Manila Standard - 2021 January 29 - Friday

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Top US diplomat vows to defend PH vs. attacks to defend the Philippines against any armed attack in the South China Sea after China g passed a law authorizing its coast guard to fire US PRESIDENT Joe Biden’s Sec- on foreign vessels in the hotly conretary of State Antony Blinken has tested waterways.

Blinken made this pledge in a call reaffirmed America’s commitment

By Rey E. Requejo, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos Araneta

to Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin on Thursday after he took his oath as the new US top diplomat.

“Secretary Blinken and Secretary Locsin reaffirmed that a strong USPhilippinealliance is vital to a free

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US President Joe Biden

Biden warns China over expansionism ONE week into the job, US President Joe Biden has sent a clear warning to Beijing against any expansionist intentions in East and Southeast Asia.

In multiple calls and statements, he and his top security officials have underscored support for allies Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, signalling Washington’s re-

USS Theodore Roosevelt

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Economy at its worst in 2020 NEDA chief unfazed by 9.5% GDP fall, sees ‘encouraging’ moves

By Julito G. Rada, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz HE economy shrank a record 9.5 percent last year, official data showed Thursday, after coronavirus measures devastated the retail and tourism sectors while a series of natural disasters wrecked crops.

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But Acting Socioeconomic Planning “We will see more economic activity Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the in the months ahead,” Chua said. outlook for this year was “encouraging” “This will lead to a strong recovas measures introduced to contain the ery before the end of the year when virus are eased further and the country the government will have rolled out prepares for a vaccination drive.

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VOL. XXXIV • NO. 325 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

519,575

Duterte all set to curb prices of food items

1,169 33,427

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JANUARY 28) TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

NEW

ACTIVE

10,552

71

475,596

60

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order that will impose a price cap on select food items in public markets such as pork and chicken, Malacañang said Thursday.

“It’s, I think, forthcoming,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser, when asked for an update on the status of price ceiling on pork and other food products.

Roque, however, said he had yet to see the EO signed by the President.

He also did not provide additional details about the implementation of price ceiling on farm commodities.

“We are ready to release [the EO]

NEW

NEW

NEW FLEET. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Philippine National Railways General Manager Jun Magno and other stakeholders flash the thumbs-up sign during the inaugural run of PNR’s newest diesel hydraulic locomotives and passenger coaches on Thursday January 28, 2021. This marks first time in more than 40 years that the PNR Metro Commuter Rail Line will be served by a new fleet, which is imported from Indonesia.

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DND fires military intel chief

DOLE fears wage hike to lead to business shutdowns

By Maricel V. Cruz, Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja

Alex Luna, AFP intelligence chief

DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday ordered the immediate relief of the intelligence chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) following the release of an erroneous list of New People’s Army (NPA) communist terrorists killed by the military.

“I am relieving Maj. Gen. Alex Luna from his post as deputy chief-of-staff for intelligence, J-2, effective today (28 Jan 2021),” Lorenzana said in a statement sent to reporters.

He said the publication of an erroneous list of NPA rebels killed in military

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Biden’s appointee is Dagupan’s pride PANGASINAN Rep. Christopher de Venecia has filed a bill hailing a Filipino-American woman from Dagupan City for being recently appointed as deputy commissioner of the US Bureau of Reclamation.

Camille Calimlim Touton, who is from Barangay Tebeng in Dagupan, City, was Next page

Camille Calimlim Touton

By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said any petition to increase the minimum wage of workers at this time of pandemic might force

many establishments to shut down operations.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said a petition to increase wages must be studied carefully as employers might not be able to afford it.

Bello said the interests of all parties should be considered before raising wages and any increase of wages might lead to the worst situation such as an increase in unemployment rate.

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LOCAL ROUNDUP

• From MGCQ to GCQ mulled • Cebu worries

By Vito Barcelo and Dave Leprozo SOME provinces under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) will revert to “stricter” general community quarantine due to rising cases of the virus, Malacanang said Thursday.

However, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque did not identify which areas will shift to the stricter quarantine measures so as not to preempt President Rodrigo Duterte’s final decision.

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MASS SWABBING. Residents of Barangays Caluttit and Poblacion in Bontoc including state employees who are not town residents but are working in this capital town undergo the free RT-PCR test on Thursday, January 28,2021, at the Provincial Plaza. Bontoc has become a COVID ‘hotspot’ in the North amid an upsurge in new virus cases. BFP photo via Dave Leprozo

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SC: Baguio judge guilty of misconduct

By Rey E. Requejo

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HE Supreme Court has found one of the seven trial court judges previously linked by President Rodrigo Duterte to illegal drugs in 2016 administratively liable for gross ignorance of the law, gross misconduct, and violations of the New Code of Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary.

In an en banc resolution released last January 26, 2021, the SC found retired Baguio City Regional Trial Court Judge Antonio Reyes guilty of various administrative charges.

But since Reyes could no longer be dismissed from service following his mandatory retirement from the judiciary on Nov. 20, 2017 while his administrative case was pending, the SC instead ordered the forfeiture of his retirement benefits, except accrued leave credits,

and barred his re-employment in any public office.

The tribunal affirmed the findings of the investigation conducted by the office of Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez based on recommendation by retired SC Associate Justice Roberto Abad who was tasked to do a fact-finding probe on the President’s allegations.

Abad recommended the filing of an administrative case against Reyes.

In upholding the findings during the

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imposing price control [on select food items],” Roque said.

The plan to impose a price ceiling on food items such as pork, chicken, fish and vegetables came amid the rising retail prices of farm commodities.

Duterte’s signing of the EO also came following calls to implement a price cap to stop the cost of pork and chicken from rising.

The prices of meat and vegetables rose by 50 to 275 percent this month compared to January 2020, according to the price monitoring report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The Agriculture and Trade departments, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and Metro Manila mayors have signed a resolution urging Duterte to impose a price cap of PHP270 per kilogram for pork kasim pigue and PHP300 per kilo for liempo.

enough vaccines against COVID-19 for a majority of our people.”

Gross domestic product shrank for four straight quarters in 2020, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

The full-year figure was the worst since records began in 1946 and ended more than two decades of annual growth.

Accommodation and food services were among the sectors hardest hit by lockdowns and other measures that left millions jobless.

A series of typhoons and a volcanic eruption in the natural disaster-prone country also destroyed cash crops.

Chua warned a more robust recovery was being hampered by stay-at-home orders for children, which were preventing families visiting shopping malls -- the centers of community life and consumer spending in the Philippines.

Earlier this week President Rodrigo Duterte overturned a decision by his coronavirus task force to lift the restriction on children aged 10 to 14.

“Economic growth will be hard pressed to make a stronger recovery if children and families are restricted from participating in the economy as up to 50 percent of non-essential retail sales are driven by family spending,” Chua said.

Once those and other measures are further relaxed, “we see no reason why the economy cannot bounce back”, he added.

Last year “will be remembered as the most difficult year in our lives”, Chua said.

“The road ahead remains challenging but there is now light at the end of the tunnel.”

Gross domestic product (GDP) con-

Price ceiling

They also recommended a price ceiling of P160 for whole dressed chicken.

In November last year, Duterte imposed a 60-day price freeze following the declaration of a state of calamity in Luzon in the wake of Typhoon Ulysses.

The price freeze, which already expired, covered basic food items like rice, pork, chicken, beef, vegetables, root crops, sugar, fresh fruits, canned fish, and other marine products, among basic commodities.

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos said the “knee-jerk reaction” of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Trade and Industry to control runaway market prices through the “vicious cycle” of importation would only leave local vegetable and livestock farmers at the mercy of ruthless traders and cartels.

Due to this, he said the DA and DTI should boost the transport and delivery of local agricultural produce before resorting to importation and price controls amid rising food costs.

Marcos, chair of the Senate committee on economic affairs, said filed Senate Resolution 619 to investigate the status of the DA’s P24-billion stimulus fund – the single biggest item for emergency funding under Bayanihan 2, and why the DTI has failed to control food costs despite issuing suggested retail prices.

She pointed out that the country’s food security in coming months will depend on a more targeted use of the P24-billion DA fund and of the agency’s quick response and contingency funds.

The DA’s more diffuse and medium-term programs, involving the development of agri-entrepreneurs and research and business “corridors,” she said, will have no immediate impact on the urgent problem of spiraling food prices and dwindling supply.

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“His negligence only shows a lackadaisical attitude towards his job resulting in confusion and damage to reputation. We do not take these offenses lightly and I want to hold the people involved accountable,” Lorenzana said.

Asked why he gave such a stinging rebuke to Luna, Lorenzana replied: “That language is needed to jolt the whole organization into taking their jobs seriously. There is an investigation going on but I based my decision under the principle of command responsibility: a commander is responsible for whatever his unit does or fails to do.

They all know that.”

The military earlier apologized to those who were inadvertently named in

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“Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of the Mutual Defense Treaty for the security of both nations, and its clear application to armed attacks against the Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea.” Observers viewed Blinken’s statement as an indication of the Biden administration policy on South China Sea disputes and how it would continue to support its regional allies, particularly

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On Wednesday, Biden told Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that his administration is committed to defending Japan, including the Senkaku Islands, which are claimed both by Japan and Chithe list of students who joined the NPA and allegedly died or were captured.

The list was posted in the AFP Information Exchange Facebook account and has since been immediately taken down or deleted from its social media accounts.

“The Office of the J-7 (Civil-Military Operations) AFP is already conducting an internal investigation as to how the list got published. Personnel who are responsible will be held to account,” the AFP earlier said.

The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives welcomed Luna’s relief.

But ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, a member of the bloc, said his relief should go hand in hand with the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, which she blamed for the red-tagging of human rights activists, teachers, lawyers, lawmakers and ordinary citizens voicing their dissent over the Duterte administration’s policies.

Two vax makers claim to fight off UK, SA variants

investigation and the results of the judicial audit, the SC said: “All the allegations against respondent judge and the results of the judicial audit clearly show that he violated the Canons of Judicial Conduct. Respondent judge was remiss in the discharge of his judicial functions and with the allegation of corruption, damaged the integrity of the Judiciary which he represents.”

“Judges are strictly mandated to abide by the law, the Code of Judicial Conduct and existing administrative policies in order to maintain the faith of our people in the administration of justice,” it pointed out.

According to the tribunal, any act which falls short of the exacting standard for public office, especially on the part of those expected to preserve the image of the judiciary would not be

countenanced.

“Thus, in view of all the foregoing, this Court finds respondent Judge administratively liable for gross ignorance of the law, gross misconduct and violations of Canons 1, 2, and 3 of the New Code of Judicial Conduct, as such, respondent Judge should be meted the ultimate penalty of dismissal from service,” the SC ruled.

Reyes was one of the seven judges linked to illegal drugs by the President, but only four of them were sitting judges when the President made the public announcement on Aug. 7, 2016.

Upon recommendation of Abad, the SC cleared three judges of the allegation for lack of evidence.

In the case of Reyes, the SC had directed the Office of the Court Administrator to proceed with the inventory

tracted 8.3 percent in the fourth quarter last year, bringing the full-year average to -9.5 percent, the worst since the end of World War II. National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Dennis Mapa said in an online press briefing that the 9.5-percent contraction surpassed the 7-percent decline posted in the latter part of the Marcos administration in 1984.

The decline in GDP in 2020 was a reversal of the 6 percent expansion in 2019.

Data showed that the fourth-quarter decline of 8.3 percent was n improvement from the deeper 11.4-percent contraction in the third quarter.

Mapa said the agriculture sector declined by 2.5 percent in the fourth quarter and -0.2 percent for the full year.

Industry also fell 9.9 percent in the fourth quarter, ending the year with an average -13.1 percent.

Services, on the other hand, contracted by 8.4 percent in the fourth quarter and fell 9.1 percent the whole year.

The 2020 GDP hit the upper end of the government’s earlier forecast range of a 8.5 to 9.5 percent contraction for the whole year. But it was below the International Monetary Fund’s -9.6 percent forecast for the year.

Reading the joint statement of the Duterte administration’s economic managers, Chua said when the government restricted the economy in the second quarter of 2020, GDP fell by 16.9 percent and the unemployment rate rose to 17.7 percent.

However, improvements were seen with the gradual easing of restrictions. In the third quarter, a much slower GDP contraction of 11.4 percent was recorded. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the economy even grew by 8 percent. Unemployment

rate also dropped quickly to 8.7 percent.

Chua said this improvement was the result of the further reopening of businesses and wider accessibility of public transport since October 2020. However, it also showed the limits of economic recovery without any major relaxation of our quarantine policy.

“On the demand side, private consumption, which comprises some 70 percent of GDP, remained weak with a -7.2 percent growth. While the government relaxed the restrictions in the supply side by allowing more public transport and establishments to operate, restrictions on the demand side, notably on the mobility of children, and hence families, prevented private consumption from making a stronger comeback,” he said.

Consequently, he said the quarantine restrictions reduced household spending by P801 billion in 2020 or an average of around P2.2 billion per day. The fall in consumption translated into a total income loss of around P1.04 trillion in 2020 or an average of around P2.8 billion per day.

On a per capita basis, annual family income declined by some P23,000 per worker, “but this average masks wide differences across sectors and jobs. Some workers were hit much harder, while others lost their jobs completely,” he said.

Chua said agriculture performance deteriorated and contracted by 2.5 percent due to a series of typhoons, flooding, and the African swine flu.

Six typhoons, namely typhoon Nika, Ofel, Pepito, Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses, caused some P16.6 billion worth of losses and damage to agriculture. To prevent further spread of the disease, some 432,000 hogs were culled.

its long-time Southeast Asian ally, the Philippines, which is locked in a maritime dispute with China over a portion of the South China Sea. The Philippines and the United States have an existing Mutual Defense Treaty that binds the US to defend its Asian ally from external aggression.

The US top diplomat also emphasized that “the US rejects China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea to the extent they exceed the maritime zones that China is permitted to claim under international law” as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea Convention.

“Secretary Blinken pledged to stand with Southeast Asian claimants in the face of PRC pressure,” the State De-

partment said.

Blinken and Locsin both “committed to continue building upon a relationship founded on shared strategic interests and history, democratic values, and strong people-to-people ties.”

While the US is not a party to the disputes in the South China Sea, it has declared that it is in its national interest to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight across the contested waterways where the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims.

The passage of the China’s new law allowing its coast guards to fire on foreign vessels in its claimed territories in the South China Sea is expected to stoke tensions in the region.

“If we will grant or recommend the approval of the petition to increase the wage from P537 to P700 or P750, the employers might not be able to afford it. If we increase it, they may be compelled to close down,” Bello said.

Bello said there were businesses whose earnings had suffered leading to a reduction of their workforce. “ If we again increase the salaries of our workers, the problem could be, this could affect the workers’ employment status,” Bello added.

“We need to study this carefully before we make any drastic move. We need to carefully research this. Can the employers afford it? If they can, then by all means, we will recommend, we adopt the petition of the workers,” the Labor chief said.

However, Bello said if the employers could not afford, the government must be very careful, fearing an increase in the unemployment rate.

Prices of basic commodities prematurely increased in December last year, and continue to rise, pushing labor groups to call for an increase in daily minimum wages to P750 nationwide.

The highest minimum wage is in Metro Manila at P500 to P537. It was last adjusted in 2018.

na, which calls them the Diaoyu Islands.

That stance was echoed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who told Japanese counterpart Nobuo Kishi on Saturday that the contested islands were covered by the US-Japan Security Treaty.

Austin affirmed that the United States “remains opposed to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea,” according to a Pentagon statement on the call.

Meanwhile, three days into the Biden administration, State Department spokesman Ned Price warned China about menacing Taiwan after it repeatedly sent more than a dozen military fighters and bombers through the island’s air defense zone.

“We will stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity security and values in the Indo-Pacific region – and that includes deepening

our ties with Democratic Taiwan,” Price said in a statement.

“Our commitment to Taiwan is rock-solid.”

And Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Philippine counterpart on Wednesday that a mutual defense treaty obliging the US to defend the Philippines against attack in the Pacific also applied to the disputed South China Sea – something the Obama administration did not specify. AFP

GCQ,” Roque said.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila will remain under the GCQ status amid the detection of the new COVID-19 variant “It’s difficult to speak because we in the country, according to Metro Maare reserving the decision to be an- nila Council chairman and Parañaque nounced by the President,” Roque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez. said, adding ““I can confirm that in DFA under lockdown some areas, they will go back to GCQ The Department of Foreign Affairs from MGCQ.” “What’s important at this point is headquarters in Pasay City will be unto confirm that there are areas which der lock down starting today (Friday) will have an escalation from MGCQ to until Feb. 2 after some of its officers

tested positive for COVID-19.

“Sadly I must quarantine. I’m negative but the building and officers I met yesterday tested positive. We’re going into lockdown ‘til Tuesday when we test again,” DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a Twitter post.

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five-time Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. Born in Quezon City, Touton grew up in Dagupan City and Calasiao before she and her family migrated to the United States.

In sponsoring the resolution, De Venecia said the appointment of Touton brings honor and pride not only to the people of Dagupan City but also to the entire Philippines.

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of the Interior in charge of water management and oversees the operations of dams, canals and hydroelectric plants.

Touton is the daughter of Carl Calthe first Filipino-American appointed imlim and Marlene Bagsal while her

by US President Joe Biden since he as- grandparents are the late Camilo Calsumed office on January 20. imlim, a retired US Navy man and forThe Bureau of Reclamation is a fed- mer Tebeng barangay captain Juanita eral agency under the US Department Calimlim, a close relative of former

PFIZER and BioNTech, makers of a COVID-19 vaccine, said on Thursday that their product is effective against coronavirus variants that have emerged in Britain and South Africa.

In a statement, the two companies said the “small differences” detected in tests comparing the original virus and the recent versions “are unlikely to lead to a significant reduction in the effectiveness of the vaccine.”

While the findings indicated no need for a new vaccine to tackle the new strains, Pfizer and BioNTech said they would respond if there was evidence that the variants could defeat their current vaccine.

They would continue to monitor their vaccine’s “real-world effectiveness,” including against new strains, they said.

Germany eyes travel ban

Germany is planning to ban most travellers from countries hardest hit by coronavirus variants, the interior minister said on Thursday, in a bid to stop the strains from reversing recent progress on lowering infections.

“At the moment within the government, we are coordinating towards the aim of refusing inbound travel from mutation areas,” said Horst Seehofer.

“We are concentrating these travel restrictions on mutation areas, that is at the moment Britain, Portugal, South Africa and Brazil.”

India eases restrictions

India has further eased coronavirus restrictions, bucking the trend in many other countries as the huge Asian nation’s infection and death numbers fall sharply.

Government figures on Thursday showed that, in the previous 24 hours, 123 people died from the virus in India, with 11,666 new infections. AFP

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‘Serious concern’

A group of researchers and professors described Thursday the continued increase in COVID-19 cases in Cebu as a cause “now (for) serious concern.”

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Vargas: Enlist ‘Alarming rate’ of crimes vs. judiciary members scored social workers for vaccination

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

A SENIOR leader of the House of Representatives on Thursday urged the national government to enlist social workers, including those working at the Department of Social Welfare and Development, for the successful implementation of the national vaccination program against the dreaded coronavirus 2019. “(Social workers) know their communities and can convince them to participate in the COVID-19 vaccination process,” said Quezon City Fifth District Rep. Alfred Vargas, who is also chairman of the House Committee on Social Services.

Vargas stressed that social workers could play a crucial role in the success of the government’s vaccination program.

“Across the nation, the DSWD alone deploys more than 10,000 social workers.

They can help the Department of Health and Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. communicate the value and acceptance of vaccination against the coronavirus at the grass roots level,” the lawmaker said.

He noted that vaccine confidence is currently at its lowest in the Philippines after the undue Dengvaxia hysteria in 2017.

Vargas cited the observation made by Dr. Lulu Bravo, executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, who expressed concern that Filipinos may not be ready yet for COVID-19 vaccination as the public is hesitant, thus the need for intervention from the social workers to convince them to accept the COVID-19 vaccines.

Data from OCTA Research, which conducted a recent survey, showed that in Metro Manila, a COVID-19 hot spot, only 25% are willing to be vaccinated, 28% would not want to be vaccinated at all, and 47% remain undecided.

Recent reports on the low efficacy of the China-made Sinovac/CoronaVac vaccine also contributed to the public’s hesitancy.

“Let us harness the full potential of the social workers because they are highly credible individuals respected and accepted by their communities,” Vargas pointed out.

The Quezon City congressman also vowed to call for a meeting with the DSWD, non-government organizations, the Philippine Association of Social Workers (PASWI) to discuss how these groups can help implement the government’s national vaccination program against COVID-19.

Vargas also called on Galvez to declare social workers nationwide as essential frontliners in the fight against COVID-19.

SENATOR Richard Gordon, chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, on Thursday underscored the need to protect the judiciary after 20 of its members were killed, most of them by riding-intandem gunmen, since the start of the year.

“It’s not about the number of police brutalities or crimes committed by them.

They may have one or a thousand cases, the point to me is to protect the integrity of the institution,” said Gordon.

He said since society has allowed the police to have guns and power, in exchange they are expected to maintain peace and order, respect the citizens, and uphold the constitutional right of the people to be secure in their person and in their homes.

Gordon presided over a virtual hearing Thursday on several resolutions and delivered a privileged speech calling for an inquiry into the wanton killings of members of the legal community and citizens in the country.

Sen. Imee Marcos also raised the need for stronger relations between the Philippine National Police and the judiciary to ensure continuous prosecution of criminal

cases.

Marcos authored Resolution No. 593, which directs an inquiry “on the alarming rate of crimes committed against judges, lawyers, and other officers of the Court.”

“What have the National Police Commission and the rest of the law enforcement community done to recommend effective crime management and crime prevention programs?” she asked.

PNP to start using body cams P

OLICE officers in Metro Manila would be the first to use body cameras and associated equipment recently acquired by the Philippine National Police (PNP) starting next month, a ranking police official said on Thursday.

National Capital Region Police Office director Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao, together with Mandaluyong City officials, sign a manifesto supporting the campaign against the communist armed movement at Brgy. Namayan. Manny Palmero

Lagman rejects Duterte-Duterte 2022 tandem

By Maricel V. Cruz A VETERAN legislator on Thursday shot down the idea of a Duterte-Duterte tandem in 2022 elections, saying it will be a circumvention of the constitution, specifically the provision on term limits and ban on political dynasties.

“While there may be no strict legal impediments to a “Duterte-Duterte” tandem (Sara Duterte for President and Rodrigo Duterte for Vice-President) in the 2022 elections, this perilous combination would

result to the circumvention of constitutional prohibitions and the perpetration of patent unethical indiscretions,” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said in a statement.

Lagman’s statement came in response to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo who floated the idea of a possible team-up of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and President Rodrigo Duterte in the coming 2022 Presidential elections.

Panelo, in a dinner-fellowship hosted

by Mayor Cesar Quiambao and attended

by prominent Pangasinan political leaders last January 23, said the Duterte-Duterte 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.

But Lagman, a lawyer, said the constitutional ban against an incumbent president running for reelection after the expiration of his single six-year term is designed to prohibit the perpetuation of presidential powers in one person.

In a phone interview with reporters, PNP director for logistics Maj. Gen. Angelito Casimiro said the body cameras and associated equipment need to be configured and equipped with internet connectivity before they can be used.

“We will start with the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office).

Right now, the configuration works conducted by the PLDT is at 65 percent. We hope they complete this by the end of January,” Casimiro said in Filipino.

Casimiro noted the PNP is looking at distributing the body-worn cameras in 44 sites in Metro Manila, where these will be connected to a data management center located at the NCRPO tactical operations center.

“We are planning to have a one-day seminar for this. Our police officers will be briefed on the protocol and who will be given access to it,” he explained.

Policemen will also be taught how to present in court pieces of evidence from the body cameras.

Casimiro pointed out that the “reconfiguration and final configuration” of the system has to be done at the PNP command center in Camp Crame.

The process of distribution, he said, needs to be staggered, as connecting body cameras that would be delivered to provinces such as Sulu, Basilan and TawiTawi to the system is difficult due to connectivity issues.

In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, former PNP chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa chided the police force over the supposed slow delivery of the body cameras, which he said are essential in conducting anti-drug operations.

ABS-CBN bill ‘moot’—Alvarez

By Maricel V. Cruz

Manila City Mayor Francisco Domagoso and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna oversee the simulation exercise of the COVID-19 vaccination program for residents of Tondo at the Isabelo Delos Reyes Elementary School on Thursday. Norman Cruz

Customs slaps smuggling raps on 3 importers

By Vito Barcelo

THE Bureau of Customs filed smuggling charges against three importers of used clothing or “ukay-ukay” and kitchen for misdeclaring their shipments that arrived in the country last year.

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said criminal cases were filed against the importers before the Department of Justice.

“The latest complaints had brought to 112 the cases filed before DoJ against importers and Customs brokers under his term,” he said.

According to the bureau, Akiza One Six Eight Eight Eight Trading was charged for alleged unlawful importation and misdeclaration of 100 sacks of used clothing, 450 sacks and 150 cartons of mixed fabrics and swatches.

Villar: Catanduanes is abaca capital

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SINCE Catanduanes is the country’s top abaca producer, contributing 90 percent to abaca production in the Bicol Region, Senator Cynthia Villar is pushing for the declaration of the Catanduanes as the ‘Abaca Capital of the Philippines.

In Senate Bill No. 1748, Villar, chairperson of the Senate agriculture and food committee, cited statistics from the Department of Agriculture showing that, “from 2013 to 2019, the Bicol Region is the top producer of abaca fiber in the country.

She noted that the region produced a total of 22,987 metric ton, which comprises 37% of the national production.

She said Catanduanes is also considered as the top abaca producer in the world.

“The abaca harvested in the province of Catanduanes is even higher than the

production of Ecuador, the second biggest abaca producer in the world after the Philippines,” Villar said.

The senator’s bill seeks to “promote and support the abaca industry of the province, while safeguarding it from destruction of plant diseases and calamitous events.”

“It is proper and apt that we officially name Catanduanes as the abaca capital of our country because it really is ever since.

Once passed, she said the bill will also provide the province with additional government support and allocation.

“That will help them to further grow and develop the abaca industry to benefit the farmers and all the people who depend on it for livelihood,” said Villar.

Abaca is the main source of livelihood of the people living in Catanduanes.

The abaca industry directly benefits nearly 13,000 farmers who are tending over 33,000 hectares of land in 11 abacaproducing municipalities in the province.

THE bill filed at the House of Representatives seeking to grant ABS-CBN a “provisional franchise” is moot, a House official said on Thursday.

Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chair of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, was referring to House Bill 6732 was filed by former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies in May 2020 amid public clamor for the House to tackle various measures seeking to grant ABS-CBN a 25-year franchise.

In a statement, Alvarez said the bill in question was already “moot and academic” since the provisional franchise proposed in the measure was only effective until October 31, 2020.

HB 6732 stated that a provisional franchise be given to the ABS-CBN “effective until October 31, 2020.” This means that the “proposed franchise” has already expired nearly three months ago.

“The subject matter of the unfinished business in the plenary is House Bill

6732, which seeks to grant ABS-CBN a provisional franchise effective until October 31, 2020. Obviously, this is already moot and academic,” Alvarez said in a statement.

“Based on my understanding from the House leadership, the ABS-CBN franchise issue is best left to the next Congress,” he added.

Alvarez made the statement after Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor during Wednesday’s plenary session, raised an issue on the unresolved provisional franchise bill for the network. He would have wanted the House leadership to act fast on HB 6732 being listed as “unfinished business” for several months now.

“Before we consider the business of the day, or the measures that we have to tackle now, I would like to like to raise a point of order that the unfinished business of the ABS-CBN franchise be decided first before we take up any issue in plenary, unless there will be a debate on the rules,” Defensor, who voted against giving ABS-CBN a 25-year franchise, said late Wednesday.

A woman shows a dummy COVID-19 vaccine at the ORCA Solution cold storage facility in Taguig City. Arman Clemente

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor

A4

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021 lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

LGUs

‘E-Nanays’ finish Malabon techie learning program

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Explain Wil Tower mess, QCPD told T

By Rio N. Araja

HE Quezon City Police District has a lot of explaining to do for its supposed failure to control fans of television host Willie Revillame in front of Wil Tower during his birthday last Jan. 27.

Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday said: “I was told today the QCPD sent a contingent, so I have to get their side of the story.”

“I want to know why there are reports

in the media about the crowd control,” she added.

Revillame’s fans flocked to the Wil Tower along Eugenio Lopez Drive for his traditional gift-giving to indigents.

“Yesterday (Wednesday), a crowd gathered outside Wil Tower because it was the 60th birthday of Willie Revillame,” the city mayor said.

“It is his [Revillame] custom that whenever it is his birthday. People come and visit him, and he also gives his assistance to indigent members of the society and he was worried,” she added.

Belmonte said ahead of his birthday, she had already advised Revillame to coordinate with law enforcers or security personnel to ensure crowd control among his fans.

Meanwhile, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., National Policy Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar, said Thursday the government is ready to augment the Quezon City government’s plan to vaccinate non-resident workers.

“The national government is more than willing to support the Quezon City on its drive to include (in) its institutional concept of vaccinating the workers,” Galvez said in an interview during the visit of the COVID-19 Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) team in Quezon City.

‘E-NANAY’ GRADS. The graduates of the E-Nanay program of Malabon City government sit with Mayor Lenlen Oreta (standing center, in pink) as one of the graduates proudly

shows her certificate (inset).

Pansi Festival a big hit online

BIR in C. Luzon urges more online sellers to register, pay taxes

By Jess Malabanan CITY OF SAN FERNANDO —Only 552 online sellers in Central Luzon have registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and a big number of traders using the internet are operating without permit from the agency.

BIR Regional Investigation Division Assistant Chief Ester Roda Formoso thus

urged online traders to file their registration and pay their tax dues “as it is their obligation.” She said a team from the BRID will check their tax compliance.

“Online sellers do not have fixed stores, so it is difficult for us to oversee their transactions. With that, we are highly encouraging them to register, file, and pay for their income taxes,” she said.

Formoso added that online trading is a

convenient way of selling goods -- from hardware to household and ready-to-wear items -- from the comfort of their homes, but it is unfair for other legitimate businesses that are paying their taxes.

Applicants are required to secure valid ID, proof of residence, P500 for registration fee, and P30 for documentary stamps.

Formoso said online sellers must is-

DURING the early days of the pandemic, Delma Marimon and Anale Cagalitan, both stay-at-home moms in Malabon City, found themselves wearing more hats -- they are not only moms, nurses, or cooks, they became the teacher/ tutor of their kids as online learning was implemented at home.

Both admit that at first it was a challenging task as they are not “techie” moms since they only know little about computers and online programs.

“When my kids would ask me about checking emails or approving Zoom sessions for their online classes, I admit that I was so afraid as I didn’t know anything about online stuff,” said Delma in Filipino. “I realized that in order to help our kids learn during this time, we have to also learn on our own and equip ourselves with the digital tools.”

Both Nanays do not have to go far or spend too much just to learn. In October 2020, the Malabon City LGU launched a new program specifically to “transform stay-at-home Nanays into E-Nanays.”

Last December 21, 2020, a graduation program presented E-Nanays Delma and Anale, who were among the 50 graduates in socially distanced rites held at the City of Malabon University (CMU).

“I want to personally congratulate the 50 certified E-Nanays who graduated today. Now, you are capable of delivering learning to your children and helping them in their education at home,” said Malabon Mayor Lenlen Oreta, also CMU’s President.

“As the first LGU and first local college university (LCU) to implement this kind of project, this program is a true example of converting challenges into opportunities. Nanays become ENanays who are digital-ready to face the future,” he added.

Mayor Oreta and First Lady Melissa Oreta, together with Malabon City Councilor Enzo Oreta, presented the certificates to the graduates. Councilor Oreta also donated five desktop computers for the use of the E-Nanays.

sue printed official receipts or invoices to their customers, being a legitimate store.

“In lieu of our authority to print, BIR has printed receipts. Online sellers can avail these in BIR offices, amounting to P30 only per booklet. They can use these in their transactions,” she explained.

Meanwhile, convenience store or sarisari owners are required to pay an annual registration fee of P500.

TASTY ‘PANSI’. Mayor Christopher Mamauag tries a serving of ‘pansi; in the Pansi Cabagan cookfest watched online by villagers in Cabagan, Isabela on January 22. LGU-Cabagan

By Rosenda Alluad-Visaya CABAGAN, Isabela—The Pansi Festival here has gone online, with cooks from villagers and offices displaying their prowess in cooking “pansi,” an Ibanag word for pancit, Cabagan delicacy and showing their other prowess in mask making and other arts genre that ended today Thursday.

Mayor Christopher Mamauag said the festival has been annual event of Cabagan, a first-class town with 50,174 people according to the 2015 official census.

The old Cabagan has existed from 1646 to 1877 and was resurrected by the Spaniards into a new town by decree on January 25, 1877.

Home to its well-known “Pancit Cabagan,” villagers are always treated to gigantic servings of “Pansi Cabagan” in the past years but not this day due to the COVID-19 pandemic-imposed health protocols.

The pancit cooking event was witnessed online by village officials and folks instead of the usual personal fanfare.

Virtual events on E-tula, poster, online mural painting and dance were also done, and winners were awarded on Thursday.

Government officials hold the annual festivity as a tribute to this town’s thriving native noodle industry and the farmers’ bountiful harvest, although in a “simple way,” the mayor added.

The noodle has been forever etched in the history and culture of the villagers, he said, as a way of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvests of the farmers and for the ubiquitous pansit Cabagan that is synonymous with the town’s culture and heritage, Mamauag said.

However, the annual Kalesa, Kutseru, Kabayu (KKK) competition and interbarangay calesa painting contests were scrapped due to health restrictions.

Smart, BasaBookstore assist 200 teachers TO HELP enhance distance learning in the new normal, PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has partnered with BásaBookstore to donate books and LearnSmart e-Storytelling videos for students in remote communities.

The Smart-backed activity aims to donate more than 3,300 books to over 200 teachers in Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos, and Cagayan.

The storytelling fleet also aims to provide psychosocial support and a sense of normalcy through reading.

BásaBookstore, a travelling bookstore and social enterprise, will run the BasaVan Caravan from January 27 to February 4 in celebration of World Read Aloud Day. “We feel strongly that reading is a power-

ful way not just to educate, but to also help people overcome negative feelings and challenges. Through the BasaVan project and the materials that we will be handing over to the teachers, we hope that the students will be able to continue learning and that no one will be left behind in experiencing the power of reading and access to education,” Smart AVP for Community Partnerships Stephanie V. Orlino explained.

“Before the lockdown, we have already sold and donated books to over 20 different cities through our BásaVan project. We hope that through the gift of reading, we will be able to help children by providing access to leisure and learning,” BásaBookstore Founder Rey Bufi said.

Opinion Accountability in public service

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

B1

EDITORIAL

lowed by a public officer and employee; that is, to serve with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, to act with patriotism and justice, and to lead modest lives (Section 1, Article XI, 1987 Philippine Constitution).

What if the pubic officer or employee WHENEVER we discuss accountability falls short of the exacting requirements of in public service, the Ombudsman as the public service? The public officer or emprotector of the people has to be men- ployee believed to have erred can be sued tioned. The Ombudsman is not unique to in the Office of the Ombudsman. The the Philippines. There are other countries subject of the action will be rooted on which have their own Ombudsman – malfeasance, misfeasance, and non-feaAustralia, France, Greece, Russia and the sance committed during his tenure of office.

Netherlands, among others.

There is this notion that the OmbudsThe Ombudsman in the Philippines found its origin in Sweden. In its consti- man can only hear and resolve graft castutional reform of 1809, Sweden decided es. This is inaccurate since the Ombudsto establish a high legal officer elected man must investigate a public officer or by the Parliament called the ‘High Om- employee if: (a) his lifestyle is excessive budsman’ to supervise the legality of the and extravagant; (b) he is inefficient; (c) activities of the Government and public he abuses his authority; or (d) he engages administration at large (https://www.of- in activities which are in conflict with his ficialgazette.gov.ph/briefer-the-office-of- public office.

The power of the Ombudsman is the-ombudsman/). broad, and it inThe word “omcludes the power budsman” means to conduct prelimia person that acts nary investigations, as a proxy to repWhy the fact-finding investiresent another; in Ombudsman is gations, administrathis case, the repideally the protector tive or disciplinary resented people are investigations, and those who complain of the people prosecutions. The about the alleged Ombudsman is wrongdoings of the tasked to investigate public administraand prosecute on its tion. (https://www. officialgazette.gov.ph/briefer-the-office- own or as prompted by the complaint of another person if the act or omission of of-the-ombudsman/).

The ombudsman is usually appointed any public officer or employee, office or by the government or by the parliament agency appears to be illegal, unjust, imbut with a significant degree of inde- proper or inefficient (Section 13 (1), Artipendence (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ cle XI, 1987 Philippine Constitution).

The disciplinary authority of the OmOmbudsman). In our country, the Ombudsman extends to all elective and apbudsman is appointed by the President.

The forerunner of our current Office pointive officials of the Government of the Ombudsman was the Tanodbayan, and its subdivisions, instrumentalities which was created by Presidential Decree and agencies, including Members of No. 1487 as amended. The Office of the the Cabinet, local government, governOmbudsman was later created under the ment-owned or controlled corporations 1987 Constitution which set the tone for and their subsidiaries, except officials who may be removed by impeachment accountability in public office.

In the sponsorship speech of Commis- or Members of the Congress, and the Jusioner Jose C. Colayco during the 1986 diciary (Section 21, Republic Act 6770).

If the complaint against a public ofConstitutional Commission, he discussed the purpose, independence and scope of the ficer or employee is criminal in nature, powers of the Ombudsman. According to the Office of the Ombudsman will have him, the Ombudsman was conceived “as a to conduct a preliminary investigation champion of the citizens” who will call the to determine the existence of probable attention of government officials to any im- cause, and if such exists file the crimipropriety, misconduct or injustice (https:// nal information with the Sandiganbayan www.officialgazette.gov.ph/briefer-the-of- or the regular courts. The prosecutorial arm of the Ombudsman is the Office of fice-of-the-ombudsman/.

Colayco explained that “[T]he Om- the Special Prosecutor which is under its budsman must act on his own. And if direction and control.

In administrative complaints, the Ofhe thinks that the other office can do it better, he has to take the steps himself fice of the Ombudsman, after hearing can to refer the case there and follow it up.” take appropriate action against a public He also said that “[T]he Ombudsman is officer or employee who is at fault or has going to be the eyes and ears of the peo- neglected to perform an act or discharge ple” (https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/ a duty required by law (Section 15 (3), Republic Act 6770). The erring public briefer-the-office-of-the-ombudsman/).

With this power, he further said, the officer or employee can be removed, susOmbudsman can “investigate, inquire pended, demoted, fined, or censured.

The Ombudsman may preventively into and demand the production of documents involving transactions and con- suspend any officer or employee under tracts of the government where disburse- his authority pending an investigation, if ment of public funds is reported.” The in his judgment the evidence of guilt is Ombudsman is the guard of the guard- strong, and the charge against the officer ians, another check to ensure that those or employee involves dishonesty, oppresin power would not abuse their positions sion or grave misconduct or neglect in the (https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/ performance of duty (Section 24, Republic Act 6770). briefer-the-office-of-the-ombudsman/). full version at www.manilastandard.

No less than the Philippine Constitution laid down the standard to be fol- net

A project simply dumb QUEZON City residents are complaining about the installation of zigzag pedestrian lanes or crosswalks as part of the local government unit’s Green Open Reclaimed Access (GORA) project.

Constituents of Barangay Laging Handa and Barangay South Triangle where some of those ill-designed lanes have popped up, decry the lack of consultation with them before such a project was implemented.

They say they are bewildered by the unusual crosswalk instead of the straight path, indicating that the rationale of such concept was not properly

Adelle Chua, Editor

or satisfactorily explained to the taxpayers.

“Do they expect senior citizens and small kids, or anyone for that matter, playfully cross the streets zigzagging like drunks?” Eljay Calonge said.

We are all for Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte’s efforts to promote sustainable development, interconnectivity and reduced air pollution. We support her vision of making the City “walkable and bikeable.”

However, whoever in the LGU came up with such a novel idea of engineering must have a valid justification for it.

I say valid justification at least, as I have a reservation saying that he or she might have a real good reason for coming up with a zigzag idea.

We must not confuse this with Australia’s road signs showing zigzag line markings leading to a pedestrian crosswalk. They tell motorists to take cau-

A bottled-up economy

T

HE economy’s dismal performance in 2020 was a forgone conclusion. With COVID-19 restricting travel and the movement of people, and forcing the closure of many business establishments, the economy contracted by 9.5 percent for the full of 2020.

A contraction in the economy simply means more jobs are being lost in the pandemic. along with construction, suffered the brunt of the pandemic. With air travel and local border restrictions, hotels and resort facilities cannot operate viably. Many of them are forced to cease operations. The same is true with thousands of retail and fast-food outlets. Office workers that frequent these establishments are nowhere to be found. There is no consumer spending that can fuel the economy.

Acting Economic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua noted that the prevailing stay-at-home orders on children were also stalling the economic recovery. Parents and their children often visit

The partial reopening of the economy obviously is not enough to reverse the tide. Fourth-quarter figures show the story of the economy. Construction sank 25.3 percent, other services tumbled 45.2 percent and accommodation and food service activities slumped 42.7 percent. Philippines exports declined 10.5 percent, while imports plunged 18.8 percent—the telltale signs of reduced economic activities.

The retail and tourism sectors,

shopping malls and dine in fastfood restaurants. The absence of this routine has curtailed spending in the economy and is directly contributing to unemployment in the services sector.

A contraction in the economy simply means more jobs are being lost in the pandemic. The United Nations took note of the situation. The UN’s International Labor Organization found that 8.8 percent of global working hours were lost in 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. The rate is equivalent to 255 million fulltime jobs, or “approximately four times greater than the number lost during the 2009 global financial crisis,” according to the ILO. The key to economic recovery, thus, is the lifting or easing of the virus restrictions that have shuttered many retail outlets, closed down tourism establishments and impaired the mobility of people.

Consumer spending should return to open a bottled-up economy.

Facebook to tone down political talk

By Glenn Chapman FACEBOOK is seeking to “turn down the temperature” on its sprawling platform by reducing the kind of divisive and inflammatory political talk it has long hosted.

Facebook has been pounded with criticism that it not only hasn’t done enough to curb misinformation and vitriol on its network, but that its algorithm actually tended to encourage such posts because of the attention they grab.

The social media giant will no longer recommend politics-themed groups to users, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday, making permanent a measure put in place during the combative US election won by President Joe Biden.

The Silicon Valley-based internet giant is also working on ways to reduce the amount of political content served up in users’ news feeds by its automated systems.

“We’re still going to enable people to engage in political groups and discussions if they want to,” Zuckerberg said.

But he added the decision to reduce political content in users’ main news feeds is part of a push “to turn down the temperature and discourage divisive conversation.”

The social media giant has long been a fertile ground for users to tangle over opposing views or surround themselves with those who agree emphatically.

“But one of the top pieces of feedback that we are hearing from our comtion or slow down as they approach a pedestrian lane.

The successive zigzag lines which the Aussies call “zebra crossings” are found in select locations or blind spots on a curve or downhill part of the street.

Until the residents of the two barangays get an enlightening explanation for the self-styled zigzag pedestrian crossings, we will simply consider them stupid. Those who approved its public funding are stupid, as well. It is simply hazardous for pedestrians, as well as motorists, who may not immediately recognize such signage.

munity right now is that people don’t want politics and fighting to take over their experience on our services,” Zuckerberg said in an earnings call.

“We plan to keep civic and political groups out of recommendations for the long term and we plan to expand that policy globally,” he added.

Trump ban to stand?

These moves come as Facebook wrangles with whether former president Donald Trump’s suspension from the network for “fomenting insurrection” should stand.

Facebook and Instagram barred Trump after his supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, an attack on the seat of US democracy that led to Trump’s unprecedented second impeachment.

The platform is referring the matter to its independent oversight board, which is tasked with making final decisions on appeals regarding what is removed or allowed to remain on the world’s biggest social network.

“We believe our decision was necessary and right,” Facebook vice president of global affairs Nick Clegg said in a blog post at the time.

Members of the oversight board come from various countries and include jurists, human rights activists, journalists, a Nobel Peace laureate and a former Danish prime minister.

Reaction to the Trump ban has ranged from criticism that Facebook should have booted him long ago to outrage over his online voice being muted.

Some pedestrian lanes in two Quezon City barangays are confusing and thus hazardous.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the zigzagged pedestrian lane design does not meet the International Standards on

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True value of a vaccine

Facebook’s stance was never meant to mean “that politicians can say whatever they like,” Clegg said.

Healthful vs Hurtful Facebook updated its mission a few years ago, from connecting the world to “bringing the world closer together.”

Letting people create groups devoted to topics, hobbies, ideas or interests was touted as enabling people to get to know one another in virtual clubhouses.

More than 600 million of Facebook’s approximately 2.6 billion monthly users take part in groups, according to Zuckerberg.

“Our product focus now is to develop this community infrastructure beyond feeds and message boards to help people build and run full self-sustaining community institutions,” he said.

“As we continue to focus on this, we need to make sure that the communities people connect with are healthy and positive.”

Part of that effort involves building tools such as messaging and video chat into groups, and creating ways for groups to raise money from donations, membership fees, or merchandise sales, according to the Facebook chief.

It also means taking down groups that break Facebook rules about promoting violence or hate, Zuckerberg said, noting that the social network has removed more than a million groups for policy violations in the past year.

AFP

Highway Traffic Code. So if those in Mayor Belmonte’s office and the Department of Budget Management (DBM) wish to delve in abstract painting, they should realize that the streets of Quezon City are not the ideal place for it.

These hippies must stop smoking whatever it is they’re smoking that makes them “high.”

We sought Secretary Wendel Avisado’s explanation for such a waste of public funds on somebody’s whims but the DBM head was not available as of this writing.

We’re fighting COVID-19 with foreign loans

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Vietnam reports first virus outbreak in nearly 2 months V IETNAM recorded its first coronavirus outbreak in almost two months on Thursday, with more than 80 new cases reported as authorities began testing tens of thousands of people to contain the spread.

The infections were detected in northern Vietnam, with one cluster linked to a case of the more contagious coronavirus variant first spotted in Britain.

The figure was a new daily record for the communist nation, which has been widely praised for its handling of the pandemic

—recording just over 1,500 cases before the new cluster and only 35 deaths.

The latest outbreak in the provinces of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh is “more complicated and serious” than anything Vietnam has dealt with before, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said.

SEC Memorandum Circular No. 1 Series of 2021 TO

:

ALL CONCERNED

SUBJECT

:

GUIDELINES IN PREVENTING THE MISUSE OF CORPORATIONS FOR ILLICIT ACTIVITIES THROUGH MEASURES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP (“80 TRANSPARENCY GUIDELINES”)

Whereas, Section 73 of Republic Act No. 11232 otherwise known as the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines (RCCP) requires all corporations to keep and carefully preserve all information relating to the corporation including but not limited to the current ownership structure and voting rights of the corporation, lists of stockholders or members, group structures, intra-group relations, ownership data, and beneficial ownership; Whereas, the law mandates that corporations be organized and used only for legal purposes and should not be used to defeat public convenience, justify wrong, protect fraud, or defend crime, or confuse legitimate issues; Whereas, it is well established that the risk of misuse of corporate vehicles for purposes contrary to law such as money laundering and terrorist financing arises from the lack of transparency of beneficial ownership of such corporate vehicles; Whereas, to effectively guard against the misuse of such corporate vehicles, competent authority must have access to adequate, accurate, and timely information on their beneficial ownership and control; Whereas, it is a declared policy of the State to ensure that the Philippines shall not be used as a money laundering site for unlawful activities; Whereas, promoting the transparency of beneficial ownership of legal persons such as corporations is consistent with the country’s commitment to implement international standards and best practices in combating money laundering and terrorist financing as recommended by the Financial Action Task Force and other international standard-setting bodies; Whereas, nominee arrangements whereby individuals assume a management or ownership position on behalf of their principals, and the use of nominee shareholders and nominee directors under such arrangements, can hide the identity of beneficial owners of corporate vehicles and thus increase the risk of misuse of such corporate entities for illegal activities; Whereas, the issuance of bearer shares and bearer share warrants similarly hides the identity of such beneficial owners and thereby increase the risk of misuse of the corporation; Whereas, the issuance of bearer shares and bearer share warrants are by implication not allowed under the RCCP; Whereas, the RCCP requires the disclosure of the incorporators, first directors/trustees, and subscribers to the authorized capital stock of the corporation in the Articles of Incorporation; Whereas, the RCCP likewise requires corporations to keep a Stock and Transfer Book which shall contain a record, among others, of all stocks in the names of the stockholders alphabetically arranged, a statement of every alienation, sale, or transfer of stock made, the date thereof, by whom and to whom made; Whereas, the concealment or non-disclosure of the beneficial owner/s of the corporation and the identity of the nominators and principals of its incorporators, directors/trustees and shareholders, would be in contravention of the policy embodied in pertinent provisions of the RCCP; WHEREFORE, by the authority vested in the Commission as Supervising Authority by the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), as amended, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), the Securities Regulation Code (SRC) and the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines (RCCP), and as approved by the Commission En Bane, the following guidelines are hereby promulgated: SECTION 1. Scope - This Circular shall apply to nominee directors/trustees and nominee shareholders as herein defined, incorporators/applicants for incorporation, and all concerned corporations subject to the supervision and jurisdiction of the Commission.

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms

“We aim to isolate and fight the outbreak to prevent its spread as quickly as possible.”

In Hai Duong province, the cases are thought to be linked to a factory worker who tested positive for the virus when she landed in the Japanese city of Osaka. She was found to have the British variant.

The town where the factory is located has been closed off, while medical workers are rushing to test tens of thousands of people in the area.

In Quang Ninh, which is on the border with China, one of those infected is a security official at Van

Don airport, where international passengers have been arriving before being sent into mandatory quarantine.

The airport has been shut while passenger vehicles are banned from leaving or entering the province.

The outbreak comes at a sensitive time for Vietnam. Its twice-ina-decade Communist Party congress began on Tuesday to select new leadership.

A long Lunar New Year break will follow in February, when millions of people are expected to travel to see their families. AFP

incorporators of a corporation shall disclose to the Commission within thirty (30) days from the issuance of the company’s Certificate of Registration, the person or persons on whose behalf the registration of the corporation was applied for.

Nominee incorporators or applicants for registration, as well as the nominee directors/trustees and nominee shareholders of the applicant corporation shall in the same manner disclose to the Commission their respective principals or nominators. The disclosure shall include the full names, country of residence, nationality, and tax identification numbers (TIN), or in the absence of such TIN, the passport numbers of their nominators or principals and the person on whose behalf the corporation was registered. Otherwise, they shall submit to the Commission a declaration within the same period that they are not nominee incorporators/nominee applicants/nominee directors/nominee subscribers, if such be the fact, and that they are not acting as such for and on behalf of another person.

SECTION 7. Mandatory Disclosure of Nominators/ Principals/Persons on Whose Behalf One Acts as Director/Trustee/Shareholder of Existing Corporations.

- Except as otherwise provided by law, rules, and regulations, nominee shareholders as well as nominee directors/trustees of registered corporations shall disclose to the Commission their nominators and principals or persons on whose behalf they act as such shareholders/directors/trustees. Such information shall likewise be disclosed to the corporation in which they are or act as nominee shareholders or directors/trustees. The disclosure shall include the full names, country of residence, nationality, and tax identification numbers, or in the absence of such TIN, the passport numbers of their nominators or principals. If the nominator or principal is a corporation, the registered name of the corporation, its country of registration, names of its incorporators and directors, its beneficial owner, its TIN, if any, shall in the same manner be disclosed. If the nominator or principal is a trust, the names, nationality and country of residence, and TIN or passport number of the trustor/s, trustee/s and beneficiary lies of the trust shall in like manner be disclosed.

The requirement prescribed in this section shall not apply to the PCD Nominee.

SECTION 8. Period to Submit Disclosure Statement Under Section 7 Hereof - All persons who are nominee shareholders/directors/trustees of existing corporations before the effective date of this Circular shall submit to the Commission the said disclosure within thirty (30) days from the date this Circular became effective.

Those who become nominee shareholders, directors/trustees on or after the effectivity of this Circular, shall submit the same within thirty (30) days from the time they became or assumed the role of or started acting as nominee directors/ trustees or shareholders.

SECTION 9. Exemption from Disclosure Requirements - As a general rule, the disclosure requirement prescribed in Section 7 of these Guidelines shall not apply to all Covered Institutions as enumerated under Section 3(a) of the AMLA, as amended, and SEC Memorandum Circular No. 16, Series of 2018 or any amendments thereof. Provided, that the exemption from the said disclosure requirement only applies to nominee/trustee arrangements related to products and services offered by Covered Institutions/Persons that are already subject to Customer Identification Requirements and Record Keeping by Supervising Authorities under the AMLA and its applicable Rules and Regulations.

SEC Covered Persons having an overkill rating of 1 in the Commission’s AntiMoney Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Risk Rating System (ARRS) may nonetheless be directed to comply with the disclosure requirements in Section 7 of these Guidelines as part of its close monitoring measures pursuant to SEC Memorandum Circular No. 26, Series of 2020.

SECTION 10. Compliance - The submission to the Commission of the required information under Sections 6 and 7 of this Circular shall be done online in such form and manner as the Commission deems practicable.

SECTION 11. Data Handling and Management of Information and Communication Technology (lCT) - The Information and Communications Technology Department (ICTD) of the Commission shall electronically acknowledge receipt of the disclosures required to be submitted online under these Guidelines noting the date they were actually submitted and shall provide access to such disclosures to designated personnel of the Anti-Money Laundering Division of the Enforcement and Investor Protection Department (AMLD-EIPD). The ICTD shall likewise maintain an updated database of corporations with the information required to be submitted under Sections 6 and 7 of these Guidelines. The said information shall be kept confidential and will not be uploaded to the Commission’s publicly accessible database. The information shall nonetheless be made readily available upon request to competent authorities for law enforcement and other lawful purposes as may be necessary in carrying out the functions of public authority.

SECTION 12. Beneficial Ownership as Part of Corporate Records - All Corporations registered with the Commission shall keep and preserve in its principal office adequate, timely, and accurate information relating to its beneficial owner or owners to be identified in the manner provided for in SEC Memorandum Circular No. 15, Series of 2019 or any amendments thereof. For the purposes of this Circular, the information on Beneficial Ownership is adequate when the Corporation has the complete names, specific residential addresses, dates of birth, nationalities, tax identification numbers, if any, and percentage of ownership, if applicable, of all its Beneficial Owners. It is timely if the beneficial ownership information or any change thereto is promptly reflected on record within three (3) days from the time the information becomes available or is reasonably expected to be available to the Corporation with the exercise of due diligence. Further, it is accurate if the information is correct in all its details.

“Bearer shares” - shall refer to equity securities owned by the person or entity that holds the physical certificate which enables the transfer of ownership of shares of stock by mere delivery of such certificate. It shall likewise refer to instruments that accord ownership in a juridical person to the person or entity who possesses or is the holder of the bearer share certificate.

This is without prejudice to the requirement to disclose beneficial ownership information in the GIS which shall remain in full force and effect.

b.

“Bearer share warrant” - shall refer to a document certifying that the bearer is entitled to a certain amount of the fully paid shares of stock of a corporation.

If, after due notice and hearing, the Commission finds that:

c.

“Beneficial owner” - shall refer to the natural person or persons who ultimately owns or controls or exercises ultimate effective control over the corporation as defined and required to be disclosed in the General Information Sheet (GIS) pursuant to SEC Memorandum Circular No. 15, Series of 2019 or any amendment thereto.

a.

d.

“Commission” - shall refer to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

e.

“Nominee Incorporator / Director / Trustee/ Shareholder” - shall refer to any natural person who acts for and on behalf of another person as incorporator/director/ trustee or shareholder.

f.

“Nominator / Principal” - shall refer to any person or entity for and on whose behalf another person acts as incorporator / applicant/ director / trustee/ shareholder.

SECTION 3. Prohibition Against the Issuance/Sale/Public Offering of Bearer Shares/Bearer Share Warrants - No person or entity shall issue, sell or offer for sale or distribution bearer shares and bearer share warrants.

SECTION 4. Disclosure and Recording of the Alienation, Sale, or Transfer of Shares. - Except as provided for under any of the rules of the Commission, the alienation, sale, or transfer of shares of stock, the date thereof, by whom and to whom made, shall be disclosed and recorded in the Stock and Transfer Book of the issuing corporation within thirty (30) days from date of such alienation, sale, or transfer, subject to compliance with the requirements for the recording or registration of transfers under applicable regulations. Unless thus disclosed and recorded, the same shall not be binding on the issuer. No transfer or assignment of ownership or rights over shares of stock shall be effective unless the name of the transferee/purchaser/assignee is properly indicated and said transferee/ purchaser/assignee is properly identified and the transaction is recorded in the Stock and Transfer Book or the appropriate registry book of the issuing corporation in accordance with these Guidelines.

Sales or transfers of shares of publicIy listed companies through the facilities of the Philippine Stock Exchange arc not covered by this Section 4, without prejudice to the requirement to disclose beneficial ownership information in the GIS which shall remain applicable to all registered corporations as well as the disclosure of beneficial ownership of shares in accordance with pertinent provisions of the 2015 IRR of the SRC. SECTION 5. Payment of Dividends - Except for dividend payments made by publicly listed companies to the PCD Nominee or any similar entity authorized to act as depository and custodian of shares for purposes of trading in the stock exchange and operating under the same rules, no dividends shall be paid to any person or entity unless his/her/its name appears in the records of the corporation as the owner of the shares of stock for which dividends are being paid.

SECTION 6. Mandatory Disclosure of the Person on Whose Behalf the Corporation is Registered and the Nominators/Principals of Nominee Incorporators/First Directors/Trustees and Shareholders of Corporations Applying for Registration - Except as otherwise provided under existing laws, rules, and regulations, the

SECTION 13. Administrative Sanctions - The penalties and sanctions under current laws and other issuances of the Commission are hereby adopted and incorporated into these Guidelines insofar as they are applicable.

a.

There is a willful violation of these Guidelines or related orders of the Commission; or

b.

Any person has, in applications, records, declarations, disclosures, or documents required under these Guidelines to be filed with the Commission, made any untrue statement of any material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or

c.

Any person has refused to permit any lawful examination into its affairs,

the Commission may, in its discretion, and subject to existing laws and regulations, impose any or all of the following sanctions as may be appropriate in light of the facts and circumstance: I.

Fine of no less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) nor more than Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00) plus not more than one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) for each day of continuing violation but in no case to exceed Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00);

II.

Suspension or revocation of the certificate of incorporation; and

Indonesian gay couple whipped for banned sex A GAY couple were flogged in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province Thursday, justice officials said, in a public spectacle lambasted by human rights groups.

The two men were whipped nearly 80 times each for having gay sex, which is outlawed in Aceh province under local Islamic law.

The pair, who were not identified, winced in pain and pleaded for the whipping to stop, as a masked sharia officer beat their backs with a rattan stick.

The punishment was briefly halted and the men, both in their twenties, were allowed a drink of water before it continued.

The mother of one man fainted at the sight of her son being whipped.

“Islamic sharia enforcement is final, no matter who it is, and even visitors must respect lo-

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees missing from a refugee camp HUNDREDS of Rohingya are missing from a refugee camp in Indonesia and are believed to have been trafficked to neighbouring Malaysia, officials and sources said Thursday.

Just 112 refugees remain at the makeshift camp in Lhokseumawe on Indonesia’s northern coast this week, well down from the almost 400 that arrived between June and September last year.

Neither local authorities nor the UN could account for the whereabouts of the refugees from the stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar, who are feared to have enlisted traffickers to help them cross the Malacca strait into Malaysia.

“We don’t know yet where they went,” said Ridwan Jalil, head of the Rohingya taskforce in Lhokseumawe. “But they’ll escape if they can find any hole to

MYANMAR’S army chief has raised the prospect of scrapping the country’s constitution as fears swirl about a possible coup by the military over electoral fraud concerns.

The army has for weeks alleged widespread voter irregularities in November’s election, which Aung San Suu Kyi’s ruling National League for Democracy won in a landslide.

The civilian administration has been in an uneasy power-sharing agreement with the army generals since Myanmar’s first democratic elections in 2015, as dictated by a 2008 junta-authored constitution.

An army spokesman on Tuesday refused to rule out the possibility of the military seizing total

SECTION 17. Effectivity - This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately after its publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation and its posting on the Commission’s website.

Pasay City, Philippines, 27 January 2021.

FOR THE COMMISSION:

power to deal with what he called a political crisis.

And on Thursday General Min Aung Hlaing -- arguably Myanmar’s most powerful individual -- appeared to echo that sentiment in a speech published in the military-run Myawady newspaper.

The amry chief said the 2008 constitution was “the mother law for all laws” and should be respected.

But he warned that in certain circumstances it could be “necessary to revoke the constitution”.

The comments follow repeated demands by the army for Myanmar’s election commission to release final voter lists from the November polls, a demand that has not been met. AFP

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES TARIFF COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Pursuant to Section 1608 of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), and in relation to Sections 1603(b) and 1603(h) of same, the Tariff Commission (Commission) will conduct two (2) Public Hearings via Videoconferencing (PHVs) on 04 February 2021.

The schedule and subject matter of the PHVs are as follows:

AHTN 2017 Code 02.03

SECTION 14. Criminal Actions and Criminal Liability - The imposition of administrative sanctions shall be without prejudice to the filing of criminal charges against persons responsible for the violation of Title XVI of the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines as well as other applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

SECTION 16. Repealing Clause - All rules, regulations, orders, circulars, and issuances of the Commission that are inconsistent with this Memorandum Circular, unless otherwise herein indicated, are hereby amended and/or repealed accordingly.

leave because that is their goal.”

A Myanmar military crackdown in 2017, which UN investigators said amounted to genocide, forced 750,000 Rohingya to flee across the border into Bangladesh’s southeast coastal district of Cox’s Bazar, where many ended up in sprawling refugee camps.

Thousands have since paid smugglers to get them out of Bangladesh, enduring harrowing, months-long sea journeys punctuated by illness, beatings by traffickers and near-starvation rations to reach Indonesia and Malaysia.

At least 18 Rohingya from the Lhokseumawe camp and over a dozen suspected traffickers were recently caught by police several hundred kilometres south, in Medan city, a frequent staging point for illegal crossings into Malaysia. AFP

Myanmar’s army chief raises prospect of scrapping country’s constitution

III. Other penalties within the power of the Commission to impose.

SECTION 15. Monitoring ofCompliance and Enforcement - The Enforcement and Investor Protection Department shall enforce and monitor compliance with this Circular in coordination with the other Operating Departments of the Commission and impose the applicable sanctions for any violation thereof as may be warranted.

cal norms,” public order official Heru Triwijanarko told AFP. The men were arrested in November at a rental home where a landlord found them half-naked in their room.

Gay sex is not illegal elsewhere in Indonesia and Aceh is the only region in the world’s biggest Muslim nation that imposes the Sharia law.

In Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, public flogging is a common punishment for a range of offences that include gambling, drinking alcohol and adultery.

Four others were whipped between 17 and 40 times on the same day over allegations they drank alcohol or met with members of the opposite sex.

Human rights groups slam public caning as cruel, and Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo has called for it to end. AFP

AHTN 2017 Code 10.06

04 February 2021 - 10:00 a.m.

[TCI (TM) no. MFN-2021-Meat of Swine] Proposal of Department of Agriculture: Description Temporary reduction of MFN tariff rates for one year Meat of MFN Tariff Rate (%) swine,fress, Current (2021) Proposed chilled or In-Quota 30 5 frozen. first six months 10 next six months Out-Quota 40 15 first six months 20 next six months 04 February 2021 - 2:00 p.m.

[TCI (TM) no. MFN-2021-Rice] Proposal of Department of Agriculture: Description Temporary reduction of MFN tariff rates for one year Rice MFN Tariff Rate (%) Current (2021) Proposed In-Quota 40 35 Out-Quota 50 35

The PHVs will be held using Microsoft Teams. Interested parties are required to register their participation from 29 January - 03 February 2021 (only until 3:00 p.m. on the last day) using the registration link posted on the Commission’s website https://tariffcommission. gov.ph. If a presentation will be made at the PHVs, parties are required to submit their presentation slides to the Commission by 03 February 2021 (only until 3:00 p.m.) at the latest.

Interested parties are also encouraged to submit position papers until 09 February 2021 using the position paper template posted on the Commission’s website. Online submission to TC.Assist@mail.tariffcommission.gov.ph is urged.

For inquiries and other details, Director Ma. Lourdes M. Saluta may be reached at email address TC.Assist@mail.tariffcommission.gov.ph.

Issued this 28th day of January 2021 in Quezon City, Metro Manila.

Digitally signed

EMILIO B. AQUINO Chairperson

MARILOU P. MENDOZA Chairperson (MS-JAN. 29, 2021)

(MS-JAN. 29, 2021)

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Business

Manila

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Facebook registered profit of $11.2b in 4th quarter as pandemic fueled use

INVESTMENT FORUM. Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Faleh speaks during the fourth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference at the capital Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel on January 27, 2021. Saudi Arabia opened a two-day Davos-style investment forum, with dozens of global policy makers and business tycoons lined up to speak at the largely virtual event amid the coronavirus pandemic. Only 200 of around 8,000 registered delegates attended in-person, while around 100 speakers are set to participate virtually with 50 present physically. Previous summits drew thousands of Wall Street titans and global policymakers. AFP

SAN FRANCISCO―Facebook profit surged in the final three months of last year as people enduring the holidays in a pandemic turned to the leading social network for work and pleasure, the company said Wednesday.

Facebook reported profit of $11.2 billion on revenue of $28 billion, increases of 53 percent and 33 percent when compared with the same period the prior year.

“We had a strong end to the year as people and businesses continued to use our services during these challenging times,” said Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.

Facebook said its core social network had some 2.8 billion users at the end of December while 3.3 billion people used at least one of its “family” of apps including Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.

Facebook shares that ended the formal trading day down 3.5 percent remained little changed in after-market trades that followed release of the earnings figures.

The Silicon Valley colossus noted in the release that it faces “significant uncer-

tainty” in the coming year.

Facebook takes in the bulk of its revenue from advertising, and said that it benefited as the pandemic accelerated a shift to online commerce, particularly for products as opposed to services such as booking travel.

“Looking forward, a moderation or reversal in one or both of these trends could serve as a headwind to our advertising revenue growth,” Facebook said in the release.

Facebook also warned that it expects to face strong “headwinds” on an evolving regulatory landscape and from moves such as an Apple change to its mobile operating system making it tougher to target ads.

“While the timing of the iOS 14 changes remains uncertain, we would expect to see an impact beginning late in the first quarter,” Facebook said.

The social networking giant last month opened fire on Apple, saying the iPhone maker’s new measures on data collection and targeted ads would hurt small businesses. AFP

Stocks slightly down; PLDT, Apollo Global fall

T

HE stock market slipped Thursday after the release of official data showing the economy shrank a record 9.5 percent last year, as coronavirus measures devastated the retail and tourism sectors while a series of natural disasters wrecked crops.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index shed 11.77 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,851.84 on a value turnover of P8.8 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 136 to 73, with 53 issues unchanged.

Data showed the fourth-quarter gross domestic product decline improved from the revised 11.4-percent contraction in the third quarter. It was, however, a reversal of the 6.7-percent expansion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019. GDP grew 6 percent in the whole of 2019.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said despite the contraction in the gross domestic product, the outlook for this year was “encouraging” as measures introduced to con-

tain the virus are eased further and the country prepares for a vaccination drive.

PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications firm, fell 2.5 percent to P1,370, while International Container Terminal Services Inc., the largest port operator and owned by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., declined 1.6 percent to P122.

Magnetite iron miner Apollo Global Capital Inc. slumped 19.8 percent to P0.199, while Basic Energy Corp. sank 9.9 percent to P1.

The rest of Asian markets suffered further losses Thursday, tracking a rout in New York and Europe as markets were hit by a perfect storm of worries about the slow rollout of vaccines, surging infections, a stuttering economic recovery and high valuations.

After a months-long rally sent several indexes to records or all-time highs, investors have started to fret in recent weeks about a possible correction and analysts say some losses are to be expected.

All three main Wall Street markets

ended more than two percent lower. Asia was also a sea of red.

Hong Kong lost more than two percent, along with Jakarta and Wellington, while Shanghai and Sydney were almost two percent off.

Tokyo, Seoul, Mumbai, Singapore, Taipei and Bangkok lost more than one percent.

The Federal Reserve added to the sense of concern as it warned that the economy was struggling in the face of a new wave of COVID-19 infections that is hammering the northern hemisphere and

forcing governments to reimpose strict containment measures.

The US central bank said the “pace of the recovery in economic activity and employment has moderated in recent months” and said it would maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy for the foreseeable future.

Chair Jerome Powell added that “overall economic activity remains below its level before the pandemic, and the path ahead remains highly uncertain.” With AFP

In this file photo taken on December 2, 2020, a pedestrian walks past “Store Closing” signs in the window display of a Debenhams store in Manchester, northern England. UK department store chain Debenhams is to shut all its outlets with the loss of around 12,000 jobs, a source said to AFP on January 25, 2021. AFP

UN: World lost equivalent of 255m jobs in 2020

By Nina Larson GENEVA, Switzerland―The coronavirus pandemic took a huge toll on global jobs last year, the United Nations said Monday, with the equivalent of more than a quarter of a billion lost.

In a fresh study, the UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO) found that a full 8.8 percent of global working hours were lost in 2020, compared to the fourth quarter of 2019.

That is equivalent to 255 million full-time jobs, or “approximately four times greater than the number lost during the 2009 global financial crisis,” the ILO said in a statement.

“This has been the most severe crisis for the world of work since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” ILO chief Guy Ryder told reporters in a virtual briefing.

Since surfacing in China just over a year ago, the virus has killed more than 2.1 million people, infected tens of millions of others and hammered the global economy.

The UN labor agency explained that around half of the lost working hours were calculated from reduced working hours for those remaining in employment.

But the world also saw “unprecedented levels of employment loss” last year, it said.

Official global unemployment shot up by 1.1 percent, or 33 million more people, to a total of 220 million and a worldwide jobless rate of 6.5 percent last year.

Lost talents, skills Ryder stressed that another 81 million people did not register as unemployed but “simply dropped out of the labor market.”

“Either they are unable to work perhaps because of pandemic restrictions or social obliga-

tions or they have given up looking for work,” he said.

“And so their talents, their skills, their energy have been lost, lost to their families, lost to our society, lost to us all.”

The lost working hours last year shrank global labor income by a full 8.3 percent, the ILO said.

That amounts to a drop of some $3.7 trillion, or 4.4 percent of overall global gross domestic product (GDP), it added.

The emergence of several safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 has raised hopes that the world will soon be able to rein in the pandemic.

But the ILO cautioned that the prospects for a global labor market recovery this year are “slow, uneven and uncertain.”

The organization pointed to the uneven impact the crisis had had on the world’s workers, affecting women and younger workers far more than others.

Globally, employment losses for women last year stood at five percent, compared with 3.9 percent for men.

Women are more likely to work in the harder-hit sectors of the economy, and also have taken on more of the burden of, for instance, caring for children forced to stay home from school.

‘Lost generation’ Younger workers were also far more likely to lose jobs, with employment loss among 15-24-year-olds at 8.7 percent globally, compared with 3.7 percent for older workers.

Many young people also put off trying to enter the labor market given the complicated conditions last year, the ILO found, warning that there was truly an “all too real risk of a lost generation.” AFP

(MS-JAN. 29, 2021)

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B4 FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

Retail investors plan to increase stock exposure in first semester

By Jenniffer B. Austria RETAIL investors are feeling less bearish and are planning to increase exposure to the stock market over the next six months, a survey conducted by online brokerage firm COL Financial show.

COL Financial president Conrado Bate said in a news briefing Thursday only 5 percent of retail investors that participated in the survey were bearish on the performance of the market over the next six months, compared to 14 percent in 2020.

The survey said 42 percent of the respondents had a neutral outlook on stock market for the next six months while 53 percent were expecting the market to have a bullish recovery.

About 75 percent of retail investors said they were planning to increase investments in the stock market over the next six months.

Nearly 50 percent said they would concentrate their investment action on blue chips while 31 percent said they would put more investments in growth stocks.

Meanwhile, Bate said the number of new online retail accounts enrolled with the COL Financial doubled in 2020 as more people began using technology to invest in the stock market.

He said that prior to the pandemic, COL Financial’s new accounts averaged 3,000 a month. This grew 10,000 a month last year.

Online investors are trading more actively, nearly five times more compared to other retail investors, Bate said.

This encouraged COL Financial to stop accepting new accounts and upgrade its online trading system to handle the increase in the number of trades.

Bate said the company was hopping to complete the upgrade within the next three to six months.

COL Financial research head April Lee-Tan said the benchmark index may hit 8,300 by the end of the year. She said while the outlook for the domestic economy was not very attractive, “the stock market can still go up on hopes that the availability of COVID-19 vaccines will help economic conditions normalize faster.”

Meralco expects electricity rates to drop in February

By Alena Mae S. Flores RATES of Manila Electric Co., the country’s largest electricity retailer, are expected to go down in February on improving demand that will spread the fixed costs of suppliers, an executive said Thursday.

Meralco spokesman and vice president Joe Zaldarriaga said the utility was still waiting for all the final billings from several power suppliers and would announce the final rates in early February.

“The initial data suggests that the generation costs for February have a very strong likelihood of a decrease due to higher demand in the Luzon grid in January as compared to December,” Zaldarriaga said.

He said Luzon peak demand in January increased compared to December 2020 and “this swing in demand means that the fixed costs from power suppliers may be spread over higher energy volume resulting in lower effective rates to consumers, compared to last month.”

“Given this, charges from PSAs [power supply agreements] also are projected to decrease,” Zaldarriaga said.

He said the net overall power rate reduction since the start of 2020 was still more than P1 per kilowatt-hour.

“Our Meralco rates are at the lowest levels in three years, and may possibly continue to go down in the coming months,” he said.

Meralco announced an increase in the overall rate for a typical household by P0.2744 per kWh in January to P8.7497 per kWh from P8.4753 per kWh last year.

The overall rate increase was driven by higher generation charges.

The January generation charge amounted to P4.4574 per kWh, or P0.3058 higher than the December generation charge of P4.1516 per kWh.

Business SMC starts work on 1.2-km Skyway-NLEX highway link

By Darwin G. Amojelar

S

AN Miguel Corp. said it started work on a 1.2-kilometer road that will connect the Skyway Stage 3 to the NLEX Connector Road Project of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said the company was “working on what’s workable” to mitigate the delays in right-of-way acquisition for the new road from the Nagtahan section of Skyway to Sta. Mesa, Manila where the NLEX Connector Road will terminate.

The connection, part of the detailed engineering design of the Skyway 3, can be completed within 24 months or less once the ROW issues with the landowners are resolved, Ang said.

“This connection is vital because it will link two major expressways, Skyway Stage 3 and the Metro Pacific Tollways’ connector road project–making accessi-

bility, interoperability and ease of travel even better for the public,” Ang said.

He said the connection would be in operation by the time the NLEX Connector Road was completed.

MPTC’s P23.3-billion 8-kilometer Connector Road is expected to be completed before of the end of Duterte administration in 2022. The first section of the elevated expressway from Caloocan to España Boulevard in Manila will be operational by yearend.

Skyway Stage 3 stretches from Gil Puyat Ave. in Makati and traverses through San Juan, Manila and Quezon City all the way to the North Luzon Expressway.

“We’re already mobilizing our contractors to start work in areas that are unobstructed, where we’re permitted to work. We’re also already committing the funds needed to buy the ROW properties, so hopefully, these issues will be resolved the soonest,” Ang said.

Ang said the right-of-way acquisition was the single biggest constraint to the Skyway Stage 3 project. The company said that while advance work started in 2014, actual work on the main sections 1-4 only started

in 2015 because of the ROW issues.

The company mitigated the delays by starting construction in “available” areas to improve the chances of completing the project sooner while addressing the worsening traffic in Metro Manila.

It also forced San Miguel to realign Skyway Stage 3 along San Juan River.

The company said despite its efforts, a lot of ROW issues remained unsettled, prompting numerous realignments and redesigns. SMC paid for all the ROW properties and spent for the transfer of vital utilities and the reconstruction of three bridges to complete Skyway 3.

“The alignment for this connection to the NLEX connector project, which the Metro Pacific Tollways Group is building, was supposed to be built together with Section 2 of Skyway 3 in the Nagtahan to Sta. Mesa area. However, about two years since we first worked on workable areas for Skyway 3, the ROW issue in Section 2 threatened to stall the project. That is why we proposed to realign Skyway 3 along the San Juan River, so that the project could be completed faster and provide a solution to traffic—not cause more of it,”Ang said.

RIVER CLEAN-UP. East zone concessionaire Manila Water Company Inc. activates its Adopt-an-Estero program with several interventions to clean up San Juan River beginning at Maytunas and Ermitanyo Creeks in Barangay Addition Hills, San Juan City. Attending the ceremony are (from left) Manila Water president and chief executive Jose Rene Almendras, San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Undersecretary Jonas Leones, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System deputy administrator Ronald Abrigo and MWSS-RO chief regulator

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, January 28, 2021 -11.77 PTS. 6,851.84

Total Volume Total Trades Total Value

56,218,993,419 188,402 8,800,153,980.39

Advances Declines

73 136

Unchanged

53

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.0730

Japan

Yen

0.009607

0.4618

UK

Pound

1.369000

65.8119

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129001

6.2015

Switzerland

Franc

1.125239

54.0936

Canada

Dollar

0.781372

37.5629

Singapore

Dollar

0.752672

36.1832

Australia

Dollar

0.766200

36.8335

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655549

127.6602

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266617

12.8171

Brunei

Dollar

0.749850

36.0475

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.033367

1.6041

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0889

Euro

Euro

1.211200

58.2260

Korea

Won

0.000902

0.0434

China

Yuan

0.154269

7.4162

India

Rupee

0.013687

0.6580

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.247280

11.8875

New Zealand

Dollar

0.715800

34.4107

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035749

1.7186 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Nissan to bring Leaf electric vehicles to PH

NISSAN Philippines Inc. said it will roll out the first batch of Nissan Leaf, the company’s full electric vehicle model this year, in anticipation of fiscal support from the government.

Nissan Philippines president Atsushi Najima said a niche clientele who anticipates the arrival of the Leaf was one of the main considerations for bringing the model to the Philippines.

“We are primarily targeting two major customer bases. We see that this model is attractive for tech-savvy individuals as well as for the environmentalists,” he said.

The company is also opening up the model for fleet account with companies that are consciously doing their share of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

“Some companies, they put a premium on the environment. Some require the use of electric vehicles or hybrid cars,” Najima said.

The Department of Trade and Industry proposed last year a P83-billion incentive package to support local manufacturing of electric vehicles in the country. Othel V. Campos

ACE Enexor pulls out from SC 6 consortium

ACE Enexor Inc., the oil and gas arm of AC Energy Corp., is withdrawing from Service Contract No. 6 in offshore north Palawan to focus on the development of another service contract.

ACE Enexor said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its executive committee approved on Jan. 27 the corporation’s withdrawal from the SC 6 consortium.

The company holds a 7.78-percent participating interests in SC 6 Block A. SC 6 does not have any commercial operation at the moment.

“We would like to focus on SC 55.

We are currently preparing drilling plan and potential partnerships,” ACE Enexor chairman Eric Francia said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

SM Investments, 2 others added to 2021 Bloomberg index SM INVESTMENTS Corp., DMCI Holdings Inc. and Semirara Mining and Power Corp. were among the 380 companies across 11 sectors that were included in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index.

The three listed companies were added to this year’s index for scoring at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect a high level of disclosure and overall performance across the framework’s five pillars.

“We are pleased to be recognized again and likewise extend our appreciation to Bloomberg. We believe in upholding equal opportunities for our people that promote a better workplace,” SM Investments president and chief executive Frederic DyBuncio said.

The GEI expanded in 2021 to repre-

sent 44 countries and regions, including firms headquartered in Indonesia and Bermuda for the first time. Companies range from a variety of industries, including automotive, banking, consumer services, engineering and construction and retail.

“We recognize the value and contributions of women across the DMCI group of companies. They occupy key positions in our board, management and workforce. With our companies’ inclusion in the GEI, we hope to provide more women with the opportunities and support they need to reach their full potential,” said DMCI Holdings and SMPC chairman and chief executive Isidro Consunji.

The GEI brings transparency to gender-related practices and policies at publicly listed companies increasing the breadth of environmental,

social, governance data available to investors. The comprehensive, transparent GEI scoring methodology allows investors to assess company performance and compare across industry peer groups.

The reference index measures gender equality across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies and pro-women brand.

Through disclosure of gender-related metrics using the GEI framework, the firms included in the 2021 GEI committed to provide a comprehensive look at their investment in workplace gender equality and the communities in which they operate, raising the bar of what should be expected from other companies within the same industry.

Jenniffer B. Austria

20 distributors asked to return overcharges

THE Energy Regulatory Commission said Thursday it issued separate orders to 20 Luzon-based distribution utilities to refund over collections that will eventually redound to lower rates to consumers.

ERC said the over collections involved the DUs generation rate, transmission rate, system loss rate, lifeline subsidy rate and senior citizen subsidy rate from January 2017 to December 2019.

The refund is to be implemented for 12 months effective the next billing cycle.

“Upon our initial evaluation, the commission found that the Luzonbased DUs incurred over recoveries in the various pass-through charges that they collected from their customers.

These pass-through charges should be revenue-neutral on the part of the DUs, and they are not allowed to incur any additional revenue or losses therefrom,” ERC chairperson and chief executive Agnes Devanadera said in a statement.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Pag-IBIG home loan releases hit P12.1b in December

NGCP DONATION. National Grid Corporation of the Philippines turns over 50 test booths and 10,000 COVID-19 antibody test kits to Pasay City Mayor Imelda CalixtoRubiano as part of efforts to help the Filipino people combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

NGCP also donated test booths and test kits to Mandaluyong City and Quezon City and test kits to Navotas City.

Pag-IBIG Fund’s home loan releases hit a record-high in December as disbursement reached P12.11 billion despite the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, top officials of the agency said Wednesday.

The amount is P640 million or a 6-percent higher than the previous record of P11.47 billion registered in December 2019.

“Our home loan take-outs in December is the highest for a single month in Pag-IBIG Fund’s history. Because of it, we were able to finance the acquisition of 12,275 homes for our members in December alone, which is also a record-high. Amid the challenges, PagIBIG has provided homes to more members during the pandemic, aiding in the government’s efforts led by President Duterte, to keep Filipino families safe at home,” said Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, who heads both the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund board of trustees.

Pag-IBIG Fund released P63.75 billion in home loans last year, allowing 63,750

members to acquire their own homes. Data showed of the total, 11 percent or P7.1 billion were released as socialized home loans for the benefit of 16,975 Pag-IBIG Fund members who belong to the minimum-wage and lowincome sectors, del Rosario said.

Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive Acmad Rizaldy Moti expressed optimism the numbers would continue to rise as the economy reopened.

“From September to December, our home loan releases were close to ‘prepandemic’ levels. We released more than P6 billion to P7 billion in home loans every month, reaching its peak in December when releases reached over P12 billion.

The year 2020 may not have been recordbreaking in terms of numbers, but it was a story of grit and resiliency as we were able to bounce back quickly,” Moti said.

He said that Pag-IBIG Fund was poised to achieve another milestone year in 2020 as the combined home loan releases in January and February amounted to P12 billion, growing 17 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

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Eala subdues Swede to reach second round of ITF tour

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) elevates for a dunk over LeBron James (23) and Marc Gasol (14) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of their game at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AFP

By Peter Atencio

PBA to hold special draft for Gilas Pilipinas THE Philippine Basketball Association will hold a special draft for players who will join the Gilas Pilipinas roster.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio said this after attending a board meeting of the PBA yesterday.

There are 97 players who have applied for the PBA Draft and SBP will make their choices for the special draft for the second straight year.

“I was presented a list of players who can play for Gilas. And, we asked the board three days for us to look at the list,” said Panlilio on Zoom.

The chance to beef up the Gilas lineup came now that the Philippines won’t be pushing through with its hosting of the FIBA-Asia Cup qualifiers next month.

Travel restrictions imposed by the government have forced organizers to cancel the cagefest, which is set from Feb. 18 to 21.

The continuing threat of the coronavirus pandemic kept the SBP from staging the final window of the Asia Cup. Meanwhile, the PBA Board of Governors named board member Richard Bachmann as tournament chairman of the PBA 3x3 events that the league will stage later this year.

Assisting him are former coach and cager turned organizer Eric Altamirano, Ronnie Magsanoc and Joey Guanio.

They will discuss the schedule next week. The schedule of the 3x3 event will be separate from the regular 5x5 competitions.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said the board also decided that the deadline for Fil-foreign players to present their complete documentation has been extended to March 5.

It was also decided that the PBA’s participation in the East Asia Super League this October will be deferred until a coronavirus vaccine becomes available.

The PBA is now in talks with the Philippine National Red Cross on plans for vaccinations and saliva tests for COVID-19. Peter Atencio

Harris, 76ers hand Lakers first road defeat this NBA season L OS ANGELES, United States—Tobias Harris drove in the final dagger as the Philadelphia 76ers thwarted a late Los Angeles Lakers rally to hand the reigning NBA champions their first road defeat of the season—107-106.

In a bruising heavyweight clash, the Eastern Conference leading Sixers made a statement against the leagueleading Lakers.

“Some people think we haven’t played anybody,” Harris said. “For us, we wanted to go against the champs. We wanted to see where we’re at.”

Joel Embiid scored 28 points, Ben Simmons notched a triple-double of 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists and Harris, fed

by Seth Curry, sealed the victory with a pull-up jump shot with three seconds remaining.

The Lakers, who had won a franchisebest 10 road games to start the season, nearly kept the streak alive despite trailing by 14 points in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers, down by 12 with 3:07 remaining, produced a 13-0 scoring run launched by Alex Caruso’s finger-roll layup.

After three-pointers from Caruso, Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-

Pope, Anthony Davis gave the Lakers a 106-105 lead on a layup set up by LeBron James.

After a timeout, Philadelphia inbounded the ball with 11.2 seconds remaining.

They got the ball to Harris, who drove left and fired.

Davis’s desperation heave from halfcourt as time expired was never close.

89 points for Nets ‘Big 3’ The Brooklyn Nets, with a big night from their big three, escaped with a 132128 overtime victory over the Hawks in Atlanta.

Kevin Durant scored 32 points, James Harden added a double-double of 31 points and 15 assists with eight rebounds and Kyrie Irving added 26 points for Brooklyn, who won their third straight.

Trae Young led the Hawks with 28 points and 14 assists. Cam Reddish scored 24 points off the bench for Atlanta, including a driving layup that tied the score

at 118-118 with less than 30 seconds left in regulation.

Brooklyn jumped to a 127-121 lead midway through overtime, buoyed by Jeff Green’s three-pointer and a dunk from Durant.

A Durant three-pointer made it 129123 with 1:25 remaining and the Nets held on to win a close game that featured 21 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than seven.

Giannis Antetokounmpo pressed their pursuit of the 76ers lead in the East with a 115-108 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

Two-time reigning NBA MVP Antetokounmpo fueled the Bucks with 24 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists.

Norman Powell scored 26 points and Kyle Lowry added 21 for the Raptors.

Indiana forward Damontas Sabonis delivered a triple-double of 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as the Pacers beat the Hornets in Charlotte 116-106.

Sabonis was doubtful to start the game with a bruised left knee, but he showed no sign of trouble as he connected on nine of 10 shots from the floor, including two of three from three-point range. AFP

ALEX Eala, struggling with her first serves, still got off to a great start by stunning second-seeded Mirjam Bjorklund of Sweden, for a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 triumph This allowed the 15-year-old Eala to advance to the second round in the second leg of the W15 Manacor tournament of the International Tennis Federation Women’s World Tour in Spain on Wednesday evening.

Eala, who scored more on her second serves, needed two hours and 17 minutes to repulse Bjorklund, who is currently ranked 315 in the Women’s Tennis Association and 250 in ITF Singles.

It was her second tournament this 2021 and Eala’s latest win came three days after she women the first leg title.

In the taking the first leg honors, Eala outplayed world no. 132 ranked Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers of Spain, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

Knocking 32 points out of her second serves, Eala recovered her bearings after losing the second set Bjorklund.

Spanish bet Alba Carillo-Marin arranged a second round showdown with Eala.

Carillo-Marin earned the right to face Eala after she turned back Lena Papadakis of Germany, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Iva Primorac of Croatia also scored an upset when she eased out third seed Anastasia Detluc of the Czech Republic, who retired after Primorac took a 6-3 lead.

Top seeded Swiss Simona Waltert reached the second round with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Oksana Selekhmeteva, 6-4, 6-2.

Eala, who is the current junior world No. 3, is already gaining recognition after she made it to the semifinals of the girls’ singles event at Roland Garros last year.

Top ONE fighters headline 4 weeks of MMA on US primetime DEMETRIOUS Johnson, Adriano Moraes, Christian Lee, Aung La N Sang and more headline US four weeks of MMA fights on US primetime TV. The “ONE on TNT” series will air every Wednesday from April 7 to April 28. Each week will include a preliminary card digitally streamed exclusively on the Bleacher Report App and B/R Live from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET, followed by three main card fights televised exclusively on TNT in the US at 10 p.m. ET. “We are absolutely thrilled to kick off 2021 with the announcement of our first season of ‘ONE on TNT’,” said Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship.

“We look forward to introducing our unique brand of martial arts to the US on prime time. American fans can expect something fresh, new and completely different from anything that is currently available in the US. As always, we will feature some of the greatest world champions across various martial arts alongside a few familiar, legendary names.”

“ONE on TNT I” kicks off the series on Wednesday, April 7, with a main event world title bout between reigning ONE flyweight world champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes and ONE flyweight World Grand Prix champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.

The stacked card will also feature Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez against number 2-ranked lightweight contender Iuri Lapicus in the co-main event. Reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon

ONE light heavyweight champion and former ONE middleweight champion Aung La ‘The Burmese Python; N Sang prepares to enter the ONE Circle for another MMA battle. ONE Championship

takes on the UK’s Jacob Smith in a non-title bout.

“ONE on TNT II” airs April 14 and will feature the return of reigning ONE lightweight world champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee, as he defends his world title against number 3-ranked lightweight contender Timofey Nastyukhin.

“ONE on TNT III” airs April 21 and will see former ONE middleweight world champion and current ONE light heavyweight world champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang face former ONE middleweight world champion Vitaly Bigdash in a trilogy bout to determine the number 1 contender in the middleweight division.

“ONE on TNT IV” airs April 28 and will cap off the series with more high-stakes bouts to be announced at a later date.

“ONE Championship has a passionate global fan base and this next step in our partnership elevates the exposure for its top martial arts events in the US,” said Tina Shah, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Turner Sports.

“This multi-faceted approach combines two leading platforms in Bleacher Report and TNT as we further expand the reach of these premier events and drive additional engagement with a broader audience.”

ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and more.

Tennis stars set to emerge from quarantine

Djokovic of Serbia stands in the balcony of his hotel room on the last day of his two-week quarantine in Adelaide on January 28, 2021. AFP

MELBOURNE, Australia—The world’s top tennis stars are set to emerge from a grueling two weeks stuck in their hotel rooms over coming days as they race to get match fit before their coronavirus-disrupted season resumes in Australia.

Seventeen charter flights jetted the cream of the sport into Melbourne and Adelaide this month ahead of the delayed Australian Open, with everyone on board whisked into 14 days of mandatory quarantine.

The plan was to allow them five hours a day to practice outside, and many have enjoyed the privilege.

But eight positive COVID-19 cases from the more than 1,000 players, coaches and officials who arrived in largely virus-free Australia threw preparations for others into disarray.

Seventy-two players have been confined to

their Melbourne rooms 24 hours a day, forced to strike balls against mattresses and exercise as best they can, sparking complaints about the tough conditions.

But the ordeal is ending, with the first players expected to taste freedom on Thursday evening, and others let out gradually depending on when their flights touched down.

A bumper six ATP and WTA tournaments await them beginning on Sunday, all at Melbourne Park and squeezed into a week to make up for lost time in the lead-up the season-opening Grand Slam on February 8.

Spanish great Rafael Nadal, who is gunning to win a 21st Slam title, moving him past the injured Roger Federer, said he felt “privileged” to play at all given the devastation wrought by the pandemic globally.

“It’s a different situation than usual, it’s much more sad for everyone,” he told CNN this week.

“But at least we’re here, we’re going to have a chance to play here. The world is suffering in general, so we can’t complain.

“I feel that we are privileged people today, having the chance to keep doing our jobs,” he added.

Impatient Serena Williams, who is still searching for one more Slam title to equal Margaret Court’s record 24, echoed those sentiments, calling the bio-security rules “super, super strict”, but adding: “They’re doing it right.”

While most players flew into Melbourne, Nadal, Williams and other superstars including Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka arrived in Adelaide, where they will play an exhibition on Friday. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

Manila

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TODAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

Olympic chief Bach calls for ‘patience’ over games L Cantada rejects result

AUSANNE, Switzerland—Olympic chief Thomas Bach called on Wednesday for “patience” over the Tokyo Games, the holding of which this summer are in continued doubt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

of PNVFI election

By Peter Atencio

The Tokyo Olympics were originally to have taken place last year but were postponed in the face of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, becoming the first Games in peacetime to suffer that fate.

The IOC and the Japanese organisers rescheduled the Games for July 23 to August 8 this year.

But several media reports have claimed that the Games cannot go ahead, something an ex- A man walks past the Olympic rings outside the Japan Olympic Museum in Tokyo. AFP asperated Bach was quick to play down after a meeting of the International Olympic Commit- 12, the same day the Pfizer vaccine was apHe said he understood how people living tee (IOC) executive board. proved in the United States, expressing its under lockdown and perhaps unable to even “We’re not losing time or energy on spec- “full commitment” to staging the Games. visit a restaurant because of COVID-19 reulation... about whether the Games are taking Since then, the emergence of more infec- strictions found it hard to envisage the Games place,” IOC president Bach said. tious virus strains has sparked debate on going ahead.

“We’re working on how the Games will whether the Games can take place and wheth“The responsibility of the (Japanese) govtake place. er it is morally justifiable that competitors be ernment and the IOC is to look beyond this “Our task is to organise Olympic Games, prioritised for vaccination. situation,” Bach added. not to cancel Olympic Games... and that is And, citing the ongoing world handball “We always have made it clear that we are why we will not add fuel to this speculation.” not in favour of athletes jumping the queue,” championships in Egypt—a country he said Bach said while the complexity of organ- Bach stressed. was deemed high-risk for virus infections— ising the Games had increased as a result of Bach said it was right for the IOC to continue ‘No blueprint’ the virus, “we just have to ask for patience The German said the IOC was constantly looking to hold the Games. and understanding, is the main message”.

“We are able and in a position to offer relaccumulating knowledge on how to orga“I think it is too early to decide anything nise such a huge event in exceptional cir- evant counter-measures,” he said. else,” he added.

“If we would think it wasn’t responsible, or cumstances.

After the last executive board meeting, “There is no blueprint, we’re learning the Games could not be safe, we would not go the IOC released a statement on December every day,” Bach said. for it.” AFP Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court National Capital Judicial Region Quezon City, Metro Manila Branch 223

THE conduct and results of the elections of the newly created Philippine National Volleyball Federation Inc. last Monday does sit well with the leadership of the Philippine Volleyball Federation.

The outcome of the polls and the provisional recognition of the PNVFI has led to the withdrawal of recognition of the Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, Inc. and the PVF by the Philippine Olympic Committee General Assembly.

“This is to categorically and in the strongest possible terms reject the conduct and results of the elections conducted and facilitated by members holding lofty positions in the highest echelon of Philippine sports, favoring individuals who have nothing but disdain to the only Philippine volleyball organization focused on grassroots development, the PVF,” said Cantada.

Cantada expressed his thoughts a day after the POC gave its nod to the PNVFI during Wednesday’s gathering at the Grand Hyatt Hotel inside the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

During the polls, Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara was elected president of the PNVF and the proceedings were supervised by the POC.

Philippine Orienteering joins Asian Junior-Youth Championship

IN RE: PETITION FOR RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN DIVORCE AND CANCELLATION OF ENTRIES IN THE CIVIL REGISTRY

-versus-

By Graham C. Lim Manila

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VO THIEU HUA, Petitioner, SPEC. PRO. CASE NO. R-QZN-20-17354-SP

JANINE L. ZAMORA, and LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR of the CITY CIVIL REGISTRY DEPARTMENT OF QUEZON CITY Respondents. x--------------------------------------x

ORDER In the verified Petition filed by the petitioner through counsel, he prays for this Honorable Court to confirm and/or recognize Form 25A Divorce Order dated October 2, 2018 issued by the Supreme Court Justice of Ontario, Canada, in favor of petitioner and Ms. Zamora and direct the respondent Civil Registrar of Quezon City and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and pertinent government agencies to cancel in their respective Books of Marriages the marriage between petitioner and Ms. Zamora, and to annotate on their Marriage of Contract the divorce decree in order to reflect the legality of such divorce in the records of said offices.

The petition dated September 22, 2020 alleges that the petitioner is a Vietnamese by birth who migrated to Canada at age of thirteen (13) and consequently obtained Canadian citizenship at the age of fourteen (14); that on August 21, 1999, he married Janine L. Zamora, a Filipino Citizen, before Judge Agustin S. Dizon of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City; that he and Ms. Zamora have two (2) children, namely: Derrick Paul Zamora Hua who was born on October 5, 2000, and Stanley Bryan Zamora Hua who was born on September 28, 2001; that both are Canadian citizens; that he and Ms. Zamora’s marriage, just like other marriages or relationships, was far from being perfect as they had misunderstandings and issues then as a couple; that despite efforts to reconcile differences, they failed in all attempts and decided to live separately; that on June 25, 2018, after they drifted apart from each other which eventually resulted in the breakdown of their marriage; that on June 25, 2018, after they have been living separately for more than a year, he instituted an application for divorce against Ms. Zamora, who was named respondent, before the Supreme Court Justice of Ontario, Canada; that the case was filed on the basis of the provisions of Canada Act: that on October 2, 2018, the Supreme Court Justice of Ontario granted his application for divorce in its Form 25A Divorce Order; that all told, the divorce he obtained, which is valid in Canada, rendered the marriage between them as dissolved; that thus, restoring both of them single status that capacitate either of them (specifically petitioner) to remarry; and that since he is a citizen of the Canada and a valid divorce was issued by the Supreme Court Justice of Ontario, Canada, such foreign judgment should reflect in pertinent documents and records found here in the Philippines.

WHEREFORE, finding the Petition sufficient in form and in substance, the same is given due course. Set the hearing of this case on February 15, 2021 at 1:30 in the afternoon, on which date and time, any interested person may appear and show cause, if any, why the petition should not be granted.

TODAY

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

Huang Hsiang Development Corporation (“HHDC”) is the registered owner of parcels of land located at Roxas Boulevard corner M.H. Del Pilar Street corner Pasaje del Carmen (the “Subject Properties”) covered by Transfer Certificates of Title Nos. 208479, 208480, 208481, and 208482 (“HHDC Titles”).

HHDC learned that an Affidavit of Loss dated 28 October 2020 (“Affidavit of Loss”) was filed with the Registry of Deeds for the City of Manila (“Manila RD”) by a certain Mr. Johnson C. Yu. In the Affidavit of Loss, Mr. Johnson C. Yu falsely claims that: (1) he is the holder and custodian of the HHDC Titles which he lost in a taxi sometime in October 2020; and (2) he is the Vice Chairman of HHDC. The general public is hereby notified and warned NOT TO DEAL with Mr. Johnson C. Yu in any matter or transaction involving or relating to HHDC and/or the HHDC Titles. Mr. Johnson C. Yu is NOT IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH HHDC. He is not and has never been the holder or custodian of the HHDC Titles. He is not and has never been the Vice Chairman of HHDC. He is not and has never been an officer or director of HHDC and has never been authorized to act for or represent HHDC or any of its directors and officers. The statements contained in the Affidavit of Loss are FALSE. The owner’s duplicate original copies of the HHDC Titles are NOT lost and have always been and remain safely in HHDC’s possession and control.

HHDC discovered that fake/falsified General Information Sheets (“Fake/Falsified GIS”) have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in 2019 and 2020 falsely indicating, among others, that Mr. Johnson C. Yu is the Vice Chairman of HHDC. The Company Registration and Monitoring Department (“CRMD”) of the SEC has issued an Order dated 26 October 2020 directing the cancellation of the Fake/Falsified GIS filed in 2019. The CRMD of the SEC found that there is “an attempt of certain persons, who are neither directors nor officers of the Corporation [HHDC], to physically take over the identity and the resources of the Corporation [HHDC] by taking advantage of the processes of the Commission.” A copy of the said Order is reproduced below.

HHDC likewise takes this opportunity to warn the public of fraudulent and unauthorized documents (secretary’s certificate, board resolution, special power of attorney, and General Information Sheets) which purportedly show that certain individuals have been authorized by HHDC to sell or mortgage the Subject Properties. Please be advised that HHDC IS NOT SELLING OR MORTGAGING the Subject Properties, and no person has been authorized to sell or mortgage the same. In fact, the Subject Properties are the subject of a Writ of Preliminary Injunction issued by the Regional Trial Court of Manila (Civil Case No. R-MNL-18-08329-CV) which prohibits, among others, the sale, mortgage, encumbrance, or disposition of the Subject Properties. We advise the public to be prudent in dealing with the fraudulent and unauthorized documents, as well as with persons representing themselves to be authorized to sell the Subject Properties. HHDC shall not hesitate to criminally and civilly prosecute any person(s) who falsifies documents or who will attempt to defraud HHDC by selling or mortgaging or attempting to sell or mortgage the Subject Properties.

For any questions or concerns, please contact HHDC’s counsel at (+632) 8555-9555.

Let this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks, a newspaper of daily circulation in the Philippines before the hearing, to be selected by raffle pursuant to PD 1079, at the expense of the petitioner. Let also copies of this Order be posted at the lobby of (1) Quezon City Justice Hall, (2) Quezon City Hall and (3) Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City, at least twenty (20) days prior to the scheduled hearing.

CYAN

THE National Orienteering of the Philippines Inc. (NOPi) will compete in the 4th Asian Junior and Youth Orienteering Championship (AsJYOC) to be held in Hong Kong from December 23 to 27 this year.

The event is being organized by the Orienteering Association of Hong Kong with approval from the International Orienteering Federation and under the supervision of the IOF Foot Orienteering Commission.

The participation of the Philippines Raul Ballado Antonio L. Tiu was made possible by the NOPi Board. Raul Ballado, NOPi Deputy Secretary General and a former Police Special Force, has been tasked to look for orienteering athletes (male and female) that meet the age limit of 20 years old in the Junior category.

The athletes may come from the high school and university levels, or any athlete for as long he/she qualifies with the age requirement.

Raul Ballado has been assigned to coordinate with the event organizer Lok-Hin Ma, the Vice President of the OAHK who is the Event Director of the 4th AsJYOC 2021.

“This is a great opportunity for all sports enthusiasts, in whatever disciplines, t0 showcase their skills in orienteering,” said Antonio L. Tiu, NOPi President.

“This is one form of exercise that builds up your stamina and puts to test your ability to integrate your physical agility and mindset while running under challenging conditions,” The NOPi is affiliated with the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines, the only national university sports federation that is recognized by the International University Sports Federation.

The partnership between the NOPi and the FESSAP was struck through the intercession of FESSAP president Angel Ngu and FESSAP Chairman of the Board Alvin Tai Lian.

Full disclosure A FEW days ago, I caught an article at the AFP Forum that I could have glossed over, if not for the unfortunate timing ARMAN D. I thought it brought to my attention. I first dismissed it as ARMERO a byproduct of my overactive imagination, but the nagging thought persisted—what if it were true? How do we address this problem head on?

The article is about a group of South African countries complaining that rich countries around them—UK, France, Spain, Brusells, the Scandanavian countries, etc. are hoarding and “nationalizing” the production of vaccine instead of sharing the wealth with poorer nations.

At first glance, the article looked like a legit article of inequality and subtle racism, but a deeper glance makes it more disturbing in the light of the coming Olympics in Tokyo and a smaller SEA Games event in Vietnam.

Despite their own reservations,Tokyo organizers said that it would not postpone the biennial event, the same stand being adopted by Vietnam, and both have good reasons to do so, but the accusations from South Africa may put a damper on the games, especially in the Olympics, where South African runners are traditionally strong in the long distance events.

Does this mean that we will suddenly have a full-blown vaccination for athletes competing in the Olympics to counter the accusation, or stay with the status quo?

I say that someone from the Tokyo organizing committee or the Vietnam side should make a full disclosure of what they plan for the games to avoid sure-fire disasters. This early, someone should make sure that vaccines are not used for political, economic and racial agenda.

And while we’re on the subject of full disclosure, may this corner suggest that all contributions to sporting events be published by both the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee. As Filipino citizens, we all deserve to acknowledge the help given to our athletes.

SECOND STRINGER

Let copies of this Order be furnished to the petitioner’s address at No. 31 Aberdeen Street, Bahay Toro, 1106, Quezon City, Metro Manila; to the respondent at No. 4 Hickory Place, Ferndale Homes, Pasong Tamo, 1107 Quezon City; the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City; the Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly National Statistics Office); the Office of the Solicitor General; and the Office of the City Prosecutor together with copies of the Petition and its annexes.

Parties and counsels are likewise directed to submit within five (5) days from receipt of this Order, their official e-mail addresses and contact numbers where the Court can send notices, Orders, and other Court processes, and manifest their willingness to present evidence in chief through video conferencing using the Microsoft Teams application.

SO ORDERED. Given in Chambers.

Quezon City, Philippines, November 23, 2020.

(Sgd.) HON. CARIDAD M. WALSE-LUTERO Presiding Judge Copy furnished: Office of the City Prosecutor DOJ Building, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma Hall Quezon City Hall Complex, Diliman Office of the Solicitor General 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City Office of the Local Civil Registrar Quezon City Hall Compound, Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly National Statistics Office) East Avenue, Quezon City Vo Thieu Hua Petitioner No. 31 Aberdeen Street, Bahay Toro, 1106 Quezon City, Metro Manila Janine L. Zamora Respondent No. 4 Hickory Place, Ferndale Homes, Pasong Tamo, 1107 Quezon City Atty. Don Jomar Olegario Mejia Olegario Velasco & Madriaga Law Office Counsel for the Petitioner MEJIA OLEGARIO VELASCO & MADRIAGA No. 29-A Marunong Street, Brgy. Central Diliman, 1100, Quezon City Contact No. 0956-6611067 (MStandard-Jan. 29, Feb. 5 & 12, 2021)

The new elections were done following orders from the International Volleyball Federation.

“These individuals have tried their worst in their efforts to eliminate the PVF from the face of the earth. They tried their first power grab in 2015 and was successful until the FIVB through its General Assembly decided in 2018 to deny the proposal to exclude the PVF from its roster of member federations and denied affiliation to LVPI,” added Cantada.

During the meeting, some members of the POC questioned the polls, including Robert Bachmann of squash, Philip Ella Juico of athletics and Monico Puentevella of weightlifting.

They believe that Suzara as head of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee has not complied with the request of the previous POC administration to submit the audited financial statements of the country’s hosting of the SEA Games last year.

“It is 2021 and they are at it again, even falsely claiming that the FIVB ordered the creation of a new organization. On the second day after the election, the POC General Assembly convened without the benefit of due notice of meeting and agenda,” said Cantada.

Email me at arman.armero@yahoo.com (MS-JAN. 23 & 29 2021)

(MS-JAN. 29, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

he kee

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

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NICOLE ASENSIO

launches heartbreak song

Asia’s Songbird Regine VelasquezAlcasid promises to give her fans an entirely new concert experience in ‘Freedom,’ a show that continues her annual tradition of staging a Valentine concert.

'Love Me or Don’t'

Regine Velasquez's 'Freedom’ sets record for a digital concert ASIA’S Songbird and OPM icon Regine Velasquez can easily claim the "Concert Queen" throne with her record-breaking shows and concert performances.

While most music performers struggle to woo audiences even for a free concert online, Regine has just proven that she’s in an entirely different league.

For her concert Freedom: Regine Velasquez-Alcasid Digital Concert, the songstress was able to sell P500 thousand worth of tickets merely 10 minutes after they went on sale. The concert also breached the P1 million sales mark less

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

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EGINNING tomorrow night, prepare to be spellbound by love with My Fantastic Pag-ibig, a binge-worthy romancefantasy anthology airing on GMA News TV.

than 12 hours after tickets were released.

In this Valentine show, Regine is ready to take her Filipino fans worldwide to a rare date night experience set to deliver a melodic spectacle featuring her rendition of a new repertoire.

“I’m going to surprise everyone.

You’ll see a different Regine in this concert,” the celebrated diva told the press in a virtual press conference.

“A lot of the songs for this concert are not within my comfort zone. I wanted to surprise and satisfy my audience and hopefully will be able to do that in the

‘Freedom’ concert,” she added.

The Valentine’s Day concert will be streaming simultaneously on digital platforms ktx.ph, iWanttFC, and TFC IPTV. According to the Kapamilya artist, it will have a full concert set up with a live band and backup singers and dancers.

She also teased about a special guest surprising concert-viewers.

The concert’s title, “Freedom,” has a lot of meaning for the Songbird.

“Because of the pandemic that happened, it’s like we all want to be free. Personally,

I wanted to do something else and be given that freedom of singing whatever I want,” she shared.

Happening on Feb. 14 (8:00 p.m., Manila time), Freedom is produced by ABS-CBN Events, IME, and PLDT and will be directed by Paolo Valenciano with musical direction from Raul Mitra.

VIP tickets to the concert have been sold out within 12 hours upon ticket release but general admission tix are available at Php 1,200 (24.99 USD) on ktx.ph and will soon be available on iWantTFC.

Banking on fresh tandems in ‘MY FANTASTIC PAG-IBIG’

The new program to hit primetime on weekend is a collection of light, funny, and feel-good love stories set in present times but infused with exciting and dynamic plots featuring the fresh tandems of Kim de Leon and Lexi Gonzales, and of Migo Adecer and Kate Valdez.

GMA News TV banks on the new onscreen tandem of Lexi Gonzales and Kim de Leon who banner the maiden offering of the romantic anthology ‘My Fantastic Pag-ibig.’

Primetime pair Kate Valdez and Migo Adecer headline the second installment of GMA News TV’s Valentine offering.

According to JM Cobarrubias, the anthology’s program manager, they’re are banking on these love teams because of their potentials as onscreen pairs.

“We already see Migo and Kate on primetime on GMA and obviously, they’ve got this perfect chemistry on screen. And that’s exactly what we wanted to show in the episodes they’re starring in. We are banking on their popularity as a pair. With Lexi and Kim, we handpicked them because they are fresh faces,” Cobarrubias told Manila Standard Entertainment in a virtual interview.

“The essence of this program is to showcase young talents of GMA Artist Center. We chose them to headline this program basically because of their fun

and pleasant personalities,” the program manager added.

In its maiden offering entitled “Love Wars,” viewers will see the tandem of StarStruck 7 alumni Kim de Leon and Lexi Gonzales in a story about star-crossed lovers Pido and Lovelyn. Pido (Kim) is a modern-day cupid who believes dating apps only result in broken hearts. With their roles on the brink of extinction because of this technology, Pido is given a mission to break the cycle of finding love in the digital age by trying to sabotage the company of the dating app called “MatchMaker.”

He meets Lovelyn (Lexi) who works at MatchMaker and who is bent on making the app a success. What happens

when Pido unintentionally falls in love with Lovelyn? Will he be able to face his true feelings and win the heart of his greatest enemy?

Joining Kim and Lexi in “Love Wars,” which airs tomorrow, Jan. 30, and on Feb. 6, are Rodjun Cruz, Divine Aucina, Maey Bautista, and Mike Liwag.

Meanwhile, Migo Adecer and Kate Valdez promise to spread kilig on My Fantastic Pagibig’s second installment “Exchange of Hearts,” airing on Feb. 13 and 20.

Migo and Kate bring to life the story of Popoy and Celine. The couple has been in a relationship for quite some time. But it seems they are on the verge of breaking up because their personalities do not match. A photographer, Cocoy is the "stop and smell the flower" kind of guy—something Celine wishes she can easily get herself into as she is too focused on her career.

On their supposedly 4th anniversary vacation, Celine is decided to call it quits. Popoy, on the other hand, still wants to give their relationship another shot.

Something unexpected happens to Celine and Popoy when they meet a plantita who turns out to be a witch. Now the couple finds themselves trapped in an unexpected situation. Will this help them get back together or will it only drive them further apart?

Joining Migo and Kate in the episode are Maureen Larrazabal, Jordan Herrera, Kevin Sagra, and Karenina Haniel.

Apart from “Love Wars” and “Exchange of Hearts,” viewers are in for more stories that will make their Saturday nights fun and exciting.

My Fantastic Pag-ibig is from the award-winning team of GMA Public Affairs that produced trueto-life anthologies Wagas, Karelasyon, and Tadhana. Catch it every Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on GMA News TV. Meanwhile, viewers abroad can watch it via GMA Life TV starting February 6. For more information, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.

Nicole with French actor Guillaume Novert in a scene from her song’s music video.

SINGER and songwriter Nicole Laurel Asensio is dropping a "personal" single today on Spotify. Entitled “Love Me or Don’t,” the song was recorded at Wildgrass Studios with musicians Michael Alba (drums), Karel Honasan (bass), Ira Cruz (guitar), Nikko Rivera (keys), horn players Lester Sorilla, Isla Antinero, and Michael Guevarra.

The three strong women with strong voices on the track were vocal arranger and singer Yosha Honasan, arranger Pauline Lauron, and Iwi Laurel, Nicole's mom and biggest inspiration in life and music.

The mixing and mastering were done

by Jess Fermino and Angee Rozul and completed in Abbey Road London.

Written in a span of fifteen minutes, the song is about relationships and friendships. With simple lines like you can like me, or don’t, simply say “hi” to me or don’t… and I really don’t mind when your stares grow cold.

After singing the lyrics and melody to guitarist Miru, a classmate from Elements music camp, they both agreed to set the song in the context of a relationship where the persona had been hurt many times, smiled through it to put up a front and reached her breaking point, where she no longer lives for her lover’s approval, for the first time she’s unafraid to be alone and tells him straight: “I don’t need you to feel complete.” Love me or don’t… or kung ayaw mo, edi ‘wag.”

There was a line that went: either you stay in my arms or stay out of my way, so stay or don’t.

The music video directed by Gorio Vicuna was set in a vintage ‘50s-esque utopia that is both polished and eerie in the same breath. The narrative showcased Nicole's two friends who are great actors, Max Eigenmann, and French actor Guillaume Novert.

With darker and more cinematic themes, the video was shot in the Laurel ancestral home in Laguna. Tons of costumes were borrowed to match the vintage themes. To achieve the look, Nicole even wore padded garments to add pounds to her body for a heavier look, to suit the vintage beauty aesthetic.

Watch out for Nicole’s Wish Bus performance on Feb. 1 and the music video launch of the single on Feb. 2 at 8:00, live on Facebook.

Singer and songwriter Nicole Laurel Asensio introduces a heartfelt single that tackles friendship and relationship.

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

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Life

‘Re-silence’ (1998) and ‘Deterioration’ (1999) lithographs by Ronald Ventura.

TRAVEL & LEISURE

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

‘The Tree When We Were Born’ (2016), monoprint with watercolor by Kristen Cain.

PRINTS ON WALL. The Gallery C at Conrad Manila showcases the works of 24 printmakers at the ongoing Of Art and Wine

Printmakers bring art to more people ‘Thrive’ exhibit.

‘Mag-Ina’ (2019), mixed media by Virgilio Aviado.

Pasay-based hotel mounts a 34-piece exhibit ‘Which Way?’ (2019), drypoint by Benjamin Torrado Cabrera.

By Bernadette Lunas

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HE 15th edition of Pasay-based five-star hotel Conrad Manila’s “Of Art and Wine” exhibit highlights the craftsmanship of printmaking featuring works by 24 printmakers.

Entitled “Thrive,” the show, which opened on Jan. 19 and runs until Feb. 19 at Gallery C, showcases 34 pieces from the Association of Printmakers (AP) made using various printmaking techniques including rubbercut, woodcut and collage, mixed media, etching, monotype, relief print, serigraph, and more.

It trains the spotlight, not only on the finished works, but also on the complexities in the different methods of an artistic process sometimes regarded as relatively easy as photocopying an image.

“They’re not copies or reproductions because they’re handmade, printed by the artist, not mechanically reproduced,” explains AP board member, noted printmaker, and one of the featured artists, Ambie Abaño.

Recognizing the common misconception among the uninitiated, Abaño admits, “there are simpler techniques.”

“But,” she clarifies, “it still requires certain mastery and skills in the way you apply the ink and how much ink you put.”

Yas Doctor, also one of the featured

artists in the show, seconds Abaño, explaining the challenge of creating multiple prints from one design. “All editions have to be same, from the paper to the look of the print.”

Instead of painting directly on the can- Nestor Jardin and Ambie Abaño at the Of Art and Wine ‘Thrive’ virtual press launch. vas, printmaking uses a matrix or a template that could be made of wood, glass, 2020, but if you look at them as a col- Feasibility, Case Study” relief print on or metal, on which the design is created lection they can reflect what we’re going rice paper; and Jun-Jun Sta. Ana’s “Tiusing tools or chemicals. The matrix is through, the kind of spirit that we have rada” mixed media and “Mano A Mano” ‘Intensity’ (2020), monotype by then inked in order to transfer the design right now,” says Abaño.

Hershey Malinis. polyester lithography. onto the surface—usually paper, but fabConrad Manila general manager LinOther featured artists include Iwan ric is also used. da Pecoraro, an art enthusiast, shares, Effendi, Jess Flores, Rhoda Recto, According to the Met Museum, “one “The exhibit’s theme, ‘Thrive,’ reso- Virgilio Aviado, Kristen Cain, Jose of the great benefits of printmaking, save nates perfectly with Conrad Manila’s Delima, Hershey Malinis, ND Harn, for monotype, is that multiple impres- commitment to stay strong and resolute Angelo Magno, Su Chin Teoh, Carosions of the same design can be printed for the institution, the industry, and the line Ongpin, Ibarra Dela Rosa, Mars from a single matrix.” country. It’s a perfect reminder for us to Bugaoan, Janos Delacruz, Justin Sanz, Or as Abaño puts it, “printmaking can remain focused on what is important to Noel El Farol, Anton Villaruel, Jone give more people access to art,” as origi- transform our future.”

Sibugan, Charito Bitanga, and Benjanal works can reach many.

Some of the works on display and also min Torrado Cabrera.

“Art is for everyone; we want to reach for sale include Ronald Ventura’s “DeThe exhibit is open to the public and as many people as we can.” terioration” and “Re-silence,” both of can also be viewed online via a digital As a unit, all 34 artworks on display which already sold; Abaño’s “Introspec- brochure on www.yumpu.com. Prices intend to convey the message of surviv- tion (1a)” and “mulier de terra” woodcut range from P4,000 to P250,000. Call ing and thriving, especially timely as the on handmade paper; Doctor’s “Vague (02) 8833-9999 or email conradmaworld battles a pandemic.

Signs: Nais Ko Lang Nam—” and nila@conradhotels.com for complete “Very few of the works were done in “Vague Signs: Notary, Affidavit, Thesis, price list and more information.

‘Life Floats’ (2018), rubbercut by Rhoda Recto.

Keeping the tourism flame burning

THE Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) is an organization formed in 1979 from the union of the national associations of outbound travel agencies and inbound tour operators. Aside from fostering unity among those belonging to this sector of our tourism industry, it also looks after the welfare of the traveling public.

Counting, to date, more than 600 member enterprises from all over the country, the association works closely with our government agencies involved in the day-to-day operations of our tourism industry—the Department of Tourism, Department of Foreign Affairs, Tourism Promotions Board, Bureau of Immigration, Manila International Airport Authority, National Census and Statistics Office, as well as the embassies and consulates of other countries.

There are five membership categories of the association: Regular members are the travel agencies and tour operators; Allied members are the airlines, hotels, and resorts; Associate members are the Regular members’ branch offices in other parts of the country; the Affiliate members are the other tourism organizations; while the Affiliate International members are travel agencies and tour operators from other countries.

Newly elected PTAA President Michelle Taylan delivers her inaugural speech.

Guest of Honor and Inducting Officer Senator Richard Gordon attends the event virtually

The governing body of this efficiently and strongly structured organization is its Board of Trustees, numbering 11, duly elected by the regular members.

It has 10 working committees grouped under the President, Vice President for Outbound, and Vice President for Inbound. These committees assist in the formulation and implementation of the association’s policies, plans, and programs.

Even when travel was at a standstill starting March of last year, the PTAA machinery continued to grind. It conducted many consultative meetings among its members and whatever needed attention was brought up immediately to the Tourism Congress of the Philippines which, in turn, brought it up to the Department of Tourism and the other concerned government agencies. This was the reason why, just like the other tourism enterprises, PTAA’s members were easy beneficiaries of government’s financial support through the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act. Last week, I was so surprised to receive an invitation to the association’s

The new set of PTAA Board of Trustees is inducted into office by Sen. Gordon via Skype.

First General Membership Meeting for the year, coinciding with the induction of its newly elected Board of Trustees, in a person-to-person event at the Ballroom of Okada Manila. The invitation actually startled me because I thought it too risky and daring for any entity to hold such big event amidst this pandemic.

But I have always had high respect for how the association carries itself as a pillar and a moving force in our industry, so my initial surprise turned to trust and confidence that it is doing the right thing, albeit uniquely pioneering, in these times of enforced physical distancing.

Naturally, I made sure I didn’t miss the event.

My curiosity egged me on to see how things would be done in such big gathering, staged at this time when countless health and safety precautions have to be observed.

Just as I expected, PTAA breezed through it smoothly. Aside from stringent processes each guest had to go through at the entrance, the hotel’s ballroom which comfortably accommodates

up to 1,500 guests, only had 180 physical attendees, as 160 other members attended online. Spaced two meters away from each other on all sides, each dining table, which was big enough for 10, was set up for only five guests, conforming to the required physical distancing. All throughout the event, reminders were announced for everyone to take off their face mask and shield only when partaking of the meal.

Senator Richard Gordon inducted virtually the newly elected Board of Trustees, led by its charming and captivating president Michelle Taylan of Klik ‘N Fly Travel and Tours, and urged the association to continue finding ways to help keep our tourism industry’s flame burning. He expressed his confidence that PTAA can still discover many new beautiful destinations in our country which it can easily promote to our countrymen.

These new discoveries would whet the appetite for domestic tourism, which is how countries all over the world plan to spark the “rebirth” of the industry.

The other officers are: VP for Outbound Julita Maballo of New Era Travel

and Tours; VP for Inbound Merlita Nario of Lakbay Kabayan Tours and Travel Services; Treasurer Merlita Teng of BNG Travel and Tours Services; Assistant Treasurer Ferdinand Ocampo of Allpoints Travel Services; Secretary General Patria Chiong of West Gate Travel and Tours; Assistant Secretary General Cynthia Lirio of MK Ching Travel and Tours; PRO Belen Guzman of Ecozone Travel and Tours; Auditor Frederick Cuatico of Great Sights Travel and Tours; and Trustees Imelda Gonzales of Express City Tours Travel Services, Evangeline Manotok of Royal Travels, Tito Noel Mora of Swift Travel and Tours, Rosellen Levy Oliveros of Levy Travel and Tours, and Matt Poonin of Travelite Travel and Tours.

Looking back through the years at how successful the association has been in all its endeavors, including its long-running (28 years) and highly popular TravelTour Expo, I am confident that no pandemic nor any other catastrophe can ever put a halt to PTAA’s continuously running success-oriented engine.

Abraham Lincoln must have foretold the association’s existence when he said, “If everyone is moving forward, then success takes care of itself.” As a tourism industry veteran helping to ignite our industry’s renaissance, I’m certainly glad the PTAA is in our camp.

YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE: POLITICIAN: One who shakes your Hand before elections and your Confidence after.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.