many things. But one of the most significant aspects about it is it was the year health was prioritized (COVID-19) and our impact on the environment was magnified (pandemic, natural disasters).

Pharmacies ran out of vitamins and health supplements, personal protective equipment usually worn by medical workers has become Everyman’s essential, and lives and livelihoods were used to pay for our collective environmental neglect.

As we all left the year that tested our mettle, we can now fortify our wellbeing and do our part for our surroundings. We collected a few tips and ways to care for our health and our environment this 2021.

temperature drops every year, a medical expert recommends stocking up on over-the-counter medicines that relieve symptoms of cold weather illnesses.

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021

By Steph Llarena

BE PREPARED. As

New Year, new ways to care for health and environment Keep stock of cold season medicines

Chilly weather kicked off 2021, with Baguio’s temperature dropping to 12 degrees Celsius and Metro Manila to 23 degrees Celsius in January. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) expects the “sweater weather” to persist until February due to surges of northeast monsoon or amihan.

The drop in temperature also means more chances of getting a runny nose, catching a cold, or developing a cough, according to an expert from Makati Medical Center. Hence, aside from a strong immune system, a “wellequipped” medicine cabinet is vital when flu-like symptoms kick in.

“During this time, see to it that you have over-the-counter medicines to relieve you from the usual symptoms like fever, colds, cough, sore throat, and diarrhea that come with these illnesses,” says Jose Sanchez, MD, MakatiMed’s General Medicine section chief Dr. Sanchez says the must-have essentials in every medicine cabinet at home include ibuprofen and acetaminophen, decongestants and antihistamines, expectorants and cough suppressants, and loperamide and bismuth subsalicylate.

“To manage the pain and bring down a fever, you need to have paracetamol and ibuprofen,” says Dr. Sanchez. “If you have children at home, it’s important that you also have pediatric non-aspirin product on hand.”

New pieces of Tommy Sport for men and women are designed with enhanced features.

Meanwhile, symptoms that go with allergic rhinitis and flu like stuffy, runny noses and itchy, watery eyes are uncomfortable and interfere with sleep. “Decongestants and antihistamines can help reduce the severity of these symptoms so you can get rest and go about your day-today activities.”

Having two kinds of cough medicine is likewise vital to get proper relief. “Expectorants are for productive cough that helps bring up the mucus, while cough suppressants can help quiet down a dry cough,” explains Dr. Sanchez.

When diarrhea occurs due to food and water contamination, loperamide, the expert says, “can help you have more formed stools,” while bismuth subsalicylate “can

keep bacteria and viruses that cause diarrhea from spreading in your stomach and intestines.”

Dr. Sanchez also suggests including mosquito repellant lotion in medicine cabinet. He also says to include throat lozenges and nose spray for relief from inflamed nasal passages in mild symptoms. Those constantly blowing their nose can apply petroleum jelly to prevent skin irritation.

A thermometer should also be on hand to help monitor body temperature.

While there are medicines to relieve pain, discomfort, and other symptoms of cold season illnesses, Dr. Sanchez stresses that it’s important to consult with a physician if a person still feels unwell over a period of time.

Paper straws in more products

Reusable and sustainable straws have been popular since a few years ago, and more brands are joining the bandwagon.

Ready-to-drink chocolate milk Nestle Chuckie has shifted towards a more eco-friendly alternative with its 100 percent food grade and recyclable paper straws.

For proper use of these straws, Chuckie offers the following tips: (1) Best to consume beverages using paper straws within 15-30 minutes.

Boost fitness goals with new gear

While commitment to goals trumps any fancy gear when it comes to fitness, we cannot discount the functional benefits and the boost—however little—it offers to inspire an individual to exercise.

Tommy Sport new collection consists of softtouch tees, color-block leggings, archive-inspired jerseys, and close-to-body silhouettes that feature enhanced stretchability, moisture-wicking properties, breathability, and water-repellent capability.

Nestle Chuckie shifts to using recyclable paper straws.

when inserting the straw, hold the bottom end of it at an angle and swiftly push it downwards to pierce a hole on the foil seal; (2) avoid jamming the straw through the foil seal as this might dent or bend the straw and lead to faster absorption of liquid, don’t bite it as well; (3) consume milk within 15-30 minutes; (4) push the straw back and dispose the flattened pack to recyclable trash bin.

“Making the most out of paper straws is one perfect example of how our little acts can help create a greener, cleaner, and more sustainable waste-free future,” Nestle Chuckie said in a statement.

It added, “Actively choosing to be more environmentally conscious is something to be proud of, and teaching kids about finding joy in embracing eco-friendly habits is a great lesson best taught at an early age, too.” To teach kids about Nestle Chuckie’s shift to paper straws, check out the printable Chuckie Activity Book in bit.ly/ChuckieActivityBook.

Bear-y happy: SM Foundation brings joy to frontliners

SM Foundation distributes Bears of Joy to medical frontliners in honor of their courage and selflessness.

BRAVE as a bear, and just as lovable are the frontliners who continue to charge in battle against COVID-19.

In honor of these modern-day heroes, SM Foundation (SMFI) brought joy wrapped in stuffed teddy bears to medical workers and uniformed personnel.

In collaboration with SM Cares, SM Supermalls, and Toy Kingdom, SMFI distributed SM Bears of Joy during the holiday season to frontliners as a way of paying tribute for their courage and selflessness.

The SM Bears of Joy is an annual project of SM Cares, SM Supermalls, and Toy Kingdom to encourage shoppers to share the holiday season’s joy with children in need. But in 2020,

The latest Bears of Joy design wears the uniforms of nurses, doctors, policemen, and soldiers.

the joy was shared with our frontline workers. The latest Bears of Joy are designed after the uniforms of nurses, doctors, policemen, and soldiers.

Included in the list of recipients

are frontliners from the Quezon City General Hospital, Villamor Air Base Hospital, V. Luna Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, and Tondo Foreshore Super Health Center, among others.