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Cordillera virus cases surge Bontoc posts 34, La Trinidad 4; None tested positive for UK variant

By Willie Casas and Rey E. Requejo

HE Cordillera Autonomous Region has an additional 38 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases after 34 new cases were tallied Monday in Bontoc, Mountain Province— the country's new flashpoint for the dreaded UK variant of the virus—and four more were found in nearby La Trinidad, Benguet. The Department of Health cases tested positive for CO(DOH) on Monday said 34 VID-19 -- but negative for the contacts of Bontoc’s United new, more infectious variant. Kingdom coronavirus variant Next page

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 322 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SEARCH TEAMS SET. A team of contact tracers from the Department of Health and the Bontoc LGU Contact Tracing and Monitoring Team are in full personal protective equipment (PPE) as they comb the streets of Mountain Province's capital on Monday to find out who else could be carrying the UK variant of the coronavirus that has already infected 12 in the area. As they headed out, the streets were practically empty six hours before Bontoc went into an Enhanced Community Quarantine (inset). Dave Leprozo and Bontoc LGU

Children 10-14 must stay indoors, Rody rules PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday revoked the Inter-Agency Task Force's decision last week to allow children aged 10 to 14 years old to leave their homes in areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) in a bid to stimulate the economy. Duterte said this was due to the United Kingdom variant of the coronavirus that had been detected in several patients in the country. “Balik ho kayo sa bahay muna… Pasensya na po kayo. Mine is just a precaution. Takot lang ako kasi itong bagong strain strikes the young chil-

dren,” the President said in his weekly national address. “Napilitan akong i-reimpose ‘yung [restrictions on] 10 to 14. Not at this time. It’s a sacrifice for the parents and for the children,” Duterte said. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque had announced last week that minors aged 10 to 14 in MGCQ areas would be allowed to go out starting February 1. Previously, only those 15 to 65 years old were allowed to leave their homes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists in the United Kingdom earlier said the new coronavirus variant

initially discovered there may be more capable of infecting children. The new variant is largely believed to be more transmissible, with experts still confirming whether it can make COVID-19 deadlier. The Philippines has so far recorded 17 COVID-19 cases with the UK variant, 12 of whom are in Bontoc, Mountain Province. Meanwhile, the Department of Health said it would not recommend the extension of the mandatory quarantine period for travelers to 21 days Next page

Nations tighten border curbs as COVID curfew spills over WASHINGTON—Border restrictions were being tightened around the world Monday in the face of an unrelenting coronavirus threat, after a weekend in which anger at social distancing rules bubbled over into fiery clashes in the Netherlands. The United States was set to join France, Israel and Sweden in pulling up the drawbridge to certain arrivals, with

Palace cautions AFP on Red list By Vito Barcelo, Rey E. Requejo, Macon RamosAraneta, and Rio N. Araja

SAF 44 REMEMBERED. Members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force march on Monday on the 'Day of the National Remembrance for the SAF 44'. On January 25, 2015, 44 members of the SAF were killed after clashing with jihadist forces while pursuing terrorists Zulkifli Abdhir alias 'Marwan' and Abdul Usman in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Arman Clemente

THE Palace on Monday urged the military to exercise prudence in issuing statements after it inaccurately named several prominent University of the Philippines (UP) alumni as members of the New People's Army. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque suggested that if the military were more careful, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana would not need to apologize. “Defense Secretary Lorenzana has apologized for mistakes. Let’s leave it at

that. But there is no overall communication plan on red-tagging. We leave that to the defense establishment,” Roque said in a press briefing. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Civil-Military Operations Office apologized for the list posted on its Facebook page and said it would conduct an internal investigation to find out how it was published. “We sincerely apologize for those who were inadvertently affected by inconsistencies regarding the List of Students who joined the NPA (Died or Captured) that was posted in the AFP Information Exchange Facebook account,” the AFP

2 Korean celebrities pass away

special concern about new strains of the pathogen that originated in Britain and South Africa. "When I arrive in a country, the idea is not to contaminate it," Antoine, an 18-year-old Belgian, told AFP at Paris's main international airport after new rules on tests for EU arrivals came into force. Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JAN. 25)

514,996 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,581 29,284 NEW

ACTIVE

10,292

475,422

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

PH twits China on use of force in disputed sea By Rey E. Requejo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque said Monday the use of force under international law was "generally prohibited," after China authorized its Coast Guard to fire on foreign vessels on Chineseclaimed reefs in the event of threats – seen as a move that could escalate tension in contested waters. Roque's statement, during an online briefing for reporters, coincided with the call by former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario on the Duterte administration to give priority to building up a credible defense posture for the country after China passed a law authorizing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels Del Rosario, chairman of Stratbase ADR Institute, also said government should now seriously consider

By Nickie Wang MODEL and South Korean actress Song Yoo-jung has died., her agency Sublime Artist confirmed. She was 26. But the agency did not state what Next page

Song Yoo-Jung

TROUBLED WATERS. This graphic shows the varied claims of competing nations in the South China Sea. It

coincides with reports a US aircraft carrier group sailed two days earlier into the South China Sea on a so-called "freedom of navigation" exercise, the first routine operation in the region under new President Joe Biden. AFP

CHED OKS LIMITED FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES NEWS / A2

News

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Workers call for price freeze T ALU National Executive Vice President Gerard Seno said aside from extending price freeze and hunt down hoarders and price manipulators, the government should deploy more Diskwento Caravan and Kadiwa rolling stores to bring affordable basic food

commodities to communities and work sites. The workers group also sent a letter to the President seeking an immediate action by concerned government agencies to put in place effective price controls on basic commodities and to

provide a wage subsidy for workers for their nutritional needs. “The prices of basic commodities increased as unscrupulous traders and middlemen and socially irresponsible retailers take advantage of the situation,” he said. He said millions of workers were left with no recourse but to rely on noodles, 3-in-1 coffee and other substitutes just to fill their stomachs. “Millions of workers, since March 2020, were either on "No Work, No Pay" hold-over arrangements, or compelled to undertake job-sharing or job-rotation agreements, or to be placed on no compensation furlough as employers extended

Cordillera...

Speaking to radio dzBB, Odsey said about 6,000 residents are affected in barangays are Tocucan, Bontoc III, Caluttit, Poblacion, and Samoki. Regionwide, the Cordillera has 11,226 total cases as of Monday, with 56 new cases recorded in Mountain Province and 47 in Benguet. The first among the existing UK variant cases in Bontoc involves an overseas Filipino worker who came home from the UK on Dec. 13 and tested negative upon arrival. Vergeire said the person went home to Bontoc on Dec. 14 and stayed in a household with relatives. The person interacted with some people on Dec. 24 for Christmas, and on Dec. 26 for a traditional ritual. On Dec. 29, the person showed symptoms. “What we have seen here in this contact tracing efforts, we have identified already three clusters of infection,” Vergeire said. However, Vergeire cautioned that the details are “not definite.” “We are just giving you the details. We are still studying it,” she said. Vergeire said they are still looking at other possible sources of the COVID clusters in the area. The two other returning overseas Filipinos with the UK variant who were reported on Friday were traced to Iloilo and Binangonan, Rizal. The case in Iloilo was already located, Vergeire said, but the one in Binangonan is

still going through verification. The first of the 17 UK variant cases identified in the country involves a Quezon City resident who arrived from Dubai early this month. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said the National Bureau of Investigation has located two close contacts of the first Philippine case of the UK variant of the coronavirus 2019. Guevarra said the NBI has turned over the finding to the Department of Health, which earlier sought its help for contact tracing, one of the close contacts and discovered the location of another. Reports showed that the first case of the UK variant in the country was a male Quezon City resident who returned from the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 7. He had gone on a business trip with his girlfriend last month. The patient already tested negative in his latest swab test. His mother and his girlfriend tested positive for COVID-19 but not the UK variant. The DOH said it has detected 16 more cases of the new variant. Three have recovered and 13 were active cases as of Jan. 22. Twelve of the 16 additional cases are from Bontoc, the capital of Mountain Province. Of these 12 cases, seven are male and five are female. Three are aged below 18 years old and another three are

above 60. Meanwhile, two other patients with the B.1.1.7 variant are returning overseas Filipinos who arrived on Dec. 29, 2020 from Lebanon, a country included in the travel restrictions due to the detection of the B.1.1.7 variant in said country. The cases were aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR 8661. The first case is a 64-year-old female whose indicated local address is Jaro, Iloilo City. The patient was isolated in San Juan, Metro Manila and discharged on Jan. 9. The other is a 47-year-old Filipina whose reported local address is Binangonan, Rizal and was quarantined in New Clark City and discharged from isolation on Jan. 13. The last two B.1.1.7 variant cases are local cases detected in La Trinidad, Benguet and in Calamba City, Laguna; both have no known contact to any confirmed case or travel history from outside the country. One is currently admitted in a Benguet Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility, while the 23-year-old male in Laguna has been discharged after receiving a negative result on Jan. 16. Of the additional 16 cases with B.1.1.7 variant detected, three have already recovered, 13 are active cases―three of which are asymptomatic and 10 are exhibiting mild symptoms.

The saliva COVID-19 test is priced at P2,000, which may decrease if the volume of tests goes up, said Dr. Paulyn Ubial, head of PRC molecular laboratories. The result of the method, which only requires a person to drool into a sterile vial, may be released after three hours, the PRC said. She said the PRC can process 8,000 of such tests daily, and added that the tests will be rolled out in provincial laboratories by next month. No sites yet for vaccine trials Clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines from Sinovac, Janssen and Clover have yet to be scheduled as the government is still identifying sites for them, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday. DOH spokesperson Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the clarification three days after Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Rowena Guevarra said that the three vaccine makers already have a target list of clinical trial sites which include areas in Laguna, Metro Manila, Iloilo, Cavite and Bacolod City. Vergeire said that the DOST is still talking to the vaccine makers’ partner contract research organizations (CROs) in the Philippines to ensure that sites

for their clinical trials will not duplicate the areas dedicated for the World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Trial of COVID-19 vaccines in the country. The CROs have not given a list because they are still discussing and studying it, Vergeire said. She added that Sinovac had submitted a site, but it was returned because it was the same as the sites of the WHO Solidarity Trial. FDA says it is thorough, not slow The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday said they are being thorough in approving emergency use applications of COVID-19 vaccines, and denied claims it was moving too slowly. The FDA has so far given only one emergency use authorization (EUA), to US drugmaker Pfizer. The usual process takes six months up to a year, FDA director general Eric Domingo said. "This is the fastest we've ever done anything. I think an emergency use authorization within 21 days is very fast, very efficient. It might take longer for applicants that do not have an EUA from stringent regulatory authorities and we want to take a look at the data closely. It’s not being slow, it’s being thorough,"

Domingo said in an interview on ANC's Matters of Fact. "They think everything depends on the FDA EUA but really it’s the supply chain and procurement process. We gave the EUA to Pfizer two weeks ago but it’s not yet here. The FDA EUA [is not] the reason we don’t have the vaccine yet. It’s a worldwide shortage,” he said. Priorities just expanded, not changed Malacanang on Monday said that President Rodrigo Duterte did not change the vaccine priority list but just expanded it to recognize the sacrifice of the military. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Palace will leave to the InterAgency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to “operationalize” the wishes of President Duterte to include the families of soldiers in the priority list of the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program. “There is no change in prioritization. He is only expanding the list to include families of soldiers and that’s out of recognition on the part of the President that men in uniform’s job is important because theirs is maintenance of peace and order in our society,” Roque said during a press briefing. Willie Casas, Vito Barcelo, and Macon Ramos-Araneta

senior White House official said. Biden last week tightened maskwearing rules and ordered quarantine for people flying into the country, which on Sunday topped 25 million cases. Since it emerged in late 2019, Covid-19 has killed more than 2.1 million people, with almost 99 million cases registered, according to an AFP tally from official figures. On Sunday, France started demanding a negative PCR test for arrivals by sea and air from European Union neighbours. Sweden said it would prohibit entry from neighbouring Norway for three weeks, after cases of the more infectious British strain were detected in Oslo.AFP

Palace... Information Exchange said in a Facebook post. “That article has since been immediately taken down or deleted from our social media accounts,” it added. The AFP said personnel who were responsible for publishing the list would be held to account. Roque also said that Malacanang has no access to the information to confirm or deny the military’s allegation that some former UP students were linked to or recruited by the NPA. Earlier, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., spokesman for the National Task Force

to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said that communist recruitment was taking place in at least 18 learning institutions, including UP. Five top universities identified by the military official have already denounced their inclusion in the list. One of those on the list, Marie Lisa Dacanay, president of the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia, earlier said that the AFP must be held accountable for releasing what she called "false news." "I will not take this lightly as we need to make the AFP accountable for actions that are libelous and potentially endangering and wreaking havoc on the lives of individuals like me who are living a peaceful and meaningful life…" she said.

Australia and our ASEAN neighbors,” Del Rosario said in a statement. It also coincided with reports a US aircraft carrier group sailed two days earlier into the South China Sea on a so-called "freedom of navigation" exercise, the first routine operation in the region under new President Joe Biden. But China's foreign ministry spokesman on Tuesday called the routine US exercises a "show of force and not conducive to the peace and stability of the region". Roque told reporters in an online briefing China's laws must follow obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which

only allows the use of force in "welldefined exceptions" like self-defense and authorization from the UN Security Council. “The use of force is generally prohibited,” he told the briefing, adding “We hope that no country will do anything in the West Philippine Sea that would worsen the situation..” Beijing claims almost the entire resource-rich waterway and refuses to recognize a landmark arbitration award by the International Arbitral Tribunal that invalidates it. Roque reiterated that President Rodrigo Duterte has been urging claimants to follow the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South

China Sea. Paragraph 5 of the declaration states, "The Parties undertake to exercise selfrestraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner." Code of Conduct China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes the Philippines and three other South China Sea claimants, are currently negotiating for a more binding Code of Conduct in the contested waters. With AFP

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE country's largest workers' group the Associated Labor Unions (ALU) has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to order a price freeze on basic commodities and go after profiteers due to increases in the prices of food and other staples.

From A1

“For this contact tracing, there were 34 additional COVID-positive cases,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online briefing. “But they were not positive for the UK variant.” The 34 are among the 116 contacts of the 12 UK variant cases in Bontoc, who were tested for COVID-19. Twenty-eight other contacts have not been tested yet. All 144 in Bontoc are first and second generation contacts of the 12 UK variant cases. For the lone UK variant case in La Trinidad, Benguet, 97 close contacts (first and second generation) have been identified. “Four tested positive among the close contacts,” Vergeire said, identifying them as the mother, father, sibling and grandmother of the UK variant case. Vergeire did not say if these four contacts already underwent genome sequencing to check for the new variant. She said they are also still following up more close contacts. Meanwhile, Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey, who tested positive for COVID-19, on Monday said five barangays in the municipality are currently under lockdown and strict quarantine protocol due to the threat of the new coronavirus variant.

Children... From A1

like what Macau did in December, even as the Philippines detected additional cases of the new and more transmissible COVID-19 variant. “I don’t think so,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a virtual briefing. “According to our experts and evidence states mode of transmission is still the same. Incubation period is still the same.” Instead, protocols on quarantine and contact tracing must be strengthened, Vergeire said, and local government units should ensure that travelers comply with the 14-day quarantine period. No sites yet for vaccine trials The Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday that it was waiting for the validation study of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) before approving the saliva COVID-19 testing in other laboratories aside from the Philippine Red Cross. The non-government organization was set to begin later Monday the use of the cheaper and less invasive COVID-19 test in its three molecular laboratories in Metro Manila.

Nations... From A1

"It's up to us to show that we are civic-minded," said Spaniard Claudio Barraza. The stipulations came as Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador became the latest public figure to test positive for the disease, and New Zealand reported its first community case for more than two months. In Washington, President Joe Biden will on Monday reimpose a ban on most non-US citizens who have been in Britain, Brazil, Ireland and much on Europe, as well as adding South Africa to the list, a

PH... From A1

strengthening the country’s security alliance with so-called “freedom-loving nations” like the United States, the countries comprising the European Union, Japan, Australia and nations composing the Association of South East Asian Nations. “In the face of this new Chinese aggression, we should prioritize what we have been saying before: build a credible defense posture for our country and strengthen our security alliance with freedom-loving nations like the US, the countries comprising the EU, Japan,

From A1

the suspension of their business operations. Millions, in the worse case, were laid off. Truly, worker incomes took a severe battering, and what little savings they had, is long gone,” Seno said. He said the P537 daily wage can hardly purchase a kilo of pork, including vegetables to meet the nutrition needs of a family of five. The workers group appealed to Duterte to extend proclamation 1081 issued in the wake of Typhoon Ulysses indefinitely to freeze prizes of basic commodities, for the government to go after and to prosecute price gouging middlemen, traders and retailers and to shut down hoarders.

House passes Ease of Paying Taxes measure By Maricel V. Cruz A COMMITTEE at the House of Representatives has approved a bill that encourages tax compliance and protects the welfare of taxpayers. The Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Albay Rep. Jose Clemente Sarte Salceda on Monday approved House Bill 7881, or the Ease of Paying Taxes Act that mandates the activation of an Office of the Taxpayer Advocate and codifies the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights. The panel is now preparing its report that will include: 1. Taxpayer classification/segmentation to ease the experience of small and medium taxpayers and focus on education and taxpayer services for their segments, while focusing collection efforts on large enterprises; 2. Relaxed rules on returns filing and the payment of taxes (i.e., “venuefiling” and “pay-as-you-file”) so that taxpayers can comply with tax requirements anywhere in the country; 3. Uniform documentation for substantiating VAT transactions to facilitate electronic invoicing and close VAT loopholes; and 4. Easing compliance requirements so that tax filings for small enterprises need not be as burdensome as large enterprises.

CHED okays face-to-face college classes THE Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has approved the return to limited face-to-face classes for students of medicine and allied health sciences as well as universities in areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), Chairman Prospero De Vera III said. CHED said other schools who wish to hold limited face-to-face classes must submit an application. Education authorities will then visit the campus to inspect its compliance with requirements for face-to-face classes. Among the schools that have been allowed to hold limited face-to-face classes are the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila, Ateneo de Manila University, and the Our Lady of Fatima University in Valenzuela. “The president has approved my recommendation to have limited face-to-face [classes] within higher education institutions in medicine and allied health sciences in MGCQ areas and in GCQ areas where the students go into COVID-19 hospitals,” De Vera said.

2 Korean... From A1

caused her death on January 23, although several media outlets in Korea alleged suicide, claims that were quickly withdrawn. Meanwhile, South Korean rapper Iron (real name Chung Heon-chul) also passed away, according to a report by K-pop news site Soompi. Iron was found bleeding and unconscious in a flower bed of an apartment complex in Jung District, Seoul at 10:25 a.m. on Monday. In its report, Soompi said the Seoul Jungbu Police Station confirmed the news with Dispatch. Yoo-Jung started her career as a cosmetic model and made her acting debut in the MBC’s “Golden Rainbow” in 2013. She had acted in two other series since then, “Make Your Wish” (2014) and ”School 2017” (2017). The model had also appeared in K-Pop group iKON’s “Goodbye Road” music video. News about Yoo-Jung’s death came two months after the controversial death of another South Korean comedienne and actress Park Ji-sun. The 35-year-old screen star died on Nov. 2 last year. The cause of her death was not disclosed, although police suspected it was a suicide as there was no evidence of foul play. Iron gained popularity following his stint in the third season of Mnet's "Show Me the Money" in 2014. “We were called in by an [apartment] guard who told us they discovered Iron. He was urgently taken to the hospital, but he passed away,” the police said of the rapper's death. “At this point, it is unclear whether or not Iron died by suicide. We are investigating the exact cause of his death,” they added.

News

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Most Filipinos support ‘active transport’ move By Willie Casas THE majority of the Filipinos polled in a survey believe that active transport is possible in their locality and should be given priority, according to a nationwide Social Weather Station survey. The survey comes amid a push by the Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to promote active transport among the communities. In a November 2020 SWS poll commissioned by Health department, 85 percent of those polled across all areas and socio-demographic groups believed that their city or municipality could become a great place for walking and cycling. Meanwhile, 87 percent also agreed that the roads would be better off if public transportation, bicycles and pedestrians were given priority over private vehicles. “The results of this survey demonstrate public support for government efforts to promote active transport. Cycling and walking remain among the safest ways to maintain physical distancing during travel while promoting physical activities,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said. “These forms of physical activity improve the overall health of a person, boost their immune system and help fight diseases such as diabetes and heart disease,” Duque said. Meanwhile, Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Steven Pastor said the DOTr was committed to work on policies, projects and programs to institute appropriate infrastructure for active transport users. “As we start off with increasing the accessibility of activity areas and fundamental facilities through the bike lane networks in the metropolitan areas of Manila, Cebu, and Davao, feasibility studies will also get underway to establish bike lane networks in all cities in the country,” he said.

NBI to telcos: Ban sex sites THE National Bureau of Investigation on Sunday urged the telecommunications companies to ramp up online security and block all websites facilitating the online sexual exploitation of children. The NBI said that, since the pandemic, students and minors had been engaged in online exploitation even via some social media sites to sustain e-learning. In a report on ABS-CBN News, NBI Cybercrime Chief Vic Lorenzo said efforts had been relentless against consolidators, sexual predators, peddlers of sexualized and explicit photos and videos of children. “Recently, during our last operation, we found out that there is someone who is consolidating these photos, the student does not directly engage with sexual predators, and the consolidator facilitates, sells and pays the student.,” Lorenzo said. In February 2020, at least 600,000 obscene photos and videos of Filipino children were shared and sold online, according to a report from the Child Rights Network. Lorenzo admits that law enforcers face limitations, especially when it comes to data privacy, but telecommunications companies and internet providers have a better chance to monitor all internet data. “It’s challenging because the internet is vast but doable, because of the presence of artificial intelligence today,” he said. As home schooling and exposure to the internet among children has increased during the pandemic, Lorenzo urged parents to monitor the daily activities of the child and limit access to websites. “Cyber security begins at home, and the parents should know the telltale signs. When the child is engaged in online sexual exploitation, we encourage them to coordinate with us,” he said. Willie Casas

NO TO NEW SYSTEM. Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption President Arsenio Evangelista, Dr. Larry Pitpit of Clean Air Movement Phil. Inc. or CAMPI president, and Danilo Yumul, chairman of CPTLCL give a thumbs-down to the ‘arbitrary’ implementation of the Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) system for car registration on Monday in a press conference in Quezon City.

Motorists up in arms over LTO private vehicle tack M By Rio N. Araja and Jess Malabanan

OTORISTS, along with clean air advocates and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, on Monday slammed the Land Transportation Office and Department of Transportation for the “arbitrary” implementation of the private motor vehicle inspection center (PMVIC) system for car registration. At a news conference in Quezon City, Hilario Pitpit of the Clean Air Movement of the Philippines Inc. backed the call of Senator Grace Poe that thorough and wide-ranging consultations must be conducted involving all stakeholders to discuss the PMVIC system under LTO Memorandum Circular 2018-2158 dated Nov. 28, 2018, requiring motorists to pay

P1,800 for a motor vehicle inspection as the directive did not undergo a thorough public consultation. Worse, he said, the PMVIC system was implemented without the amendment of Republic Act 8749 or the Philippine Clean Air Act. In Angeles City, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and

hundreds of motorists held a simultaneous noise barrage by blasting their vehicle horns to dramatize their protest against the allegedly exorbitant fees being charged by the Private Motor Vehicles Inspection Center to vehicle owners. The group also called for a senate inquiry against the LTO and the PMVIC not only on the unreasonably fees but also on the legality of the center to operate without the approval of Congress and the President. “The Congress has to look into the accuracy of the “flawed” vehicle inspection and its implementation without public consultation and transparency among major stakeholders, and the amendment of the Republic Act 8749 of the Philippine Clean Air Act,” said Arsenio Evangelista, head of the VACC.

PANGASINAN GAB. Secretary Salvador Panelo (left) addresses a group of Pangasinan leaders including Presidential Adviser

for Northern Luzon Secretary Raul L. Lambino, 5th District Rep. Ramon ‘Mon-Mon’ Guico III, Abono Partylist Rep. Conrad Estrella III, Vice Governor Mark Lambino, Board Members Von Mark Mendoza (2nd District), Vici Ventanilla (3rd District), Louie Sison (5th District), former Rep. and Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste, Mayors Roldan Sagles (Aguilar), Anthony Penulliar (Mapandan), Joel delos Santos (Sta. Barbara), Martin Raul Sison II (Urbiztondo), Noel Geslani (Malasiqui), Rosita Rafael (Natividad), Julio ‘Rammy’ Parayno (Urdaneta City), Sangguniang Bayan Members of Bayambang, and other civic leaders.

Panelo: Sara-Rody tandem ‘possible’ in 2022 elections BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan—Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo launched here the idea of a possible teamup of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and President Rodrigo Duterte in the coming 2022 Presidential elections. In a dinner-fellowship hosted by Mayor Cesar Quiambao and attended by prominent Pangasinan political leaders on Janu-

ary 23, 2021, Panelo said the DuterteDuterte tandem had no legal impediment. He said President Duterte could still run for vice president when his term expires in 2022. “The issue here is the continuity of the Duterte leadership,” Panelo said. He said Duterte exhibited a strong political will to implement economic reforms and a clean government in the

country like his campaign against illegal drugs, corruption, criminality, insurgency and poverty. “That is why up to this time, our President consistently enjoys very high approval and trust ratings,” he said. He expressed confidence that the daughter-father tandem would be acceptable to the Filipinos.

P16.4b for former Red-held villages By Maricel V. Cruz

FOR BURNING. Nearly 200 kilos of confiscated cigarettes since last year are prepared to be crushed Monday as part of the city’s Smoke Free Task Force (SFTF) in its campaign of realizing a #SmokeFreeBaguio. Also destroyed were 72 kilos of betel nut with tobacco (moma) and 102 units of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), known in the market as vape, with an estimated total value of P2.3 million. Baguio City POSD

AT LEAST 822 remote villages recently liberated from communist influence by the military and the police will soon start getting the benefits of their cooperation with the government as the Department of Budget and Management has released P16.4 billion for the Barangay Development Program whose primary purpose is to end the poverty caused by insurgency. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., vice chairman of the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict, welcomed the release of the development funds and expressed gratitude to Congress for including the funds in the 2021 General Appropriations Act. The P16.4 billion was included in the

P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget. In a statement sent to reporters, Esperon said at least 822 barangays nationwide that had been declared free of New People’s Army influence would each receive P20 million in projects and activities through the BDP. “The BDP is the flagship program of the Duterte administration for poverty alleviation and development in the context of addressing the root causes of insurgency,” Esperon said. President Rodrigo Duterte is the chairman of the NTF-ELCAC. Esperon says while the NTF-ELCAC is primarily tasked to dismantle the New People’s Army and its allied underground organizations, it is also committed to develop the areas formerly held or influenced by the communist rebels to uplift the lives of the people.

Imee to gov’t: Ensure benefits for SAF 44 kin By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Imee Marcos on Monday called on President Duterte to assure Filipinos that Medal of Valor benefits due the families of the 44 Special Action Force commandos killed in the 2015 Mamasapano tragedy are being delivered after he conferred the highest military honors to them almost three years ago. “Today marks the sixth year since their deaths in a “reckless police operation” to capture terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in Maguindanao province’s remote municipality, “Marcos recalled. Meanwhile, for Philippine National Police Chief Debold Sinas, justice had been served for the 44 commandos who were killed in the 2015 Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao. The slain members of the elite police force were remembered and honored during a ceremony in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on Monday. When it came to giving assistance to the families they left, Sinas said, the PNP leadership would ensure that they continued to receive aid such as the scholarships, given by the national government. Marcos said the bitterness continues for the families of the brave men of SAF 44 that are still waiting for justice and delayed financial aid for their livelihood and the education of the orphaned children. “The issue is very personal to me because many of the SAF 44 are from the North and belong to indigenous communities.” Philippine National Police spokesman Ildebrandi Usana assured the senator’s office on Monday that police officials would follow up on the Medal of Valor benefits due the SAF 44 families.

Oral vaccine campaign reaches 89% THE coverage of Phase 1 of the nationwide Measles Rubella-Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization program has already reached more than 89 percent even during the lockdowns implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health said Monday. Wilda Silva, the department’s national immunization program manager, said the coverage for immunization against measles rubella had reached 92.9 percent or four million Filipinos. Oral polio vaccine posted 89.2 percent coverage or good for 1.9 million Filipinos. Silva, during a presentation in an online briefing, showed that Phase 1 of the vaccine coverage for anti-measles rubella inoculation was the highest in Bangsamoro region at 97.3 percent, followed by CARAGA and Region 1 at 97 percent, Region 10 with 96.8 percent and Region 9 with 96 percent. The anti-polio vaccine showed the highest coverage at 94.7 percent recorded in Region 1, followed by Region 2 with 90.2 percent, Region 5 with 88.7 percent, Cordillera Administrative Region with 85.3 percent and Region 4B with 83.9 percent. The anti- polio vaccination, however, was only done in CAR, Regions 1, 2, 4B and 5. Willie Casas

LGUs

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

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

COLD STORAGE. Everything is ready for the COVID-19 vaccine supplies for residents of Taytay, Rizal, as photo shows Taytay Mayor Joric Gacula (2nd from left) inspecting the Royale Cold Storage World Class Facilities in the town. The facility can store 28 million doses at temperatures of up to minus-20 degrees Celsius, deemed ideal for the AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines. The LGU earlier sealed a deal with the biopharmaceutical firms behind these two brands. With Gacula are Vice Mayor Mitch Bermundo, Councilors Jeca Villanueva, Gene Ressureccion and municipal health office head Dr. Jeff Roxas.

PLM as Red recruiting spot ‘insult’—Leyco By Willie Casas PAMANTASAN ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) president Emmanuel Leyco on Sunday described as an “insult” the claims of an anti-insurgency official that the university was a recruiting ground for communist rebels. “This latest attempt to red-tag the university is an insult to PLM’s distinguished faculty, hardworking staff and dedicated students who are being prepared to join the country’s future leaders in business, government and civil society,” Leyco said in a post on Facebook. Leyco also pointed out that the accusation came as the PLM community is struggling with the challenges of online education. “Such distraction in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is indeed reprehensible,” he said. On Saturday, National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesperson Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. identified top Philippine universities and colleges that the military has tagged as among the 18 learning institutions that are hotbeds of communist recruitment. PLM was among the schools identified. Leyco said the university is not aware of any recruitment for Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) inside the campus. He said that the authorities did not even advise the school about such activities. “This is the second time the same official attempted to put the PLM in a bad light by red-tagging,” Leyco said.

2 in Pateros nabbed for drugs, fraud POLICE arrested in Pateros two men suspected to be engaged in drug trafficking and bank fraud. The authorities also seized 20 grams of shabu worth P130,000; 160 ecstasy tablets worth of P200,000 and devices used to clone debit and bank cards from suspects Stephen Yap Jao, 42, and Allen Custodio, 28. A composite team from the National Capital Region Police Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Southern Police District conducted the entrapment operation late last week along Hermosa Street in Barangay San Roque. NCRPO commander Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said they conducted the entrapment following a series of intelligence information gathering and surveillance operation against the suspects. “Our operatives were able to positively identify the suspects and their scheme,” he said. Danao said one of his men acted as a buyer and was able to transact with the suspects resulting in their arrest. The suspects are now detained at the Pateros detention facility and were charged with violation of Sections 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 15 of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), Credit Card Frauds and Usurpation of Authority. Joel E. Zurbano

CHR, city step into P’que vendor case By Joel E. Zurbano and Rio N. Araja

HE Commission on Human Rights has stepped into the case of a vendor caught on video being manhandled by enforcers during a road-clearing operation in Paranaque City.

The viral video showed members of the Parañaque Task Force handcuffing and tackling to the ground Warren Villanueva after he refused to surrender his cart. One of the enforcers was also seen kicking the vendor in the face as he was being handcuffed. “The aggressive arrest of an ambulant vendor by the Parañaque Task Force is deeply concerning. As seen in the video circulating online, five members of the said task force aggressively accosted the vendor, Warren Villanueva,

who was holding on to his cart, which is his main utility for selling,” said CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia. “Using force is only necessary when there’s imminent danger and it must be commensurate to the threat being avoided. Otherwise, such brute force constitutes cruelty, degrades the person and can cause long-term psychological harm.” Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivares said authorities were eyeing a possible administrative case against the five city

task force members who were caught on camera violently accosting Villanueva. The task force members used “excessive force” in the incident and were suspended from their jobs, said Olivarez. He said the matter will undergo a “thorough investigation” and the five may also be terminated. “It may result in not just termination, but they will also face an administrative case to be filed by the city. The CHR welcomed the swift action made by Olivarez to suspend and file administrative cases against his men to ensure that such abuse would not happen again. Olivarez said Villanueva’s cart had been returned but he was still experiencing anxiety due to the incident.

EXTENDED RENEWAL. Local

government officials of Muntinlupa City give a thumbs-up to the Business Permits Renewal Hub at the Muntinlupa Sports Center in Brgy. Tunasan as the city is extending this year’s business permits renewal to February 11 from its original schedule on January 29 without penalties, in a bid to help members of the private sector who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Batanes brews Ivatan Beer from ‘wakay’ potato By Jessica M. Bacud TUGUEGARAO—The production of the Ivatan Beer, the first and only locally brewed beer in Batanes, has started in the country’s northernmost province. In a statement, Dr. Alfonso Simon, Batanes State College (BSC) president, said the technology used for producing the beer using sweet potato was developed by the BSC Research and Development department and transferred to a local entrepreneur. Simon highlighted the significance of the Ivatan Beer to the people of Batanes

SJDM as PH ‘HR Capital’ bill approved By Maricel V. Cruz A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Monday welcomed the approval of a measure declaring San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan as Human Resource Capital of the Philippines. Rep. Rida Robes lauded the chamber’s overwhelming vote on House Bill 2378 or An Declaring the City of San Jose Del Monte in the Province of Bulacan as Human Resource Capital. She is the principal author of the bill The House has voted on the bill by a 220 in the affirmative with no negative vote and abstention. The bill recognizes SJDM, which is the preferred government site for human relocation, as haven of human resource capital which can be tapped by the government for skills and livelihood training programs to promote employment and accelerate economic and social growth. As such, the bill mandates the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority “to formulate policies and implement plans and programs for the enhancement of the city’s Human Resources such the establishment of training centers, the delivery of skills and livelihood training programs and the promotion of quality technical-vocational education.” Robes expressed her gratitude to the entire House of Representatives for approving the bill saying this will enable hundreds of thousands of residents from the 40 relocation sites in the city and 150 residential subdivisions to gain skills and livelihood training for their eventual employment.

Taguig shuts resto over star’s birthday party TAGUIG City Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano has ordered the closure of La Picara restaurant in Bonifacio Global City for allowing television host Raymund Gutierrez to celebrate his birthday and engage in a social gathering, a clear violation of health protocols during the pandemic. “We will continue our efforts to ensure that establishments and their clients act responsibly during this time of pandemic,” said Cayetano in a statement. Personnel of the city’s Business Permit and License Office shut down the establishment upon the directive of Cayetano. BPLO officials said that a negative swab test conducted on the guests of Gutierrez wasn’t an excuse for the restaurant’s violation. Mayor Cayetano assured that establishments in the city that endanger the health and safety of their customers and employees will be engaged immediately, and repeated violators will be closed down. “We will not allow a few irresponsible establishments to compromise our efforts in making Taguig a model community for living in the new normal. We will strive to implement health and safety protocols so that businesses in Taguig can thrive,” said Cayetano. He said the local government has been in constant dialogue with BGC, Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC) officials, and other stakeholders. Joel E. Zurbano

and has become a symbolic product of the locale since then. “The fact the Ivatan Beer is made from the locally-grown ‘wakay’ or sweet potato, which is abundant in Batanes, the product becomes even more interesting and appealing to the locals of Batanes,” Simon stressed. Sweet potato, locally known as wakay, is one of Batanes’ most common root crops along with yam and taro. Ivatans eat it steamed, smoked, or even grilled, said to be best consumed with coconut cream. Now, they also use it to produce Ivatan beer, known as the first and only locally brewed beer in Batanes.

Typhoon victims to get jobs By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG—Top officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) recently vowed to provide jobs for typhoon victims in the province. DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III and DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said they will provide jobs for at least 500 typhoon victims in the province through their Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD). TUPAD is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergen-

cy employment for displaced workers, underemployed and seasonal workers, for a minimum period of 10 days, but not to exceed a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed. The two secretaries also committed Nego Kart (Negosyo sa Kariton) livelihood project for the typhoon victims to enable them to cope up with the on-going pandemic and the adverse effect of the previous typhoon ‘Ulysses’. “This is what President Rodrigo Roa Duterte told us, to provide assistance to the people of Nueva Vizcaya,” Tugade said.

SERVICE REWARD. Mariveles Councilor Susan Madla-Murillo receives an award for 20 years in service from Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP), where she works as assistant quality management representative. She is flanked by MAAP President VADM. Eduardo Ma. R. Santos, (AFP) Ret. (right) and MAAP Vice President Felix M. Oca. Butch Gunio

World

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pelosi to send Senate article of impeachment vs. Trump

S HOUSE Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to send the Senate a single article of impeachment Monday accusing Donald Trump of inciting the Capitol riot, formally triggering the first-ever impeachment trial of a former president.

Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, vowed last week that the trial -- already scheduled to open in the second week of February -- should proceed, saying, “I don’t think it will be long, but we must do it.” But Republican lawmakers signaled over the weekend that Democrats may struggle to secure Trump’s conviction over the storming of US legislative buildings earlier this month, which left five

people dead. Senior figures in Trump’s party have pushed back with both political and constitutional arguments, raising doubts that Democrats -- who control 50 seats in the 100-seat chamber -- can secure the 17 Republican votes to reach the two-thirds majority needed to convict. “I think the trial is stupid. I think it’s counterproductive. We already have a flaming fire in this country and it’s like

AVAILABLE CASH FOR DISBURSEMENT CASH OUTFLOWS CAPEX Requirement, PhP Force Majeure CAPEX, URSULA New Amortization for Annual CAPEX Requirement, PhP Amortization of old debt, PhP Direct RFSC Funding, PhP Permit Fee Total Cash Outflows RFSC balance,ending, PhP, excess/(shortfall)

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR CONFIRMATION AND APPROVAL OF FORCE MAJEURE EVENT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROJECT, NAMELY: REPAIR AND REHABILITATION OF DISTRIBUTION LINES, RECONNECTION OF SERVICE DROP AND REPLACEMENT KILOWATT-HOUR METERS, REPAIR AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF COMPUTERS, PRINTERS AND RADIO COMMUNICATION FACILITIES, REPLACEMENT OF 3-PHASE VACUUM RECLOSERS WITH MICROPROCESSOR AND BASE CONTROL FOR FEEDERS’ MAIN PROTECTION, AND REPAIR OF BUILDINGS AND OFFICES, ALL DAMAGED BY THE ONSLAUGHT OF TYPHOON URSULA ON 25 DECEMBER 2019

NOTICE OF VIRTUAL HEARING Notice is hereby given that on 23 September 2020, the Aklan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AKELCO) filed an Application dated 22 June 2020, seeking the Commission’s authority to confirm and approve its force majeure event capital expenditure project, namely, repair and rehabilitation of distribution lines, reconnection of service drop and replacement kilowatt-hour meters, repair and/or replacement of computers, printers and radio communication facilities, replacement of 3-phase vacuum reclosers with microprocessor and base control for feeders’ main protection, and repair of buildings and offices, all damaged by the onslaught of typhoon Ursula on 25 December 2019.

AKELCO is a non-stock, non-profit electric cooperative duly organized and existing under and by virtue of Philippine laws, with principal office at Poblacion, Lezo, Aklan;

It holds an exclusive franchise from the National Electrification Commission to operate an electric light and power distribution service in the seventeen (17) municipalities of the Province of Aklan, namely: Altavas, Balete, Banga, Batan, Buruanga, Ibajay, Kalibo, Lezo, Libacao, Madalag, Makato, Malay, Nabas, New Washington, Numancia and Tangalan, and two (2) northern municipalities of the Province of Antique, namely: Libertad and Pandan. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE APPLICATION Pursuant to Section 3.3 of ERC Resolution 26, Series of 2009 which provides that if a Force Majeure or Fortuitous Event, as the case may be, occurs, the regulated entity shall seek the ERC’s confirmation of the implementation of capital expenditure projects arising from such event, as well as other laws and rules, AKELCO seeks confirmation and approval from this Honorable Commission of its implementation of Force Majeure Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) Project subject of the instant application. THE FORCE MAJEURE EVENT (TYPHOON URSULA) Typhoon Ursula, with international name, Phanfone, was a relatively strong and deadly tropical cyclone which traversed through the Philippines on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It was December 23 when Phanfone entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and further intensified, peaking at 150 km/h (90 mph) 10-minutes sustained winds with a central pressure dropping to 970 hPa. It crossed the central Philippines and struck nearly the same region, with a track fairly similar to 2013’s Typhoon Yolanda (International Name, Haiyan). The system caused destruction in the Visayas region and left a total damage cost of $67.2 million or roughly PhP3.44 billion; With maximum sustained winds up to 140 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 195 km/h, as it crossed the Panay Island particularly the Province of Aklan on December 25, 2019, it devastated the whole coverage area of AKELCO which left the distribution utility extensive damage on its distribution lines, service drop wires, kilowatt-hour-meters, IT equipment and facilities, buildings and offices, and protective devices. The whole area experienced total black out until fully restored on January 26, 2020. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT The project involves the repair of distribution lines, reconnection of cutoff service drop and replacement of kilowatt-hour meters, repair and/ or replacement of computers, printers and radio communication facilities, replacement of 3-phase vacuum reclosers with microprocessor and base control for feeders’ main protection, and repair of buildings and offices, all damaged by the onslaught of Typhoon Ursula on 25 December 2019. ESTIMATED PROJECT COST

The estimated total cost of the project is One Hundred Forty Seven Million Six Hundred Eighty Three Thousand Seven Hundred Forty Seven and 01/100 (PhP147,683,747.01).

Repair and rehabilitation of distribution lines were immediately undertaken as soon as the typhoon left the country and will be completed by September 2020. Reconnection of cut-off service drop and replacement of kilowatt-hour meters was completed on February 15, 2020. Repair and/or replacement of computers, printers and radio communication facilities will start on July 1, 2020 and is expected to be completed on July 30, 2020. Replacement of 3-phase vacuum reclosers with microprocessor and base control for feeders’ main protection went through successful bidding on March 11, 2020 and installation will start and expected to be completed in June 2020. Finally, the repair of damaged buildings and offices was commenced in February 2020 and is expected to be completed in December 2020.

PROJECT SCHEDULE

PROJECT FINANCING The cost of the restoration and rehabilitation works shall be sourced partly from AKELCO’s collection of Reinvestment Fund for Sustainable Capital Expenditure (RFSC), and partly from government subsidy should the cooperative’s application therefor be granted. INDICATIVE RATE IMPACT 10. The table below simulates the indicative rate impact of the implementation of the project on the cooperative’s existing RFSC. All of AKELCO’s other proposed CAPEX projects were taken into consideration in the computation. This projection covers Years 2020 to 2023. Indicative Rate Impact of the Projector RFSC 2020 2021 Energy Sales, kWh 306,587,865 319,557,563 RFSC balance, beginning, PhP, excess/(shortfall) 96,651,914 8,512,585 CASH INFLOWS Current Year Collection 89,033,116 92,799,516 50% Income on Properties Loan Proceeds from Financial Institutions, PhP 193,552,899 308,335,568 Government Subsidy for Government Finance Proj. 65,885,552 CAPEX Advanced by Contestable Customer 62,498,000 Total Cash Inflows 410,969,567 401,135,084 Particulars

61,338,308

321,936,451 147,683,747

308,335,568 -

426,994,840 -

74,850,528 -

17,903,643 8,062,904 3,522,151 499,108,897 8,512,585

31,274,036 41,479,499 6,950,406 43,870,190 189,377,260 203,278,072 2,312,517 3,202,461 561,379 385,792,311 661,054,060 285,640,386 23,855,358 (113,689,902) (224,302,077)

SUBMISSIONS 14. Finally, in support of the instant application, AKELCO is submitting herewith the following documents to form integral parts hereof as follows, to wit: Annex Nature of Document Markings A Notice of Force Majeure Event B Executive Summary of the Force Majeure Event Capital Expenditure Project C and Proof of furnishing of copies of the Application to the series Sangguniang Bayan of Lezo and Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan D and Proof of publication of the Application in a newspaper of series general circulation within AKELCO’s franchise area or where it principally operates

THE APPLICANT 1.

547,364,158

13. The immediate and simultaneous reconstruction and repair of the damaged distribution lines restored the power to government offices, vital facilities and to all consumes in general. The reconnection of cut-off service drop and replacement of kilowatt-hour meters re-energized all of the affected member-consumer-owners. The repair and/or replacement of computers, printers and radio communication facilities is needed in order to continue the operation of the Ibajay Area Office and to support the communication facilities needed by the engineers and maintenance personnel in the performance of their daily activities. Replacement of 3-phase vacuum reclosers with microprocessor and base control for feeders’ main protection are needed in order to maintain the safety standards and to attain reliable electricity distribution services to the consumers. Finally, the damaged buildings and offices must be restored to their original condition in order to provide an environment conducive for working to effectively maintain and sustain the daily operations of the cooperative.

The pertinent portions of the said Application are hereunder quoted as follows:

409,647,669

JUSTIFICATIONS OR BENEFITS TO BE DELIVERED BY THE PROJECT

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

507,621,481

12. On the other hand, annual CAPEX requirements for year 2020 will be outsourced from other financing institutions as shown above. This will be simulated in a different application. Thus, for year 2020, there will be no rate increase to member-consumer-owners.

ERC CASE NO. 2020-026 RC

TRAPPED. One of twenty-two Chinese miners is saved from hundreds of meters underground where they had been trapped for two weeks after a gold mine explosion in Qixia, in eastern China’s Shandong province on January 24, 2021. AFP

11. Based on the above projection, in year 2020, the beginning balance of the RFSC together with RFSC collections for the year is sufficient to cover for the requirements of the instant application. Government subsidy was not considered in computing the rate impact.

AKLAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (AKELCO), Applicant. x-----------------------------------------------------x

taking a bunch of gasoline and pouring it on top,” Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News Sunday. He acknowledged that Trump—who had urged thousands of his supporters to flock to Washington and protest the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s victory—“bears some responsibility for what happened.” But to “stir it up again” could only hurt the country, said Rubio, a presidential candidate beaten by Trump in the 2016 primary. Constitutional question Other Republicans argued that the Senate has no authority to put a private citizen —as Trump now is—on trial. AFP

2022 2023 332,348,347 344,964,473 23,855,358 (113,689,902) 96,513,960

100,177,683

426,994,840 523,508,800

74,850,528 175,028,211

PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, AKELCO respectfully prays of this Honorable Commission that after due notice and hearing, the repair and rehabilitation of distribution lines, reconnection of service drop and replacement kilowatt-hour meters, repair and/or replacement of computers, printers and radio communication facilities, replacement of 3-phase vacuum reclosers with microprocessor and base control for feeders’ main protection, as well as repair of buildings and offices, all damaged by the onslaught of Typhoon Ursula on 25 December 20l9be confirmed and approved accordingly. Other reliefs, just and equitable in the premises are likewise prayed for. The Commission hereby sets the instant Application for the determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, pre-trial conference, and presentation of evidence on 11 February 2021 (Thursday) at nine o’clock in the morning (09:00 A.M.), through a virtual hearing using the Microsoft Teams as the online platform for the conduct thereof. Any interested stakeholder may submit its comments and/or clarifications at least one (1) calendar day prior to the scheduled virtual hearing, via electronic mail (e-mail) at records@erc.gov.ph and records.erc.gov.ph@gmail.com, copy furnish the Legal Service through legal.erc.gov.ph@gmail.com. The Commission shall give priority to the stakeholders who have duly submitted their respective comments and/ or clarifications, to discuss the same and propound questions during the course of the expository presentation. Moreover, all persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission via e-mail at records@erc. gov.ph and records.erc,gov.ph@gmail.com, copy furnish the Legal Service through legal.erc.gov.ph@gmail.com, a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) calendar days prior to the date of the initial virtual hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: 1)

The petitioner’s name, mailing address and e-mail address;

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and

A statement of the relief desired.

Likewise, all other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may likewise file through e-mail at records@erc.gov.ph and records.erc.gov.ph@gmail.com, copy furnish the Legal Service through legal.erc.gov.ph@gmail.com, their Opposition or Comment thereon at least five (5) calendar days prior to the initial virtual hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1)

The name, mailing address and e-mail address of such person;

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, through any of the available modes of service, upon their agreement, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours. In the alternative, those persons who wish to have an electronic copy of the Application may request the Commission for the e-mail addresses of the Applicant by sending an e-mail to records@erc.gov. ph and records.erc.gov.ph@gmail.com, copy furnish the Legal Service through legal. erc.gov.ph@gmail.com. Nonetheless, any person may also access the Application as posted by the Commission in its official website at www.erc.gov.ph. Finally, all interested persons may be allowed to join the scheduled initial virtual hearing by providing the Commission, thru legal.virtualhearings.erc.gov.ph@ gmail.com, with their respective e-mail addresses and indicating therein the case number of the instant Application. The Commission will send the access link/s to the aforementioned hearing platform within five (5) working days prior to the scheduled hearing. WITNESS, the Honorable Commissioners ALEXIS M. LUMBATAN, CATHERINE P. MACEDA, FLORESINDA G. BALDO-DIGAL and MARKO ROMEO L. FUENTES, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 6th day of October 2020 in Pasig City.

AGNES VST DEVANADERA Chairperson and CEO

M. Standard – Jan. 19 & 26, 2021

9 Chinese miners trapped underground confirmed dead NINE more Chinese miners trapped underground for over two weeks have been confirmed dead, local government officials said Monday, leaving one unaccounted for after a blast at the site. A group of 22 were trapped hundreds of meters underground by an explosion at the Hushan mine in eastern Shandong province on January 10, with some relying on food and medicine delivered through long shafts drilled by rescue teams. Eleven survivors were finally brought to the surface on Sunday in a major breakthrough for a rescue operation that has captivated the nation. Nine more Chinese miners trapped underground for over two weeks have been confirmed dead, state media reported Monday, leaving one still unaccounted for after a blast at the site. “From Sunday afternoon to this afternoon, rescue workers have not stopped searching, and found a further nine trapped miners who unfortunately all died,”, state broadcaster CCTV quoted the mayor of Yantai city as saying. Eleven miners were rescued alive on Sunday. AFP

Taiwan expels nearly 4,000 Chinese vessels dredging sand from its waters TAIWAN expelled nearly 4,000 Chinese vessels illegally dredging sand from its waters in 2020, authorities said Monday, a more than six-fold increase on the year before as Beijing seeks to heap pressure on the democratic island. China has taken an increasingly belligerent tone towards Taiwan under President Xi Jinping -- especially over the last twelve months with Beijing’s jets and bombers buzzing the island at a record rate. But the waters surrounding Taiwan have become another hot zone. Taiwan’s coastguard on Monday told AFP it recorded a huge spike in Chinese sand dredgers illegally entering its waters. Up to November last year, it expelled 3,969 vessels, compared to 600 in 2019 and 71 in 2018. China’s leaders view Taiwan as their territory and have vowed one day to seize it, by force if necessary. It has increased economic and diplomatic pressure since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen

took office in 2016, as she rejects the idea that the island is part of “one China”. Chinese jets made a record 380 incursions into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) last year as analysts warned tensions were at their highest since the mid-1990s. Beijing was infuriated by Taipei’s dramatically warming relations with Washington under former president Donald Trump who used the island as leverage as he feuded with China on a host of issues. After the inauguration of US President Joe Biden last week -to which Taipei’s de facto ambassador was invited -- Beijing sent a fleet of jets and bombers into the ADIZ on both Saturday and Sunday. That sparked the first statement on Taiwan from the Biden administration as it warned against China’s “attempts to intimidate” the island would not upset Washington’s “rock-solid” to an xx ally xx. AFP

HK lifts 1st neighborhood coronavirus lockdown after testing some 7,000 residents HONG Kong lifted its first neighborhood coronavirus lockdown on Monday morning after testing some 7,000 people and finding just a handful of cases as debate swirled over the efficacy of the move. Over the weekend police moved in to seal off a poor and densely populated neighbourhood of about 150 apartment blocks where coronavirus clusters had sprung up in recent weeks. Officials went door to door conducting mandatory tests and found 0.17 percent of those tested had the virus. Some community and business leaders were critical of how the lockdown was carried out. But officials defended the move as proportionate and said they would not rule out similar neighbourhood lockdowns. “We do not consider this op-

eration a waste of manpower and money,” health minister Sophia Chan told reporters on Sunday. Hong Kong was one of the first places to be struck by the coronavirus after it spilled out of central China. It has recorded just over 10,000 infections with some 170 deaths by imposing effective but economically punishing social distancing measures for much of the last year. In recent weeks stubborn clusters have emerged in lowincome neighborhoods notorious for some of the world’s most cramped housing. David Hui, an infectious disease expert advising the government, defended localised lockdowns. But he urged authorities to move more swiftly to stop members of the public leaving ahead of any new order. AFP

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Oman bars expats from certain jobs

PSEi January 25, 2021

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% CHANGE CHANGE

0.4

0.08

25.00%

2 3

IMI DELM

11 9.8

1.94 1.3

21.41% 15.29%

GREEN

3.14

0.37

13.36%

5 6

SGP APC

345 0.48

36 0.05

11.65% 11.63%

PHR

3.09

0.31

11.15%

ACR

1.42

0.13

10.08%

9 10

ALHI MRSGI

8.5 1.47

0.7 0.1

8.97% 7.30%

TOP LOSERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

BSC

1.05

-0.23

-17.97%

2 3

APL MAHB

0.28 2.46

-0.04 -0.34

-12.50% -12.14%

0.015

-0.002

-11.76%

TECB2

0.6

-0.08

-11.76%

6 7

SFI APVI

0.128 19.5

-0.015 -1.95

-10.49% -9.09%

8 9 10

MA OPM ABA

0.011 0.014 1.02

-0.001 -0.001 -0.07

-8.33% -6.67% -6.42%

MOST ACTIVE 1

APL

VOLUME 3596370000

VALUE (PHP) 1117363400

2 3

BDO BSC

9197550 449120000

1015997544 552820380

4 5

AR MM

70352000000 518397700 42676200 331716404

6 7 8

ALI DITO PHA

7227200 23038800 102858000

285830565 280879766 277952350

9 10

ACEN SMPH

31797900 5014900

214381113 190933680

MIAMI’S PITCH. In this file photo taken on December 20, 2020, people enjoy the beach in Miami, Florida, amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The city of Miami, with a growing reputation as a financial services center enhanced by its balmy climate and low taxes, is now making a concerted and increasingly successful push to attract hi-tech firms from Silicon Valley and New York. Goldman Sachs and other financial firms already have a presence in the southern Florida metropolis. AFP

Stocks snap 6-day losing streak; Metrobank climbs

HE stock market rose Monday on bargain hunting to snap a six-day losing streak as investors keep tabs on the progress of Joe Biden’s new US economic rescue package.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 25.67 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,071.50 on a value turnover of P9.1 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 129 to 92, with 39 issues unchanged. MerryMart Consumer Corp., the grocery chain owned by businessman Edgar Sia II, advanced 5.6 percent to P7.85, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, climbed 3.4 percent to P48.20. PLDT Inc., the largest telecommunications firm, added 2.5 percent to P1,425, while SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy

Group rose 1.6 percent to P38.20. Asian markets mostly rose Monday, rebounding from a sell-off at the end of last week. However, while vaccinations and long-term optimism about the economic outlook is providing support, sentiment remains weighed by concerns about surging virus infections and a new, more deadly strain. Lawmakers in Washington are getting to work on the $1.9-trillion stimulus proposal from the new president, with some suggesting they could pass something before the Senate holds an impeachment trial of Donald Trump, which starts in the week beginning February 8. But it will likely face headwinds from Republicans who think another massive outlay comes too soon after the $900 billion spending package passed at the end of last year. “Noises from Washington DC suggest that President Biden’s honeymoon

won’t extend to Senate Republicans handing over 10 votes to ease the package though on a 60-40 majority,” said OANDA’s Jeffrey Halley. The Federal Reserve will also hold its first meeting under the Biden administration this week, with investors looking for clues about its plans for monetary policy. Hong Kong led the gains, rallying more than two percent, after the government lifted a strict weekend lockdown in one part of the city, while Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, Sydney and Wellington also posted healthy gains. Taipei, Singapore and Jakarta all fell. The rollout of inoculations continues to provide support to equities as investors look towards a return to normal life. “Vaccine breakthroughs make it likely that life will become more functional again at some point in 2021, resulting in higher GDP growth and more robust corporate earnings,” said Axi strategist Notice Stephen Innes. With AFP

United Nations: World’s aging big dams pose ‘emerging risk’ By Marlowe Hood PARSI, France―By 2050, more than half the global population will live downstream from tens of thousands of large dams near or past their intended lifespan, according to a UN report released Friday. Most of the world’s nearly 59,000 big dams―constructed between 1930 and 1970―were designed to last 50 to 100 years, according to research from the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health. “This is an emerging global risk that we are not yet paying attention to,” co-author and Institute director Vladimir Smakhtin told AFP. “In terms of dams at risk, the number is growing year by year, decade by decade.” A well-designed, constructed and maintained dam can easily remain functional for a century. But many of the world’s major dams fail on one or more of these criteria. Dozens have suffered major damage or outright collapse over the last two decades in the United States, India, Brazil, Afghanistan and other countries, and the number of such failures could increase, the report warned. Compounding the risk in ways that have yet to be fully measured is global warming. “Because of climate change, extreme rainfall and flooding events are becoming more frequent,” lead author Duminda Perera, a researcher at the University of Ottawa and McMaster University, said in an interview. This not only increases the risk of reservoirs overflowing but also accelerates the build up of sediment, which affects dam safety, reduces

water storage capacity, and lowers energy production in hydroelectric dams. ‘Catastrophic consequences’ In February 2017, the spillways of California’s Oroville Dam―the tallest in the US―were damaged during heavy rainfall, prompting the emergency evacuation of more than 180,000 people downstream. In 2019, record flooding sparked concern that Mosul Dam, Iraq’s largest, could fail. Aging dams not only pose a greater risk to downstream populations, but also become less efficient at generating electricity, and far more expensive to maintain. Because the number of large dams under construction or planned has dropped sharply since the 1960s and 1970s, these problems will multiply in coming years, the report showed. “There won’t be another dam-building revolution, so the average age of dams is getting older,” said Perera. “Due to new energy sources coming online―solar, wind―a lot of planned hydroelectric dams will probably not ever be built.” A global fleet of nearly 60,000 aging dams also highlights the challenge of dismantling―or “decommissioning”― those that are no longer safe or functional. More than 150 years old Several dozen have been torn down in the United States, but all of them small, Smakhtin said. More than 90 percent of large dams―at least 15 meters from foundation to crest, or holding back no less than three million cubic meters of water―are located in only two dozen countries.

China alone is home to 40 percent of them, with another 15 percent in India, Japan and Korea combined. More than half will be older than 50 within a few years. Another 16 percent of the world’s dams are in the United States, more than 85 percent of them already operating at or past their life expectancy. AFP REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 217 – QUEZON CITY IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY OF MARIA LARRAINE RAMOS TINIO. MARIA LARRAINE RAMOS TINIO Petitioner, -versus-

SP CASE NO. R-QZN-20-06072-SP

OFFICE OF THE CIVIL REGISTRAR, QUEZON CITY, OFFICE OF THE CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL AND OTHER PERSON CONCERNED, Respondents. x--------------------------------------x

ORDER This is a verified petition for the cancellation of the Certificate of Live Birth of Maria Larraine Ramos Tinio issued by the Office of the Civil Registrar of Quezon City filed by the petitioner. The petition alleges that petitioner Maria Larraine Ramos Tinio is the biological daughter Arsenia David Tinio and Rozalina Anilao Ramos, both deceased; that she was born on November 7, 1962 at Malawak Street, Barangay Guyong, Municipality of Sta. Maria, Province of Bulacan; that immediately after her birth, no certicate of live birth was filed at the Civil Registrar of Sta. Maria, Bulacan; that sometime in December 2011, when petitioner went to the Philippine Statistics Authority to secure a PSA copy of her certificate of live birth, she found out that there was no record that matches the information she provided; that she was advised by a lawyer that she can register her certificate of live birth in Quezon City, although delayed registration; that giving her full trust and confidence that delayed registration of her certificate of live birth in Quezon City is a valid remedy and legal, she was lured and persuaded to just signed the no. 20 Informant, No. 21 Prepared by Informant and the Affidavit for Delayed Registration Birth in her certificate of live birth; that in May 2018, to put things in order and reflect the true place of her birth, she sought the assistance of the Civil Registrar of Sta. Maria, Bulacan to correct whatever error done in registering in Quezon City; that petitioner filed the instant petition to correct the error and also in order to avoid confusion and problem in the future, as well as use for false claims. WHEREFORE, thus petition is hereby set for hearing on February 19, 2021 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning before this Court located at Room 604 Sixth Floor, Hall of Justice-Annex, Diliman, Quezon City at which place and on which date and time, all interested persons must appear and file their opposition/s to the petition. Let a copy of this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation throughout the Philippines. Further, let a copy of the petition, and of this Order be served upon the Civil Registrar of Quezon City who may file its opposition thereto within fifteen (15) days from notice of this petition. SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Philippines, October 21, 2020. Cc:

(Sgd.) SANTIAGO M. ARENAS Judge

ALFEROS ARMAS & ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICE Atty. John Thomas S. Alferos III Counsel for the Petitioner Unit K, No. 1143 San Francisco Del Monte Avenue, Barangay Paltok 1105, Quezon City Office of the Solicitor General Makati City

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that an Extrajudicial Settlement of the Instestate Estate of the Late Spouses Buenaventura U.V. Angtuaco and Susana C. Angtuaco, consisting of a real properties (with & without improvements) was executed by their heirs and notarized on 12 January 2021 per Doc No. 494; Page No 100; Book No. I; Series of 202 of Notary Public Tomas B. Baga, Jr. of Quezon City, Metro Manila

Philippine Statistics Authority Quezon City

(MStandard-Jan. 19, 26 & Feb. 2, 2021)

of Publication

Notice is hereby given to the effect that a Deed of Extrajudicial Partition of the Estates of the late Carmen P. Villaroman, the late Cristina P. Villaroman, and the late Catalina P. Villaroman was executed by their heirs namely: Carmen’s son and the latter two’s brother Jorge P. Villaroman as per Doc. No. 3725; Book No. I; Page No. 68; Series of 2020 before Consul Melanie Rita B. Diano in and for Sydney, New Wales, Australia; Carmen’s children and the latter two’s siblings Teresita V. Valencia, Hernando P. Villaroman, and Nelia V. Navato; and Carmen’s grandchildren and the latter two’s nephews Alfonso A. Villaroman, Fernando A. Villaroman, Felipe A. Villaroman, and Rodrigo A. Villaroman as per Doc No. 371, Page No. 75, Book No. I, series of 2020 before Notary Public Atty. Angelyn H. Sy.

(MS-JAN. 19/26, FEB.2, 2021)

(MS-JAN. 19/26 & FEB. 2, 2021)

NOTICE OF DISOLUTION Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of MIRAGE RESOURCES & HOLDINGS CORPORATION. (hereinafter referred to as the “CORPORATION”) in a Meeting of the Board of Directors held on 16 June 2020, approved shortening of the term of the Corporation for which the Corporation is to exist to a period up to 31 December 2020, which resolution was duly ratified by the affirmative vote of the stockholders owning and representing at least two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding capital stock of the CORPORATION at the stockholders’ meeting held on the same day. By: The Board of Directors (SGD.) UY PATRICK KOK TIONG CHUA (SGD.) JOLLY L. TING (SGD.) PHILIP CUAZON (SGD.) BENNIE B. CUASON (SGD.) ONG LIAN KUAY REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) ) S.S. DIRECTORS’ CERTIFICATE WE, the undersigned members of the Board of Directors and the Corporate Secretary of MIRAGE RESOURCES & HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Philippines and currently under the process of dissolution, with registered address at Gloriamaris Shark’s Fin Restaurant, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City, do hereby certify: 1. The attached Articles of Incorporation is a true and correct copy of the Articles of Incorporation of MIRAGE RESOURCES & HOLDINGS CORPORATION as amended by at least a majority vote of its Board of Directors at a Meeting held on 16 June 2020 via teleconference, and duly ratified by the affirmative vote of the stockholders of the Corporation owning and representing at least 2/3 of the outstanding capital stock of the Corporation at the Stockholders’ Meeting held on the same day. 2. The Fourth Article of the Articles of Incorporation was amended in order to shorten the term for which the Corporation is to exist to a period up to 31 December 2020, as follows: “FOURTH: That the term for which the Corporation is to exist is until December 31, 2020”. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands this ___ day of ________ 2020, at ________________, Philippines. (SGD.) UY PATRICK KOK TIONG CHUA (SGD.) JOLLY L. TING Chairman/Director President/Director TIN: 104-202-204 TIN:104-130-646 (SGD.) BENNIE B. CUASON Director TIN: 107-230-448

(SGD.) PHILIP CUAZON Asst. Trea./ Director TIN: 112-165-750

(SGD.) ONG LIAN KUAY Treasurer TIN: 132-424-438

Attested to by: (SGD.) RICHARD V. GARCIA . Corporate Secretary TIN: 271-456-011 SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BEFORE me this 15th day of January 2021 at San Juan City, affiants exhibiting to me the following: Name Gov’t Issued ID/Date and Place Issued Uy Patrick Kok Tiong Chua Driv. Lic No. N09-76-028752 with validity date 01/06/2022 Jolly Ting Passport# P0500417B with validity date 01/31/2029 Philip Cuazon OSCA#072224 issued date 12/1998 place issued Makati Bennie B. Cuazon Driv. Lic. No. N14-65-0011988 with validity date 01/22/2022 Ong Lian Kuay PSCA#01781 issued date 07/10/2012 place issued Quezon City Richard V. Garcia Driv. Lic. N03-07-025524 with validity date Dec. 7, 2023 Doc. No. 350 Page No. 71 Book No. XVM Series off 2020/2021

Office of the Local Civil Registrar Quezon City

A women balances goods on her head as she crosses a river which has risen due to recent seasonal rains, in a remote village in Panca, Aceh province on January 22, 2021. AFP

MUSCAT, Oman―Oman announced Sunday it will bar expatriates from certain jobs in an effort to create more employment opportunities for its citizens amid an economic downturn. In a region that depends heavily on cheap foreign labor, expats in the sultanate make up about 40 percent of the country’s 4.5 million-strong population. Faced with an economic slump and a sharp drop in oil revenues, Oman and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have stepped up efforts to create jobs for their own citizens. “A number of jobs in the private sector will be nationalized,” the Omani labor ministry announced on Twitter on Sunday. It added the work permits of foreigners in those professions will not be renewed after their expiry date. Various jobs in insurance companies, shops and car dealerships, including finance, commercial and administrative positions, will be “limited to Omanis only,” the ministry said. Work as a driver, “no matter what the vehicle,” will also be reserved for citizens, it added. In April 2020, Oman ordered stateowned companies to accelerate the process of replacing foreign staff with Omani nationals, especially in senior positions, to create more jobs for citizens. The finance ministry at the time said large numbers of expatriates still occupied managerial posts in state-run firms. Since 2014, the oil-rich Gulf region has been hit hard by falling crude prices, suffering a new blow amid the global economic impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Oman and fellow GCC states Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain have sought to diversify their economies and integrate millions of new graduates into their workforces. All have introduced legislation to give nationals preference over foreigners in both the public and private sectors. AFP

(SGD.) ATTY. VIRGINIA B. PINAROC Notary Public Pasig, San Juan, Pateros Until December 31, 2022 IBP Lifetime No. 016289 PTR No. 1474486, Jan. 4,2021,San Juan City MCLE No. 08 (2021-2022); TIN No. 100-112-489 No. 10 Eisenhower St., San Juan City

(MS-JAN. 26/ FEB. 2/9, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

IN BRIEF Cebu Pacific offers COVID-19 insurance CEBU Pacific is offering COVID-19 insurance add-on to give travelers peace of mind when flying during pandemic. The upgrade, which will cover COVIDrelated hospitalization and treatments, is timely as the carrier aims to provide more passenger options as it prioritizes health and safety. The airline said with COVID Protect, guests traveling who test positive for COVID-19 will get up to P1 million coverage for hospitalization and medical expenses. “This upgrade to the airline’s comprehensive travel insurance plan may be availed by all passengers flying to and from all of CEB’s domestic and international destinations for as low as P270,” it said. Coverage begins on the date of departure from origin and ends two hours upon arrival back at origin, with maximum travel duration of 30 consecutive days. Darwin G. Amojelar

Metro Retail plans new distribution hub CEBU-BASED retailer Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. said Monday it is reallocating P715 million raised from its initial public offering to build a distribution center in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. MRSGI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board of directors approved the move to drop its plan to establish a distribution center in Cebu and instead build a new logistics facility in Laguna to serve the growing demand in Luzon. “At present, the demand for warehousing and logistics requirements in Luzon has been increasing and can no longer be accommodated by the existing leased property in Silangan, Canlubang, Laguna, which currently serves as the distribution center of the corporation for Luzon,” MRSGI said. “Furthermore, there is no assurance that the existing leased property can be renewed under favorable terms in the long term, and the corporation has a more viable alternative to construct its own distribution in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna,” it said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

AC Energy acquires 96.7% of Leviste solar power firm By Alena Mae S. Flores

C ENERGY Corp. said Monday it acquired a majority stake in Solar Philippines Central Luzon Corp. from Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. that will pave the way for the development of more power projects between the two parties.

“AC Energy is keen to enable other developers to accelerate the scaling up of renewables in the country. We look forward to working with Solar Philippines to help build a sustainable future,”

ACEN president and chief executive Eric Francia said. ACEN said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed a deed of absolute sale of shares with SP involving 244,000 common shares in SPCLC, equivalent to 96.7-percent stake with a par value of P1 apiece or a total of P244,000. “The acquisition will allow ACEN to have a significant ownership interest in SPCLC and is meant to implement the joint venture between ACEN and SP for the development of solar power projects in the Philippines,” ACEN said. SPCLC is a special purpose vehicle for the development and operation of solar power projects. SP is controlled by businessman Leandro Leviste. Leviste was looking for partners for its solar projects as it prepares for an initial public offering. ACEN said it would have an opportunity to earn stable divi-

HOSPITAL SPONSOR.

Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc., the corporate social responsibility arm of Solaire Resort and Casino, sponsors the construction of the first hospital in San Andres, Quezon. Located in Sitio Yuyuan, Barangay Camflora, San Andres, the 25-bed-capacity hospital will have 4 emergency rooms, 2 operating/delivery rooms, isolation rooms, semiprivate rooms, six-bed-wards and a neonatal intensive care unit. Attending the groundbreaking ceremony on he new hospital are (front row, from left) Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. director Reynaldo Concordia, San Andres Mayor Giovanne Lim, PAGCOR president Alfredo Lim and BCFI executive director Filipina Laurena. With them in the second row are municipal government officials.

LandBank facilitates P3.42-b Premyo bonds LAND Bank of the Philippines said Monday it facilitated more than 6,700 orders worth P3.42 billion of one-year peso-denominated Premyo Bonds 2, or “Premyo Bonds Para sa Bayan 2,” which represents 52 percent of the total P6.56 billion raised by the Bureau of the Treasury from the bond offering. LandBank president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo said the bulk, or P2.98 billion of the total Premyo Bonds 2 sales, were generated via over-the-counter placements at LandBank branches, while P78.5 million in sales were generated through the bank’s online channels. It said of the P78.5 million online sales, P40.7 million was transacted through the pilot launch of the bond purchase feature in the mobile banking application of the Overseas Filipino Bank, the digital-only branchless bank subsidiary of LandBank. The remaining P37.8 million was generated through LandBank’s Link. BizPortal via the BTr’s online ordering facility. “Despite a pandemic-induced recession, we observed wider participation for the Premyo Bonds 2 offering. This became possible through more accessible online ordering platforms, which include the OFBank Mobile Banking Application that encouraged more Filipinos abroad to invest their hard-earned money in safe and affordable government securities,” Borromeo said. Julito G. Rada

dend income from the operations of the solar power projects. The board of ACEN also approved on Monday the grant of authority to SPCLC to participate in biddings for electricity supply. The ACEN board approved last month the financing of nearly P11 billion for solar and wind projects in Luzon. It approved the financing for a solar plant project in Arayat and Mexico, Pampanga through a secured loan for 100 percent of the total project cost of up to P3.33 billion. Its board also approved financing for a wind farm project in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte for up to 70 percent of the total project cost amounting to up to P7.48 billion; ACEN plans to scale up renewable energy portfolio to 2,500 megawatts by 2021.

Dominguez expects gov’t revenues to pick up by 4th quarter By Julito G. Rada FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Monday he is optimistic that government revenue collections will improve by the fourth quarter of 2021, after they were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic last year. “Definitely, we expect that by the last quarter of this year. We expect to start hitting the targets on our revenues,” Dominguez said in an online interview by CNBC. “We have a very resilient economy. You have to remember that we entered this virus situation with very strong fi-

nances. We conducted a series of tax reforms, which boosted our revenues as well as our credit rating. Incidentally, our credit rating has not been affected by this virus,” he said. Dominguez said the government increased fuel taxes and reduced the taxes to individuals. He said the government also implemented a sugary drinks tax and rice certification, which moderated the inflation rate. “So our tax administration has also improved greatly. We did all of these, because we were doing our ‘Build, Build, Build’ program, which, incidentally, we are continuing. But this year,

these reforms will help us weather the financial impact of this COVID virus,” Dominguez said. The interagency Development Budget Coordinating Committee set a revenue collection target P2.88 trillion in 2021 and P3.31 trillion in 2022. The government collected P2.84 trillion in 2020, or 0.4 percent short of the collection goal for the year and lower by 9 percent than the 2019 level. It was also 19 percent short of the original pre-pandemic target. The DBCC also revised its gross domestic product growth target in 2020 to a range of -8.5 to -9.5 percent.

PSE INDEX

Monday, January 25, 2021

25.67 PTS. 7,071.50

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

79,858,373,045 178,495 9,114,312,550.52 92 129 39

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.0760

Japan

Yen

0.009635

0.4632

Pound

1.368600

65.7968

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129006

6.2021

Switzerland

Franc

1.129433

54.2986

Canada

Dollar

0.786535

37.8135

Singapore

Dollar

0.753523

36.2264

Australia

Dollar

0.771500

37.0906

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655478

127.6648

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266588

12.8165

Brunei

Dollar

0.750694

36.0904

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.033356

1.6036

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0897

Euro

1.217400

58.5277

Korea

Won

0.000905

0.0435

China

Yuan

0.154250

7.4157

India

Rupee

0.013702

0.6587

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.247433

11.8956

New Zealand

Dollar

0.717600

34.4993

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035763

1.7193 Source: BSP

ASEAN auto sales fell 32% to 2.14m units in 11 months By Othel V. Campos AUTOMOTIVE sales in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations dropped 32 percent in the first 11 months of 2020 to 2.14 million units from 3.14 million units in the same period in 2019, with the Philippines significantly contributing to the decline, data from the ASEAN Automotive Federation show. The AAF said in a report vehicle sales in the Philippines fell 41.6 percent in the 11-month period to 196,197 units from 336,226 units a year earlier. The rate of decline in the Philippines was deeper than the regional average. Indonesia led the downturn with 49.6-percent drop in sales to 474,9109 units from 942,462 units a year ago, followed by the Philippines with 41.6-percent decline and Singapore with a 39-percent decrease to 51,348 units from 84,171 units. Thailand reported a 25.10-percent drop in sales to 688,057 units from 918,267 units while Myanmar sustained a 21.6-percent decline to 15,145 from 19,308 units. Malaysia also suffered a 17.2-percent fall in sales to 454,708 units from 549,439 units while Vietnam reported a 14-percent reduction to 248,768 units from 289,163 units. Brunei was the only ASEAN country that posted sales increase of 14.2 percent to 12,505 units from 10,949 units. The region’s auto production and assembly also shrank by 35 percent to 3.85 million units from 2.54 million units in the same period. All six manufacturers in the region reported negative output during the period. The Philippines production decreased by 30.3 percent to 61,257 from 87,864 units; Indonesia by 47.7 percent to 621,873 from 1.18 million; Malaysia by 18.7 percent to 429,326 from 527,945 units; Myanmar by 15.4 percent to 11,927 from 14,092 units; Thailand by 31.7 percent to 1.28 million from 1.87 million; and Vietnam by 34 percent to 139,770 from 160,639 units.

Tugade considers partial operation of Cebu Bus Rapid Transit this year By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation is eyeing the partial operation of one of the crucial segments of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit this year, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said Monday. He said the partial operation of Package 1 of the Cebu BRT would address the need for mobility in Cebu amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. Package 1 covers the 2.6-kilometer busway, with four stations, urban realm enhancement, and vital intersection improvements. Package 1 is at the procurement stage. Tugade ordered the Cebu BRT project management team and the other concerned transportation officials to implement a 24/7 construction work schedule, with three work shifts that will employ and generate jobs for more local residents of the province. He said the project contractor and personnel with key roles in the Cebu BRT project should be based in Cebu while 90 percent of the project’s total work force should be Cebuanos. “While I’m addressing our program of projects, I am addressing the need of the economy and I’m addressing the requirements of the pandemic,” Tugade said.

“These are extraordinary times. They need extraordinary processes,” he said, as he stressed the need to generate more jobs for Cebu residents who were displaced from their livelihood by the pandemic. Tugade also directed the Cebu BRT team to make sure the project’s work schedule and timeline of completion would be aligned with the election ban next year, and that the procurement process should be fast tracked. The 13.2-kilometer bus rapid transit lane will traverse the South Road Properties through Mambaling, up to IT Park with 17 stations, two terminals and a depot. Along with the BRT, there will be a 20.2-kilometer bus feeder system to run with mixed traffic, complemented with sidewalk bus stops/ shelters along the following routes: Cebu IT ParkTalamban, Mambaling-Bulacao, and Talisay-SRP. Cebu BRT aims to serve around 60,000 passengers daily, once completed. Tugade said the project would improve passenger mobility along the project’s corridors. It will also provide an option that is swift, comfortable, cost-effective and efficient while generating fewer emissions that reduce both local and global pollution.

OPENTEXT DONATION. OpenText, an information company that enables organizations across the globe to gain insight through its market leading information management solutions, announces a combined donation of $1 million to food banks in OpenText communities around the world, including $100,000 in the Philippines. Attending the turnover ceremony on OpenText’s $100,000 donation to Rise Against Hunger Philippines are (from left) Danica Mariz Noble, executive assistant, Cloud Services; Jomar Fleras, executive director of Rise Against Hunger Philippines; Rene Morta, vice president, CS; Carlo Negrillo, senior manager of technical support, CS; Augie Mendoza Jr., vice president and site leader-Philippines; Mary Ann Malig, manager of technical support; and Roda Merca, director of technical support at CS.

Jollibee bares plan to open 100 pho chain stores as part of expansion By Jenniffer B. Austria RESTAURANT operator Jollibee Foods Corp. said Monday it will expand its Vietnamese pho chain brand PHO24 in the Philippines with a target to open 100 stores over the long term. Jollibee said it would launch this year three PHO24 stores with the first opening scheduled in February at the Jollibee Tower in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. “We are looking forward to the new

store openings of PHO24 this year as part of plans for the long-term strategic growth of the Jollibee Group,” said Jollibee country business group head Joseph Tanbuntiong. “Aside from the openings, we are also developing the brand’s own delivery platform to cater to the increasing demand and to reach new customers. We will also be launching new products, which we believe will excite our customers and make them crave PHO24 more,” Tanbuntiong said.

PHO24 serves authentic Vietnamese dishes with pho as its signature product. The Jollibee Group has been operating PHO24 in the country since 2018. PHO24’s first branch is at the Double Dragon Meridian Park in Pasay. “We have seen the growing love of Filipinos for authentic Vietnamese cuisine, and PHO24’s expansion in the Philippines provides Filipino foodies with distinctly different pho meals that are both tasty and nutritious,” Tanbuntiong said.

Rafa Nadal gives Eala big boost

Sports

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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

By Peter Atencio LIKE a doting father to his kid on a very important occasion, tennis superstar Rafael Nadal closely monitored tennis prodigy Alex Eala during her intense championship showdown against a world-rated opponent, even though he was halfway around the world. Nadal’s word of inspiration and encouragement boosted the 15-year-old Eala to play her best game in the W15 event of the Rafael Nadal Academy World Tennis Tour in Manacor, Spain, capped off by her 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 victory over 28-year-old Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers (Sunday night in Manila) as she captured her very first professional singles’ title in the International Tennis Federation tour. “Congratulations @alex.eala for this important moment in your career. We are all very happy for you!” Nadal said. The world number 2 likewise urged the Filipina tennis phenom to strive even further to get better as she competes professionally. “Keep up the good work and attitude.” Eala’s triumph has somehow lightened up Nadal’s efforts to prepare for his campaign in tournaments in Australia. Nadal is currently serving a two-week quarantine period before seeing action in the ATP Cup and the Australian Open. Nadal, who is working out for up to five hours daily, has been closely watching the events at the W15 tournament, keeping an eye on his Filipina ward, who has been training in at his tennis academy with his brother Miko for the last two years. Early last year, Miko has gone to the United States to accept a college scholarship. Since entering Nadal’s academy, Eala has reached her current world junior ranking of no. 3 and started joining pro events last year. Eala caught the attention of Nadal and his coaches after she won her first ITF junior title at 13 in 2018. The coaches of the RNA has kept on watching out of Eala after she reached the Orange Bowl semifinals a year later. Last October, Eala also advanced into the semis at Roland Garros. Eala, who has been a Globe Ambassador since 2013, booted out several big names in the Manacor competition before clinching the title on Sunday. She kicked things off with a rousing 6-1, 6-2 straight sets win over fellow Nadal tennis scholar Anna Paradisi of Italy in the first round before coming up with a 6-4, 6-1 shock win over top-seeded Australian Seone Mendez in the second round. She then gutted out a gritty 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 win over resilient French Carole Monnet in the quarterfinals and then, cruised past Adithya Karunaratne of Hong Kong, 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals to set the stage for her title conquest against Nadal’s fellow Spaniard Cavalle-Reimers.

Filipina tennis phenom Alex Eala (above) is congratulated by world’s no. 2 Rafael Nadal on his Facebook page following her first ITF pro victory, prompting her to strive even further to get better as she competes professionally. (Rafa Nadal Facebook page)

Pandemic, not boxing, Pacman’s focus for now

OXING icon Sen. Manny Pacquiao is not looking for a return to the ring, for now. But a challenge from American boxing star Ryan Garcia might lure the boxer-turnedsenator from General Santos City back into the ring. “A dream turned reality. vision interview on CNN It’s an honor to share the ring Philippines. with (Manny Pacquiao),” the When Pacquiao last went WBC interim lightweight into the ring, he won over champion wrote on his offiKeith Thurman, Jr. in 2019 cial Instagram account. for the World Boxing AssoBut Pacquiao has prioriciation super welterweight ties at the moment, considtitle. ering that the world is in the Meanwhile, Conor Mcmiddle of a struggle against Gregor, another possible the coronavirus pandemic, Pacquiao opponent in the according to his special asfuture, admitted he was sistant Jayke Joson. “heartbroken” Sunday after “Honestly, sa ngayon a shock UFC knockout by hindi niya priority ang Sen. Manny Pacquiao underdog Dustin Poirier left boxing. Mas mabigat ‘yung laban ni the superstar’s future in the cage uncer[Senator Pacquiao] ngayon… Laban tain. ng bawat Filipino at diyan siya naka“It’s hard to take,” Irishman McGregor focus ngayon kung paano maitawid told a post-fight news conference. ang ating mga kababayan dito sa pand“(It’s) the highest highs and the lowemyang COVID,” said Joson in a tele- est lows in this game. I don’t know

where I’m at, at the minute, to be honest,” said the biggest drawcard in mixed martial arts. The 32-year-old McGregor had been an overwhelming favourite to register a winning return after a year away from the octagon. But Poirier (27-6), who lost in 109 seconds to McGregor in their first fight in 2014, used a lower leg kicking strategy to negate his opponent’s stand-up style. The defeat may also mean McGregor now explores other avenues, such as a money-spinning boxing match against Pacquiao. McGregor fought retired unbeaten boxing great Floyd Mayweather in 2017, earning an estimated $30 million dollars in a blockbuster crossover bout. McGregor deflected questions about the possibility of a fight against eightweight world champion, saying he was more concerned with healing his damaged leading right leg. “I’ll regroup,” said McGregor. “I’ll pick myself up, get up off the floor and go again. I’ll keep my head high.” AFP

Sangiao lauds Adiwang’s solid performance

Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang celebrates his victory.

TEAM Lakay kicked off the year off in style as rising star Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang scored a massive knockout of Japan’s Namiki Kawahara. Adiwang stopped Kawahara at the 2:02 mark of round two of their strawweight clash at ONE: UNBREAKABLE last Friday night, 22 January in Singapore. It was a highly competitive fight until the finish, with both men having their moments. Kawahara proved to be a worthy opponent for Adiwang. Watching from Circle-side, Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao observed what he saw from a distance, and he was overall very pleased with Adiwang’s knockout performance. “It was a solid performance from Lito. I loved how explosive he was with his striking, and he clearly displayed

why he’s such a dangerous fighter. He also had that extra bit of motivation and determination to bring the victory home for the Philippines, and to fight in honor of his mother,” said Sangiao. “We just wanted to be comfortable there no matter where the fight went. If it was going to a striking battle, we were prepared. If it went to the ground, we would have been ready to submit him as well. We worked hard in the gym for all possible scenarios, and it paid off in the end.” Adiwang employed his usual explosive style, as he attempted to barrel through Kawahara’s defenses early on. The latter’s wide stance from the Karate style, however, proved slightly problematic for “Thunder Kid,” as it became increasingly difficult as the bout wore on to operate from range. Oftentimes, Adiwang would swing for the fences, coming up short with nothing but air. According to Sangiao, this left him open for sharp counters. Clearly, Kawahara was not a fighter that Team Lakay

wanted to take lightly. Still, Sangiao remained confident his ward had enough firepower to eventually overwhelm the Japanese standout. “Kawahara is also a great fighter, no doubt about that. He was calm and composed throughout, and he wasn’t fazed by Lito’s power at all. He had a good counter shot that just cannot be underestimated. Lito needed to be extra cautious and apply his kicking, punch accuracy and speed. We tried to attack with punches from a safe distance,” said Sangiao. “But the thing is, if Lito touches you, you’re going down. Not many people can survive his power. And he can finish you in many different ways. After Lito touched him on the chin, it was lights out. One shot is all it takes.” It was a fantastic turnaround for Adiwang, who late last year dealt with his first loss inside the ONE Circle last November, and the passing of his mother, Leticia. Being a guiding voice in Adiwang’s corner, Sangiao tried his best to settle his fighter’s mind before the battle ensued.

New volley chief Suzara bats for shared responsibilities By Peter Atencio ALL stakeholders will get involved in the responsibilities and activities of the newly formed Philippine National Volleyball Federation Ramon “Tats” Suzara said this after he was named head of the national sports association that replaced the Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas Inc. and the Philippine Volleyball Federation yesterday. At least five commissions will be formed to make up the backbone of future undertakings of the PNVF. “I want all stakeholders nationwide to be part of this. This way, all the stakeholders can participate,” said Suzara on Facebook Live after the volleyball polls held at the East Ocean Seafoods Restaurant in Parañaque City. Suzara, who garnered 31 votes, will lead on an interim basis, until new elections are held again next year. Suzara was unopposed in his bid after fellow organizer Ricky Palou decided to give way to him. He will have former LVPI secretary general Ariel Paredes as chairman. Arnel Hajan, who is with the Philippine Volleyball Federation representing Mindanao, was named vice president, while Donald Caringal was named secretary general. Yul Benoso was named treasurer, while Palou was named as member of the board with Anthony Liao, Negros representative Carmela Gamboa, PVF’s Karl Chan, Beach Volleyball Republic’s Charo Soriano, Letran’s Fr. Vic Calvo and Philippine Olympic Committee representative Atty. Wharton Chan. Among the commissions that will be created will involve events, the national team, the referees, coaches and the para athletes. Many stakeholders believe that with Suzara on board, peace and cooperation among the many stakeholders in volleyball is just around the corner because of his good relationship with the international federation and the Asian Volleyball Confederation. The elections took place after the international volleyball federation sought the Philippine Olympic Committee’s assistance.

Bren Esports crowned ML: Bang Bang world champ BREN Esports (Bren) of the Philippines was crowned world champion of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, clinching a 4-3 win over the Burmese Ghouls of Myanmar at the Shangri-La Singapore late Sunday in a dramatic best-of-seven series that went down to the wire. Bren player KarlTzy was named the grand finale’s Most Valuable Player. Members of the team received their prizes from Melvin Yong, Member of Parliament and Patron of Singapore’s Cybersports and Online Gaming Association, and Keith Tan, Chief Executive of the

Singapore Tourism Board. Bren will also be awarded with its very own M2-themed skin on a MLBB hero of the team’s choice. With the victory, Bren avenged its 0-2 defeat at the hands of BG in the opening of their best-of-3 series’ M2 Playoffs, forcing the Philippine team down to the lower bracket and needing to take the longer route to the grand final. Bren has also helped the Philippines reclaim the title as the strongest country in MLBB esports, ending Indonesia’s recent dominance by eliminating both Indonesian teams, Alter Ego Esports and RRQ Hoshi.

Breaking New Viewership Records Achieving a staggering 3.08 million peak in global online viewership according to the Esports Charts analytics platform (one of many new MLBB esports viewership records), the grand final served as a fittingly epic finale for M2, the first global offline esports event to be held in Southeast Asia in 2021, organised by MOONTON in collaboration with SCOGA and supported by the STB and IMDA. For further information or to arrange for interviews, please contact hello@esportsasia.net

At the end of an exhilarating week of top quality Mobile Legends: Bang Bang action at the Shangri-La Singapore, Bren Esports of the Philippines has emerged as the new world champions of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

Sports

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

Late birdies carry Kim to PGA victory

Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers dunks the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Clippers stretch win streak to 7 games L

OS ANGELES—Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their season-high NBA win streak to seven games with a 108-100 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. Leonard shot 14 of 24 from the floor and finished with nine rebounds and eight assists while Ivica Zubac came off the bench to score 10 points and grab 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who beat Oklahoma City for the second time in three days. Serge Ibaka tallied 17 points, Reggie Jackson finished with 14 and Paul George scored 11 for the Clippers, who matched the LA Lakers for the best record in the league at 13-4. George spent two seasons with the Thunder before being traded to the Clip-

pers prior to the 2019-20 season. Nicolas Batum, whose wife gave birth to a baby girl on Friday, scored seven points in the win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Thunder, who lost their third in a row after having last Sunday’s game against Philadelphia postponed. George Hill scored 22 points and Hamidou Diallo had 14 points for Oklahoma City. The Thunder cut the Clippers lead to six points, 102-96, with just under two minutes

left on a basket by Gilgeous-Alexander. But Leonard helped clinch the victory by scoring on a dunk with 42 seconds remaining. The Clippers grabbed a big lead early just like they did in Friday’s win over the Thunder. Los Angeles compiled a 17 point lead in the opening quarter before the Thunder reduced that to eight with just over four minutes left in the second. The Clippers regained control to take a 56-45 lead into the half. Leonard, who scored 11 points in the third quarter, hit a jumper at the end of the third to give the Clippers a 85-73 lead. The Clippers won despite struggling from three-point range, hitting just 14 of 46. The Thunder were even worse, making just seven of 35 from beyond the arc. Los Angeles played without forward Marcus Morris who sat out with a un-

specified illness. Meanwhile, the NBA has postponed the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls game scheduled for Wednesday because the Grizzlies will be unable to field enough players. The league announced the schedule change because of Covid-19 contact tracing rules which will prevent host Memphis from having the minimum eight players available for their home game at the FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies have not played since last Monday when they won their fifth game in a row with a 108-104 victory over the Phoenix Suns. So far since the NBA season began on December 22 the league has postponed 21 games because of coronavirus concerns. AFP

Brady, Mahomes set up dream Super Bowl as Bucs face Chiefs LOS ANGELES —Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made NFL history on Sunday to set up a dream home Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Brady, the 43-year-old widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in the history of the sport, led the Buccaneers to a 31-26 upset of the top-seeded Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. It means the Buccaneers will become the first team in NFL history to play in a Super Bowl at their own arena, with the February 7 showpiece taking place at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Brady threw for three touchdowns and 280 yards as he punched his ticket to an incredible 10th Super Bowl appearance, 19 years after his playing in his first championship game with the New England Patriots in 2002. “It’s been a long process for the whole team, and today was just a great team effort,” Brady said afterwards. The victory represented a stunning vindication of Brady’s decision to leave the Patriots in March last year after a

FREE THROW SHOOTER NATHANIEL DELA CRUZ CAVALIER (adjective)—showing a lack of proper concern. If there is one thing I am sure J.B. Bickerstaff has managed to accomplish this early in the NBA 2020-21 season, it is Cleveland being every bit what the moniker means as a descriptor of human quality. Cleveland is cavalier. It seems like it doesn’t read right, but this is true and this is real. This is the state of things. This is Cavs’ basketball, by design or by circumstances. In this world of professional sports bereft of secure tenure, coaches are generally conservative and coach with caution. Bickerstaff and the Cavs appear unintimidated and disinterested in quietly accepting the place many have reserved for them thinking the natural order of things is preordained and unaccommodating to the results of events unforeseen. To say that Cleveland budged and refused subservience is an understatement—with giant strides

glittering two-decade career in New England that yielded six Super Bowl wins. “It’s been a great journey thus far,” Brady said. “We put the work in. I just made a decision. I’ve loved coming to work every day with this group of guys. I’m just so proud of this whole team.” Brady had helped the Bucs race into a 28-10 lead early in the second half after touchdowns from Mike Evans, Leonard Fournette, Scotty Miller and Cameron Brate as the Packers offense failed to fire. ‘This one stings’ Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers—bidding to reach a second Super Bowl—then led a stirring second half fightback with touchdowns from Robert Tonyan and Davante Adams that got the score to 28-23. But the Packers’ challenge fizzled after they controversially opted to kick a field goal late in the fourth quarter instead of going for a potentially game-tying touchdown. “This one definitely stings and is going to for a long time, especially the way

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (left) of Kansas City and quarterback Tom Brady of Tampa Bay are shown here as the Chiefs take on the Buccaneers during Super Bowl 55 on February 7, 2021 at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. AFP

it played out and the chances we had,” a downcast Rodgers said. “The finality of it all, kind of hits you like a ton of bricks. It’s a gutting feeling in your stomach.” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur later defended the decision to kick a field goal, saying he felt the Green Bay defense could win the ball back. “The way our defense was playing it felt like it was the right decision,” LaFleur said. “It just didn’t work out.” Chiefs romp While the Buccaneers-Packers game went to the wire, there was no such drama in Kansas City, where the

Chiefs outclassed the Buffalo Bills 3824 to reach the Super Bowl for a second straight year. “It was just trusting each other,” Chiefs quarterback Mahomes said. “The thing about this team is that we trust each other, and every time we go on the field we give it everything we have. “But the job’s not finished —we’re going to Tampa and we’re going to try and run it back. “We’ve just got to go to Tampa and be ourselves. I trust my guys over anybody.” The Bills started brightly with a field goal and a touchdown from Dawson Knox to take a 9-0 lead.AFP

The rewards of fortitude they leapt, to the surprise of those who seek to put them inside a cage. They are moving the mountains meant to obstruct them, pushing them aside, because the Eastern Conference is a free-for-all buffet, and it seems that the Cavs were left uninvited. Nonetheless, they want their share of the meal. They want to further their worth and value. They want to shape their truth with their own two hands—be it failure or flying colors. Never mind that they were so easily dismissed as immaterial. They race to the dogfights with death that has no consequence to a world that has already cast them out, so they fight unafraid, and the bigger dogs, wary of losing their crown and stature, find themselves distracted, outdueled, and outmatched. It is not so much as clever as it is cavalier, nonetheless, it doesn’t diminish the value of what was accomplished. Never mind that superstars are joining forces to build teams chasing a championship, and that loaded teams are making their roster stronger and deeper still, Cleveland took the putting-together-a-ragtag-team route; scrappy and disinclined to settle for scraps.

Never mind that teams are scrambling to design their own brand of small ball because it is in vogue. Cleveland basketball is big and agile. How many teams today put premium on their center, let alone three centers? Andre Drummond plays an average of 31.4 minutes for 18.8 points. JaVale McGree is 16 and 8, and Jarrett Allen is 25 and 15. That is a lot of minutes for a lot of centers in a team that is just as loaded with very talented forwards. If you are a center for a second unit in other NBA teams, you’d be lucky to get 10-15 minutes because more often than not, as soon as the starter at five sits, what remains on the court is an up-tempo guard-forward combo unit. That is the norm for the run-and-gun, but the Cavs opted to field bigger, taller guns, and they’ve won half the shootouts so far. Never mind that NBA fans picked other teams to occupy the top half of the Eastern Conference thinking Cleveland has neither promise nor potential, the Cavs have a plan of their own, undeterred by the pre-season power rankings and Playoff bracket expectations. Not very many, I’m sure, picked Cleveland to be a surprise contender. I guess that is

what makes it a surprise. The East’s best team in Philadelphia wasn’t paying attention and as a result, they suffered their first loss of the season after a 2-0 start. Many of us pay no mind to the Cavs’ post-LeBron James era because we assumed that it does not matter and it is irrelevant. Obviously, everyone in the Cavs’ organization is changing that. Cleveland is making itself relevant again, this time without a king, and it is not a concern: motivated men are never leaderless, rudderless, and this is what Larry Nance Jr., Cedi Osman, Collin Sexton, and the rest of the Cavs have proven so far. Here is a band of headhunters (who scalped the touted Brooklyn Nets twice), mercenaries and assassins, and they are preparing for a heist that will soon prove inevitable. Perhaps a ring for the ring-less, and days of glory filled with wine and gold. The eyes of destiny are not meant for man to wear. There, in that incapacity, therein lies the rewards of fortitude. Until then, and even then—stay cavalier. Live or die with no care to the expectations of those who deny and ignore what you can become.

LOS ANGELES—South Korean Kim Si-woo rolled in back-toback birdies at 16 and 17 to overtake sizzling Patrick Cantlay and win the US PGA Tour event in La Quinta, California, by one stroke. Kim, who started the day sharing a one-shot lead with Max Homa and Tony Finau, fired eight birdies in an eight-under par 64 for a 23-under total of 265. Cantlay had stormed to a narrow clubhouse lead with 11 birdies in an 11-under par 61—a course record on the Stadium Course at PGA West and enough to put him one ahead of Kim as the South Korean was coming up the finishing straight. Kim regained a share of the lead with his seventh birdie of the day at the par-five 16th, where he reached the green in two and two-putted from 50 feet—leaving himself less than four feet for birdie. At 17, Kim poured a 19-foot birdie putt into the heart of the cup to regain the lead. The 25-year-old from Seoul notched his third US PGA Tour title, but his first since the 2017 Players Championship. Meanwhile, Jessica Korda rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole to win the LPGA Tournament of Champions Sunday, rallying from two shots down to beat Danielle Kang. Korda, who fired a third-round 60 on Saturday to put herself within striking distance of overnight leader Kang, fired a five-under-par final round of 66 for a 24-under total of 260 at the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Kang, who led by three strokes at the turn, closed with a threeunder-par 68. In Abu Dhabi, Tyrrell Hatton outshone world number six Rory McIlroy in a head-to-head battle Sunday to claim the $8 million Abu Dhabi Championship by a whopping four shots. The 29-year-old Englishman started the final round one shot behind McIlroy, but shot a fine bogey-free six-under par 66 to finish on 18-under par 270 for the tournament. Australian Jason Scrivener, who closed in stunning fashion with an eagle and five birdies on his back nine in a round of 66, finished in second place. McIlroy (72) made a birdie on the par-5 18th hole to finish in third at a 13-under par 275, with Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello (69) in fourth with a 12-under par 276. Winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour last year, it was the fourth Rolex Series win for Hatton and he is expected to climb to number six in the world rankings on Monday. AFP

Romero graces PSA web forum HOUSE Deputy Speaker and NorthPort Batang Pier team owner Mikee Romero makes a rare appearance as special guest of the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association webcast Forum on Tuesday. Romero, who represents the 1-Pacman party-list in the House of Representatives, is expected to talk about a wide-range of topic in Philippine sports, including the country’s campaign in the Tokyo Olympics, the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, the needed vaccine for Filipino athletes in the fight against COVID-19, and the Batang Pier’s coming campaign in Season 46 of the PBA. The 10:30 a.m. session is presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, with Upstream Media as official webcast partner and powered by Smart. The public sports program is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and also shared by Radyo Pilipinas 2 Facebook page.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

PHirst Park Homes now official residence of ‘Pinoy Big Brother Connect’ PHirst Park Homes, the First Home Buyer Brand of Century Properties Group and Mitsubishi Corporation, is now the Official Home of Pinoy Big Brother Connect Season 9. Currently airing daily on cable via the Kapamilya Channel, A2Z Zoe TV on free TV, iWANT TFC, and ABSCBN Entertainment’s Youtube and Facebook channels, PBB Connect brings Housemates from different backgrounds performing tasks and challenges together. “We at PHirst Park Homes are pleased to be in partnership with Pinoy Big Brother and the official home of PBB Connect Season 9. The PBB Housemates are truly reflective

PHirst Park Homes brand ambassador and ‘PBB Connect’ host Robi Domingo.

of the Filipino spirit: courageous, persevering, and motivated towards success,” said Loren Sales, PHirst Park Homes’ Vice President for Customer Management Group. “Our homebuyers at PHirst Park Homes also worked hard to secure a bright future, and it is truly heartwarming to be instrumental in giving the Housemates a chance to own their dream home at the end of the season,” Sales added. PBB Connect’s Big Winner will become a lucky homeowner of a unit from a PHirst Park Homes project. PHirst has so far launched 104 hectares of house and lot communities in Tanza (Cavite),

Lipa (Batangas), San Pablo (Laguna), Calamba (Laguna), Batulao (Nasugbu, Batangas), Pandi (Bulacan), and most recently, Magalang (Pampanga). PHirst Park Homes brand ambassador and proud homeowner Robi Domingo, who also hosts PBB Connect Season 9, said: “I’m very proud and excited to be working with both PHirst and PBB Connect on this show. As a brand for first-time homebuyers PHirst is the perfect official home for PBB and its loyal following of viewers who may be looking to own a safe, secure and complete home at very attainable prices.”

Every PHirst Park Home carries the brand’s signature 4Cs: Complete and well-provisioned homes with a perimeter fence and gate; Conceptive amenities that promote a healthy and holistic lifestyle; Connected living via WiFi zones and shuttle service; and a Convenient and simplified selling and buying experience.

For radio personality Riki Flo, spending time at home with people you love the most is a luxury.

Matteo and Sarah’s baby will be ‘Born to Be a Star’ “As you can see, they possess different Matteo Guidicelli, in an Instagram photo personalities which I’m sure will be a with wife Sarah G, kick starts 2021 with a major hosting gig in a show produced by delight to the viewers,” he stated. “Our roster of contestants is another Viva and TV5. IN A recent virtual press conference, Matteo Guidicelli admitted his excitement to be chosen as one of the main hosts of TV 5’s newest reality singing show, Born to Be a Star. “It’s my first TV project this year. I’m grateful to Viva and TV 5 for coming up with the program and for the fact that I was considered to be one of its hosts. It’s truly one good way to kick-start my 2021,” he said. The actor-host is excited about the show and feels very positive about it with Kim Molina as his co-host. The show also includes Andrew E., Sam Concepcion, Jenine Teñoso, Katrina Velarde, and Georcelle Sy as judges.

thing! They’re very good and come from various backgrounds. I bet televiewers will surely get entertained. And of course, handsome prizes also await the grand prize winner. He or she will receive a whopping amount of cash worth P1 million plus a recording and management contract,” he added. When asked if he believes his future baby with wife Sarah Geronimo is born to become a star, Matteo averred, “Well, let’s see. Let’s ask Teacher Georcelle to groom my child. But kidding aside, if our baby wishes to enter show business in the future, we will just support him or her like any loving and understanding parents.”

Magkaagaw’s Jeric Gonzales and Sheryl Cruz

S h e r y l Cruz and Jeric Gonzales both expressed that age doesn’t matter when it comes to love. The two are paired in the hit GMA afternoon drama Magkaagaw where they play two people who are in an illicit May-December affair. “In my own point of view, since I already experienced getting married, being out of a marriage, and being single again, it depends,” Sheryl stated. “You have your own perspective. If your emotions are what’s important, that you share with the other person you connect with, I don’t see anything wrong with it. For as long as you respect and love each other, that’s it.” How about the opinion of other people? “I guess they won’t matter anymore as long as you two are not stepping on others’ toes. If both of you are willing to enter a relationship, I don’t see

anything wrong with that. As I’ve said, if both of you are free and are not into a relationship, you can freely express your love for each other.” Jeric agreed with Sheryl. “It really depends on the perspective of the person involved. Personally, I believe that age should not be a factor. If you’re in love with the person, it won’t matter. What’s important is that the two of you jibe and that you’re happy. What others would say won’t matter.” In real life, Sheryl is being romantically linked to Jeric, something the pretty actress negates. “For the record, we’re just friends. Probably, it’s the fans who want us so much to be together. But the truth is we’re just really friends. One thing more, if I do date or have a steady, I won’t deny it,” she ended.

Making connections that matter

ANY families are now looking forward to the start of the new year at home. Despite the hardships and challenges that the past months of quarantine have posed, there are still so many things that everyone can be thankful for, especially that staying safe at home has brought everyone closer together. When everybody welcomed the new decade full of hopes and excitement, no one could have predicted how a health crisis would put an indefinite pause on their plans and resolutions for the year. However, radio personality and wondermom Riki Flo felt blessed to have spent the time in quarantine with the company of her loving family. She says, “I realized that spending time at home with people you love the most is a luxury, and when life got too real, I was reminded of that. And though we may not have had as many adventures outside this year, we made many memories at home and that allowed us to become closer.” Bonding in the new normal When the news of the lockdown first broke in the country, Riki remembers how she prepared for the quarantine by purchasing art supplies for her children. A mother of two young and energetic

kids, Calix and Dandy, she knew that the isolation would be a difficult period of adjustment for them and wanted to brighten things up. “Being isolated from the world is tough and if we were going to be holed up for a while, I wanted them to enjoy themselves at home. I bought different art supplies and creative materials in case they wanted to experiment and make crafts,” she said. She also introduced her little ones to the world of gardening. Lately, their family has been nurturing a newfound love for plants, flowers, and even insects. This little hobby of theirs has also turned out to be a learning experience as they would be looking up the species and reading more about them on the internet. Embracing the new digital lifestyle Going online has not just been a source of latest news, updates, and additional knowledge for Riki’s family. She goes as far as to say that the internet has made life in quarantine more bearable for her and her kids. “With reliable connections from PLDT Fibr, we were able to keep in touch with our different family members and friends through video calls. We also enjoyed family movie nights by watching new and old films together, and we even fell in love with K-pop,” she expresses. It seems that through streaming music videos of Korean idols that Riki uncovered a special hidden talent of her children: dancing! Riki also mentions how four-yearold Calix was able to continue with his kindergarten classes online seamlessly with help of PLDT. With PLDT’s new

whole home wifi mesh system, they have been able to enjoy consistent connectivity with no dead spots in the household. This has enabled them to discover new ways to work, learn, and play from every corner of the room, including the kids’ newly transformed study area. “At first, it was difficult to get him to understand why everything had to be through a computer screen right now, but we have all adapted and our mornings are much smoother now,” she shares. “I’m also thankful because my husband and I tag team when it comes to Calix’s online classes. He prints the materials and I sit in and facilitate the actual class.” One thing that Riki is grateful for in this year is how she was able to understand her family more. She says, “As a mom, I can say that I saw and learned more about my kids, about their interests and their talents. I wouldn’t have been able to get closer to them if I wasn’t working from home.” She also adds, “It’s all about being patient with the kids and learning how to stretch things out. It’s very important that we can support and guide them as these experiences and memories are part of their childhood.” This new year can be full of challenges, but it is also packed with hope and anticipation. With PLDT making sure that our connections are faster and more stable than ever, we can be excited to face the days to come. Know more about PLDT Home’s latest Whole Home Wifi System at https:// pldthome.com/wholehomesystem and see how you can rediscover connections and activities at home.

Call for nominations for CCP 13 Artists Awards 2021 THE Cultural Center of the Philippines, through its Visual Arts and Museum Division is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Thirteen Artists Awards. Since its first presentation 50 years ago, the Thirteen Artists Awards (TAA) started as a curatorial project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Museum under the directorship of its first curator Roberto Chabet. The TAA was created in order to showcase the works of artists who grasped to “restructure, restrengthen and renew artmaking and art thinking…that lend viability to Philippine art.” It was Raymundo Albano, the next director of the CCP Museum and Non-theater Operations who transformed the 13 Artists into the awards program that it is today. The 13 Artists exhibition was mounted every two years from 1970 to 1980, and again in 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1994. It was revived in 2000, and changed to a triennial format, which it follows until today. Nominated artists must possess the following eligibility requirements: • Body of work characterized by artistic integrity,

innovativeness, and forcefulness of ideas • Responsiveness to contemporary realities • Evidence of sustained artistic activity demonstrated by a track record of individual exhibitions and group shows for at least the past three years • Engagement with contemporary visual art forms including, but not limited to, painting, sculpture, new media, installation, performance art, photography, printmaking, and digital imaging • Filipino citizenship • Less than 40 years old in the year of conferment or must be born 1982 onwards Art councils, art groups, heads/deans of art schools, museum and gallery curators and directors, art critics, and past Thirteen Artists Awardees may nominate a maximum of three artists each. The CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division (VAMD) under the Production and Exhibition Department and the Office of the Artistic Director will convene a Selection Committee composed of four past awardees and the head of the CCP VAMD. The decision of the Selection Committee is final.

The prizes of a Thirteen Artists Awardee include a cash grant to defray the cost of materials for producing new work for a group exhibition at the CCP Bulwagang Juan Luna (Main Gallery), which will open with the formal awarding ceremonies; A trophy designed by a 13 Artists Awardee and specially commissioned for the 2021 Thirteen Artists Awards as well as Participation in CCP’s public programs of discussions, lectures, workshops, and other activities. Deadline for nominations is on March 1, Monday at 11:59 p.m.. Download the nomination form from bit. ly/taa2021nominations and send completed nomination forms to: ccp.thirteenartists@gmail. com. Hardcopy nomination forms will not be accepted. For inquiries, contact the CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division, Production and Exhibition Department at tel. (632) 8832-1125 loc. 1504/1505, mobile phone (0917-6033809), email (ccp.thirteenartists@gmail.com) or visit www. culturalcenter.gov.ph, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ccpvamd.

CCP’s Visual Arts and Museum Division is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Thirteen Artists Awards, a triennial event that recognizes young artists in the country.

Life

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

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021

Medical check-ups based on your age

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KNOW YOUR HEALTH. Medical experts strongly advise all individuals, whether they’re in their 20s or 50s, to seek regular health checks to help them better manage their well-being.

GNORANCE is not always a bliss especially when it comes to our health. And while many factors affect people’s healthseeking behavior—poverty and lack of access to health services being the top reasons for millions of Filipinos—medical professionals assert the importance of determining the baseline of where one is, health-wise. “Health screening is a simple and effective way to determine if you have a specific condition or disease, even if you show no symptoms or signs of it,” said Minerva Laconico, MD, head of the MMC HealthHub of Makati Medical Center (www.makatimed.net.ph). She added, “Early detection helps you address the condition with the right treatment so you can better manage your health. It also increases your chances of overcoming the disease and reduces any risk of complications.” In addition to lifestyle and family’s health history, another factors on which health check-ups are based are gender and age. The primary care center chief explained, in a statement, that health concerns naturally change with every passing decade.

20-29 years old

tes), eyesight, and hearing. Men: Dr. Laconico recommends a testicular exam as part of a general check-up, and tests for sexually transmitted diseases, if one is sexually active. Women: A yearly pelvic exam and pap smear every three years are recommended to check for signs of cancer and sexually transmitted diseases. “A clinical breast exam every one to three years,” she added, “is also advisable for women with average risk for breast cancer.”

30-39 years old

Regular evaluation of BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar remains the top priority for individuals of all genders in this decade to determine whether they are actively taking care of their well-being. Women: Those who have a history of breast cancer in the family are recommended to take a mammogram. Sexually active women can also consult their doctor about the best type of birth control, as well as taking a thyroid test, especially if they plan to get pregnant. “Thyroid hormones are crucial to the development of a baby’s brain and nervous system.”

Young and at their peak, individuals in their 20s don’t usually consider health screenings necessary. “We need to change that mindset,” emphasized Dr. Laconico. “Just because you don’t feel anything doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see your health practitioner.” Tests and exams for this decade should include determining body mass index in order to ascertain any health 40-49 years old risk one may face if it is outside the Aside from the usual health screenhealthy range; and establishing baseline ings, physicians will require more speblood pressure, cholesterol levels (espe- cific tests depending on one’s gender. cially if one has a family history of heart Men: “By this age, men can expect to undisease), blood sugar (to rule out diabe- dergo a prostate exam through a urologist,

HEALTH BULLETIN

Studies reveal link between muscle health and immune system THE condition of a person’s muscle, poor quality of life,” Abbott Asia Pacific especially among the aging population, Nutrition medical director Dr. Jose Rohas an effect to their immune function, dolfo Dimaano, Jr. said, adding, “while a recent study by the German Research not always immediately apparent, muscle loss can be a drag on overCenter reveals. all health.” German researchers disDimaano said properly covered that strong muscle recovering from diseases mass may help in achieving such as COVID-19 would a better immune system. require ample nutrition to Muscles are said to produce be incorporated in order and release compounds to rebuild strength and which play an important immunity. However, he role in the proliferation, acadded that one symptom tivation, and distribution of of COVID-19 can be the some immune cells. loss of taste, which can Skeletal muscle accounts lead to loss of appetite. for about 40 percent of total Additional research body weight and contains at shows that a littleleast 50 percent of all body known compound, proteins. Data suggest that Recent studies reveal that HMB (β-hydroxy loss of muscle mass is asstrong muscle mass— sociated with compromised maintained with the help of β-methylbutyric acid), can immunity and infections. regular physical activities— be beneficial in reducing inflammation and imResearch in older may help in achieving a proving pulmonary funcadults reveals that inbetter immune system. tion in COPD patients in creased markers of inflammation are associated with low the ICU, preserving muscle mass in indimuscle mass and muscle function. Im- viduals who are immobile, and improving munity is affected if an older adult loses muscle strength with exercise and muscle more than 10 percent of their lean body function in older populations. Dimaano said that while HMB ocmass, while a decrease of more than 30 percent can make them susceptible to curs naturally in food such as avocados, grapefruit, and asparagus, it’s hard to get pneumonia. “Losing muscle can be one of the main enough HMB from food sources alone. drivers for more negative health out- “It can be beneficial to look for a nutricomes, such as physical disabilities and tional supplement that includes HMB.”

Early detection helps you address the condition with the right treatment so you can better manage your health. especially if there is a history of prostate cancer in the family,” said Dr. Laconico. Women: The HealthHub recommends the Health Investment Female Rider which includes either a mammogram or breast ultrasound to check for signs of breast cancer, a transvaginal or transrectal ultrasound to rule out ovarian cancer, and a bone density test every three years to monitor signs of osteoporosis.

People in their 20s are recommended to go through tests that will determine their BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, hearing, and eyesight.

50s-60s

This is the age bracket in which both men and women should consider getting colonoscopy that tests for precancerous polyps and signs of colorectal cancer, according to Dr. Laconico. Combined with Fecal Occult Blood Test, these diagnostics can detect early signs of colon cancer, she added. – Steph Llarena

Aside from usual health screenings, physicians will require those in their 40s more specific tests depending on gender.

Celebrities on managing finances

Luis Manzano, Anne Curtis and others share insights DURING a financial wellness webinar hosted by global life insurer Manulife, Filipino celebrities and personalities Anne and Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Luis Manzano, and Kobe and Andre Paras share their insights and experiences in building successful careers, starting new ventures, and managing their finances. L u i s Manzano – “Sometimes, expenses will come all at the same time, especially when you’re planning a wedding. I realized that it’s essential to diversify. Don’t keep your eggs in a single basket, so you have multiple financial sources.” Anne Curtis-Smith – “When I started my career at 12 years old, it was my Mom and Dad who would handle my finances. They turned it over to me once I reached 18. That was when I started managing my expenses. I was very conscious of saving up for the rainy days. It’s OK to treat yourself, but you need to learn to save. If you’re planning to have children, make sure to save and invest for

their future so you can give them the best in life.” Jasmine Cu r t i s Smith – “I have learned not to be afraid to ask for guidance and advice from experts about planning, operations, and financials (regarding business ventures). Be more open to people more knowledgeable than you about business, and learn from them.” Andre Paras – “I love acting, and I’m very passionate about my job. However, when the pandemic struck, I was afraid because I didn’t know when I would work again, which made me rethink my financial goals. Now, I’m planning to explore ways to invest and grow my money so that I’ll be able to secure a better future for myself and my family.”

Kobe Paras – “Right now, I treat paintings as my investment. But after hearing from Manulife’s financial advisors, I want to try the 50/30/20 rule—50 percent of my income goes to my necessities, 30 percent to my wants, and 20 percent to reach my financial goals.” Financial advisor Cherrie Brinas – “Set aside an emergency fund, so you are prepared when anything strikes. Get sufficient insurance coverage to secure your loved ones’ future. Look beyond merely saving in a bank account by investing so you can grow your money and meet your financial goals and aspirations.” Fi nancial advisor Kito Zialcita – “By knowing how to invest wisely, you are putting capital at work. You are growing your finances not just by working hard, but also by making your money work hard for you.”