Manila Standard - 2021 January 14 - Thursday by Manila Standard

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GOV’T SECURES 137M DOSES OF VACCINE IN DEALS FOR 7 GLOBAL BRANDS By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Jimbo Gulle THE Philippines has secured 137 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine and could get 42 million doses more from the global COVAX facility in the

next few years, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez said. Galvez also confirmed that the government has just signed an agreement for 25 million doses of CoronaVac, the coronavirus vaccine of Chinese firm Sinovac.

“They gave a commitment, and I signed the term sheet and had a copy of the signed term sheet for 25 million [doses] sent to Hong Kong,” he told President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday in a meeting that was televised Wednesday night.

“The 137 million doses are secured for until next year, it could be as high as 170 to 172 million excluding 42 million from COVAX,” Galvez added. An initial batch of 50,000 doses is expected to arrive in the country on February 20, to be followed by 950,000

more doses in March. Galvez lauded Sinovac for being the “only” vaccine maker to give definite monthly delivery dates for its doses. Galvez said the country has also secured 40 million doses of Novavax, 25 Next page

New COVID ‘monster’ now in PH QC male resident positive of UK variant; massive contact tracing launched By Willie Casas

HE new, more transmissible coronavirus variant first reported in the United Kingdom has been detected in the Philippines, the Health department said Wednesday.

“Following strengthened bio-surveillance and border control efforts, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) today officially confirm the detection of the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant (UK variant) in the country after samples from

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 310 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Military, public, private sectors in vax logistics

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JANUARY 13)

492,700

By Macon Ramos-Araneta CABINET officials assured President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday they are ready to roll out vaccines for the coronavirus to the countryside once they arrive in the country starting next month. Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told the President they would tap the country’s “bayanihan spirit” in tandem with businesses and local governments to help move the jab against the deadly disease. Galvez, a former military general, also said the National Task Force on COVID-19 would use the logistics of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to bring the vaccine to the far-flung areas of the country’s 7,000-plus islands. President Rodrigo Duterte said frontliners and vulnerable sectors will get the first shot of the vaccine when they reach the country, and that he will be among the last. “Priority is uniformed personnel, mga sundalo natin, kasama sa priority, mauna talaga yung pobre, yung wala talaga. Kung milyon ‘yan (vaccine), magsabaysabay na kayo, huli na kami,” he said.

a Filipino who arrived from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 7 yielded positive genome sequencing results,” the DOH said in a statement. Reacting to the news, President Rodrigo Duterte said: “There’s a new

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,453 24,478 NEW

ACTIVE

9,699

146

458,523

397

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

Duterte names people sacked for corruption By Rey E. Requejo

ROSY OUTLOOK. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park on Wednesday. Presidential Photo

DILG reports 500+k signatures from LGUs back ‘surgical’ Cha-cha By Maricel V. Cruz

CHA-CHA PLANNING. In this screen grab from ANC, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (left, seated) meets with political party

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has presented to Congress the half million signatures gathered across different provinces to signify grassroots support for “surgical” amendments to the 1987 Constitution, especially its economic provisions. At the hearing conducted by the House of Representatives’ committee on constitutional amendments, Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, who is also a part of the Inter-agency Task Force for Federalism and Constitutional Reform, presented to congressmen the 555,610 signatures gathered during a roadshow promoting the merits of amending certain provisions in the Constitution. The committee, chaired by Ako-Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin, resumed hearings on a resolution of both houses by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, that seeks to amend restrictive provisions of the Constitution by adding the phrase Next page

leaders ahead of the Charter change hearing at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte once again read a list of government officials dismissed by the Ombudsman for corruption and other charges in his televised address on Wednesday night. The list included Alejandro Rivera, regional vice president of the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation. Duterte said the nature of his case was conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, dishonesty, and grave misconduct. “Lahat sila ito pare-pareho ‘yan, dismissed from service with accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and the perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service. Ibig sabihin he can no longer seek employment sa gobyerno,” the President said. He also read a list of Armed Forces personnel discharged from service, led by Quartermaster 1st Class Petty Officer Elpidio Aromin of the Philippine Navy, dismissed for fraud against the government. Petty Officer 2nd Class Jesus De Egurrola of the Philippine Navy was dismissed for the same reason, the President said. “Disbursing officer --- pera ‘yan (he handled money),” Duterte said. Also listed was Navy Petty Officer Next page

Cayetano forms own House bloc, Impeach Trump gets flak for ‘BTS’ group moniker rolled out; Pence By Maricel V. Cruz FORMER Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has formed an independent bloc in the House of Representatives to ensure, according to him, checks and balances at the lower chamber.

7 LAWYERS TAKE CUDGELS FOR 37 ‘ATA’ PETITIONERS Story on A2

Cayetano’s group-- to be called-- “BTS sa Kongreso” (BTS in Congress) - in reference to the popular South Korean boy band -- will be launched today (Thursday). BTS stands for Back To Service. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Next page

PHILHEALTH DEBT TO RED CROSS RISES TO P715M Story on A2

won’t call ‘25th’

WASHINGTON—A defiant Donald Trump rejected blame Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) for a deadly assault on Congress by his supporters, but cracks emerged in the president’s Republican support with several now backing his removal on the eve of an all-but-certain historic second impeachment. Vice President Mike Pence gave the besieged Trump a lifeline by saying he would not invoke the 25th Amendment that allows him and the Cabinet to strip a sitting president of his powers. Next page

FISCAL APPOINTMENT. Respondents who are invited to appear in a preliminary investigation before the Makati prosecutors’ office arrive on Wednesday to shed light on the death of Philippine Airlines flight attendant Christine Dacera. See story on A2. Arman Clemente

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‘Powder’ yarn cut in Dacera case By Willie Casas

P DELA Serna, one of the respondents in the Christine Dacera case, retracted Wednesday an earlier statement on the presence of ‘powder drugs’ during the New Year’s Eve celebration that preceded their friend’s death, one of his lawyers said. Earlier reports said Dela Serna said in a sworn statement that Mark Anthony Rosales, another respondent, had brought “powder drugs” and invited him to use it. He said he declined. But Abby Portugal, one of Dela Serna’s lawyers, and four other respondents, said her clients were “pressured” by Makati police to say that. Dela Serna, Rommel Galido, and John Paul Halili were detained by police until prosecutors ordered them released for further investigation.

Gov’t... From A1 to 40 million jabs of the Pfizer vaccine, 17 million from AstraZeneca, 3 to 5 million from Moderna, an unspecified amount from Johnson and Johnson, and the Sputnik vaccine from Russia, which offered 50 to 100 million doses. The Philippines will also get at least 30 million doses from the COVAX Facility, a global initiative that aims to ensure equitable access to the vaccines for poor nations, Galvez said. In the same meeting, Duterte defended Chinese-made vaccines, claiming they are every bit as reliable as Western ones. “It’s as good as any other bakuna na na-imbento ng mga Amerikano or mga Europeans. Hindi nag-kulang ang Chinese, hindi sila nagkulang sa utak,” the President said. The President then read the priority list of people for vaccination, then promised businesses who have helped procure the jab for the government: “We will remember you after this. And more importantly, God will always be conscious of what you’re doing.” The development tempered issues coming from the Senate, where Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday demanded to know why the government favored the COVID-19 vaccine from Sinovac of China despite its apparent disadvantages when compared to other vaccines produced by more credible pharmaceutical companies. After Monday’s Senate Committee of the Whole hearing on the government’s vaccination program, Lacson said it appeared that Sinovac was “the chosen one.” Lacson said the availability of only Sinovac until June, as well as the replies of officials at Monday’s hearing, indicates the government favored this vaccine. “Can somebody explain why preference is given to the second most expensive vaccine, [that] has [a] lower efficacy, a record of suspended clinical trials and [that] has not even applied for an EUA (emergency use authorization) over other vaccines that cost much less, more [more] efficacious and are about to be granted their EUAs?” Lacson said. Lacson pointed out that Sinovac has a five-month head start over other brands from February to June even without applying for an EUA, which the Food and Drug Administration said was due to the suspension of clinical trials in another jurisdiction.

DILG... From A1 “unless otherwise provided by law” to sections of Articles XII, XIV and XVI. “These provisions have given rise to monopolies and oligopolies by some Filipino-owned industries at the expense of consumers,” Garbin said in his opening statement. “We should not be afraid to compete

Cayetano... From A1 Villafuerte, one of the group’s members, said the group still supported President Rodrigo Duterte’s legislative agenda but would be critical of certain measures being pushed in the chamber under the leadership of Cayetano’s successor, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. “If we see something that’s wrong, we’ll also speak out because at the end of the day, we want what’s good for the country. We’re still definitely part of the administration and the Duterte majority,” said Villafuerte, an identified Cayetano ally who was removed from his post as deputy speaker upon Velasco’s assumption in office.

“The powder issue insinuating drug use actually came from the mouth of the PNP Makati,” Portugal told reporters in Makati. “It was added by them after subjecting the two detained to mental torture and misrepresentations that they will be released from detention and that no charges will be filed against them,” she added. Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation, which is conducting a separate investigation, is waiting for the

findings of the Makati Medical Center considered to be “valuable” on Dacera’s case as it was able to examine the victim before she was embalmed by police authorities. According to a report on “24 Oras,” Dacera had undergone at least five several medical tests at the Makati Medical Center where she was declared dead-on-arrival on January 1. “They are first-hand in Christine’s cadaver. So most likely we can get information there. The report of Makati Med. will be very valuable,” said Jun De Guzman, NBI Deputy Director for Investigative Services. Documents received by GMA News from an NBI source showed that five tests were done on Dacera based on her hospital bill. This included an examination for

traces of illegal drugs such as opium, morphine, benzodiazepine or tranquilizer, marijuana, ecstasy, and methamphetamine. According to the NBI, once it is finished with its investigative and forensic examinations, it may submit these as supplemental evidence to present charges or it may file a separate charge. Subpoenas have been also issued to almost all persons of interest who had interacted with Dacera before she died. In a press statement, the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office said the next hearing is scheduled on Jan. 27, after police investigators are still waiting for the results of forensics tests on Dacera’s body such as DNA analysis, toxicology/chemical analysis, histopathology examination, and laboratory results from the Makati Medical Center.

PhilHealth debt to Red Cross rises to P715m

7 lawyers take cudgels for 37 ATA petitioners By Rey E. Requejo SEVEN prominent lawyers will represent the 37 petitioners seeking to declare controversial Republic Act 11479 or Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 during the oral arguments to be conducted by the Supreme Court on January 19. In a 27-page joint manifestation, the 37 petitioners submitted the list of lawyers who will argue on their petitions against the anti-terrorism law for being unconstitutional, particularly for being vague and overbroad which is in violation of constitutional rights on free speech and expression. Former Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz, former Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) president, Free Legal Assistance Group chairman Jose Manuel Diokno, and Atty. Alfredo Molo III would argue for clusters 1 and 2; law professor Evalyn Ursua for cluster 3; National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) chairperson Neri Colmenares for cluster 4; Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman for cluster 5; and human rights lawyer Algamar Latiph for cluster 6. The petitioners also selected six more lawyers as alternates “in the event they fail to appear during the oral arguments for reason beyond their control, and the time allocation for each cluster.” The alternates are Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Bar Discipline director Randall Tabayoyong, former SC spokesperson Theodore Te, human rights lawyer Josalee Deinla, NUPL secretary general Ephraim Cortez, Howard Calleja, and Bantuas Lucman. Each of the seven main lawyers will argue on a cluster of issues ranging from whether the SC should issue a temporary restraining order to whether the powers of the Anti-Terrorism Council violate the Constitution.

don’t worry,’ but we do worry because we have other commitments to the country in terms of our duties,” Gordon said during an interview on ANC’s Headstart. The state insurer is “nitpicking” on the details of the confirmatory COVID-19 tests that the Philippine Coast Guard and local governments prepared and Red Cross conducted, Gordon said. “They keep asking for so many things they don’t need. We’re not gonna overcharge anybody. You asked us (to test)

and we agreed on a protocol and you’re looking for little reasons not to pay? That’s not good for the government and the people,” he said. He added: “They also owe a lot of hospital bills. They’ve not been paying the hospitals. They have no reason to say that because in the first place we are just the recipient of all the tests made by the Coast Guard and by the local government. Whatever they give us it should have been properly encoded by the Coast Guard and the local government.”

navirus strain from South Africa. On Wednesday, Health Minister and Central Epidemic Command Center head Chen Shih-chung announced that a man from Eswatini who had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19 on Jan. 1 had been found to have the South African variant of the virus. The new strain, identified as B.1.351, is 1.5 times more transmissible than the original version that came out of Wuhan, China in 2019, according to the World Health Organization. Case No. 813 is an Eswatini man in his 30s who came to Taiwan for work on Dec. 24 of last year. He had submitted negative results of a coronavirus test taken within three days of his flight and went directly to a quarantine facility upon arrival in Taiwan. Six days later, he began experiencing a headache, runny nose, and nasal congestion. As he had not come in contact with any other persons during his quarantine, there were no contacts listed for his case, Chen told the Taiwan media. On Wednesday, Chen said that samples of the virus taken from the man had shown to be a match with the South African strain of the virus on Jan. 12.

2019, bringing the total to 492,700, as four laboratories failed to submit their data on time, the Department of Health reported. Top cities and provinces with new cases are Quezon City, 95; Cavite, 66; Manila, 54; Davao City; and Cebu City, 44. The DOH also reported that there are 24,478 active cases, which is 5 percent of the total number of cases. Of the active cases, 84.9 percent are mild; 6.1 percent are asymptomatic; 5.5 percent are critical; 3 percent are severe; and 0.5 percent are moderate. The DOH also reported 397 new recoveries, thru the “mass recovery adjustment”, bringing the total recoveries to 458,523, which is 93.1 percent of the total number of cases. The DOH also reported 146 new fatalities, the highest since September 14. This brings the death toll to 9,699, which is 1.97 percent of the total cases.

“I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our nation,” Pence wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The House of Representatives delivered a stinging rebuke to Trump anyway, voting almost entirely along party lines to call on Pence to take action and remove the president. But with the 25th Amendment ave-

nue dead in the water, an impeachment of Trump on Wednesday appeared virtually assured. Pelosi quickly announced her managers for the process, and a House impeachment vote has been scheduled for roughly 3:00 pm (2000 GMT). The single charge of “incitement of insurrection” -- over Trump’s January 6 speech in which he claimed he was the real winner of the November election, then urged supporters to march on Congress and “fight” -- is all but sure to get majority support. Earlier Trump traveled to Alamo,

Texas, and although he urged “peace and calm” during a visit to the USMexico border wall, his overall message was of refusal to take blame for last week’s violence. On January 6 the pro-Trump crowd attacked the Capitol, fighting with police, ransacking offices, and briefly forcing terrified lawmakers -- and Pence -- to abandon a session certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory. An unapologetic Trump insisted that “everybody” thought his speech was “totally appropriate.” AFP

in today’s globalized environment. In any case, the removal of these restrictive provisions through constitutional amendments cannot prevent Congress, when faced in the future by changing circumstances and new challenges, from introducing restrictions for national security and other ‘national interest’ reasons once we have attained our foreign investment targets and have sufficient capital from our domestic savings.”

In addition to the more than 500,000 signatures, Malaya said that 1,489 municipal mayors also expressed support for amending the Charter. Malaya presented Garbin a resolution by the League of Municipalities supporting surgical amendments to the Constitution, including the restrictive provisions. “There is no better time than now to lift the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution,” Malaya said.

Deputy Speaker and Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta stressed the need for senators to participate in the lower chamber’s effort to review the Charter, noting that “the Cha-cha deliberations of the House will be for naught if the Senate would not be able to obtain the three-fourths vote of its members.” Marcoleta proposed the two houses of Congress vote jointly in proposing amendments to the restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution.

“Kung may maiwan para sa amin kay (Senator) Bong (Go), kay (Secretary Delfin) Lorenzana, kung may maiwan eh di para sa atin, unahin natin sila,” Duterte added in the televised Cabinet briefing. The President also said he is not forcing local government officials from getting the same vaccine brand if they have the resources to buy from other pharmaceutical companies. “Many local governments opted to go on their own. They will use their own money to choose and buy their own vaccines. We are not forcing anybody to join the cause of the national government. Hindi namin pinipilit na sumali kayo sa ibibigay na bakuna ng national government,” Duterte added. Duterte also told local government officials that although they have the freedom to choose which brand of vaccine to buy, there are still laws to follow. “I’m now addressing myself to the mayors, governors. You can choose any vaccine you like to buy. We will not meddle in your choice. We will not interfere in the process of purchasing the vaccines,” he said. “We have laws that all medicines, whatever their nature or characteristics may be, should first be checked by the government. The government will ultimately be affected. If 5,000 Filipinos suffer from the vaccines, I will be buried,” Duterte added. Galvez on Wednesday said vaccines from US-based Pfizer and Moderna can only be used in areas with cold storage facilities such as Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao, while other vaccine candidates will be deployed to farflung areas of the country. Moderna’s vaccine needs to be stored at -20 degrees Celsius, while Pfizer’s needs to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius, but vaccines from China’s Sinovac, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and Novavax will not require ultra-cold storage, Galvez said.

tice-led Task Force Against Corruption will start investigating corruption in other government agencies, aside from anomalies at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday vowed to focus on other allegations of corruption in other government agencies. “We’re now shifting our focus to other agencies where corruption is likewise prevalent,” Guevarra said, in a text message to reporters. Guevarra stressed that the TFAC will be unrelenting in its investigation of graft and corruption in government. “We want to convey the message to the people that the anti-corruption campaign of the government is a continu-

ing effort. While our system of justice grinds rather slowly, we can assure that it works and that justice will eventually be served,” Guevarra stressed. Last December, the DOJ’s TFAC had received close to 100 complaints of corruption and anomalies in government, Aside from the DOJ, the TFAC is composed of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP), National Prosecution Service (NPS), and the AntiMoney Laundering Council (AMLC). The task force also invited the COA, the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and the Office of the Ombudsman, but with due consideration of their independence as constitutional bodies.

By Willie Casas

THE debt of state insurer PhilHealth to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has increased to about P715 million, PRC chairman Richard Gordon said Wednesday. The non-government organization expects its testing to rise if its cheaper saliva COVID-19 test is approved and will need more reagents, Gordon, also a member of the Senate, said. “They say ‘We have a lot of money,

‘New COVID,... From A1 monster around. I pray to God it’s not more toxic.” The DOH said the male patient is a resident of Quezon City who left for Dubai for business purposes last Dec. 27 and returned to the Philippines on Jan. 7 via Emirates Flight No. EK 332. He was immediately swabbed and quarantined in a hotel upon arrival in the country. “The positive test result was released the following day and the patient was referred to a quarantine facility in Quezon City while his samples were sent to PGC for whole genome sequencing,” the DOH said. According to the agency, he was with his female partner during the trip, but she tested negative for COVID-19. Despite this, she is now under “strict quarantine and monitoring.” The DOH said the couple did not have any exposure to COVID-19 before their trip. Health Secretary said the man had “no other contacts aside from parents.”

Cases rise

The number of daily new cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines has increased during the past days, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Wednesday. In an interview on GMA Network’s “Unang Hirit,” Vergeire said that one Taiwan reports finding South of the factors that caused the rise in the African strain Philippine update numbers is the return of all testing laboTaiwan, which is only 1,205 kiloThe Philippines logged Wednesday ratories to full operations after a break meters from Manila, reported its first imported case of the new mutant coro- 1,453 new cases of coronavirus disease during the holiday season.

Impeach... From A1

“Maybe you can call us independent majority. We would just be more critical of certain issues and legislation,” Villafuerte added. But Twitter lit up like dynamite with the use of the initials BTS as it lashed out at Cayetano for using the South Korean boyband’s name for his new bloc seen to usher in a comeback. The fans of K-pop phenomenon BTS are not buying it. The tags #Kongreso and #CayetanoStopUsingBTS trended on Twitter Wednesday, with the “ARMY” calling out Cayetano and his group for naming themselves after the global sensation. Some users also described the lawmakers’ move as an attempt to “use” BTS for clout.

Duterte... From A1 2nd Class Lecyl Nambatac for embezzlement, misappropriation and misapplication of government funds and conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline; Apprentice Seaman Ed Mark Saura, and Seaman Second Class Sunny Boy Beberino. The list also included a municipal treasurer, barangay captains, secretaries, and treasurers, and administrative aides. “Itong mga treasurer karamihan niyan barangay, municipal city, o kaya sa national, dito sa gobyerno ko mga involved sa pera ‘yan,” Duterte said. Meanwhile, the Department of Jus-

Military,... From A1

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Senator sees inflation still rising further By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Imee Marcos said Wednesday the Department of Trade and Industry’s suggested retail prices for food will remain a “fairy tale” due to animal disease and climatic conditions affecting hog and vegetable farmers in Luzon. “The pervasive African swine fever and frost damage to crops will make it hard for the DTI to keep the cost of pork and vegetables within SRPs,” Marcos said. Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on economic affairs, says high food prices will hit poor households the hardest because “about 60 percent of their budget is spent on food.” “Creeping inflation is at a level not seen since March 2019. Food prices weigh heavily on the country’s inflation rate, which as of December is already at 3.5 percent and could rise further,” Marcos said. She urged the Department of Agriculture to give all the support it can to the livestock and vegetable farmers in the Visayas and Mindanao as Luzon seeks to prevent food shortages and higher market prices in the coming weeks. “Expect food prices to remain high. The transport and cold-chain costs of importing agricultural produce from the South will also inflate food prices in Metro Manila and throughout Luzon,” Marcos said. “Imperial Manila is being humbled by ASF, which has hit some 70 percent of hog raisers in Luzon and has forced many of them to give up their business. “There is still no vaccine for ASF. The DA should redouble efforts to prevent contamination among hog raisers, most of whom are backyard farmers with less stringent animal health standards.”

Public warned against scams on social media

BUILDING BLESSING. Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Debold Sinas (center) leads the ribbon cutting for the National Capital Region Police Office Quarantine Facility in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Wednesday. Others in photo are PBGEN Nolasco Bathan, C, Health Service, PBGEN Florencio T Ortilla, DRDA, PBGEN Emmanuel B Peralta, DD SPD with his Command Group and Pcol Celso M Rodriguez, COP Taguig CPS. The Quarantine Facility was blessed by PCOL Jaime C Seriña, NCRPO Chaplain.

New push against trafficking By Macon Ramos-Araneta

OLLOWING the exacerbation of online sexual exploitation of children cases in the Philippines amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing again for the institutionalization of a “Human Trafficking Preventive Education Program” to protect Filipino children and youth from the different forms of trafficking.

Earlier, Gatchalian sounded the alarm over students holding a “Christmas sale” of lewd photos and videos for as low as P 150 to raise funds for distance- learning expenses.

In Senate Bill 735 or “the Human Trafficking Preventive Education Program Act,” Gatchalian proposed a program that will orient the youth about the dangers of human trafficking’s various forms, includ-

ing prostitution and pornography. It also aims to inform the youth on the services provided by government agencies and non-governmental organizations to aid and protect the victims of human trafficking. Gatchalian’s proposed preventive education program has a school-based component that covers junior high schools, senior high schools, colleges and universities and technical or vocational education programs. The community-based component of the program, on the other hand, will be implemented at the barangay level. Between March 1 smf May 24 in 2020,

Bill filed over medical charges

By Joel E. Zurbano THE government on Wednesday again warned the public against the members of a syndicate engaged in “love scam” whose illegal activity using social media continues. In an advisory, the Bureau of CustomsNinoy Aquino International Airport disclosed the fraudulent scheme of unscrupulous individuals texting, calling and even emailing supposed consignees of cargoes and parcels demanding sums of money as “Clearance Fees” for the release of shipments. “They even use the names of Customs NAIA officials,” the bureau said. NAIA District Collector Carmelita Talusan said her office had been receiving reports about the scheme through online, email, text message and calls. The callers usually complain about packages or parcel shipments being “held by Customs” that were supposedly sent to them by their “chatmates” or “online friend.” Talusan said Customs NAIA was not requiring “clearance fees”. “Neither BoC-NAIA demand payment of Customs Duties and Taxes thru phone, nor receive payments thru money remittance centers or personal bank accounts,” she said. Customs NAIA only accepts payment of Customs Duties and Taxes through Authorized Agent Banks or BOC-Cashiers and issues corresponding Official Receipts for payments made.

the CyberTipline reports on the online exploitation of children received by the Department of Justice’s Office of Cybercrime from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children increased by 264 percent compared to the same period in 2019. Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, said this surge was observed amid the imposition of quarantine measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 and the economic hardships that followed. Prior to the pandemic, the United Nations Children’s Fund identified the Philippines as the global epicenter of the live stream sexual abuse trade.

By Maricel V. Cruz

FIREFIGHTING MACHINE. A Quezon City fireman operates a LUF 60 unmanned firefighting machine using a remote control to put out a blaze on the ground parking level of the JVR building, 12th Avenue, Barangay Soccoro, Quezon City. Authorities said the fire only reached the first alarm. PNA

Turnover of tools against solid waste pushed By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Cynthia Villar says the turnover of solid waste management equipment to local government units will help attain the zero waste targets of cities and municipalities. Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, noted that the distribution of the equipment was delayed because the turn-

over started only last month although the budget was available since 2017. The senator cited the need to hasten the turnover since the country’s waste problems became worse during the Covid-19 pandemic. She said healthcare-related wastes such as face masks added to the pile of garbage we have to deal with. She said environmental groups claim the country generates over 40,000 tons of

garbage per day. The composting equipment being distributed by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, according to Villar, will allow LGUs to manage their wastes. Coincidentally, 2021 is the 20th Anniversary of the signing into law of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

15,000 aliens reported to bureau

By Vito Barcelo

MORE than 15,000 aliens reported to different offices of the Bureau of Immigration at the start of this year’s annual report of foreign nationals staying in the country, according to immigration commissioner Jaime Morente. Morente said a third of the aliens reported at the BI main office in Intramuros, Manila,

while the rest filed their ARs in the various immigration field, satellite and extension offices in Metro Manila and the provinces. Morente urged other foreigners to register with the bureau’s online appointment system in order to obtain their reporting schedule. “We advise you to book your appointment slots now and make your report early,” Morente said.

AN OFFICIAL has filed a bill that aims to protect patients and their families and to plug the leaks in the state health insurance fund by banning “suprise medical billings” and the provision of “unexpected” services at inflated rates. Albay Rep. Jose Clemente Sarte Salceda, Committee on Ways and Means chairman, has filed House Bill 8331 or the Medical Bill Transparency Act in the wake of reports of inflated and non-itemized medical bills charged to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the government-administered health insurance fund. “Covid-19 has increased the medical bills for other medical services, primarily because of demand and lack of personnel and rooms. But there are also obvious instances of inefficiencies. Some hospitals are charging inflated prices for PPEs even when we already gave incentives to keep the prices of these items low. There are regular rooms in medium-sized hospitals costing upwards of P10,000 a day. And you don’t find that out until you get sick and are given the bill,” Salceda said. He cited figures from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey from 2012 to 2018, which shows that up to 200,000 families per year fall into poverty because of out-of-pocket medical expenses. “Millions of families are just one medical bill away from poverty. It is grossly immoral that the one bill that could send your family into poverty is inflated with opaque costs,” Salceda said. HB 8331 would mandate the Department of Health to issue regulations “to require hospitals to publicly post standard charge information, including charges and information based on negotiated rates and for common or shoppable items and services in an easyto-understand, consumer-friendly and machine-readable format.” Salceda likens this to restaurants displaying their menus outside so that consumers can choose among various options.

Maynilad plant conferred award of distinction By Rio N. Araja

OBLIVIOUS. A man is busy arranging his windmill flower decorations in Tagaytay City on Wednesday without any protective gear against COVID-19 despite strict health protocols in the summer getaway and tourist attraction in Cavite. JR Josue

WEST zone Maynilad Water Services Inc. on Wednesday said its Putatan water treatment plant 2 (PWTP 2) was recently conferred an award of distinction under the “Water Project of the Year” category of the Global Water Awards 2020. Maynilad’s PWTP 2 is the lone awardee from the Philippines.

The Global Water Awards recognizes the most important achievements in the international water industry. Nominations are shortlisted by a panel of industry experts, and the winners are voted for by the international water community. PWTP 2, Maynilad’s second facility to tap Laguna Lake as a raw water source, has gained recognition for its crucial role in addressing water security in Metro Manila.

The facility was built to help moderate the over-dependence on Bulacan’s Angat Dam and to expand water service to Maynilad customers in the southern part of its West concession area. With a production capacity of 150 million liters per day, PWTP 2 is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies that enable it to produce potable water despite the variability of the lake water’s quality.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

THURSDAY, JANUIARY 14, 2021 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

QC screening Nazarene devotees By Rio N. Araja

UEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Wednesday urged residents who attended the Black Nazarene feast to undergo free coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests from the city government.

She called on residents showing COVID-19 symptoms after participating in the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Manila last Saturday to have themselves checked. “As a precautionary measure, we encourage our residents who attended the celebration to have themselves immediately checked for COVID-19 in our testing centers for free,” she said. Based on reports, about 500,000 devotees flocked to Quiapo church and nearby areas to attend the 15 Holy Masses celebrated in lieu of the traditional Traslacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene that was canceled to avoid the spread of the virus. “We cannot just set aside the possibility of having contracted the virus due to the presence of too many people. It is best that we are sure of not infecting our family and those from our community,” she said. The city mayor earlier requested the Manila Police District for a list of Quezon City residents who signed the health declaration forms so that the city government could endorse them to their barangays for monitoring. Dr. Rolly Cruz, City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief, advised those who attended the event and are now showing COVID-19 symptoms, such as influenza and cough, to coordinate with their village officials. “The barangays then will refer them to the nearest testing sites and health centers where they can undergo free COVID-19 testing,” he said.

P’que spending $1m for COVID vaccine shots By Joel E. Zurbano

THE City of Paranaque is preparing $1 million after it signed an agreement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Phils. for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine for residents. Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the multilateral agreement for the advanced purchase of AZD1222 vaccine in the Philippines was sealed last Sunday. The AZD1222 vaccine was developed by AstraZeneca UK in partnership with Britain’s Oxford University. It is being made available by AstraZeneca at a “no profit, no loss” arrangement during the duration of the pandemic. “The purchase price is for $5 per dose, or a total of $1 million for the city government,” said Olivarez. He said residents will be vaccinated for free. Quezon City, Manila and other highly urbanized cities in Metro Manila has already signed a deal with AstraZeneca for the advance purchase of COVID-19 vaccine. “Once these vaccines are delivered, we shall immediately roll out a vaccination program that will cover the most vulnerable population, including our frontline workers and senior citizens,” Olivarez said.

Wild birds rescued as poacher nabbed

READY FOR VACCINE. Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro inspects the Cold Storage Facility for the COVID-19 vaccine put up by the local government for its residents at the City Health Office (inset) in barangay Sto. Nino on Wednesday. Manny Palmero

MPD checkpoints up for Sto. Niño feast in Tondo By Willie Casas THE chief of the Manila Police District (MPD) on Wednesday said several checkpoints will be placed during the Feast of Sto. Niño in Tondo and Pandacan to control the crowd who will attend the festivity. Police Brigadier General Leo Francisco, during an interview on Super Radyo dzBB Wednesday, said additional personnel from the National Capital Region Po-

lice Office (NCRPO) would be deployed to help the MPD in securing the feast day. Francisco also reiterated that a liquor ban would be enforced during the feast day. He said the liquor ban would be implemented only in Tondo and Pandacan. Earlier, the city government of Manila said curfew hours would be implemented too. The MPD chief urged the public to no longer flock to the area as the threat of

COVID-19 pandemic is still there. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Tuesday said that there would be no street party, stage show, and parades during the Feast of Sto. Niño in Tondo and Pandacan. Executive Order No. 02, which Domagoso signed, states the need to provide stringent guidelines and regulations to avoid the spread of COVID-19 infections during the celebration on January 16 to 17.

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Environmental and police authorities rescued Tuesday 3 wild birds while in captivity at a residential compound of a suspected wildlife poacher following raid at Barangay Pasong Callos, San Rafael, Bulacan. Arnold Santos, who claimed ownership of the wild birds including two Crested Serpent Eagles and a white Waterhen, was arrested, and placed under police custody, said Dennis Vergara, head of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office stationed in Baliuag City. Vergara said the rescue of wild birds was a result of heightened campaign by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) against wildlife poachers in its bid to preserve and save the remaining biodiversity in Central Luzon. He said a resident in the community called his office asking for assistance to rescue wild birds under captivity by an enterprising person. The birds will be sold apparently to enthusiasts from Metro Manila. CENRO Vergara quickly coordinated with the local police in Baliuag City for the rescue operations. The raiding team found two raptors and a wild hen being kept inside Santos residential compound. Jess Malabanan

Econest: No copy yet of EMB-DENR shutdown order ECONEST Waste Management Corp., which runs a sanitary landfill in Hermosa, Bataan, said it has yet to receive a resolution from the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 3 (EMB-DENR 3) ordering them to immediately rehabilitate its facility and pay a penalty for violating its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). “We have not yet received a copy of the [EMB] resolution and we are perplexed

as to why the media got hold of a copy before we have,” said Econest CEO lawyer Beulah Coeli Fiel on Wednesday. “If indeed the resolution be adverse to Econest, then we will avail of all legal remedies available to vindicate our rights”, she added. “For the time being, we are challenging the EMB to explain why it has not yet sent a copy of the resolution to us but instead allowed a media frenzy and publicity of this entire debacle before all concerned parties

were informed of its ruling,” Fiel said. Media reports also claimed EMB has suspended the ECC of Econest. In February last year, the Hermosa local government padlocked the town’s sanitary landfill facility in Brgy. Mambog being operated by Econest for purported violations of environmental laws. Econest was operating the landfill under a public-private partnership with the Hermosa local government. Butch Gunio

CSU study proves ‘bignay’ wonders

POWERFUL CHERRY. Cagayan State University (CSU), through a study led by Prof. Maria Nilda M. Muñoz, has validated claims that bignay (red cherries, pictured) has an anti-oxidant property, anti-inflammatory activity, a cholesterol buster, and immune system booster.

BIG THINGS come in small packages. This was what the Cagayan State University (CSU) has found out after having uncovered in its laboratory that a small fruit endemic to the Philippines and other southeast Asian countries lived up to its long held folk promise. The tiny ruby-red cherries known scientifically as Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng (Bignay) underwent extensive laboratory studies in Natural Product Research & Innovation Center (NPRIC)-CSU for months that led to coming out with a clean breast of reports confirming the numerous anecdotal health and folkloric claims by the local Filipinos where it is grown. Using an animal model of respiratory diseases, Bignay has proven to be a powerful anti- inflammatory agent and effective against lung disorders like airway inflammation, asthma, allergy, and cough/colds. Bignay extract was also tested to be potent against chemically-induced rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and joint pains in rat and LPS- induced acute lung injury in mice in vivo. It has an anti-oxidant property, anti-inflammatory activity, a cholesterol buster, and immune system booster. Balik Scientist Prof. Maria Nilda M. Muñoz, Inventor and Principal Investigator of the Bignay project, said that “the local scientific community that has put bioavailability-based studies as among its priorities gave the Bignay study result a one big leap.” Bignay is grown in Cagayan Valley and until the study, was just among the popular plant-based medicines employed by herbal doctors to their patients. The long tradition of testimonials can now be said to possess with a seal of scientific and medicine merits after the conclusion of the CSU study and placing the fruit as a good source of beneficial human health supplement.

WINNER. Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo receives the trophy for government event organizer of the year 2019, its second in a row, in the recent 4th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards (PSTA) at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga. Remollo was also hailed as top sports tourism personality in the public sector.

Dumaguete bags sports tourism award DUMAGUETE, the provincial capital of Negros Oriental, and its city mayor, Felipe Antonio Remollo bagged top honors in the recent 4th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards (PSTA) held at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga. The city was named government event organizer of the year 2019, its second in a row, while Remollo was hailed top sports tourism personality in the public sector. Known as “The City of Gentle People”, it has played host to the Dumaguete Triathlon, Children’s Games, the Dumaguete Dragon Boat Challenge and the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour.

Dumaguete has also hosted the Little League Philippines Series, National Frisbee ultimate Championship, Philippine National Games, Batang Pinoy, Philippine Super Liga Spike on Tour, 1st Southeast Asian Beach Handball, the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association, and the Visayas Regional Selection Camp of Jr. NBA Philippines. The Philippine University Games has also made the city their preferred venue because of its strategic location, splendid sports facilities, affordable cost of living, conducive environment, and warm hometown crowd.

Opinion BOP surplus not determinative of near-term growth quarter. When the offiTHE head of this cial data is in, they will country’s monetary very probably show authority recently a continuing decline issued a statement in GDP flows during – a statement on 2020’s final quarter. the 2020 expenses Thus, where the worstof the Philippine is-over part of his stateeconomy and its ment was concerned, Governor Diokno near-term growth prospects. This is what BSP (Bangko Sentral ng was right. The worst of the current ecoPilipinas) Governor Benjamin Diokno nomic downturn does appear to be over. Where the BSP chief erred was in sugsaid: “As we enter the (final) quarter of the year, the preliminary date for July gesting a close link between the Philipto September suggests that the worst is pine’s 2020 BOP performance and the over… As we monitor the impact of the Philippine economy’s near-term growth pandemic on the external accounts, it can prospects. There is no close link between be observed that the effects were mostly them. The composition of the welcome BOP outturn profelt during the secvides the explanation ond quarter of 2020, for the absence of particularly during such a link. the months of April The worst does The highest and May, as stricter appear to be over, give-away was the lockdown measures trade-related items, were imposed by the but... namely the lower government as part of merchandise trade its effort to fight the deficit. The lowspread of the virus.” This country’s external accounts --- its er-imports element of this is a reflection overall BOP (Balance of Payments) -- of the deep economic slump occasioned stood on September 30, 2020 at $6.9 bil- by the pandemic; and the lower-exports is lion a figure $1.3 billion higher than the simply a manifestation of the continuing September 30, 2020 figure. Considering weakness of a narrow-base, unstable exthat the economy had gone into a reces- port trade. The FDI (foreign direct investments) continues to be a nothing-to-getsion, this outturn was very surprising. The BSP chief went on to say that, excited-about item; with $4.4 billion for “based on the preliminary data, the sur- 2020’s first eight months, the Philippines plus was supported mainly by higher remained close to the bottom of the East net foreign borrowings by the national Asian FDI league. The OFW continue, government and a lower merchandise God bless their souls, continue to keep trade deficit, along with net inflows from the Philippines afloat with their remittrade in services, overseas filipino work- tances; in a time of pandemic the OFW er remittances and foreign direct invest- remitted to their country almost $22.9 billion. Lastly, the higher net foreign borments.” Governor Diokno’s statement was rowings by the national government are not a felicitous item; government; they partly correct and partly flawed. The BSP Chief was correct in saying helped make it possible for the national that for the Philippine economy, the worst government to provide fiscal support for was over. The worst part of the economy’s 18 million distressed families, it is true, 2020 experience was the ECQ (Enhanced but they were additions to their country’s Community Quarantine) regime under debt and need to be repaid. All in all, with the exception of the which the government kept Metro Manila and Calabarzon. Those regions together OFW remittances, planners and impleaccount for approximately 25 percent menters of the Philippine economy’s of this country’s GDP (Gross Domestic 2021 growth strategy can find no solace Product) - during much of 2020’s second from the outturn -- admittedly welcome quarter. With the two regions’ popula- -- of this country’s 2020 financial dealtions ordered to stay at home and almost ings with the world. What they would all public transportation shut down, the have found solace from, for purposes Philippine economy went into a tailspin of a sustained 2021 economic recovery, and suffered a 16.9-percent GDP contrac- were robust foreign exchange inflows on tion. With the advent of liberalized lock- account of higher exports of merchandise down rules, GDP contraction went down and services and greater foreign direct into 11.5 percent in the July-to-September vestor interest.

Need for more foreign investments local investors and businessmen, but the reality of the pandemic and its impact on the economy cannot solely be cushioned internally. This is why foreign investments are very important. The Constitution puts limits to the extent of foreign investments allowed in the country. Thus, there is a need CONVERSATIONS about the amendment to amend the law to ease these restrictions. However, let us not forget the risks we of the Constitution have again resurfaced. We have been attesting to the need for this are dealing with when we liberally open proposal for quite some time as the current the economy to foreign companies. For Constitution has proven to be inadequate in instance, national security should be considered when allowing foreign involvement addressing oday’s demands. in public utilities. We have seen Reasonable sharing how the economy of profits with Filstruggled when evipino counterparts erything was held At the end of the should also be ason pause during the sured to help build lockdown. Apart day, we are all on the local potential. from the governsame boat. Also, taxation laws ment’s social ameshould be strictly lioration program, implemented to enthe services sector sure that these commainly kept the country afloat. Business process outsourc- panies will be remitting correct taxes to the ing companies, in particular, were able to government. The negative connotation tied to charter continue operations amidst the quarantine. Agricultural and industrial sectors, on the change should be changed. Many resist other hand, have been greatly affected. Dig- the idea because they deem this a political ital commerce paved the way for economic move to retain power. However, they do not resumption. However, not all local compa- fully understand that the economic provisions that will be amended will actually be nies and businesses are able to keep up. Hence comes the need to improve and beneficial to the national economy. I hope upgrade the capabilities of local enterpris- lawmakers would assure the public with es. However, with our limited resources, constitutional safeguards along with these skills, and technology, we are unable to amendments to prevent abuse and neglect compete. Many of our local companies are of local capital. Moreover, I urge our lawcapable, but standing alone, they may be makers not to take advantage of this move easily vulnerable to the effects of economic to perpetuate power. Let us keep in mind of recession. More so, the companies which the public trust endowed to us and of the utremain operational are usually the monop- most priority to public safety and welfare. olies which hinder inclusive and large-scale At the end of the day, we are all on one boat. Let us keep this boat afloat while we sureconomic growth. We put a premium and priority to our vive this pandemic.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

EDITORIAL

Failure to communicate

ESPITE the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, recent surveys show Filipinos seem reluctant to be inoculated once vaccines from various drug companies begin arriving later this year. In one survey of 2,400 adult respondents, Pulse Asia found that nearly half or 47 percent said late last year they would not get themselves vaccinated, mainly because they were concerned about the safety of the vaccines. Clearly, the government to date has done a poor job of convincing the public that the coming vaccines are safe and effective. A declaration from the Foreign secretary that “no aspiring great power will ever, ever distribute a vaccine that they do not believe sincerely is the best” is hardly reassuring in light of the long history of cover-ups by such powers, including China’s early attempts to clamp down on news from Wuhan, where the pandemic began. Some of the reluctance, it seems, stems from skepticism over the safety and efficacy of

vaccines developed in China, which will be the first to arrive in the Philippines. Here again, statements by the Palace spokesman saying Filipinos will have no choice but to accept the Chinese vaccines do not help to foster confidence in them, no matter how logically the argument is made.

For all our sakes, health and other officials need to do better. Safety concerns are also clearly related to the Dengvaxia debacle, in which the previous administration launched a massive immunization program against dengue involving hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren, only to find out after the drugs had been administered that those who had never been exposed to the virus could develop severe cases of the disease if they were given the vaccine. This administration has been instrumental in prosecuting for-

mer government officials linked to the dengue vaccination program, but may have succeeded in casting doubt on the safety of all vaccines in the process. The Department of Health (DOH), not known for its speedy response to public health crises, has acknowledged the need to do more to assure the public about the safety and efficacy of the coming vaccines. It also says it will work with the Philippine Information Agency on an information campaign to promote vaccination. As the first vaccines are scheduled to arrive in February, the DOH needs to make up for lost time—and do a much better job at communicating with the public than some government officials have done. As they launch this long-overdue campaign, they might want to seek guidance from a timely, best-practices document released by the World Health Organization entitled “How to respond to vocal vaccine deniers in public.” To date, what we’ve got here is failure to communicate. For all our sakes, health and other officials need to do better.

A promising life cut short THERE seems to be two conflicting Philippine National Police appreciation of the Christine Dacera case. General Debold Sinas was reported by the media as being thoroughly convinced that there was foul play in the death of the flight stewardess. The National Capital Region Police on the other hand, is not very convinced. To compound it all, the remains of Dacera were embalmed first and then autopsied later because of health protocols brought about by the pandemic according to the NCRPO. This is shocking. What kind of forensic pathologists do the Police have? A competent pathologist would normally not embalm the remains and then conduct an autopsy. The autopsy is always done first, pandemic or no pandemic. Also, the remains were embalmed without at least informing the Dacera family. The Dacera family is now suing him for gross incompetence. It makes me wonder why he is even in his job or where he got his forensic training. This incompetence is one reason why many Police cases are being dismissed. The forensic pathology report was also apparently poorly done and contained only two or three pages. It stated that the cause of death was natural due to raptured aortic aneurysm which many forensic pathologists are questioning – and for good reason. There were also many things not mentioned in the forensic report like the bruises, abrasions and contusions. The result is that there are now more questions than answers. The Makati Police Office also apparently hurriedly filed rape and homicide charges against some individuals who are all apparently gay. The City prosecutor’s office immediately returned the case folder for improvement. We do not know how much investigative work was put into the

case. Perhaps the Makati Police was thinking that it was an open and shut case, but it is turning out to be a lot more complicated. With the benefit of hindsight, they should have looked at the case more thoroughly and gathered more evidence before referring it to the prosecutor’s office. Perhaps they did not realize that the case will attract so much public interest and attention which also shows the depth of their appreciation of the case.

Christine Dacera did not deserve what happened to her. Authorities should have figured out that the suspicious death of a very young and attractive flight stewardess under mysterious circumstances has the potential of becoming a celebrity case which it did. Now, Police incompetence has been brought out to the public for everyone to see. This is not one of the proudest moments for the Police and people like me who once served in the Police. Now, the case is back to square one. The National Bureau of Investigation has stepped in and has started a parallel investigation. A question that many are asking is, was Christine raped before being killed? That is what the public wants to know as it follows the developments of the case. The embalming

really did much damage in the search for primary evidence like the search for semen as one proof of rape. Hopefully however, there will still be other ways to find out by interviewing all those who were billeted in the same hotel floor. We have CCTV footages and statements coming from about eleven LGBT friends who partied with Dacera that New Year’s Eve at the City Garden Hotel in Makati. I understand that the NBI is looking for more people and in fact have identified and invited some persons of interest for questioning. This indicates that there were probably other guests staying in other rooms apart from the two hotel rooms mentioned who might have joined the party or seen Chtristine. This investigation is developing into a case worthy of an Agatha Christie crime mystery. Another question that is being ask is, why were there no other women in the party? To me, this hardly matters. If investigations will later confirm that she was indeed raped and then murdered, those who committed the crime must be charged and if found guilty sent to jail. Being the lone girl in a party is not a crime. Rape and murder are. The NBI were allowed by the Dacera family to extract some tissue samples from the remains of Christine before the burial and are confident that the tissue samples extracted are sufficient to bolster their case that a crime was indeed committed. Perhaps it is not yet too late for the NBI and PNP to consider joining forces in order to get to the bottom of the case faster. The Police might be holding some items of evidence that might help make the case a lot stronger. Christine died when she was just starting a life. She did not deserve that. Let us hope that the investigation will give her the kind of justice that she deserves.

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IN BRIEF

VOTE VS. TRUMP.

Members of the National Guard gather outside the U.S. Capitol on January 12, 2021 in Washington, DC. Today the House of Representatives plans to vote on Rep. Jamie Raskin’s (D-MD) resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, removing President Trump from office. On Wednesday, House Democrats plan on voting on articles of impeachment. AFP

Israeli air raids kill 7 Syrian soldiers, 16 allied fighters ISRAELI night raids targeting arms depots and military positions in eastern Syria killed at least seven Syrian soldiers and 16 allied fighters, in the deadliest raids since 2018, a war monitor said Wednesday. The Israeli air force carried out more than 18 strikes against multiple targets in an area stretching from the eastern town of Deir Ezzor to the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The raids killed seven Syrian soldiers and 16 non-Syrian militia fighters whose nationalities were not immediately known, the Britain-based monitoring group said. Paramilitaries belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah movement and the Fatimid Brigade, which is made up of pro-Iranian Afghan fighters, operate in the region, the Observatory said. The raids also wounded 28 troops and militiamen, some of them critically. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman called the Israeli raids the “deadliest since June 2018” when strikes on the same region killed at least 55 pro-government fighters, including Iraqis as well as Syrians. AFP

Indonesian divers scour seabed for voice recordings of crashed jet DIVERS scoured the seabed near Indonesia’s capital Wednesday for the cockpit recordings of a crashed passenger plane, after investigators said it would be days before they could read the flight data recorder that had already been salvaged. The two “black boxes” could supply critical clues as to why the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 plunged about 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) in less than a minute before slamming into the Java Sea soon after takeoff on Saturday, taking with it 62 people. Divers just off the coast of Jakarta had hauled the data recorder to the surface Tuesday, with the hunt now focused on finding a voice recorder on the wreckagelittered seabed. The discovery came as a team from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) prepared to join the investigation in the capital, along with staff from Boeing, the Federal Aviation Administration and jet engine producer GE Aviation. “The search continues today and we’re hoping for a good result,” Rasman MS, the search-and-rescue agency’s operations director, told reporters Wednesday. AFP

US carries out execution of first female in 7 decades AN American woman who murdered a pregnant dog breeder in order to steal her baby was put to death by lethal injection Wednesday, becoming the first female to be executed by US federal authorities in nearly seven decades. The US Justice Department said Lisa Montgomery, 52, was pronounced dead at 1:31 am Eastern Time (0631 GMT) at a penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana. It said the execution was “in accordance with the capital sentence unanimously recommended by a federal jury and imposed by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri”. The US Supreme Court cleared the way for Montgomery’s execution just hours earlier—despite doubts about her mental state—after the government of President Donald Trump had pushed for the application of the death penalty. Montgomery’s defenders did not deny the seriousness of her crime: in 2004, she killed a pregnant 23-year-old in order to steal her baby. AFP

US suffers ‘worst’ day of pandemic T HE UNITED States has endured its worst day of the pandemic, with three Americans dying every minute, as China took decisive steps on Wednesday to stamp out a tiny coronavirus outbreak.

Global infections have soared past 91 million, and the spikes have forced governments around the world to reimpose restrictions such as unpopular and economically painful lockdowns, including in Europe which is battling a devastating second wave. The United States is the worst-hit nation, logging a record 4,470 deaths in 24 hours on Tuesday, as it reeled from a

Manila

TODAY

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BUREAU DENR Compound, Visayas Avenue, Diliman Quezon City 1116 Telephone Nos.: (632)927-15-17, 928-37-25; Fax No.: (632) 920- 22-58 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:

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.googlr.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)

stay home. Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned that the healthcare system was “on the brink of collapse.” Fresh China lockdown The daily US death toll on Tuesday was greater than the official fatality count for the entire pandemic in China, where the coronavirus was first detected in late 2019. China largely eliminated its outbreak through a number of strict lockdowns and extensive testing and tracing, but recent weeks have seen a smattering of cases. That has forced more than 20 million people under some form of lockdown in the country’s northern regions. AFP

Pompeo cancels trips to Europe,Taiwan

EXECUTED. This file handout photo provided by the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department shows death row inmate Lisa Montgomery appears in a booking photo released 20 December 2004 in Kansas City, Kansas. A judge has granted a stay of execution to Lisa Montgomery, who was set Tuesday to be the first female inmate executed by the US federal government in 70 years. Montgomery, 52, has been imprisoned for 16 years after she killed a pregnant woman in order to steal her fetus. She was scheduled to receive a lethal injection on the evening of January 12 at a federal penitentiary in TerreHaute, Indiana. AFP

of the Philippines StandardDepartment Republic of Environment and Natural Resources

Date 22 January 2021 (Friday)

winter surge in infections that has overwhelmed hospitals and clinics in many areas even as vaccines are rolled out. “It’s most definitely the darkest period of my entire career,” said Kari McGuire, a palliative care supervisor at the St Mary hospital in Apple Valley, a small rural town in California. “I’ve personally had to watch people that I know, that I care for, watch their

loved ones die. It’s been very difficult.” Coronavirus patients at the overstretched hospital were crammed into hallways, makeshift ICU beds and even the pediatric ward. McGuire said there were “astronomical numbers” of Covid-19 deaths -- the United States accounts for a fifth of the world’s almost two million coronavirus fatalities. Authorities on Tuesday announced that starting January 26, all travelers entering the United States by air will need a negative Covid-19 test before departure. Neighboring Canada also scrambled to contain a worrying outbreak, ordering residents in Ontario—its economic engine and most populous province—to

US SECRETARY of State Mike Pompeo cancelled his final official visit to Europe, while Washington’s UN envoy scrapped a trip to Taiwan, officials said Tuesday, as President Donald Trump faces an impeachment vote in Congress. The two-day stay in Europe would have been Pompeo’s last foreign trip as Washington’s top diplomat before Democrat Joe Biden takes the oath of office on January 20. The State Department said Pompeo was staying in Washington ensure a “smooth and orderly” transition to the new administration. The United States’ UN ambassador Kelly Craft cancelled her planned trip to Taiwan, due to start Wednesday, in line with the State Department cancelling trips abroad ahead of Biden’s inauguration, a US official said. Last week Chinese officials expressed strong opposition to Craft’s trip, as Beijing claimsBLACK Taiwan as an CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW inviolable part of its territory to be reclaimed, by force if necessary, and opposes any diplomatic recognition of the democratic island. In Luxembourg, an official told AFP The Pentagon is deploying as on condition of anonymity that one many as 15,000 National Guard leg of Pompeo’s trip was cancelled troops to protect Biden’s inauafter Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn guration on January 20, amid called Trump a “criminal” in comfears of new violence. ments to RTL radio. Pentagon officials were asked Asselborn described Trump as a Monday about the possibility of “political pyromaniac who must be pro-Trump activists in the Guard brought before a court” over last and among regular troops. week’s attack on the US Capitol by his “We don’t tolerate extremists supporters. in our ranks,” said spokesman The cancelled trips round off four Jonathan Hoffman. tumultuous years of foreign policy Underscoring the point, the under Trump that tested relations with Joint Chiefs said that, “in accorWashington’s traditional allies in Eudance with the Constitution,” rope. Biden would be inaugurated on Pompeo had not been scheduled to January 20th “and will become meet any top EU officials during his our 46th commander in chief.” planned Brussels visit. AFP AFP

Top US generals condemn attack on Capitol THE Pentagon’s top generals condemned the January 6 attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters on Tuesday, telling US troops that it was an illegal assault on the constitutional process. “The violent riot... was as direct assault on the US Congress, the Capitol building, and our Constitutional process,” said a memorandum signed by all eight members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, led by the chairman, General Mark Milley. “The rights of freedom of speech and assembly do not give anyone the right to resort to violence, sedition and insur-

rection,” they said. The letter said members of the armed services are bound to defend the constitution. “Any act to disrupt the constitutional process is not only against our traditions, values and oath; it is against the law.” The message came amid concerns that the Trump-supporting extremists who raided the Congress to halt the certification of Joe Biden as the next president have supporters in the armed forces and law enforcement. Trump and his supporters have refused to accept that Biden fairly and soundly won the November 3 presidential election.

Nokor’s Kim vows to strengthen country’s nuke arsenal NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to strengthen his country’s nuclear arsenal as he delivered his closing address to a top ruling party meeting, state television showed Wednesday, days before Joe Biden takes office as US president. Kim is looking to grab the attention of the incoming Biden administration, analysts say, with his country more isolated than ever after closing

its borders to protect itself against the coronavirus pandemic. A nuclear summit between Kim and outgoing US President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February 2019 broke down over sanctions relief and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in return. “We must further strengthen the nuclear war deterrent while doing our best to build up the most pow-

erful military strength,” Kim told the Workers’ Party congress, footage broadcast on Korea Central Television showed. Thousands of delegates and attendees—none of them wearing masks—repeatedly rose to their feet in the cavernous April 25 House of Culture venue to interrupt his speech with applause. Earlier in the eight-day meeting,

which has lasted twice as long as the previous gathering in 2016, Kim called the US “the fundamental obstacle to the development of our revolution and our foremost principal enemy”. Its policy towards the North “will never change, whoever comes into power”, he added, without mentioning Biden by name. AFP

Business

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market down slightly; Basic Energy jumps T TOP GAINERS PSEi January 13, 2021

BSC

LAST PRICE 0.7

% CHANGE CHANGE 0.23 48.94%

2 3 4

MAHB MAH PHA

3.68 3.54 2.55

0.96 0.63 0.44

35.29% 21.65% 20.85%

5 6 7

ACEX MB AB

15.9 0.53 8.6

2.6 0.08 0.9

19.55% 16.48% 11.69%

8 9 10

OM GEO MARC

0.445 0.4 1.85

0.045 0.04 0.18

11.25% 11.11% 10.78%

HE stock market slipped for the second straight day as investors began consolidating their portfolio

amid rising COVID 19 cases and the rollout of vaccine within the first half of the year. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 15.26 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,242.85 on a value turnover of P9.2 billion. Gainers, however, beat losers, 131 to 105, with 37 issues unchanged. AC Energy Philippines Inc. declined 4.6 percent to P6.20, while Apollo Global Capital Inc. dropped 5.6 percent to P0.235.

Basic Energy Corp. jumped 48.9 percent to PP0.70, while Premiere Horizon Alliance Corp. surged 20.8 percent to P2.55. Asian equities mostly rose as investors struggled for traction in Asia on Wednesday following a tepid lead from Wall Street, with hopes for another vast US virus relief package offset by political upheaval in Washington and surging coronavirus cases. Risk sentiment was given a vital boost Tuesday when several top Federal Reserve officials played down the chances the central bank will begin winding down its bond-buying easymoney policy anytime soon, despite expectations of higher inflation caused by a new stimulus.

Most of Asia was on the up, though gains were limited as investors were reluctant to pile in owing to near-term worries about the virus surge, which has caused several countries to reimpose lockdowns for the next several weeks as they battle to roll out vaccines. Tokyo rose one percent, while Taipei and Bangkok added even more. Sydney, Seoul, Singapore and Jakarta also posted gains, but Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai and Wellington fell. Democrats are pushing ahead with impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, who is accused of inciting last week’s storming of the Capitol Building, though there are concerns of further unrest leading up to Joe Biden’s January 20 inauguration.

British firms grapple with Brexit fallout

TOP LOSERS 1

LAST PRICE 0.355

% CHANGE CHANGE -0.08 -18.39%

2 3 4

MHC BHI MA

0.58 0.047 0.01

-0.08 -0.005 -0.001

-12.12% -9.62% -9.09%

5 6 7 8 9 10

EURO LIHC DWC FFI T APL

2.51 1 2.3 6.9 1.83 0.235

-0.25 -0.09 -0.19 -0.49 -0.12 -0.014

-9.06% -8.26% -7.63% -6.63% -6.15% -5.62%

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

APL PHA ACEN BDO DITO SMPH ALI MRC AC SM

VOLUME 4,156,460,000 316,643,000 97,116,700 4,891,020 37,840,100 10,437,800 6,850,900 335,716,000 278,110 181,240

VALUE (PHP) 1,006,393,700.00 750,128,730.00 603,190,221.00 545,064,342.00 459,209,470.00 416,684,620.00 279,773,180.00 249,308,700.00 228,087,835.00 193,892,950.00

Thousands buck closure of 3 Ford factories in Brazil SAO PAULO, Brazil—Thousands of workers on Tuesday protested the pending closure of carmaker Ford’s three Brazilian factories at the cost of some 5,000 jobs. Some 3,000 Ford employees in protective face masks gathered at Ford’s plants at Camacari in northeast Brazil and another 500 at Taubate in the southeast, both closed with immediate effect. “It was shocking news, the worst possible,” said Felipe Monteiro, a 34-year-old electronic technician and father of two who has worked at the Taubate factory for 16 years. Ford said Monday that losses exacerbated by the coronavirus epidemic would see it close all three its three factories in Brazil, where it has operated for a century, saying the move was “very difficult, but necessary.” Production at Camacari and Taubate would cease immediately, except for manufacturing of some parts which would continue for a few months. The Troller plant in Horizonte will operate until the fourth quarter. Ford said losses continued despite progress made in phasing out unprofitable products, which included exiting the heavy truck business, cutting costs and launching new products. The COVID-10 pandemic, it added, “amplifies persistent industry idle capacity and slow sales that have resulted in years of significant losses.” But President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday accused the company of lying about its reasons for the closures. “Ford failed to tell the truth. They want subsidies,” Bolsonaro said at the Alvorada Palace, his official residence in the capital Brasilia. “Do you want us to continue giving them 20 billion reais (about $3.6 billion) as was done in recent years? No!” the president told supporters, without giving any context to the amount mentioned. A Ford spokesperson in the US replied to Bolsonaro’s accusations by saying: “The decision by Ford Brazil and circumstances behind it speak for themselves. There is nothing more to say.” AFP

Trump warned of “tremendous anger” across the country. There is a worry that such a move could overshadow the new president’s first few months in office, distracting him from his goal of pushing through a third rescue package for the US economy that he said would be worth trillions of dollars. Still, the prospect of another spending splurge in the world’s top economy continues to provide key support to markets, even as virus infections soar and deaths hit a record daily high on Tuesday. Biden “is expected to announce the details of his COVID relief plan and that could cause major waves across the board”, said Gorilla Trades strategist Ken Berman. With AFP

REQUIREMENT. Customers wear face masks because of the coronavirus pandemic as they shop at Borough Market in London on January 12, 2021. Borough market, an open-air market popular with tourists and Londoners alike, has required customers and stallholders to wear masks since January 11 as a measure to keep the market open and COVID-safe as the UK continues to be hard hit by a second wave in the coronavirus pandemic. AFP

US import tariffs on cognac hit a French success story PARIS, France—For the last decade, owners of cognac distilleries have seen their sales more than double to the United States, making their spirit one of France’s fastest-growing major exports. Then Donald Trump came along. While the French are small-time drinkers of cognac, Americans consume almost one in two bottles produced in the vineyards north of Bordeaux thanks in part to the alcohol being promoted by US rappers as a symbol of wealth and luxury. And while millionaires like Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z will still be able to afford their beloved “yak,” many other Americans might find it out of reach after US import tariffs of 25 percent come into force on Tuesday. The US “is a fast-developing and priority market for our industry, which is even showing growth this year despite the impact of COVID-19,” the director general of the BNIC cognac industry body, Raphael Delpech, told AFP. The tariffs were confirmed by the Trump administration on New Year’s Eve, marking the latest trade salvo from the outgoing US president and a further escalation of a long-

running transatlantic feud. Cognac, which is to be taxed along with other grape-based spirits from France and Germany, is a collateral victim of a dispute between Washington and Europe over subsidies given to their commercial plane makers, Boeing and Airbus. European wines, cheeses and olive oils have been subjected to 25-percent import duties in the US since October 2019, while Europe has hit products from American orange juice to ketchup with its own measures. “All French wines and spirits, not only cognac, are now being affected by diplomatic tensions that have nothing to do with us,” Delpech lamented. FEVS, a French exporters’ association, has estimated that the wine and spirit sector could lose more than 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) a year in US sales due to the tariffs unless incoming president Joe Biden reverses them. ‘Sipping Remy’ The trade spat has exposed the extent to which the centuries-old cognac houses of the Charente region have become dependent on American thirst for their

products, some of which retail for hundreds of dollars. The prospect of long-term tariffs has revived memories of the only major downturn the industry has known in the last 20 years during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. Explosive growth since then—exports to the US have doubled to over 100 million bottles a year—has been fueled by the unlikely marriage of conservative cognac dynasties in their turreted chateaus to the flashy world of US hip hop. Cigar-puffing Jay Z rapped about “sipping Remy on the rocks with my crew” in his 1996 hit “Can’t Knock The Hustle,” while Busta Rhymes released “Pass The Courvoisier II” in 2001, a landmark moment for the industry. Since then, major brands like Remy Martin, Hennessy, Courvoisier, Martell or Louis XIII have piled in on the commercial opportunities, forging partnerships with performers from Pharrell Williams, Nas, A$AP Ferg, to Quavo. While favored neat by rappers, cognac is also popular and widely drunk in cocktails by Americans.AFP

LONDON—British companies are struggling with a large amount of red tape as a result of Brexit, nearly two weeks since the country’s final divorce from the European Union. Senior government minister Michael Gove recently admitted there will be “significant disruption” at the border because of increased bureaucracy that is slowing the flow of freight—and is especially damaging for fresh produce. Under the Brexit trade deal, which came into force on January 1, UK exporters now face costly and timeconsuming paperwork, including customs declarations, regulatory food safety checks and “rules of origin” levies. Logistics The logistics industry is experiencing a major headache with traffic slowing at the border, particularly at the Channel port of Dover. Even before Brexit, traffic had been hit by new COVID-19 border restrictions, as European nations sought to curb spiking infections, particularly from a virulent new strain. Logistics companies are now trying to curb their dependence on Dover. They are undertaking far longer journeys to reach Ireland, for example, by staying within the European Union to bypass the UK. Freight had already begun shifting away since the Brexit referendum in 2016, with goods increasingly traveling to eastern English ports, and also via railway. UK-registered trucks are meanwhile now only allowed one stop in the European Union to unload goods, which has placed the music concert touring industry in crisis. Manufacturing Britain’s chemicals, electrical equipment, machinery, metals, minerals and textile sectors have been snared by the trade deal’s so-called “rules of origin.” This is because their supply chains tend to rely on a vast number of imported components from outside the European Union. AFP

Sheldon Adelson, casino magnate who backed Trump and Israel, dies at 87 By Delphine Touitou WASHINGTON—Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, a major donor to the US Republican party for decades and a loyal supporter of Israel, has died, his Las Vegas Sands company said on Tuesday. He was 87. Adelson died Monday from complications related to treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the company said, the illness that caused him to finally leave the helm of his empire last week. From humble beginnings in Boston, Adelson became one of the richest men on the planet thanks to a chain of casinos sprawling from the Las Vegas strip to the Chinese territory of Macau, with a fortune estimated at $35 billion at the time of his death, according to Forbes. He put that money to work weighing in on American politics—and lobbying on behalf of Israel. He also entered the media sphere, buying newspapers in Las Vegas and Tel Aviv. He will be buried in Israel after a funeral there, company spokesman Ron Reese said. A staunch backer of the Republican party, Adelson became an opponent of former Democratic president Barack Obama, then a major financier for his successor Donald Trump. “His ingenuity, genius, and creativity earned him immense wealth, but his character and philanthropic generosity his great name,” Trump said in a statement following his death. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne-

Signs at The Venetian Las Vegas display a tribute to Las Vegas Sands Corp. chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson on January 12, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The billionaire casino magnate, who owned The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas, died at age 87. AFP

tanyahu called Adelson “a wonderful friend to us personally and an incredible champion of the Jewish people, the Jewish state and the alliance between Israel and America.” Adelson contributed nearly $220 million to Trump’s failed 2020 reelection campaign, as well as to other Republican candidates, The New York Times reported. Adelson made no apologies for his political activism, telling Forbes in a 2012 interview he was “against very wealthy

people attempting to or influencing elections. But as long as it’s doable I’m going to do it.” He pointed to similar donations made by liberal financiers like George Soros, and said his donations acted as a counterbalance. “I’m proud of what I do and I’m not looking to escape recognition,” he said. Involvement in Israel Adelson financially supported the Jewish community, in the United States and abroad.

Together with his wife Miriam Adelson, he established the Adelson Family Foundation in 2007 “to strengthen the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” according to its website. Adelson had never hidden his opposition to a two-state solution in the country, and worked to support Netanyahu’s government. In 2007, he founded free daily newspaper Israel Hayom, which today is one of the most widely distributed in the country. After Trump moved the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, Adelson in September 2020 bought the US ambassador’s residence in an upscale suburb of the latter city, which some observers viewed as a way to ensure the move to Jerusalem remains permanent. In the United States, he also purchased the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper. Immigrant family Born on August 4, 1933 in Boston, Sheldon Gary Adelson grew up in the northeastern US city’s Dorchester neighborhood. His father, who was Jewish of Ukrainian and Lithuanian origin, drove a cab, and his mother, an immigrant from England, owned a knitting shop. Adelson demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit at a very young age, borrowing $200 from an uncle when he was 12 to buy a license to sell newspapers in Boston, according to the AmericanIsraeli Cooperative Enterprise (AICE), an organization devoted to strengthening ties between the two countries. AFP

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

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

PSE INDEX CLOSING Wednesday, January 13, 2021 -15.26 PTS. 7,242.85

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

17,083,401,031 180,238 9,173,004,356.74 131 105 37

Foreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.0660

Japan

Yen

0.009639

0.4633

Pound

1.366700

65.6918

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128952

6.1982

Switzerland

Franc

1.128286

54.2322

Canada

Dollar

0.786906

37.8234

Singapore

Dollar

0.755858

36.3311

Australia

Dollar

0.777100

37.3521

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655619

127.6450

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266553

12.8121

Brunei

Dollar

0.753012

36.1943

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.033212

1.5964

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0870

Euro

1.221100

58.6934

Korea

Won

0.000914

0.0439

China

Yuan

0.154720

7.4368

India

Rupee

0.013657

0.6564

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.246609

11.8535

New Zealand

Dollar

0.721500

34.6796

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035740

1.7179 Source: BSP

SMC readies full opening of Skyway 3

Business PH plans to impose safeguard duties on Thailand’s products By Othel V. Campos

HE Philippines is preparing to impose safeguard duties on certain products from Thailand to pressure the fellow Southeast Asian country to cooperate on the decade-long issue on cigarette taxes.

Some 37 tariff lines from Thailand stand to lose concessions and may be subjected to higher duties, the Tariff Commission said Wednesday. The TC said it would convene stakeholders for comments by the end of January to determine the level of safeguard tariffs to be slapped on each tariff line in the list. The list includes maize; semi-milled or wholly-milled rice; soya bean oil and its fractions; mixed condiments and mixed seasoning; non-dairy creamer; white cement; lubricating oils; medicaments; monosodium glutamate; face or skin creams and lotions; hair preparations; dentrifices; polyethylene; plastic chemical derivatives of natural rubber; and plastic supplementary system of feeding for babies. It also includes new rubber pneumatic tires; rubber grommets and covers for automotive wiring harnesses; unornamented boards, sheets, panels or tiles of plaster; semi-finished iron products or non-alloy steel; refined copper wire; air con-

ditioning machines with refrigeration unit; combined refrigerator-freezer; combined thresher-harvester; machine parts and mechanical appliances with individual functions. Others in the list are ball or roller bearings; electric motors with output of less than or equal to 37.5 watts; electronic integrated circuits, other than processors and controllers, memories and amplifiers; part of electronic integrated circuits; shielded wire used for automotive wiring harnesses; not fitted with connectors; and agricultural tractors. Also affected are motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, excluding vehicles with 10- seater capacity or more; vehicles for food transport; fuel tanks and other parts and accessories of motor vehicles; and parts and accessories of motors vehicles. The list will be subjected for suspension of concessions in relation to the dispute case “Thailand - Customs and Fiscal Measures on Cigarettes from the Philippines” docketed as DS 371 before the dispute settlement board of the World Trade Organization. The Philippines said it sent letters to the Dispute Settlement Body to end the decade-long dispute on the $594-million overtaxing case by Thailand on cigarette imports from the Philippines. The Philippine delegation to the WTO earlier said while the Philippines was open to a constructive solution to the issues, it asserted it was fully within its rights to seek recourse under Article 22.2 of the dispute settlement understanding, or the compensation and suspension of concessions.

VIVANT’S SUPPORT.

By Darwin G. Amojelar SAN Miguel Corp. said it will close the 18-kilometer Skyway Stage 3 to pave the way for the formal inauguration of the project on Thursday afternoon and full opening the following day. SMC said in preparation for the opening ceremony, the Skyway management would close Skyway 3 starting 10 p.m. Wednesday through the whole day of Jan. 14. A full inspection, set-up and staging of the opening and other pre-opening preparation activities were scheduled Thursday. It said it would open all seven lanes of the elevated expressway from South Luzon Expressway in Alabang to the North Luzon Expressway at 5 a.m. on Jan. 15. It will remain toll-free until Jan. 29. SMC, which fully funded the project, said motorists would finally be able to use all seven lanes of Skyway 3, which it softopened, free for public use on Dec. 29. Since then, an initial four lanes were in use, as finishing works continued on the muchawaited project, dubbed a true “game-changer” for Metro Manila traffic. “We ask for the kind understanding of motorists, as we prepare to officially open Skyway 3. Following the opening, motorists will be able to experience the benefits of all seven lanes and all the features of this game-changing expressway that will reduce travel time from SLEX to NLEX and vice-versa, to only 30 minutes,” the Skyway management said. The new expressway will help decongest traffic on EDSA and other major roads in Metro Manila. “Skyway 3 will remain toll-free until Jan. 29, and we look forward to welcoming our motorists, and letting them experience seamless travel,” SMC said.

ICTSI UNIT’S MILESTONE.

Contecon Manzanillo SA de CV, the Mexican unit of International Container Terminal Services Inc., ends 2020 with a milestone by handling its one millionth TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) for the year during the call of CMA CGM Jacques Joseph. With a 33-percent market share in Manzanillo, CMSA is positioned as the only terminal capable of meeting the growing volume requirement at the Port of Manzanillo in Mexico.

Vivant Foundation, represented by executive director Shem Jose Garcia (left), donates audiovideo production equipment to Department of Education 7 Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez as part of its commitment to uplift the public education system, particularly with the implementation of the distance learning program. The audiovideo recording set includes a laptop, cameras, lighting and other accessories.

Diokno says new reduction in reserve requirement ratio not likely at this time By Julito G. Rada BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of another reduction in the reserve requirement ratio of banks, saying liquidity in the financial system remains sufficient. Diokno said in the online forum Philippine Business Outlook 2021that any move by the Monetary Board, whether to cut the policy rates or the reserve requirements, would be data-dependent. “It depends on whether there is a need for additional liquidity [in the financial system]. There is no RRR cut at this time,” he said. The BSP last year cut the policy rates by a total of 200 basis points to a recordlow 2 percent. It also reduced the RRR by 200 basis points to 12 percent. These moves, Diokno said, were all aimed to spur domestic activity to offset the impact of the global pandemic.

Data showed that over the past 10 months, the government’s direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic amounted to P2.66 trillion or about 14.7 percent of the gross domestic product. Diokno earlier made known his intention to cut the RRR to a single digit before he steps down from office by 2023. When he took the helm of the BSP, RRR stood at 18 percent, one of the highest in the region. Reserve requirement, also called cash reserve ratio, is a central bank regulation used by most central banks that sets the minimum fraction of customer deposits and notes that each commercial bank should hold as reserves rather than lend out. When asked about any potential cut in policy rates by the first quarter of 2021, Diokno said monetary authorities would look at external and domestic data before making such a decision.

Cirtek gets ‘PRS A’ rating on proposed P2-b fund-raising By Jenniffer B. Austria CIRTEK Holdings Philippines Corp. said Wednesday it received a credit rating of PRS A (corp.) with a stable outlook from Philippine Rating Services Corp. on its planned fundraising. The rating was issued in relation to CHPC’s three-year shelf registration of commercial paper for up to P2 billion. A company rated PRS A (corp.) has an above average capacity to meet its financial commitments relative to that of other Philippine corporates. The company, however, is somewhat more susceptible to adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions than higher-rated corporates. A stable outlook means the “rating is likely to be maintained or to remain unchanged in the next twelve months.” Philratings considered the CHPC’s manageable liquidity and capitalization levels as well as Cirtek group’s established track record in the industry, supported by a strong and experienced management team that has navigated the Group through economic cycles, crises and industry challenges. Philratings also noted CHPC’s strong customer base of well-established and global companies, improved profit margins despite lower revenues, attributable to the company’s cost management efforts. CHPC is a fully-integrated global technology company focused on wireless communication. It is an independent, complete solutions provider for subcontract manufacturing of semiconductor devices and provides a broad range of assembly and testing services for various product applications and industries.

Meralco bares P13.9-b refund to customers in 24 months By Alena Mae S. Flores MANILA Electric Co. said Wednesday it sought the approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission to refund customers P13.88 billion, equivalent to P0.1528 per kilowatt-hour, over a 24-month period reflecting the calculation of the actual weighted average tariff compared to the previously approved average rate in 2015. Meralco said in a petition it computed AWAT at P1.4414 per kWh during the lapsed period, based on the actual revenues and kWh sales. The actual revenues came from distribution, supply and metering charges of Meralco. “Meralco proposes to refund the difference between the AWAT and IAR in the total amount of P13.885 billion over a 24-month period or until fully refunded,” the company said. “The issuance of a provisional authority will allow Meralco customers to immediately enjoy the benefits of the refund sought to be implemented, providing welcome relief to consumers during this time,” it said. The electricity retailer sought the approval to implement the refund as the actual rate Meralco collected was higher than the computed average rate that the ERC determined in the approval of the interim rate. The refund rate of P0.1528 per kWh would be reflected as a separate line item in the bills of customers during the refund period. Meanwhile, ERC chairman Agnes Devanadera said during an interview at Teleradyo the extension of the nodisconnection policy would be left to distribution utilities and electric cooperatives. “If the public is expecting us to issue an order on the no-disconnection policy, we have given that mandate to the distribution utilities because they have different situations,” Devanadera said.

IN BRIEF SEC warns public against Masa Mart

THE Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday warned the public against investing in Masa Mart Business Center, which has been allegedly posing as a multilevel marketing program to entice the public into unauthorized investment schemes. The SEC said in an advisory posted on its website the public should avoid engaging in the investment-taking activities of Masa Mart and its related entities or representatives, as they have yet secure approval to sell securities to the public. Masa Mart was found to be offering a subscription and gains program, under which a member may invest at least P1,250 to P500 million, in exchange for returns of P2,746 to about P11.65 billion, depending on the lock-in period. This translates to an interest of up to 30 percent per month or up to 2,561.81 percent per year. The group also offers The MMBC P5,888 Combo Package, where members could invest P5,888 for promised gains of P20,000 after six months; and the Do-It-Yourself subscription of 24 months, Roll-over Program where members could generate an income of P100,000 to P12 million after two years. Jenniffer B. Austria

DOTr set to launch ‘MRT-3 Trace’ app

THE Department of Transportation said Wednesday it is set to soft launch the ‘MRT3 Trace’ web application on Jan. 18 to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 and ease the process of contact tracing. “MRT-3 Trace is a web application that will help us and the passengers avoid further transmission of the virus through direct contact between our commuters and personnel. It will ease the process of contact tracing, and thus, prevent long queues in stations,” MRT-3 director for operations Michael Capati said. Capati said MRT-3 passengers would be given time to download the system and adapt to the new technology-based web application. “Starting Jan. 18, passengers may use the DOTr MRT-3 Trace. But to give time for our passengers to familiarize themselves with the new app, full implementation will be on February 2021,” he said. Darwin G. Amojelar

BSP signs land deal for Clark complex

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority signed on Wednesday a contract containing the terms of the BSP’s lease of the land on which a new complex in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac will rise. BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno and BCDA president and chief executive Vince Dizon signed the contract virtually. The contract covers the lease of a parcel of land spanning 313,171 square meters, conveniently located along the New Clark City-SCTEX access road. The terms of the lease will be for 50 years starting from the date of signing, with the option to renew for another 25 years, upon mutual agreement of both parties. Diokno said the new facility would strengthen the strategic foothold of the BSP in the country’s key growth corridors, in pursuit of its mandates in the areas of currency and securities production and distribution. “Today the BSP’s vision for this facility takes one significant step closer to reality,” Diokno said in a statement. Julito G. Rada

Sports

Harden after loss to LA: Situation can’t be fixed LOS ANGELES—Houston star James Harden’s frustration with the Rockets boiled over Tuesday after the team’s second blowout loss to the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in three days. Harden, the NBA’s top scorer the past three seasons, finished with 16 points on five-of-16 shooting in the 117-100 home loss, in which the Lakers never trailed and led by as many as 30 points. “I love this city,” Harden said. “I literally have done everything that I can. I mean, this situation is crazy. It’s something that I don’t think can be fixed.” The season opened last month with Harden the center of trade-demand reports. The Rockets have reportedly discussed possible trades with various teams, but they expect a big return for their star and no deal is yet in the offing. Guard John Wall, who arrived in Houston this season in the trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Washington Wizards, admitted that team chemistry was lacking. “When you have certain guys that don’t want to buy in, it’s hard,” said Wall, who scored 10 points and handed out five assists on Tuesday. Specifically, Wall said when asked, forging a relationship with Harden has been difficult. “It’s been a little rocky, not going to lie about that,” Wall said. “I don’t think it’s been the best it could be. That’s all I can say.” At 3-6, the Rockets are second from bottom in the Western Conference. After back-to-back defeats they take on the Spurs in San Antonio on Thursday. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant poured in 34 points and handed out 13 assists as the Brooklyn Nets rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 122-116 in the NBA on Tuesday. Durant added nine rebounds and Bruce Brown chipped in 16 points in a clutch performance in place of absent Nets star Kyrie Irving. It was a satisfying end to the day for Brooklyn, who were without Irving for a fourth straight game for what the team has called personal reasons. His return date remains unknown, with the team and NBA reviewing video that surfaced on social media that appeared to show the star playmaker at a family gathering without a mask—in violation of league protocols aimed at containing coronavirus. It’s an especially sensitive topic as the league postponed two more games on Tuesday because teams had too many players out because of coronavirus protocols. AFP

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers is confronted by James Harden of the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. AFP

Fernandez: Focus right now is Olympic training By Peter Atencio

HERE will be delays in the preparations for the coming Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam as there is no approval yet given by the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases for any physical training.

PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez

Commissioner Ramon Fernandez of the Philippine Sports Commission said this after he was appointed chef de mission of the 31st SEA Games. The Philippine Olympic Committee executive board approved of Fer-

nandez’s new job during an executive board meeting on Tuesday. “Matagal pa ang SEA Games. And we are still preparing for the Olympics,” said Fernandez, who played for the national men’s and youth basketball teams in the past. For now, physical training under a bubble in Calamba, Laguna will commence this Saturday. The training stint is meant for athletes preparing to join Olympic qualification competitions. “Sa Olympians muna tayo mag-concentrate,” added Fernandez. The “Laguna bubble” will be a 90day training stint for the sports disciplines of boxing, karatedo and karatedo at the Inspire Sports Academy. Members of the Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team have also secured approval to train under a bubble

Sotto sets up basketball academy WHILE waiting for the NBA G League Ignite to plunge into action in February, Kai Sotto has plenty of things to keep him busy in between his daily workouts. Setting up basketball academy and selling apparel that’s named after the 7’2” Filipino player has been keeping Sotto on his toes over the past month. He has began work i ng on organ izi ng the Kaiju Academy last December, located i nside Spooky Nook in Hamilton, Ohio. Spooky Nook is a1.3 million-square-foot sports facility that is under construction in a building that used to be a paper mill. Once done, Sotto said this will fulfil his dream of being able to teach basketball to young athletes on a global scale. The facility will be finished later this year. Kaiju is a Japanese term for monster, beast and strange creature. “And it perfectly captures the ideal basketball competitor that I aim to be,” said Sotto in an online statement.

Last December, the 18-year-old Sotto began selling shirts named after him and his academy. Supplies are almost sold out. “Sa mga kapwa kong Pinoy sa Pilipinas na nagtatanong, inaayos po para magkaroon ng local store na puwedeng magdala ng next batch,” said Sotto on Instagram. Team Ignite will be among the 18 teams taking the court in February, with NBA G League set to go on at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. Five-time NBA champion Brian Shaw will coach Team Ignite, comprised of elite NBA Draft-eligible players. The top eight teams will advance to a single-elimination playoff. Sotto is with Elite prospects teammates Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Isaiah Todd, Daishen Nix, and Princepal Singh. They have been training with Shaw in Walnut Creek, California for their debut game since August. Because of this, Sotto won’t make it to the third window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers in February. Peter Atencio

at the gym every day,” he said. “The guys were so respectful of each other, so supportive—it was brilliant.” But it wasn’t always an easy path to walk, especially when he made the move from Russia to Thailand to hone his craft in “the art of eight limbs.” In the end, however, it turned out to be a beneficial move. “It was a difficult time,” Ramazanov said. “I didn’t have a career roadmap, didn’t know about many opportunities, and didn’t know what doors to knock on, so I just put my faith into it. I trained hard to try and earn my place on the team.” That opportunity came when he was called to face heavily favored Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy in his ONE Championship debut, and he

this weekend in Calamba. Selected players for the Gilas squad will be seeing action in February in the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. Fernandez will discuss his plans of action and the need to start the training of SEA Games-bound athletes during the POC General Assembly, slated at the end of the month. Physical training, according Fernandez, will depend on IATF approval and the availability of the coronavirus vaccine. The start of bubble training in Calamba was called off last weekend, after numerous members of the national squad encountered difficulty in returning the Metro Manila. That’s because they still need help in securing travel passes from their respective provinces.

Marin makes fast start at Thailand Open

Kai Sotto dreams of teaching young athletes via his Kaiju Academy.

Ramazanov wants to continue dream run against Capitan ALAVERDI “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov never expected to be a kickboxing sensation when he was learning Muay Thai as a boy in Dagestan, Russia. But now the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion is one of the biggest stars on the grandest stage for top strikers around the world. Ramazanov will try to hold his spot at the top against #2-ranked kickboxer Capitan Petchyindee Academy at ONE: UNBREAKABLE on January 22 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Speaking to ONEFC.com, Ramazanov recalled the time when he was just getting started in Muay Thai and how he found himself at home with his team and the sport. “My friend brought me to one class and I got hooked immediately—I was

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

wound up beating the Thai superstar by decision. “Even today when people introduce me, they say I am that guy who beat Petchmorakot. It is surreal when idols become rivals,” Ramazanov said. “I am very proud to be a part of ONE. When I look around, I see great fighters, multiple-time World Champions, legends. It was a big step in my career to fight in the same organization as them.” After winning two more bouts, Ramazanov had the chance to compete for the vacant ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title against “Muay Thai Boy” Zhang Chenglong, and he made sure to take full advantage of the opportunity. “I do not even know how to describe the feelings [I had],” he said

about winning the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship. “This belt brought my name to the public and to a higher phase in sport, to the elite of sportsmen. This belt changed my sporting career.” But he’s far from done, as a win against another top Thai superstar in Capitan will only elevate his status further. “In the future, I want my name to be well known all over the world, I want to be one of the world’s top five fighters. I want to be remembered as a guy who faced many legends in the ring and won.” Download the ONE Super App to catch ONE: UNBREAKABLE live and for free on January 22 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

BANGKOK—Spain’s Carolina Marin sailed through the Thailand Open badminton first round on Tuesday as she made a fast start to her season, six months before her Olympic title defence. The former world number one made short work of France’s 37th ranked Qi Xuefei, winning the first game in just 15 minutes before sealing it 21-10, 21-12. The Thailand Open is the first of three consecutive restart tournaments in Bangkok as badminton resumes after a coronavirus-ravaged 2020. “I feel really happy to be back on court after some months without tournaments. I have really missed it a lot,” said Marin. “I wanted to get back this competition feeling, that adrenaline. I came with determination to win but also to keep my focus on my game plan. “Winning here is what I want. I would like to win a title here.” It was the 27-year-old’s first international outing since losing the final of the Danish Open in October. On Monday, Egyptian mixed doubles player Adham Hatem Elgamal tested positive for the coronavirus and withdrew from the tournament. Indian star Saina Nehwal was among three other players who tested positive but were allowed to play because their infections were historic, according to the Badminton World Federation. AFP

Sports

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

COVID-19 forces division shift, shrinks NHL season

No British Open at Trump’s Turnberry LONDON—The British Open golf championship will not be staged at the Turnberry course in Scotland owned by US President Donald Trump for the “foreseeable future”, tournament organisers announced Monday. The move follows the decision by American golf authorities to strip Trump’s Bedminster course in New Jersey of the right to host the 2022 US PGA Championship. Last week Trump supporters attacked the US Capitol building in an incident that left five people dead as they attempted to disrupt Congress from approving the result of November’s US presidential election won by Joe Biden. A statement issued by the R&A (Royal and Ancient), which runs the British Open—the ony one of golf’s four majors played outside the US— said taking the championship back to Turnberry would distract from events on the course. “The R&A had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future,” said chief executive Martin Slumbers. “We will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself and we do not believe that is achievable in the current circumstances.” The British Open switches venues every year with Turnberry one of 10 courses on the current rotation. However, the championship has not been played at Turnberry since 2009, five years before the Trump Organization purchased the course and renamed it “Trump Turnberry”. Situated in Ayrshire, southwest Scotland, Turnberry has played hosts to several notable moments in British Open history, including the 1977 ‘Duel in the Sun’ when America’s Tom Watson overcame compatriot Jack Nicklaus, golf’s most successful major champion and a Trump supporter, in a dramatic final round. Turnberry was also the venue where Stewart Cink thwarted the then 59-year-old Watson’s bid to become golf’s oldest male major championship winner when he won the 2009 British Open in a play-off. AFP

Collin Morikawa of the US plays his shot from the second tee during the final round of the Sentry Tournament Of Champions at the Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. Masters runner-up Cameron Smith of Australia and 2020 PGA Championship winner Morikawa are excited to see Augusta National’s plans for limited spectators at the major showdown in three months time. AFP

Masters plans to admit limited number of fans L

OS ANGELES—History-making Masters runnerup Cameron Smith of Australia and 2020 PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa are excited to see Augusta National’s plans for limited spectators at the major showdown in three months time. Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley announced the club’s plan to allow a limited number of fans to attend the 85th Masters on April 8-11 with COVID-19 safety measures in place. “We miss the fans out here every week,” Smith said Tuesday. “I feel as though the atmosphere around there was obviously down this year. “It’s such a unique place in that you can hear everything that’s going on throughout whole course. I think if we get a few out there, it will definitely make a difference.” Collin Morikawa, a 23-year-old American, captured his first major title last August at Harding Park in San Francisco and hoped the Masters plans might signal a gradual return for fans across all PGA Tour events. “It’s obviously encouraging,” he said. “I think all these tournaments

are going to start bringing fans back, whether it’s limited capacity or a certain amount per day. “We’re always going to follow the right rules. PGA Tour has built a system, and I’m sure the Masters have built a system right now with everyone else to make sure this doesn’t get out of hand. “We still need to watch ourselves on what we do and where we’re going to be going, but for the most part, slowly to start seeing fans, it’s going to be really exciting.” Smith, who defends his title at the PGA Sony Open in Hawaii starting Thursday, shared second last November at the virus-postponed Masters with South Korea’s Im Sung-jae, five strokes behind US winner Dustin Johnson. The 27-year-old from Brisbane became the first player in Masters

history with four rounds in the 60s, going 67-68-69-69 over the legendary par-72 layout, and is excited about his game with an Augusta return in three months. “My short game and my putting is in a really good spot,” he said. “I feel like I can make the putts when I need to make the putts. I just need to hit it closer, basically. “If I can get my longer stuff, and especially my irons, into a good spot, I’ll be able to compete every week.” Morikawa, whose father’s family is from Hawaii, seeks his fourth career PGA title after the 2019 Barracuda Championship, the PGA and last July’s Workday Charity Open one-off event, played on the same course as the Memorial the week before as a Covid-19 replacement event. “Having family out here, my entire dad’s side, it makes things a little more special and makes it feel more like home even though I never lived here,” Morikawa said. “It’s all part of it. Any time you have a tie to location or a golf course, it just makes you want to kind of win at that location a little more.” AFP

US Olympic swim champ Keller among Capitol invaders WASHINGTON—Two-time US Olympic swim champion Klete Keller was identified among a mob that broke into the US Capitol last week in a deadly insurrection, according to multiple reports Tuesday. The New York Times and SwimSwam, a swimming news website, reported on Keller being among the supporters of President Donald Trump who fought their way into the Capitol last Wednesday in a violent election protest. Video posted by conservative website Townhall captured images apparently of 6ft 6in (1.98m) Keller wearing a US Olympic team jacket inside the Capitol Rotunda as police were trying to clear people from the area. The Times reported that several un-

A good night BELIEVE me, it was a real good night last week for me after spending a few hours with an old and new friend. I am referring to sportsman-businessman and sports patron Alex Wang, the old friend and the guy behind Wang’s Basketball Club, which I believe is the longest-existing ball club locally, excluding PBA teams that is, and NorthPort Batang Pier team manager Bonnie Tan, the new friend. And what else can one expect when an old dog like me in sports meets up with similar basketball fans, except they are younger than me?

named former teammates and coaches identified Keller while SwimSwam said at least 12 people within the sport had identified Keller. No video showed Keller doing anything violent, the Times said, although simply being there opens the door for federal unlawful entry and disorderly conduct charges. The Times said Keller’s deleted social media accounts included proTrump messaging. Keller, 38, was a US gold-medal 4x200-meter relay teammate of swim legend Michael Phelps at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics. Keller also took silver in the same event in the 2000 Sydney Games and was a 400m bronze medalist both in Australia and four years later in Greece.

THE BOTTOM LINE LITO CINCO The original purpose of the meeting was to discuss a mini book project about the 25 years of Wang’s that I may undertake for Alex. He believes that it would be a good way to celebrate turning 25 with a mini book that would chronicle the start of his involvement in basketball from the time he was young and basketball became a natural path for him to take as the original family compound in Mandaluyong included two whole open courts. And from being just a player, he ended up owning a commercial ballclub that has been competing locally

US swimmer Klete Keller smiles after winning the men’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay swimming heat at the National Aquatics Center in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The two-time US Olympic swim champion was identified among a mob that broke into the US Capitol last week in a deadly insurrection, according to multiple reports. AFP

The Times reported that Keller had in Colorado Springs, home of the US recently worked as a real estate agent Olympic Committee. AFP for a long time, even with a few international stints thrown in, backing a local cage league, the Millennium Basketball League, throwing his support to the women’s national team, then coached by a common friend Fritz Gaston, fielding his team in the PBA D-League, and other related basketball programs. But what I like the most is that he is able to help up-and-coming young players, some of whom have ended up in the pro league. At the same time, there are also former PBA players who end up going back to Wang’s after their professional career. Fact is, some of those players were given regular employment in his company. What I would suggest though is get a copy of the book we will be working on to know the entire story behind Wang’s. On the other hand, Bonnie is also the coach of the Letran Knights, who

he led to the NCAA championship two years ago in his very first year with the team, accomplishing what he failed to do with Lyceum for a much longer time. It was luck, he said. Alex, being a Letran alumnus, supports the Knights. Now, you see the connection why we all three ended up together that night at the PuNta Bar. Bonnie said the team was ready to defend its crown last year if not for the pandemic that stopped all sports in its tracks. More so now that three top players from the University of Sto. Tomas in Rhenz Abando, Brent Paraiso and Ira Bataller have transferred to Letran as an aftermath of the Bicol bubble training that the Tigers allegedly held during the lockdown. Bonnie also told me that nothing is definite yet about the next basketball season of the NCAA, but that the plan

WASHINGTON—A National Hockey League season disrupted by COVID-19 even before the first puck drops will start Wednesday with defending champion Tampa Bay among the Stanley Cup contenders. The campaign has been shortened from 82 games per club to 56 and scheduled to run until May 8 in home arenas with playoffs to follow into July, bringing hope of returning to a normal October start for the 2021-22 season. Teams have been realigned due to US-Canada border travel restrictions with all seven Canadian clubs in their own division and new eight-team breakdowns in three US-only divisions. The Dallas Stars have already had their first four games postponed, two at Florida and two at Tampa Bay in a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Final, after six players and two staff members tested positive last week for COVID-19. And without spectators in the stands for most clubs over most of the season due to the deadly virus, the league stands to lose more than $1 billion, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday. “We’re coming back to play this season because we think it’s important for the game,” Bettman said. “It would be cheaper for us to shut the doors and not play.” Bettman said revenue from spectators accounts for half of all NHL income. “Everybody is going to lose a lot of money to do this,” Bettman said. Only Dallas, Florida and Arizona plan to have a limited number of spectators for games among the NHL’s 31 teams. There has been an off-season break similar to normal since the Tampa Bay Lightning captured the Stanley Cup on September 28, beating Dallas four games to two in the best-of-seven NHL Final inside a COVID-19 bubble at Edmonton. It ended four days shy of a year from the 2019-20 season opener, concluding a campaign halted March 12 by the pandemic with an expanded playoffs in August and September in quarantine bubbles at Toronto and Edmonton that saw no COVID-19 positive tests. Regular season and pre-season NHL contests in Europe, outdoor contests in Minnesota and North Carolina and the NHL All-Star Game in Florida were all wiped out due to Covid-19 issues. But Vegas will face Colorado and Boston will meet Philadelphia outdoors at Lake Tahoe in February. The Lightning have the most wins, playoff wins and goals scored in the NHL over the past six seasons and figure to challenge for the Cup again with Steven Stamkos healthy after missing most of Tampa Bay’s playoff run, Andrei Vasilevskiy solid at goaltender and Victor Hedman anchoring a strong defensive unit. The divisional shakeup makes Dallas a division rival instead of a foe from the opposite conference, with Carolina and Nashville also likely to challenge among Central rivals. Ovechkin sparks Caps Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, whose 48 goals shared the NHL lead last season with Boston’s David Pastrnak, has topped the league in goals for seven of the past eight seasons and hopes the Capitals can repeat the Stanley Cup title run of 2018 under new coach Peter Laviolette. The Capitals also boast the NHL’s oldest and tallest player (6-foot-9, 2.06m) in 43-year-old defenseman Zdeno Chara and the NHL’s top assist producing backliner in John Carlson, who set-up 60 goals last season while scoring 15. Boston, which led the NHL with 44 wins last season, should be a factor as well with Pastrnak and a fast, physical lineup.AFP is to start off, if allowed, with a 3 on 3 tournament. However, if Bonnie is optimistic about his NCAA chances, it is a different story for him in the PBA, where his initial target is for the Batang Pier to make it to the quarterfinals at least, then take it from there. He has just finished negotiating with Christian Standhardinger, waiting for the contract to be finalized. Sean Anthony still has two seasons left with the team, while Robert Bolick will definitely be back in action. These, plus his no. 2 and no.11 picks in the first round of the PBA draft, and the pick in the second round, give him and coach Pido Jarencio the chance to beef up the team. Now, the only thing left are the answers to these questions: Will the NCAA have a season? When will the PBA start another All Filipino conference?

Entertainment Directors’ rocking chair Director Peter Jackson, after masterfully documenting the First World War in ‘They Shall Not Grow Old,’ is expected to give a new take on The Beatles ’Let It Be’ film in the upcoming documentary ‘Get Back.’

Clint Eastwood (Jersey Boys, 2014): Based on USIC fans and critics the jukebox musical of the same name, it tackles the highly anticipate tale of The Four Seasons. Taylor Hackford (Ray, 2004): The Devil’s the Peter JacksonAdvocate director guided Jamie Foxx to Oscar YUGEL helmed Beatles documentary glory portraying Ray Charles. LOSORATA Oliver Stone (The Doors, 1991): Val Kilmer mainly because the director is portrayed Jim Morrison in this biopic by a director delivering a revisionist approach known for movies about the Vietnam War and the American presidency. to how Michael Lindsay-Hogg presented the Milos Forman (Amadeus, 1984): This gem from the CzechFab Four in the 1970 release Let It Be. That American icon who also directed One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest eight Oscars. film, famous for its rooftop concert and which won John Landis (Thriller, 1983): Described by the Library of Congress won an Oscar for Best Original Song Score, as the “most famous music video of all time,” this short film features Jackson with the much-parodied dancing zombies. It was was equally infamous for capturing bad vibes Michael actually accompanied by a documentary of its making. Martin Scorsese (The Last Waltz, 1978): This film advertised as among the band members, the worst being the farewell concert of The Band was selected for preservation in George Harrison, during one of the jams, the National Film Registry in 2019. mockingly tell Paul McCartney, “Whatever it Richard Lester (A Hard Day’s Night, 1964): The man behind Superman II and III starred by Christopher Reeves sat on the is that will please you, I’ll do it.” director’s chair for two movies starring The Beatles, including this

one created at the height of Beatlemania, and a concert film, also The Beatles: Get Back, technically a revised edition of the classic titled Get Back, featuring McCartney in his 1989-90 tour. film, is expected to portray the group “as they actually were,” or in the words of Ringo Starr, them “just laughing and playing music.” The Lord of the Rings trilogy director uploaded a five-minute sneak peek last month drawn from more than 60 hours of unseen footage of the same sessions in January 1969. It thrilled fans seeing the four Beatles, especially John Lennon, goofing around and having a good time. Let them be! Distributor Walt Disney Studios rescheduled Get Back’s release from Sept. 4 last year to Aug. 27 this year due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The new date will mark the 54th death anniversary of the group’s manager Brian Epstein. Today, I’m giving you a rundown of nine other world-renowned directors and their films about or featuring music stars. Bryan Singer (Bohemian Rhapsody, 2018): The director of some of X-Men movies and neo-noir The Usual Suspects admirably depicted the times of Freddie Mercury and the rest of Queen, climaxing with the band’s legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985. Jonathan Demme (Justine Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids, 2016): This concert film is the final feature of the Silence of the Bryan Singer helmed the beloved 2018 biopic ’Bohemian Rhapsody’ for the other great British act Queen. Lambs director.

Filipino-American chorale team-up bags silver in international choir competition A DUO between chorale groups of the Philippines and USA institutions was lauded with the Silver Award in the A Capella Category at the recently concluded Second Edition of the online international choir competition entitled INTERKULTUR Video Award 2020. This recognition was clinched by the collaborative performance of the Manila-based Coro San Benildo, the internationally acclaimed resident chorale of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and the award-winning chorale ensemble Azusa Pacific University Chamber Singers of the Azusa Pacific University in California. The Gold Award for the A Capella Category for choirs was granted to Capriccioso from Germany and Gemas Cariocas from Brazil in their heartfelt performance of Ju Parana. Hosted by INTERKULTUR, an organization that gathers peoples of all countries, cultures, and world views in peaceful competitions, with the statement that “singing together brings nations together,” and was initially held in June 2020 at the height of the pandemic. They once again challenged the choirs from all over the globe in an

online battle, this time, in partnership with a fellow chorale. Coro San Benildo and Azusa Pacific University Chamber first got together in France during the 2017 Florilège Vocal de Tours, where they found friendship amid their shared love for music. “This year, INTERKULTUR paved the opportunity for us to once again perform not as competitors but as dear friends,” Coro San Benildo Company Manager Tao Avellanada shared. The winning four-minute entry virtually gathered 31 vocalists from Coro San Benildo and 29 members from Azusa Pacific University Chamber Singers in an outstanding rendition of Spanish organist Josu Elberdin’s “Izar Ederrak” (The Beautiful Star). “This is the first time that both choirs studied the piece and recorded it from scratch. Since the song is written in a language not common to the two, this performance is truly a product of our commitment to creating music even with the limitations brought about by the pandemic,” Avellanada shared. Coro San Benildo, under conductor Lorenzo Gealogo, has participated in choral competitions locally and internationally, where they garnered international

Coro San Benildo. Photo from Florilège Vocal de Tours

distinctions including Folklore Category at the 1st Hoi An International Choral Competition in Vietnam. The group likewise bagged a number of top prizes in the 54th Seghizzi International Choral Competition in Gorizia, Italy, and Champion titles in the Youth Choir Competition in the 70th Llangollen Musical Eisteddfod in Wales, United Kingdom. The Azusa Pacific University Chamber Singers, directed by Assistant Professor Conductor Michelle Jensen, M.M., performs works in a variety of musical styles and periods that range from early Renaissance to contemporary a cappella. They likewise hold multiple recognitions, including clinching six awards at the LLangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales. Meanwhile, for the Choirs with Accompaniment Category, Coloridos from Brazil and Git on Boa’d from Germany earned the First Prize while the Second Prize was given to Chordinates Singers and Equaver, both from Singapore. Watch the top entries and the announcement of winners through the official YouTube channel of INTERKULTUR at interkultur.tv

Azusa Pacific University Chamber Singers. Photo from Florilège Vocal de Tours

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

‘Hoy, Love You!’ lead cast members Joross Gamboa (left) and Roxanne Guinoo (2nd from left) with young love team Karina Bautista and Aljon Mendoza.

Joross, Roxanne reunite in romantic-comedy digital series FORMER screen partners Joross Gamboa and Roxanne Guinoo-Yap, otherwise known as ‘JoRox,’ are both excited for viewers to watch their romantic comedy series, where they play single parents who unexpectedly find love. Entitled Hoy, Love You!, their reunion project is a six-episode iWantTFC original series streaming for free on Jan. 18. “This project is very different from our previous ones during our SCQ (Star Circle Quest) days. It is more appropriate for our age while still maintaining a level of ‘kilig’ and a sense of maturity. We will not only entertain viewers but will also try to inspire families, kids, and single parents who want to find love again,” Roxanne shared in the digital talk show The Best Talk. Joross also added, “What’s interesting about this series is that the topic is mature in its nature, but the series is full of humor at the same time. The audience will also have a better understanding of the story since the approach is light-hearted... It will impart lessons and will serve as an eye-opener to viewers.” In the series set in Lobo, Batangas, Joross and Roxanne portray Jules and Marge, single parents who are in pursuit of their personal dreams in life for

themselves and their respective children. After losing his wife in an accident, the fun-loving probinsyano Jules focuses on his job as a contractor and encourages his daughter (Brenna Garcia), to finish her architecture course so that they can work together and live a comfortable life. Meanwhile, Marge is a careercentric interior designer from Manila whose dream is to put up her own design firm. She is also a hands-on mom to her 16-year-old son Charles (Aljon Mendoza). Due to an accidental encounter, Jules and Marge meet but only develop a close relationship when they are both assigned to work on a construction project together in the province. Just when the two are falling in love with each other and are ready to bring their families together, their relationship hits a roadblock when Marge’s wealthy ex-boyfriend named Richard (Dominic Ochoa), who is also the father of Charles, returns to her life to win her back. Directed by Theodore Boborol, “Hoy, Love You!” also features the love team of Aljon and Karina Bautista, and stars TJ Valderrama, Pepe Herrera, Yamyam Gucong, Keanna Reeves, and Carmi Martin. The show’s official theme song was also performed by the cast and was recently released courtesy of Star Music.

Zara Larsson talks

about love in new track MULTI-PLATINUM pop star Zara Larsson kicks off the New Year with a brand new single “Talk About Love,” featuring hip-hop heavyweight Young Thug, also teasing further her fans with details of her forthcoming album Poster Girl. Produced by Mike Sabath (Lizzo, Meghan Trainor, Jonas Brothers) the fiercely energetic, free-spirited new single finds Zara boldly declaring “I don’t wanna talk about love,” with a melodic verse from Young Thug. To bring the single to life, Zara teamed up with Ryder Ripps to direct the sultry music video featuring dazzling dance sequences. The new single follows Zara’s latest hit “WOW,” which exploded on TikTok after it was featured in Netflix’s hit original film, Work It (and has amassed over 100 m i l l i o n streams, not to mention Zara’s show-stopping performance at this year’s MTV EMA Awards). Meanwhile, Poster Girl was further introduced in dazzling style under lockdown with

Zara Larsson has released a new single with the help of hip-hop superstar Young Thug.

the socially-distanced video for “Love Me Land,” written by Zara alongside the powerhouse team of Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter (Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber). “Talk About Love” marks a clean chapter from Zara’s huge debut international album So Good, which is still the second most-streamed debut album by a female artist ever on Spotify. Empowering, uplifting, and deeply personal, the 23-year-old artist is a new kind of a pop star, and a fearless young woman simply born to do it.

Life

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

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Joy of Baking offers a variety of flours including complete breadmix, all-purpose flour, cake flour, and bread flour.

By Monica Sanchez

UR home has become a sanctuary since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. But while it was indeed safer to stay in to stem the spread of this infec- PANDEMIC PASTIME. Many Filipinos have found joy in their kitchen as they pursue baking while spending a huge chunk of their time at home amid the pandemic. tious disease, there’s another challenge many homebound folks are dealing with.

“It was really hard for me,” admits Katrina, a 30-something content manager who has been stuck alone in her city condo ever since the quarantine started in March 2020. “I’m not someone who really loved going out when everything was still normal, but it’s different when you’re really required to stay put at home.” She continues, “I’m not complaining because I understand that it is for the safety of everyone, but it does affect your mood and even your mental health.” According to a study published in the US National Library of Medicine’s National Institutes of Health last year, 25 percent of Filipino respondents reported moderate-to-severe anxiety, while about 17 percent experienced moderate-to-severe depression and psychological impact during the early phase of the pandemic. The National Center for Mental Health, meanwhile, reported “a significant increase” in mental health calls, from 80 calls pre-lockdown to 400 amid the pandemic. Aside from magnifying the need for raising mental health awareness, this ongoing global health crisis also opened doors for many individuals—may it be discovering something new or exploring a passion for which they never had the time before. For Katrina, that involved getting into hobbies that she never would have expected she would enjoy doing. “For me, it’s baking. I was surprised because I used to be really bad in the

How homebound folks spend time in lockdown

kitchen, but after watching some YouTube videos, I got inspired. I bought a mini electric oven and just got into it,” she relates. Aside from Katrina, many homebound Filipinos have found joy in their kitchen. “It gives me the break that I need,” shares Gladys, a mother of one and a parttime copywriter. “I have to juggle work and taking care of my daughter, but I also want to have time for myself. I love baking because you can really create something out of the activity, which is calming and relaxing in itself.” Baking has truly skyrocketed in popularity so much so that baking tools and supplies ran out in supermarkets during the first few months of lockdown. Several businesses selling baked goods also popped online. “I actually started my own business. I started with cookies, but now I have also been making breads and cakes. It turned out to be another source of income for me, too,” says Gladys. In starting a mini business, Gladys emphasizes the importance of getting the right ingredients first.

“There’s a lot of trial and error, but the success of baking is all about using the right ingredients. I love using the flour from Joy of Baking because it is beginnerfriendly and is of good quality.” Joy of Baking is a notable brand of Agri Pacific Corporation, under the Rebisco Group of Companies. Since 2015, it has been providing innovative flour products in the market using advanced Swiss and German milling technology. Some of the products of the Joy of Baking include all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking bread flour, and the Joy of Baking Complete Breadmix, perfect for making quick and easy breads like pan de sal, ensaymada, and Spanish bread. The breadmix features an all-in-one formula and comes with a free pack of yeast in every bag. According to the brand, all of its flours are fortified with vitamin A and iron. In addition to flour, it also produces oil, shortening, and other baking products. To become a community dealer of these baking products, contact 09261323414 or go to the Joy of Baking’s of-

Each unit boasts ample space and oversized balconies where fresh breeze can be enjoyed.

ficial Facebook page. “Since we are all staying at home, the best we can do is to make the best out of these moments. Baking is a great hobby because of the sense of comfort and satisfaction that it provides. It’s hard, but ev-

eryone can find their piece of joy during this time,” says Maria Minna Vistan, senior marketing manager of flour division. “You wouldn’t know what kind of happiness a slice of homemade bread can bring you until you try.”

PARENTING

Refreshing seaside living THERE’S condo living in the city, then there’s condo living by the sea—and while both have their unique features that offer comfort to residents, only one of them can say its “amenities” include fresh sea breeze and breathtaking views of natural wonders. Hamilo Coast’s luxury seaside sanctuary Freia is replete with open spaces so one can feel the sea breeze along the corridors, covered walkways, and inside the spacious residences with oversized balconies. Since it’s in a beachfront community, its contemporary tropical architecture captures the expansive views of the sea, mountains, and man-made Pico Lagoon. Freia’s distinctive three-step roofline mimics the rugged hillside terrain, while the warm color scheme and textures of the building materials easily meld with the natural surroundings. Architect Arni Villanueva of GF + Partners Architect, Broadway Malyan’s local counterpart, says the materials are sourced locally to lessen their carbon footprint. Sizes of two-bedroom condos vary from 67 square meters to 154 square meters, while the cuts of threebedroom loft penthouses, which range from 221 to 392 square meters, are as large as a house. Only 223 units are built to ensure few units and more space per floor.

Many believe baking provides a sense of comfort and satisfaction.

Using storytelling in raising smart, compassionate children

Residents of tropical luxury condominium Freia are treated to exclusive amenities like swimming pools and themed gardens designed by landscape architect Crearis, as well as expansive views of the sea, mountains, and the man-made Pico Lagoon.

“Units are outfitted with high quality fixtures to assure the security and well-being of its residents,” says Villanueva. Unlike other condo developments that come with a bare concrete ceiling which makes it challenging to renovate or install fixtures, Freia’s units, Villanueva says, are built with a drop ceiling for easy placement of lighting fixture and flexibility in lighting design. The sea view units inspire a socially active lifestyle. The hillside units, on the other hand, open to views of forested slopes and vivid skies. Each unit comes with a Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club individual membership share bundled with the condo price. Designed with the owner as the end-user, Freia’s units are not to be leased for rentals, thus giving another layer of security aside from the stringent club membership screening. Residents can enjoy various facilities and amenities available in the community.

REY Bufi, a father of two and the founder of nonprofit organization, The Storytelling Project believes exposing children to reading helps instill the right set of values in them. Growing up, Bufi admits that he was not much of a reader. “As a child, I always loved history and though I was not entirely a reader, I was fond of listening to stories of hope and inspiration about great, compassionate leaders,” he shared. “It was in college when I was having a hard time, and reading helped me cope. I realized, had I been a reader earlier, I wouldn’t have had a hard time. And that is how my passion for stories and service came together.” In 2012, he established a volunteer organization that aims to raise a nation of readers. Today, Bufi continues with his passion for sharing stories. He recently participated as a host and storyteller in Enfagrow A+ Four’s Tales of

Rey Bufi founded The Storytelling Project to help raise a nation of readers.

Kindness from the #HealthySmartKidWithAHeart campaign, which featured stories of kindness to inspire parents to teach their children about compassion. Reading stories to Filipino children has opened the eyes of Bufi to many realities. Just as he read them stories, he also learned meaningful life lessons from the stories of people he encountered on his journey. “The tales they tell make a huge impact on their overall development. It helps them communicate and make sense of the world they are in and what is happening inside themselves,” said Rey. His wife, Grace, on the other hand, believes storytelling does not only develop listening skills, “it also teaches kids the values of empathy and patience as they sit for long periods of time. It helps them string new words together and ignite a passion for discovering new things.”