Manila Standard - 2021 April 27 - Tuesday

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Senators denounce China File resolution criticizing Chinese incursions, chamber approval up

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo

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BIG SHIP. In this photo taken from

Chinese social media site Weibo, the Chinese Type-075 amphibious assault ship, named the Hainan, prepares for sea trials after it was commissioned on Friday at a naval base in Sanya, China.

LEVEN senators crossed party lines Monday to file a strongly-worded resolution denouncing the illegal activities of China in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EZZ) and other parts of the West Philippine Sea.

In filing Senate Resolution 708, principally ence of Chinese vessels in the country’s territoauthored by Senate Minority Leader Franklin ries violates the United Nations Convention on Drilon, the senators said the continued presNext page

Beijing puts largest assault ship in service, likely mission in SCS CHINA has commissioned its first Type-075 amphibious assault ship, which is expected to be deployed in the disputed South China Sea, the South China Morning Post reported Monday.

The ship, named the Hainan, was

likely to cause particular concern among countries that have ongoing maritime disputes with China – like the Philippines -- due to its offensive capabilities, military observers told Next page

• ‘PH must lead, then US supports’ Duque pushes MECQ extension, cases breach 1m • De La Salle professors weigh in VOL. XXXV • NO. 71 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

By Willie Casas and Vito Barcelo nearby provinces to further decrease the against easing restrictions, to give hospiHEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday he supports the extension of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila and

number of COVID-19 cases. tals some “breathing room.”

This developed as the number of coro“I think MECQ should be extended for navirus cases logged in the Philippines another week or two because our health since the start of the pandemic topped one system’s capacity has yet to significantly million, as another health official warned Next page

THE Philippines must take the lead in protecting the West Philippine Sea from China as the United States would support it, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Monday.

Romualdez told ANC’s Headstart:

AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM APRIL 26)

1,006,428 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

8,929 74,623 ACTIVE

16,853

70

DEATHS

NEW

914,952 11,333 NEW RECOVERIES

‘Double mutant’ hits India, Palace eyes travel ban

By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas MALACAÑANG is mulling over to impose travel restrictions from India to avert the spread of a COVID-19 variant as the South Asian nation struggles with a surge in infections.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said India was facing a health crisis and currently battling a “double mutant” strain of COVID-19 that resulted behind the 300,000 fresh infections in the country last week Next page

Next page

Lawmakers set review of work of NTF-ELCAC

COVID-19 PH

NEW

“The Philippines [has] to take the lead.

Any moves that are being made will have to come from the Philippines and the US will support it, for instance the joint patrolling of the area.”

COFFEE MURAL. A man walks in front of the Amadeo Coffee Culture and Heritage Mural along Delos Reyes Avenue in Amadeo, Cavite on Monday. Amadeo is the largest source of coffee in the province of Cavite, with 4,790 hectares of various coffee plantations. JR Josue

‘Nomadland’ wins Best Picture, Best Director HOLLYWOOD—US road movie “Nomadland” emerged as the big winner at the Oscars on Sunday with three major prizes, including a history-making award for director Chloe Zhao, as Hollywood celebrated its most glamorous

night with a unique pandemic-era gala.

Zhao’s drama about marginalized Americans roaming the West in vans was honored for best picture, director and actress for Frances McDormand, who now is in elite company with her

Fil-Am singer H.E.R. gets Oscar top song FILIPINO-American singer H.E.R. took home an Oscar award on Sunday in Hollywood (Monday in Manila) for her song “Fight For You,” which was featured in the movie “Judas and the Black Messiah.”

During her acceptance speech, the Grammy winner, whose real name is Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, admitted she did not expect to win the Best Original Song award, adding she was “just grateful to be part of such an important story.”

“Fight For You” bested “Husavik” from “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”; “lo Sì (Seen)” from “The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)”; “Speak Next page

OSCAR’S GUESTS. Filipino-

American singer H.E.R. (above) clutches her Oscar trophy for Best Original Song as she joins other attendees (clockwise from left) Emerald Fennell, Thomas Vinterberg, Florian Zeller, Yuh-Jung Youn, Daniel Kaluuya, Nina Pedrad, Peter Spears, Frances McDormand, Chloe Zhao, Mollye Asher and Dan Janvey on Sunday in Hollywood. AFP

third Academy Award for performing.

No-show Anthony Hopkins pulled a surprise upset to win best actor in the final award of the night, besting sentimental favorite Chadwick Boseman, Next page

FIVE senators on Monday filed a resolution seeking to determine if the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTFELCAC) is still effective in fulfilling its mandate.

Under Senate Resolution 707, Senators Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto asked the appropriate Senate committee to review the performance of the agency, including its programs, projects, activities, and budget utilization.

The review, they said, would also determine if the agency’s P19.1 billion appropriation for 2021 should be used instead to help address the needs of Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agency came under fire after its spokespersons, Army Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade and Presidential Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, sought to smear Next page

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News

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace: Vaccination not mandatory

By Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas

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MID the rise in COVID-19 infections in the country, vaccination is not mandatory and supposed to be a personal decision, Malacanang said Monday.

In his bill, Barzaga said that in the Philippines, the hesitancy to be vaccinated remained high based on surveys.

To address the hesitancy, Barzaga said there was a need to enact legislation “to mandate and promote COVID-19 vaccination” and “instill public confidence in the personal, family and community benefits of immunization.”

“It will be tragic if we have safe and effective vaccines available but people who are eligible to get the vaccination as Herd immunity determined by the DOH,” said Barzaga, Bargaza Jr., in his House Bill 9252, president of the National Unity Party. seeks to amend Republic Act 11525, or the Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act ‘Not mandatory’ of 2021, as the present law should be The Department of Health said the made mandatory to persons who are el- benefits of COVID-19 vaccines still outigible to get the COVID-19 vaccination weigh risks, even as the Philippine govas determined by the DOH and “safely ernment had no plan to mandate citizens achieve herd immunity.”. to get vaccinated against the disease.

“The State is mandated to make rules and regulations to protect the lives of the majority of its citizens”, arguing that a person who is not vaccinated is “a risk to the lives of others and to the general community”, the lawmaker said.

However, Roque said that President Rodrigo Duterte had no stand yet on the proposed measure, saying vaccine confidence was rising among the public but the supply of vaccines was not enough.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that while the state had the authority to require people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, there was no need to make vaccination mandatory because there was not enough vaccine supply in the country.

The Philippines targets vaccinating 50 million to 70 million Filipinos to achieve herd immunity and jumpstart economic recovery.

According to Roque, compelling the people to get vaccinated was within the police power of the State but not yet

needed since the country lacked vaccines to stop the COVID 19 which had claimed more than 16,000 lives.

Roque’s statement came after Cavite Rep. Elpidio Bargaza filed a bill requiring individuals to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to address vaccine distrust in the country.

He stressed the need to enact a general law protecting all vaccinated individuals against those who will refuse to receive the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines pursuant to the general welfare clause of the 1987 Constitution.

Beijing...

From A1

Jinggoy: Erap set for discharge from hospital

This developed as a former North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) commander said there were four ways a sea war between China and the United States could play out, with Taiwan and the South China Sea – areas both beside the Philippines – as likely flashpoints.

Writing for Bloomberg Opinion, James Stavridis -- a retired US Navy admiral and former supreme allied commander of NATO, and dean emeritus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University – said China has “slowly, meticulously and cleverly improved every aspect of its naval capabilities.”

The Chinese force has improved enough for Stavridis to call it “now a peer competitor of the US in those waters, and this has real risks.”

He said the four distinct maritime flashpoint zones where the Chinese navy “may potentially take military against the US and its allies, partners and friends” are the Taiwan Strait, Japan and the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and “more distant waters around China’s other neighbors, including Indonesia, Singapore, Australia and India.”

The deployment of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s most advanced amphibious assault ship to the Southern Theatre Command was designed to send a message to China’s neighbors, said Collin Koh, a research fellow from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.

“The ship can perform offensive functions – such as capture of terrestrial features in the disputed Spratlys, and in a Taiwan invasion scenario; or it can also be used for providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in times of peace,” Koh told the Post.

The Hainan, which the Post said may also be deployed in missions around Taiwan, was commissioned on Friday at a ceremony attended by President Xi Jinping at a naval base in Sanya in Hainan province, Chinese state media reported.

The Type 075 is able to carry an estimated 30 helicopters and hundreds of troops and is China’s largest amphibious assault ship with an estimated displacement of about 40,000 tonnes.

In contrast, the Philippine Navy’s flagship, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, is considered a Hamilton-class cutter or gunship – much smaller and with a displacement of just 3,250 tonnes. Jimbo Gulle

‘PH...

From A1 This developed as 32 professors from De La Salle University condemned China’s moves in the disputed waterway and called on the government to protect Philippine sovereignty in the WPS from

‘Double...

From A1 “The Philippines is studying imposing a travel ban on India. We’re looking into that although we don’t have direct flights to and from India,” he said.

Many countries including US, UK, Kuwait, France and Canada have banned flights from India, citing COVID-19 cases and the “double mutant” virus being found in the country.

The US and Britain rushed ventilators and vaccine materials to India Monday as the country battled a catastrophic, record-breaking coronavirus wave that has overwhelmed hospitals and set crematoriums working at full capacity.

A surge in recent days has seen pa-

DOH pushes guidelines for local pantries

By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja THE Department of Health recommended Monday the issuance of health guidelines for community pantries, following the death of an elderly man while waiting for his turn to avail himself of free supplies from a pantry in Quezon City.

While there is no need for community pantry permits, local governments should at least set health guidelines, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during the ANC’s Headstart interview.

“We need to look at the other side, that it also imposes a risk to our citizens because of these lack of standards that are being complied with when you have these community pantries,” Vergeire said.

“We all know that there is this pandemic and public health emergency.

We have to be mindful of what can result from any activity or help that we are going to provide,” Vergeire said.

Community pantries have sprouted across the country earlier this month after Ana Patricia Non started the movement in Maginhawa, Quezon City.

The victim – diagnosed as having died of natural causes – was identified as Rolando dela Cruz, 67, who died in a long queue organized by an actress.

Vergeire said the DOH had no authority over the operations of community pantries and would not recommend the closure of these charity hubs.

“We are not going to restrict this kind of activity because it is a big help to our citizens but we have to be aware and we have to be cautious of the consequences of these actions,” Vergeire said.

FORMER President Joseph “Erap” Estrada is set to be discharged from the hospital following a prolonged bout with COVID-19, his son former senator Jinggoy Estrada said Monday.

“Our family is overjoyed to announce that our father will finally be discharged from the hospital today,” Jinggoy said in a Facebook post.

The former senator thanked the doctors and the people “who prayed with us and supported us through this harrowing experience.”

“But most of all, we would like to thank our Lord Almighty for His love and guidance through all of this,” Jinggoy said.

The elder Estrada tested positive for COVID-19 in March and negative on April 13. However, he was brought back to the intensive care unit on April 16 after his physicians found a superimposed bacterial lung infection.

Estrada’s vital signs later improved, prompting the doctor to transfer him to a regular room.

“Erap” was first moved out of the ICU

on April 14 after testing negative for COVID-19, but Jinggoy said on April 16 that his father was transferred back to the ICU due to a bacterial lung infection.

On Monday, April 19, he was again moved out of the ICU as his health condition improved, in time for his 84th birthday.

Estrada was a former actor who became President from 1998 until 2001, succeeding Fidel V. Ramos. He did not finish his six-year term due to a bloodless revolt in 2001, following accusations of corruption.

Senators...

From A1

Meanwhile, Hontiveros on Monday renewed her call for China to pay over P800 billion in reparations for her ecological damage of the West Philippine Sea, which can be used for the country’s COVID-19 response.

She said the Palace should force its “best friend” China to pay its debt.

“This is one sure way to raise funds to address the financial needs of our people. Let us not be dependent on community pantries for their food and help,” Hontiveros said.

Drilon, in an interview with CNN, said: “We must contribute our share in generating public opinion against this unlawful act of the Chinese government. We will file this resolution to express the sentiment of the Senate as a partner of the executive insofar as foreign policy is concerned.”

“What China is doing is contrary to the arbitration award and does not promote stability int the region,” he said.

In the resolution, the senators said: “China should not be allowed to rewrite or nullify the UNCLOS, which was painstakingly negotiated and ratified by various states, as such blatant disregard of established international law not only has serious ramifications on a rules-based international order but likewise deprives Philippine fishermen of livelihood, prevents the Philippines from fully taking advantage of the resources within its exclusive economic zone, causes irreparable damage to

the marine environment due to pollution and destruction of coral reefs, and serves to militarize the South China Sea.” They added that China’s illegal activities in the WPS threaten the peace and security in this region and the world.

The move by the 11 senators came as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) filed a series of diplomatic protests over the continued presence of the Chinese ships within the Philippine EEZ. Notwithstanding the diplomatic protests and the strong public statements made by Locsin and Lorenzana, patrols conducted by the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea on April 11 revealed that an estimated 240 vessels continue to linger in the Philippine EEZ, with 136 Chinese vessels spotted at Burgos Reef, and various other vessels ion December 1982, entered into force in November 1994, and ratified by 167 states and the European Union.”

The MDT, signed in August 1951, commits the Philippines and the US to help each other if either of them comes under external armed attack in the Pacific.

Over the weekend, the EU criticized China’s latest aggressive actions in the South China Sea, referring to the recent deployment of more than 240 fishing and militia vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef, which is well within the Philippines EEZ.

Now” from “One Night in Miami”; and “Hear My Voice” from “The Trial of the Chicago 7” to win the Academy Award.

H.E.R said she hoped her Oscar win, which was considered an upset by pundits, would inspire other Black-Filipino girls.

The 23-year-old said she was happy

to represent that community.

“I can’t believe I’m here, you know?

So I just hope that there’s another little girl out there, whoever, you know, going, ‘I can do that, too. I can be up there too one day,’” she said.

H.E.R. also addressed her fellow musicians and various filmmakers about what she believes is their collective responsibility and opportunity that is to tell the truth.

“Musicians, filmmakers, I believe we

have an opportunity and a responsibility, to me, to tell the truth and to write history the way that it was and how it connects us to today and what we see going on in the world today,” she said.

“Knowledge is power. Music is power. As long as I’m standing, I am always going to fight for us, I am always going to fight for my people and what’s right.

I think that’s what music does. That’s what storytelling does,” she added.

Chinese incursions.

“We condemn the continuous acts of aggression and intrusions from the government of the People’s Republic of China into our exclusive economic zone in the WPS,” the 21 political science and 11 international studies professors said in a joint statement.

“We are equally appalled by the fail-

ure of our own government to effectively secure the sovereignty of the country,” they added.

Romualdez said that if anything were to happen to the Philippines in the WPS, “the United States is also very much obligated, and they have clearly stated that they will but it will take the Philippines to take the lead.”

“In other words, they will not make any move unless the Philippines says so,” the envoy said.

The United States has several times said it would uphold its Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines and support Southeast Asian countries resisting Beijing’s pressure in the South China Sea.

improve,” Duque said.

“The COVID-19 ICU capacity of hospitals in some cities in Metro Manila is still at a critical level,” he said in Filipino.

MECQ prohibits non-essential trips and partially shuts down non-essential businesses and services.

Duque, in his capacity as DOH Secretary, chairs the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), which is the policy-making body of the government’s COVID-19 response.

Duque said the IATF was meeting Monday to discuss whether the MECQ would be extended beyond April 30.

“There will be a new recommendation from the sub-technical working group on data analytics. What we are looking at is the number of cases per 100,000 population,” he said.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday reported 8,929 new COVID-19 cases, pushing total infections since the pandemic began to 1,006,428.

The DOH reported 70 new fatalities, bringing the death toll from COVID-19 to 16,853, which was 1.67 percent of all cases.

The DOH also reported 11,333 newly-recovered persons, bringing total recoveries to 914,952, which was 90.9 percent of the total.

Active cases stood at 74,623, which is 7.4 percent of the total number of cases.

Of the active cases, 95.4 percent were mild, 1.4 percent were asymptomatic, 1 percent were critical, 1.3 percent were severe, and 0.87 percent were moderate.

The DOH also reported that, nationwide, 64 percent of the ICU beds, 47 percent of the isolation beds, 52 percent of the ward beds, and 45 percent of the ventilators were in use.

In Metro Manila, 71 percent of the ICU beds, 57 percent of the isolation beds, 64 percent of the ward beds, and 58 percent of the ventilators were in use.

unjustified red tagging of civilians.

By late Monday, 12 senators had already signed Drilon’s resolution.

Malacanang said it supports the gag order against Parlade and Badoy.

In a press briefing, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Palace supports National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.’s gag order on both Parlade and Badoy.

“We welcome the community spirit of these community pantries. We are

asking all our officials to be careful with what they’re saying; they need to widen their perspectives,” Roque said.

Badoy insisted there was no gag order on her or Parlade, who were merely told to stop commenting on community pantries.

“The clear guidance was to simply cease making comments about the community pantry now that we both got our message to the Filipino people across and done our duty,” Badoy said.

With Willie Casas

to a glammed-up downtown train station to abide by strict Covid-19 protocols, and reunited Tinseltown A-listers for the first time in more than a year.

Zhao, who is the first woman of color who died of cancer last year.

The unorthodox Oscars ceremony ever honored as best director, thanked was moved from a Hollywood theater “all the people we met on the road... for

teaching us the power of resilience and hope, and for reminding us what true kindness looks like.”

She is also only the second woman to win best director after Kathryn Bigelow, who broke the glass ceiling in 2010 when she won the prize for “The Hurt Locker.”

the Law of the Sea and the 2016 award by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The measure was expected to be signed and passed by the other members of the 24-man Senate, who had yet to receive a physical copy of the resolution since the chamber was not in session on Monday.

Only a simple majority, or 13 votes, is required to pass a Senate resolution.

Those who co-authored the resolution and signed it electronically, were Senators Ralph Recto, Nancy Binay, Richard Gordon, Lito Lapid, Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva and Bong Revilla for the majority and Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan, Leila de Lima, and Drilon for the minority.

The resolution supported Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Locsin on Monday declared that the Philippines will never abandon Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef, which it can use as a military outpost, after a spokesperson of China’s mission in the European Union said it belongs to China.

While the territorial dispute is between the Philippines in China, Locsin said, the situation would fall under the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States if “the other side sinks a Philippine vessel.”

Fil-Am...

From A1

tients’ families taking to social media to beg for oxygen supplies and locations of available hospital beds and has forced the Indian capital New Delhi to extend a week-long lockdown. (See related story on B2 -- Editors) India broke the world record for the most new coronavirus cases this week, surpassing 330,000 new cases on Friday, as deaths in the past 24 hours jumped to a record 2,263.

The United States held the previous one-day record with 300,669 new cases recorded on January 8, 2021.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the Philippines had not yet detected the presence of the double mutant variant.

“We reviewed all of our records. It was also studied by the Philippine Genome Center,” she said.

Lawmakers...

From A1 community pantries as communists.

Parlade later said that senators seeking to defund the agency were “stupid.”

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon filed a separate resolution censuring Parlade for his disrespectful, derogatory and demeaning statements against senators after being criticized for his persistent and

‘Nomadland’...

From A1

Duque...

From A1

News

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

Claim ‘ayuda’ share now, QC asks residents

Enforce excise taxes on sweet drinks—Salceda

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday called on residents enlisted in the national government’s financial assistance or “ayuda” distribution program to claim their share of monetary aid.

“We encourage everyone listed to claim their ayuda during their designated schedule and venue because if these will remain unclaimed, they will be allocated to other residents who are qualified to receive help as well. We are also not discounting the possibility that a significant number in the unclaimed list may turn out to be duplicates, or some are no longer living in Quezon City,” she said.

As of April 24, 2021, the city government has already distributed 90.71 percent of the P2.481 billion allocated by the national government to qualified beneficiaries.

At least 716,447 families or 2,251,282 individuals have claimed financial aid since April 7.

Some 840,105 families or 2,481,947 individuals each receiving P1,000 are expected to benefit from the total allocated budget to the city, and this represents 80 percent of the city’s total population.

According to Belmonte, a total of 123,658 families (230,665 individuals) have not yet gotten their financial aid, about 80,000 of whom are residing in big barangays scheduled for payout beginning on Tuesday.

Thus, an estimated 40,000 families from the rest of the barangays have not yet claimed their money.

The final list of beneficiaries was culled from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Social Amelioration Program, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, waitlisted beneficiaries of SAP who belong to the low-income bracket and in vulnerable sectors, and those who are part of the Quezon City Social Amelioration Program.

IN BRIEF

Taguig nixes walk-in COVID inoculation THE Taguig City government on Monday reminded residents that walk-ins will not be entertained at vaccination sites.

The reminder came after a large group of people entered the vaccination hub at SM Aura in Bonifacio Global City last Sunday without the required registration form and a QR code resulting in the delay of the vaccination process.

“We want to apologize and assure our citizens that these matters are addressed immediately. By 2 p.m. yesterday, the operations were normalized and for most patients and we were able to hit our goal of 1 hour or less in the vaccination hub from step 1 to 5,” the city’s Public Information Office stated.

The local government reiterated that no walk-ins are allowed in any of its vaccination hubs and only those who have a schedule will be accommodated to ensure the safety of everyone and avoid any unfortunate circumstances.

City residents can register and secure their QR code via trace.taguig.gov.ph.

Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano said the city government is doing its utmost to accommodate every citizen by setting up kiosks for registration and door-to-door registration service.

Last week, the local government launched its COVID-19 Home Service Vaccination program to ensure that bedridden people who may also be senior citizens or have underlying medical conditions will have equal access to the vaccines and are inoculated safely.

Joel E. Zurbano

Quarantine facility for CL cops built CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga—A total of 963 policemen detailed in different units in Central Luzon have been contracted with coronavirus, prompting higher police headquarters to build a 32-bed quarantine and isolation facility inside the regional police command compound here.

This developed as Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar inaugurated the two-story quarantine facility following its completion on April 23 here.

BGen Valeriano De Leon, Central Luzon police director, expressed his gratitude to thr Department of Public Works and Highways for its concern and care for the policemen in region 3.

“The project was completed through the funding of DPWH and with the help of PATROL Partylist Representative Jorge Bustos,” said De Leon as he announced the completion of other projects including the main camp drainage system.

He said the improvement of the regional police headquarters was made possible through the DPWH-PNP convergence program and support of other stakeholders.

All rooms of the quarantine facility, De Leon said, are equipped with air-conditioning units. It has comfort rooms and other amenities.

“We want our policemen comfortable while they are under medication.”

Out of 963 policemen with COVID 19, 762 have been sent home after they recovered from illness and 198 active cases. Three lawmen died of coronavirus.

Nine policemen have been admitted at the quarantine facility as of press time.

De Leon said policemen found to be symptomatic of coronavirus in adjacent provincial police offices such as Pampanga, Bulacan and Angeles City are advised to coordinate with the Regional Medical Service for the use of the facility.

The rank and file of the Police Regional Office 3, De Leon said, are grateful of the support shown to the police by Sec Villar and other stakeholders. Jess Malabanan

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TRAFFIC STOP. An enforcer of the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (IACT) asks a jeepney to pull over along P. Burgos Street in front of Manila City Hall on Monday to check if it is following traffic enforcement law and health protocols as part of the transport sector’s sustained measures in ensuring the safety and security of the riding public, especially against COVID-19. Norman Cruz

Measles, polio vaccines reach most PH children

By Willie Casas

T

HE mass vaccination program of the Philippine government against measles-rubella and polio has reached the majority of eligible children even amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Health said Monday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said 90.3 percent, or around 8.5 million out of the 9.4-million target population, had received a measles-rubella vaccine.

Over 87 percent, or about 6 million children under five years old belonging to the 6.9-million target population, likewise got an oral polio vaccine.

A malaria-free Philippines by 2030 is the Government’s target in the National Malaria Control and Elimination Pogram.

As the country joins in the global celebration of World Malaria Day 2021, the Department of Health and its partners called for renewed support to the program with the need to make up for the lost time during the pandemic and remain on track with the 2030 target.

Malaria is a parasitic infection transmitted by a bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.

The first phase of the vaccination campaign was conducted in October to November 2020 in most Luzon regions

and the whole of Mindanao.

The second phase, conducted in February 2021, covered Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and the Visayas.

The DOH also acknowledged that the number of children who completed the routine childhood immunization in 2020 was “more than 30 percent below the national target” due to the pandemic.

“Many people were reluctant to leave their homes and have their children vaccinated because of fear of being exposed to people with COVID-19,” Vergeire said during an online forum.

“Many of our healthcare workers on the ground were also unavailable because of redeployment to COVID-19 response duties,” Vergeire also said.

Rabindra Abeyasinghe, the World Health Organization’s country representative to the Philippines, also noted that around 600,000 children missed out on essential vaccinations last year.

THE ways and means committee of the House of Representatives will continue to exert pressure on implementing agencies to enforce excise taxes more strictly to curb smuggling (including misdeclaration) and tax evasion involving sweetened drinks, the panel’s chairman said on Monday.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, who heads the panel, issued the statement following approval of the Committee Report on House Resolution 227 that directed the committee to determine the difficulties in implementing the excise tax on sweetened beverages and assess the accomplishment of the legislative intent on earmarking of funds to sugar farmers.

“Because this is no time to raise new consumption taxes, we should catch those who escape current taxes so that we can fund the COVID-19 response,” Salceda said.

“When we were raising new excise taxes from 2017 to 2019, we were told to just strengthen tax enforcement instead of passing new taxes. I said, we can do both. The new taxes are here.

It’s time to strengthen enforcement,” Salceda added.

“Our efforts to work with implementing agencies are already bearing fruit. On tobacco, the BIR is now modifying its policies on cigarette export tax stamps to make the system less prone to evasion.

“On abuse of free port privileges for smuggling, the DTI, DOF, and PEZA are now working to strengthen law enforcement in the area. Fuel-marking is now also stronger, with mechanisms to verify volume. The BOC is also strengthening enforcement on customs-bonded warehouses.

“Now, the Food and Drug Administration is procuring new machines to verify sugar content in response to our committee’s pressure.

“These hearings have an impact on our fiscal strength. I wrote to the Secretary of Finance that we will continue these efforts.”

Caloocan locks down Brgy. 95 for a week

By Jun David AT 12:01 am on Monday, Barrio Pacita, Barangay 95, Caloocan City underwent an Extreme Enhanced Community Quarantine that will last until 11:59 pm on Sunday, May 2.

Based on Executive Order No. 0252021 signed by Mayor Oca Malapitan, the seven-day lockdown will be enforced after the City Health Department recorded 87 COVID-19 cases in the area since March 11, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Caloocan city government released the vaccination schedule for this Tuesday, April 27.

Those scheduled to be vaccinated are those in the A1 category or active medical and health care workers and A3 category or those aged 18-59 years old with comorbidity such as tuberculosis, hypertension and others.

Malapitan said that to expedite the process of the Vaccination, vaccinees have

to bring their own ballpen, prepare their PhilHealth IDs if they have one or if they don’t have, just bring a Valid ID, vaccination card, (A1 and A3 categories that will receive the 2nd dose) and don’t forget to wear facemasks and face shields.

The 2nd dose vaccination will be from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm for the said categories for those who were vaccinated by Sinovac last March 29, 2021.

Throughout the lockdown period, residents will be strictly prohibited from leaving their homes and only medical and health care frontliners, essential government employees, police officers, barangay officials and individuals in need of medical attention will be allowed to come out.

According to the mayor, the purpose of the total lockdown is to conduct mass swab testing and contact tracing on residents in conjunction with extensive misting and disinfecting operations in the area.

FIRE AID.

Members of the Tau Gamma Phi KKK Community Chapter South Caloocan Council gather after giving 200 food packs to victims of a recent fire along 3rd Avenue in Caloocan City.

Jun David

First 16 get jabs via Paranaque’s home vaccination service

By Joel E. Zurbano HOME vaccination service is now being served for residents in the City of Paranaque.

Mayor Edwin Olivarez said at least 16 people had already been vaccinated in their homes in barangays Sun Valley, BF and San Isidro last weekend.

He said the Department of Health allowed them to conduct house-to-house vaccination for COVID-19 but only for those who are not able to visit vaccination centers such as seniors and bedridden patients.

Those who want to avail the free vaccination may call their respective barangay health centers or register on-

line via paranaquevip.ph.

“Online registration is needed for residents looking to get inoculated.

Those who do not fit the criteria are advised to visit the vaccination center,” Olivarez said.

The city chief executive said the local government is conducting houseto-house vaccination for COVID-19 every weekend to all seniors and bedridden patients.

Meanwhile, city chief health officer Dr. Olga Virtusio said the second dose for patients who received their first dose of Sinovac vaccine last March 30 and 31, at San Antonio Elementary School Gym, will be made at SM City

Sucat, building B, on April 28, at 8 am to 4 pm.

She advised patients to bring their respective vaccine information passbook or vaccine card. “The event is exclusively for patients who received the first dose. No walk in is allowed,’ she added.

The city also started the “Bakunado Protektado Paranaqueno: COVID-19 Vaccination Program” in several shopping malls.

The SM City BF and Sucat branches partnered with the local government to provide a vaccination venue like vacant parking spaces to ensure the health and safety of the public.

MWSS PANTRY. Employees of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System help beneficiaries with gifts of food, groceries, rice, vegetables, essential goods, and even some money to buy food supplies at the opening of the community pantry organized by the MWSS-Corporate Office on Monday.

MWSS, workers, concessionaires build pantry too MANY employees of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) left gifts of food, groceries, rice, vegetables, essential goods, some contributed money to buy food supplies, for the opening of the community pantry organized by the MWSS-Corporate Office starting Monday.

Organizers and volunteers worked through the weekend coordinating with the LGU, carrying groceries, stocking and organizing food to ensure social distancing and observance of health protocols, and bring down the wait times.

When the pantry opened at 9 a.m., around 400 individuals were already in line.

MWSS Chairman and concurrent Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco said: “During this uniquely difficult time, while many people are struggling, there are also many people who are generous and eager to help. They want to be part of the solution.”

Velasco added: “Hunger, food insecurity increased substantially during COVID pandemic. What we did today and our partners will do in the succeeding 4 days, hopefully will open doors for exponential growth.

This joint project shows that individual contributors can make a difference not just through money or goods, but also by volunteering their time to help other people.”

The smiles on the faces of the beneficiaries as they left the line hits home that food security should be sustainable, he added.

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NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

BCDA: Phased relocation for state offices

By Othel V. Campos WHILE the government is keen on allowing the relocation of key government offices to New Clark City, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said it will be difficult to do this “in one go.”

BCDA president Vince Dizon said it will not be easy for BCDA to arrange for the simultaneous relocation of the different agencies.

“There are a lot of factors to be considered. That is why the initial recommendation is to relocate initially and slowly build that up towards full relocation. But I must say, the first one to relocate was the Department of Transportation and this is a bold move. But for other agencies, it will require a more staggered and phased approach. The important thing is that it is on the way,” he said Monday at the Sulong Pilipinas: A Pre-SONA Economic Development and Infrastructure Cluster Forum.

Executive Order No. 21, signed and enforced in 2020, instructs all government offices to start the relocation process to NCC as soon as possible.

Dizon assured the phased relocation will happen over the next two years and should continue in the next administration as the ongoing development “has already attracted major government agencies to relocate to New Clark City, beginning with UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).”

He said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will begin construction of a 30-hectare facility, which includes the minting and currency production facility that is currently in East avenue in Quezon City, and will relocate in new Clarke city in the next few years. Construction of the minting facility will begin by the last quarter of 2021or 2022.

The Supreme Court will likewise build its first Judiciary Regional Center in a 6-hectare property in NCC beginning 2022 while the Department of Agriculture has signed for a 30-hectare agri-industrial hub and National Seed Technology Park which will start construction within the year.

The National Academy of Sports will also build a 3-hectare training facility for athletes.

DENR bans vessels docking in Manila Bay

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources has banned all vessels, except cargoes, within two kilometers from the shoreline of Manila Bay to prevent further water pollution.

DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said vessels crossing the two-kilometer periphery shall be penalized.

He said only vessels delivering sand would be allowed to dock near the bay’s shoreline following a spill of liquid waste in the area of the Manila Yacht Club from m/v Sarangani.

Meanwhile, Cimatu assured the public that the owners of the m/v Ra-

cal IV that sank off the town of Jasaan would take full responsibility for the oil spill incident in Misamis Oriental last April 3.

The DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau in Northern Mindanao has already demanded the shipowners to foot the full cost of damages brought about by the incident.

“The incident should serve as a

lesson for business owners to take full responsibility for the damages brought about by their operations near the country’s rich ecosystems,” Cimatu said.

Reynaldo Digamo, EMB region director, met with vessel owners Sherwin Doctora and Lord Sanny Salvaña, along with the Philippine Coast Guard and the local government of Jasaan.

“It was agreed upon in the meeting that the owners should compensate all the expenses, including the cleanup activities, as well as the transportation of the contaminated debris to the accredited treatment, storage, and disposal facility,” Digamo said in his report.

WILDFIRE. A member of the Bureau of Fire Protection takes a breather from efforts to extinguish the forest fire at Sitio Pakak in Bokod, Benguet. The fire has been raging for three days now in the heavily forested and mountainous terrain. Dave Leprozo

Salceda: Expand crop, livestock insurance systems

By Maricel V. Cruz THE chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means has proposed the expansion of the country’s crop and livestock insurance system.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda filed the bill as a means to protect farmers from losses due to the African Swine Fever and crop infestations such as the “tungro” disease, a viral infection caused by grasshoppers currently affecting rice farms in Albay.

“Our crop insurance system currently covers mostly the mandatory crop insurance programs. We do not really have a

significant private sector crop insurance system. Because of climate change, however, we can expect more infestations in the future. While bioscience in agriculture has to evolve, we definitely also have to make sure the financial sector support programs are present,” Salceda said.

The proposed Expanded Agricultural Insurance Act aims to widen agricultural insurance coverage by allowing the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation or PCIC to offer reinsurance programs to private sector insurers.

It also allows the government-run corporation to expand its portfolio in

livestock insurance.

“This bill follows a recommendation from a 2019 discussion paper by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies which found that agricultural insurance penetration rates in the Philippines remain in need of improvement, with programs focusing on mandatory insurance coverage,” Salceda said.

As of 2018, only 13.33 percent of the total agricultural land cultivated in the Philippines was insured with the PCIC. “I am adopting that paper’s recommendations with this bill. To improve insurance coverage, the PIDS paper rec-

ommended that the PCIC’s charter be expanded to make it a reinsurer for other entities willing to offer agricultural insurance. Such entities may include cooperatives, farmers’ associations, and other private sector participants, such as private financial institutions.”

Reinsurance is secondary insurance for primary insurance companies. It allows primary insurers to hedge some of the risks they incur against another insurance product.

“By mitigating some of the risks to primary agricultural insurance, the PCIC will be able to lower the costs of private agricultural insurance.”

19 pharma execs charged with estafa

By Joel E. Zurbano

SUSPECTED OIL SPILL. A personnel of the Environmental Management Bureau shows a sample of the water collected from Manila Bay following the spilling of what appeared to be yellowish liquid waste near the Manila Yacht Club in Manila on April 26, 2021. Norman Cruz

A DRUG company has filed a multi-million estafa case with the Makati City prosecutors office against 19 officials of pharmaceutical and laboratory firms for their failure to pay their financial obligations.

Charged with violations of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code were directors and key officers of Pascual Laboratories, Inc., ADP Pharma, Inc. and Pascual Pharma Corporation.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed

by Integra Pharma Corporation represented

by Ronald Allan Cruz.

Integra accused the respondents led by Abraham Pascual, Martin Pascual, Manolo Escueta and Bodgit Gomez of non-payment of P48 million for

2 traffic personnel suspended over extortion raps METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Monday ordered the preventive suspension of two traffic personnel accused of extortion.

Abalos identified the two personnel as Edmon Belleca and Christian Malemit, both permanent employees assigned at the agency’s Traffic Discipline Office (TDO).

Belleca and Malemit, who were accused of extortion and grave misconduct, were placed under a 90-day preventive suspension pending the result of the investigation.

“Upon learning of the incident, I im-

mediately ordered our TDO and Legal Department to conduct a thorough investigation,” Abalos said.

“I am very angry with what they did. They have besmirched the name of the agency.

However, administrative procedures require that they be given due process,” he added.

The incident, captured in viral video, happened at the corner of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and A. Bonifacio near the North Luzon Expressway around 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Based on the video footage taken and uploaded by complainant Miriel Custo-

dio which has since gone viral on social media, the two enforcers asked for P1,000 in bribe money in exchange for non-apprehension for violation of Republic Act 10913 or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act, and Reckless Driving.

Abalos said the agency does not and will never condone such misconduct.

“We will not tolerate this wrongdoing among our ranks. I will not let anyone tarnish the image of the agency,” he said.

MMDA-TDO chief Teroy Taguinod also expressed dismay over the enforcers’ behavior. Joel E. Zurbano

the purchase and asset acquisition of the company in 2008.

Apart from the P48 million, Integra is seeking P200 million in damages from the three companies for the alleged illegal utilization of products licenses previously assigned to Integra, now Medcore.

“The aforementioned collective acts and omissions of the respondents amount to violation of Article 318 of the Revised Penal Code or estafa or swindling or other deceits,” Cruz stated in his complaint affidavit dated February 8, 2021.

The complaint remains with the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office due to re-assignment and the delay brought about by the stricter lockdowns imposed by the government to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Lending firms warned vs. cyberbullying debtor-clients

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice on Monday warned online lending companies (OLCs) they may face criminal cases for harassing, issuing threats or shaming their debtors who have failed to settle their accounts on time.

DOJ-Office of Cybercrime officerin-charge Charito Zamora issued the warning after receiving several complaints of unfair debt collection practices and cyber harassments reportedly being done by OLCs. “In particular, the reports alleged that certain OLCs are engaged in unfair debt collection practices and cyber harassments when its debtors fail to settle their account balances,” Zamora said.

The four most common complaints include accessing of debtors’ phone book/ contacts list for purposes of sending them messages in the event of untimely and/or non-payment; posting of the debtors’ personal and sensitive personal information online for purposes of shaming them; threatening the debtors with death and physical injuries if they fail to settle their account balances; and using profane language through text message directly sent to the debtors and the debtors’ references for purposes of shaming them.

According to Zamora, OLCs engaged in such illegal practices may be charged for violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act and the Data Privacy Act. Depending on the allegations made by the complainant, the OLCs engaged in unfair debt collection practices may also be held liable for any of the crimes of grave or light threats, grave or light coercions, or unjust vexation.

“Since the threat was committed by, through and with the use of information and communication technology (ICT), Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act comes into play. Accordingly, the imposable penalty becomes one degree higher than that provided for under Revised Penal Code,” Zamora said.

Complainants could file either with the Office of the Prosecutor, National Bureau of Investigation- Cybercrime Division, the Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group, or the National Privacy Commission.

Penalize gov’t lapses in COVID response—solons

By Maricel V. Cruz A DEPUTY speaker and several ranking members of the House of Representatives on Monday filed a bill that penalizes malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance among government officials tasked to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Speaker Eddie Villanueva, together with ranking members of the chamber, filed House Bill No. 9230 or the Public Health Emergency Anti-Negligent and Corrupt Practices Act. The bill is authored by Villanueva, a nominee of the CIBAC party-list group Deputy Speaker and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., Quezon City Rep. Allan Reyes, and party-list lawmakers Bernadette Herrera-Dy of Bagong Henerasyon, Mikee Romero of 1Pacman and Domeng Rivera of CIBAC. The bill imposes penalties for government negligence, inaction and irresponsibility during a state of public health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic.

It also provides for stiffer penalties for certain graft and corrupt practices committed during a state of public health emergency.

“We should not only penalize acts of corruption, bribery or plunder; we must also deplore and punish inaction and acts that are manifest and imbued with intolerable negligence, irresponsibility, inefficiency and lack of vision especially during times of crisis such as this COVID-19 pandemic. Public officers and employees should neither be corrupt nor negligent. Or else, the public will suffer a great deal of undeserving disservice,” Villanueva said.

LIKE MULTIPLYING LOAVES OF BREAD.

Residents line up to avail of free food items distributed from a community pantry set up in front of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila, on April 26, 2021. Community pantries have spread across the country in a bid to help people adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Norman Cruz

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World

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US, Britain rush ventilators, vaccines to COVID-hit India N

EW DELHI—The US and Britain rushed ventilators and vaccine materials to India Monday as the country battles a catastrophic, record-breaking coronavirus wave that has overwhelmed hospitals and set crematoriums working at full capacity.

A surge in recent days has seen patients’ families taking to social media to beg for oxygen supplies and locations of available hospital beds and has forced the capital New Delhi to extend a week-long lockdown.

The country of 1.3 billion has be-

come the latest hotspot of a pandemic that has killed more than three million people, even as richer countries take steps towards normality with quickening inoculation programmes.

“He was gasping for air, we removed his face mask and he was crying and

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Manila Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION Quezon City, Metro Manila TODAY BRANCH 223

saying ‘save me, please save me’,” Mohan Sharma, 17, said of his father, who died outside a Delhi hospital.

“But I could do nothing. I just watched him die,” Sharma told AFP. France, Germany and Canada have also pledged support to India, which has driven increases in global case numbers in recent days, recording 352,991 new infections and 2,812 deaths on Monday —its highest tolls since the start of the pandemic.

Creaking health facilities in poorer countries were exposed Sunday when more than 80 people died as fire ripped

through a Baghdad hospital for Covid-19 patients, sparking outrage and the suspension of top Iraqi officials.

- Vaccine surplus The first of nine airline container-loads of supplies from the UK, including ventilators and oxygen concentrators, was set to arrive in India early Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, pledging the UK would do “all it can” to help.

The White House said it was making vaccine-production material, therapeutics, tests, ventilators and protective equipment immediately available to India. AFP

Manila

Standard

TODAY

AN ONAROSA commonly known as “AN ONAROSA IMBUIDO”.

Petitioner, -versus-

SPEC. PRO. CASE NO. R-QZN-21-01421-SP PETITION FOR CANCELLATION AND OR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH

CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA) ANALISA O. IMBUIDO, AND ALL PERSONS WHO HAVE OR CLAIM ANY INTEREST AFFECTED THEREBY. Respondent. x--------------------------------------------------------x

a. Enter her middle name as “Onarosa,” and b. Enter her surname as “Imbuido.”

WHEREFORE, finding the Petition sufficient in form and substance, the same is given due course. Set the hearing of this case on June 1, 2021 at 2:00 in the afternoon on which date and time, any interested person may appear and show cause, if any, why the petition should not be granted.

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

Let copies of this Order be furnished to the petitioner’s address at 902 Instruccion St., Sampaloc, Manila, Metro Manila; to the respondent at Montview Subd., Tacloban City; the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City; the Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly National Statistics Office); the Office of the Solicitor General; and the Office of the City Prosecutor, together with copies of the Petition and its annexes.

SO ORDERED. Given in Chambers.

Quezon City, Philippines, February 22, 2021 (Sgd.) HON. KRISTINE JOY M. MEÑEZ-MACALALAD Assisting Judge CC.: Office of the City Prosecutor DOJ Building, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma Hall Quezon City Hall Complex, Diliman Office of the Solicitor General 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City Office of the Local Civil Registrar Quezon City Hall Compound, Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly National Statistics Office) East Avenue, Quezon City An Onarosa, Commonly known as “An Onarosa Imbuido” Petitioner 902 Instruccion St., Sampaloc, Manila, Metro Manila Atty. John Thomas S. Alferos III e-mail:jtsalferosiiilaw@yahoo.com jtsalferosiiilaw@gmail.com Atty. Jose Paolo C. Armas e-mail: paolo.armas@gmail.com Atty. Wilmamae Lenore M. Reboja e-mail: wmreboja@gmail.com ALFEROS ARMAS & ASSOCIATES Law Office Unit K No. 1143 San Francisco Del Monte Ave., Brgy. Paltok 1105 Quezon City Analisa O. Imbuido Respondent Montview Subd., Tacloban City

(MStandard - Apr. 20, 27 & May 4, 2021)

Amnesty Int’l raps ‘sham’ Libya trials TRIPOLI—Eastern Libyan military courts have sentenced at least 22 people to death and jailed hundreds more since 2018 in “sham, torture-tainted” trials to exert control, Amnesty International said Monday.

“Military courts have convicted hundreds of civilians in eastern Libya in secret and grossly unfair military trials,” the London-based rights group said.

The trials were “aimed at punishing real or perceived opponents and critics” of the forces loyal to eastern military strongman Khalifa Haftar, it added.

Those convicted include journalists, peaceful protesters and individuals who criticized Haftar’s forces on social media.

Oil-rich Libya has been torn by conflict since the toppling and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising a decade ago.

The country had been divided between two rival administrations: the UN-recognized government based in Tripoli, and its rival in the east, loyal to Haftar.

Fighting only came to a halt last summer, and a formal ceasefire in October was followed by the establishment of a new unity government ahead of elections planned for December.

Amnesty said former detainees they interviewed “detailed a catalogue of abuses”, including being “abducted and detained for up to three years” before being taken to military trial. AFP

Ambush, hits kill 12 Afghanistan police

ORDER This is a verified petition for Cancellation and or Correction of Entries in the Certificate of Live Birth dated February 8, 2021, and filed before the Court on February 11, 2021.

The petitioner alleges that as indicated in her Certificate of Live Birth with Registry No. 98-31688, her name is An Onarosa and she was born on August 12, 1991; that she has been using An Onarosa Imbuido as her name in all her private and public records since she was in grade school and even up to the time prior to the preparation of the Petition to be filed before the Court; that in 2011, petitioner tried to get a copy of her birth certificate as a requirement for her former school, that however, upon request for a certificate of live birth from the Local Civil Registry of Quezon City, she was instead instructed to secure the requirement needed to be submitted to the National Statistics Office (NSO), now PSA, to request a copy of her birth certificate thereat: that upon said instructions she went to then NSO to apply for a copy of her birth certificate: that however, the then NSO issued the Feedback Form stating that the application for copy of issuance of her birth document could not be made available stating that her father, Albino Adonis R. Imbuido, had a previous existing marriage with another woman who is not her biological mother: that it was then that she found out that the name appearing in her Certificate of Live Birth is “An Onarosa” without a middle name, that her father had a previous marriage to a certain Lorna P. Pizarra based on the marriage contract issued by the PSA and that the marriage was celebrated on March 25, 1986, prior to her birth; that her father passed away on December 30, 2001: that she asked her biological mother, Analisa O. Imbuido, who is her only surviving parent about why her name was registered as “An Onarosa” and not “An Onarosa Imbuido”; that she was informed that after her birth, her biological father and mother got married on March 11, 1998 and that an application for legitimation that her parents registered before the Local Civil Registry in 2003 under Leg. No. 2003-1708 in the Book of Register of Legal Instruments of the City Civil Registry of Quezon City, although registered, was not approved because a legal impediment is existing during that time insofar as her biological father is concerned: that he was then married to Analisa O. Imbuido: that to verify if an affidavit of legitimation was indeed recorded with the Local Civil Registry of Quezon City, she requested for a copy of the affidavit of legitimation and certification that said legitimation was registered and recorded with the registry: that she was then issued certified copy of the Joint Affidavit of Legitimation executed by her parents which was recorded with the Local Civil Registry of Quezon City under the Leg. No. 2003-1708 and the Legitimation recorded under Registry Number 19-4218 as annotated in the Certified Transcription of Birth with Registry No. 98-31688, appearing from the Register of Births of the Civil Registry: that in view of the said circumstances, there is a need to cancel the registered “Legitimation” of the petitioner with the City Civil Registry of Quezon City, Metro Manila which was registered in the Book of Register of Legal Instruments with the latter under Leg. No. 20031708 to cancel the erroneous entry in her Certificate of Live Birth and for her to use her father’s surname: that considering that she was born on August 12, 1991, the administrative remedy provided under RA 9255 which took effect only on March 19, 2004 is not applicable to her, that is, to correct the entries in her Certificate of Live Birth and use the surname of the father by filing an affidavit to use father’s surname: that instead, she may adopt and or use the surname of the father because she had been acknowledged by her biological father who had admitted his paternity as evidenced in the former’s certificate of live birth: that thus, there is a need to correct the name of the petitioner in her Certificate of Live Birth and express therein her true and correct name of “An Onarosa Imbuido” instead of “An Onarosa” that her middle name is that of her biological mother’s surname. Onarosa, and that her surname is of her biological father’s Imbuido, that surname which she has been using in all her records since grade school and to date: that she relies her petition for correction on the ground that she has been using An Onarosa Imbuido as her name since she was in grade school and even up to the time prior to the preparation of the Petition to be filed before the Court: that furthermore the names “An Onarosa Imbuido” and “An Onarosa” refer to one and the same person hence, the instant petition will correctly reflect the facts in her documents and will avoid confusion as she has continuously used and has been known since childhood as An Onarosa Imbuido by her family, friends and in her private and official dealings with the society. Onarosa being her middle name and Imbuido as her surname and lastly, that she grounds her petition for the cancellation and correction of the entries in her Certificate of Live Birth since there is no showing that the desired cancellation and correction is for a fraudulent purpose or that the change of name would prejudice public interest, the government not any third part.

Petitioner prayed to this Honorable Court to Order the City Civil Registrar of Quezon City to cancel the registered entry of affidavit of legitimation under Registry Number 98-4218 to delete the entry annotation of legitimation appearing in petitioner’s Certificate of Live Birth with Registry No. 98-31688; and to the City Civil Registrar of Quezon City and the Philippine Statistics Authority to correct the name of the petitioner from “An Onarosa” in her Certificate of Live Birth with Registry No. 98-31688, in the following manner:

IN BRIEF

ORTHODOX PALM SUNDAY. Orthodox Christian worshippers sing as part of a choir during a Palm Sunday service at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Um al-Noor in Arbil the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, on April 25. AFP

Despite pandemic, world military spending grows STOCKHOLM—Military expenditure worldwide rose to nearly $2 trillion in 2020, defying the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers said Monday.

Global military spending increased by 2.6 percent to $1,981 billion (about 1,650 billion euros) in 2020, when global GDP shrank 4.4 percent, according to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Diego Lopes da Silva, one of report’s authors, told AFP the development was unexpected.

“Because of the pandemic, one would think military spending would decrease,” he said.

“But it’s possible to conclude with some certainty that Covid-19 did not have a significant impact on global military spending, in 2020 at least,” Lopes da Silva said.

He cautioned however that due to the nature of military spending, it could take time for countries “to adapt to the shock”.

The fact that military spending continued to increase in a year with an economic downturn meant the “military bur-

den”, or the share of military spending out of total GDP, had increased as well.

The overall share rose from 2.2 percent to 2.4 percent, the largest year-on-year increase since the financial crisis of 2009.

As a result, more NATO members hit the Alliance’s guideline target of spending at least two percent of GDP on their military, with 12 countries doing so in 2020 compared to nine in 2019.

There were however indications the pandemic had affected some countries.

Nations such as Chile and South Korea openly decided to reappropriate military funds in response to the pandemic.

“Other countries, such as Brazil and Russia, did not explicitly say this was reallocated because of the pandemic, but they have spent considerably less than their original budget for 2020,” Lopes da Silva said.

Another response, as in Hungary for example, was to increase military spending “as part of a stimulus package in response to the pandemic”. AFP

Italy reopens, MPs debate recovery plan ROME—Bars, restaurants, cinemas, and concert halls will partially reopen across Italy Monday in a boost for coronavirus-hit businesses, as parliament debates the government’s 220-billioneuro ($266 billion) EU-funded recovery plan.

After months of stop-start restrictions imposed to manage its second and third waves of Covid-19, Italy hopes this latest easing will mark the start of something like a normal summer.

Three-quarters of regions will drop into the low-risk “yellow” categories from Monday, with bars and restaurants permitted to restart table service outside -- including, for the first time in six months, in the evening, although a 10:00 pm curfew remains in place.

“Finally!” said Daniele Vespa, the 26-year-old head waiter at Baccano, a restaurant near Rome’s Trevi Fountain, as he prepared for the return of customers.

“Hopefully... we can soon reopen inside as well,” he told AFP, adding: “It’s the start of a return to normality.”

Cinemas, theatres, and concert halls can also open at 50-percent capacity, followed by the staggered opening of swimming pools, gyms, sporting events and theme parks by July 1.

Prime Minister Mario Draghi has been under intense pressure from regional governments and increasingly regular street protests to ease restrictions, as Italy battles its deepest recession since World War II. AFP

RAMADAN SUN. The sun rises over the Suciati mosque during the holy month of Ramadan in Yogyakarta on April 26. AFP

KABUL—At least 12 Afghan policemen were killed on Sunday, including seven who were ambushed by the Taliban south of the capital, officials said, as fighting continued in the violence-wracked country.

The two separate attacks in the provinces of Logar and Kandahar came as the top US military commander in Afghanistan, General Scott Miller, said work had begun to withdraw the remaining American forces as ordered by President Joe Biden this month.

“Seven policemen were killed and three wounded when the Taliban ambushed their vehicles in Mohammad Agha district of Logar province,” Dedar Lawang, spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP. The policemen were part of a security force guarding copper mines in Logar, south of the capital Kabul.

Police from Logar province confirmed the attack.

Afghanistan, whose economy has been severely impacted by decades of conflict and endemic corruption, has reserves of copper, iron, cobalt and lithium.

In a separate attack on Sunday, a suicide bomber ran an explosives-laden car into a police vehicle in the southern Taliban bastion of Kandahar, killing five policemen. AFP

Ex-Johnson aide leaves UK PM on defensive

LONDON—British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced growing scrutiny Sunday following explosive accusations by his former chief aide Dominic Cummings earlier this week that he lacks competence and integrity.

Cummings, who stepped down as his top adviser in December, used a personal blog Friday to allege Johnson tried to solicit potentially illegal donations to renovate his publicly funded Downing Street flat.

He also claimed the UK leader suggested blocking an internal inquiry into government leaks, because the culprit identified was a close friend of Johnson’s fiancée Carrie Symonds.

Johnson’s office has dismissed the damning accusations, insisting all “reportable donations” are transparently disclosed and that the prime minister “has never interfered in a government leak inquiry”.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said Sunday the claims were “a massive distraction” and that she had been assured all rules have been fully complied with.

“This is tittle tattle that’s being promoted, and I don’t think it addresses the key issues the people of Britain care about,” she told Sky News.

But the charges, which follow weeks of stories about allegedly inappropriate lobbying and sleaze involving Johnson, his ministers, and officials, have dominated news headlines and front pages this weekend. AFP

Protests in France over no trial for Jewish woman’s killer PARIS—Thousands of protesters gathered in several French cities and Israel on Sunday to denounce a court’s refusal of a trial for a man who killed a 65-year-old Jewish woman, after experts determined he acted in a “delirious fit” due to heavy marijuana use.

The decision infuriated the victim’s family as well as Jewish groups and prompted President Emmanuel Macron to urge a change in French law to ensure people face responsibility for violent crimes while under the influence of drugs.

Sarah Halimi was pushed out the window of her Paris flat by neighbor Kobili Traore, 27, who shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest).

The country’s highest court said this month that while the murder was anti-Semitic, Traore could not be held criminally responsible since he had acted in a state of dementia.

He has been in psychiatric care since Halimi’s death.

“The clamour has risen, and hope has returned. That hope is all of you here,” Halimi’s brother William Attal told a crowd of several thousand at the Trocadero esplanade in Paris.

The MP who leads Macron’s Republic on the Move party, Christophe Castaner, addressed the protest, which was also attended by opposition leaders and by sev-

eral well-known actors.

Former French first lady Carla Bruni, wife of Nicolas Sarkozy, also appeared at the Paris rally, as did Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who said the city would soon name a street in Halimi’s memory.

“It will also be a way of doing her justice,” Hidalgo said.

Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti confirmed Sunday that a new penal responsibility law would be presented by end May to fill a “legal void”.

But France’s CSM judiciary council rejected the government’s “disparagement” on Sunday and insisted that judges had correctly applied the law in a “painful” case. AFP

Business

B3

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Fed expected to hold the line due to strong US recovery

PSEi April 26, 2021

TOP GAINERS 1 2

ALCPB PNB

LAST PRICE 115 25.9

% CHANGE CHANGE 15 15.00% 2.95 12.85%

3

BCB

3.22

0.35

12.20%

4 5 6

AT EVER MAB

8.12 0.148 0.014

0.84 0.014 0.001

11.54% 10.45% 7.69%

7

MA

0.014

0.001

7.69%

8 9 10

PRMX APO PX

3.24 0.82 5.6

0.21 0.05 0.33

6.93% 6.49% 6.26%

TOP LOSERS 1 2

UPM KPH

LAST PRICE 0.0098 4.56

% CHANGE CHANGE -0.0012 -10.91% -0.44 -8.80%

3

IPO

6.87

-0.52

-7.04%

4 5 6

PMPC MJC DWC

5.5 2.01 3.3

-0.39 -0.14 -0.2

-6.62% -6.51% -5.71%

7 8 9 10

APL C CAB PA

0.211 3.06 60 3.53

-0.011 -0.15 -2.9 -0.17

-4.95% -4.67% -4.61% -4.59%

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

ALI DITO SMPH SM BDO JGS PNB MEG APL ICT

VOLUME 17636600 38117300 8706300 262470 2161140 3161150 5842100 45525000 654310000 983770

VALUE (PHP) 572302825 377391821 299964225 251218200 227157329 164667831.5 150040655 145807610 139530660 125569857

FOR STRICT GMO RULES. Members of non-governmental environmental organization Greenpeace France set up a straw wall in front of the French Ministry of Ecological Transition in Paris on April 26, 2021 to ask the government for a strict and unique regulation of all new GMOs. AFP

Market up slightly; PNB, Megaworld lead gainers

S

TOCKS inched up Monday in another dull trading, with many investors staying on the sidelines ahead of the release of first-quarter corporate earnings.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 11.31 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,389.38 on a value turnover of P5.4 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 116 to 87, with 42 issues unchanged.

Philippine National Bank, the fifth biggest lender in terms of assets, surged 12.8 percent to P25.90 after its board approved the declaration of shares of PNB Holdings Corp. as property dividends effective May 18, 2021.

Megaworld Corp., the largest lessor of office spaces, rose 2.6 percent to P3.20, while conglomerate Ayala Corp. climbed 1.8 percent to P768. JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group, however, fell 4.4 percent to P51.55.

The rest of Asian markets were mixed Monday following a strong end to last

week on Wall Street as traders turned their attention to the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting and earnings from corporate giants.

A strong reading on US and European manufacturing and services activity provided a positive catalyst for investors, who appear to have got over President Joe Biden’s plan to almost double capital gains tax, while Washington’s decision to resume using Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine also boosted optimism.

However, the president’s $2.25-trillion infrastructure plan could take longer to get through Congress than hoped after a member of Biden’s own party opposed the size of it and backed a slimmed-down version put forward by Republicans.

Joe Manchin’s stance could leave the Democrats struggling to pass the plan through the Senate owing to their waferthin majority.

“It appears an infrastructure bill appears some way off, as too does further spending plans this side of the mid-term elections in 2022,” said National Australia Bank’s Tapas Strickland.

Asian traders started the day on a strong note but struggled in some markets to hold morning gains, with Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Bangkok all up but Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney and Jakarta falling.

Still, trading floors remain on edge over spiking virus infections around the world, with India seeing five straight days of more than 300,000 new cases in a surge that has overwhelmed hospitals and left severe oxygen and medicine shortages. However, Mumbai rose more than one percent Monday.

OANDA’s Jeffrey Halley said: “India’s situation dominated the weekend press, but across Japan, South Korea and Thailand and others in between, COVID-19 is undermining confidence in cyclical recovery” many had priced into their outlooks for the second half of the year.

This week sees Fed officials hold their next meeting on monetary policy, with its statement pored over for an idea about plans for the future as the world’s top economy continues its strong recovery. Growth data for the first quarter is also due on Thursday. With AFP

WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve finally has what it wants and predicted: signs of a US economic recovery that could undo some of the damage done by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But when the central bank’s policysetting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) opens its two-day meeting on Tuesday, analysts do not expect officials to raise rates or otherwise signal any backing away from the easy money policies rolled out to aid the US bounce-back, despite some fears of rising inflation.

“No one is expecting any major policy changes in terms of rates or the Fed’s asset purchases,” Andrew Hunter, senior US economist at Capital Economics, told AFP. In fact, Fed officials have clearly stated that they will not be spooked by temporary price increases into reacting too quickly and pumping the brakes on stimulus measures.

The government in recent weeks has reported the first signs that COVID-19 vaccines are bringing laid-off workers back to work and ending the suffering of businesses hard-hit by closures meant to stop the contagion.

Labor Department data showed unemployment claims hit the lowest point since the pandemic began, while the economy regained 916,000 jobs in March, pushing the unemployment rate down slightly.

Retail sales surged in March to a level 27.7 percent higher than the prepandemic rate a year earlier, while the Institute for Supply Management’s services index hit an all-time high last month and new home sales hit a 15year high.

Yet even with signs hiring has picked up, more than 17 million people remain out of work and Fed Chair Jerome Powell has warned the economy will not achieve “maximum employment” this year.

“I expect that the Fed will stay resolutely patient in spite of the inflexion in the US data towards stronger growth and more rapid employment gains,” Evercore ISI Vice-Chairman Krishna Guha said. AFP

Manila

Standard

TODAY

NOTICE OF 2021 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of FIRST GEN CORPORATION will be conducted virtually at https://conveneagm.com/ph/fgen_asm2021 at 10am on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Following is the agenda1 of the meeting: Founder of Energy Garden Agamemnon Otero tends to a herb and vegetable section near the platform at Brondesbury Park Overground train station in northwest London on March 24, 2021. AFP

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In London, gardening blossoms near train platforms during the pandemic

By Anna Mackenzie LONDON—A busy commuter train station is an unlikely place to find a haven for flowers, bees and hedgehogs.

But a decade-old project in London bringing an eco-friendly combination of gardening, horticulture and so-called re-wilding to the urban jungle is bearing fruit during the pandemic.

Hiding in plain sight, 34 solar-powered sites created by the community-led project Energy Garden are dotted around the British capital, adjacent to train platforms used daily by hundreds of thousands of commuters before coronavirus hit.

With lockdowns now easing, the passengers are returning, and the project’s chief executive Agamemnon Otero hopes its success can help address a longer-term challenge.

“Energy Garden is really about building resilience in communities. It’s about how we directly address the climate change issue that everybody feels they are powerless to do,” he told AFP. “Most of the time, train operators will cut down huge swathes of trackside space and leave it denuded from any type of life.

“These are corridors for biodiversity to come in and so it’s very important that a section of every garden is still wild.”

Community interest has grown steadily since the initiative started in 2011, but has spiked during lockdown as more volunteers joined to work—socially distanced—tending to the gardens.

The first site was established at Brondesbury Park station in northwest London,

part of the Overground network that generally services outer suburbs where the Underground does not reach.

‘Out and helping’ Layers of rubble were dug out and the site replanted with vibrant flowers, fruit trees, fragrant herbs, tea plants and an array of vegetables including potatoes, kale and Jerusalem artichokes.

There are even hops from which Energy Garden brews its own beer.

Jaylyn Miguel, in her 20s, was one of the volunteers who joined during lockdown last year.

“I guess it was for my own mental health, I wanted to just be out and helping the community,” she said.

“I want to learn more about sustainability.

Collectively it’s really important, so that we can make sure people have access to organic food.

“I certainly didn’t have experience growing food, and I’ve been learning quite a lot over this period. It’s good to just learn from others.”

The gardens’ solar panels power water hoses that help cultivate the various plant life, and excess electricity is sold back to transport companies to offset their carbon footprint.

That, in turn, generates a revenue stream to fund more community gardens, with Otero planning to expand on a national scale.

Funding also comes from corporate and community investment.

Individuals can become part of a “one vote, one share” cooperative system that gives each shareholder a say in the running and evolution of their garden. AFP

Call to Order Certification of Notice and Quorum Approval of the Minutes of the July 29, 2020 Annual General Meeting Annual Report and Audited Consolidated Financial Statements Ratification of the Acts of the Board of Directors and Management Election of Directors (Including Independent Directors) Election of External Auditor Other Matters Adjournment

Only stockholders of record as of March 1, 2021 are entitled to notice of, and vote at, the meeting.

Stockholders who wish to participate in the meeting by remote communication are required to register by 6pm on May 10, 2021 at https://conveneagm.com/ph/fgen_asm2021. Stockholders who have successfully registered will receive an email with instructions on how to access a secure online portal which will allow them to participate and vote at the meeting, either by voting electronically or through the Chairman of the meeting as proxy. A stockholder who participates by remote communication or votes in absentia shall be deemed present for purposes of quorum. The procedure for participating in the meeting through remote communication and casting of votes in absentia are set forth in Annex “A” of the Information Statement (Requirements and Procedure for Voting and Participating in the 2021 Annual General Meeting).

Duly accomplished proxy forms should be submitted on or before May 10, 2021 to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at the 6th Floor Rockwell Business Center Tower 3, Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City, or by email to 2021asm_info@firstgen.com.ph.

Pursuant to the March 16, 2021 Notice of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Information Statement and its attachments, minutes of the previous meeting of stockholders, and other documents related to the meeting, can be accessed through the company website www.firstgen.com.ph.

The meeting proceedings will be recorded in audio and video format.

Should you have any questions about the conduct of the meeting, you may send an email to 2021asm_ info@firstgen.com.ph. For technical concerns, you may contact support@conveneagm.com.

Pasig City, April 27, 2021.

By Order of the Board of Directors: (Sgd.) RACHEL R. HERNANDEZ Vice President and Corporate Secretary 1

Please refer to the Definitive Information Statement in www.firstgen.com.ph (MS-APRIL 27 & 28, 2021)

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

B4

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

PSE INDEX CLOSING Monday, April 26, 2021

11.31 PTS. 6,389.38

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

4,507,443,639 96,036 5,417,080,769.66 87 116 42

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.3830

Japan

Yen

0.009266

0.4483

UK

Pound

1.388000

67.1556

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128868

6.2350

Switzerland

Franc

1.095410

52.9992

Canada

Dollar

0.801410

38.7746

Singapore

Dollar

0.753636

36.4632

Australia

Dollar

0.774600

37.4775

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655478

128.4800

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266652

12.9014

Brunei

Dollar

0.750807

36.3263

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0033

Thailand

Baht

0.031827

1.5399

UAE

Dirham

0.272264

13.1729

Euro

Euro

1.209600

58.5241

Korea

Won

0.000898

0.0434

China

Yuan

0.153934

7.4478

India

Rupee

0.013348

0.6458

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.243487

11.7806

New Zealand

Dollar

0.719200

34.7971

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035661

1.7254 Source: BSP

Meralco’s core income fell 11% to P5.1b in Q1

Business Gov’t keeping 2021 growth target range of 6.5% to 7.5%

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE National Economic and Development Authority said Monday it is keeping the original gross domestic product growth target of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent this year amid the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.

Economic Planning Secretary Karl Chua said it it is too early to tell if the projection is doable or not. Chua made the comment in response to some quarters that said the projection could not be met with the implementation of the latest rounds of community quarantines in NCR Plus to prevent the further spread of the disease.

“We don’t yet see the impact of the ECQ [and MECQ to the economy]... We will have to wait for more data,” Chua said, during the virtual Sulong Pilipinas 2021: Partners for Progress forum.

Chua said the economy had significant improvements prior to the implementation of the community quarantines in NCR and adjacent provinces. He cited the rebound in imports in February while exports posted lesser contraction.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that total merchandise trade amounted to more than $12.9 billion in February, up 0.6 percent from $12.8 billion a year ago. Imports snapped a

downtrend since May 2019 after it posted a year-on-year growth of 2.7 percent to $7.60 billion from $7.40 billion.

Exports contracted by only 2.3 percent in February 2021, from an annual decrease of 4.8 percent in January.

Meanwhile, the Purchasing Managers’ Index stayed above 50 in the first three months, indicating expansion of manufacturing activities.

“The ECQ now is different from last year’s. Aside from that, constructions are ongoing,” Chua said, adding the community quarantines might affect GDP growth “but we still have eight more months to recover.”

Chua said what was noteworthy was the government’s package of recovery measures implemented earlier which was equivalent to about 15 percent of the gross domestic product. He said the rollout of vaccination programs could be a catalyst for faster recovery.

Meanwhile, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said the Monetary Board would keep monetary policy accommodative in support of recovery. He said the economy was at the “tail end of the crisis,” with the rollout of vaccination program ongoing.

“We recognize that the economy is still in its nascent recovery phase,” Diokno said.“The accommodative monetary policy settings provide significant stimulus to demand and should be allowed to continue to work their way through the economy to bolster recovery in private consumption and investment”

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. said Monday consolidated core net income fell 11 percent in the first quarter to P5.1 billion from P5.7 billion in the same period last year as electricity sales declined 4 percent.

Meralco said reported net income jumped 66 percent in the first quarter to P4.3 billion from P2.6 billion a year ago, mainly because of the recognition of its share in the impairment of investment in PacificLight Power Pte Ltd. of P2.7 billion.

Meralco chief finance officer Betty Siy-Yap said the large difference between core and reported income “is due largely to foreign exchange gain, gain on investment on our 14 percent equity stake in GBPC [Global Business Power Corp.] which has been adjusted to reflect the latest purchase agreement”.

Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan said while 2021 began with hopes for a restart in the economy, the recent surge in the number of infections and its toll on the country’s healthcare system and delay in the arrival of vaccines pushed back expectations of an early economic recovery.

“As such, we continue to revisit and recalibrate our strategies, priorities and plans. As we do so, we re-affirm our commitment to our customers to keep the lights on,” said Pangilinan.

Gross revenues reached P64.71 billion in the first quarter, down 6.8 percent from P69.47 billion a year earlier as sales volume dropped 4 percent to 10,473 gigawatt-hours. This included volume distributed by Clark Electric Distribution Corp.

“Despite the continued strong sales from residential customers and recovery of industrial sales, the commercial sales sector, however, contracted as restaurants, malls, hotels are not yet operating at their pre-pandemic level,” Siy-Yap said.

Meralco said the general community quarantine and the re-imposition of the enhanced community quarantine beginning March 29 saw residential volumes taking a bigger share in the total volumes sold as work-fromhome arrangement and stay-at-home policies prevailed throughout the first quarter.

DOTR expects to construct P88.75-b infra projects in ‘21

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation said Monday it expects to complete 163 transport infrastructure projects worth P88.75 billion this year.

“In so far as our targeted completed projects, meaning full completion or partial operability in 2021, we are targeting 163 projects with a total project cost of P88.75 billion,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said in a virtual briefing after the Pre-State of the Nation Address Economic Development and Infrastructure Clusters Forum.

He said of the total, the agency allocated P15.3 billion for aviation projects, P7 billion for maritime projects, P34.43 billion for railways projects and P30 billion for road projects.

“These are aggregate total cost of all projects we intent to complete by 2021 either full completion of partial operability,” he said.

Tugade also said that two big ticket railway projects would finally start operations this year. He said the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project would be formally inaugurated in June.

LRT-2’s new stations, the Marikina Station and Antipolo Station, will serve commuters from Recto, Manila to Masinag, Antipolo, and back.

The project is expected to cut travel time between Manila and Antipolo from the three hours by bus or jeepney, to only 40 minutes. Once fully operational, the East Extension line will increase LRT-2’s capacity by 80,000 passengers a day.

Tugade added said the Common Station Project, which was delayed for nine years, would be operational by the fourth quarter.

The P2.8-billion project features a 13,700-square-meter concourse area which will seamlessly interconnect the rail lines of LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT7 and the Metro Manila Subway.

IN BRIEF DTI to probe Vietnam cement dumping in PH

FREE GLOBE CONNECTIVITY. Asia Pacific College, in collaboration with Globe Telecom Inc., joins the Department of Education in donating free connectivity solutions to DepEd students under the Schools Division of Pasay City. DepEd’s Joint Delivery Voucher Program provides senior high school students attending technical-vocational-livelihood courses with Globe prepaid Internet kits and load up (SchoolSURF and EnterpriseSURF) plans. Attending the signing of the agreement are (from left) Globe account manager Nicole Chung, Globe senior director Dominic Tria and APC Senior High principal Kimberly Malate.

SEC allows minority shareholders of listed firms to call for meetings

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission empowered minority shareholders in publicly-listed companies to call for special stockholders’ meetings.

Under the SEC Memorandum Circular No. 7, Series of 2021 approved on April 22, any number of shareholders holding at least 10 percent of the outstanding capital stock of a listed firm will have the right to call for a special stockholders’ meeting, subject to the guidelines provided under Section 49 of Republic Act No. 11232, or the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines and other relevant laws, rules and regulations.

“The newly issued rules empower minority shareholders to better protect and advance their interests, as well as help listed firms have a wider perspective and be more inclusive in their decision-making process,” SEC chairperson Emilio Aquino said.

“The greater protection afforded to minority shareholders should encourage increased participation in the stock market and, in turn, further deepen our capital market to support business expansions, jobs creation and overall economic growth,” he said.

The call for special meeting should be in writing, addressed to the company’s board of directors and transmitted through the corporate secretary at least 45 days prior to the proposed date of the meeting.

The written request for the meeting should include the name of the stockholders and their respective percentage of shareholdings, which should constitute at least 10 percent of the outstanding capital stock of the corporation. The letter should be duly signed by all requesting shareholders.

It should also provide the purpose, date, time and proposed agenda items for the meeting.

SBC-MUFG PARTNERSHIP.

Security Bank Corp. and MUFG Bank Ltd. of Japan celebrate five years of strategic partnership that has allowed both banks to provide better financial services to Philippine corporate and SMEs communities.

Shown sealing the partnership on Jan. 14, 2016 are (from left) Security Bank chairman Alberto Villarosa, chairman emeritus Frederick Dy and Go Watanabe, managing executive officer and chief executive for Asia and Oceania at MUFG Bank of Japan.

MGen completes 86% acquisition of stake in GBPC MERALCO PowerGen Corp., a unit of Manila Electric Co., completed the acquisition of an 86-percent stake in Global Business Power Corp. from Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and JG Summit Holdings Inc. for P32.86 billion, net of dividends and interest costs.

The purchase, originally announced at a value of P34.466 billion, was completed at the end of March. MGen now owns 100 percent of GBPC. “Now that we have fully owned GBPC, the first step is to actually functionally integrate two companies and come up with one functional organization for our enlarged power generation. And that would mean we have to streamline our pipeline of projects so that it becomes a more coherent and more focused pipeline,” Meralco president Ray Espinosa said.

GBPC is the largest independent power producer in the Visayas with a portfolio of 1,091 megawatts from coal and diesel plants.

These include GBPC’s 50-percent interest in Alsons Thermal Energy Corp., which in turn owns 75 percent of the new 210-MW coal plant in Maasim, Sarangani. GBPC posted a net income of P386 million in the first quarter.

Meralco and MGen drew a fiveyear term loan amounting to P5 billion and a P17-billion bridge loan, respectively, to cover the first installment of the GBPC purchase price of P19.6 billion paid out on March 31.

The balance of the installments is payable up to September 2022.

Meralco earlier said Meralco PowerGen engaged the services of an independent third party to provide a fairness opinion on the terms of the transaction. Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Department of Trade and Industry will initiate proceedings to investigate the alleged dumping of cement from Vietnam following complaints filed by three local manufacturers.

Cemex Philippines, Holcim Philippines Inc. and Republic Cement Builders and Building Materials Inc. submitted an application for the anti-dumping investigation of cement products imported from Vietnam.

A notice released by the DTI showed the three cement firms presented evidence supporting claims of anti-dumping practices.

The products covered by the investigation are cement classified under AHTN Codes 2523.29.90 and 2353.90.00.

The investigation for anti-dumping covers the cement imported from July 2019 to June 2020, while the period of investigation for injury is from 2017 to June 2020.

The DTI asked interested parties to submit comments, evidence and information relevant to the investigation. Othel V. Campos

PNB Holdings shares declared as dividends THE board of directors of the Philippine National Bank approved the declaration of shares of PNB Holdings Corp. as property dividends effective May 18, 2021.

PNB Holdings Corp. is a fully-owned subsidiary of PNB that serves as a holding company that invests, develops and sells all kinds of assets, majority of which are prime real estate properties.

PNB said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it declared PNB Holdings Corp. shares as property dividends to the stockholders of PNB on record as of May 18, 2021.

PNB earlier obtained regulatory approval to make additional investments in PNB Holdings in exchange for certain properties of the bank.

The investment in PNB Holdings and the dividend declaration are two important phases of the bank’s strategic initiative to recognize the unrealized value of three major properties, including the PNB Financial Center in Pasay, PNB Makati Center in Ayala’s Central Business District, and the Prime Property at the corner of Buendia Avenue and Paseo De Roxas, also in Makati. Julito G. Rada

DOF wants GOCCs to pay 75% dividends THE Department of Finance on Monday proposed to increase the mandated dividend remittances of government-owned and -controlled corporations to the National Treasury from 50 percent to at least 75 percent of their net earnings.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said during the Sulong Pilipinas 2021: Partners for Progress forum held online the proposal aimed to raise more funds for economic recovery.

“We are proposing GOCCs to remit dividends of at least 75 percent of their net income to the government from the present 50 percent...,” Dominguez said in a panel discussion.

Dominguez said the government would keep intact its huge budget for infrastructure development under President Rodrigo Duterte’s centerpiece “Build, Build, Build” program as the high multiplier effect of infrastructure spending would make it the main driver of rebuilding the economy.

The DOF said earlier about P119.1 billion or three-fourths of the P157 billion in cash dividends remitted by GOCCs in 2020 partly funded the social amelioration program that the government implemented to ease the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the poorest households and other vulnerable sectors. Julito G. Rada

Durant fuels Nets; Hawks snap 6-game losing streak LOS ANGELES—Kevin Durant scored 33 points in his return from a threegame injury absence as the Brooklyn Nets solidified their hold on first place in the NBA Eastern Conference with a 128-119 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Durant came off the bench early in the second quarter and showed little rust after being out with a thigh injury.

In 28 minutes of playing time, Durant shot 12-of-21 from the floor in a Sunday afternoon clash between two of the best teams in the NBA. “It was a good start. Hopefully, I’ll build on this game and keep going,” Durant said.

Kyrie Irving scored a team-high 34 points, going 30-plus for the 15th time this season, and Blake Griffin finished with 16 for Brooklyn, who improved to 41-20 for a one and a half-game lead over the second-place Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference standings.

Jeff Green and Joe Harris scored 10 points each for the Nets, while DeAndre Jordan had 12 rebounds in front of the pandemic-limited crowd of 1,700 at Barclays Center arena.

Devin Booker scored 36 points for Phoenix, while Deandre Ayton scored 20 points with 13 rebounds, as the Suns lost two straight for the first time since late January.

“I thought we started off pretty well, they just continued to make shots,” Booker said. “I think we had a lot of miscommunications on a lot of our switches and that’s that.”

Torrey Craig tallied 20 points while point guard Chris Paul was held to just 14 points on five of 11 shooting.

Phoenix, second in the West behind the Utah Jazz, dropped to 42-18 and are now 2-2 on a five-game East coast road trip with another contest on Monday against the red-hot New York Knicks, who have won nine straight.

Brooklyn, who were without injured James Harden for the 10th straight game, outscored the Suns 31-27 in the final quarter after trailing by as many as 13 in the second period. They have won six of 10 games with Harden out of the lineup.

The Nets led by just five, 97-92, at the end of the third but a three-pointer from Durant stretched the lead to 102-92 early in the fourth and they held off Phoenix the rest of the way.

Durant scored 10 points in the third quarter, then had the first five of the fourth to give Brooklyn its first doubledigit lead at 102-92.

“The thing I love the most is that we all know, one of my favourite things about him is how much he just loves to play basketball,” Griffin said. “So you know when he’s sitting out it’s just like killing him, so just to see that joy of just being able to play basketball again is fun for us.”

In Atlanta, Bogdan Bogdanovic equalled his season-high of 32 points as the Atlanta Hawks came from behind to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 111-104. AFP

Sports

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

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

C1

Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket as Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns defends during the second half at Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. AFP

Incentives worth P2.6M await Diaz’s teammates H

By Peter Atencio

IDILYN Diaz won’t be getting any incentives after she missed the bronze medal by three kilograms in the women’s 55-kg category of the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan recently.

But she doesn’t mind at all. After all, her participation netted Diaz a fourth straight stint in the Olympics, to be held in Tokyo, Japan in July.

Diaz clinched an Olympic berth after completing the International Weightlifting Federation’s requirement of competing in five tournaments. Diaz is currently ranked no. 5 in the IWF rankings in the women’s 55 kilogram.

While Japan is where Diaz hopes to win it all, in Uzbekistan, she took a backseat to her teammates, who bagged medals.

Philippine lifters, mostly women, won a total of two golds, six silvers and three

Hidilyn Diaz

bronze medals in the Asian tournament.

As a result, a total cash bonus of P2.65 million awaits the lifters upon their return to the country.

Philippine Sports Commission executive director Atty. Guillermo Iroy said the sports body is reviewing the cash doleouts

to be handed national team members, who have won medals during the weeklong meet.

“Republic Act 10699 provides incentives for the medalists,” said Iroy.

Cebuana bet Elreen Ando, for grabbing two silvers and a bronze with record-breaking lifts in the women’s 64-kg final, is set to receive around P650,000.

Seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sarno is expected to bring home P1.25 million after earning two gold medals and a silver when she took the women’s 71-kg crown last Wednesday.

Mary Flor Diaz bagged three silvers in the women’s 45-kg division final last Sunday, giving her incentives totalling P450,000.

Kristel Macrohon, who settled for two bronze medals in the women’s 64-kilogram division, gets P300,000 The 24-year-old Macrohon lifted a national record-setting 99 on her third attempt in the snatch and followed it with a 126 in the clean and jerk.

Her total gave Macrohon a national record-smashing tally of 225 and a thirdplace place finish behind gold medallist Zhang Wang Li of China and second placer Kim Suhyeon of Korea.

Catantan settles for bronze, misses Olympics

Samantha Catantan with coach Amatov Canlas

IT WAS a mix of emotions for US NCAA standout Samantha Catantan when she reached the semifinals of the women’s foil event of the 2021 Asia-Oceania Olympic fencing qualifiers, where she eventually settled for the bronze.

For one, Catantan had a shot at a slot to the Tokyo Olympics during her stint with members of the Philippine national team on Sunday in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The 19-year-old Catantan, however, was faced with the huge task of beating top-seeded Yana Alborova for a finals seat.

Unfortunately for Catantan, the 27-year-old Alborova took the lead early and prevailed, 15-10, to advance to the championship round.

“Mixed emotion ako. Masaya ako dahil naka-podium finish tayo.

Malungkot dahil alam ko kaya natin makuha ‘yun slot for Tokyo. Hindi pa siguro ito ‘yung time,” said Catantan in a message to the Manila Standard.

Catantan earlier upset 2019 Southeast Games gold medallist Amitha Berthier of Singapore during the pool

B preliminaries to reach the second round with a 5-1 win-loss record.

From there, the fourth-seeded Catantan took a bye in the Round of 16 and outplayed Hsin Cheng of Taiwan, 10-6, to reach the semis.

On the other hand, Berthier recovered from her 4-5 setback to Catantan and made it past the first round off her 5-1 slate.

Berthier went on to reach the finals after she fought off Mona Shaito of Lebanon, 1-4.

The 20-year-old Berthier eventually claimed the lone slot to the Tokyo Olympics after outpointing Alborova, 15-14, in the championship round.

National coach Amatov Canlas said other chances to make it to the Olympics await Catantan in the future.

“Hindi pa siguro ito ‘yung time pero naniniwala ako na sa Paris 2024, hinog na hinog na si Sam,” said Canlas.

Catantan started off her campaign with a bang, pulling off a 5-0 rout of Vietnam’s Thi Thu Phung before easing out Kimberley Cheung of Hong Kong, 5-4.

A 5-1 beating of Thailand’s Chay-

anulphat Shinnakerchoke followed, before Catantan took her only loss so far to Lebanon’s Mona Shaito.

Then, she capped her preliminary campaign with a 5-1 win over Iran’s Negin Kafi and a 5-4 triumph over Berthier, who outplayed Catantan during the 2019 SEA Games in Manila.

Catantan is one of the country’s top bets in fencing because of her memorable stint with Penn State University, which took runner-up honors in Division 1 of the US NCAA competitions.

After this, Catantan placed 20th in Egypt two weeks ago.

Only Catantan has so far won a medal in the Uzbek tourney after CJ Concepcion made it to the Round of 16 before taking a 9-15 loss to Alexandre Douglas of Australia in the men’s sabre.

Noelito Jos absorbed a 14-15 loss to Mohsin Abbas of Iraq to end his campaign in the men’s sabre.

In Monday’s action, Jyln Nicanor settled for ninth place after bowing to Lin Hin Wai of Hong Kong, 12-15, in the women’s sabre quarterfinals.

Peter Atencio

Mandaue tries to bounce back; Zenith eyes 9th straight victory Games today (Tuesday)

Alcantara Civic Center, Cebu 3PM - Tubigon Bohol vs KCS-Mandaue 7PM - Dumaguete vs MJAS-Talisay

ALCANTARA— KCS Computer Specialist-Mandaue City seeks to get back on track when it tackles Tubigon Bohol in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup on Tuesday, April 27, at the Civic Center here in Cebu.

KCS is coming off a tough 73-81 loss to rampaging MJAS Zenith-Talisay City on Saturday. The defeat snapped their five-game winning streak and dropped them to 5-2 for the season.

However, KCS won’t have to wait long to right the ship as tip-off against the Mariners is at 3 p.m.

In spite of their loss last Saturday, KCS assistant coach Jappy Bautista said they’ll continue to focus on playing their game as he believes when they do so, the rest will just follow.

“We just want to keep on playing our game. ‘Yan ang ginagawa namin. Before we focus on our opponents’ mistakes, we want to make sure na tama ginagawa namin as a team and the rest will follow na lang,” Bautista said.

“Kasi once tama ang defense namin, susunod na lang ang offense and hopefully this will be our springboard coming off a tough loss.”

Meanwhile, MJAS Zenith will be looking to capture their ninth consecutive victory when they take on a reeling Dumaguete Warriors at 7 p.m.

Darrell Shane Menina was spectacular in the second half in their last game versus KCS as he piled on 25 of his 28 points during that crucial stretch where they overhauled a 40-47 deficit at the midway point of the third canto. Jaymar Gimpayan was just as efficient as he tallied a doubledouble of 19 points and 10 boards.

The Warriors, which are near the bottom of the standings with a 1-5 record, will now be led by new head coach Leode Garcia.

The current University of San JoseRecoletos men’s basketball head coach is taking over the mantle left by former head coach Rommel Uka, who had to leave the Alcantara bubble for personal reasons.

“Happy ako kasi hindi ko in-expect na meron biglang nag-hire sa akin as head coach ng isang team,” said Garcia, who cleared a seven-day quarantine early Monday and had tested negative in two swab tests.

“Para sa akin, malaking exposure ito kasi professional league ito.”

PNVF beach volley commission backs Ilocos Norte program THE Beach Volleyball Commission of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation recently supported the AMB Beach Volleyball Clinic held over the weekend in Currimao, Ilocos Norte.

Charo Soriano, the PNVF executive board member who also chairs the BVC, said that the AMB beach volleyball technical and demo workshop held last April 23 is part of improving the game by teaching updated regulations of the sport to local officials.

“Learning the updated rules of the game is vital in any sport developmental program. For us to be able to improve the sport, we must learn how it’s being played in a more technical

manner,” Soriano said.

“I applaud the sports resiliency of the north in making sure that they not only focus on the growth of the players but also of the technical officials,” she added.

Health and safety protocols were strictly implemented during the event.

Helen Molina-Domingo, secretary-general of Ilocos Norte Volleyball, said it was the first time that the beach volleyball clinic was organized in Ilocos Norte.

“In Ilocos Norte we formulated a risk assessment plan under the Play Safe Fearless program approved by Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc and beach volleyball is assessed

between the low and medium risk,” MolinaDomingo said.

“So we wrote to Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba to stage the send series of the AMB beach volleyball and this time it would be aligned with the PNVF grassroots development plan which Rep. Barba also agreed,” Molina-Domingo added.

The very objective why we re-start sports activity even during pandemic is to help revive the businesses of SME’s where we conduct sporting activity that was affected by the pandemic.

The next circuit of the AMB Beach Volleyball is slated from May 14 to 25 in Ilocos Norte’s First District.

A local participant wears a mask during the volleyball clinic.

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Sports

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

Nadal clobbers Tsitsipas for 12th Barcelona title B

ARCELONA— Rafael Nadal saved a championship point to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5 on Sunday and claim a 12th Barcelona Open title in the ATP’s longest match of 2021.

The Spaniard secured his f irst title of the year and 87th of his career, denying Tsitsipas back-toback triumphs following his maiden Masters 1000 title at Monte Carlo last week.

Nadal avenged his Australian Open quarter-final loss to Tsitsipas and will return to second in the ATP rankings on Monday by climbing back above Daniil Medvedev after his marathon 3-hour 38-minute win.

“It means a lot for me to play the final here and win,” said Nadal. “I improved my level during the week and this trophy means a lot.”

Nadal redeemed himself after a surprise quarter-final exit in Monte Carlo, but the three sets dropped en route to the title represented the most in any of his wins here.

“It’s an everyday job, accepting the challenge, staying humble when sometimes you don’t play as well and you have to fight to find solutions every day.”

No man has won more matches this year than Tsitsipas (26) but the 22-yearold has lost all seven finals at the ATP 500 level.

Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebates after winning the ATP Barcelona Open tennis tournament singles’ final match against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona. AFP

“Rafa, bravo. How many is that, 28?

28 Barcelona titles is not bad,” joked Tsitsipas.

“I’m really jealous. But you’ve earned it. You’re one of the biggest competitors in our sport, I’m sure you know that.”

Second seed Tsitsipas, a Roland Garros semi-finalist in 2020, had won all 17 sets on clay this season and entered the final unbeaten on the surface in nine matches.

The Greek built up a 4-2 lead in the opening set after breaking Nadal in the third game but dropped his serve twice in succession as the 20-time Grand

Slam champion hit back to win four games in a row.

Fifth-ranked Tsitsipas, who won just three games when the pair met in the 2018 final, again procured an early break in set two but Nadal responded to haul himself level at 3-all.

Nadal failed to convert two match points as Tsitsipas clung on to hold when trailing 5-4, with the Spaniard saving three break points in the very next game.

Nadal took a 4-2 lead in the tiebreak but the momentum swung back towards Tsitsipas as he won four straight points, blowing two set

points before forcing a decider at the third attempt after a double fault from his opponent.

In sharp contrast, the third set went on serve without a single break opportunity until Tsitsipas edged to within a point of the title with Nadal on the ropes serving at 4-5.

Nadal survived though and finally converted his fourth break chance in the following game, snuffing out a Tsitsipas break point in the final game before clinching his 61st clay-court title.

His 12 Barcelona victories are second only to his 13 Roland Garros trophies. AFP

Aoki wants to fight Lee once he hurdles Folayang

By Peter Atencio SHINYA Aoki was not expecting a showdown with Edward “The Landslide” Folayang.

But everything changed for Aoki after his would-be opponent Japanese-Korean mixed martial art fighter Yushihiro Akiyama suffered an injury and another replacement, American bet Sage Northcutt got pulled out because he contracted COVID-19.

A win in his bout with Folayang on April 29 will give Aoki a chance to call out Christian Lee for a welterweight encounter.

The 37-year-old Aoki said this is what he will be waiting for once he’s done with Folayang.

“I am not looking at Christian’s belt (at the moment). I just want to continuously fight and enjoy the moment,” said Aoki.

Aoki, who has a 46-9 win-loss card, is looking for a fourth straight win when he confronts Folayang in ONE on TNT IV. Folayang, who is of the same age at 37 with Aoki, is taking extra care not to make same mistakes he did during his last two fights in the One Championship.

The Team Lakay stalward is seeking redemption after two straight setbacks, first at the hands of Peter Buist via split decision in January last year and then to Antonio Caruso via unanimous decision last October. The losses proved to be a wakeup call for Folayang.

In his last bout last January, Aoki took down by submission via rear-naked chokehold his One : Unbreakable foe in James Nakashima in the 2:42 of the first round in Singapore.

MILAN —A limited number of spectators could be allowed to attend the Monaco Grand Prix on May 23, Formula One chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali revealed on Sunday.

However, no fans will be allowed at the races in Portugal next weekend and Spain on May 9.

“We are monitoring the situation on a daily basis, which is changing hour by hour,” Domenicali told Sky TG24.

“In the next Grands Prix of Portugal and Spain, unfortunately we will not have anyone, but Monaco is presented as the first where a limited number of people should be admitted on Sunday.

“It gives us hope for the future, because if the situation improves there will be a gradual reopening and fans will have the opportunity to participate.”

The Italian added: “There is an incredible physical desire for Formula One, not just on television.”

During the season-opening Bahrain GP in March, a few spectators who were vaccinated or cured of Covid-19 were able to witness Lewis Hamilton’s win.

Monaco announced 10 days ago an easing of health restrictions in the Principality, but without a decision on the Grand Prix, the fifth round of this season’s calendar.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Grand Prix will remain at the Suzuka circuit for three more years until 2024, the race promoters and F1 chiefs announced Saturday.

“This contract extension, the result of the fruitful relationship between Formula 1 and Mobilityland (the circuit owners), is part of the long-term strategic commitment to develop the sport in Asia,” said a Formula 1 statement.

“Japan has an avid fan-base and with exciting young talent Yuki Tsunoda who became the first Japanese driver on the grid since 2014, Formula 1 will continue to work with the promoter to further increase the sport’s popularity there.”

The figure-of-eight Suzuka circuit, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2022, has hosted 31 GPs since 1987, with the drivers’ world title being decided there on 11 occasions. AFP

Puentevella, Marcial guests at PSA Forum Shinya Aoki (left) got his revenge on Eduard Folayang in his home soil during ONE: A New Era via a first-round submission on March 31, 2019.

Aoki said that Lee has gotten better in his last two fights but he is confident that he can keep up, if he gets the chance.

But he has to hurdle Folayang first to cap their trilogy on a high note.

Folayang defeated Aoki during the ONE: Defending Honor on November 11, 2016, before the Japanese got his revenge on his home soil during ONE: A New Era via a first-round submission on March 31, 2019.

Smiling Tiger on crutches with cast in new photo posting Tiger Woods posted on his Instagram account his photo on crutches with a cast on his lower right leg.

Formula 1 CEO: Spectators could return for Monaco GP

MIAMI—A smiling Tiger Woods appeared on crutches with a cast on his lower right leg and foot Friday in a photo posted on his Instagram account.

The image was the first of Woods since he suffered serious right leg injuries in a one-car crash February 23 near Los Angeles.

Two months later, the 15-time major winner appeared alongside his dog in the image, taken in his home practice facility in Jupiter, Florida.

Woods said that work was progressing faster upon his three-hole backyard practice course than he was progressing in his recovery.

“My course is coming along faster than I am,” Woods wrote. “But it’s nice to have a faithful rehab partner, man’s best friend.”

Woods, 45, has won 82 US PGA Tour titles, level with Sam Snead for the all-time record.

Before Woods was injured in the crash, he was

working to overcome a back operation in time to play at the Masters earlier this month.

Woods has released no timetable regarding how extensive his injuries are or when he might walk normally again, much less return to his golfing career.

Police found Woods was driving nearly twice the legal speed limit when his SUV went out of control and rolled several times before stopping.

Woods was hospitalized for weeks before returning home to Florida last month.

He underwent hours of surgery to repair a shattered lower right leg and ankle, including the insertion of a rod into his tibia and screws and pins being used to stabilize his ankle.

Woods had undergone a series of back operations before making a fairytale comeback that saw him win the 2019 Masters for his first major title since the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines. AFP

PHILIPPINE Basketball Association commissioner Willie Marcial joins Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella in an interesting two-part session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum online edition on Tuesday.

Marcial will give an update on the league’s plan to have a late May or an early June opener for its 46th season.

Puentevella meanwhile, will be discussing the bid of Hidilyn Diaz to go all-out for the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics. The 30-year-old Filipina will be making her fourth Olympic appearance five years after bagging the silver medal in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Games.

Also a former PSC commissioner, the ex-Bacolod City mayor and congressman is likewise expected to talk about the bright future of the sport in the country especially in the wake of the Filipino lifters’ successful campaign in the recent Asian Weightlifting Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan led by Vanessa Sarno (two golds, one silver), Erleen Ando (three silvers), and Mary Flor Diaz (three silvers).

The session starts at 10:00 and presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Powered by Smart and Upstream Media as the official webcast partner, the Forum is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and also shared

by Radyo Pilipinas 2 Facebook page.

Entertainment

Tobiano (center) with Jaya and Moira deal Torre (right)

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

‘Grateful Tuesday’ team sharing the gift of joy with the people of Lipa, Batangas.

Gift-giving continues in ‘Grateful Tuesdays’

T

HE Grateful Tuesdays gift and aid-giving has become a weekly event under the auspices of chemist Pinky Tobiano and co-hosts Jaya and Zephanie.

Last Wednesday, April 21, they brought joy to over 150 youth under the care of SOS Village Village in Lipa, Batangas by handing out gift packs. The initiative was led by Tobiano in coordination with ViceGovernor Mark Leviste.

Tobiano was joined by co-host Jaya and special guest Moira dela Torre just like in all undertakings of the public service online show.

During the event, the children were

“The enervating fun event was challenging in coping up with IATF health and safety protocols, but it was worth it, seeing the happy faces of the children.

It was so touching, we really cried,” the hosts admitted.

“The kids felt it was like an early Christmas gift to them,” Jaya noted.

“This is ‘Grateful Tuesdays’ advocacy-to bring happiness and make them feel blessed and grateful for all the gifts from our online show, amid this pandemic,” said Tobiano.

Prior to Grateful Tuesdays Season 3, they have distributed aid to the most harshly affected by the pandemic.

Over 250 jeepney drivers plying the treated to a mini-show while receiving “Paubaya.” They were also treated to their gifts. They also joined Jaya and a Tiktok dance led by Tobiano and her Katipunan-Tandang Sora route were given aid when ECQ was granted to Moira in singing the latter’s hit song co-host.

‘Grateful Tuesdays’ is hosted by chemist Pinky Tobiano (center) with singers Jaya (left) and Zephanie.

Metro-Manila plus.

Due to ECQ and lockdown in a number of barangays in Metro-Manila, many families of jeepney drivers were most badly affected.

Chemist Tobiano is making good on her promise to help the needy through their online program, especially with the growing, all-out support of its major sponsors, like The Farm of San Benito, Lyka Gems, and many more.

This gift-giving for the youth of SOS Village will be aired tonight at 7:00 in Grateful Tuesdays, which streams on the Facebook account of Cornerstone Entertainment, Chemist Tobiano, and CS Entertainment Kumu Channel.

Laptops, cash prizes, and loads can be won by lucky viewers by just tuning in.

Lovebirds Vice and Ion turn to sports to combat pandemic blues IN A recent digital event, popular comedian-host Vice Ganda revealed how he and boyfriend Ion Perez are combating boredom now that a stricter quarantine classification is still being imposed in Metro Manila.

“Actually, we turned to sports to entertain ourselves during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) period. We set up a makeshift badminton court in front of the house so we can play. Ion and I bought a badminton net for this purpose,” the It’s Showtime host said.

“I also bought a basketball ring. I enjoy playing basketball with Ion. Funny I told myself that if the ECQ will persist, I will add a beach volleyball court in my yard,” he added in jest.

Interestingly, the “Unkabogable Star” also revealed in his latest YouTube vlog that Ion got sprained in a game so he decided to buy a brand new PS5 to entertain themselves while waiting for him to be okay again.

“We are currently studying how to play PS5 and so far, it’s fun. So you see, we’ve done a lot of things to ease the boredom brought about by the ECQ.” For Vice, it’s important to amuse ourselves during these critical times.

“Well, boredom and sadness are not good for our well-being.

When you’re bored, so many things get into your mind and that’s what I want to avoid. Especially during these pandemic times, it’s very important to achieve balance. So, it’s better to turn your attention into other things and get busy, right,” Vice stressed.

“I vow to do everything just to entertain us. We can’t let boredom or sadness overcome us. I for one, I choose not to be sad. It’s good that in my case, I was

Through World Vision and PascualLab’s ‘Chosen,’ children are given the chance to take hold of their future by picking their sponsors.

Bringing hope to children in need Vice Ganda and Ion Perez

able to save and has the freedom to find ways to amuse myself,” he carried on.

When it comes to coping with the pandemic, Vice believes that it’s our own choice on how we are going to survive the situation.

“We have different ways to cope. As for me, I will look for ways to escape sadness right away. I don’t want to sulk in that phase.”

If he were to choose which the worst kind of pain is among psychological, mental, and physical, which tops his list?

“Well, it will depend on your strength. There are people who are mentally but not physically strong like me. Growing up, I was able to train myself to become emotionally strong.

But if it’s physical, I’m really affected,” ended Vice.

*** Sanya Lopez

It can be said that Sanya Lopez’s time has arrived.

Apart from the consistent high ratings of her GMA primetime vehicle First Yaya opposite Gabby Concepcion, she will also be part of Sen. Bong Revilla’s Agimat ng Agila, which is scheduled to air in May. This means that from Monday to Saturday, the sultry star will be seen by avid boob tube viewers.

Due to this, many are curious as to how she can attend to her love life considering her hectic work schedule.

“Honestly, I’m not in a hurry to jump into a relationship right now. I’m not looking and waiting for it. I’m certain

that it will come in God’s perfect time,” avers Sanya.

But does she have any admirers?

“Well, I guess there are though I’m not quite sure if they have the intention to court me. All I know is that they’re kind to me. I also don’t think that they’re shy or what. In return, I’m also friendly to them,” she answers.

“I believe that if there is someone for me, he will come at any given time. Even if I’m focused on my work, if he will come, I can’t do anything about it,” she adds.

At present, Sanya is very happy on the set of First Yaya.

“We’re like one big, happy family. All of us are close. After our lock-in taping, we make it a point to communicate with one another through video call,” she states.

AMIDST this looming pandemic, Pascual Laboratories, Inc. (PascualLab) and international child-focused organization World Vision Development Foundation, Inc. (World Vision) join hands to bring hope to children in need through the child sponsorship initiative, “Chosen.”

Through “Chosen,” children are given the chance and opportunity to pick their sponsors. In most sponsorship programs, children sometimes wait for a long time before they get selected. Through this charity program, they are given the chance to take hold of their future by doing the choosing.

To empower these underprivileged children in World Vision-assisted communities and to share them financial assistance and essentials through “Chosen,” the organization’s Philippine branch reached out to PascualLab, one of the most trusted pharmaceutical companies in the Philippines¹ and over 140 employees heeded the call.

Through their sponsorship, PascualLab will be able to assist more than their original target of 75 children - a number symbolic of PascualLab’s years in the industry. And through this novel way of sponsorship, PascualLab hopes to help spread love, as its anniversary theme #PascualLove speaks of, during a time when it is so easy to see things in a negative light.

“In these bleak and uncertain times,

people latch on to any glimmer of hope they can find in their day-to-day lives.

And so late last year, when the World Vision team initially proposed the idea of their charity program CHOSEN, we thought it was something that could give a ray of light to those in need,” PascualLab Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Jose Augusto Pascual said.

“For PascualLab, it would enable our Family Members to reach out to underprivileged Filipino children and to share some PascualLOVE, given the situation we were and still are in, and the challenges that we continue to face,” Pascual added.

World Vision’s National Director Rommel Fuerte thanked PascualLab especially its volunteer employees, who signed up to be chosen as sponsors.

“With your support, children and their families can have access to healthcare, quality education as well as programs on livelihood, safety, and spiritual development,” he said.

The partnership was recently sealed in a virtual MoA signing between the two teams led by Fuerte and Pascual, Mia Pascual Cenzon, PascualLab VP for Corporate HROD and Design Services and Corporate Communications, and World Vision Director for Resource and Development Director Santos Godornes, Jr.

China censors Oscars success of history-making Chloe Zhao BEIJING-BORN Chloe Zhao was scrubbed from Chinese social media on Monday as a nationalist backlash airbrushed out her remarkable achievement of becoming the first woman of color to win the best director Oscar.

Zhao on Sunday night (Monday morning in Manila) became the second woman ever to win the coveted award at the LA ceremony, as her film Nomadland -- about marginalized Americans roaming the west -- bagged best picture and its lead, Frances McDormand, won best actress.

But all recent posts containing her name and Nomadland were mysteriously wiped from the Twitterlike site Weibo by Monday noon Beijing time.

Her win was also met with silence by Chinese media.

Initially hailed by state media for her film’s success at the Golden Globes in March, Zhao became

the target of a nationalist backlash after social media users dug up years-old interviews in which she appeared to criticize her country of birth.

Chinese cinemas abruptly pulled the film’s scheduled release.

Zhao appeared to allude to these difficulties in her Oscars acceptance speech, saying, “I’ve been thinking a lot lately of how I keep going when things get hard.”

She also quoted a line from a Classical Chinese poem that translates to “people are fundamentally good at birth” -- a move praised by many Chinese social media users before the posts were later deleted.

Weibo initially flooded with social media posts praising Zhao on Monday morning, while others decried censorship.

“Chloe Zhao becomes the first Asian diaspora/ Chinese female filmmaker to win the best director

Oscar in history,” wrote an entertainment blogger with over 8.9 million followers, in a post that gained thousands of likes before it was deleted.

“China’s public opinion control is outrageous.

After Chloe Zhao’s starling Oscars win, there is not even a fart on Weibo,” wrote an outraged user.

Despite the censors’ efforts, on the streets of Beijing pride in an Asian director reaching the apogee of US cinema was easy to find.

“She’s the pride of Chinese people... it’s very rare for a Chinese to get an Oscar award,” Yan Ying, a female engineer, told AFP on Monday morning.

“I think Chinese movies will get better and better and she will set a very good example for Chinese mainland directors,” said 38-year-old legal worker Yuan Min. Zhao is also well-known in China as the step- Chloe Zhao became the second woman ever to win the coveted best director Oscar. daughter of famous actress Song Dandan. AFP

Life

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

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HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

Two nutrients

vital in fighting diseases

By Monica Sanchez

T

HE ongoing health crisis has gotten people seeking food and vitamin supplements believed to boost immunity, the most popular of which is vitamin C—both found in capsule format and whole food items like fruits and vegetables.

While vitamin C does contribute to immune defense by “supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system,” according to a study by Anitra Carr and Silvia Maggini, relying solely on vitamin C and taking more than the body requires are not recommended.

For reference: the Harvard Medical School says the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C for men is only 90 milligrams per day, and 75 milligrams for women. In an interview with Manila Standard, infectious disease specialist Dr. Marion Kwek said taking one 500mg capsule of vitamin C was more than enough per day.

So what are these two other nutrients experts say are essential in fighting illnesses?

They are vitamin D and zinc.

“Even mild to moderate degrees of zinc deficiency can impair immune function and make you susceptible to pneumonia and other diseases. Meanwhile, vitamin D or what we call the ‘sunshine vitamin’ is critical to bone health, as well as infection and inflammation control,” says Dr. Mercedita Macalintal, a clinical nutrition support specialist at Makati Medical Center.

What do they do

A study by researchers from Ohio State University a few years ago revealed zinc reduced the severity and possibly shortened the duration of the common colds in humans. Recent findings by researchers from Spain during the ongoing pandemic, meanwhile, found that people with lower blood levels of zinc admitted to hospital with COVID-19 “tended to fare worse than those with healthier levels.”

Dr. Macalintal explains that zinc is responsible for the proper functioning of the immune system by remov-

Salmon (left) and oysters and lobsters are good sources of vitamin D and zinc, respectively.

Experts recommend taking zinc and vitamin D supplements to prevent adverse effects from deficiency of these nutrients.

ing harmful free radicals, repairing cells, and replicating them. It is also in charge of the catalytic activity of more than 100 enzymes, synthesis of genetic materials, and maintenance of cell integration. The nutrition expert adds the nutrient is also essential for growth and development.

Zinc deficiency may result in poor immune system function, slow wound healing, diminished sense of taste and smell, appetite loss, diarrhea, and skin rashes around the nose, mouth, and anus.

Dr. Macalintal notes that it is also associated with spontaneous abortion, congenital malformation, low birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation, and possible complications during labor and deliveries for pregnant women.

Vitamin D, on the other hand, is associated with modulating “the innate and

LIFE INSURED

Allianz PNB Life expands coverage of COVID-19 benefits to include vaccine reimbursement up to P10,000.

Policy covers COVID-19 vaccine reimbursement ALLIANZ PNB Life’s Allianz Well! expands coverage for COVID-19 vaccines, allowing policyholders to reimburse up to a fixed amount should they get vaccinated from a preferred healthcare provider.

The vaccine reimbursement is part of the policy’s Wellness Benefit that covers up to P10,000 yearly (also the maximum vaccine reimbursement amount). It also fully covers hospitalization and emergency care for COVID-19, along with cancer treatment, dialysis, and organ transplant. It also offers unlimited, 24/7 expert telemedicine consultation.

“Much like the vaccines available now, Allianz Well! is a timely offer that can protect people from the effects of the pandemic, including but not limited to COVID-19,” said chief executive officer Alexander Grenz.

Allianz Well! has as annual plan limit of P100 million and can supplement any existing HMO, allowing policyholders to get treated whenever and wherever by their chosen provider.

“Our policy is tailored to ensure that Filipinos get the best and most comprehensive kind of coverage,” said Grenz.

VITAMIN SUN. A clinical nutrition support specialist recommends getting a ‘daily dose of sunlight’ to help skin produce vitamin D.

adaptive immune responses,” according to Dr. Cynthia Aranow.

“Having adequate vitamin D can also help improve your mood, especially in these challenging times. Vitamin D deficiency may increase your risk of depression and may even affect cognitive function and brain health,” adds Dr. Macalintal.

With most of us staying home to curb the spread of coronavirus, Dr. Macalintal warns that we could be more prone to vitamin D deficiency, which she says may affect how our body fights acute respiratory infection and prevents chronic illnesses like coronary heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Several factors can lead to vitamin D deficiency like age (older adults are less capable of producing vitamin D compared to young adult), skin pigmentation due to UV penetration on the skin,

obesity, and certain forms of malabsorption disorders and too much use of blocking creams.

Dr. Macalintal lists down some signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency: frequent colds, flu, and other respiratory infections; muscle, bone, and back pain; skeletal deformities; slow wound healing; severe hair loss; and irritability, especially in children because of bone pains.

Where to get them

The body cannot produce or store zinc, which means it has to be obtained from diet or supplements.

“To prevent zinc deficiency and the problems that go with it, you need to supplement your body with it through the food that you take,” reiterates Dr. Macalintal.

But again, more is not better in this case. The body’s zinc requirement depends on age and gender; according to the latest Recommended Energy Intakes (RENI) by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), an adult woman only needs 5mg per day, while an adult male will require 7mg per day.

Pregnant or lactating women, meanwhile, will need 12 milligrams of zinc.

Children should take at least 2 milligrams and up to 10mg, depending on their age and gender.

Food items high in zinc include oysters (74mg in every 3 ounces), roast beef (7mg in 3 ounces), and crab (6.5mg in 3 ounces), according to a medically reviewed article on drugs.com. Other food sources, Dr. Macalintal says, are lobsters, pork, beans, nuts, whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice, dairy products, and some green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin D, meanwhile, can be produced by our skin “when we get our daily dose of sunlight.” But if you can’t spend some healthy time under the sun, Dr. Macalintal says it can be obtained from the food we eat.

“You can still increase the amount of vitamin D in your body by eating fatty fish, egg yolks, cheese, and beef liver. Taking vitamin D supplements can also help.”

The RDA for vitamin D also varies depending on age. According to the National Institutes of Health, daily intake for children and adolescents (0-18 years old) is 10-15 micrograms (mcg) or 400600 IU (international units); 15mcg (600 IU) for 19-70 years old; and 20 mcg (800 IU) for 70 and above.

Telco ramps up environmental efforts AS PART of its commitment to protect the environment, Globe on Earth Day announced its partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines to develop an innovative digital platform dedicated for environmental education.

The web-based and mobile application will feature multimedia content such as animated videos, films, stories, digital modules, quizzes, and puzzles, among other educational resources. It will also have an environmental footprint calculator and calendar, and interactive educational games.

“Through this collaboration with WWF-Philippines, we hope to raise knowledge and awareness among the public on the significance of environmental conservation and sustainable practices that will help combat climate change, which is a global issue that Earth Day looks to address,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability officer and senior vice president of corporate communications.

For WWF-Philippines’ part, executive director Katherine Custodio said, “The intensity of our environmental problems coupled with the worsening effects of climate change underscores the need for all of us to come together, and the

Globe’s E-waste Zero program focuses on responsible disposal and recycling of electronic wastes.

first step to being part of the solution is through awareness and education.”

In addition to the aforementioned partnership, Globe has a couple of sustainability initiatives in place, including E-waste Zero (for responsible disposal

of electronic waste), Wag Sa Single Use Plastic (WasSUP) campaign among Globe employees within its main corporate office, and reforestation programs in partnership with Hineleban Foundation and The Mead Foundation.

The telco partners with Hineleban Foundation and The Mead Foundation to allow users, through Globe Rewards, help in their reforestation projects.