Manila Standard - 2021 January 7 - Thursday

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3 DETAINED IN DACERA CASE FREED; VIDEO CLIPS SHOW HER LAST MOMENTS

By Joel E. Zurbano and Rey E. Requejo THE three men arrested and detained in connection with the rape and killing of Philippine Airlines flight attendant Christine Angelica Dacera were ordered released Wednesday.

The release order for John Pascual Dela Serna III, 27; Rommel Daluro Galido, 29; and John Paul Reyes Halili, 25, came after the Makati City prosecutor referred the case for further investigation, saying they needed to know if Dacera, 23, was indeed raped or killed, and to identify the persons responsible, and to establish the actual cause of death.

Police arrested the three suspects hours after Dacera was pronounced dead on arrival at the Makati Medical Center following a private New Year’s Eve party at the City Garden Hotel in Barangay Poblacion. Police said the cause of death was a ruptured aortic aneurysm.

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FATEFUL NIGHT. In these screen grabs of a video provided exclusively to GMA News, Christine Dacera (right) is seen walking into a room with several men (inset top) whom she partied with on New Year’s Eve at a hotel in Makati City. Meanwhile, police officials led

by PNP Chief Debold Sinas meet with Dacera’s family (other inset) in San Juan City.

HK holds Pinay with variant

40 passengers being traced, raised doubts PH still free of mutant virus Gov’t expands travel ban with 6 more areas

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

A

PASSENGER who came from the Philippines has been identified by Hong Kong government officials to have tested positive for the UK variant of COVID-19.

By Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz THE Office of the President, on the recommendation of the Department of Health and the Department of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday included Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil in the list of countries and jurisdictions subject to travel restrictions owing to the new strain of the coronavirus.

This developed as the Philippines will soon be granting an emergency use authorization (EUA) for a COVID-19 vaccine, its health regulator said Wednesday, as nations across the world began inoculating their populations to quash new infections.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said foreign passengers coming from or who have been to Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil within

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FDA won’t drop illegal vax probe, others left to act

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COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JANUARY 6)

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

480,737

THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has its own set of processes to handle and investigate complaints, said Wednesday it would go ahead with a probe of unauthorized COVID-19 vaccinations of President Rodrigo Duterte’s security battalion.

This followed announcements that the 75-year-old chief executive had instructed the Presidential Security Group to “shut up” should lawmakers inquire about their vaccination, which

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,047 22,690 NEW

ACTIVE

9,347

26

448,700

339

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

NEW

Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Communicable Disease Branch of Hong Kong’s Center for Health Protection, said the passenger, a 30-yearold female, arrived in Hong Kong from the Philippines on board Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight PR300 on Dec. 22, 2020.

The other patients monitored from Dec. 22 to Jan. 4 by the Hong Kong authorities also tested positive for the UK variant. The Hong Kong authorities said the patients came from the UK and France.

“The UK variant originated back in

BACLARAN DEVOTION. Worshippers raise their hands in prayer inside the Baclaran Church as it celebrated its first Mass for 2021 on the devotees’ regular Wednesday schedule. Other churchgoers had to wait in a long queue outside the church compound in Paranaque City (inset) as quarantine rules limited the church to only a few hundred worshippers at a time. Avito Dalan/PNA

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Danny Lim, MMDA chairman, 65; Duterte approves scheme for LGUs to buy vaccines Palace hails him for public service

By Joel E. Zurbano

MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim

METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority chairman Danilo Lim has passed away Wednesday morning, more than a week after he announced he tested positive for coronavirus disease.

“It is confirmed that our beloved MMDA Chairman General Danny Lim passed away this morning,” said MMDA spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Pircelyn Pialago.

Pialago did not give any information, saying “Lets all wait for the official announcement of the family and Malacanang.”

But in a message sent to reporters, the agency’s chief information officer Sharon Gentalian said the MMDA chief died of heart attack.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace expressed its deep condolences to the family, loved ones and colleagues of Chairman Lim,

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved a deal that would allow local government units to buy vaccines against the novel coronavirus, an official overseeing the effort said Wednesday.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said he met with Duterte on Monday and recommended the approval of the tripar-

tite agreement among local government units, the national government and pharmaceutical firms for the vaccine procurement.

“The President approved it immediately,” he said.

Vaccine manufacturers only deal with the national government, making a tripar-

tite deal with LGUs necessary so they can procure vaccines, National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon earlier said.

“Our LGUs can avail [themselves of] vaccines, but this should be done through a tripartite system or agreement between Next page

PhilHealth to settle SOTTO: 15 SENATORS SUPPORT P265m due to PRC ABS-CBN FRANCHISE RENEWAL

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By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will pay the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) P265 million in dues this week after its COVID-19 swab testing debt ballooned to nearly a billion pesos, a spokesman said Wednesday.

“We announced that for this week, we are preparing a payment of P112 million, and we Next page

BOND GIRL ROBERTS PASSES AWAY, 65

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News

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

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15 senators back ‘ABS’ renewal

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

OME 15 senators, led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, have expressed their support for the renewal of the ABS-CBN Corporation’s franchise.

control in the Philippines is the lack of an information network that gives accurate and timely facts and stories to help people make sound decisions.

The senator said that he has always been supportive in granting ABS-CBN its franchise. In 2019, he co-authored Senate Bill 1521 which seeks to grant provisional franchise to ABS-CBN until June 30, 2022.

Co-sponsors included Senators Sonny Angara, Ma. Lourdes Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Franklin Drilon, Win Gatchalian, Leila De Lima, Risa Hontiveros, Manuel Lapid, Emmanuel Pacquiao, Ralph Recto, Joel Villanueva, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.

“Deserve nating lahat ang tamang impormasyon. Ibalik ang trabaho ng mga kawani ng ABS-CBN. Bigyan ng franchise ang ABS-CBN,” Pangilinan

said.

Franchise bills, however, must originate from the House of Representatives before it can be tackled in the Senate.

Sotto said he is optimistic that his bill has better chances of passing as the House recently had a change in leadership.

The House committee on legislative franchises, during the speakership of Taguig-Pateros Representative Alan Peter Cayetano, thumbed down the application of ABS-CBN for franchise renewal last year.

Cayetano has been replaced by Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco, another ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, last October.

“Nothing stops a congressman from filing a new franchise bill again” under the 18th Congress, according to Sotto.

Aside from Sotto, also backing the renewal of the franchise include coauthors of Senate Bill No. 1967 Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Sonny Angara, Senator Nancy Binay, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Senator Richard Gordon, Senator Lito Lapid, Senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Joel Villanueva, Senator Risa Hontiverosm Senator Francis Pangilinan, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III

and Senator Leila De Lima The bill authored by Sotto seeks to give the broadcasting network another 25-year franchise.

Pangilinan, meanwhile, has rallied behind moves to grant ABS-CBN a new 25-year franchise, saying that the nation has seen is importance during the occurence of calamities the past months.

Pangilinan said the country depend ib radio and TV for information to ensure their ‘safety.’

Pangilinan said part of the reason that the pandemic has not been put under

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Fomer Bond girl Tanya Roberts passes away, 65

14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines shall be prohibited from entering the country effective January 8 at 12:01AM Manila time until January 15, 2021.

Effective immediately, foreign passengers coming from, or who have been to the six new countries on the list within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, and are arriving before January 8, 2021, 12:01AM, Manila time, shall be allowed to enter the Philippines.

However, Roque said they shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, even if they obtain a negative RT-PCR test result.

Also, effective immediately, Filipino citizens coming from, or who have been to the six countries or jurisdictions, within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, including those arriving after January 8, 2021, 12:01AM, Manila time, shall be allowed to enter the Philippines.

Like the foreigners, Pinoys shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, even if they obtain a negative RT-PCR test result, Roque noted.

“Filipino and foreign passengers merely transiting through the abovementioned/jurisdictions countries shall be covered by the rules as provided in the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated December 31, 2020,” he said.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Eric Domingo said the vaccine developed by US drugmaker Pfizer and German partner BioNTech may be given the green light in the country within days.

“We are not taking long while waiting and believe me, we are making this as quick as possible and I’m quite sure we will be out with the authorization within a week. That is quite short if you compare to other countries,” he said in an interview on ANC. Pfizer and BioNTech’s candidate vaccine were among the first to declare their efficacy rate against COVID-19.

With an efficacy rate of 95 percent, their vaccine was soon approved for emergency use by the United States and the United Kingdom.

They are the first to have applied for EUA in the Philippines. Application for EUA was made on Dec. 23 and evaluation started on Dec. 28, Domingo said.

“All the others have not applied so there’s nothing for us right now to evaluate or to grant and we’re just actually waiting for them and hoping that they will apply soon,” he added.

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Balena said there were no issues on the

LOS Angeles—Former Bond actress and “That ‘70s Show” star Tanya Roberts has died from a urinary tract infection at a Los Angeles hospital, her publicist said Tuesday, a day after premature reports of her passing were retracted.

Roberts, 65, was best known for her role as geologist Stacey Sutton in the James Bond film “A View to a Kill,” after her early acting break on television’s “Charlie’s Angels.”

Roberts’ long-term partner Lance O’Brien had mistakenly announced her death to media late Sunday following a “miscommunication” with Cedars-Si-

nai hospital, publicist Mike Pingel said.

Multiple media outlets published obituaries that had to be withdrawn.

She succumbed late Monday after the infection spread to her kidney, gallbladder, liver and then blood stream, Pingel told A FP. Several US media outlets including The New York Times on Tuesday also confirmed Roberts’ passing, citing O’Brien.

Born Victoria Leigh Blum in the Bronx, New York, in 1955, Roberts did some modeling and commercial work before getting her big acting break in her mid-20s on the final season of

“Charlie’s Angels.”

She played private investigator Julie Rogers, helping the team of female crime fighters.

“It was my first steady job, and it launched my career,” Roberts said on her website.

After the show ended, Roberts starred in sword-and-sorcery fantasy “The Beastmaster.” She also played the title character in 1984’s “Sheena: Queen of the Jungle,” a female version of Tarzan which was nominated for five Golden Raspberry Awards and has gone on to become a cult classic. AFP

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passengers cannot be reached but they are already trying to contact the families through the addresses they gave to the airline.

PAL on Wednesday said that the passenger, who reported to have tested positive for the UK variant of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hong Kong, presented a negative test result before taking the flight.

In an advisory, PAL said the passenger showed a negative COVID-19 test before taking the Manila-Hong Kong flight on Dec. 22 as part of the requirements of the Hong Kong government.

PAL did not disclose the identity of the passenger.

PAL said it is now working with the government to conduct contact tracing efforts.

“Philippine Airlines has turned over to the Philippine Bureau of Quarantine the necessary information that will enable them to carry out the contact tracing procedures on passengers of the said PAL flight,” PAL said in its statement.

“PAL is fully cooperating with health authorities and strictly adheres to vital health & safety protocols to help ensure that air travel is safe even during the pandemic,” it added.

Researchers tracking the pandemic said the Filipino with the new COVID-19 variant in Hong Kong may have contracted it in their local airport there.

“It’s possible that the patient got the transmission locally, at the airport, so we can’t say that the new variant is here but of course there’s a big possibility,” Dr. Guido David of the OCTA Research

Grooup said in an interview with ABSCBN’s Teleradyo.

There is a “99 percent probability” that 1 in 5 travelers who arrived before the Philippines imposed travel restrictions had the new coronavirus variant, David also said.

On Dec. 23, 2020, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said there were no cases of the new variant in the country.

Duque assured the public that authorities are on full alert to prevent the variant from reaching Philippine shores, and that experts are already working to determine the comprehensive profile of the new virus variant.

“We have the capability to detect this.

The Philippine Genome Center, the RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine), and the UP-NIH (National Institute of Health) will be having a conference, and I am confident they will be able to give us a detailed characterization of this new variant,” Duque said.

Last week, the DOH issued a statement reiterating that there are no cases of the new variant in the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is aware of a new variant of COVID-19 that has emerged in the United Kingdom, but there is no evidence the strain behaves differently to existing types of the virus.

WHO’s top emergencies expert Mike Ryan said the agency is aware that there are at least 1,000 individuals in England who tested positive for the variant, which has spread to many countries including the United States.

who he said, died before 8 a.m. Wednesday morning at the age of 65.

“MMDA Chair Lim served the Duterte Administration with professionalism, competence and integrity. He would be dearly missed. May the perpetual

light shine upon him, and may his soul, through the mercy of the Almighty, rest in eternal peace,” said Roque.

“The Palace expresses its deep condolences to the family, loved ones and colleagues of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Danilo Lim who died before 8 a.m. this morning at the age of 65,” Roque said.

He said the Palace will remember Lim for the public service he rendered during the Duterte administration.

On Dec. 29, Lim made the announcement on his social media account that he tested positive for COVID-19 but despite this, he said, he will continue working remotely and will conduct meetings with MMDA officials via teleconference.

capacity of PhilHealth to pay. However, he said it must look into each claim submitted by PRC “because we owe it to the members to be prudent in our payments to our claims, to our providers.”

“The good claims, they are being paid promptly, but there are claims that are deficient and those claims need to be returned to Red Cross for compliance,” he said.

Some P103.4 million worth of claims have been returned to PRC for compliance, he said.

Baleña said PhilHealth would lose some P13 billion this year after the increase in members’ contribution was deferred.

The adjustment of members’ monthly premium to 3.5 percent from the current 3 percent was supposed to generate that much had it pushed through, said Baleña.

Despite the deficit in projected income, the agency’s projects will push through since it still has about P137 billion in reserve funds, said Baleña.

In October last year, PRC halted its testing of overseas Filipino workers, those arriving in seaports and airports, and from the mega swabbing facilities through local governments after PhilHealth failed to pay close to P1 billion.

September as the people have been flying around. We anticipated that it will appear in other countries,” Chuang said.

“We found them in the France or Philippines returnees and this is anticipated. Clearly, we are implementing stringent measures... For example, quarantine for 21 days at designated hotels,” she added.

Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said the DOH had already requested more details from the Hong Kong authorities about the passenger from the Philippines.

At least 40 people are now the focus of the DOH contact tracing efforts, following reports that a foreigner who had travelled to the Philippines tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant upon arriving in Hong Kong.

Vergeire said that they were able to get the list of passengers onboard Philippine Airlines flight PR300 through the Bureau of Quarantine. “[In] the line list of 40 (passengers), we were able to zero in on two individuals with a profile of 30 years old female,” she said.

Vergeire said those are the only details they know about the patient, especially since Hong Kong authorities did not mention the nationality during their press conference.

She said the phones of the two female

Danny Lim,...

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the vaccine manufacturer, the LGU and the national government,” Dizon said.

“The supply of vaccines is very, very limited and, second, if the government makes the deal, the price is special and lower,” he added.

Several LGUs in Metro Manila have set aside funds for COVID-19 vaccines.

“He is pleased with our LGUs because LGUs have a key role in our vaccination program,” he said.

The national government has yet to procure COVID-19 vaccines as none had been approved for local use yet, but inoculations in the country have been reported, particularly among members of the President’s security team.

The prosecutor said the complaint against eight others, namely, Gregorio Angelo Rafael De Guzman, Clark Rapinan, Valentine Rosales, Mark Anthony Rosales, Rey Ingles, Louie De Lima, Jammyr Cunanan, and alias Ed Madrid, will also undergo the same preliminary investigation.

Meanwhile, Senator Manny Pacquiao offered a P500,000 reward for the capture of the suspects responsible for what the police earlier described as “rape-slay case.”

The lawmaker said he personally knows the victim’s family since they are also from General Santos City.

Philippine National Police (PNP) director Debold Sinas stood pat on the initial findings that Dacera was raped, citing her bruises, lacerations and semen in her genitals.

But the police refused to show the official autopsy and medico-legal findings to substantiate their claim, saying the documents were already submitted to the Makati Prosecutor’s Office.

The PNP chief urged the public to refrain from speculating on social media on what really transpired the night or hours before Dacera was found unconscious in the bathtub of the hotel room.

“If the report didn’t come from us, we cannot vouch that,” said Sinas when he was asked about the autopsy report circulating on the internet.

The Makati City police earlier stated that the victim had lacerations and sperm in her geni-

Don’t insist on procession, Isko asks devotees

By Willie Casas MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso appealed to devotees not to insist on holding any form of procession on Saturday, January 9, on the day itself of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, reiterating that it is prohibited in the wake of the pandemic.

Domagoso also called on the devotees to attend the scheduled masses at home since they will be also held live via online, instead of exposing themselves to crowds and the possibility of getting COVID-19.

The mayor said that the holding of the annual ‘Traslacion’ or procession had been cancelled specifically in compliance with national government regulations against mass gatherings and to avoid possible community transmission of the coronavirus.

Domagoso also said that certain roads will be have to be closed to ensure that they will not be used by devotees for the purpose which had been disallowed which is to gather en masse.

In connection with this, the Manila Police District Traffic Enforcement Unit issued a traffic advisory regarding roads that will be closed beginning Friday, January 8, up to January 9.

The advisory said that from 8 p.m. onward on January 8, 2021, the following roads will be closed to traffic: southbound lane of Quezon Blvd.

(Quiapo), from A. Mendoza/Fugoso to Carlos Palanca St.; northbound Lane of Quezon Blvd from Carlos Palanca St. to Fugoso St.;westbound lane of España Boulevard from P. Campa to A Mendoza St.;stretch of Evangelista St. from P Paterno St. to Recto Ave. and stretch of Palanca St. from Carriedo/ Plaza Lacson to P Casal St.

FDA...

From A1 prompted the military to drop its investigation into the PSG inoculation hours later.

Meanwhile, senators who previously insisted that the chamber probe how the President’s security men got the jabs have softened their stance, sources told Manila Standard.

They have instead vowed to focus on how the government plans to roll out its vaccination program in a meeting of the Committee of the Whole on Monday next week, as called by Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Opposition Senators Franklin Drilon and Francis Pangilinan, who had called on fellow lawmakers to launch the probe, have said they will turn their sights on the entirety of the national vaccination program instead, sources told the Standard.

Senators Risa Hontiveros and Leila De Lima remain adamant in pushing through with the probe, with the latter filing Senate Resolution (SR) No. 603 on Tuesday.

“There is a need to inquire as to the facts surrounding the early inoculation of members of the Cabinet, the PSG and AFP officials,” she said.

PSG commander Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III has taken full responsibility for the vaccination of his security unit.

Durante claimed that the vaccines were donated upon their request, but he refused to disclose the source.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo told a public hearing Duterte’s order to the PSG only applied to congressional hearings, adding: “The FDA has its own set of processes on how to handle and investigate complaints and reports like this. And we will go ahead with that according to the process laid out by the FDA.” The National Bureau of Investigation is reported conducting a separate inquiry.

“As far sa the other agencies of the executive branch are concerned, that is at the discretion of the investigating agencies,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday.

talia, while bruises, scratches and contusions were found on her arms and legs, indicating that force was used.

Sinas said some of the persons under investigation have sent surrender feelers to the police.

“We have come to realize that too many (persons) were involved. We have to pressure them. If the suspects do not show up, the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) will cite them for contempt,” he said.

Sinas assured Dacera’s family that the PNP will not let go of the case.

Former Bayan Muna representative Teddy Casino said the PNP made a statement prematurely when it said the case was already solved with the mere identification of several persons of interest. With Rio N. Araja

News Pagcor remits total P18b in 2019 dividends THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation was able to remit P1 billion to the National Treasury on Wednesday, bringing to P18 billion its total dividend contribution for the year 2019.

That was even if its income performance continued to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic The agency’s latest remittance is mainly intended to help fund the government’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 and provide economic relief to pandemic-hit businesses and individuals.

PAGCOR’s VP for Finance and Treasury, Recto Baltazar Jr., handed the check representing the agency’s cash dividends to Officer-In-Charge and Director for Asset Management Service Eduardo Anthony MarIño III in a simple turnover ceremony at the Bureau of the Treasury office in Intramuros, Manila.

“Our agency remains financially challenged due to our limited gaming operations, but this won’t prevent us from fulfilling our obligations to the national government, especially in this time of the pandemic.” Baltazar said.

Mariño said “PAGCOR’s contributions are always appreciated especially now. As you might already be aware, funds need to be augmented.

Tax revenues are down and everyone is having a hard time gathering resources for the government. The funds will be a great help to the national government’s efforts to battle COVID-19.”

PAGCOR turned over P5 billion to the state coffers on June 6, 2020, in addition to the P12 billion remitted on March 23, 2020. With its latest remittance, the agency remains one of the top three governmentowned and -controlled corporations with the highest cash dividend contribution aside from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

2 Jolo blast suspects slain abroad J

AKARTA—A counterterrorism unit raiding a militant hideout in central Indonesia on Wednesday killed two men suspected by police of involvement in the twin bombings at a church in the southern Philippines in 2019 that killed more than 20 people.

FIESTA PLAN. Monsignor Hernando “Ding” Coronel, Quiapo Church rector, and Manila Police District Director PBGen. Leo Francisco (inset) answer questions of the media during the press conference Wednesday for the Black Nazarene fiesta on Jan. 9 at the Pope Benedict XVI Bldg. in Quiapo, Manila. Norman Cruz

Customs chief asked to rein in corrupt BOC cop

By Joel E. Zurbano CUSTOMS stakeholders on Wednesday sought the help of Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero against an officer allegedly engaged in illegal practices and putting the entire agency in a bad light.

Guerrero, with the support of his deputy commissioners, initiated reforms in the agency to improve efficiency, promote transparency and remove opportunities to commit graft.

But stakeholders are complaining that corruption and other irregularities continue unabated in the bureau.

They cited a Customs police officer who allegedly asked P100,000 each from

importers and brokers as a welcome gift because of his claims he would be the next head of one of the units tasked to go after suspected smugglers.

Customs insiders said the police officer, known in the bureau as “De Kuko”, asked his “patrons” in the bureau to transfer him from his assignment and to become the head of the department he wanted.

In exchange for their support, the police official promised them he could deliver huge amounts of money from importers and brokers.

“He is the termite that rots the BoC,” one of the stakeholders said.

Top bureau officials had previously

placed the police officer on a floating status after receiving complaints about his illegal activities.

But since the start of December last year, the officer had been making the rounds again, claiming that he would become the next chief of a juicy post in the bureau.

The officer also boasted he was a well-trained employee and fearless, so nobody could stop him from getting the position he wanted.

Guerrero had earlier assured the fight against corrupt Customs officials would continue with more vigor and intensity, and those found to be involved would be made accountable.

P800k in LPG cylinders seized MORE than PHP800,000 worth of illegally-refilled Solane gas cylinders were confiscated following a series of raids in Isabela, Metro Manila and its nearby regions and Cebu.

According to the collated raid reports conducted from January to September of this year, more than 200 Solane cylinders were either emptied or repainted for illegal refilling.

More than a hundred were from Metro Manila, particularly the cities of Taguig, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Rizal and Paranaque combined.

Ninety-six were from Iligan and Santiago in Isabela, and 42 were from Laguna.

In a separate series of raids done last November, an additional 47 tanks were seized in Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Cebu City. All in all, the value of the items confiscated, including valves, vehicles and other items, amounted to PHP806,000.

Of the confiscated tanks, some were genuine Solane cylinders but

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were illegally-refilled and were spotted due to the fake seals used. In some cases, the tanks were repainted, and counterfeiters attached a metal plate bearing an “ISLA LPG” sign to deceive customers.

As a result, the LPG brand Solane urged consumers to keep an eye on fake LPGs and to be extra mindful of which LPG brands to trust, where to find them and how they could verify their quality and authenticity.

Only authorized LPG dealers bear the brand’s name in their physical branches, and display government certifications inside their stores. Meanwhile, only verified LPG products like Solane carry the important markings such as the embossed brand name and the trademark of manufacturer that prove they are registered, the specific standards used, the date the cylinder was tested, the serial number or code number as well as the tare weight in kilograms, which is around 13 to 15kg or 11.5 to 14kg.

GRAFT COMPLAINT. Filipino League of Advocates for Good Governance (FLAG)Maharlika Secretary General Edwin Cordevilla (left) and Dr. Chao-Tiao New Yumol show the copy of a complaint affidavit they filed before the Office of Ombudsman against Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica for allegedly protecting a couple linked to illegal drugs and graft and corruption on Wednesday. Manny Palmero

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

systematic flow in Dasmarinas City, Cavite on Wednesday, as almost 200 applicants receive their business permits every day because of the fast processing conducted by the license permits division. JR Josue

IN BRIEF Labor warns of FB pages promising prizes, new jobs THE Labor department has warned the public against fake Facebook pages promising cash or prizes in exchange for likes and shares as well as those hiring people for employment.

“Verify the registration of such companies with appropriate government agencies before engaging with them, especially in providing information,” the department said in a statement.

The alert came after the department acted on a complaint against a certain company named “Eternal Investment” claiming it was gathering people on Facebook and assigning them to job positions on a voluntary or commission basis.

Recruits are allegedly assigned to positions such as executives, managers and graphic artists.

The complaint also claimed that Eternal Investment was reportedly “manipulating people and not paying proper dues based on the output of the volunteers.”

Upon coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry, it was found that Eternal Investment was not on the DTI’s list of registered businesses. Vito Barcelo

Hunt for 54 MMFF film pirates begins

Senator falls victim to credit card hack

ONE-STOP REGISTRATION. The renewal and issuance of business permits shows a

Police said the raid in Makassar in South Sulawesi by the Densus 88 unit led to a fatal shootout with two suspected militants who resisted arrest.

Makassar police chief Witnu Urip Laksana told Reuters separately that the suspects were involved in the bombings of a church on Jolo island in a restive, predominantly Muslim region of the Catholic-majority Philippines.

Police carried out “firm and calculated” action against the two suspects, Witnu said, adding an investigation was ongoing.

Police suspect the men were members of the Islamic State-inspired Jamaah Ansharut Daulah, which has carried out a series of attacks in Indonesia.

Philippine authorities have concluded that the January 2019 church attack was a suicide bombing by an Indonesian couple, with the help of a faction of the local group Abu Sayyaf that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

More than 100 people were also wounded in the incident, which was among the first and so far deadliest suicide bombings in the Philippines, where such attacks were almost unheard of until 2018.

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Mindanao in the southern Philippines has for decades been beset by separatist and Maoist conflicts.

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is looking at an “inside job” after his credit card was hacked and used to buy P1 million worth of food from Food Panda, a food delivery ice.

He said he was not ruling out any possibility—including an inside jobuntil an investigation was finished.

“I don’t rule that out. In fact, I don’t rule out that there may be a coercion and I don’t rule out that there was cooperation here or insider cooperation.

It can be in Food Panda, it can be in the bank, there can be others involved here,” Gatchalian said.

He cited the need to investigate the hacking, saying “we cannot rule out anything right now.”

Gatchalian said the hacker gained access to his one-time password or OTP and used it for the food transactions after his registered phone number was changed.

At 4:47 p.m. on Tuesday the hacker asked for P96,265 worth of food for delivery. Then the hacker again asked at 4:56 p.m. that food worth P323,247

be delivered.

After a few minutes or at 5:11 pm, the hacker asked for food amounting to P356,517. The last delivery of food worth P300,851 was made at 5:49 p.m.

The food deliveries, all made through Food Panda, happened in just one hour.

Gatchalian said he will file a police report on Thursday at the Valenzuela Police Station “to make this official so that there’s now a case for asking Food Panda for more information.

“It’s important to make this official, but definitely this must be pursued. I want to pursue this because they can victimize many others.”

Gatchalian said the suspect behind the hacking should be traced. He also said food delivery services should seriously check all notification by email and text.

“If there is a suspicion, they should immediately call the banks.... most banks have a hotline,” he said.

He also called on the banks to boost their security measures especially amid the coronavirus pandemic, when many resort to online transactions for their needs.

AUTHORITIES are going after 54 people caught illegally streaming, downloading and distributing movies of the ongoing Metro Manila Film Festival.

On Tuesday, Anti-Piracy Task Force agents conducted separate operations in Manila and Quezon City and arrested four people for piracy.

The four were among the 54 people indicted for video piracy, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the organizer of the annual festival.

In a statement, the MMDA praised the Optical Media Board led by its chairman, Christian Natividad, for their swift action in going after the violators. It said it would keep on working with the members of the task force to make sure violators were caught and brought to justice.

The 10 official entries are Magikland, Coming Home, The Missing, Tagpuan, Isa Pang Bahaghari, Suarez, the Healing Priest, Mang Kepweng, Ang Lihim ng Bandanang Itim, Pakboys Takusa, The Boy Foretold by the Stars and Fan Girl. Joel E. Zurbano Manila

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Standard

TODAY COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCEMENT

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA), for the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of: Ms. AIMEE P. FEROLINO-AMPOLOQUlO, to the position of Commissioner, Commission on Elections (COMELEC), for a term expiring on 02 February 2027, vice AI A. Parreño.

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

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 8834-2713, 8831-1824, 8831-0527, 8832-9830, 8834-2706 and 8551-1989.

6 January 2021.

HECTOR A. VILLACORTA Secretary (MS-JAN. 7, 2021)

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

A4

THURSDAY, JANUIARY 7, 2021 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

North toll roads almost finished, NLEX assures

By Jess Malabanan

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

‘MET’ RENOVATION. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and National Commission for Culture and the Arts chair Nick Lizaso on Wednesday inspect the ongoing renovation of the Metropolitan Theatre that will be reopening in a few months. Norman Cruz

Las Piñas sets P200m for vax

By Joel E. Zurbano THE City of Las Pinas is joining other local government units in the National Capital Region in preparing funds to buy COVID-19 vaccines to protect its residents from the deadly disease.

Mayor Imelda Aguilar said the city government is shelling out P200 million for the vaccines.

“We want to make sure that the funds allocated by our local government are available for the immediate purchase of the required vaccine when it becomes available in the market,” said Aguilar.

Aguilar said her administration will prioritize to vaccinate poor residents and senior citizens, and city frontliners such as medical and health workers, city government officials, and members of the police force.

Las Pinas is among the cities in Metro Manila with the lowest active cases because of its aggressive approach in implementing rules and regulations.

Despite this, the city chief executive continues to appeal to residents to just stay home if they don’t have any official business outside.

She also asked residents and business establishments to always practice healthy and safety protocols in the community, and ordered the city police and local government unit enforcers to strictly implement the government guidelines.

Aguilar said the city government is also continuing its expanded targeted testing at the Ligtas Center located at Daniel Fajardo Fajardo to those with symptoms and with possible exposure to patients affected with the virus.

Actor assists book project TACLOBAN CITY—Filipino television and film actor Diether Ocampo is helping a local book project in Eastern Visayas for its English-Tagalog edition to expand its readership in the public schools.

Dr. Bernadette Mondejar-Schlueter, an England-based international educator from Tacloban, said Ocampo is now doing the Tagalog translation of the “Maya Storybook” series from its original English-Waray edition.

“I am honored to work with Diether Ocampo on this project highlighting the Waray culture, arts, and traditions,” said Mondejar-Schlueter, who conceptualized the storybook series.

She said the proceeds from sales of this English-Filipino edition “will go to the donation of copies to selected public elementary schools in Cavite and Bicol.”

“We are proud to work with Mr. Ocampo on this project. He attracts a global audience to our series, which is integral to our mission,” added Minerva Mondejar-Steiner, youngest sister of Schlueter and CEO of the JE Mondejar Publishing House that publishes the books.

In a statement, Ocampo said it is not enough to introduce the country’s history and heritage to the younger ones, adding it that it “must be protected and passed on from generation to generation.” Ronald Reyes

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Construction and completion of three major road projects are in full swing and would be finished ahead of the completion target date, the North Luzon Expressway management announced Wednesday.

These projects are the Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEX) Capacity Expansion, Candaba Viaduct Upgrade, and NLEX Connector ― all aimed at improving the mobility and safety of motorists.

“These infrastructure works are intended to further improve traffic flow and connectivity, as well as promote road safety for hundreds of thousands of motorists using these critical arteries in Central and Northern Luzon,” said NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista in a statement.

The P1.6-billion SFEX Capacity Expansion Project is now 92% done and slated for completion by the first quarter of 2021.

Once finished, the new and expanded SFEX will complement Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s (SBMA) infrastructure program, accommodate the growing number of traffic while promoting road safety, and most especially, facilitate passage for truckers and merchants delivering essential goods in and out of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Works on the 8.2-km expressway include the addition of two expressway lanes and construction of two bridges and a new tunnel that will increase road capacity from one lane in each direction to two lanes in each direction.

QC: Health centers to issue passes

By Rio N. Araja

Q

UEZON City residents who are planning to travel outside Metro Manila are advised to secure their medical travel clearance from a health center near them.

This is after the city’s health department announced it would no longer be issuing clearances from the city hall.

“We encourage our QCitizens to go to their health center preferably during the afternoon when the volume of patients is

low,” city health office Esperanza Arias said.

Residents who will be securing a medical travel clearance should accomplish the downloadable health declaration form https://quezoncity.gov.ph/wp-content/

uploads/2021/01/QCHD-Health-Declaration-Form.pdf.

They must bring a government-issued identification card and a barangay clearance that will verify their residence and will show that they are not in the list of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) suspect, probable, nor confirmed individuals.

Applicants who would bring with them children aged 18 years old and below must present documents showing their relation to the minor, such asbirth certificate.

Applicants who would be accompanied by senior citizens or those 60 years old and above, meanwhile, must present

HANDWASH STATION.

To strengthen its fight against COVID-19, the City Government led by San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora (pictured) inaugurates the three-faucet hand hygiene facility with executives from Manila Water’s WASH Pandemic for Communities, P&G-Safeguard Philippines, the Department of Health, and city officials at the entrance of Agora Public Market on Wednesday. Manny Palmero

Navotas extends tax deadline for computer shops

By Jun David THE City Government of Navotas has extended the deadline of business permit renewal and allowed registered computer shops to defer payment of their business taxes for year 2021.

City Ordinance No. 2020-51 stated that all business taxpayers may settle their business taxes, without surcharge, penalty or interest, until February 28, 2021.

Meanwhile, City Ordinance No. 202052 extended the renewal of business permit and payment of business taxes of computer shops, internet cafes, pisonet and other similar establishments until they are allowed to operate.

All fines and penalties, including surcharge and interest, are also waived for the duration of the extension.

“Businesses are still reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many have folded, others have been trying to stay afloat. We hope to give them much-needed reprieve by offering them more time to settle their obligations,” Mayor Toby Tiangco said.

“Keeping businesses alive means helping employees retain their source of income and be able to support their family. We will always strive to give as much assistance as we can to enable our people to thrive amid these challenging times,” he added.

documents indicating they have the same residence.

The complete list of health centers per district can be accessed from this link: https://quezoncity.gov.ph/qcitizen-guides/ how-to-get-a-medical-travel-clearanceand-a-travel-pass/.

Applicants must go to the health center located at or near their barangay. They must also take note of the doctor’s schedule before heading to the center.

If the assigned doctor is unavailable or schedules do not match, the applicants are advised to proceed to the next nearest health center within the same cluster in their district.

Ormoc prepares P350m for cure

By Ronald O. Reyes

TACLOBAN CITY—The City Government of Ormoc has allocated P350 million for the purchase of anti-COVID-19 vaccines as it aimed to inoculate its residents.

While Mayor Richard Gomez said he wants 100-percent coverage of the city’s 240,000 population, he said the budget might initially cover around 80 percent, citing that “there will be other expenses like syringes, cotton, alcohol, storage, etc.”

“There’s no need (for pre-registration). Our City Health Department already has the priority list ready and everybody on it will be inoculated unless they refuse,” Gomez said.

According to City Councilor Lalaine Marcos, the mayor has already created the Ormoc City COVID-19 Task Force (ORCOVAC) “to help monitor and intensify efforts of the vaccination program, and tap private sources to help Ormoc achieve a 100 percent vaccination rate.”

Composing the task force is the mayor as chairman; Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr. as vice chairman; Councilors Eusebio Gerardo Penserga, Peter Rodriguez, and Vincent Rama as members; and, city health doctor Edmund Kierulf, city administrator Vincent Emnas, city legal officer Joy Mejia Romero, city budget officer Sabrina Duero, city treasurer Delia Vilbar, city accountant Rosario Serafica, city social welfare and development officer Delia Corbo, city planning and development officer Raoul Cam, and infectious disease specialist Dr. Larsen Omolon, also as members.

7 NPA rebels surrender in Tarlac

ILLEGAL MUFFLERS. Santa Rosa Mayor Arlene B. Arcillas (center) leads the destruction of confiscated open pipe mufflers at the PNP Santa Rosa headquarters during the New Year’s Day celebration. Roy Tomandao

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga—Seven New People’s Army rebels operating in Tarlac and Zambales areas voluntarily surrendered to the police and military troopers in separate occasions at Mayantoc, Tarlac on Tuesday, ending their decades-long ties with the communist guerillas.

Central Luzon police director BGen. Valeriano De Leon said the government efforts to put an end to the armed struggle of the Maoist ideologists is gradually gaining ground with the surrender of the seven guerillas.

“The continuous joint efforts of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) and its persistent campaign on anti-terrorism resulted to the voluntary surrender of seven Communist Terrorist Groups members in

Mayantoc, Tarlac,” said De Leon in a statement.

De Leon said the rebels consist of three former members of Militiang Bayan; three from the Mesina Command under Kilusan Larangan Gerilya (KLG) Tar-Zam and another Milisyang Bayan of KLG Tarlac Party Committee and KLG Tarlac-Zambales.

The general did not mention the names of the rebels in his statement, citing security reasons.

“Let them remain unidentified to protect their families and relatives from possible retaliation by their former comrades due to their surrender,” said De Leon, as he expressed gratitude to the military and police units who have facilitated the successful surrender of the rebels. Jess Malabanan

Opinion PH’s 2020 financial transaction with the world ONE of the most capital account. The closely watched BSP report speaks of indicators of a “merchandise trade country’s economdeficit” and “trade ic situation is its in services”; these BOP (Balance of are current-account Payments).

The items. All the rest of payments involved here are payments the items mentioned in the BSP report and financial remittances by the coun- - “net foreign borrowings by the natry to the world and payments and tional government,” “net inflows from financial remittances to the country foreign direct investments,” “personby the world. As the world’s balance al remittances,” ”the BSP’s income suggests, BOP is a net figure; it is from its investments abroad,” “(inwhat remains when the outgoings are terest on) the national government’s deducted from the incomings. Thus, foreign-currency deposits from its BOP can be either a positive or a neg- borrowings,” “inflows from the BSP’s ative figure. foreign exchange What are those operations” and payments and re“the national A surplus is a mittances? The g o v e r n m e n t ’s answer is conpayments of its surplus and should tained in the latforeign-currency be welcomed. est BSP (Bangko obligations” - are Sentral ng Pilicomponents of pinas) report on the BOP’s capital this country’s BOP. The report covers account. Any item that is not related the 10-month period ended October to trade whether of merchandise or of 2020. services, is a capital-account item.

“Based on preliminary data, (the cuThe almost 80 percent 2020-overmulative balance of payments surplus 2019 increase in this country’s BOP of $0.31 billion for the period Janu- over 2020’s first ten months was ary-to-October 2020) was supported largely the result of a confluence mainly by higher net foreign borrow- of two felicitous happenings, nameings by the national government and ly, “higher net foreign borrowings a lower merchandise trade deficit, by the national government” and a along with sustained net inflows from “lower merchandise trade deficit.” direct foreign investments, personal These twin developments, both panremittances and trade in services,” demic-related, do not represent a net BSP reported. gain for the Philippine economy: Contained the central bank: “For The first has raised this country’s October the country’s overall BOP gross-domestic-product-to-debt raposition posted a surplus of $3.44 tio and the second, by involving a billion, mainly reflecting the BSP’s drop in production-related imports, income from its investments abroad, has been indicative of an economy (interest on) the national govern- in recession. ment’s foreign-currency deposits But a BOP surplus is a BOP surplus from its borrowings and inflows from and should be welcomed. The surplus the BSP’s foreign exchange opera- made possible a $3.4 billion rise in tions. These inflows were partly off- this country’s GIR (gross internationset, however, by the national gov- al reserve); this stood at $103.4 bilernment’s payments of its foreign lion on October 31, 2020. currency obligations.”

The trend in the BOP is almost cerA BOP is made up of two accounts, tain to have continued until the end to wit, the current account and the of 2020.

Security has no price tag undated areas in Metro Manila, Bicol, Quezon, Cagayan, Agusan Del Sur and other provinces affected by the recent strong typhoons and low pressure areas. Last November, the Department of Defense reiterated that the military continues to monitor acNATIONAL security has no price tivities in the West Philippine Sea and tag. It is non-negotiable. Even in the protect our territorial waters.

With all these in mind, I deem it midst of the pandemic, the security of the nation and its people remains ut- only right that we likewise ensure most in the duties and priorities of the their protection, especially against government. The government is eter- the COVID-19. If these men get sick, nally bound to protect its citizens and who else would be able to do their preserve peace and order, regardless jobs?

The government has included our of the costs. Last year, we saw how the military and the police stood on armed men in the list of priority secthe frontlines in ensuring the orderly tors to get COVID-19 vaccinations.

Despite the alleimplementation gations that these of the communimen and women ty quarantine naIf members of our were able to obtionwide. Today, tain their vacmembers of our military get sick, who cine shots first, Armed Forces else would be able to I deem that it is are still on their do their jobs? only necessary feet, ever vigithat the people lant and active in who will be imtheir service. plementing the There is no doubt that the service of the mili- vaccination program and those tasked tary and the police is invaluable. Our to ensure the safety and protection of armed men are manning entry and exit those who will be lining up and likepoints in cities and municipalities all wise receiving the vaccine should be over the country. They perform rou- protected first. Note that our military tine inspections, aid in humanitarian has been and will continue to be exwork of local government units and posed to the public as they perform the national government agencies, their duties. Many of them have aland respond to emergency situations. ready been afflicted with the virus.

For the past several months leading Hence, the risks they endure and they to others should not be set to December, the military were also may bringEducating involved in typhoon emergency re- aside. in a pandemic Make no mistake. We are at war. sponse and rescue operations in in-

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

B1

EDITORIAL

W

Something nasty

HAT would an assertive and truly independent Congress have done had the President warned it against investigating an anomalous development in the executive department?

We may never know, because in the face of presidential bluster, neither the Senate nor the House has asserted its right—no, its constitutional duty— to launch congressional inquiries into matters of national import.

Article IV, Section 21 of the Constitution is unambiguous: “The Senate or the House of Representatives or any of its respective committees may conduct inquiries in aid of legislation in accordance with its duly published rules of procedure. The rights of persons appearing in or affected by such inquiries shall be respected.”

Nowhere in the Charter does it say that the legislative branch may not investigate co-equal branches of the government, as administration apolo-

gists suggest.

But on Monday night, Duterte warned Congress not “to tinker” with the Presidential Security Group (PSG) personnel over their early use of an unauthorized vaccine against COVID-19.

Nowhere in the Charter does it say that the legislative branch may not investigate co-equal branches of the government.

“I would like to call on Congress-and this is not an appeal. I want to tell you straight: do not tinker with the PSG. I’m telling you as President it’s a matter of self-preservation,” he said in his taped speech.

He said he was “not keen” on allowing PSG commander Brig. Jesus Durante III and other personnel to face Congress to explain how the vaccine doses were procured and who supplied them.

“If they will be called to testify in Congress... I will just tell...to just shut up. Do not answer,” the President said.

“Do not force my soldiers to testify

against their will. And don’t cite them in contempt and detain them. I do not think it will be good for you and for me.

It would not be healthy for everybody,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Duterte said if Congress decides to proceed with the inquiry, something “nasty” would transpire.

Now the President may believe that there was truly nothing wrong in what his bodyguards did, but that belief does not allow him to order Congress not to investigate the early and clandestine use of an unauthorized vaccine in concon travention of stated government policies—and possibly even some laws.

The President need not warn that something nasty will happen—it already has.

Because instead of truly standing up for the Senate’s right to investigate anything under the sun, Senate President Vicente Sotto III responded with bogus bluster of his own, saying a hearing on plans for the national vaccination program would push through next week as planned—and that he had no intention of calling the PSG men.

In other words, the headline might say the Senate will push through with hearings despite the presidential warning, but the real story suggests that it will investigate only the official vaccination program and obediently do as the President bids—and leave his bodyguards alone. Now that’s nasty.

A gesture of loyalty gone wrong THERE are indications that the vaccination program of the government will not be orderly as planned. We might even end up being one of the last countries in the ASEAN region to vaccinate its people. It now appears that a vaccine not yet licensed for use in the Philippines is available in the black market and being used surreptitiously by some important government officials. This is damaging to the credibility of the government.

In spite of many government press releases on the order of priority for vaccination, it seems that even before we can get started, we are back to the old practice of “to each his own.” It is a shame, but it is hardly surprising.

It happens all the time in this country.

People who are supposed to lead by example are the ones getting ahead of everyone whenever they can. I hate to think of what will happen when the vaccines do get here. Chaos, perhaps?

Also, government officials justifying what the Presidential Security Group did are not doing a good job by downplaying it. They should simply be honest to the public.

Filipinos deserve the truth. If the vaccines were indeed smuggled, as some are saying, why were the vaccines not destroyed? Smuggled items are illegal per se and should have been destroyed.

If it was the donors who smuggled and donated the vaccines, they should be arrested. Are we really to believe that it was the soldiers who injected themselves? The PSG should have more respect for the intelligence of the people.

Filipinos are not that stupid.

Now, there are a lot of investigations on how the vaccine got here and who allowed the use without the authorization of the Food and Drug Administration. Even Congress wants to get into The military continues to fight a war with an invisible enemy. We must arm them with what they need to overcome this pandemic.

With the vaccines being readied and made available to countries all over the world, we should not lose

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

From what we heard from the PSG Commander Brig General Jesus Durante, he initiated the vaccination on his own so that the unit can protect the President more effectively during this pandemic. It was an understandable gesture of loyalty but he should have given more thought to the repercussions of his actions. He could have done it without violating the law. It probably did not occur to him that people in government must be the first to obey and follow the law.

If they do not, what kind of a country are we? A Mickey Mouse democracy? We are supposed to be a country of laws. If it is not, we will lose our self-respect as a nation and end up becoming a laughingstock.

Even Senator Bato De La Rosa cannot seem to see this point. He lauded the PSG for being human guinea pigs

when the whole point is about respecting and following the law. We must remember that an anarchic situation is the reason why revolutionary wars are waged by groups like the CPP/NPA. The government should not be the one giving the group a boost.

The biggest losers in this episode are the FDA and Secretary Carlito Galvez, the vaccine czar. Both were thoroughly embarrassed with what happened. FDA’s regulatory authority was completely by-passed while Galvez was blindsided. As the President himself said, when it comes to vaccines, only Galvez can decide.

Maybe he should speak out. All these months, we have been hearing that the only agency in government that can authorize the use of any medicine or vaccine in this country is the FDA. There are now reports however, that the 100,000 Chinese POGO workers in the country have also been vaccinated already and it is unbelievable that Harry Roque appears to be condoning this blatant disregard of our regulatory laws. I wonder what the Chinese government would do if Filipinos in China did the same thing.

So, what will the FDA officials do now? Resign in protest to demonstrate their resolve and save face? As I wrote last week, nobody would have begrudged the PSG close-in security, the President, Vice President and other very important government functionaries from being vaccinated ahead on grounds of national security so long as the process was followed. But not in the manner that it was done. The FDA, after all, can fast-track the issuance of a Compassionate Use Authorization. The bottom line in this unfortunate incident is that we cannot make a mockery of our own laws.

sight of what is important. Local government units and the national government are allocating funds to procure millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be given to the public. While we patiently wait, let us continue exercising vigilance,

remain responsible and health-aware citizens, and practice COVID-19 etiquette and safety measures to protect not only ourselves but the people around us. Let us keep the new year’s light and hope in our hearts as we survive this pandemic.

the act. There is no need for all these investigations if the PSG will only come clean and tell the public the whole story to put an end to all speculation. After all, it is hard to see the PSG people ending up being charged unless President Duterte would be willing to feed the Commander of his PSG to the “wolves” which I believe he will not do.

We are back to the old practice of ‘to each his own.’

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

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Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Owen Gulle City Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

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IN BRIEF Assange’s lawyer argue for bail from British prison

Democrats seize control in Georgia J

OE Biden’s Democratic Party took a giant step Wednesday towards seizing control of the US Senate as they won the first of two Georgia run-offs, hours before Congress was set to certify the presidentelect’s victory over Donald Trump.

LAWYERS for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will on Wednesday argue he should be released from a British prison on bail, pending Washington’s appeal against a decision not to extradite him to the United States.

A judge in London on Monday blocked his extradition to face charges for publishing hundreds of thousands of secret documents online, assessing he was a high suicide risk if transferred.

The United States, which called the ruling “extremely disappointing”, has said it will appeal, and has two weeks to lodge its grounds.

Assange has remained in the high-security Belmarsh prison in southeast London pending the latest hearing, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London.

The 49-year-old Australian publisher’s long-running legal woes have become a cause celebre for media freedom, despite the judge’s view he had a case to answer in the United States. AFP

New Venezuelan parliament sworn in; Maduro in control A NEW Venezuelan parliament was sworn in Tuesday with President Nicolas Maduro’s party in firm control and opposition leader Juan Guaido officially without a job, but with foreign backing to keep up a parallel legislature.

The new assembly was denounced as “a fraudulently elected body” by outgoing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said in a statement Washington recognized Guaido as “the legitimate president of Venezuela”.

“We consider this group to be illegitimate and will not recognize it nor its pronouncements,” he said of the new parliament which was also rejected by Colombia, Brazil and Uruguay.

Members of the Lima Group, consisting of more than a dozen Latin American nations and Canada, said they did “not recognize the result of an election” that violates the National Assembly’s “constitutional right to meet without intimidation or interference” to elect its president and governing board. AFP

More than 28,000 villagers escape Malaysian flood MALAYSIAN villagers were evacuated in an excavator while others swam through deep waters Wednesday as the number forced from their homes by floods rose to more than 28,000 with at least four dead.

Flooding hits the country’s east coast during the rainy season annually and regularly results in mass evacuations, but people in some areas say this year’s are the worst in decades.

The worst-hit state is Pahang, where over 21,000 have been evacuated in recent days, with almost 4,000 forced from their homes in Johor and thousands more in other states, according to the social welfare department.

Four deaths have so far been reported in Pahang and Johor.

On Wednesday a group of villagers was evacuated from the small settlement of Kampung Sementeh in Pahang, which has been cut off by the floods, in an excavator, an AFP journalist at the scene said. AFP

GEORGIA ELECTIONS. Voters go to the polls at Sara Smith Elementary polling station, in the Buckhead district, on January 5, 2021 in Atlanta during the Georgia Senate runoff elections. After an unprecedented campaign that mobilized President Donald Trump and his successor Joe Biden, the people of Georgia started voting Tuesday in two US Senate runoffs that could shape the first years of the new Democratic presidency. For nearly 20 years Georgia has voted reliably Republican in the presidential election and Senate contests. AFP

China escalates crackdown in HK; arrests 50 people CHINA’S crackdown in Hong Kong escalated dramatically on Wednesday with police arresting more than 50 opposition figures in their largest operation since a draconian security law was imposed on the financial hub.

The sweep is the latest salvo in Beijing’s battle to stamp out opposition in the semi-autonomous business hub after millions hit the streets in 2019 with huge and sometimes violent democracy protests.

Police confirmed 53 people -- including a US citizen -- were arrested for “sub-

nal forces and individuals” in Hong Kong “to collude with each other to attempt to undermine China’s stability and security”.

But the operation sparked a rebuke from Antony Blinken, US President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for Secretary of State, who said authorities were launching “an assault on those bravely advocating for universal rights”.

“The Biden-Harris administration will stand with the people of Hong Kong and against Beijing’s crackdown on democracy,” he added. AFP

Denmark bars S. African residents

DENMARK said it is barring entry to residents of South Africa due to fears over the spread of a new strain of the coronavirus there.

Denmark has not recorded any cases of the new variant, which was detected by South African authorities in mid-December and has since been found in a number of other countries.

The South African strain and another which has emerged in Britain are said to be more infectious versions of the virus, and have prompted widespread concern.

Denmark’s decision came into effect Wednesday and will last until January 17.

“This means that foreigners residing in South NOTICE OF SPECIAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING Africa generally NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of the Stockholders of will be PHILTOWN PROPERTIES, INC. (Philtown) will be conducted virtually on 27 January 2021 at 10:30 A.M. with the following AGENDA: refused entry to I. Call to Order II. III.

Certification of Notice and Quorum Approval and/or ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement between Philtown and Metropolitan Club, Inc. (Metroclub) dated 18 December 2019 and the transactions contemplated therein, such as the non-pursuance of the Metropolitan project, the termination of the joint venture with Metroclub for such Metropolitan project and the assignment of Philtown’s rights and interests over the subject property, as well as the transfer of the subject property to Metro Estrella Holdings, Inc. (MEHI) or its designated assignee.

IV. Approval and/or ratification of the assignment of Philtown’s rights and interests over the subject property and the transfer of the subject property to MEHI’s designated assignee, Metro Estrella Property Holdings, Inc. (MEPHI).

V. Approval and/or ratification of Philtown’s continuing obligation and liability for all claims, costs, suits, expenses, and liabilities arising from, relating to, or connected with the abovestated joint venture, the Metroclub agreements and the Metropolitan project.

VI. Approval and/or ratification of the appointments of Mr. Alfredo B. Parungao, Chairman, and/or Mr. Ernest Fritz Server, Vice Chairman, as Philtown’s authorized representatives/signatories with respect to the agreements/deeds with Metroclub, MEHI and MEPHI. VII. Adjournment

The conduct of this Special Stockholders’ Meeting will be done by remote conferencing, hence all stockholders of record as of 31 December 2020 may attend, participate and vote accordingly either through proxy, remote communication or in absentia. To confirm participation, please send email addressed to the Secretariat at philtown.asm2021@gmail.com.

All stockholders are requested to state their full name, address, contact number/s and email address.

The requirements and procedures on how to participate in this meeting and for voting in absentia will also be sent via email after the Corporation receives an email from a respective stockholder.

Stockholders who opt to vote by proxy must submit and address their proxy to the attention of the Secretariat at the 3F, BJS Building, 1869 P. Domingo Street, Makati City or via email at the email address indicated above not later than 5:00 P.M. on or before 20 January 2021.

29 December 2020, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

ATTY. ROBINSON C. VIÑAS Corporate Secretary (MS-DEC. 29, 2020 & JAN. 7, 2021)

version” in an early morning operation that involved about 1,000 officers.

The charges were sparked by an attempt by opposition groups last year to win a majority in the city’s partially-elected legislature.

Hong Kong’s security chief John Lee described the arrests as “necessary” and aimed at a group of people who tried to “sink Hong Kong into an abyss”.

In Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying defended the dragnet, saying it only impeded the “freedom of some exter-

Reverend Raphael Warnock’s victory, projected by multiple US networks overnight, capped a grueling nine-week runoff campaign and puts Georgia’s other knife-edge race in the spotlight for its potential to impact the balance of power in Washington.

“I promise you this tonight: I am going to the Senate to work for all of Georgia,” Warnock said in a livestream to supporters.

Should Republicans lose the second race it would be a political debacle just hours before Trump is expected to suffer another bitter blow when Congress affirms Biden’s Electoral College victory.

Multiple Republicans have signaled they will try to block the certification of the vote.

But their numbers appear slim and the House and Senate are all but guaranteed to reject the effort and certify the Electoral College results.

Warnock, 51, made history as just the third African American to win a Senate seat from the South. He defeated Kelly Loeffler, a 50-year-old businesswoman appointed to the Senate in December 2019.

In the second race, Democrat Jon Ossoff’s campaign manager said in a statement that once all votes are counted they “fully expect” Ossoff will have defeated his Republican opponent.

With 97 percent of precincts reporting, Ossoff edged out to a 0.22 percent lead, and analysts have said he was well placed to win, with outstanding votes coming from Democratic-leaning regions such as Atlanta. AFP

Denmark during this period,” the justice ministry said in a statement late Tuesday.

The only exceptions will be for child care, family visits and for people who are sick or dying, and on submission of a negative test for the coronavirus less than 72 hours old, and for the transport of merchandise.

Denmark, which is under a partial lockdown since mid-December, has almost 90 cases of the new British variant.

It has already barred entry to arrivals from Britain except for Danish nationals and permanent residents, who must present a negative virus test.

Authorities said Tuesday they were toughening coronavirus restrictions and urged people to avoid social contacts.

“Stay at home as much as you can, don’t meet people outside your household, those close to you,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference.

So far Denmark has suffered 1,420 deaths and almost 173,000 coronavirus cases among its 5.8 million people. AFP

WATER EVERYWHERE. Residents ride a digger vehicle through floodwaters following heavy monsoon downpour in Lanchang, Malaysia’s Pahang state on January 6, 2021. AFP

Vietnam draws flak for jailing three bloggers

VIETNAM faced criticism Wednesday from the United States and rights groups after jailing three pro-democracy bloggers weeks ahead of the communist government’s party congress.

The run-up to a leadership transition later this month is a particularly tense period for the state as candidates jostle for power beRepublic of the Philippines hind closed doors.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources In recent months, the ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BUREAU DENR Compound, Visayas Avenue, Diliman Quezon City 1116 authoritarian regime has Telephone Nos.: (632)927-15-17, 928-37-25; Fax No.: (632) 920- 22-58 stepped up its crackdown Website: http://www.emb.gov.ph / Email: mail@emb.gov.ph NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

On the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) of the proposed 1,700 MW BATANGAS COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT (BCCPP) PROJECT of the EXCELLENT ENERGY RESOURCES INC. located in BARANGAY DELA PAZ PROPER, BATANGAS CITY. Notice is hereby given to all parties who wish to give their opinion regarding the implementation of the proposed 1,700 MW BATANGAS COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT PROJECT to attend the Public Hearing scheduled on: Date 22 January 2021 (Friday) 26 January 2021 (Tuesday)

Time Mode of Conduct Details 01:00 PM On-site Covered Court of Registration starts Barangay Dela Paz at 12:00 NN Proper, Batangas City 09:00 AM Video Conference meet.google.com/sgcRegistration starts hzkc-cnd at 08:00 AM

The Public Hearing is being conducted in connection with the review of the EIS of the aforementioned project by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The following is tha project information: Project Name Project Location Project Capacity Project Type Proponent

1,700 MW Batangas Combined Cycle Power Plant Project Barangay Dela Paz Proper, Batangas City Phase I: 850MW net; Phase II: 850MW net Thermal Power Plant (Gas-fired) Excellent Energy Resources, Inc.

All interested parties who wish to attend or participate in this Public Hearing should preferably confirm their attendance/participation and may give their opinion(s) in a concise position paper to the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT DIVISION (EIAMD) of this Office through email at eia@emb.gov. ph, three (3) days before the Public Hearing schedule. Those who will not be able to register or submit written positions may be given the opportunity to share their issues on the day of the hearing itself.

The project’s EIS and Executive Summary for the Public are downloadable on our website: (kindly access the Notice of Public Hearing/ Consultation link found in our website) while copies will be available in the following offices: •

EMB Region 4A 6th Floor DENR by the Bay Bldg., 1515 Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila

•

CPDO – Batangas City Batangas City Hall Complex, P. Burgos Street, Brgy. Poblacion 17, Batangas City

For more details, please contact the EIAMD Division at this Office at telephone number 8920-2240 to 41 and look for the project case handlers Engr. George Silvederio and Engr. Joel Polintan.

(MS-JAN. 7 & 14, 2021)

on dissent and has arrested numerous critics.

At a quick trial Tuesday in Ho Chi Minh City, three critics of the state who belong to the outlawed Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam were sentenced to jail for “making and disseminating information against” Vietnam.

High-profile writer Pham Chi Dung, 54, founding member and president of IJAV, was jailed for 15 years, while military veteran Nguyen Tuong Thuy, 69, was sentenced to 11 years.

A younger member of the group, Le EXTRA-JUDICIAL EXTRA-JUDICIAL Huu Minh Tuan, was SETTLEMENT SETTLEMENT also handed an 11Notice is hereby Notice is hereby given year term. given that the that the estate of the late RUVENAL PABILLAR The United States estate of the late MAYOR and JOSEFINA PRIMITIVO VICENCIO -which, despite BASA DOMINGUEZDOMINGUEZ, SR. MAYOR (also known and NATIVIDAD war memories, has a as Josephine Basa BASAS DOMINGUEZ Dominguez-Mayor) has warming relationship has been extrabeen extra-judicially judicially settled among settled among their with Vietnam led by heirs WITH WAIVER OF their heirs, as per Doc. shared concerns on RIGHTS as per Doc. No. 429; Page No. 87; No. 423; Page No. 86; Book No. II; Series China -- said it was Book No. II; Series of 2020 before Notary of 2020 before Notary “disappointed” by the Public ATTY. JORDAN Public ATTY. JORDAN ANDREW Q. LIM. ANDREW Q. LIM. sentences.

“These harsh sentences are the latest in a worrisome trend of arrests and convictions aimed at Vietnamese N OTICE citizens exercising Notice is hereby given that FLATWORLD rights enshrined in SOLUTIONS (PHILIPPINES), INC. with office address Vietnam’s constituat Lucita Building, Lapu-Lapu Corner, Sobrecarey Street, Davao City is applying for registration with tion,” a State Departthe Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Services Exports Provider under Export Activitiesment spokesperson Services Exports (Business Support and Data said in Washington.

Entry Services-Buhangin Expansion) on a NonPioneer status, with project site located at 5th Floor “We urge the VietKSS Building, Buhangin Road Corner Olive Street, namese government Buhangin, Davao City. to ensure its actions Any person with valid objection/s on the aboveare consistent with mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the the human rights prodate of this publication. visions of its constitu(SGD.) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA tion and its internaDirector Infrastructure and Services Industries Service tional obligations and commitments.” AFP

(MS-DEC. 24/31, 2020 & JAN. 7, 2021

(MS-DEC. 24/31, 2020 & JAN. 7, 2021

(MS-JAN. 7, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business

B3

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market tumbles; Dito, GT Capital decline T TOP GAINERS PSEi January 6, 2021

1

CSB

LAST PRICE 8.5

% CHANGE CHANGE 2.54 42.62%

2 3 4

NRCP MWIDE DAVIN

0.84 8.36 5.69

0.14 0.94 0.58

20.00% 12.67% 11.35%

5 6 7

ACE UPM COL

1.6 0.0062 38

0.15 0.0005 3

10.34% 8.77% 8.57%

8 9 10

VUL APL MARC

1.08 0.179 1.82

0.08 0.012 0.12

8.00% 7.19% 7.06%

HE stock market slumped Wednesday on continued consolidation and concerns on rising virus infections in Europe and the US.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 86.33 points, or 1.2 percent, to 7,047.85 on a value turnover of P11.9 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 146 to 74, with 45 issues unchanged.

Dito CME Holdings Corp., the third major mobile phone firm, dropped 8.5 percent P12.26, while AC Energy Philippines Inc., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., shed 6 percent to P9.

GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the Ty

Group declined 6.1 percent to P526, while unit Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, fell 4.4 percent to P44.50.

The rest of Asian markets struggled Wednesday after a strong start to the year, with the virus and vaccines taking a backseat briefly as focus turned to the US state of Georgia, where two senate runoff elections could decide the fate of Joe Biden’s legislative program.

Traders have for months been juggling long-term optimism and shortterm worries with hopes that inoculations will mean life can slowly get back to normal.

A surge in COVID cases globally, however, has forced several nations to reimpose lockdowns and other strict containment measures.

Having navigated the major stumbling blocks of Brexit, US stimulus and the presidential elections, eyes are now on the closely fought vote in Georgia, with the Democrats taking one senate seat and the other too close to call.

Dealers worry that a double win for the Democrats―which would see them wrest control of the Senate and give them control of Capitol Hill for at least the next two years―would allow Biden to push through measures such as tax hikes and market regulations.

While it would likely pave the way for a new, huge stimulus, there is also fear that would lead to higher inflation and, in turn, higher interest rates.

“A dual win should lead to a steeper (Treasury yield) curve and a weaker dollar as the fiscal situation would be seen

Oil prices reach $50 as Saudi Arabia pledges cut

TOP LOSERS 1

TECB2

LAST PRICE 0.68

% CHANGE CHANGE -0.1 -12.82%

2 3 4

JOH ABG DITO

5.1 8.93 12.26

-0.64 -1.03 -1.14

-11.15% -10.34% -8.51%

5 6 7 8 9 10

SBS CHI SGP ALLHC KEP IMI

5.13 5.5 230.2 3.23 3.28 8.75

-0.47 -0.45 -18.8 -0.25 -0.25 -0.63

-8.39% -7.56% -7.55% -7.18% -7.08% -6.72%

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

DITO ACEN MM GTCAP BDO APL PHR MBT ALI PHA

VOLUME 262,668,900 78,276,500 81,256,200 1,024,010 5,037,830 2,760,910,000 91,362,000 6,326,400 6,928,000 207,211,000

VALUE (PHP) 3,075,030,902.00 691,616,156.00 579,481,560.00 539,876,200.00 504,880,470.00 471,122,310.00 301,600,960.00 285,193,490.00 280,397,765.00 264,612,210.00

General Motors, Toyota register strong US sales NEW YORK―General Motors and Toyota reported strong US sales at the end of 2020 on Tuesday, reflecting surprisingly robust consumer demand that mitigated the sales drop for the full year in the wake of COVID-19.

The pair are the top two automakers

by US market share, and both scored higher sales in the fourth quarter despite notching double-digit sales declines for all of 2020.

US auto sales for 2020 are projected to drop 15.3 percent to 14.4 million― which would make it the worst year since at least 2012―according to a December forecast from Cox Automotive.

Still, those numbers are much better than analysts feared after the US car market almost completely froze during spring lockdowns as the country contended with a spiraling coronavirus crisis.

“Everybody is excited the market has done as well as it has,” said Charles Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive. “We’re getting back to normal much more quickly than expected.”

While the pandemic has caused elevated unemployment and long lines at food pantries, other consumers have more cash for cars and other bigticket items due to less spending on travel and other discretionary goods, and many have benefited from federal stimulus funds.

“If you haven’t lost your job, the government has been giving away money,” said Chesbrough, who thinks the industry could benefit in the second half of 2021 from a recovering US economy bolstered by vaccinations and additional federal spending.

Chesbrough said auto companies have been able to keep selling incentives in check due to limited inventories. However, sales could sag in the first quarter if the worsening pandemic crimps demand.

GM cited continued consumer hunger for pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and other large cars that enabled the auto giant to score record average transaction prices in the fourth quarter and for the full year. AFP

as unsustainable,” said Sebastien Galy, of Nordea Investment.

The dollar indeed weakened against most other currencies as Democrats looked to have their noses in front.

After a positive lead from Wall Street, where all three main indexes bounced back from their worst start to a year since 2016, Asian markets mostly drifted lower.

Hong Kong and Shanghai rose along with Bangkok, but Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Mumbai, Taipei, Wellington and Jakarta all fell.

Analysts said that while new restrictions, worrying infection spikes and stuttering vaccine distribution in some countries were jangling nerves on trading floors, dealers were keeping their sights on the second half of the year. With AFP

NATIONAL LOCKDOWN. A pedestrian wearing a mask walk past shops closed down due to to lockdown restrictions, on an empty Oxford Street as Britain enters another national lockdown in London on January 5, 2021. England’s six-week lockdown, which began at midnight, emulates the first national coronavirus curbs in place from March to June—but goes further than another instituted in November when schools remained open. Authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have all taken similar measures, putting the UK as a whole in lockdown. AFP

World Bank warns recovery could erode if virus worsens WASHINGTON―The World Bank on Tuesday downgraded its outlook for the global economy, and warned the situation could deteriorate if COVID-19 infections accelerate or the vaccine rollout is delayed.

The coronavirus pandemic also has worsened the risks surrounding the rising debt load in developing nations, and it will take a global effort to avoid a new crisis in those economies, the bank cautioned.

After shrinking 4.3 percent in 2020, the world economy is projected to grow by 4.0 percent this year, two-tenths lower than previously forecast, as more than half of countries were downgraded in the semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report.

China was a bright spot with a surprisingly fast recovery in 2020, but advanced countries which did better last year will fare worse in 2021, the bank said.

The report warns the outlook remains “highly uncertain,” and GDP

growth could be as low as 1.6 percent this year if the downside risks materialize.

With millions driven into poverty by the coronavirus recession, countries will need to find a way to move beyond direct aid and reignite investment to stimulate growth, the Washington-based development lender urged.

Policymakers face “formidable challenges... as they try to ensure that this still fragile global recovery gains traction and sets a foundation for robust growth,” World Bank President David Malpass said.

The expectation for a subdued recovery “assumes that vaccine rollout becomes widespread” and the economic reopening continues, Malpass told reporters.

But even if the pace of growth holds steady, global GDP in 2022 will be 4.4 percent below pre-pandemic levels, the bank said.

And, further out, the “lasting damage to health, education and balance sheets”

may lower the global economy’s potential output, the report said.

Focus on policies to boost investment will be needed to counter “the pandemic’s lasting scars,” including through investment in green infrastructure which can boost growth while at the same time addressing climate change, the report said.

Malpass said that would include phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and providing incentives for green technologies.

The Chinese economy is expected to expand by nearly eight percent this year, after two percent growth in 2020, while US GDP is projected to gain 3.5 percent―a half point lower than the June forecast.

Excluding China, developing nations as a group will see growth of just 3.4 percent, the report said.

The inequality of the downturn and the recovery was “dramatic,” and drove a “devastating rise in extreme poverty,” Malpass said. AFP

NEW YORK―Oil prices shot higher Tuesday following Saudi Arabia’s surprise announcement that it would trim production, while global equities had a mixed session as governments contend with coronavirus outbreaks and difficulties with vaccinations.

The price of the main US oil contract, WTI, jumped more than five percent higher at one point to hit $50 a barrel for the first time since February.

Members of the oil cartel OPEC and their partners agreed Tuesday to raise output slightly in February and March, but only in Russia and Kazakhstan, while Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced that the country would cut its own production by one million barrels per-day in both months.

“Saudi Arabia put the cherry on the cake and if there is one way to describe what its voluntary cut means for the market, ‘happy hour’ is a pretty fitting term,” Rystad Energy’s Bjornar Tonhaugen said of the surprise Saudi announcement.

“They say there is no such thing as a free meal, but it’s difficult to see how a beast of a one million bpd cut is justified behind closed Saudi strategist doors.”

The news lifted petroleum-linked stocks on Wall Street, including Hallburton, Occidental Petroleum and Apache, all of which gained at least eight percent.

Major US indices also advanced following better-than-expected US manufacturing data and car sales as markets monitored Georgia elections that will determine control of the US Senate.

The gains on Wall Street came after stocks pulled back Monday on worries that a Democratic sweep of the two Georgia Senate runoffs would clear the way for tax increases and other major legislative changes.

But news of fresh lockdowns and slow vaccination campaigns kept European stocks mostly on the back foot. AFP

Fly south or roost? Canadian ‘snowbirds’ weigh Florida mid-pandemic

By Jacques Lemieux MONTREAL, Canada―Birds of a feather normally flock together, but the pandemic has divided Canada’s “snowbird” warm weather migrants into two camps: those staying home this winter and those heading to Florida no matter the cost.

Nearly a million Canadians make the annual pilgrimage, fleeing to the southern United States to pass what would otherwise be gray and snowy months with their toes tucked in the sand and ocean breeze in their hair.

The coronavirus has led a majority to forgo the trip this year―but for those flouting Canada’s repeated calls to stay put, the price tag on winter at the beach has skyrocketed.

With the land border between the US and Canada closed for non-essential travel since March, Canada has implored its citizens to stay home.

“Now is not the right time for a vacation abroad,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday, as the country’s second coronavirus wave surges with no sign of slowing.

About 900,000 Canadians spend a large portion of the winter in Florida and in other southern US states, Johanne Blain, director of the Canadian Snowbird Association for the Frenchspeaking province pf Quebec, told AFP. She estimates that only 30 percent of that number are doing so this year, however.

In this file photo taken on April 1, 2020, a passenger wheels her luggage near an Air Canada logo at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada. Canada will require travelers to obtain a negative COVID-19 test before being allowed into the country, the government announced on December 30, 2020. AFP

That said, rules on the US side are fairly welcoming to sun-starved northerners: The country is allowing in Canadians who fly even for non-essential travel. Canada, on the other hand, is not admitting Americans under the same circumstances.

And while Canadians do not have to respect quarantine rules in Florida, they must do so for 14 days upon return home.

Those who want to make the trip by

car or motorhome, meanwhile, simply take advantage of a legal loophole to circumvent the closed land border.

Michael Couturier, CEO of Quebecbased Transport KMC, leads the way.

His clients board a plane in the Montreal suburbs and arrive 12 minutes later in Plattsburgh, New York, where a KMC employee meets them with their vehicle, transported across the border.

The experience does not come cheap: Each plane ticket costs Can$500 (around $390) and hauling the vehicle 55 miles (90 kilometers) across the border sets customers back $1,000.

Around 2,000 people have so far used the service, according to Couturier.

‘Can’t take it anymore’ “All we want... is to have peace of mind and be surrounded by joy, not gloom,” a “snowbird” who had recently arrived in Florida with her husband, told AFP. “We can’t take it anymore, we just want to live our life, we are 60 years old, we decided to live in a motorhome,” she said, requesting that her name not be used.

Whether or not to head south is “a bit of a heartbreaking decision” for those who spend all year in motorhomes, Blain said.

Such snowbirds generally do not have a permanent home and migrate seasonally between Canada and Florida, often for many years, she said.

Snowbirds are also paying top dollar to have companies like KMC transport their vehicle all the way to Florida for an average price of Can$1,500-1,800―but it can cost up to $4,500.

“Thanks to the snowbirds, we had to hire more personnel to meet the demand,” Couturier said. “It’s a very good situation for us right now.”

More than 3.6 million Canadians officially visited Florida last year, or one in 10 people. AFP

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

B4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

PSE INDEX CLOSING Wednesday, January 6, 2021 -86.33 PTS. 7,047.85

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

22,675,771,639 217,714 11,907,061,094.30 74 146 45

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.0440

Japan

Yen

0.009735

0.4677

UK

Pound

1.362800

65.4744

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128981

6.1968

Switzerland

Franc

1.138563

54.7011

Canada

Dollar

0.789266

37.9195

Singapore

Dollar

0.758956

36.4633

Australia

Dollar

0.775900

37.2773

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655549

127.5832

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266588

12.8080

Brunei

Dollar

0.756086

36.3254

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000072

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.033400

1.6047

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0810

Euro

Euro

1.229800

59.0845

Korea

Won

0.000920

0.0442

China

Yuan

0.154919

7.4429

India

Rupee

0.013676

0.6570

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.249128

11.9691

New Zealand

Dollar

0.723900

34.7791

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035764

1.7182 Source: BSP

AREIT acquiring 9.8-hectare lot in Laguna for P1.1b

Business Gov’t outstanding debt jumps 31%, tops P10.1t T

By Julito G. Rada

HE government’s outstanding debt climbed by more than 31 percent in November to exceed P10.1 trillion for the first time from a year ago, driven by short-term borrowings from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to fund antiCOVID-19 response.

Data from the National Treasury showed that outstanding government debt hit P10.13 billion as of November, up P106.37 billion or 1.1 percent from the end-October level of P10.03 billion on higher domestic borrowings. It was also up by P2.42 trillion from P7.71 trillion registered in November 2019.

The Treasury said that from the start of 2019, “the government debt stock has grown by P2.40 trillion or 31.1 percent owing to higher funding requirements to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and other socio-economic measures.”

It said that of the total outstanding debt stock, 29 percent was sourced externally while 71 percent came from domestic sources.

The Treasury said that on a month-on-month basis, domestic debt amounted to P7.19 trillion as of end-November,

which was P114.56 billion or 1.6 percent higher than the endOctober level of P7.08 trillion following the net issuance of domestic government securities.

Domestic debt increased by P2.06 trillion or 40.3 percent between January and November, it said. This was driven by the P541-billion short-term loans from the BSP. Meanwhile, external debt slightly went down by P8.19 billion or 0.3 percent in November to P2.94 trillion from the previous month’s P2.95 trillion.

“For November, the lower figure was primarily due to the P10.74 billion net effect of currency adjustments, particularly peso appreciation offsetting net foreign loan availments amounting to P2.55 billion,” the Treasury said.

Data, however, showed that from the start of the year, the government’s foreign debt increased by P338.44 billion or 13.0 percent from P2.6 trillion.

The Treasury said domestic borrowing in the first 11 months of 2020 reached P2.38 trillion, with net Treasury bills totaling P465.31 billion; Treasury bonds, P631.74 billion and retail Treasury bonds, P738.54 billion, net of the P88.56-billion domestic bond exchange.

External financing of the government registered an inflow of P583.64 billion in the 11-month period. Project loan availment hit P32.93 billion ($680 million) while program loans amounted to P364.64 billion ($7.58 billion). Offshore bond issuances totaled P186.06 billion ($3.87 billion).

By Jenniffer B. Austria AREIT Inc., the real estate investment trust company owned by Ayala Land Inc., said it is acquiring a 9.8-hectare property in Laguna province for P1.1 billion.

AREIT said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the land acquisition would directly contribute to the company’s income starting this month and add to the earnings generated by buildings under its portfolio.

This will also increase the distributable income to shareholders, demonstrate AREIT’s ability to deliver stable and regular dividends and strengthen potential for capital appreciation, it said.

AREIT is acquiring the land from TLI, a subsidiary of Ayala Corp. The property is located inside Laguna Technopark and consists of four parcels being leased by Integrated MicroElectronics Inc. for its manufacturing operations.

The acquisition will be partially funded with debt.

AREIT said along with the acquisition of The 30th in Pasig, its portfolio will reach 344,000 square meters of leasable space, double the current size of 171,000 square meters just five months from its initial public offering.

This also brings up AREIT’s total property value to P37 billion.

“Aside from being value-accretive to investors, AREIT’s assets promote job creation for Filipinos. AREIT’s office buildings are home to top local and global companies that employ over 50,000 Filipino workers including this newly acquired land where over 5,000 jobs are generated,” AREIT president and chief executive Carol Torres-Mills said.

AREIT earlier said it would continue to acquire income-producing commercial properties to enhance returns for investors and increase opportunities for future income and capital growth.

Among the criteria for acquisition are properties with stable income and cash-flow derived from solid tenant mix of top multinational and local business process outsourcing and traditional headquarter office locators.

AREIT is the country’s first REIT firm to be listed at the Philippine Stock Exchange. Its portfolio includes four commercial properties, including Solaris One, Ayala North Exchange, McKinley Exchange and Teleperfomance Cebu.

NEW CEBU PACIFIC PLANE. Cebu Pacific takes

delivery of its second ATR cargo freighter to strengthen its cargo operations to and from domestic airports with short runways. Only a third of the airports in the Philippines can accommodate jet aircraft, while the rest can only be served by turboprops. The ATR 72-500 aircraft with tail number RP-C7253 was converted at the Sabena Technics DNR S.A.S. facility in Dinard, France. CEB’s first freighter that arrived in August 2019 was also converted at the same facility.

Both ATR freighters, operated

by CEB’s subsidiary Cebgo, are equipped with a large cargo door, allowing for capacity to be as much as eight tons of palletized cargo.

GMA Network spending over P20b in 3 years for expansion

By Darwin G. Amojelar GMA Network Inc., the country’s leading broadcast company, said Wednesday it will invest more than P20 billion from 2021 to 2023 to produce more content and support digital TV expansion.

The company said in a statement the projected three-year capital expenditures would support the construction of a new building and state-of-the-art studios inside the GMA Network complex in Quezon City. A huge portion of the budget would also be allocated for content production and post-production.

The budget covers the continuing expansion of its digital terrestrial television reach and various projects in the regions to strengthen GMA’s presence nationwide.

The network is also set to officially unveil early this year its mobile digital TV receiver, GMA Now, which will enable viewers to watch TV on the go for free with bonus interactive features.

It said while the network was not spared from the global crisis in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the seven-decade strong media giant was able to recover its airtime sales in the second half, following the highly successful launch of its DTT receiver, GMA Affordabox in June.

“Surpassing seven decades is no easy feat for our company especially during an exceptionally challenging year in 2020, but we are very proud of what we have achieved so far through our people’s dedication and our commitment to Serbisyong Totoo,” GMA chairman and chief executive Felipe Gozon said.

“We wholeheartedly thank all our Kapuso for their unrelenting support to GMA. Rest assured that your Kapuso Network will continue to provide only the best for our viewers,” he said.

Aside from its programs on main channel GMA-7 and on GMA News TV, the Kapuso Network also offers viewers a variety of content through digital channels—Heart of Asia for avid Asianovela fans; Hallypop for Asian pop culture; and DepEd TV to help Filipino learners access DepEd’s blended learning program across the country.

IN BRIEF Converge ICT boosts network

PAGCOR DIVIDENDS. State-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. remits P1 billion to the National Treasury, bringing to P18 billion its total dividends contribution for the year 2019. PAGCOR vice president for finance and treasury Recto Baltazar Jr. (right) hands the check representing the agency’s cash dividends to officer-In-charge and director for asset management service Eduardo Anthony Mariño III in a simple turnover ceremony at the Bureau of the Treasury Office in Intramuros, Manila. The agency’s latest remittance is intended to help fund the government’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 and provide economic relief to pandemic-hit businesses and individuals.

Lopez says imposition of safeguard duties on imported vehicles to preserve local jobs

By Othel V. Campos TRADE Secretary Ramon Lopez said Wednesday the government will be amiss if it will disregard the need for safeguard measures on imported vehicles after investigations showed pure imports were causing severe injury to the local automotive manufacturing industry.

Lopez, responding to comments from industry players, said the safeguard duties were meant to help and boost local manufacturing revival efforts and protect local jobs in the manufacturing of cars and light commercial vehicles.”

Lopez was referring to a statement by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc., which claimed the recent imposition of provisional safeguard tariffs on imported vehicles would cause “reduction in employment.”

“The position of CAMPI just shows they import more than [what they] manufacture locally. Again, imported vehicles are not banned. Consumers have the option, and the dealers can now sell more of the locally-made vehicles such as Toyota Vios and Innova and Mitsubishi Mirage

and L300, the prices of which are not changing and therefore will be more attractive,” he said.

He said dealers would continue to have their businesses as the situation was about “maintaining a balance and safeguard measures are in keeping with the law.”

“If we don’t impose this safeguard, after finding Injury to local industry, then we are risking the remaining jobs of the Filipino workers,” he said.

He reminded automotive players that the safeguard measures were the government’s response to the petition of the Philippine Metalworkers Alliance, a workers’ group in the car industry.

Lopez said the group expressed concern over the declining opportunities to workers in car assembly facilities amid surging imports.

Data showed from close to 100,000 workers in the past years, employment in the sector declined to about 86,000 jobs in local vehicle manufacturing and production of auto parts, metal works, plastics, wiring harness and others. These jobs were affected adversely by the increasing vehicle imports, he said.

Diokno expects better GDP data in fourth quarter BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday he is confident about better gross domestic product data in the fourth quarter, compared to the 11.5-percent decline in the third quarter, as more economic activities ensued following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Diokno said in an online briefing during the Kapihansa Manila Bay forum that households and other sectors of the economy were beginning to recover from the crisis.

“As we open the economy, then people can move and do business... The slower pace of GDP contraction is expected to continue in the fourth quarter of 2020,” he said, although he did not give any specific projection.

He said improvements in mobility indicators indicated that firms and households were beginning to adjust to the post-pandemic operating environment. This, he said, could support resurgence in economic activities in the near term.

Citing mobility changes as monitored by Google for the entire country as of Dec. 29, 2020, Diokno said visits to places such as grocery, pharmacies and parks approached their pre-COVID levels. Visits to retail and recreation also continued to show improvement, he said.

Meanwhile, mobility in transit stations was still flat given that transport options remained limited.

After exhibiting 84 consecutive quarters of growth, real GDP declined by 0.7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020 following the eruption of Taal Volcano in January and the onset of the pandemic by February.

The GDP contracted by a deeper 16.9 percent in the second quarter and 11.5 percent in the third quarter. This brought averaged GDP performance at -10 percent in the first three quarters of 2020. Julito G. Rada

ANGELES CITY—Converge ICT Solutions Inc., the country’s biggest pure end-to-end fiber internet service provider, said it is making its network fully redundant with the deployment of third core node to improve customers’ internet experience.

“We’ve always said that we are all about our customers’ online experience. This is one of the best examples of how we intend to back it up.

Our main advantage is the quality of our highspeed fiber connectivity,” said Converge chief executive Dennis Anthony Uy. He said a third core backbone node would enable a robust and redundant traffic routing in the network, making it more fault-tolerant. The main network backbone of Converge was previously connected to two core nodes in Metro Manila and Pampanga.

Uy said with the completion of a third core network backbone node in December, Converge’s end-to-end pure fiber network would become stronger and more resilient with a more efficient network traffic distribution and better ability to address outages.

Jess Malabanan

Japan disburses P4.67-b loan to PH THE Japanese government disbursed on Tuesday another 10-billion yen (about P4.67 billion or $91.79 million) loan to the Philippines under the second phase of its Post Disaster Standby Loan 2 program that will support efforts to rehabilitate areas devastated by a series of typhoons in the fourth quarter of 2020, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Wednesday.

Dominguez said in a statement the financial support would help cover the funding needed to help families get back on their feet and rebuild communities following the destruction left by typhoons Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses in October and November last year.

This disbursement on Jan. 5 brought to 20 billion yen (about P9.33 billion or $183.58 million) the funds released so far by Japan to the Philippines under PDSL 2.

“On behalf of the Philippine government, I express my gratitude to the people and government of Japan for helping our country swiftly mobilize financial resources for the massive rehabilitation efforts in the areas pummeled by typhoons Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses,” Dominguez said. Julito G. Rada

BDO Capital earns honors from IHAP BDO Capital & Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of BDO Unibank Inc., garnered the top honors at last year’s virtual ceremony of the Investment House Association of the Philippines Awards.

It received the Investment House of the Year (4 years in a row); Best Equity House (3 years in a row); Best Fixed Income House (5 years in a row); Best Project Finance House (3 years in a row); Best Advisory House ; and Best Equity Deal (Small-Mid Cap)- Fruitas Holdings Inc.’s P1.011 billion initial public offering.

“We in the BDO Group are honored to be recognized and strive to find ways to assist our customers even during a pandemic,” said BDO Capital president Eduardo Francisco..

IHAP is a non-stock, non-profit organization established on July 19, 1974 to promote better understanding of the roles and functions of the country’s investment houses, as well as enhance the contribution of investment houses in the growth of Philippine businesses and the economy through the development of the capital markets.

Sports

New coach to rebuild Lyceum 5

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

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By Peter Atencio THE Lyceum Pirates will have plenty of time to rebuild their roster in time for the start of season 96 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Newly appointed head coach Jeff Perlas will make sure the Pirates will be a competitive squad once again.

“It’s really a rebuilding process for us, hindi lang sa players, sa coaches din,” said Perlas, who took over the squad after Topex Robinson started handling the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters last October.

Players coming out of high school like Batang Gilas standout Maclaud Guadana and John Barba are expected to add some punch to the Pirates’ coming campaign.

With skippers Reymar Caduyac and Nino Ibanez still around, the Pirates are still seen as a threat to the San Beda Red Lions’ bid to remain as one of the dominant forces in the league.

“Siyempre ‘yung expectations ng mga players ay sa akin, especially the new guys like si Mac Guadana, si Barba, and some of those veterans na natira pa from that Season 93 like our captain si Caduyac and Nino Ibanez. Sila na lang ‘yung dalawang natitira. There’s really a lot of pressure, a lot of expectations, siguro especially for me rin kasi it’s really hard to replace a Coach Topex,” said Perlas.

League rules in the Philippine Basketball Association don’t allow head coaches from moonlighting as a coach for any other team out of the organization.

Perlas has been Robinson’s deputy since they handled the Pirates’ program for the last five years.

“I hope I can make a difference for these young guys, so it really starts from knowing the expectations first before moving forward,” added Perlas.

For now, members of the team are undergoing training via online means.

The other deputies in the Pirates’ squad include Rommel Adducul, Gilbert Malabanan, Ricky Reyes and Kevin Lacap.

When Robinson was head coach of the Pirates, they had back-toback Finals appearances in Season 93 and 94, and reached the Final Four back in 2019.

Anthony Davis (left) of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his basket with LeBron James. AFP

James, Davis carry Lakers to victory; Nets silence Jazz

L

OS ANGELES—LeBron James and Anthony Davis picked up the pace when the Los Angeles Lakers needed them most, coming up big in the waning minutes of a 9492 NBA victory over the Grizzlies in Memphis on Tuesday.

James and Davis scored 26 points apiece as the reigning NBA champions escaped with a victory that kept them unbeaten in four road games this season and improved their record to 6-2 overall.

James, who added 11 rebounds and seven assists, scored 21 of his points in the second half to make sure Los Angeles came out on the right side of the ledger on a night when both teams struggled shooting.

The Lakers trailed 79-77 with 5:18 remaining. Davis drained a three-pointer to put Los Angeles ahead, and he

and James took over.

A steal by Davis led to a James jumper, and a block by Davis kept the momentum rolling as they combined for 15 straight Lakers points.

Each had a turnover in the closing span, but Kyle Kuzma’s layup, off a feed from James, pushed a three-point lead to five with 3.5 seconds left and Devin Brooks’ three-pointer for the Grizzlies wasn’t enough.

“We were able to close the game out, get some timely stops and some timely buckets,” James said.

Irving leads Nets In Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving carried the load for the Nets in the absences of Kevin Durant, scoring 29 points on 12-of-19 shooting in a 130-96 romp over the Utah Jazz.

Irving made his first nine shots as the Nets raced to a 21-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

His performance, which also included six rebounds, five assists and three steals, was just what the Nets needed with Spencer Dinwiddie sidelined by a knee ligament injury and Durant ruled out this week by coronavirus safety protocols

after contact with someone who tested positive.

Nets head coach Steve Nash shook up his starting line-up, and center Jarrett Allen, making his first start of the season, outplayed Jazz big man Rudy Gobert as he amassed 19 points, 18 rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots.

Caris LeVert, who added 24 points off the bench for the Nets, said Irving’s performance was no surprise to his teammates.

“We kind of expect that from him,” he said.

“That was a great start. He took the shots the defense gave him, and he was very efficient out there, great at leading as well, talking to us on the defensive end, talking us through plays, talking to us with the new group he was out there with ... it looked very seamless out there. I think Ky should get a lot of credit for that.”

Mills paces Spurs The San Antonio Spurs snapped a four-game losing streak with a 116-113 victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles. AFP

LeBron laments lack of charges in Blake shooting LOS ANGELES—NBA superstar LeBron James called the decision not to bring charges in the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin “a blow to the heart” on Tuesday.

“To hear what happened in Kenosha today was a blow to the heart and to the gut,” James said after the Lakers’ win over the Grizzlies in Memphis.

Blake, an African American, was left paralyzed in the incident last August, which sparked an historic sporting boycott that began when Milwaukee Bucks players declined to play game five of their NBA firstround playoff series in protest of the shooting in the club’s home state.

Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley said Tuesday that it would be difficult for prosecutors to prove that white police officer Rusten Sheskey was not engaged in self-defense when he shot Blake several times in the back as Blake tried to get in his car.

James said the decision was a slap not only to the community in Kenosha but “to every, I guess, Black person that has been a part of this process, seeing these outcomes for so long.

“Not only just in the Black community, but also in the white community as well, (people) who see moments like this happen to us, happen to this family,

to the kid himself.”

The NBA ended up halting its playoff schedule in its coronavirus quarantine bubble in Orlando from August 26-28.

The protests weren’t limited to the NBA. The WNBA postponed six games, more than a dozen Major League Baseball games were postponed and the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament halted play for a day after Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her semi-final in a bid to put the spotlight on racial justice issues.

The Bucks issued a team statement on Tuesday that didn’t mention Blake or Kenosha specifically.

“This past year shed light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our African American and other marginalized communities,” the statement said.

“Reoccurring instances of excessive use of Protesters hold signs outside at Hennepin County Government force and immediate escalation when engaging Plaza, during a demonstration against police brutality and racism the Black community must stop. We will continue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. No police will be charged in the to work to enact policy changes so these incidents shooting of African American Jacob Blake, who survived but was paralyzed in the incident which sparked unrest in the US city of no longer exist.”

Before the playoffs resumed last August, the NBA Kenosha in August, the prosecutor announced January 5. AFP announced it would partner with players to form a justice coalition to address a broad range of issues Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Matthews, who played for including access to voting, promoting civic engage- the Bucks last season, called the lack of charges “disheartening,” ment and police and criminal justice reform. but said the fight for racial justice must continue. AFP

Eustaquio wishes title shot for Kingad

FormerONE Flyweight World Champion Geje ‘Gravity’ Eustaquio pummels a foe in one of his past fights.

FORMER ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio of the famed Team Lakay from Baguio City, Philippines treats his teammates like his own ‘brothers.’ Which is why the 31-year-old veteran has no qualms about stepping aside for Team Lakay junior Danny “The King” Kingad in a race for the world title.

“My wish is for Danny [Kingad] to take the title this year. He has a good chance at earning another shot at the belt,” said Eustaquio.

“The kid is seriously talented and very strong.”

Kingad is currently ranked #2 in the official athlete rankings in the flyweight division for mixed martial arts, sitting just beneath former UFC Flyweight World Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, and reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes.

Kingad is a winner of seven of his last eight contests, with a lone defeat to Johnson himself. He previously challenged Moraes in 2017 in his first shot at the world title. Since then, Kingad has improved by leaps and bounds, and Eustaquio believes he will do much better in rematches against either Johnson or Moraes.

“He’s consistently growing! He’s not the same fighter who fought Adriano and DJ the first time.

Danny is a difficult matchup for anyone at this

point,” said Eustaquio.

Team Lakay is looking to put together a massive 2021, following a year marred with disappointment.

The team spent the holiday time each with their families and close relatives to re-energize and refocus their efforts, in preparation for the next 12 months, before reconvening in Baguio City to support a teammate whose mother had recently passed away.

“I spent the holidays with close family by my side. It was indeed a very happy new year. We went on a getaway trip, took the kids out to go swimming. My son Cage loved it. It was just the kind of trip I needed to nourish my soul, after all that we went through in 2020,” said Eustaquio.

“However, it was definitely a sad start on the 1st of January, as we all met up at Lito’s [Adiwang] house to mourn the passing of his mother. But I’m glad we could be there for our brother.”

Eustaquio bares that most of Team Lakay has already started their training and are back in the gym to resume the hard work they are known for.

“Everybody on the team is excited and very motivated to win. Spirits are very high and we’re all ready to get the year started. Most of us already started our preparations and are back in the gym training,” said Eustaquio.

Metro League mourns death of MMDA Chairman Lim THE Metro League family, headed by tournament director Bonnie Tan, mourns the passing away early Wednesday morning of Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim. “We offer our condolences to the family of Chairman Lim,” said Tan. “He is a huge loss not just for the MMDA but to the entire country as well.”

Lim, 65, was the No. 1 supporter and catalyst since 2017 of the Metro Manila Sports Fest, a year-long tournament of various sports disciplines targeting the youth among the local government units in Metro Manila. “(Chairman Lim) loved sports. He always supported the MMDA’s participation in various basketball leagues.

He also institutionalized the Metro Manila Sports Fest where various sports and games are played. We are really saddened by his sudden death and he will surely be missed,” said MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia, himself also a staunch supporter of the Metro Manila Sports Fest.

The Metro League is the organizer of the MMDA’s Metro Manila Sports Fest, which was among the many sports activities in the country that were temporarily suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic starting last year.

“The Metro League and the Metro Manila Sports Fest would not have garnered the success and support of the LGUs these last few years if not for Chairman Lim’s efforts,” Tan added.

The MMDA Chairman was diagnosed positive for COVID-19 last December 29. He succumbed to complications due to the said coronavirus eight days later.

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Sports

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

Mixed martial artist champ Vera is Holcim’s brand ambassador

Kenin happy to be travelling as WTA starts in Abu Dhabi ABU DHABI—Defending Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin believes the tough bio-secure limits on players at the start of the 2021 season are “harsh” but says she is “happy to be travelling”.

The world number four, who is top seed in the year-opening WTA event in Abu Dhabi which starts on Wednesday, will be kept in a bubble along with her fellow competitors before they all move on to Melbourne for the delayed Australian Open.

They will then be quarantined for two weeks when they will be allowed to leave their hotel rooms for five hours per day to train at Melbourne Park.

“It’s not the most ideal situation,” Kenin said at an online press conference on Tuesday.

“I wish we could go out and walk around the city but we can’t. It is what it is. I’m just happy to be here, I’m happy to be travelling, I’m trying to keep it as normal as possible.

“The rules are quite harsh, but it’s for everyone.”

Kenin is grateful for the additional time she has been able to spend on court to prepare for 2021 and is happy there will at least be some fans—20 percent capacity—llowed to attend the opening Grand Slam of the season in Melbourne.

Others, however, have been less happy with the restrictions placed on the players.

“I’m hoping that this bubble life will end very soon,” said Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who is seeded 15th in Abu Dhabi.

“I’m not sure when Covid is going to be over but we want our freedom.

“We are professionals and I think we can have the responsibility to be in the tournament but also be responsible at the same time.

“We don’t need this kind of restriction, but what can you do? You have to accept them after all.”

‘Weird’ A last-minute decision was made to stage a 500-level women’s tennis tournament in the UAE capital in order to give players an opportunity to compete before they hop on special chartered flights to Melbourne.

Players were given exemptions from Abu Dhabi’s mandatory 10-day quarantine but must adhere to strict rules limiting their movement to just the hotel and the tournament site at Zayed Sports City.

The one-off event has no sponsors and the WTA Tour is providing the $565,530 prize pot.

By mid-January, all players participating in the Australian Open will board chartered flights from three locations —Dubai, Los Angeles and Singapore—directly to Melbourne and straight into quarantine.

For the first week, players must pair up and stick to the same practice partner, before adding two more to their closed practice group in the second week of quarantine.

“It’s a new thing, it’s a bit weird, but what can we do? Safety first,” said world number 10 Aryna Sabalenka, who has chosen her doubles partner Elise Mertens as her practice buddy during the first week in Melbourne.

‘Different pressure’ Tennis Australia’s initial plan was to have players arrive in Melbourne by mid-December but restrictions on international arrivals to the state of Victoria prompted a change.

The Australian Open, which normally starts in the third week of January, was pushed back to February 8 and players were forced to adjust their pre-season training regimens accordingly. AFP

New Year’s wishes and a resolution

THE year 2021 is just a week old, so allow me to share some thoughts on the past and the future, including my New Year’s resolution that always works.

So, I will start with my tried and tested New Year’s resolution, just like the past years when I always succeeded.

For this year, I resolve not to make any resolution at all. Believe me, it works.

But kidding aside, 2020 was a disaster, practically for the whole world because of COVID-19. With a snap of the fingers, our whole lives suddenly changed, including the ways we traditionally spend the Christmas season.

A view of the Red Sox logo outside of Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Red Sox have hired Bianca Smith as a minor league coach, making her the first black woman to serve as a coach in professional baseball. Smith will work at the Major League Baseball club’s player development facility in Fort Myers, Florida, mainly on batting. AFP

Red Sox hire 1 black female coach in baseball st

N

EW YORK—The Boston Red Sox have hired Bianca Smith as a minor league coach, making her the first black woman to serve as a coach in professional baseball.

Smith will work at the Major League Baseball club’s player development facility in Fort Myers, Florida, mainly on batting.

“I am so incredibly grateful for all of the support I’ve been getting,” Smith tweeted. “Of course none of this would be possible without the help of my family, friends, and the trailblazers who came before me.

“I can’t wait to get started. Thank you so much and go Red Sox!!”

Smith, 29, has been an assistant coach and hitting coordinator at Carroll University in Wisconsin since 2018 after five years as director of baseball operations as Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and a stint as an assistant at the University of Dallas.

Smith, a 2012 graduate and softball player at Dartmouth, has interned with MLB’s Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds and has a background in biomechanical and analytic areas with an eye to improved batting stances and performance.

“The number of different resources that the Red Sox have as far as tech

Bianca Smith

goes, I’m really excited to get my hands on that,” she said. “Learning the different metrics and being able to dive deeper into what I currently have is pretty exciting.”

The Miami Marlins last year named Kim Ng their new general manager, making her the first woman to hold

that title with a major North American sports team.

Meanwhile, former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda has been discharged from hospital and is “resting comfortably” at home, the Major League Baseball club said Tuesday.

Lasorda, 93, was hospitalized near his home in Orange County, California, and placed in intensive care in early November for an undisclosed illness.

Lasorda attended the Dodgers’ World Series-clinching victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Arlington, Texas, on October 27.

It was the team’s first World Series title since Lasorda guided them to the crown in 1988, adding a second title to the one earned under his leadership in 1981.

Lasorda has been a regular presence at Dodger Stadium since he retired as manager in 1996, roughly a month after suffering a heart attack in June of that year.

Four years later, Lasorda emerged from retirement to lead the US baseball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where the United States defeated Cuba to win the gold medal.

Lasorda remains the only man to manage both World Series and Olympic baseball champions. AFP

BUILDING solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc. has partnered with mixed martial arts organization ONE Championship and its heavyweight world champion, Brandon “The Truth” Vera, for a campaign to highlight the company’s strong legacy of excellence in helping partners build important structures in the country.

Called “Built to Excel,” the campaign will feature Vera highlighting the similarities of his path to being a champion with Holcim Philippines’ journey in establishing itself as the leading building solutions provider in the country.

The campaign will highlight Holcim Excel, the company’s flagship general purpose cement brand which is set to celebrate its 20th year in 2021. Holcim will primarily use social media for the campaign and produce materials for its trade partners nationwide.

Vera won the inaugural ONE Heavyweight World Championship isn December 2015 and has held the title ever since. One of the first successful Filipino-Americans to make a breakthrough in mixed martial arts, Vera has competed against some of the sport’s biggest names in his nearly 20-year career.

Holcim Philippines president and CEO John Stull said they are excited to work with ONE Championship and Brandon.

“Aside from tapping into their growing fan base which aligns with our own customers, we decided to continue this partnership due to shared values with them. Our Holcim Excel brand is set to reach its 20th year in 2021,” Stull said.

For his part, Vera thanked Holcim “for trusting me to be the face of their brand. I am honored to have been chosen by a company who is known in its industry for products that stand out for their excellent performance, strength, and durability.”

Filipino basketball tilt for a cause underway in Riyadh

Members of host team GRAB We Care United are shown during the opening ceremony of the First GWCU Charity Basketball League at Al Faris International School Gym of owner Madam Sahar Al Mazouki in Riyadh, KSA. In photo are (from left, standing ) Albert Pano, Gary Martin Ysug, Ariel Alapar, Robin Padiz, who is the event founder/ organizer, Junard Rosauro, VP Mensen Lopez and Marciano Daradal, (sitting) JR Padua, Jun Padua, Leonardo Radovan, Rodel Lucero, Melvin Torres and Joeney Cadornigara.

THE BOTTOM LINE LITO CINCO No big family reunions, no carollers, no New Year’s countdown parties that end in giant fireworks displays all over the city. It was a big letdown, though in the end, we Filipinos still celebrated the holidays in our own little ways.

Though if there is one thing I can look back to last year and be happy about, it is the fact that I became a medium to make a big dream come true for blind paratriathletes Joshua and Jerome Nelmida.

Together with a lot of kind-hearted people, last December 24, Christmas eve, I posted a wish to find people who would be willing to part with

P500 and help the twins buy a Sio Mai King franchise to help them prepare for their future.

You see, I like to help people who help themselves and I saw that these siblings have inspired people by what they have accomplished, despite their being blind at birth.

And helping them realize their wish for their own business was something I decided I should do. In just a few hours from the time I posted the wish, people simply responded and I even exceeded my P10,000 goal. Right after Christmas Day, the Nelmida family picked up the P15K in cash, plus another P1K from a Sio Mai King staff.

And now, 2020 is over and we have started a new year, which unfortunately the coronavirus does not recognize, just as it does not discriminate against gender, age, politics, religion, race, wealth, health and other social barriers.

I say this because the world will not change simply because a new year has

THE GRAB We Care United Basketball Team paraded along with three other overseas Filipino worker squads during the opening of the First GWCU Charity Basketball League 2021 recently at the Al Faris International School in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Event founder/organizer Robin Padiz said his noble project aims to extend a helping hand to fellow overseas Filipino workers, who were adversely affected by the pandemic in Riyadh, mostly stranded workers and those who are raring to go back to the Philippines.

Other participating teams are RDS, SAR and UNICC composed of the more fortunate OFWs, who also joined hands for the advocacy in carrying the ‘bayanihan spirit’ of Filipinos in the gulf nation.

“It’s a noble project, a basketball for a cause. ’Yung quota nito ay gagamitin sa ayuda para sa ating mga kababayan dito na apektado ng pandemic. Ang magiging champion ang siyang pipili ng kanilang aayudahan,” said Padiz via zoom interview. been ushered in.

The new year will be a make or break year for a lot of businesses, and with businesses comes jobs, and with jobs, a more alive world.

More than anything else, I am a realistic person and I accept things as they are, not for what I want them to be, and the current life situation is certainly something I do not like, but I need to understand, accept and adjust.

But, too, with every new year comes new hope, and with it comes wishes, I am sure when it comes to making a wish, everyone all over the world has a common wish, that this pandemic finally ends and everything comes back to the old normal we have come to know.

And since wishing is the same as dreaming (it is free), I will express, too, the wish that the world of sports be the same once again, that I can start watching the PBA, the Philippine Superliga, the UAAP and the NCAA, live and on television, so that I can start

“Layon din namin ang camaraderie at pasasalamat sa ating mga magigiting at mas mapalad na kalahing taos puso sa pagtulong tulad ng mga kasamahan natin sa Grab We Care United,” Padiz added.

The new charity cage league of GWCU is a single, round-robin tournament until January 22, 2021, leading to a winnertake-all championship.

Padiz, a former member of the national men’s gymnastics team, also said the newly formed league wishes to attract more teams for future editions to broaden its noble cause for less fortunate Filipinos, whose companies were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and those in dire need of finding new employers “Others don’t want to go home. They need new jobs instead. We must help them in our humble way,” said Padiz, who also acknowledged the support of event sponsors President Zaldy Rabalo, Rannie Basanta and Madam Sahar Al Marzouki of AFIS. covering my favorite sports events out of town like triathlons in Subic, and that I can do in person interviews again with sports personalities without limitations both for this space and our Sports World And Beyond vlog on YouTube.

More on the world of sports, I also wish that our Filipino athletes in the once postponed Tokyo Olympics, boxers Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and pole vaulter EJ Obiena, win a medal, gold preferably with the two boxers and Yulo I believe having more than an even chance of doing so.

Also, that they be joined by the likes of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, golfer Yuka Saso, and skateboarder Margielyn Didal, who can all compete at that level.

Now, am I wishing for too much?

No, I am not and so please join me in prayer so that the good Lord may grant these wishes.

Entertainment

DARYL ONG joins VIVA, plans to launch

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

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Singer and songwriter Daryl Ong signs up with a new record label and plans to rebrand himself as a musician.

INTERNATIONAL CAREER

S

INGER and songwriter Daryl Ong has officially joined Viva Records after testing the waters with the label the past few months when he collaborated with powerhouse singer Katrina Velarde for the original tracks “Love Me Now” and their Christmas single “‘Tis The Season” (alongside other remarkable singers) in late 2020.

And this is just the start of the many projects that he wanted to do under his new music label.

“I’m thankful for the kind of vibe they’re giving me... that they really wanted to have me on board. And they are also giving me this creative freedom when it comes to my music and the career that I want to establish,’ the 33-yearold singer told Manila Standard Entertainment in a virtual interview yesterday.

“One of the factors that made me decide to join Viva was their pool of artists. This partnership gives me more chances to collaborate with singers that I haven’t had the chance to work with before. I’m just excited about the possibilities of working with them,” Daryl carried on listing pop queen Sarah Geronimo and pop-rock band The Juans as some of the Viva artists that he wanted to do a collaboration with given the opportunity.

As he starts a new year with a new record label, Daryl also shares that it’s an exciting opportunity that brings a

brand-new environment for him, “I believe that there is always something new to learn in life and it's the same with music, Viva Records opened up a new world for me to explore, and so I will NICKIE make sure to make the most out of this wonderful opportunity.”

WANG Fans can expect new songs from Daryl, of course, and he’s taking it to a different level with an aim to rebrand himself as a singer and a songwriter.

“I’ve been known as someone who covers songs and makes it his own. This time, I’d like to release more original songs. There’s nothing more satisfying for a musician than coming up with original music,” he stated.

Daryl sees this new journey as an exciting time for him as he carves a new phase in his singing career with Viva Records.

“Last time I had a meeting with Boss Vic del Rosario,, he said we are going to try to tap Southeast Asian audience with my music. Actually, I have a plan to cover an Indonesian song. We wanted to test if the Indonesian audience would receive it, then we’d start from there,” Daryl expressed his desire and plan to expand his audience outside the country.

Meanwhile, Daryl was recently crowned as the first-ever grand winner of Masked Singer Pilipinas. In the course of the competition, he was pitted against some of the best OPM artists including Bituin Escalante, Nina,, Katrina, and Roselle Nava,, to name a few. In the grand finale held on Dec. 26, Daryl came out on top, unidentified of course, as fans and the celebrity judges were made to choose among the masked heavy hitters.

Winning the Masked Singer Pilipinas is a testament to Daryl’s vocal skills and quality. That when it comes down to it, his voice shines through. For him, his victory reaffirmed his confidence in his talent.

VERY WANG

Living legacy

MayWard film

is Star Cinema’s opening salvo

YUGEL LOSORATA THE classic line “I’m just a living legacy to the leader of the band” holds true to loved ones who put up foundations to honor their dearly departed. This was a silver lining to 2020 which claimed the heroic lives of front liners all over the world.

I need not get far to see this reality. A close friend of mine, Chris Datijan, a former bandmate who used to write songs with me, put up one for his mother who died in the US after agreeing to postpone her supposed retirement last June. She worked as med tech handling blood samples from possible COVID-19 patients and got infected with the coronavirus. She

The author’s current band The Pub Forties recently released a digital single depicting him and his front liner-brother Eulogio Losorata Jr. who died last year. The artwork was created

by Clarisse Aguilera, daughter of singer-songwriter Rey Valera.

Cancer and COVID-19 survivor Chris Datijan (center), who put up the Mama Be Foundation for his late mother Natividad, is shown here in a photo (circa late 90s) with college bandmates Mike Alforte (foreground) and the columnist (far left).

died Oct. 24.

“Her loss was the ultimate dagger, but her sacrifice is what made me realize my purpose,” said Chris who himself had gone through a very difficult ordeal last year.

A songwriting partner and the lead singer in our college band who later pulled me into work for a 2001 album project called Anak Ng EDSA, Chris was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent chemotherapy during the ECQ summer of 2020. He recovered but eventually got sick with the damn virus. He fainted more than once due to lack of oxygen in the brain and spent two weeks in a hospital’s ICU (Intensive Care Unit). He made it through and had his birthday in September feeling like it was already his third life.

Chris created The Mama Be Forever Foundation for his mom Natividad in his desire to be a spokesperson for cancer struggles. Early recipients were the Bahay Aruga Cancer Shelter and the PGH Cancer Department. He related, “My mother was a generous soul and I am still alive.

I understood the lessons those instances tried to convey. My purpose now is to inspire and help.”

In another story, which I should say, very personal, my three sisters, namely,

Amelia, Beverly, and Karen set up the Dr. Eulogio B. Losorata Jr. EL Clan Scholarship Foundation to pay tribute to our brother who passed away last August.

The Pampanga hospital where he took daily duties for years was like a second home to him.

Kuya Boygic,, Doc Luigi to friends, was partly responsible for my immersion in music. He introduced me to classic rock and New Wave songs and at one point played me his raw compositions entitled Paglalasing and Nation of the Free.

The EL Clan foundation wishes to “inspire students and raise funds for deserving medical, nursing, and other healthcare students through scholarship grants.” As of this writing, the latest recipient is Justine Kim Cabanag, a nursing student from Our Lady of Fatima University.

“My brother lived with passion for work and kindness to others. Many people had good stories about him, especially those in the community he served. Just to say he’s my brother is an honor I’ll forever live with,” expressed my Ate Amelia who migrated to the US in the mid-90s.

Last November, she appeared on a lifestyle show (BFF L.A.) in California to promote the foundation.

Loveteam Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber in a 'kilig-filled' scene in Star Cinema's 'Princess DayaReese.'

STAR Cinema kicks-off 2021 with romantic-comedy Princess DayaReese, top-billed by onscreen pair Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber, now showing on SKY Movies Pay-Per-View, distributed by CineXpress.

The rom-com, directed by Barry Gonzalez,, follows the misadventures of Reese (Maymay)—a con artist who dreams of living the lavish royal life. Her wish unexpectedly comes

Rosy, exciting year for a soft rock diva ROZZ Daniels, known in her circle as soft rock diva, is launching a new song. Entitled “Napamahal Nako,” the song was specifically made for her by composer Adonis Tabanda.

In preparation for the recording, Rozz said she practices practically every day so she can sing her first song perfectly.

"I practice daily for this song. I look forward to having everyone hear this new OPM offering,” she said in an interview.

Rozz has nothing but praises for her manager-discoverer Nick Vera Perez for his all-out support to attain her ultimate dream

of becoming a singer. Likewise, she was happy to have joined the latter’s show on Kumu, which according to her eased her pandemic blues away and showcased her singing ability.

Moreover, she said, the NVP1WORLD family show on the live streaming platform from October to December 2020 had successfully raised funds for charity.

"We did the campaign ‘Race to Face to Care’ where 100 thousand worth of relief goods would be awarded to the charity of choice of Mr. NVP. Then finally, Mr. Nick

Vera Perez won! I was and still am very happy as I was there with him throughout the campaign as part of the winning team."

Rozz said she is now living her childhood dream. She has always wanted to sing joining several amateur singing contests to get her big break. In 2010, she participated in a contest in Wisconsin, USA. "I've been singing since I was 8 years old.

Then at 10, I joined a choir,” Rozz shared.

The Pinay singer loves ‘80s music. Back in her younger days in her native country, she enjoyed and admired the music of Julie Vega

(“Somewhere In My Past”), Jam Morales (“Even If”), and Sharon Cuneta (“Mr. DJ”).

It was his late father who encouraged her to sing but she stopped singing due to several reasons: early marriage, work, studies, and living in the US. When his father passed away in 2015, Rozz said she decided to fulfill his last wish for her to sing professionally.

Now based in the US, she is scheduled to come home to the Philippines to promote her first single and join her mentor in his concert should the situation permits.

true as she meets her uncanny lookalike—Princess Ulap (Maymay) of the mysterious kingdom of Oro. The princess, who has been planning to escape her grandiose lifestyle, then offers Reese a huge amount of money to switch places with her.

Upon her crazy quest to pretend as a well-respected princess, she meets Caleb (Edward), a young reporter who is filming a documentary about Oro island. Unfortunately for Reese, he knows about her secret. But things get a little complicated as Caleb falls in love with the fake princess.

Avid moviegoers and MayWard fans alike can experience Reese's wacky misadventures in Princess DayaReese in high-definition and commercial-free on SKY Movies PayP e r- Vi e w, s h o w i n g until Jan. 21.

Subscribe for only P150 and enjoy 48-hour access upon purchase at the comfort of your home.

Subscribers with SKYcable, SKY Fiber with HD Cable TV, and SKY Fiber with All-In Box subscription can avail of this special pay-per-view offer. Visit mysky.com.ph/cinexpress to subscribe.

US-based soft rock diva Rozz Daniels.

Life

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

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HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

Let there be (smart) light Mayor Nashiba Gandamra-Sumagayan of Taraka, Lanao del Sur

How it’s done: Woman mayor

improves town performance

By Ayunan G. Gunting

LIGHTS ON. Smart lighting solutions enable households to efficiently control their lighting to match a particular scene or achieve the most ideal setting with the use of mobile app or smart accessories.

A

ND there was light, at home, by simply using your voice.

Objects are becoming smarter by the minute that even our lights can be controlled not only with a switch or a button, but with our phone, our voice, our movements. And they now do more than turning on and off, too.

French-Asian lighting software solutions company WiZ Connected brings to the Philippines its range of lights and accessories that brings the perks of smart lighting at more affordable prices.

Plug and play

To enjoy the system, simply screw in the WiZ light and download the intuitive WiZ mobile app. The latest products from the company are installed with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth dual protocol chips for easier and more reliable pairing process.

Users can then set the perfect light to study, create a cozy setting by mimicking a fireplace or candlelight, and synchronize lights with their daily schedule through a vast range of modes on the app.

“The WiZ app’s interface is user-friendly and intuitive with an easy drag and drop system to manage lights and accessories,” the company, which has been acquired by Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), said in a statement.

For instance, users can set the circadian rhythm to automatically choose the type of light depending on the time—shifting from cool light in the morning to soft light in the evening.

Other family members and guests can also control the smart lighting system through the mobile app.

WiZ Connected offers a range of lights and accessories at entry-level prices.

Other ways to manage lights

In addition to the app, the lighting system can also be managed through voice control with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or Siri shortcuts.

Smart accessories such as the universal WiZmote helps customize lighting modes for each room. The WiZ motion sensor, meanwhile, turns on lights to a predefined setting as a person enters a room even without Wi-Fi. The WiZ smart plug instantly turns any light into a smart light—allowing for control through the app or remote.

Ready to bring the smart light in? The starter WiFi + Bluetooth kits’ prices start at P2,265. The WiZ full color strip starts at P895. Prices for the smart accessories WiZmote and WiZ motion sensor start at P995.

While the WiZ LED full color downlight starts at P895.

The aforementioned products are available in hardware stores and on Shopee and Lazada.

The intuitive WiZ mobile app features a drag and drop system to manage lights and accessories installed at home.

iPHOTO

Drone show at SM Mall of Asia One hundred spectacular drones set to music lit up the sky at SM Mall of Asia during the Holiday Lights Drone Show at Central Park. Photos show dazzling Christmas tree and parol images.

WILLPOWER, meticulousness, strategic thinking, and community building come naturally to women. These qualities have not only endeared Mayor Nashiba Gandamra-Sumagayan to her constituents but also helped bring progress to Taraka in Lanao del Sur. The proof of her hard work is the conferment of the 2020 Civil Service Commission Pagasa Award (Regional Winner for the Honors Program) for outstanding governance.

Sumagayan was credited for turning a fourth-class municipality into a progressive community. She has maintained the peace and order vital to the progress of every locality.

The mayor acknowledges her predecessor and husband, Amenodin, for initiating vital changes when he was the mayor. Amenodin settled long-standing family feuds which had intimidated the community. More police officers patrolled the neighborhoods, curbing crime and drug-related activities.

“Peace and order has always been our top priority. Our collective efforts have led to the various accomplishments of our security forces,” she says.

The Taraka-MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) was conferred the Medalya ng Papuri for arresting the top three most wanted suspects.

Spending on infrastructure was likewise a priority. With the help of government organizations, farm-tomarket roads, multi-purpose buildings, water systems, RHU (rural health unit) buildings, and a Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, among other structures, were built. The municipal hall was also expanded and the municipal gymnasium renovated.

The mayor enhanced the social services such as continuing education programs amid the pandemic. Every month, Sumagayan would meet with the local school board to discuss how the learners were faring and how the local government could improve the educational system. As a result, her LGU merited the Seal of Good Education Governance in 2019 from the Synergeia Foundation, a league of organizations espousing quality education, and the United States Agency for International Development.

Before she entered politics, Sumagayan was assistant professor in English and literature at the Mindanao State University. “I invested time in my work so that I would be able to equip my students with the essential skills needed to reach their goals,” she enthuses.

She admits her biggest challenge then was balancing her role as teacher, mother, and wife to her husband who was then Mayor and was girding for the bar exams. She did not allow the pressures of family life affect her work. Even if she felt under the weather, she continued to teach with enthusiasm.

Further, Sumagayan has made

health services more accessible to her constituents. The RHU provides newborn screening kits, incentives for tuberculosis-cured children, and hygiene kits.

Dr. Bolawan Delawi, RHU head, and the Zuellig Family Foundation have implemented various health programs. With the police and other departments, Sumagayan has been conducting an awareness campaign on smoke-related health problems. The LGU has since been placed in the Hall of Fame of the Red Orchid Awards, the Department of Health’s incentive for tobacco-free environments.

Taraka has managed to control the COVID-19 pandemic through the Sangguniang Bayan, headed by Vice Mayor Amenodin Sumagayan.

Through a series of house-to-house relief operations, Sangguniang Bayan distributed hygiene kits and horticulture crops, and procured health materials for disinfection. Frontliners were given personal protective equipment and free meals. When the lockdowns put the livelihood of daily-wage earners on hold, the mayor provided cash assistance.

Sumagayan points out that her greatest achievement has been to empower her associates and her constituents by making them believe in their potential. Throughout her term, Taraka has received the seals from the Department of the Interior and Local Government for good governance, most gender responsive municipality, good financial housekeeping, disaster preparedness, business friendliness, and peace and order.

This year, Sumagayan plans to establish an agricultural and livelihood program with the vision of making Taraka an economic hub. She hopes to implement Mindanao Development Authority chairperson Emmanuel Piñol’s solar-powered irrigation system, an anti-poverty program that aims to provide water and improve crop production in isolated provinces.

“This will not only help our farmers but also our constituents who do not have enough to support themselves.

We will be able to establish a local enterprise where everyone will benefit most especially our vulnerable sectors,” she says.

Aside from improvements in her municipality, her collaborative leadership style has also brought Muslim women to the forefront. “Muslim women leaders across the globe are proving that their biological makeup and their social stereotypes do not reflect their potential,” she emphasizes.

“Muslim women are independent and spiritual individuals in their own right. They are firm in their resolve and inclined to lead against odds. Despite living in patriarchal societies, they stand on their ground and let their voices be heard. They speak for other people and show immense compassion towards their communities. This is what fuels them to brave every challenge that comes their way. This is what makes Muslim women leaders special.”

Mayor Sumagayan plans to establish an agricultural and livelihood program this year, with the vision of making Taraka an economic hub.