Manila Standard - 2021 February 10 - Wednesday

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Military to guard vax convoy Palace nixes Reds' move for civilian escort in transporting vaccines

By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas

M

ALACAÑANG on Tuesday rejected the suggestion of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to let the Red Cross and other civil humanitarian agencies transport COVID-19 vaccines in far-flung areas to avoid using military vehicles.

In a virtual press briefing, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government won’t follow the advice of a “terrorist group” and will stick to its original plan to put the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in charge of vaccine delivery in far-flung areas.

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 337 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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PH to roll out AstraZeneca jab amid efficacy issue

By Willie Casas THE scheduled rollout of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines in the first quarter of 2021 will proceed unhampered, pending findings that it will not be effective against the dominant

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM FEB. 9)

540,227 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,235 29,167 NEW

ACTIVE

11,296

65

499,764

53

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

NEW

original variant of the coronavirus in the Philippines, the Food and Drug Administration said.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo made the statement Tuesday in light of South Africa deferring its AstraZeneca vaccine rollout since it had been

found to have a low efficacy rate against the coronavirus variant found there.

“We are still waiting for their data on the new variants. It still has no effect on us because the South African variant has not been seen in the Philippines.

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Gov’t to bring in imported pork priced cheaper in supermarkets

By Othel V. Campos and Rio N. Araja THE government has approved the importation of 388,740 metric tons (MT) of pork from foreign sources not affected by the African swine fever (ASF) to bridge the gap between supply and demand as the highly infectious disease has decimated local pig stocks.

Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said the DTI, Department of Agriculture and other concerned

agencies will announce the final suggested retail price (SRP) for imported pork within the week.

“We expect that the price of imported pork will be lower than the SRP for local pork. We urged consumers to watch out for this lower-priced pork at supermarkets and groceries,” he said in a press briefing.

Both traders and hog raisers were allowed to bring in imported pork under the minimum access volume (MAV) plus carrying duties of 30 percent for inquota and 40 percent for out-quota.

VAX ARRIVAL DRILL. An airport cargo hauler pulls the 'vaccines' unloaded from a Philippine Airlines Airbus A330 aircraft that arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 in Pasay City on Tuesday. Officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force, including vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Customs Commissioner Leonardo Rey Guerrero, graced the simulation exercise, which continued with a convoy featuring two reefer vans that transported the 'vaccine' from NAIA to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City (inset photos). Lino Santos and Next page JR Josue

AFP chief to increase sea patrols SC gags groups vs. terror law or face contempt

THE new Armed Forces of the Philippines chief said Tuesday he would increase patrols in contested waters due to what he described as an "alarming" China law that allows its Coast Guard to at foreign vessels and tear down structures built by other countries.

Filipinos only seek to earn a livelihood when they sail out to Philippine waters which China claims, said AFP chief of staff Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.

"It's very alarming po iyon. I should say it's a very irresponsible statement," he said of the new China law.

"As part of our mandate to protect the people,we will increase our visibility through the deployment of more naval assets," Sobejana said in a public briefing, but clarified the deployment would be sent out "not to wage war against China, but to secure our people."

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CONSTITUTION DAY. House Majority Leader and Philippine Constitution Association President Martin Romualdez (left) hands over a Plaque of Appreciation to guest of honor and speaker Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. during the PHILCONSA Philippine Constitution Day celebration Monday night at the executive lounge of the House of Representatives.

Ver Noveno

THE Philippine Constitution Association, led by House of Representatives Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, on Monday paid tribute to its members and colleagues, including former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim who died in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During Philconsa’s commemoration of the 34th anniversary of the ratifica-

tion of the 1987 Constitution, Romualdez honored their colleagues, former Senator Lim, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim, former Reps.

Romulo Lumauig of Ifugao and Mariano Tajon of Ilocos Norte, and journalist Domini Torrevillas for their contribution to public service.

“We bid them farewell. May their names be forever etched in our people’s Next page

CHIEF Justice Diosdado Peralta on Tuesday ordered the 37 group of petitioners and their lawyers who are questioning the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 to stop discussing the merits of the cases before the media to avoid being cited for contempt of court.

Peralta issued the warning towards the end of the second round of the oral Next page

Velasco’s stimulus bill gets 162 solons

Philconsa marks Charter jubilee

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Rey E. Requejo

By Maricel V. Cruz

NEW NAVY SHIP. The Philippine Navy welcomes the future BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), the second missile-capable frigate of the Navy, as it traverses Philippine waters in the vicinity of Capones Island, Zambales on Tuesday. PN Photo

SPEAKER Lord Allan Velasco’s Bayanihan 3 bill that proposes a P420-billion fund is gathering bipartisan support from the House of Representatives.

Deputy Speaker and Ilocos Sur Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan said at the latest count, 162 members of the supermajority, minority and independent blocs in Next page

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WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 10, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

seat push ‘Wear two masks or respirator’ Child ‘untimely’, say two senators W Scientists have agreed for some time the main way the virus is spread is through the air, rather than surfaces, and there's growing evidence that small droplets from ordinary breathing and speech that can travel many meters are a common mode of transmission.

Added to this is the greater contagiousness of emerging variants, like B.1.1.7, which takes a smaller viral load to cause symptomatic COVID-19 compared to the more common strain.

Back when authorities first recommended people wear face coverings, prop-

er masks were in extremely short supply and the public was encouraged to fashion makeshift solutions out of T-shirts or bandanas. But these are far from ideal.

Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, who studies airborne disease transmission, told AFP: "How well a mask works depends on two things: filtration and fit.

"Good filtration removes as many particles as possible, and a good fit means that there are no leaks around the sides of your mask, where air—and viruses—can leak through," she said, adding even a small gap could lead to a 50 percent reduction in performance.

The best materials for blocking small

Military...

The CPP earlier and its armed group, the New People’s Army (NPA), “strongly suggested” that COVID-19 vaccines not be transported in military vehicles.

“We have a rollout plan. That’s what we’re going to follow regardless of what the CPP-NPA says,” the Palace official said..

“They have freedom of expression, but they are tagged as a terrorist group. They can express their opinion but it won’t go further,” he added.

The CPP said transportation for COVID-19 vaccines must be clearly marked with a red cross over white background to avoid being mistaken as a military vehicle.

The communist group alleged that the military has been carrying out combat and psywar operations behind the veil of implementing COVID-19 restrictions.

The CPP also said the vaccine should be delivered by civilian groups whose personnel are “properly trained and who have the facilities to undertake such missions.”

President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to the CPP to allow COVID-19 vaccines to be transported “freely and safely” in farflung areas once they become available, urging them to “kindly observe the rules of humanity.”

The CPP, in response, vowed that it won’t hamper the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in guerrilla base areas.

“It is a matter of principle for the NPA to respect all humanitarian undertakings that benefit the masses,” the CPP said.

The AFP on Tuesday said all of its assets are ready to help the Department of Health in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

On Tuesday, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 conducted a simulation on the arrival and transport of COVID-19 vaccines.

The exercise involved the government agencies and private organizations that will be responsible for the logistics of vaccine distribution.

It included customs clearance through the one-stop shop; loading from the airport; transport of vaccines to the cold chain storage

facility; unloading, receiving and inspection of vaccines; storing at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM); preparation of vaccines for distribution; loading and delivery to various points of destination such as hospitals and health facilities; and unloading and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines at the destinations.

The government expects delivery of 117,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine this month.

Given in two doses 28 days apart, these would be good for 58,500 individuals.

The simulation exercise started with the arrival of the vaccines at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City. The vaccines were then loaded into a van then brought to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City for storage.

At the RITM, a team inspected the vaccines.

“This process is important to ensure that the vaccines are in good condition,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a speech delivered at the RITM. “The vaccines will be stored in ultra low freezers capable of storing the vaccines meeting a temperature range between -60 to -80 degrees centigrade,” Duque said.

Duque said the vaccines stored will later be distributed to hospitals.

“What we have done today is subject to review,” Duque said.

“We have a target. Customs clearance 30 minutes. Unloading 15 minutes. Transport 20 minutes. Receiving and inspection 15 minutes…allocated time of 120 minutes. Hopefully, this will be cut by half, 60 minutes,” Duque said. “If we can shorten it, so much the better.”

Duque said even in the actual distribution in the vaccination sites there will be an allocated time.

Earlier in the day, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said it was crucial to maintain the potency of the vaccines.

The country is expecting vaccines from the US firm Pfizer Inc and the UK’s AstraZeneca PLC from the COVAX Facility.

Pfizer’s vaccine requires a storage temperature of about minus 70 degrees Celsius while AstraZeneca’s needs only normal refrigerated conditions of about 2-8 degrees.

Vergeire said there will also be simula-

tion activities in three COVID-19 referral hospitals — Philippine General Hospital in Manila, Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City, and Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City.

She said hospitals are only given five days to use all doses allocated to them with the vials kept at rooms with temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees.

“Once the vials are opened, they have to be consumed within six hours,” Vergeire said.

Roque said the government was 100 percent ready for the arrival of the vaccines this month.

Several local government units also conducted simulation exercises in the past weeks.

Mayors Joy Belmonte of Quezon City, Oscar Malapitan of Caloocan City, and Toby Tiangco of Navotas City and presidential spokesman Harry Roque reminded the public the availability of vaccines does not mean health protocols will be relaxed or quarantine restrictions will be eased.

Roque said the government expects the inoculation in Metro Manila to start days after the first batch of vaccines to arrive in the middle of this month.

He could not say the exact date of arrival but said the government is ready to implement the vaccination program by Monday next week.

Metro Manila is under general community quarantine (GCQ) until Febr. 28.

Quezon City and Caloocan aim to vaccinate about 1 million of their constituents.

Tiangco said the vaccine is not a replacement for health protocols, which means “even if we are vaccinated we continue to wear face masks, we continue to observe social distancing, and we continue hand washing.”

Malapitan said the city needs at least 1,600 vaccinators for at least 1.1 million of its adult residents for a seven-day vaccination period. Caloocan has about 1.87 million residents including minors.

He said 54 vaccination centers have been identified in the city and a cold chain storage has been bought to store the vaccines it purchased from AstraZeneca, which are expected to arrive by the third quarter of the year.

Tiangco said Navotas also plans to buy vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna Inc. Makati Mayor Abby Binay said the

city government has procured 42 biomedical refrigerators and laboratory freezers to ensure proper storage of the vaccines.

“As we wait for the vaccines to arrive, the city government is preparing the vaccination sites, vaccine depots, and other logistic needs for cold chain management. I assure everyone that we are doing our best to achieve a 100 percent vaccination rate in Makati,” she said.

Binay said the vaccine refrigerators and freezers will be housed in a vaccine depot being built at the City Hall quadrangle.

The Makati Health Department aims to finish the preparation of the site next week, she said.

Residents and non-residents who work in Makati who will be vaccinated will undergo online registration, counseling, screening, vaccination, and post-vaccination monitoring.

In other developments: • AirAsia Philippines is seeking approval from the government to transport COVID-19 vaccines in the country. The company is also seeking special authorization from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to participate in the roll out of the vaccines to far flung provinces in the country.

• The Bureau of Customs will take only 30 minutes to release COVID-19 vaccines, the country’s vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said. The bureau has established a “one-stop shop” to process the vaccine shipments upon their arrival in the country, where they will be quickly inspected while they are still inside the aircraft, Galvez said.

• Designated COVID-19 hospitals in Metro Manila will be the first to receive COVID-19 vaccines set to arrive in the country next week, a Department of Health official (DOH) said Monday.

The Metro Manila Center for Health Development chief Dr. Corazon Flores said these hospitals include Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Tala, Caloocan; Philippine General Hospital in Manila; and the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City. The National Kidney Transplant Institute's inclusion has yet to be finalized. Flores said their top priority will be 4,557 employees and health workers from PGH, 1,900 in Tala hospital, and 1,117 from the Lung Center. With Darwin G. Amojelar

PH...

Gov’t...

To facilitate the movement of hogs and pork nationwide, the DA has made available transportation assistance of P10 to 21 pesos per kilo Under the 60-day price cap measure approved by the President, local pork will have to comply with the suggested retail price ranging from P270 for pork kasim (shoulder) to P300 for pork liempo (belly).

An agricultural group, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) on Tuesday said the DA may not be able to meet Metro Manila’s requirement for pork and chicken given the government’s low price ceiling. With Joel E. Zurbano and Jenniffer Austria According to Peralta, the justices intend to finish the interpellation of the petitioners and hear the position of their former colleague, retired Associate Justice Francis H. Jardeleza, who has been designated as “amicus curiae” or friend of the court for the oral arguments next week.

As a friend of the court, Jardeleza is expected to be asked to share his knowledge and expertise on the issues surrounding the controversial law.

After that, Peralta said the Court will hear the oral arguments of the respondents through the Solicitor General which would be followed with the interpellation of the Court.

At the same time, the Supreme Court junked the petition of two Aetas, who are accused of terrorism, to intervene in the petitions assailing the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

the House had manifested their support for House Bill 8628 or the proposed Bayanihan to Arise As One Act that proposes to stimulate the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Velasco filed the bill with Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo last week.

But Malacanang said he proposed Bayanihan to Arise as One Act (Bayanihan 3) could only be passed if the country still has available funds.

“We’ll see first if we still need it, and second, if we still have possible fund sources,” Roque, a former lawmaker, said in a virtual Palace press briefing.

Singson-Meehan said HB 8628 deserved bipartisan support in the House for being “well-thought-out” and “truly responsive to the needs of the people” amid the COVID-19 crisis.

“The sectors that will benefit from the interventions provided for in the bill are welltargeted, which provides an assurance that the proposed funds won’t go to waste and it will surely help the economy recover from COVID-19,” Singson-Meehan said.

Deputy Speaker and Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera said the latest version of the Bayanihan 3 “provides for a comprehensive and integrated strategy to help the economy recover faster from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.”

emony in memory of five great Filipinos who had served our country fully well till the last of their dying breath,” Romualdez, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines and chairman of the House committee on rules, said.

“These five—Fred, Danny, Romy, Mar and Domini—all hold a special place in our hearts. It pains us to realize that we will never see them again, but we are comforted by the fact that they left a lasting legacy that we in PHILCONSA will forever be proud of. Our fallen colleagues may be gone, but I am

sure that their memories will linger on forever in the hearts and minds of those whose lives they had touched,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez said Fred Lim, best known as the Dirty Harry of Manila, held the distinction as the most heavily decorated police officer of the country’s capital with a notable collection of more than 40 medals and 400 commendations.

He said Lim also served as superintendent of the Philippine National Police and director of the National Bureau of Investigation.

ASHINGTON — As new, more transmissible variants of the coronavirus spread, experts say it is time to consider using a medical-grade respirator or wearing a surgical mask and a cloth mask together.

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Even the UK variant, only a few,” Domingo said during the Laging Handa briefing.

But the World Health Organization insisted that the AstraZeneca vaccine was still a vital tool in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic, after South Africa delayed the start of its inoculation program over concerns about the drug's efficacy against a virus variant.

As concerns rose over the AstraZeneca shot, the United States said it had lost its first sitting member of Congress to the virus, 67-year-old Texas Republic Ron Wright, who had also been battling cancer.

President Joe Biden called Wright a "fighter who battled bravely against both cancer and COVID-19." His death came after a 41-year-old Republican House member-elect lost his life to the disease in December, just days before he was to be sworn in.

Meanwhile, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the brand of COVID-19 vaccine that would be given to President Rodrigo Duterte would depend on his doctor’s advice.

Roque made the response when asked if President Duterte, who turns 76 next month, would be among the first to be inoculated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as part of the prioritized elderly sector.

The first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine under the COVAX facility was expected to arrive in the country within the month, ahead of the President’s preferred Chinese and Russian vaccines.

“This issue will have to be discussed by the President with his physician,” Roque said during a briefing.

“He is under the advice of his physician,” Roque added.

In a related development, the first batch of coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech will be distributed to several hospitals across Metro Manila as well as certain healthcare facilities in Cebu and Davao, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Tuesday. With AFP

Based on the data from the Bureau of Customs, hog raisers estimated the landed cost of imported pork at P154 per kilo but frozen pork sold in groceries and supermarkets retails at P350 to P400 per kilo.

According to the DA, the estimated domestic supply was about 1.22 million tons while demand was higher at 1.6 million tons.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the private sector, particularly major supermarkets, offered to buy mobilized hogs from the provinces and do the cull-

ing on their own.

“We were assured that they will distribute the commodity to their network of supermarkets nationwide and will try to work around the SRP,” he said.

He mentioned that thousands of hogs will be transported from the Visayas and Mindanao, on a weekly basis, “but these will not suffice.”

Hog farmers revealed that pork farmgate prices range from P180 in Mindanao to P220 per kilo from farms in Luzon which is quite different from the prices gathered by the DA monitoring team that starts from as low as P144 per kilo from Mindanao to a high of P170 from Luzon.

AFP...

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The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest over the China coast guard law.

Meanwhile, two US carrier groups conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea Tuesday, days after a US warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed waters, as China denounced the United States for damaging peace and stability.

The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group "conducted a multitude of exercises aimed at increasing interoperability between assets as well as command and control capabilities", the US Navy said, marking the first dual carrier operations in the busy waterway since July 2020.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the frequent moves by US warships and aircraft into the South China Sea in a "show of force" was not conducive to regional peace and stability.

"China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security and work with countries in the region to firmly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," he said.

The exercise comes days after China condemned the sailing of the destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, near the Chinese-controlled Paracel Islands in what the United States calls a freedom of navigation operation - the first such mission by the US navy since President Joe Biden took office. AFP

arguments on the controversial law, saying Supreme Court justices had seen some lawyers who are involved in the petitions discussing their positions and the merits of the cases in the media.

“Now we would like to ask the lawyers to please refrain from being interviewed while these cases are pending resolution. You know the effect when one goes into the media and discusses his position, it might affect the outcome of these cases, so please refrain, we don’t like to use our coercive power in disciplining lawyers,” Peralta said.

The top magistrate did not name the lawyers.

The third round of the oral arguments would be held next Tuesday, Feb. 16.

Philconsa...

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memories,” said Romualdez after the necrological mass presided by Fr. Robert Reyes before Philconsa’s commemoration of Constitution Day. “It is a great honor to speak before you today (Monday night), my friends in PHILCONSA, as we pay a tribute of love and respect to five of our colleagues who had left us to join our Creator. Truly, I consider myself privileged to lead this cer-

particles include non-woven polypropylene, which is used to make N95s and many surgical-type masks, and the HEPA filters in planes. Among fabrics, tightly woven cotton works best, she added.

In other developments: • Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday said he did not violate any health standards when he visited Iloilo and Boracay last week, after being in contact with a staff who tested positive with COVID-19.

Roque made the remarks after his photo in Boracay went viral, saying he had no exposure to COVID-19 when he went to Boracay for leisure over the weekend. AFP with Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ACKNOWLEDGING the importance of child restraints to ensure the protection of children while travelling aboard vehicles, Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday said it might not be timely to push through with the implementation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, which was supposed to take effect on Feb. 2.

He said people were hard-up because of the pandemic. He said the average cost of a Car Restraint Seat was P5,000 or more Gordon, a co-author of the law, also says there is no need for it at this time since children aged 15 years and below are not allowed to go out anyway due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senator Christopher Go echoed Gordon's sentiments, saying the noble purpose behind RA 11229 must take a back seat because of the hardships imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We should refrain from imposing additional economic burden on the ordinary Filipino families—not at this time when their utmost priority is to make ends meet," Go said.

He said it was only proper to defer the implementation of RA 11229 until the Filipinos had weathered the pandemic.

Car inspection centers defend PMVIC process

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Vehicle Inspection Center Operators Association of the Philippines is supporting the government’s program to increase the standards of roadworthiness.

In a statement, the group said this commitment will also help reduce the number of vehicular accidents that lead to an annual death toll of 12,000, a number that is greater than the COVID-19 deaths that were incurred in 2020.

Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers or PMVICs were developed as part of a government initiative that first launched the Motor Vehicle Inspection System in 1983 to ensure that land-based vehicles, four-wheel and two-wheel alike, are capable and deemed safe to travel the roads.

Spearheaded by both the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Office, PMVICs elevated the standards of measurement that determined whether these vehicles would be allowed to run or stay a few more days in the shop to undergo repairs or even an overhaul.

Velasco’s...

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

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Internet firms get NTC orders vs. child porn

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice said Tuesday the National Telecommunications Commission had issued show-cause orders to 47 internet service providers, including the major players Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communication, Digitel Mobile Philippines and PLDT Inc. over their alleged violation of Republic Act 9975 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009.

Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar said the show-cause orders were issued after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the DOJ-led InterAgency Council Against Trafficking to impose sanctions on ISPs for their failure to fulfill their duties under RA 9975.

ISPs are mandated to inform civilian law enforcement agencies when they discover any child porn materials running through their servers, while ensuring to update the company’s hardware and software with the technology needed to block webpages promoting or showing such photos and videos.

Besides the order for the NTC to sanction ISPs for not complying with the anti-child pornography law, Duterte also approved the issuance of an executive order enjoining the strengthened cooperation between the IACAT, the Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography, and other relevant agencies.

CHR steps into death of two Tondo teens

By Rio N. Araja

THE Commission on Human Rights has stepped into the death of two teenage boys who were allegedly tortured in Tondo, Manila.

Commission spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said investigators had already been dispatched to look into the incident involving the 15-yearold victims Chormel and Carl Justine whose bodies were found floating in Isla Puting Bato at the Parola compound a week ago.

“We stress that all individuals have the right against cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment, which vitiate the free will and dignity of the individual,” De Guia said.

“CHR condemns this incident and has deployed a quick- response team to investigate and ascertain the facts of the case.”

The boys had been reported missing in Manila, but when they were found their feet, hands and heads were wrapped in tape, and they bore stab wounds to the head and body.

A smiley face was drawn on one of the victim’s bodies using an ice pick.

The two were last seen alive the night of Jan. 31.

INSPECTION. Trade Secretary

Ramon Lopez, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos and MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos inspect the meat section at SM Hypermart to ensure compliance with the set price cap enforced by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry in all markets.

Lino Santos and Norman Cruz

AFP chief moves to probe Parlade red-tagging spiel T

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Tuesday he was looking into a military general’s recent red-tagging of a journalist in connection with the Anti-Terrorism Law. Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade had threatened to sue Inquirer.net reporter Tetch Torres-Tupas over her alleged “fake” news report about two Aetas charged with terrorism, but who claimed they were tortured by soldiers in Zambales.

The report merely quoted a petitionin-intervention seeking to join petitions challenging the anti-terror measure.

AFP Chief of Staff Cirilito Sobejana said he had asked the provost marshal to look into whether or not Parlade’s remark had “the blessing” of an antiinsurgency task force, where the latter serves as spokesperson.

“We have to exercise due diligence so that in everything we say we are very

sure, with concrete evidence rather than just making [a] statement,” Sobejana said in a public briefing.

“It’s hard to take back what you already said after you’ve already hurt the subject.”

Parlade earlier red-tagged celebrities Liza Soberano, Angel Locsin and Catriona Gray, as well as 18 schools including De La Salle University and the Ateneo De Manila University.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday “Something is very wrong with Lt. Gen. Parlade’s mindset.”

On its face, Lacson said, Parlade’s statement clearly implying that a journalist “was aiding the terrorists” was

FOR ASH WEDNESDAY.

Fr. Jerry Jabunal, parish priest of Jesus The Divine Healer Parish in Tahanan Village, Paranaque City oversees the burning of palm fronds from last year’s Palm Sunday in preparation for Ash Wednesday on Feb. 17. The ash will be used to put the sign of the cross on Catholic devotees’ foreheads to signify man’s return to dust someday.

Norman Cruz

NBI-NCR seizes P37m in fake CopperMasks THE National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday announced the seizure of fake CopperMasks worth more than P37 million by the NBI-National Capital Region division in several stores located in the City of Manila and Pasay and a warehouse in Biñan, Laguna.

NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric Distor said the operation stemmed from a complaint by JC Premiere Business International, requesting investigative assistance and enforcement actions to stop the proliferation and distribution of counterfeit CopperMask products.

‘ATA’ PROTEST. Members of different militant groups protest in front of the Supreme Court to denounce the Anti-Terrorism Act, as the high court continues its oral arguments on the controversial law on Tuesday. Norman Cruz

NBI-NCR requested search warrants against the subject stores and warehouses for violation of trademark Infringement under Republic Act 8293, which were granted and issued by RTC Branch 46 of Manila.

On February 4, NBI-NCR implemented seven search warrants against the stores in Binondo, Manila and Pasay City, and a warehouse in Biñan.

The search was conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner in the presence of respondents’ witnesses, mall security, and barangay personnel. Willie Casas

careless and insensitive.

“I do not know how else any literate person can interpret that,” said Lacson, a former head of the Philippine National Police.

“That said, I couldn’t care less what else comes out of his mouth, nor do I have anything to do with his quarrel with Ms. Tetch Torres-Tupas,” Lacson said.

According to Lacson, his primary concern is the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which he and his staff, as well as his fellow senators, had worked extra hard to do to afford the state an effective legal tool against terrorism while ensuring that the Bill of Rights is protected, especially that the law is now facing some serious challenges before the Supreme Court.

“If Lt. Gen. Parlade wants to help enlighten the magistrates as he claims, he can do it better by not talking about terrorism.”

Former Vice President Jejomar Binay described as pointless asking Parlade to resign because he would not.

SC: PhilHealth disallowances

by COA correct THE Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the notices of disallowances issued by the Commission on Audit covering its expenditures for birthday gifts and other benefits granted by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s board to its personnel in 2007 to 2008 amounting to P204.07 million.

In a decision written by Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting, the high court also ruled that the approving and certifying officers of the efficiency gift disallowed under the notice of disallowance dated November 20, 2009, are liable to return the fund amounting to P16.2 million.

The high court ordered the recipients of the efficiency gift to refund the amount they received, “otherwise unjust enrichment on the part of the payee will arise.

“On the other hand, the payees or recipients of the efficiency gift must return the amount they received since it was erroneously given to and received by them,” the high court said.

While called “efficiency gifts”, the high court noted that there was no indication that the disallowed amount was “genuinely” intended as compensation for the services rendered by the recipients.

Other notices of disallowances issued by the COA that the tribunal affirmed included a birthday gift in the amount of P5.97 million; special event, P8.7 million; nominal gift, P29.5 million; education assistance, P49.28 million; project completion benefit, P4.98 million; payment of liability insurance premium for PhilHealth board of directors and officers, P638,000; corporate transition and achievement premium, P81.05 million; and medical mission critical allowance, P7.91 million.

Except for the notice of disallowance on the payment of liability insurance premium, the resident auditor issued all the NDs in question on the ground that their covered benefits were given to the officers and employees of Philhealth without approval from the Office of the President as required under Memorandum Order 20 dated June 2001 and Administrative Order 103 dated August 31, 2004.

Meanwhile, the resident auditor issued the notice of disallowance because the payment of liability insurance premium for PhilHealth directors and officers violated Section 73 of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act and Government Procurement Policy Board Resolution 21-05. Rey E. Requejo

LGUs

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

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Manila okays in-person CEU dentistry class

By Willie Casas

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

Pasay City Mayor Imelda Rubiano

Pasay mayor catches virus, isolates self

By Joel E. Zurbano PASAY City Mayor Imelda Rubiano has tested positive for coronavirus disease, she announced on her social media account Tuesday.

Rubiano said: “An employee of City Hall had tested positive and I was exposed along with other employees and required to undergo PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test.”

“I have received the result of my swab test on February 8, and it confirmed that I tested positive for the coronavirus,” she added.

Rubiano assured her constituents that she is in stable condition and in isolation.

She said all services of the city government would continue to be provided to her constituents and all programs and projects would continue to be implemented.

The local government has implemented the necessary health protocol, and contact tracing is now underway for those who might have directly interacted with the mayor.

HOUSE CALL. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora leads a house-to-house COVID-19 vaccination campaign and registration at Brgy.

Isabelita, San Juan on Tuesday. Zamora distributed leaflets containing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to residents during the campaign registration. Manny Palmero

THE Manila city government has approved the Centro Escolar University’s proposal to hold limited face-to-face classes for graduating dentistry students.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso gave the go signal for in-person classes following a meeting with CEU officials, the city’s public information office said.

CEU officials told Domagoso that their students’ graduation has been delayed by a year “due to lack of practicum as a result of quarantine restrictions imposed by the government” because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response, Domagoso said a continued ban on in-person classes would cause “stagnation,” adding that there was a need for more graduates from health programs.

“We won’t achieve anything if we stagnate,” he said.

Domagoso said CEU students can avail of free COVID-19 swab tests from the local government should the learners feel the need to get tested.

CEU now needs to comply with the requirements set by the Commission on Higher Education and Inter-Agency Task Force before it can start holding limited face-to-face classes.

UN supports storm victims

T

O HELP families affected by Typhoons Rolly (Goni) and Ulysses (Vamco) in the provinces of Albay and Catanduanes recover faster and stronger, the United Nations (UN) Philippines is providing life-saving support that combines cash assistance, shelter repair, and water and sanitation facilities and improvements.

UN Philippines Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez led a high-level mission to assess the effectiveness of the integrated UN response in Albay and Catanduanes last

January 27 to 30.

Gonzalez was joined by Ambassador Peter MacArthur of Canada, Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel of Germany, representatives of the UN Office for the

Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), IOM—the UN Migration Agency, UNICEF and World Food Programme (WFP), and other humanitarian partners.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) made this integrated approach possible. In the aftermath of Super Typhoon Rolly, CERF approved an allocation of $3.1 million (P150 million) for the Philippines to provide life-saving assistance to 55,000 most affected people in Albay and Catanduanes.

The funding allocation to UNICEF,

IOM and the WFP allowed the three agencies to prioritize water supplies, sanitation services, hygiene, emergency shelter and food to address timecritical needs.

“The immediate needs of typhoonaffected Filipinos in Albay and Catanduanes are immense,” said Gonzalez. “We cannot be fragmented in our response if we are to meet their needs in a timely manner. Through CERF we are making sure that we are able to respond in a way that is unified and thus more impactful.”

Better World Diliman props up 4,500 farmers SAN Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) Better World Diliman community center has sold over half a million kilos of excess farm produce in just six months of operation, benefitting 4,500 farmers all over Luzon, company president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang reported.

Better World Diliman, the third community center under SMC’s flagship

“Better World” communities program, serves as a ready-market for excess produce bought from farmers at betterthan-farmgate prices, and sold to consumers and resellers for low prices.

It utilizes unused SMC properties and leverages on partnerships with nonprofit organizations to help address various societal issues.

“Our farmers work extremely hard,

and they are among the most affected by this crisis. At the height of the pandemic, we saw the problem of excess produce that resulted in food waste and lost capital for our farmers. So, we thought to help them by providing them direct access to consumers through our Kadiwa stores at Petron gas stations, and eventually, Better World Diliman,” Ang related.

FINANCIAL AID. Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman (right) hands out educational assistance to parents of 354 selected college students of the city on Tuesday. Norman Cruz

Spotlight on PH cancer situation THE Cancer Coalition Philippines (CCPh), members of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), and the Department of Health (DOH) will hold a series of virtual fora to spotlight the current plight of cancer patients in the country.

This is in commemoration of the World Cancer Day and the second anniversary of the landmark National Integrated Cancer Control Act of 2019 (NICCA), the group said in a statement.

The forum, with the theme “Cancer Conversations: Navigating Cancer with Patients,” started on February 4 and aims to support patients’ increased understanding, and update information on where to get as-

sistance during the pandemic.

The forum will also revisit the implementation of the NICCA, an internationally acclaimed law for comprehensively mapping the path forward to strengthen cancer control, increase cancer survivorship, and reduce the burden on patients and families.

The forum will have five sessions: Session 1 will provide an overview of the cancer situation in the Philippines and its challenges and will talk about how the cancer law could be a gamechanger for cancer care in the country. Meanwhile, Sessions 2 to 5 will feature various scopes on the available support and resources and addressing early signs of symptoms to be discussed with notable speakers.

SALIVA TEST. A volunteer tries out the saliva test -- a more comfortable and affordable alternative to the nasal swabbing method for COVID-19 testing – that is now available at the Subic Bay Freeport under a joint project of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) led by Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma.

‘Buhay sa Gulay’ set in Caloocan

By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Agrarian Reform will launch its third urban vegetable farming dubbed Buhay sa Gulay project tomorrow in an idle lot in Caloocan City to promote farming, help reduce poverty, eradicate hunger, and contribute to food security among marginalized villages in the National Capital Region.

Secretary John Castriciones said this is the third urban vegetable farming to be launched in Metro Manila.

He said Caloocan City is following the success of St. John Bosco Parish in Tondo, Manila that has launched its urban vegetable farming last October, and of Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City with its own Buhay sa Gulay project in a vast 7,000-hectare lot last Jan. 8.

Opinion Added burden for vehicle owners

WHO was it who said that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions?” And if we’re talking about good intentions, what can be more noble than saving human lives or at least keep them from suffering needless injury?

No one in his right mind will oppose any law that seeks to prevent road accidents and save lives. This is what the Land Transportation and Traffic Code seeks to achieve. But the implementing agencies of this law, namely the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO), have come up with a scheme that has vehicle owners up in arms due to nagging suspicion that it could be just another milking cow likely to empty their pockets of hard-earned money amid hard times.

This, when our public officials invariably say they mean well.

It’s good therefore that Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, has pushed for a Senate inquiry into the operation of Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PMVICs) amid complaints from motorists over higher fees.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 634, Poe seeks to look into the implementation of Department Order 2018-019 of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Memorandum Circular No. 2018-2158 of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and other related issuances.

“The intention behind the law is noble, but the fees following its implementation cannot come at a worse time in the middle of a pandemic where people are barely getting by and now have to add another item in their list of expenses,” Poe said.

The Land Transportation and Traffic Code mandates the LTO to inspect and register motor vehicles. The LTO’s memo authorizes PMVICs to collect an inspection fee of P1,800 from motor vehicles weighing 4,500 kilograms or less.

If the vehicle fails the test, it will be required to undergo necessary repairs and brought back to the PMVIC where the motorist is charged an additional P900 reinspection fee to obtain a clearance. Motorcycles and tricycles are charged P600 for the inspection fee and P300 for the reinspection fee.

PMVICs are further authorized to collect a separate “inspection fee” for miscellaneous transactions like motor vehicle modification.

The senator said that as early as 2018, there had been complaints from motorists that the new fees would “double the registration fees that most motor vehicle owners already have to pay.”

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

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EDITORIAL

“Just think about it, even those who are making a living, making deliveries and transporting commuters, are being squeezed to the last centavo. So nothing more remains for their families,” she pointed out.

Aside from complaints over the increase in fees, the LTO did not conduct thorough consultations before the privatization of the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS), which seeks to ensure the roadworthiness of vehicles and prevent road accidents.

Before the program was rolled out, motorists only had to pay an average of P500 for the emission testing fee.

The LTO claims that the new inspection procedure is more thorough as it uses advanced technology to check the car from the inside out.

But there’s another problem: The supposed absence of interconnectivity between the IT system used by the PMVICs and the LTO, which means vehicle owners have to pay for another testing in another testing center.

The lack of transparency in the selection of the PMVICs has fueled suspicion among concerned groups that the program “might provide an avenue for corruption,” according to the lawmaker.

“It’s hard to ignore the accounts from motorists who have experienced glitches in the PMVIC test results that incurred additional costs on their part for reinspection...The unreliability of the test results is problematic and burdensome, to say the least,” Poe added.

Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has also criticized the LTO for imposing new policies without prior consultation in the middle of a pandemic and further adding to the burden of already struggling Filipinos. “The problem is that the LTO keeps running its programs at full speed without even blowing its horn. Policies are like cars―they should be road tested and subjected to independent review,” he said.

Recto urged the agency to “temper [its regulatory power] with compassion.” “Yes, bad driving must be punished, and car ownership and operation incur licensing expenses, but the affordability quotient must be studied in every fee and fine imposed,” the lawmaker added.

It’s not just in the Senate that the DOTrLTO scheme where the PMVIC scheme would undergo scrutiny with a fine-toothed comb.

Starting today, upon the initiative of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, the House Committee on Transportation will look into numerous complaints against PMVICs, such as the collection of “excessive fees” from the hapless public.

House Resolution 1518, authored by Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, also prompted the investigation. Under the resolution, the committee on transportation, chaired by Samar Rep. Edgar Sarmiento, is instructed to probe the alleged “inconsistencies and anomalies” in the private inspection centers.

At this point we must ask: Is the imposition of the PMVIC scheme but the latest manifestation of “regulatory capture”? We can’t help but think so, because with the millions of vehicles on the road at present, the owners of PMVICs will have a captive market and in all likelihood laugh all the way to the bank from what we call “tubong lugaw” in the vernacular.

Our public officials invariably say they mean well. That’s often the trouble, as they do exactly the opposite. ernhil@yahoo.com

Let the vaccines in

The good news is that we will soon have our first shipment of about 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the WHO-sponsored COVAX program meant to provide developing countries equal access to the available stocks at this time.

The bad news is that this allocation is just a tiny portion of our desired stock of up to 140 million doses to vaccinate 70 percent of our population. We need to achieve this level in order to enhance public confidence to ease restrictions and open up the economy.

Unless the accredited manufacturers step up their production roll out and those in the final stages of accreditation are permitted to start production soon enough, it will probably take at least another year before we even get to have half of the number of doses we need.

A recent report by the People’s Vaccine Alliance, a coalition of organizations calling for wider and fairer access to vaccines worldwide, indicated that most vaccines produced in the West have already been bought by rich countries. As of early December, the report said, all of Moderna’s vaccines and 96 percent of Pfizer BioNTech’s have been secured by them.

If true, that immediately puts vaccine czar Carlito Galvez’ glowing report about our own vaccination roll out into the garbage bin.

Gavi, the WHO-sponsored vaccine alliance, tried to inject a positive note in this otherwise dim scenario. But by the People’s Vaccine Alliance’s tally of Gavi’s supply data, as of the last week of January, the estimate was that in the first quarter of this year, the manufacturers will be able to ship between 110 million and 122 million doses from AstraZeneca and a mere 1.2 million doses from Pfizer-BioNTech

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

— for all 145 of the countries that have signed up with Gavi to obtain COVID-19 vaccines.

On the other hand, there are reports that the Chinese manufacturers, SinoPharm and SinoVac and Russia’s Gamaleya (Sputnik V manufacturer) have said that they have the capacity to produce up to one billion doses each this year. Currently, Sinovac has already signed deals to export more than 350 million doses of its vaccine to 12 countries this year (hopefully that includes our allocation). On the other hand, SinoPharm is providing around 194 million doses to 11 countries and Sputnik V, about 400 million doses to 17 countries. Our sources say that we have yet to firm up our contracts with SinoPharm and Gamaleya although there are noises, again from our officials, that we are on our way to concluding the agreements.

Be proactive and scour the entire planet to get hold of the much-needed vaccines by any legal means possible.

We better make sure that these agreements get finalized soonest before other countries snap our share like what happened earlier with our allocation of at least 10 million doses from Pfizer which was diverted to Singapore after somebody high up in the IATF hierarchy “dropped the ball.” For if truth be told, everybody – and I mean all countries including the rich ones – are angling very hard to have as many of the vaccines they can get their hands on. And with the latest reports that the Chinese and Russian vaccines are as effective and may even be easier to store and distribute than those from the Western manufacturers, then

What mental illness looks like

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POSTER for a local movie has caused a stir on social media.

The poster for “Tililing” depicts six individuals with their tongues sticking out; on their faces are wacky expressions.

The movie has been described as having a mix of horror, comedy, drama – and craziness. “Tililing,” according to the movie’s director, is a Filipino term for someone who is not sane.

Mental health advocates slammed the stereotypes used in the poster and said mental illness is a serious issue. In response, the group Anxiety and Depression Support Philippines released its own poster of six individuals wearing everyday expressions that show anybody among us could be suffering from mental health issues without looking odd or ridiculous. Some of those suffering from mental health issues are fully functional in other aspects of their lives and could maintain an exterior of calm and productivity.

Indeed, mental health has many faces.

The group’s representative, clarifying that they were reacting to just the poster and not the movie which has not yet been shown, said people might get the impression that those with mental health issues

This is a conversation we must have given its prevalence among our family members, colleagues or friends, especially during this time of the pandemic. look or act ridiculous. That wrong impression may last a long time, because not everybody will make the effort to read up or find out more about the issue.

In recent years, there have been efforts to remove the stigma on mental illness: It is a medical condition that can be addressed through medication and therapy, and the condition is in no way the fault or choice of the person, or the consequences of his or her prior

life decisions.

Younger individuals could be deemed more aware of the stigma because social media have tried to put the issue into the mainstream. Meanwhile, those who think of mental health illness as a state of “being looney” or “having loose screws” or being “plain crazy” may just be products of their time – an age when there was no awareness, much less understanding, of the workings of the mind. Still, this does not absolve them from the obligation, to inform themselves, challenge their preconceptions, and be mindful of their words and actions.

So what does mental illness look like? Nothing, because each case and each experience is unique. Anything, because one cannot tell from appearances who is dealing with it or not.

Mental health is neither a pleasant nor easy topic to discuss. But it is a conversation we must have given its prevalence among our family members, colleagues or friends, especially during this time of the pandemic. It’s neither drama nor comedy, but pure science – and more than that, human compassion.

Misery IMAGINE this: You are an ordinary worker. You lost your job because of the pandemic. So you have no income. You go to the market and you find that prices of nearly all food items have gone up –many by record highs. So you don’t buy anything. You go hungry. You are jobless, penniless, hungry. And there is no relief in sight.

US economist Arthur Okun designed a concept called “misery index”―a rising unemployment and a rising inflation results in what is called “misery” because the combination causes economic and social costs.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported on Feb. 10 that the country’s headline inflation rate accelerated to 4.2 percent in January 2021, from 3.5 percent in the previous month (December).

This is the fastest inflation rate in two years since the 4.4-percent inflation recorded in January 2019.

The rate of increase in prices, what is called inflation, is the highest in two years.

The country’s unemployment rate hit a historic high of 17.6 percent in the second quarter of 2020. In 2019, unemployment hit a record low of 4.6 percent--meaning President Duterte actually solved joblessness, since a 4.6-percent unemployment rate is equivalent to full employment. But then the pandemic struck.

An inflation rate of 4.2 percent and an unemployment rate of 17.6 percent (one out of every six workers without work) would yield a misery index of 21.8―a level never seen in this country.

Fortunately, the unemployment rate settled at 8.7 percent before 2020 ended. Still, the Social Weather Stations estimates self-rated unemployment at 27.3 percent currently. So that puts the misery index at above 35.30―astronomically high.

Despite the higher inflation rate in January, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said that the inflation target for this year remains unchanged at 2 percent to 4 percent.

According to PSA, the faster inflation in January 2021 was mainly driven by the increase in the price indices for food items, particularly meat and vegetables. Food is 50 percent of a poor household’s expenditure.

The country’s pork supply has been decimated by half, thanks to the Asian Swine Flu (ASF) that

we will really have an even bigger challenge to hurdle moving on.

That should lift the cloud of prejudice against these vaccines from mostly patrons of the Western manufacturers who have time and again mounted challenges about the safety and efficacy of any and all competing products or procedures from what they usually derisively dismiss as “authoritarian states.” It is as if these countries’ scientists and engineers are numb, mindless robots tied up to the dictates of the state.

Anyway, we now have independent confirmation from third parties. Lancet, a leading Western medical journal, has confirmed interim results from late-stage trials that Sputnik V, the Russian vaccine, had an efficacy rate of 91.6 percent which validated the findings released in mid-December by the vaccine’s developers, the Gamaleya Center and the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

On the other hand, the regulatory bodies of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Serbia, Morocco, Hungary and Pakistan have approved China’s SinoPharm vaccine as of mid January. In fact, some 1.8 million people including a good number of our nationals have been vaccinated in the UAE. In the case of SinoVac, Indonesia, Bolivia, Turkey, Brazil and Chile have approved and begun to roll out the vaccine with no widespread medical challenges. Reports have it that the Sputnik V will also be distributed within the quarter in more than a dozen countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

has bankrupted Luzon’s once robust hog industry.

Food inflation accelerated to 6.6 percent, while non-food inflation remained unchanged from the previous month at 2.3 percent. Meanwhile, faster price adjustments were also recorded in restaurants, miscellaneous goods and services, and transport.

PSA said rising food inflation can be attributed to the outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF), additional logistics and transportation costs of sourcing pork to augment supplies throughout the country, the closed fishing season across several regions, and the damage in the countryside from typhoons and floods last year.

“Our priority right now is to ensure that food

Imagine you are jobless, penniless, hungry – and there is no relief in sight. supply is adequate so that households affected by COVID-19 and the quarantines will not be doubly affected by the increase in food prices,” said Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua.

In the interim, allowing more importation of key agricultural products, while adhering to strict safety protocols to prevent entry of contaminated products, will help augment supply and manage inflation.

The Committee on Tariff and Related Matters has endorsed the proposed increase in the minimum access volume (MAV) of pork and the temporary decrease in the most favored nation (MFN) tariff rates of pork and rice, subject to the proper process and investigation by the Tariff Commission. All these can increase the food supply and stabilize food prices.

The Department of Agriculture is implementing a four-pronged approach to increase swine supply through heightened swine production in the identified ASF-free areas. In particular, NEDA supports the Department of Agriculture’s proposal to increase the MAV allocation for pork imports and implement “special hog lanes” or food highways in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government. These measures will help boost domestic supply and

It stands to reason that these countries have properly vetted these vaccines based on the documents submitted by the manufacturers and the Chinese and Russian regulatory agencies, including the results of trials done by the manufacturers in accord with existing WHO and international standards. Most if not all of these countries also host the leading Western pharmaceutical companies and will definitely be looking intently at the roll out of their competitors’ vaccines just to ensure their own share of the market. So far, we have yet to hear of any negative reports as these countries roll out their vaccination programs.

Given these developments and our earnest desire to enhance immunity and public confidence as we transition our way out of the continuing lockdown, there is a need for government to be more pro-active in securing our share of this much-needed relief. Latest reports have it that after some initial hesitation due to their past prejudices, even leading European countries like Germany, Spain and France have started talking to the Chinese and the Russians for a share of their vaccines.

These countries have finally realized that there are limits to their own vaccine manufacturing operations and it would be unforgivable if they do not consider, even just a bit, procuring from the competitors.

So there. Given our desire to fast track the rollout of our vaccination program and the growing scarcity of vaccines in the market, we should now consider letting all of the vaccines into the country – without any exception and with the proper certifications from the regula-

ensure the unhampered delivery of agricultural products across the country.

The Updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 launched last week also details strategies to increase connectivity through infrastructure development and opening up the logistics sector to ensure access to staple goods.

Nevertheless, overall inflation remains manageable as we continue to reap the benefits of the Rice Tariffication Law. “We passed the Rice Tariffication Law to address the rice shortage and related price hikes last 2018. As a result, rice prices decreased by around 10 pesos per kilo from its peak. In January, rice inflation was close to zero at only 0.1%. Just like before, the government continues to be proactive in addressing spikes in inflation as this affects the poor the most,” Chua said.

Bangko Sentral says the January inflation of 4.2 percent was higher than the 3.5 percent in December and was above the BSP’s monthly forecast of 3.3 percent to 4.1 percent for the month.

Still, the BSP says, elevated January inflation is consistent with the BSP’s prevailing assessment of a transitory uptick in inflation in the first half of 2021, largely reflecting ongoing supplyside pressures as well as positive base effects.

Average inflation, the BSP assures us, is still projected to settle within the 2 percent to 4 percent target range over the policy horizon, particularly as direct measures are being pursued by the national government to address the availability of affected commodities.

Core inflation, which excludes selected volatile food and energy items to depict underlying demand-side price pressures, edged higher to 3.4 percent in January from 3.3 percent in the previous month. On a month-on-month seasonallyadjusted basis, inflation increased slightly to 0.9 percent in January from 0.8 percent in December.

The higher inflation outturn was due mainly to faster price increases of selected key food items.

Inflation for meat remained elevated as the African Swine Fever outbreak continued to adversely affect domestic supply.

Year-on-year inflation for fruits and vegetables also increased, further contributing to the rise in food inflation. Fish inflation also went up as a result of reduced supply with the close of the fishing season. On the other hand, year-on-year nonfood inflation held steady in January compared to the previous month. biznewsasia@gmail.com

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Inflation, stagflation? tory agencies of the countries where these are manufactured at the moment. More than that, we should consider encouraging the manufacturers to have any and all of these vaccines manufactured in the Philippines by providing incentives for locating here, on their own or through licensing arrangements with any of our established companies. That way, we will be in a better position to ensure our people’s health and our economic and social well being.

Again, we say: Be proactive and scour the entire planet to get hold of the much-needed vaccines by any legal means possible. The sooner, the better.

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

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State forces fire rubber bullets at Myanmar demonstrators

SECURITY forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas at anti-coup protesters in Myanmar on Tuesday as demonstrators around the country defied a military ban on rallies.

Protests erupted for a fourth straight day against last week’s coup to oust civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as international condemnation of the putsch grew.

The rallies came despite a warning from the junta that they would take action against demonstrations that threatened “stability”, and a new ban on gatherings of more than five people.

In Naypyidaw, the remote capital purpose-built by the previous military regime, witnesses said police fired rubber bullets at protesters after earlier blasting them with water cannon.

“They fired warning shots to the sky two times, then they fired (at protesters) with rubber bullets,” a resident told AFP, adding that he saw some people injured.

An AFP reporter on the ground confirmed that shots had been fired.

In Mandalay, the country’s secondbiggest city, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.

After watching hundreds of thousands of people rally in opposition to last week’s coup, junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing made a televised speech on Monday evening to justify seizing power.

The first of a series of bans on gatherings in protest hotspots was also announced on Monday, as was a nighttime curfew.

But on Tuesday, fresh protests initially emerged in various parts of Yangon, including near the headquarters of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD).

The protesters carried placards including “We want our leader”, in reference to Suu Kyi—who is currently detained by the military—and “No dictatorship”.

In Yangon’s San Chaung township, scores of teachers marched on the main road, waving a defiant three-finger salute that has become a signature gesture of the protesters.

“We are not worried about their warning. That’s why we came out today.

We cannot accept their excuse of vote fraud. We do not want any military dictatorship,” teacher Thein Win Soe told AFP. Military promises In his televised address, his first since the coup, Min Aung Hlaing insisted the seizure of power was justified because of “voter fraud”.

The NLD won last November’s national A YELLOW BLACK elections by a landslide but the military never accepted the legitimacy of the vote.

Shortly after the coup, the military announced a one-year state of emergency and promised to then hold fresh elections.

Min Aung Hlaing on Monday insisted the military would abide by its promises and reinstall democracy. He also declared that things would be “different” from the army’s previous 49-year reign, which ended in 2011. AFP

IN BRIEF Iran starts vaccination campaign against COVID-19

FARMERS’ PROTEST. Supporters of India’s opposition Congress party take part in a protest rally against the central government’s recent agricultural reforms, in Siliguri on February 6, 2021. AFP

Desperate search for glacial burst survivor in India begins

I

NDIAN rescue workers battled through ton of rock and mud Tuesday searching for survivors in a choked Himalayan tunnel after a deadly flood—apparently triggered by a glacial burst—smashed through two mountain dam projects.

More than 170 people were still missing, two days after a wall of water and debris hurtled down a valley in the northern state of Uttarakhand, destroying bridges and roads, hitting two hydroelectric power plants and killing dozens.

The disaster has been blamed on rapidly melting glaciers in the Himalayan region caused by global warming. Building activity for dams and dredging riverbeds for sand—for use in the construction industry —are other suggested factors.

Most of those missing were workers at the two power plants, with some trapped in a 2.7-kilometre (1.7-mile) U-shaped tunnel in Tapovan that filled with mud and rocks when the 20-metre-high (70foot) flood hit.

Twelve people were rescued from one side of the tunnel on Sunday but another 34 were still trapped at the other end, police official Banudutt Nair, in charge of the rescue operation, told AFP. Hundreds of workers toiled all night and by morning had cleared their way

120 metres into the tunnel, with rescue personnel “waiting to enter as soon as any movement deep inside the tunnel is possible”, the local government tweeted.

“Work will happen day and night. There will be no break,” said local roads official AS Rathod.

Nair said rescuers were not giving up hope, believing that there were air pockets inside the tunnel, where the workers could still be alive.

Giant floodlights lit up one entrance late Monday as a huge excavator slowly worked its way through the sludge, carrying out huge piles, which rescuers then sifted through looking for survivors, or remains.

Nearby, workers used an excavator to try to remove giant boulders from the road blocking the way to the second power plant, the Rishi Ganga facility.

This was destroyed and was a wasteland covered with brown and grey slush, with a nearby concrete bridge swept away. At least 35 workers and locals were missing.

‘Don’t let go’ One of those who made it out of the tunnel was Rajesh Kumar, 28, who together with others clung to scaffolding rods in the tunnel for four hours before the water level fell and they were able to escape.

“Suddenly there was a sound of whistling... there was shouting, people were telling us to come out. We thought it was a fire. We started running but the water gushed in. It was like a Hollywood movie,” Kumar told AFP. “We just kept telling each other— come what may, we must not let go of the rods,” he said from his hospital bed.

Shopkeeper Ramesh Negi was enjoying the Sunday morning sun when he heard a loud roar and saw a huge wall of water smash into and sweep away a bridge.

Dozens of workers building a concrete dam on the river bed and grazers leading their cattle along the mountain slopes disappeared beneath the sudden deluge, he recalled.

“There was dust and screams all over,” the 36-year-old told AFP. “We tried to alert the grazers but they were blown away by the wind pressure before being consumed by the water and slush. We can only guess what happened.” AFP

IRAN began its vaccination campaign against COVID-19 on Tuesday to fight the Middle East’s deadliest outbreak of the illness, images broadcast by state television showed.

“We begin our national vaccination against the COVID-19 virus... (in) memory of the martyrdom of health workers,” Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said at a ceremony at a Tehran hospital, referring to medical personnel who have died from the disease.

Iran’s inoculation effort for its 80-millionplus population is starting with Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, authorities have said.

The first doses of the Russian vaccine arrived on Thursday in Tehran, with two more shipments expected by February 18 and 28, according to Iranian authorities.

Iran began its vaccination campaign against COVID-19 on Tuesday to fight the Middle East’s deadliest outbreak of the illness, images broadcast by state television showed.

“We begin our national vaccination against the COVID-19 virus... (in) memory of the martyrdom of health workers,” Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said at a ceremony at a Tehran hospital, referring to medical personnel who have died from the disease.

Iran’s inoculation effort for its 80-millionplus population is starting with Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, authorities have said.

The first doses of the Russian vaccine arrived on Thursday in Tehran, with two more shipments expected by February 18 and 28, according to Iranian authorities. AFP

Four Afghan ministry staff killed in rush-hour ambush MILITANTS shot dead four government employees in central Kabul Tuesday in the latest rush-hour violence to rock the Afghan capital.

The city has seen near-daily attacks during the busy morning commute, targeting prominent Afghans including politicians, journalists, activists, judges, and religious scholars.

Kabul police spokesman Ferdaws Faramarz told reporters that gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying staff from the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, killing four of them.

A separate attack saw a civilian wounded when a bomb targetted another government vehicle, police said.

Tuesday’s attacks came a day after three bomb blasts rattled the capital, killing at least one person.

Afghan and US officials have blamed the Taliban for the wave of violence, although the group has rejected the charges.

The surge comes as peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government that began in September are deadlocked.

Government negotiators are pushing for a permanent ceasefire, but the insurgents have so far dismissed calls for a truce. AFP

Nigerian police free 3 kidnapped Chinese from Osun gold-mine site PROTESTER.

NIGERIAN police said on Tuesday they had freed three Chinese workers kidnapped last week from a gold-mining site in southwestern Osun state.

The Chinese were abducted and their police escort killed on February 1 following a dispute with local laborers at the mining site at the Atakumosa area of the state.

“We have rescued the three Chinese expatriates. They were freed on Sunday,” state police spokeswoman Yemisi Opalola told AFP.

Police carry a protester as they arrest him during a demonstration against the military coup in Mandalay on February 9, 2021.

AFP

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIA L SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late OFELIA R. ANGANGCO has been extrajudicially settled by her heirs per Doc No. 416, Page No. 85, Book No. II, Series of 2020 of Atty. Pauline Marie R. Gairanod, Notary Public for Taguig City, Metro Manila.

(MS-JAN. 27, FEB. 4 & 10, 2021)

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice is hereby given to the public that an Affidavit of SelfAdjudication was executed by the only heir of the late Rene C. Mapua, namely: Diego Xavier H. Mapua, of legal age, single, resident of Alabang, Muntinlupa, over the estate of the said deceased consisting of BDO bank acts, shares of stock in ACC, CGC, CGCC, and Omni Aviation Corp., and 1 vehicle (Mazda MX5), adjudicating the said properties unto himself, per deed executed 30 Jan. 2021 in Las Piñas City before Notary Public Atty. Elmer M. Rejano, per Doc. o. 465; Page No. 94; Book No. XIX; Series of 2021.

(MS-FEB. 3, 10 & 17, 2021)

She said the foreigners who took ill while in captivity, were being given medical care.

She said that no arrests had been made.

It was not immediately clear if a ransom was paid for their release.

Kidnapping for ransom which used to be common in Nigeria’s oil-producing south, has lately spread to the other parts of the country.

The victims are usually released after a ransom is paid although police rarely

confirm if money changed hands.

Chinese firms are working in Nigeria on multi-billiondollar infrastructure projects that include mining, railways, airports and roads.

Their workers have been repeatedly targeted by kidnap gangs.

Last July, four Chinese workers were abducted from a quarry site in southern Cross River state while their police guard was killed.

They were released one month later.AFP

Trump’s impeachment trial begins Tuesday THE US Senate gavels in Tuesday on Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment trial, with his defense team decrying it as a “brazen political act” of retribution and Democratic prosecutors arguing that the ex-president wilfully incited a violent insurrection.

The House of Representatives impeached him last month over his role in the deadly January 6 siege of the US Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, and his trial—the first of a former president—will feature the Senate’s 100 members sitting as jurors.

Trump’s legal team Monday denounced the case as unconstitutional, calling it “absurd” to hold the former president responsible for the violence.

But in a preview of their prosecuting arguments, Democrats accused Trump Monday of committing the “most grievous constitutional crime” in the 232-year history of the American presidency by inciting his

supporters to storm Congress.

The trial occurs with much of Capitol Hill still locked down under intense security one month after the unrest.

Amid continued fears of extremist attacks, 6,000 National Guard members remain deployed in Washington, adding to the picture of a capital still on edge.

The proceedings kick off at 1:00 pm (1800 GMT). According to a bipartisan deal, there first will be up to four hours of debate and a vote on the constitutionality of trying an ex-president.

Arguments will be heard beginning Wednesday, with 16 hours provided over two days per side.

Senators will then pose questions to the two teams, and a majority vote will be needed if either side wants to call witnesses. Trump has already declined an invitation to testify.

The trial is expected to extend into next week.

Trump is a deeply damaged political figure,

in part because of his relentless false claims about voter fraud. But he remains a powerful force in the Republican Party.

Charged with “incitement of insurrection,” he is likely once again to avoid conviction due to loyal support in the Senate, but his lawyers contended in their final pre-trial filing that the Constitution does not give the chamber jurisdiction to try a former president.

“The Senate must summarily reject this brazen political act” because “this is clearly not what the framers wanted or what the Constitution allows,” his attorneys Bruce Castor, David Schoen and Michael T. van der Veen wrote.

“Indulging House Democrats hunger for this political theater is a danger to our Republic democracy and the rights that we hold dear.”

The defense used blunt language in their 78page brief, saying it was “simply absurd” to argue that Trump conjured up a mob to com-

mit violent crime, and that those who attacked the Capitol did so on their own.

‘Leave it to the Senate’ President Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump on January 20, declined Monday to address whether Trump should be found guilty or denied the right to hold future political office.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki later told reporters that Biden ran against Trump in 2020 “because he felt he was unfit for office,” but added that the president will “leave it to the Senate to see this impeachment proceeding through.”

Should Trump be convicted, the Senate will then hold a simple-majority vote on barring him from future public office.

The congressional Democrats prosecuting the trial, known as House impeachment managers, have pushed back sternly against Trump’s legal contentions, citing “overwhelming” evidence. AFP

Business Amazon workers begin voting on unionization of e-commerce firm WASHINGTON, United States― Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama have begun voting on whether to form the first American union at the e-commerce giant, an effort that could pave the way for further unionization in the United States at one of the world’s most powerful companies.

Amazon is the second-largest employer in the US with an 800,000-strong workforce, most of whom are “essential workers” who cannot do their jobs from home during the coronavirus pandemic.

There have been a series of protests around the United States on safety and working conditions at Amazon, with the pandemic increasing pressure on its distribution network even as profits soar.

Employees at its BHM1 facility in Bessemer, Alabama, notified authorities of their plan to unionize in November.

“Working at Amazon is supremely dangerous. The record on Amazon’s deadly and dehumanizing working conditions is well established,” the pro-union campaign website says.

“Amazon warehouse workers face outrageous work quotas that have left many with illnesses and lifetime injuries.”

In addition to safety, the campaign is urging employees to vote in favor to improve procedures covering grievances, discipline and termination.

Ballots started to go out by mail on Monday to the 5,800 workers at the Bessemer warehouse, with voting to continue through March 29 under an order from the National Labor Relations Board.

The count is expected to begin March 30.

The campaign is the most serious since 2014 when Amazon workers at a Delaware facility voted against a union, and could spark further efforts to unionize hundreds of thousands of employees in the United States.

Unlike in the United States, Amazon workers in many other parts of the world are unionized.

Helmed by the world’s richest person Jeff Bezos, Amazon does not officially oppose unions but it has campaigned against the move within the Bessemer workforce. AFP

Market extends gains; Apollo and SMIC advance S TOCKS rose for a fourth day following the recent rally in Asian markets on optimism that coronavirus infections will fall as vaccinations are rolled out.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 41 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 7,065.55 Tuesday. It was the bellwether’s highest finish in two weeks.

The broader all-share index rose 17 points, or 0.4 percent, to settle at 4,249.93 on a value turnover of P12.3 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 127 to 104, while 40 issues were unchanged.

Sixteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Apollo Global Capital Inc. which surged 17.4 percent to P0.250 and Premiere Horizon Alli-

ance Corp. which jumped 13.1 percent to P2.94.

SM Investments Corp. went up 3.5 percent to P1,056.00, while AC Energy Corp. gained 0.8 percent to P7.81.

Meanwhile, Asian markets were mixed Tuesday. While there is a growing sense of concern that valuations may have gone too far for now—having enjoyed a strong rally in recent months—the general mood is one of optimism that the global economy will break out as life gradually returns to normal.

The US president’s $1.9-trillion rescue bill is winding its way through Congress and while Biden might not get the broad bipartisan deal he had hoped for, the Democrat majority in both houses is likely to be enough for them to pass a large package.

The giant spending splurge—which includes $1,400 cash handouts—comes as the US immunization program gathers pace and figures show new cases,

deaths and hospitalizations are tumbling.

A similar picture is emerging in Britain, while Europe is also seeing improvements.

Adding to the positivity, statistics out of Israel -- which has led the world in vaccinations -- appear to show the jabs are working.

“Financial markets are forward-looking, and it looks like the US and Europe have Covid cases heading in the right direction,” said OANDA’s Edward Moya.

“Reflation bets are running wild and that could be enough to keep this stock market party going.”

All three main indexes on Wall Street ended at new highs, and Asia extended the rally Tuesday.

Shanghai led gains, rallying two percent, while Tokyo rose to a new 30-year high. Hong Kong, Mumbai, Singapore, Manila and Bangkok also were up, but Sydney, Seoul, Jakarta and Wellington fell. With AFP

PSEi February 9, 2021

TOP GAINERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

APL TBGI GEO PHA PA MAB UPM VUL MAH DFNN

LAST PRICE 0.25 0.425 0.46 2.94 5.37 0.011 0.011 2.84 3.27 5.56

CHANGE 0.037 0.055 0.055 0.34 0.62 0.001 0.001 0.25 0.26 0.44

% CHANGE 17.37% 14.86% 13.58% 13.08% 13.05% 10.00% 10.00% 9.65% 8.64% 8.59%

TOP LOSERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

ALHI PAX KPH PRMX FAF REG RLT IPM SBS WIN

LAST PRICE 7.39 2.2 5.26 1.39 0.56 2.79 0.29 5 4.76 0.23

CHANGE -1 -0.28 -0.42 -0.1 -0.04 -0.18 -0.015 -0.25 -0.22 -0.01

% CHANGE -11.92% -11.29% -7.39% -6.71% -6.67% -6.06% -4.92% -4.76% -4.42% -4.17%

MOST ACTIVE

SECURITY CONCERN. Huawei founder and chief executive Ren Zhengfei speaks during a press briefing in Taiyuan, in China’s northern Shanxi province on Feb. 9, 2021. Zhengfei called Tuesday for an open approach from new US President Joe Biden, after the firm was battered by sanctions imposed by Donald Trump’s administration. Ren Zhengfei said his “confidence in Huawei’s ability to survive has grown” despite travails across much of the western world where it is maligned as a potential security threat.

Kakao’s income surges as founder pledges giveaway SEOUL, South Korea—The operator of South Korea’s biggest mobile messenger KakaoTalk posted coronavirus-boosted record quarterly profits Tuesday, a day after its billionaire founder pledged to give away more than half his wealth.

The pandemic has killed more than two million people worldwide and wreaked havoc on the world economy, with intensive lockdowns and travel bans imposed around the globe for several months.

But it has also seen many tech companies boom, including South Korean chip makers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Operating profit for Kakao Corp surged 88.3 percent year-on-year to 150 billion won ($134 million) in the final three months of the year, the highest for any quarter, the company said.

Sales were up 45.7 percent on-year at 1.24 trillion won.

The earnings announcement came a day after Kakao’s founder Kim Beom-su sent a message to employees telling them: “I have pledged to donate more than half of my assets throughout my life to solve social issues.”

The move by Kim, who is worth around $9.5 billion and among South Korea’s five richest people according to Forbes, is an unusual one for the world’s 12th-largest economy, where business is dominated by sprawling family-controlled conglomerates.

Kakao, founded in 2010, has a range of mobile offerings and its flagship messaging application is installed on more than 90 percent of phones in South Korea.

Forbes described Kim as the nation’s “biggest gainer” during the coronavirus pandemic, with social distancing measures driving up use of its messaging app, e-commerce platform and online games.

For the 2020 full year, the firm’s sales jumped 35.4 percent to reach an all-time high of 4.15 trillion won, with operating income also at a record and net profits of 167 billion won. AFP

B3

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DITO ACEN APL BDO PHA SM MBT TEL BPI SMPH

VOLUME 169782700 114784200 3931070000 5025540 174148000 403225 7189700 199790 2990990 6408200

VALUE (PHP) 2816388776 912549592 908186430 565205011 490902560 423473375 358620595 275734895 259069881 241626210

Platforms 101 THIS week, we continue our discussion concerning business models. Specifically, we focus on the business model of platforms.

Pipelines versus platforms Many platforms essentially provide a match making service. If we think about such businesses as Uber or Airbnb, these are essentially businesses that provide a facility that connects a consumer to a supplier.

Many businesses provide a venue for allowing a merchant to interact with a customer. Newspapers, radio stations and televisions studios provide an audience for advertisers.

Mall operators provide spaces for commercial transactions.

Mall operators make money from leasing real estate in the same manner that newspapers sell advertising space or television stations sell advertising minutes.

Unlike traditional media, where the interaction is limited to the one-way sharing of a message, a mall operator also provides a space for the actual transaction to take place. Marketing, through in-store merchandising or even advertising through posters or signs can also occur in these malls.

Where media relies on audience, malls rely on traffic. While traditional media attracts audiences through skillful programming, mall operators attract shoppers through skillful choice of location, mall design and, most importantly, the creation of an attractive merchant mix.

In business model terms, traditional media is a pipeline business. The company churns out content and attracts an audience. That audience then becomes the basis for selling advertising space or time.

On the other hand, a mall is a platform business. While a television studio produces the shows that attract the audience, a mall relies on its merchants to

provide the products and services for consumers. A mall operator must be able to balance the two sides of merchants and consumers. A certain amount of desirable foot traffic is required to attract and keep merchant tenants and desirable merchants attract shoppers. Mall operators must constantly ensure that they are managing both sides of the platform. This involves skillful management of the space to ensure that shoppers enjoy their experience and tenants make money. This is not merely a matter of managing tenant mix through such things as skillful placement of magnet stores, it is also about managing shopper traffic through such mechanisms as mall-based promotions or events.

The essence of success in platform businesses is in the skillful balance of both sides of the business.

Matchmaking and network effects For many online platforms, the heart of the business model is in matchmaking – ensuring that consumers and suppliers are matched in a manner that creates repeat transactions. For malls, this is about mall layout, merchant placement and skillful communication. For companies like Uber, it is about making sure that riders find rides within a specified timeframe and that drivers get enough riders to make money. It must be clear that for both bricks and mortar platforms such as malls and online platforms such as Uber, the success of the business relies on building and maintaining a critical mass of both suppliers and consumers. New malls create traffic by concentrating on attracting magnet locators such as groceries or cinemas to generate the initial foot traffic. It then attracts early locators through easy terms on rental while shopper traffic is low. The key to success is to quickly ramp up shopper traffic and locators. The same thing is true for online platforms.

Matchmaking on online platforms can be trickier. For example, for

Uber, some passengers may require a large trunk for baggage or an extra-large car to accommodate a larger group of passengers. In the case of Airbnb, renters might be looking for specific in-house amenities such as a pool or access to certain locales such as a beach or activities such as surfing. The ability of a platform to quickly match the needs of a customer to the appropriate supplier lies at the heart of many platforms.

What this means is that there must be choice and on online platforms, choice of suppliers means volume in terms of suppliers. Hence, onboarding suppliers is at the heart of setting up a successful platform business. However, suppliers do not stay on a platform if they are not able to get enough customers. Hence, managing the customer experience and ensuring repeat transactions is necessary for a platform business. A successful platform business creates a virtuous cycle. Satisfied customers and enough choice attract more customers. More customers attract more suppliers. More suppliers create mire choice, attracting more customers. This is called a network effect.

Creating and capitalizing on network effects lie at the heart of the basic business model of most online platforms. The difference, for example, between YouTube and a television station is that YouTube simply provides the platform for content creators to reach an audience.

Hence, the operations of YouTube do not directly focus on finding watchers.

That is the job of the content creators.

The focus of YouTube is to motivate content creators to create the content that will attract viewers and to ensure that the platform provides easy access to viewers. At the heart of the marketing of the platform business is the ability to create a community of both suppliers, such as content creators, and consumers, such as viewers, to sustain the platform.

Clearly, delivery of the marketing

promise is reliant on the rules and design of the platform, and especially its policies, algorithms, and user interfaces.

Engine Managing a successful platform business is not simply about concentrating n nothing but volume. Without a sophisticated engine, too much volume can be counterproductive.

A vacationer looking for a place to rent does not want to spend two days adding through Airbnb listings.

Hence, the matchmaking algorithm at the center of many platforms is a critical element of platform management. For Airbnb, the ability to filter listing according to specific factors such as price, location, space and amenities is important. For Uber, the ability to identify type of vehicle is critical. For social media, the ability to match content to user preferences while being able to offer variety is important.

The key question for these platforms is always monetization.

A mechanism for content creators to make money is important to attract quality content. On the other hand, so much free content is available online that asking consumers to pay for access is often counterproductive – essentially resulting in shutting down content consumption. However, too much advertising can also turn off some content consumers. For many platforms, the answer lies in striking a balance between free access with advertising and premium access with a fee for premium content or to exclude advertising.

Whatever business model an entrepreneur ends up choosing, the important thing is to understand that the heart of the business model is a clear understanding of how the business will make money.

Readers can email Maya at integrations_manila@yahoo.com.

Or visit her site at http://integrations. tumblr.com.

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Wednesday, February 9, 2020 41.07 PTS. 7,065.55

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

30,439,457,075 217,340 12,271,600,469.90 127 104 40

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.0490

Japan

Yen

0.009504

0.4567

UK

Pound

1.374200

66.0289

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128996

6.1981

Switzerland

Franc

1.112842

53.4709

Canada

Dollar

0.785053

37.7210

Singapore

Dollar

0.750300

36.0512

Australia

Dollar

0.770000

36.9977

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652450

127.4476

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266588

12.8093

Brunei

Dollar

0.747496

35.9164

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.033311

1.6006

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0824

Euro

Euro

1.204900

57.8942

Korea

Won

0.000896

0.0431

China

Yuan

0.155068

7.4509

India

Rupee

0.013712

0.6588

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.246124

11.8260

New Zealand

Dollar

0.721800

34.6818

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035747

1.7176 Source: BSP

Pension reforms to help ensure government’s fiscal stability

By Julito G. Rada NATIONAL Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said reforming the pension system will ensure the government’s fiscal stability while guaranteeing the continuous provision of fair retirement benefits for the military and uniformed personnel.

De Leon told senators during a recent public hearing of the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation that the Department of Finance was fully supporting the proposal to overhaul the pension system of military and uniformed personnel.

She said reforming the pension system of the country’s defenders was long overdue and acquired greater urgency amid the growing fiscal burden and sustainability risks it poses.

The Bureau of the Treasury led the drafting of the bill, supported by an actuarial study by the Government Service Insurance System on the financial impact of the reform on the government’s coffers.

The government’s version of the bill, with some modifications, was filed in the House of Representatives by Albay Rep. and House ways and means committee chairman Joey Sarte Salceda.

The current MUP pension system is non-contributory, hence retirement pensions and benefits are fully funded by the government through annual appropriations.

An actuarial study by the GSIS showed the current system would entail funding requirement of P9.6 trillion. The amount covers the future obligations pertaining to active members and current pensioners of the military and uniformed personnel. If the current system prevails, the government will be required to allocate around P850 billion to MUP pensions annually for the next 20 years.

This GSIS study also observed that the growth rates of MUP pension expenditures were steadily dwarfing the maintenance and other operating expenses of MUP agencies over the years.

The pscheme also features the option to avail of early retirement after at least 20 years of service, even ahead of the mandatory retirement age of 56.

PLDT Group said it invested close to P2 billion this year to run its advanced cybersecurity operations center to fight online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

“This is where we predict, prevent, detect and respond to all types of cyber threats including those related to OSAEC. This is where we identify phishing and scamming activities,” said Angel Redoble, first vice president and chief information security officer of PLDT, Smart and ePLDT. “Now, this includes notifying our enterprise subscribers of attacks and high-risk activities inside their network,” Redolbe said.

PSE retains main index composition

THE local bourse maintained the composition of the bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index after a regular stock performance review of the 2020 market performance.

The PSEi consists of the country’s 30 most liquid and well-capitalized listed firms. For a listed company to included in PSEi, it should be among the top companies in terms of liquidity and full market capitalization.

A listed company should have a free float of at least 15 percent of outstanding shares.

The PSE also takes into account relevant financial criteria in the review.

The PSE said that in terms of sector indices, ten companies would be added while seven would be removed. Three of the ten listed firms to be added in sector indices are Axelum Resources Corp., AllHome Corp. and Fruitas Holdings, Inc..

“We are pleased that these companies were included in the indices of their respective sectors after their first review period.

This is an indication that investor interest in these stocks continued even after their initial public offering,” PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Alsons discloses plan to raise P2b

MODERN JEEPNEY. Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. through Hyundai Trucks and Buses Cabanatuan turns over 30 units of Class 2 HD50S Modern Jeepney to the Tamogepa Transport Service Cooperative Inc. Attending the event are Ahmed Cuizon, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region III (fourth from right); Cesar Absalud, chairman of the Tamogepa Transport Cooperative (third from right); Dennis San Juan, president of Hyundai Trucks and Buses Cabanatuan City (fifth from right); Monch Osorio, head of commercial vehicle sales of HARI (second from right); and other key officials from Tamogepa Transport Cooperative.

Real estate vacancy rate seen widening as more POGOs exit

By Jenniffer B. Austria

L

EASING rates will bottom out this year as vacant office spaces and residential units are expected to widen on the prolonged impact of the pandemic and continued exit of companies engaged in offshore gaming, consultancy firm Colliers Philippines Inc. said Tuesday.

Colliers Philippines said office vacancy would reach 12.5 percent this year as more Philippine offshore gaming operators moved out and business process outsourcing companies rationalized their office space requirements.

Colliers Philippines senior research manager Joey Bondoc said in a virtual presentation the subdued leasing across

all segments would result in correction in leasing rates.

“We expect office leasing rates to bottom out in 2021 before a recovery in 2022,” Bondoc said.

He said about 886,200 square meters of new office space would be completed this year, bulk of which would likely come from the Bay Area and Ortigas central business district.

Colliers Philippines said while offshore gaming firms continued to vacate office spaces, companies engaged in manufacturing and essential goods would drive space absorption this year.

It said the slowdown in office space absorption would also affect residential demand.

The group said it was expecting residential vacancy to accelerate to 16.9 percent this year from 15.6 percent in 2020.

Bondoc said residential prices and rental rates would recover only by 2022, when office leasing would pick up.

More than 10,000 condominium units are slated for delivery this year, 74 percent of which would be in the Bay Area

followed by Bonifacio Global City, Alabang, Ortigas and Makati.

Colliers Philippines said while the residential market catering to the lowincome group was affected by the pandemic in 2020, the mid-income and luxury market remained strong.

It said that in 2020, the residential take-up hit a seven-year low of 31,000 units, while launches reached 21,000 units.

The mid-income to luxury market accounted for 86 percent of residential sales in 2020, up 72 percent from 2019.

Residential sales to the affordable and low-income market accounted for 11 percent in 2020, down from 26 percent in 2019.

Meanwhile, the outlook for the hotel sector remained bleak as occupancy was expected to remain 30 percent this year with international and domestic travels unlikely to recover in the next 12 months.

Hotel completions are being delayed with only 1,020 rooms expected to be delivered this year, lower than the prepandemic projection of 2,160 rooms.

ALSONS Consolidated Resources Inc., the listed investment holding company of the Mindanao-based Alcantara Group, is raising up to P2 billion from the issuance of commercial paper.

ACR said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission the CPs would be issued as first tranche from its P3-billion shelf-registration program.

The P2 billion CPs will have tenors of 182 days and 364 days.

It said the net proceeds would be used to fund maturing short-term obligations and partially finance a hydropower project.

ACR has P1.24 billion worth of loans maturing in the first half of 2021.

The company is constructing a 22-megawatt project in Zamboanga City under Sindangan Zambo-River Power Corp. The whole development is estimated to cost P2.85 billion.

ACR hired Multinational Investments Bancorporation as the sole issue manager, lead arranger and underwriter for the offering. Jenniffer B. Austria

Amaia Land issues statement on security

AMAIA Land Corp. issued a statement Tuesday to address and clarify the security incidents making rounds in social media that happened at Tower 2 of Amaia Skies Cubao, one of the condominium projects it developed.

The company said Raizel Matibag, the property manager of Amaia Skies Cubao, already reached out to travel executive Angely Dub and took the lead on the security issue.

Dub, in her social media posts, said she was a victim of burglary and noted the absence of closed circuit television cameras at the condominium.

“These incidents have already been referred to the local authorities for proper investigation, with the Condo Corp. actively assisting in the investigation of the matter and implementing more stringent security measures,” Amaia Land said.

“As for the lack of CCTVs in the hallway, we take this opportunity to confirm that the project was built to be compliant with all applicable laws and regulations and that Amaia had installed CCTVs in all the required areas. Amaia will continue to extend assistance to the Condo Corp. in the resolution of this matter,” the company said.

CEZA allots P426m to modernize infrastructure in Cagayan Freeport

By Othel V. Campos

KFC EXPANSION. KFC Philippines opens four franchised outlets after it launched its franchising scheme just before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. This is indicative of the investors’ belief and trust in the strong KFC brand that paved the way for its expansion despite the crisis, according to KFC Philippines franchise management director Yvette Roldan. Leading the ribbon-cutting rites at the opening of the KFC Waltermart Candelaria branch in Quezon province are Candelaria Mayor Macario Boongaling and Vice Mayor George Suayan.

PLDT invests nearly P2b in cybersecurity operations to combat online sexual abuses

By Darwin G. Amojelar

IN BRIEF

The multibillion-peso investment enabled the companies to block 3,020 domains that host illicit materials featuring children as mandated by the National Telecommunications Commission.

“We expanded our sources on these illegal sites, so we can block as many domains as possible. We’ve been doing open-source threat intelligence gathering, purchasing available commercial threat intelligence and receiving information from our government through law enforcement agencies on which sites to block,” said Francisco Ashley Acedillo, assistant vice president of Smart and chief strategy officer of the Cybersecurity Operations Group.

THE Cagayan Economic Zone Authority will continue the construction and development of modern infrastructure facilities at the Cagayan Freeport to address the requirements of financial technology investors, an official said Tuesday.

CEZA chief executive Raul Lambino said the initial investment for construction projects would reach P426 million, “which I believe is worth the cost since cryptocurrency is hitting new highs globally.”

“We have to believe in the power of innovative ideas. Cryptocurrency is one such,” he said.

Lambino cited a report by the New York Times that Tesla “purchased $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency, as part of an initiative begun last month to invest in alternative assets like digital currencies and gold bullion.”

Tesla, according to the report, is ex-

pected to begin accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment “in the near future.”

Lambino said the report would definitely boost the viability of CEZA as the Philippine fintech capital. He said technology would be the main driver of the development of the Cagayan Freeport.

Lambino noted that Bitcoin, the world’s most-traded cryptocurrency, posted a new all-time high of $47,513.57 on Monday following Tesla’s announcement.

There are about 25 fintech companies registered as principal licensees in CEZA that are expected to begin their offshore operations from Cagayan Freeport soon amid the increase in the value of cryptocurrencies traded in the world market.

CEZA is putting up a three-story commercial building and another threestory corporate center that have a combined 12,000 square meters of business offices for lease.

EDC board approves issuance of P5-b bonds in second quarter

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE board of geothermal power producer Energy Development Corp. said Tuesday it approved the issuance of up to P5 billion worth of bonds in the second quarter to finance capital expenditures.

EDC said in a disclosure to the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. its board granted authority to undertake the shelf registration of up to P15 billion, with an initial issuance of P3 billion and an oversubscription option for another P2 billion in fixed-rate bonds, subject to the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“We’re targeting second quarter for the initial tranche. We’re looking at is-

suing a green bond. Use of proceeds will be mainly for capex and general corporate purposes,” EDC chief financial officer Erwin Avante said.

Avante said the P15-billion shelf registration would cover a three-year period and the bulk of the firs tranche would be spent for the 28-megawatt Bacman Binary project with a capex of P6.4 billion.

“We have a growth project that we’re starting this year. It’s the Bacman binary project, approximately 28 MW,” Avante said.

EDC earlier tapped Turboden S.p.A. of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. based in Lombardy, Italy and Mitsubishi Power Ltd. of Japan for the binary cycle

power generation equipment to be installed at its Bacman geothermal power plant in Manito, Albay.

Turboden said it would provide a complete power generation system while Mitsubishi Power would provide support through local resources to EDC, the country’s biggest geothermal company.

The project is expected to be completed by end-2022.

First Balfour secured last month the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the Palayan Binary Plant Balance of Plant works package.

The contract covers the installation of equipment necessary to generate energy using the residual brine flow from the existing EDC steam field.

Sports

SOME of the world’s best strikers will converge at the Singapore Indoor Stadium when ONE Championship returns to live action with ONE: FISTS OF FURY on Friday, February 26.

ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Ilias “Tweety” Ennahachi looks to continue his reign in the division against #2-ranked contender “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 in the explosive main event of the evening.

Ennahachi won the strap from Petchdam “The Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy before defending his strap against Wang “Metal Storm” Wenfeng in a hard-fought five-round thriller.

Now he looks to continue his dominant ways against Superlek, who took the ONE Super Series stage by storm since making his highly-anticipated debut in 2020.

Superlek scored wins over “The Angel Warrior” Panpayak Jitmuangnon in his debut and followed up with an impressive win over Fahdi “The Gladiator” Khaled two months later, sending him into this showdown with Ennahachi.

But it’s not only the main event that fans should look out for.

Returning to the Circle is ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Champion Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan, who battles debuting Davit Kiria in the co-main event of the evening.

Petrosyan, regarded as one of the greatest kickboxers of all time, returns to action after beating Samy “AK47” Sana in the finale of the ONE Featherweight World Grand Prix – a win over the former Glory and Kunlun Fight Champion would only add to his lore.

A win for Kiria, however, would highlight one of the most memorable debuts in ONE history – if he can pull off the upset over Petrosyan.

Fan favorite Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon will also be in action as he takes on Alejandro “El Puma” Rivas in his kickboxing debut.

Speaking of debuts, 16-year-old Victoria “The Prodigy” Lee finally makes her highly anticipated arrival in ONE when she takes on Sunisa “Thunderstorm” Srisen.

Full card: (c) Ilias Ennahachi vs. Superlek Kiatmoo9 (ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title) Giorgio Petrosyan vs. Davit Kiria (ONE Super Series kickboxing—featherweight) Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs. Alejandro Rivas (ONE Super Series kickboxing— flyweight)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

B

IANCA Pagdanganan is about to kick her bid for the Olympic Games into overdrive.The Ladies Professional Golf Association’s longest hitter left for the United States Sunday night and will undergo quarantine protocols before resuming her LPGA Tour campaign in Florida in two weeks’ time.

The 2018 Asian Games individual bronze medalist is eyeing to nail the last of two Olympic slots allotted for the Philippines, the first virtually secured by LPGA of Japan Tour-based Yuka Saso, who is at No. 21.

The Top 60 by the International Golf Federation in its Olympic ranking will get to play in the Tokyo Games with the Top 15 gaining outright berths. The qualification period will run until June 28 with women’s golf slated Aug. 4-7 at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama.

“Playing in the Olympics is the greatest (golf) opportunity,” said Pagdanganan. “If I get to play (in the Olympics), it’s a goal of mine.”

Had the quadrennial meet been held as scheduled in 2020, the Univ. of Arizona product wouldn’t have made it to the roster, even by a long shot. Moved a year later due to the global health crisis, the Tokyo Games now beckons for the 23-year-old for-

mer Philippine Open Ladies champion, who surged to No. 41 in the current (Olympic) ranking owing to her fine rookie showing on the LPGA Tour last year.

“It was always her goal to play in the Olympics,” said three-time Junior World champion and coach Carito Villaroman, who handled Pagdanganan since she was 11. “All the things that she has been working on is in preparation for her campaign in the upcoming Tokyo Games.”

She described her gaining an LPGA card late in 2019 as “surreal.” With a clear shot in the Tokyo Games, it would even look odd for the ICTSI-backed ace to be taking a stab at Olympic glory 16 years later.

But for many, she deserved every bit of a crack at it.

LPGA.com even labeled her as the “future and a revolutionary figure of women’s pro golf,” not just because of her immense power (she leads the Tour

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Razon to provide Tokyo-bound athletes, coaches with vaccines

Bianca sets Olympic bid into overdrive

Bianca Pagdanganan seeks to blast way to Tokyo

Ennahachi, Petrosyan back in action at ONE: Fists of Fury

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

with a 288-yard norm), but also because of her character and the promise that she brings to the sport.

While other players do hit it as far as she does, 2004 British Women’s Open champion Karen Stupples said they’re afraid to do it, stressing: “They’ve been told that they need to pull back and keep it in play or hit it to a number. Bianca doesn’t care about any of that. She picks a line and rips at it.”

“I’m the last mechanical and technical person you’ve ever seen. People talk to me about clubs and how the swing works and I’m like, ‘Oh, interesting.’ I just love to grip it and rip it,” Pagdanganan would always say when asked how and where she draws her power.

She could be that good but her game is still far from being perfect with Villaroman and Pagdanganan focusing on her ball control and short game during the six-week LPGA break. It would also be too early to say that she’s the kind of player who might change the norms of the sport someday although it wouldn’t necessarily be wrong.

“I really want to play in the Olympics.

That’s a big goal and I want to achieve it. I want to represent the country on a bigger stage. Oh my God, it would be a big accomplishment, such a big honor,” she said.

BUSINESS tycoon Enrique Razon guaranteed to provide the Philippines’ Tokyo Olympic bound athletes and coaches with the COVID-19 vaccines.

Razon made the assurance in a meeting with Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Tuesday.

“We would like to thank Mr. Enrique Razon for providing our Olympic-bound athletes with vaccines,” Tolentino said.

“Rest assured, our athletes would be protected from the virus as they escalate their training and preparation for Tokyo.

Four Filipinos have so far qualified for the Tokyo Games—world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena and boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno. Many more athletes are hoping to qualify particularly in boxing, karatedo, taekwondo and mountain bike and BMX cycling.

“I’m sure that with the generosity of Mr. Razon, especially in these difficult times, would further spur our athletes to focus on the Olympics without fear of getting infected,” Tolentino said.

Razon, chairman of International Container Terminal Services Inc. and casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp., was earlier reported to be bringing into the country 20 million doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine developed by US-based Moderna.

The Moderna vaccine was reported to cost $26 each, or approximately P1,250.

Tolentino earlier aired his belief that the Tokyo Olympics are the Philippines’ best chance to win its first gold medal.

“The time is now,” said Tolentino, also the PhilCycling president. “I believe that we are in the best position to win that Olympic gold—not one, but more.”

The Philippines started participating in the Olympics in 1924 and managed only 10 medals—three silvers and seven bronzes.

Tolentino also aired his confidence that the Olympics would push through despite escalating COVID-19 cases in Japan.

“I am a positive person. The Olympics will happen, the International Olympic Committee, and the host country [Japan] will make it happen,” Tolentino said. “We only have one plan and that is to win a gold medal in the Olympics.

There’s no Plan B, so let’s not even think that it won’t push through.” AFP

PH volleyball team formation now in hands of committee THE formation of the Philippine volleyball teams for future international competitions will no longer be in the hands of the coaching staff alone.

Ramon Suzara, president of the newly-formed Philippine National Volleyball Federation, Inc., said selecting the players for international meets will now fall under the PNVFI national team committee.

“This department will be in charge of this. The coach will no longer be the only one to choose the players,” said Suzara during yesterday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

Suzara said the committee with its own chairman, secretary and five members will handle everything that concerns the national team for events like the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and other FIVB events.

In the past, the federation names the head coach, who is then given the free hand to call for tryouts and name the members of the men’s and women’s volleyball teams.

Suzara will sit as co-chairman of the committee.

The PNVFI held its elections last month and this early, has earned the full recognition of the FIVB, the world governing body in the sport, taking the place of the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. and Philippine Volleyball Federation.

Suzara, a member of the FIVB marketing committee and head of the Asian Volleyball Confederation marketing and development committee, said he’d like to see a bigger pool of national players.

“So, we can change players anytime,” he told the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Joining Suzara in the weekly session were PNVFI vice president Arnel Hajan, board member Charo Soriano,

PSA Forum guests, led by PNVFI president Tats Suzara

and national team mainstays Alyssa Valdez, Jaja Santiago and Aby Marano.

Suzara laid down a 10-point program for the PNVFI, which includes the formation of a national league owned by the federation, bringing world-class events to the country and reviving age-group competitions nationwide.

“We’re happy that there are plans to help the growth of Philippine volleyball. This is just the beginning,” said Val-

dez, still considered as the face of the sport in the country.

Suzara said the PNVFI also plans to increase its membership from the current 52 to as many as 82, representing all the different provinces.

“We see a bright future. When we become inclusive it’s easier to grow. We will reach out to far-flung areas and extend the beauty of volleyball. This is just the first step. A lot of things need to be done,” said Soriano.

Eala’s immediate goal: To improve world ranking Alex Eala wants to become no. 1.

By Peter Atencio

Joshua Pacio

EXPECT Alex Eala to play with inspiration in the $25,000 W25 Trophee De La Ville De Grenoble in Grenoble, France, where she is matched up against Laura Ioana Paar of Romania in the first round.

The 15-year-old Eala was recently named as one of eight girls and seven boys who got junior player grants from the International Tennis Federation of up to $25,000 in 2021.

One of her immediate goals will be to improve on her rankings in the professional circuit.

“Right now, I like to think of my smaller

goals, improving my women’s ranking, and just continuing to improve on the things that I need to improve right now. There’s a lot of room for improvement, I think,” said Eala on itftennis.com.

So far, Eala’s ranking of no. 942 remained unchanged since winning her first women’s professional crown the first leg of the W15 event of the Rafael Nadal Academy World Tennis Tour in Manacor, Spain last month.

“The main goal is to become a full-time professional, to win Grand Slams and to become the world’s no. 1,” said Eala.

Among the recipients of the ITF junior grant is world no. 2 Victoria Jimenez

Kasintseva of Andorra, along with Weronika Baszak of Poland, Kristina Dmitruk (Belarus), Alexandra Eala , Julia Garcia of Mexico, Yasmine Kabbaj (Morroco), Mell Elizabeth Reasco Gonzalez (Ecuador) and Vivian Yang of New Zealand).

French netter Elsa Jacquemot, who won the Roland Garros juniors, is also seeing action in Grenoble, along with Oceane Dodin.

Last week, Eala made it to third and final leg of the International Tennis Federation’s W15 Manacor, in Mallorca, Spain, before bowing to Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia, 2-6, 3-6.

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Sports

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

LeBron stars as injury-hit Lakers nail 5th win in a row LOS ANGELES—LeBron James scored a 28-point triple double as the injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers bagged a fifth consecutive win on Monday in a 119-112 overtime defeat of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For a second straight game, James and the Lakers were forced to dig deep in overtime, overturning a doubledigit deficit early in the fourth quarter to grind out their 19th win of the season.

With the Lakers missing Anthony Davis and Alex Caruso through injury, Oklahoma City led for long periods with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (29 points) and Darius Bazley (21) outstanding.

Oklahoma City led 90-79 with just over 10 minutes remaining but saw their lead cut in half at 107-102 with two minutes left.

An 8-0 run put the Lakers in charge with just seconds of regulation left before Gilgeous-Alexander nailed three free throws to tie the game and force overtime.

The Lakers reasserted themselves in the extra period however, with Montrezl Harrell, Dennis Schroder and Wesley Matthews putting them 117-110 a head.

A James slam-dunk made it 119-112 to seal the Lakers win.

James finished with 14 rebounds and 12 assists to complete his third triple double of the season.

He was backed with 19 points from Schroder and 21 from Harrell off the bench.

Matthews also delivered a big contribution off the bench with 16 points.

A relieved James said the Lakers needed to improve their urgency after being forced to come from behind.

“We’ve got to be more conscientious how we start games,” James said.

“Getting down double digits is not something we want to have. Our pace was very slow at the start of the game, but we understand that and we know what we need to do to change that.” AFP

Kenin pulls through; Azarenka crashes

M

ELBOURNE—Sofia Kenin made a nervous start to her Australian Open defense Tuesday, but ailing former champion Victoria Azarenka crashed out after needing treatment for breathing difficulties during a straight-sets defeat.

Kenin edged through 7-5, 6-4 against Australian Maddison Inglis, who is ranked outside the top 100, and vented her frustration verbally throughout a tetchy first round.

“I’m obviously not happy with the way I played,” said Kenin, who made 27 unforced errors on her return to Rod Laver Arena.

The 22-year-old won her maiden Grand Slam a year ago against Garbine Muguruza, who turned the tables to beat Kenin in a warm-up tournament last week and had little trouble in dispatching Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan 6-4, 6-0 on the adjacent

Margaret Court Arena.

But the 2012 and 2013 champion Azarenka was a distressing sight as she went out to Jessica Pegula on the second day of the coronavirus-delayed Grand Slam.

Azarenka, who was one of the players locked down in hard quarantine before the tournament and not allowed out of her room to train for 14 days, began to suffer in the second set.

The 2020 US Open runner-up, who only played one warm-up match last week, was seen gasping and using an inhaler, and then looked close to collapse on court. After a medical timeout

she played on but lost 7-5, 6-4.

“It was tough for her, she wasn’t well but I just focused on myself,” said the 61st-ranked Pegula.

Fifth seed Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine was pushed hard by Cezch Marie Bouzkouva before coming through 6-3, 7-5 (7/5).

Red-hot Rublev In the men’s draw, red-hot Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev continued his unbeaten start to the year with a straightsets win over German Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 on John Cain Arena.

“I was really happy I could control the match almost from the beginning,” said the 23-year-old, who blasted 17 aces.

Rublev claimed a tour-leading five ATP titles last year and won four straight matches to help Russia win the ATP Cup last week, putting him in the conversation for a maiden Grand Slam crown.

Rafael Nadal’s bid for a record 21st

Mineski joins hands with Globe, OPPO

By Peter Atencio

Sofia Kenin of the US hits a return against Australia’s Maddison Inglis during their women’s singles match on Day 2 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. AFP

Hamilton signs Mercedes deal, but future still in doubt LONDON—Lewis Hamilton has signed a one-year deal with Mercedes for the 2021 season, but the Formula One team’s boss Toto Wolff indicated on Monday it could be his final season in the car.

The agreement ends the British driver’s long-running contract saga with the dominant Silver Arrows ahead of the start of the new campaign in Bahrain next month.

The 36-year-old equalled Michael Schumacher’s championship haul with his seventh title in 2020 and already has more race wins, pole positions and podiums than any other driver in the sport’s history.

Hamilton said in a Mercedes statement that the team had “achieved incredible things together”, while team principal Wolff said the partnership had “written itself into the history books”.

Despite the delay, both driver and team always insisted it was a matter of when, not if, a new contract would be agreed.

Hamilton said he was excited to be heading into a ninth season with Mercedes.

“Our team has achieved incredible things together and we look forward to building on our success even further, while continuously looking to improve, both on and off the track,” he said.

“I’m equally determined to continue the journey we started to make motorsport more diverse for future generations and I am grateful that Mercedes has been extremely supportive of my call to address this issue.”

The Mercedes driver has become an outspoken supporter

THE LINK REY JOBLE IF WE’RE looking for a feel good story, then Terry Saldaña’s current status is something that should give any of us hope.

A retired PBA player, Saldaña has been in the headlines lately, battling serious illnesses—complications from diabetes and kidney ailment—which caused swelling and wounds in his legs. He was really in terrible shape.

But his friends and former colleagues quickly came to his aid to provide the many-time champion the necessary treatment he needed.

He’s now under the care of his good friend, Coach Pablo Lucas.

Terry is best remembered for his exploits playing for Toyota, Gilbey’s Gin/ Ginebra and the RFM franchise-owned PBA squads coached by Yeng Guiao.

As soon as he entered the PBA in

Grand Slam starts later, with fitness concerns hanging over the Spaniard.

The 34-year-old faces 56th-ranked Laslo Djere after back trouble ruled him out of last week’s ATP Cup. Nadal raised the alarm on Sunday when he said he’d been “suffering” with the injury for more than two weeks.

Nadal is currently tied with the absent Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles.

Women’s world number one Ashleigh Barty will open the night session on Rod Laver Arena as she aims to become the first Australian women’s champion since Chris O’Neil in 1978.

Barty, fresh from winning the Yarra Valley Classic final against Muguruza on Sunday, plays Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic.

Among the men’s contenders, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev plays Vasek Pospisil of Canada, and fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas faces France’s Gilles Simon. AFP

that we would continue” but the unusual circumstances in 2020 meant it had taken longer to finish the process.

Diversity push The Austrian, who also backed Hamilton’s drive for greater diversity in the sport, said the Briton’s competitive record stood alongside the “best the sports world has ever seen”.

“The story of Mercedes and Lewis has written itself into the history books of our sport over the past eight seasons, and we are hungry to compete and to add more chapters to it,” he said.

But Wolff admitted in a press conference later Monday that Mercedes must prepare for life after their superstar driver leaves the team.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, 23, is considered the natural successor to Hamilton, while Williams’ George Russell, 22, impressed as his countryman’s replacement in the penultimate round of the championship in Bahrain last year.

“Valtteri (Bottas) and Lewis have our 100 percent commitment and loyalty for 2021,” said Wolff.

Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton gives an interview “We will support them with everything we have. We after winning the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix at the will then look beyond this year and say what is the lineIntercity Istanbul Park circuit in Istanbul. Hamilton has ended up that we imagine in 2022 and onwards? his long-running contract saga with Mercedes by signing a “Our first discussion will be with Valtteri and Lewnew one-year deal, the Formula One team announced. AFP is in respecting our values of loyalty and integrity, but of equality, diversity and the environment, making several on the other side, the young drivers are the future and we need to consider how we want to set ourselves up forthright statements on human rights and racism.

Wolff said the team had always been “aligned with Lewis for the years beyond.” AFP

A SERIES of tournaments involving Valorant and League of Legends: Wild Rift has begun.

And organizers hope to see a team from the Philippines win the Southeast Asian championships later this year.

Mineski Philippines country manager Mark Navarro said this as they announced their plans to hold matches through the Philippine Professional Gamers League.

“We are beginning with our first challengers this week. What’s important here is that at the end of every split (challenger) for Valorant, we will be seeing the best teams in the country,” said Navarro.

Mineski Philippines will be partnering with Oppo and Globe Telecom for their coming online tournaments.

Valorant is a free-to-play multiplayer tactical first-person hero shooter developed and published by Riot Games, for Microsoft Windows.

Players play as one of a set of agents, characters that are based on the cultures of several countries around the world.

The winner of the PPGL will compete in two Super Major Tournaments, before they qualify for a spot in the world championships.

Navarro said they are developing more storylines for Wild Rift.

The game is a modified version of the PC game League of Legends.

Wild Rift is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game in the three-dimensional perspective.

According to game rules, players compete in matches, lasting anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes on average.

These teams work together to destroy a structure called the Nexus in the enemy team’s base, bypassing a line of defensive structures called turrets.

Riot Games, as the exclusive license holder for its titles Valorant and League of Legends: Wild Rift.

NBA, PBA, Gilas? Sky’s the limit for Kai 1982, Saldaña quickly made headlines as he was reportedly the youngest ever player to enter the league at that time, straight from high school. Of course, such claims were hardly proven and remained to be a subject of debate nearly four decades after.

But wouldn’t it be interesting to have a player straight from high school to jump and play in the PBA, the same path went through by several great players like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and LeBron James in the NBA? This brings the attention to Kai Sotto, who technically speaking is still in high school.

The 7’3” Sotto would certainly become a game changer should the PBA make an exception to him—as the only high school player to be drafted in the big league.

How about a Larry Bird rule to be imposed just to accommodate Sotto where teams would pass up making a first round selection, then pick Sotto and wait

until the second generation player becomes available once he’s done with his other basketball commitments?

In 1978, the Boston Celtics picked Bird, who would only play for Boston the following season. Since then, the NBA changed its draft eligibility rule.

Take note that Sotto is aspiring to become the first pure-blooded Filipino to make it to the NBA and that dream became closer to reality when he was invited to become a part of the Ignite program in the NBA D-League, where some of the NBA prospects are included.

Sotto is set to join the Gilas Pilipinas squad, this time as a member of the men’s team. For several years, he has played with the age group level, representing the country in major international tournaments. A few years ago, he was included in the Gilas men’s pool by Guiao, then the head coach of the team, to give him the experience competing in the men’s level.

Would it be interesting to have Sotto

as the first high school player to be selected in the PBA Rookie Draft? Should the PBA board be amenable to bending the rules for him?

It’s certainly interesting to have a first high school player to be drafted in the PBA, but there are a lot of things to consider, one of this is for selfish reason.

“We all know that Kai is our best hope to make it to the NBA, so we don’t want to deprive him of such an opportunity,” said Guiao.

And there are a lot more complications. One of the requirements of the PBA is for an applicant to have obtained at least a number of units in college, although Sotto passed the mark when it comes to representing the national team as he had done this many times before.

Submission of application for the PBA Rookie Draft has already ended as well.

The PBA isn’t ready for it in giving Sotto such exemptions.

And then there are the possible loopholes.

For example, how can we guarantee that the team which drafted him will not trade him to an already superior squad?

Should we issue a moratorium that the team which drafted him won’t trade him for the next five years?

Such idea should need careful evaluation and for now, playing for the national team—and hopefully in the near future in the NBA—will be the logical destination for Sotto.

But will we ever see him play in the PBA in front of the local fans?

Only time will tell as cracking the PBA is just within reach as long as he meets the requirements needed. For the NBA, it’s doable as well and to see him as one of the top prospects gives us hope.

We want to see history in the making for Kai Sotto.

For now, we’re all excited to see him joining Gilas Pilipinas as the only high school player in the men’s squad. The sky is the limit for Kai Sotto whatever path he would undertake.

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

C3

Alden wants you to watch TV on-the-go for free

Urian and FAMAS best actress winner Janine Gutierrez said yes to TBA Studios' ‘Dito at Doon’ because of being a big fan of her co-star JC Santos

What makes

JANINE and JC click

Janine and JC on the set of the romantic film that tackles relationships during the pandemic.

J

ANINE Gutierrez had VERY been vocal about her WANG willingness to work with JC Santos even before the NICKIE cameras started rolling for Dito WANG At Doon. Janine admires her costar simply because of the latter’s ability to portray numerous characters perfectly, and with so much emotions.

And just recently, we learned that it was a mutual feeling: JC also wanted to share the screen with Janine because of her versatility as an actress.

JP Habac, the director of the romantic film Dito At Doon, shares how his actors impressed him while on the set. He raves about the palpable chemistry between the two and how they made his work easier as a director underscoring their natural ability to make the audience believe in the kind of relationship their characters have in the film.

“I’ve always wanted to work with Janine and JC. The script is so smooth, the conversations are very natural. And since the bulk of the film is mostly conversation, I'm impressed that the lines were delivered by the two smoothly and so natural especially Janine, parang matagal na

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

syang mean-spirited. Haha.. It’s fun to see these two, who haven’t been in the same project together until Dito At Doon, parang antagal na nilang magkatrabbaho,” the film director shared with Manila Standard Entertainment during a virtual press conference.

“It’s hard to direct onscreen chemistry.

It has to be natural. It’s either you have it or you don’t have it. We didn’t do any workshops. We just did an online script reading. Other than, that we didn’t really do anything else to work on their chemistry,” he revealed.

In Dito At Doon, Janine plays Len, a Political Science graduate. She has been working hard for her planned bright future when the pandemic hit. Early into the lockdown, she takes to social media to voice concerns about how people's reactions to the lockdown. Online, she gets into a heated exchange with a certain Carlo (JC), who judges her without knowing her

JP Habac (2nd from left) talks to Manila Standard Entertainment during a virtual press conference hosted by showbiz reporter MJ Felipe (rightmost).

personally.

Janine describes her character as someone who has trouble reaching out to people because of her superiority complex paired with her headstrong nature.

“She’s an only child who lives at home with her nurse mom. Her late father was a professor, hence she also wants to pursue a career in teaching.

Len is a very idealistic and optimistic person. She’s NBSB (no boyfriend since birth) and has high standards. She puts her career and achievements first,” she said of her character.

JC, on the other hand, tackles a “goodlooking, charming, and responsible character.” An oldest of three siblings, his father left their family when he was young. Originally from Cebu, he went to Manila to try his luck at working abroad but got scammed. Eventually fell into a rhythm of working odd jobs, including delivery driver.

“He lives in Manila all by himself.

Hidden beneath his cheery exterior is a somber man who tries his best to overcome whatever life gives him for the sake of his family,” JC said.

The lead cast shared that the film was set during the height of the pandemic, which makes the story even more relevant.

“I’m sure that almost everyone has the same pandemic story, whatever genre it is, be it horror, drama, or even love story. Our film tackles the same pandemic experience that everyone has. It’s the similarity that makes this story relevant to anyone who would watch the film,” JC shared.

In the film, being a love story, Janine highlighted the simple yet glaring truth about relationships and how two people can make them work.

“This film, given that it’s a love story is proof that if gusto may paraan.

Well, I mean, it’s been a hugot. I’ve experienced it already, and I'm sure a lot of people, too, that when you like someone or when you are with someone and you’re not sure with his actions, you tend to justify that by saying he’s just busy. But at the end of the day, kung gusto mo talaga, merong paraan,” she concluded.

GSAT airs Myx music channel starting today MORE viewers nationwide will be able to get first dibs on music and catch exclusive musical events as direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV service provider GSAT welcomes MYX to its roster of entertainment channels beginning today.

GSAT subscribers can feel the love throughout February with OPM band Ben&Ben as MYX Headliner and singer-songwriter Ace Banzuelo on MYX Spotlight.

They will also get to witness Love On MYX where dedicated messages and requested music videos will air exclusively on the channel on Valentine’s Day. The love month celebration continues every Saturday on MYX Presents featuring Ebe Dancel’s Baliktanaw digital concert on Feb. 13, Ben&Ben Up Close on Feb. 20, and Love Lukas on Feb. 27.

MYX’s airing on GSAT is also just in time for the TV premiere of Edward Barber’s talk show Kwentong Barber, a weekly kwentuhan about love, life, and everything in between, on Feb. 21 (Sunday), 8:00 p.m..

New viewers can also catch the Myxellaneous program every Tuesday on the number one music channel, which will feature Paul Klein and Saweetie on Feb. 16 and Dudut and Matthaios on Feb. 23.

The addition of MYX to GSAT’s lineup comes after Kapamilya Channel, Knowledge Channel, Jeepney TV, CineMo, and Metro Channel became available on the DTH satellite TV service as ABS-CBN continues to find ways to reach more Filipinos around the world with its news, public service, and entertainment.

GMA Network is innovating Filipinos’ viewing experience anew via GMA Now, a mobile digital TV receiver that allows Android smartphone users to watch the live broadcast of the network’s channels including GMA, GMA News TV, Heart of Asia, Hallypop, and soon, DepEd TV, as well as other free-to-air channels available in their area.

With no less than Alden Richards as the face of the plug-and-play dongle, the 29-year-old star shared how much he enjoys using the latest digital TV product.

“I’m impressed with its portability and the convenience it offers. Kahit saan ako magpunta, as long as within the coverage area, I get to watch GMA shows. May feature rin na pwede mong balikan ‘yung previous episodes through videoon-demand, so it will really keep you entertained while you're on standby or commuting,” he said.

“Not only that, it also has features where you can chat and watch the shows along with your friends or even join exclusive promos and win prizes,” Alden added.

GMA Now app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. After registering, the user can attach the GMA Now dongle to their smartphone to start watching TV on their device. Users can also enjoy exclusive interactive features while connected to the internet like binge-watching past episodes and stream exclusive Kapuso content anytime.

The app also comes with its exclusive messaging service Groupee Chat, which allows viewers to create groups and chat with family and friends while watching GMA programs. And soon, they can also get the latest updates on their favorite Kapuso shows via this feature.

With Interactive Promos, users can join fun quizzes and polls for a chance to win prizes weekly.

Prized at P649 with no monthly fees, GMA Now is available in portions of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan,

Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Baguio City, Pangasinan, Batangas, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, and Cagayan de Oro. It works with any Android smartphone that runs on Android OS Marshmallow (Android 6.0) or higher, Dual Core 1Ghz CPU, and USB OTG support. GMA Now is also set to be available soon for iPhone users.

“We are proud to say that GMA Now is the first mobile DTT receiver to combine traditional TV with the advantages of interactivity via the internet. This product was developed by our digital media and technology arm GMA New Media, Inc. with the Filipino viewers in mind as we adapt to their evolving needs and interests,” shared by GMA Network, Inc. Chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon.

Viewers also have the chance to win GMA Now devices while watching ‘AllOut Sundays’. Just submit your photo along with your full name, address, email address, mobile number, and birth date to www.gmanetwork.com/AOS_ GMA_Now_giveaway. Promo runs every Sunday until February 21.

GMA Now is available online via the official GMA Store on Lazada and Shopee or visit your nearest tech and gadget stores.

Alden Richards is introduced as the face of GMA NOW, a digital dongle that allows users to watch TV on their mobile phones with or without an Internet connection.

Party provider gives back SHOW business, that is, face-to-face fun, had been gravely affected by the pandemic as party service provider Just Kiddos could attest to. Yet its owners took the challenge in character and worked to keep the happy faces in the team intact.

Thus, the think tank behind the hosting and entertainment service expert conceived the gourmet tuyo brand Cocina de Paulo in June last year as an online selling project to “help provide supplemental income for their pool of talents.”

The same team, in coordination with barangay officials, recently distributed home-cooked meals among the residents of Bgy. Cuyambay in Tanay, Rizal. The activity was funded through proceeds from their sales of holiday gift sets bannered by the brand’s now-best-selling bottled gourmet tuyo in classic and hot flavors.

Owners Paulo Santos and Ryan Magcalen noted that “even small deeds done by small businesses like ours can be a force for good, especially with the support of generous consumers who share the same cause.” They expressed gratitude for the individual and corporate customers who supported the brand’s first community-based charity work.

“Maaaring kaunti lang ito sa iba, pero sa mga nangangailangan nating kababayan, appreciated nila na may nakaka-alala sa kanila lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya,” said Magcalen.

The pre-packed home-cooked meals

were prepared by kitchen staff volunteers.

With increasing positive reviews, the Tanay-pride Cocina de Paulo now produces bulk orders for regional distributors. Its business-for-a-cause mantra remains its core as the brand donates for someone’s welfare five pesos for every bottle sold out of distributorship.

One recipient is a patient undergoing dialysis treatment.

“In October, we reviewed our figures and decided to switch our focus back to direct consumers. Mas cost-efficient ito para sa negosyo at mas magiging affordable ang aming gourmet tuyo products para sa direct consumers,” Magcalen explained.

This 2021, the young entrepreneur remains hopeful about running his businesses amid the uncertainties of the new normal era.

He stated that his main business, Just Kiddos, running for more than nine years now, has been getting inquiries again for party bookings from individual and corporate clients. On its website, the party professionals running the show sound confident to be back, assuring to “make sure all safety protocols are in place so you can enjoy that much-awaited really fun-tastic party.”

One previous client expressed, “This is my third time hiring Just Kiddos. Ryan the host was good and commendable while Paolo and the rest of the team were very helpful, professional, and radiated positive and fun energy.”

The team behind Just Kiddos, in coordination with barangay officials, recently distributed home-cooked meals among the residents of Bgy. Cuyambay in Tanay, Rizal. For worthy causes, the party provider launched gourmet tuyo brand Cocina de Paulo last year.

Life

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

C4

Carla Apostol’s award-winning lady’s boots ‘Sierra’ feature organic textures and materials that depict the Taal Volcano eruption, her design inspiration.

FASHION AND BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021

Janreyk (Janra) Paler’s ‘Osang Queen of the Road’ was inspired by her jeepney driver father and former barker mother.

Joel Wijangco’s ‘Sister’s Favorite’ features a foodthemed design created using actual bowls and chopsticks.

Volcano, jeepney,

and bowl of noodles on your feet 7th Filipino Footwear Design Competition winners get creative

By Steph Llarena

T

HE extent, but certainly not the limit, of Filipino craftsmanship shines on stages that foster imagination and innovation and nurture through education. The winners and finalists of the 7th Filipino From left: ‘Dyip Heels’ by Mark Boni Marter, ‘Awit ng Mananahi’ by Michael Joseph Bawar, ‘C/Shoes’ by Maco Custodio, ‘Hibla Habi’ by Ivan Fabia, and ‘Kalinaw’ by Therese Paman Footwear Design Competition (FFDC) demonstrate the capability Wijangco bagged P7,000 cash prize, Studio, and independent maker Dante apparent in her use of accents such as fort food they share together. Mentored of Pinoy designers and makers.

After the event was postponed last year due the pandemic, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Philippine Footwear Foundation Inc. (PFFI) on Jan. 30 finally introduced the seven finalists and their prototypes, and named the three winners in a virtual awarding ceremony.

Prior to the presentation, the finalists went through a series of workshops hosted by Zapateria via Zoom. The footwear design and development hub invited industry practitioners to discuss topics on Footwear Making 101, Sketching, Designing (Inspiration and Brand Development), and Costing and Projection 101.

Ensuring the seven emerging designers had their basics covered were mentors Rico Sta. Ana, Sheila de Jesus, Mara Pinon, Gerome Sta. Maria, Nicco Pintac, Maco Custodio, and Thian Rodriguez.

Marikina-based shoe manufacturers Fashion Purveyor (Roweliza Shoes and Bags), Black Wing Shoes, Zapateria, Javier Footwear, Tawong Lipod Creative

Pascual took on the challenge of bringing the finalists’ unique designs to life.

Carla Apostol, who designed a lady’s boots she said was inspired by the Taal Volcano eruption (which happened at the same time as her friend’s wedding in Tagaytay), bagged the grand prize for “Sierra’s” (her entry) “refined attention to detail and well-researched juxtaposition of finishing and locally sourced materials.”

Apostol chose earth tones to match the organic textures and materials she used to capture the natural characteristics of her design inspiration. The upper features a combination of black smooth calf, white croc-embossed leather, and mahogany suede (depicting volcanic rocks, ice and snow, and wood, respectively), with monochromatic snakeskin.

Organic forms, meanwhile, inspired the floral cutouts, while the pleating resembles waves and sand dunes.

The Sierra boots feature angled, exaggerated outsole and geometric block heel at about an inch and a half in height. Apostol’s attention to detail is

antique brass hardware, raw amethyst, and freshwater pearls.

For the competition, Apostol was mentored by Sta. Ana, while her boundary-pushing design was produced by artisans of Zapateria.

“The complex layering of the materials and the fine detailing are testament to the capabilities of the local footwear industry which is at par with many giants in the world,” enthused Apostol.

As the grand prize winner, she took home P10,000 cash prize and will join the other finalists in the next International Footwear Design Competition in Guangzhou, China.

First runner-up “Sister’s Favorite”

by Joel Wijangco, meanwhile, features an interesting, food-themed design that made use of unconventional materials such as resin, food materials, and actual miso bowl and chopsticks.

An entry under the Lady’s Trendy category, Wijangco’s design is a tribute to his sister (hence the name) and a symbol of their relationship captured by the com-

by Cari-Dawn Conejero, Wijangco’s design was brought to life by partner maker Tawong Lipod Creative Studio.

The king of the road meets the queen of the road in Janreyk Paler’s design inspired by her jeepney driver father and former barker mother, Osang.

Named 2nd runner-up, Paler’s “Osang – Queen of the Road” utilized the latest technology in footwear manufacturing at the DTI-National Capital Region’s Shared Services Facility (SSF) in Marikina City to bring his final prototype made with jeepney components such as metal sheets, nuts, and bolts to life. Other materials used were metal round beads and chains, silver, and genuine leather.

“With these investments (SSF), we are more confident that you can execute whatever designs you can think of, no matter how avant-garde they may be,” said DTI-Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona, referring to the technologies available at the SSF. Pascual produced Paler’s design, while Rodriguez provided guidance.

while Paler received P4,000.

Other design entries included Kundiman-inspired piece by National Artist Levi Celerio called “Awit ng Mananahi”

by Michael Joseph Bawar; a colorful rendition of jeepney with rotating wheels, “Dyip Heels” by interior designer Mark Boni Marter; men’s shoes showcasing the Filipino art, talent, and culture, “Hibla Habi” by Ivan Fabia; and a beautiful pair of heels inspired by different bodies of water, “Kalinaw” by Therese Paman.

IFDC 2019 juror Maco Custodio joined this year’s showcase with “C/Shoes by Macolit,” a unisex children’s shoe design made with readily-available materials such as discarded fabric, flexible wrapper foil, leather scrap, and more.

The judging panel was composed of Marcelina Alcantara, regional director of DTI-NCR; Amina Aranaz-Alunan, executive director of SoFa Design Institute; Joey Enriquez, president of Charter International; Monica Samson-Escano, PFFI Board Secretary; and designer Zarah Juan.

Back to basics

SLEEK, simple, and streamlined—basic pieces are usually in neutrals but sometimes feature subtle colors as well.

Simple and neutral

The building blocks of every wardrobe include sleek silhouettes in neutral colors.

Forever 21’s easy jeans, statement blazers, cozy sweaters, button down shirts, white tees, neutral-toned jumpsuits, graphic hoodies and tees, and mini dresses comprise the brand’s wardrobe essentials.

Back to basic pieces start at P495 and are available in stores nationwide and via call to deliver service (0917-8114777 Viber or SMS).

Forever 21 basic pieces consist of wardrobe essentials in neutral colors of black, white, and nude.

Easy, breezy

Ricardo Preto’s latest collection, UNTOLD SS21 consists of sophisticated pieces for women highlighted by asymmetrical and fluid shapes combined with structured and oversized silhouettes.

The color palette includes combinations of vivid and subtle hues: deep blue and green, and brick red and tea rose are matched with neutral tones of beige biscotto and gesso, white, and black. The materials are organic cottons, poplin, silks, knitwear, crepe, tailoring fabrics, and technical fabrics.

UNTOLD SS21 was unveiled on top of a hill overlooking Lisbon during the prestigious ModaLisboa - Lisboa Fashion Week.

Preto, who is also the creative director for Rustan’s Commercial Corporation, is known for representing the most refined qualities of women by offering functional clothes with a particular focus on materials and subtle tailoring. This goes hand-in-hand with the label’s style characterized by its timeless collection of strong basics and elegant, modern lines.

Ricardo Preto spring/summer 2021 collection features fluid shapes and oversized silhouettes.

Shopee Beauty is a one-stop destination offering well-loved makeup and skin care products, deals and discounts, tips and tutorials, and more.

Shopee launches one-stop beauty destination

E-COMMERCE giant Shopee launched on Feb. 4 a one-stop shop for makeup and skincare brands within its platform.

Shopee Beauty carries a growing selection of brands such as Dove, TRESemmé, Cream Silk, Organic Skin, Vice Cosmetics, Beauty Avenue, Senka, and Yves Rocher. It offers free shipping vouchers, limitedtime deals, and access to exclusive product launches.

“With the strong demand for makeup and skin care products on our platform, Shopee looks forward to giving our buyers a better buying experience by creating an avenue for them to discover new products and find the best deals from top beauty brands,” said Shopee Philippines head of marketing Ruoshan Tao. Beauty fans will also be treated to fun tutorials by their favorite Shopee key opinion leaders (KOLs), product reviews, makeup tips, and giveaways on Shopee Live.

Select makeup and skincare brands are discounted up to 90 percent until March 24.