Manila Standard - 2021 May 13 - Thursday

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Chinese ships still swarm WPS 287 militia vessels scattered near Kalayaan, bigger groups in other areas

By Maricel V. Cruz

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HE National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF WPS) on Wednesday said a maritime patrol on May 9 spotted 287 Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels scattered over the various features of the municipality of Kalayaan, both within and outside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Bigger groupings of CMMs were sighted at the artificial islands built by China while some were observed near islands occupied by the Philippines, a statement signed by NTF WPS chairman and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said.

The maritime patrol sighted two CMM vessels and two Houbei-class missile warships inside Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, one CMM off Lawak (Nanshan) Island, 11 CMM vessels located about 29 nautical miles southwest of Recto (Reed) Bank; and another CMM vessel off Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

A Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel was seen at the shoal during an earlier patrol last May 7.

STILL ANCHORED. In this file photo, Chinese vessels are seen on March 22 in the Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the “incursion” violates the Philippines’ maritime rights as the vessels are encroaching into Manila’s sovereign territory. AFP Photo

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Locsin hits Roque for intruding into sea issue, foreign affairs

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo FOREIGN Secretary Teodoro Locsin on Wednesday bristled at presidential spokesman Harry Roque’s assertion that the Julian Felipe Reef is not part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), saying only he had the authority to speak for the President on matters related to China and the West Philippine Sea. “There is only one voice on what’s ours: mine. Period. Not even the military has any say. I speak for the President on this subject,” Locsin said on his Twitter account.

He also chided Roque for asking what the Philippines could do to stop China’s continued militarization of the West

Philippine Sea. “What can we do? Let’s try this: drop the subject and leave it entirely to the Department of Foreign Affairs under ME, the only expert on the subject bar none. I’ve known China since 1967; (PH Ambassador to China) Chito Sta. Romana along with me. Even the military has nothing to do with foreign affairs,” Locsin said.

Earlier, Locsin said the DFA has the “last word” on the matter.

The DFA said its position on Julian Felipe Reef remains unchanged despite Roque’s statement.

“At the moment, the DFA statements on the JFR (Julian Felipe Reef) issue remain unchanged,” the department said.

In previous statements, the DFA said Next page

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Fisherfolk take offense over Rody’s ‘campaign joke’ IF PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte was just joking about riding a jet ski to islands in the West Philippine Sea to claim it for the country, then he is a joke, a fisherman who asked the would-be Chief Executive about that during the 2016 presidential campaign said Wednesday.

Speaking to ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo, Carlo Montehermozo took offense to

AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 12)

1,118,359 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

18,714

94

1,046,431

8,312

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday said he will recommend stricter border controls after the highly contagious Indian variant of COVID-19 was detected in the Philippines.

The Indian variant (B.1.617) is believed to be more contagious than the original COVID-19 virus. It was detected in two returning Filipino workers from the Middle East.

“I will recommend that certainly,” Duque said when asked in an interview on ANC Headstart if he would recommend stricter border controls.

Duque said he would “seek the counsel” of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) representative to the

NEW

NEW

Over 2m Pinoys vaccinated with at least one dose

By Willie Casas MORE than two million people in the Philippines received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 500,000 are now fully protected after receiving two doses, the Department of Health said Wednesday.

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By Willie Casas

4,842 53,214 ACTIVE

rmozo, who is based in Infanta, Pangasinan, told the radio program.

“Joke joke lang din siya naging presidente natin (He’s also a joke of a President),” he added.

Montehermozo had asked Duterte and other presidential candidates during a televised debate five years ago on what they could do

Stricter border curbs eyed in fight vs. variant

COVID-19 PH

NEW

Duterte’s recent clarifications about the “bravado” of his statements on the disputed waterway and in challenging Chinese incursions there.

“Kaming mga mangingisda dito, masama ang loob namin. Ba’t gano’n lang, joke joke lang ‘yong sinabi niya sa akin noon?

(The fishermen here are angry that what he said to me was just a joke.)” Montehe-

QUAKE ESCAPE. Employees evacuate their offices in

Makati after a strong earthquake was felt in some parts of Metro Manila and Luzon on Wednesday morning. A magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit Abra De Ilog, Occidental Mindoro at 9:09 a.m., according to Phivolcs. Norman Cruz

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Gov’t bares today list of ‘terrorists’

By Rey E. Requejo

Esperon informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Esperon made the disclosure during THE Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) will publish today its designation of the continuation of the oral arguments certain individuals as terrorists, Na- on the 37 petitions challenging the contional Security Adviser Hermogenes Next page

‘Lola Rosa,’ 99, survives COVID-19 bout LIFE begins at… 99?

In another modern medical marvel at the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center (CGHMC), a 99-year-old woman has successfully recovered from the COVID-19 virus.

“Lola” Rosa Chua, reNext page

Mental disability in voiding union reset in SC rule

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has modified its ruling on psychological incapacity as ground for annulment of marriage, saying it need not be a mental or personality disorder.

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HOSPITAL FIRE. Firefighters battle the blaze that engulfed the fourth floor of one of the buildings of the Pasig City General Hospital on Wednesday. The fire reached the third alarm before it was put out. Manny Palmero

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Trillanes: If Leni won’t run, I will

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

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INCE Vice President Leni Robredo is preparing to run for governor of Camarines Sur in 2022, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said Wednesday he and his Magdalo group had decided to convey to the 1SAMBAYAN Coalition that he was interested in running for President.

step back and withdraw his own candidacy in her favor.

He said: “But until then, we would work on the assumption that VP Leni would run for Governor of Camsur and, thus, we could now start our own preparations focusing on the development of policy prescriptions to solve the different problems of our country, particularly on pandemic response; economic recovery and poverty alleviation; peace and order/security sector reforms; anti-corruption/governance reforms; universal healthcare; foreign policy (including WPS), etc.”

On Monday, former House majority leader Rolando “Nonoy” Andaya Jr. promised to support Robredo if she ever decides to run for governor of their home province Camarines Sur. In a statement, Andaya said he has had “ini-

tial talks” with Robredo where it was said that the Vice President would run for governor in the May 2022 elections “and that will never change.”

“Tuloy po tayo sa pagtakbo bilang Congressman. At meron po tayong mas mataas na tawag. Pero ang pangako ko si Governor Leni, ikakampanya ko siya sa probinsya nang walang gastos at hindi ko siya kasama,” he said in a radio interview over DWOS 103.9 BOOM FM Naga.

A native of Naga City, Robredo is the current chairman of the Liberal Party and is being groomed by some as the opposition’s standard-bearer in next year’s general elections.

She is also the widow of former Interior secretary and six-term Naga mayor Jesse Robredo, who died in a plane crash on August 18, 2012.

But Robredo’s spokesman said there was no truth to the claim she was preparing to run for a gubernatorial post.

Her spokesman Barry Gutierrez, in a statement, said: “This is not a time for politicking, but for working for the people’s welfare. She remains open to all options, including a possible candidacy for President, and at the appropriate time, she will personally convey her decision on this matter.”

According to Trillanes, they decided

to tell the 1SAMBAYAN Coalition to change his status from being an alternate candidate to Robredo to being a principal candidate for President to vie for the new party’s nomination.

“This move is necessary for my name to be included in 1SAMBAYAN’s selection process,” said Trillanes.

But he stressed that if Robredo would decide to run for President before 1SAMBAYAN picked its nominees in July, he would wholeheartedly

Locsin...

From A1

Most Astra jabs to be used as first dose—DOH

Julian Felipe Reef is part of the Kalayaan Island Group and lies in the country’s EEZ. Roque on Wednesday sought to smooth Locsin’s ruffled feathers, saying he had talked to the Foreign secretary about the issue and that they are both fine.

But opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday urged the Palace to stop peddling lies about the Julian Felipe Reef.

She also accused Roque of being overly eager to side with the Chinese.

“Instead of strengthening our efforts to claim ownership of what rightfully belongs to us, they are even leading in giving our territories to another country,” she said.

“His statement also dishonors the statements of the DND, the reports of the NTF-WPS, the patrols of the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and BFAR, and the stories of our own fisherfolk. And this goes against all the diplomatic protests lodged by the DFA, the main channel which our country must use to resolve disputes with foreign countries,” Hontiveros said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III added that he would only listen to Locsin when it came to foreign affairs.

Senator Francis Pangilinan asked if Roque was getting his salary from China.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said the executive branch needs to “follow a script, written by the DFA.”

Over 2m...

From A1 Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje revealed that 2,539,693 doses had been administered in 1,047 active vaccination sites nationwide as of May 11.

A total 2,025,038 people have received their first dose, 1,195,381 of whom are health workers, 466,899 are senior citizens, 353,842 are persons with comorbidities, and 8,916 are essential workers.

Among the 514,655 fully vaccinated individuals, 355,242 are health workers, 25,070 are senior citizens, and 134,343 are persons with comorbidities.

Cabotaje said 23 percent of 1.5 million health workers included in the vaccination master list had not yet been inoculated.

She also said only 6 percent of 7.7 million senior citizens registered for vaccination have received a jab. Majority of the vaccinated elderly are in COVID-19 hotspots Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon.

Earlier in the day, Cabotaje said the bulk of the latest shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines will be used as a first dose ahead of their midyear expiry.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III vowed that no AstraZeneca doses would be wasted.

The Philippines aims to inoculate 50 million to 70 million people this year.

Fisherfolk...

From A1 for fishermen like him to peacefully fish in the country’s territorial waters without being driven away by the Chinese Coast Guard in the disputed South China Sea. The fisherman, who was among 16 million people who voted for Duterte in the last presidential elections, said he felt deceived by the President’s seeming pledge back then.

“Even those who haven’t been to Scarborough Shoal, they told me, ‘Our President seems to have become forgetful.’ He made a promise but broke it,” he said in Filipino.

Montehermozo also blasted the Pres-

‘Demoralized’ nurses demand compensation

By Willie Casas, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta FILIPINO nurses are “demoralized” as they have yet to receive the “correct compensation” for their work in the frontlines of COVID-19, a group said on International Nurses Day, Wednesday.

Filipino nurses in public hospitals have yet to receive a starting wage of Salary Grade 15 or P32,000 a month while nurses in private hospitals earn the minimum, said Maristela Abenojar, president of Filipino Nurses United.

The release of the health workers’ special risk allowance (SRS) and active hazard pay have also been delayed, Abenojar said.

“Besides being tired, nurses are demoralized. That’s why some think about resigning and finding another job, because they don’t feel they are important to the government, that they are being given enough assistance and support,” she told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

Nurses lead the most number of health workers hit with COVID-19 at 6,000 out of 17,000 medical frontliners in the Philippines, Abenojar said.

“They’re slow to hand out compensation. Some who have contracted COVID for 2 or 3 times have yet to receive the compensation they’re entitled to when they first contracted it.),” she said.

oculated in March… The remaining 1.5 million [doses] will all be given as the first dose so we won’t have to rush.),” Cabotaje said.

Cabotaje said vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. vowed to seek other vaccines if the COVAX Facility would not be able to deliver the next batch of doses on time.

The DOH previously explained that no COVID-19 vaccine had an expiry date longer than six months to allow for possible changes.

Over 1.7 million individuals have been vaccinated in the Philippines as of May

4, still far off from the government’s target of inoculating 50 million to 70 million people this year./Willie Casas In related developments, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III gave assurances there would be no wastage of the newly-arrived two million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine set to expire in June and July.

Duque’s statement was made in an interview with ANC after the National COVID-19 Vaccine Operations Center said that 1.5 million AstraZeneca doses will expire on June 30 and 525,000 doses will perish on July 31.

It also reported that an average of 10 Filipino fishing boats were seen fishing inside the BdM lagoon from May 7 to 9.

“The ATF-West 9 May 2021 maritime patrol reported 14 CMM vessels and one CCG vessel positioned off the main Pag-asa Island, and 16 CMMs at Zamora (Subi) Reef. An earlier 6 May 2021 patrol sighted 24 CMMs, complemented by one CCG anchored at the Pag-asa Cays showing no visible activity,” the task force said.

It added that the same patrol observed two CMMs at Panata Island; one Vietnamese fishing vessel off Kota (Loaita) Island; 64 CMM in Burgos (Gaven) Reef North; two Vietnamese fisheries surveillance ships off Paredes (Discovery Great) Reef; and one Chinese rescue service ship, three People’s Liberation ArmyNavy (PLAN) warships and 55 CMM vessels at Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef.

“In line with Presidential directives, the NTF WPS is undertaking continuous law enforcement function and maritime exercises in the WPS. The PCG (Philippine Coast Guard) and the BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) are coordinating their efforts under the former’s Task Force Pagsasanay, and deployed PCG BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4003), BFAR MCS 3001 and 3008 at the Municipality of Kalayaan, while PCG BRP Sindangan (MRRV-4407) and BFAR MCS 3005 are covering the area of BdM,” the body said.

It added that PCG and BFAR vessels are being complemented by the Philippine National Police–Maritime Group (PNP-MG) through the assignment of

four high-speed tactical watercraft, three police gunboats, and police fast boats to patrol the municipal waters and portions of the country’s EEZ in the WPS. Meanwhile, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano contested accusations that President Rodrigo Duterte was surrendering the West Philippine Sea to China, saying he was simply employing a “non-aggressive style of negotiation.”

Cayetano, who served as Duterte’s Foreign Affairs secretary from 2017 to 2018, said it was this non-confrontational attitude that prevented the Philippines from losing more territory.

“If we were fighting for a car, the previous administration’s style of engaging in a shouting match ended up with China getting the car. Under President Duterte, we’ve been talking and talking but haven’t lost anything,” Cayetano said.

“So in a sense the previous administration acted tough because they wanted a shouting match. The problem was it was a wrong strategy because we lost,” he added.

In 2012, the Philippines lost the Panatag Shoal, also called Scarborough Shoal in the WPS, to Beijing after a standoff that ensued after Manila sent its biggest warship to chase off Chinese poachers.

Meanwhile, Albay Rep.Edcel Lagman reminded the President that sovereignty was a serious matter and should not be turned into a campaign joke.

“Admitting a hyperbolic joke does not mitigate Duterte’s reneging on his sworn constitutional duty to uphold the country’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” Lagman said.

pital. She was admitted on April 29.

“I am very happy to be going home!

Thank you to everyone at CGHMC who has given me the utmost medical care,” portedly the oldest COVID-19 survivor Chua said in her native Ilonggo, referin Manila, was recently discharged af- ring in particular to her attending phyter a weeklong confinement at the hos- sician, Dr. Stephany Tan.

Dr. Tan said that when Chua first arrived at the hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus, she had pneumonia, was quite weak and wouldn’t eat. She was then given a daily dose of antiviral medications and steroids and was equipped with an oxygen mask.

Mental...

From A1

tal marital obligations only in relation to a specific partner that may exist at the time of the marriage but may have revealed through behavior subsequent to the ceremonies,” the SC Public Information Office said, quoting the ruling penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

“It need not be a mental or personality disorder. It need not be a permanent and incurable condition. Therefore, the testimony of [a] psychologist or psychi-

atrist is not mandatory in all cases,” the high court added.

Data from the Office of the Court Administrator showed there are a total of 12,605 pending cases seeking the nullity or annulment of marriage as of February 15, 2021.

On the other hand, 4,954 cases seeking dissolution of marriage were resolved by various courts, including the Shariah Circuit Courts.

country whether it is necessary to broaden the travel ban to all territories with reported cases of the Indian coronavirus variant.

The government earlier announced a ban on arrivals from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka until May 14 to prevent the entry of the Indian variant.

It also covered those who had been to these countries within 14 days immediately before arrival in the Philippines.

The infected Filipinos were from Oman and the United Arab Emirates, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

Duque said both cases were quarantined and “have completely recovered.”

He said one case was asymptomatic, while the other showed symptoms a day after arriving in the country.

“It’s impossible that they have exposed others without our authorities knowing,” he said.

An infectious disease specialist warned Wednesday that the Indian varian could spread more easily.

“Based on reports coming out of India, it’s the predominant isolate that they have right now. Also, it seems to be that they are documenting increased transmissibility with this particular variant, which is perhaps why the WHO (World Health Organization) has included it as one of the variants of global concern,” Dr. Anna Ong-Lim said in an interview with ANC. The WHO also tagged the mutation as being of global concern, with some preliminary studies showing that it transmits more easily than the original coronavirus.

Gov’t...

From A1

licly,” Esperon told Carandang.

Meanwhile, the ATA is not void for vagueness or overbreadth, retired chief justice Reynato Puno said.

In a position paper, the former top magistrate, who was appointed by the Supreme Court as amicus curiae (friend of the court) in oral arguments on petitions questioning the ATA, said that while the petitioners have legal standing to challenge the law, it cannot be struck down for being vague or overly broad.

Puno said a court must take an “extra cautious approach” before it annuls a law on the ground of vagueness or overbreadth, noting that this is the “most difficult challenge to mount successfully” because it must be established

“that there can be no instance when the assailed law may be valid”.

“Courts set high barriers before allowing these challenges based on vagueness or overbreadth to succeed,” Puno said. “The petitioners failed to discharge this heavy burden.”

Esperon said the ATC has come up with a resolution to designate several individuals with links to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as terrorists.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who is part of the ATC, said the designation of any individual as a terrorist “will lead to freezing of assets.”

Department of Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said the ATC would publish the names of individuals desig-

By Willie Casas and Joel E. Zurbano

THE bulk of the latest shipment of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines will be used as first dose to ensure they are used up before expiring in midyear, a health official said Wednesday.

Interviewed on Unang Hirit, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said 1.5 million of the 2 million recently delivered AstraZeneca doses would expire on June 30 and the other 500,000 on July 31.

“The 500,000 [doses] will be used as a second dose on those who got in-

Chinese...

From A1 “As for the features forming part of the Pagkakaisa (Union) Banks, the 9 May 2021 maritime patrol reported the presence of 34 CMMs at Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef (JFR), two Vietnamese (VN) logistics/supply ships, and one VN Coast Guard vessel at Sin Cowe East (Grierson) Reef and 77 CMMs in Chigua Reef,” the NTF WPS said.

The body also emphasized that Julian Felipe Reef is a low tide elevation (LTE) located 175 nautical miles from Bataraza, Palawan, and within the country’s 200-nautical mile EEZ. “It is part of Philippine territory inasmuch as it is located within the overlapping 12 NM (nautical mile) territorial seas of McKennan (Chigua) Reef and of another possible high-tide feature, Grierson (Sin Cowe East) Reef, also our territories under the Municipality of Kalayaan,” it added.

From May 3 to 10, the Area Task Force– North reported an average of four CCG vessels at Bajo de Masinloc (BdM) (Scarborough Shoal), and an average of one CCG each for both the Pag-asa Islands and Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

“Despite China’s illegal unilateral ‘fishing ban’ covering its fishing vessels in waters north of 12 degrees latitude in the South China Sea, from 1 May to August 16, 2021, two CMMs were nonetheless observed harvesting shells inside the lagoon of the BdM,” NTF WPS said.

‘Lola Rosa,’...

From A1

In a precedent-setting decision on Tuesday, the 15-member bench unanimously voted to declare that “psychological incapacity is not a medical but a legal concept.”

“It refers to a personal condition that prevents a spouse to comply with fundamenident for calling those who believed in him back then as “stupid.”

“Hindi akong istupidong tao (I’m not stupid),” he said.

In the upcoming elections, Montehermozo said Filipinos must choose their leaders wisely.

“To our fellow countrymen, think wisely on who could help us,” he said.

Asked if he would vote for another member of the Duterte family if they seek the presidency, he said: “Iba nalang siguro. Ibang presidente nalang.

‘Pag Duterte naman, gano’n lang din.

Kung ano ang puno, [siya ang] bunga ng mangga (Maybe just someone else.

Another president. If it’s another Duterte, it’s just going to be the same. The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.)”

stitutionality of Republic Act 11479 or Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020, where he was asked by Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang about the list.

However, Esperon declined to divulge the names of those who will be designated so as not to preempt the ATC’s announcement on Thursday.

“Your Honor, I don’t want to preempt the Anti-Terrorism Council because I have yet to see the publication today for tomorrow of persons connected with the CPP-NPA. There is a resolution of the Anti-Terrorism Council but until we have published these in local papers, we will not name them pub-

Overseas nurses

The government will hire over 4,000 overseas nurses who have returned to the country to augment the current health workforce in the country, according to former Labor Secretary and now Department of Labor and Employment consultant Marianito Roque.

Roque said they have learned that more than 4,000 nurses were repatriated since the start of the pandemic last year, saying that most of the nurses have come from the Middle East.

“Of the 200 returning nurses based in the National Capital Region (NCR) we found out…there are 70 who are willing to work here locally, temporarily,” he said.

Stricter...

From A1

News

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021

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New top cop assures Non of protection

TOLL-FREE. Motorists pass freely at the toll booths of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Quezon Avenue segment in Quezon City on Wednesday (May 12, 2021). The P44.66 billion elevated expressway was built under the Build, Build, Build Program, which is part of government efforts to decongest the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. Joey O. Razon

4 BIFF men slain in clash with military AT LEAST four members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom FightersKarialan faction died during a firefight with government forces in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao on Wednesday, a few days after the Muslim rebels attacked a marketplace in the province.. , Brigadier General Roy Galido, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade said state troops recovered four dead bodies belonging to the BIFF, one high powered firearm, and other war materiel.

Galido said the group has been the target of the security force’s pursuit operations in Datu Paglas and nearby towns after a clash with military forces near the public market of the town last May 8.

Since then, he said the group already suffered four casualties, while two were arrested with the intensified manhunt of the military and police.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation arrested an alleged sleeper cell member of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) who has evaded arrest for almost two decades.

NBI Officer-In-Charge (OIC)-Director Eric B. Distor on Wednesday said Wahab S. Jamal a.k.a. Ustadz Usman Halipa was arrested by members of the NBI-CounterTerrorism Division at Maharlika Village in Taguig last May 7.

He was nabbed through a warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court of Basilan for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

Jamal is the 27th member of the ASG arrested by the NBI since 2018. He was involved in the Golden Harvest plantation kidnapping on June 11, 2001 in Tairan, Lantawan in Basilan.

‘ASF outbreak entails whole-nation approach’ M

ALACAÑANG has deemed necessary to adopt a “nationwide approach” to rein in the spread of African swine flu (ASF) in the country as the supply of pork continues to dwindle and prices shoot up.

While President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of calamity throughout the Philippines for one year due to the ASF outbreak, it is Luzon which bore the brunt of the outbreak.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said it is necessary for Visayas and Mindanao to also be placed under a state of calamity since they supply Luzon with hogs and frozen pork meant to eventually bring down prices.

An entire nation approach is needed because while we are re-populating, it is necessary that the transport of ASF-free sows to Manila will also be facilitated,”

Roque said in an interview over Radyo Pilipinas.

Through Proclamation 1143 inked on May 10, Duterte explained that the declaration of a state of calamity will allow the national government and local government units (LGUs) to utilize appropriate funds, including the Quick Response Fund, in their response efforts to contain the continuing spread of ASF and restore normalcy in ASF-hit areas.

“The ASF is responsible for the significant reduction in the country’s swine population by around three million hogs, resulting in more than PHP100

billion in losses due to the local hog sector and allied industries, and leading to increased retail prices of pork products,” the new proclamation read.

According to Roque, the Quick Response Fund in the declaration will do away with delays in providing assistance to areas ASF-stricken areas.

Duterte declared a state of calamity upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The ASF outbreak has already spread to 12 regions, 46 provinces, 493 cities and municipalities, and 2,561 villages nationwide since it hit the country in 2019.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Wednesday welcomed the issuance of Presidential Proclamation 1143 declaring a state of calamity nationwide due to African swine fever, saying it is is a much-needed shot-in-the-arm.

Macon Ramos Araneta

15 applicants vie for vacancy at high court

3,200 people nabbed in QC for ignoring health curbs Court affirms perjury raps vs. militant group

Police and Coastguards patrol the coastline of Manila Bay along Baseco Beach to ward off residents from swimming in the polluted waters on Wednesday May 12, 2021. Norman Cruz

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City government has apprehended 3,200 individuals as of May 12 noon in a “one-time, big-time” joint operation conducted by the Department of Public Order and Safety, QC Police District, Task Force on Transport and Traffic Management, Task Force Disiplina, and Market Development and Administration Department in the city’s 142 barangays.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city is intensifying its campaign to warn and educate the residents on minimum health standards.

The violators were brought to the Quezon Memorial Circle for proper documentation and lecture on ordinances pertaining to minimum health protocols, and were also issued ordinance violation receipts with a corresponding penalty of P300, P500, and P1,000 for the first, second and third offenses, respectively.

To ensure everyone’s safety during the operations, individuals who showed symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, colds and difficulty of breathing underwent swab test.

The city also provided face masks and face shields to apprehended violators.

DPOS head Gen. Elmo San Diego (ret.) said the operation aims to reduce the number of health protocol violators and arrest the spread of coronavirus

NATIONAL Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Wednesday promised to help and provide protection to community pantry pioneer Ana Patricia Non who claimed to have received death and rape threats online from still unidentified persons.

Eleazar also encouraged Non to file a complaint at the nearest police station regarding these acts of harassment.

“Our police officers will immediately investigate this complaint to determine who is behind this,” he said in a statement.

He also urged Non to ask for help from the authorities.

He said in the investigation of the threats, authorities would look into all angles, including the previous red-tagging of Non, which she pointed out was the cause of the online harassment she has been receiving.

Eleazar said the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group could also help identify and track down Non’s harassers.

As this developed, Senator Grace Poe said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Education have almost P10 billion to put up “food pantries” to serve meals to millions of children in schools and day care centers this year.

If DSWD and DepEd will learn from the success of community pantries and partner with non-government organizations, Poe said the number of their beneficiaries of the child feeding programs could increase.

The senator said that partnerships with church groups, civil society, business associations and local governments “will relieve teachers of non-teaching work, mobilize volunteers, and promote transparency in funds use.”

Under the 2021 national budget, the DSWD has P3.83 billion for its Supplemental Feeding Program that will cater to close to two million children in day care and early child care community facilities.

The DepEd, on the other hand, has P6 billion for its School-Based Feeding Program, which has a goal this year of feeding 1,775,349 children with nutritional deficiencies.

Poe said the suspension of in-school learning during the pandemic is posing many challenges in program implementation.

But to their credit, the DepEd and DSWD were able to deliver food to the intended beneficiaries last year despite the multiple lockdowns, with DSWD reporting some 1.7 beneficiaries served.

Poe urged the government to draw lessons from the community pantry phenomenon, “on how this admirable display of community solidarity can be harnessed for the welfare of children.

Macon Ramos Araneta

A QUEZON City court has upheld a perjury case filed by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon last year against a militant group with alleged links to communist terror groups.

The court action came by way of its dismissal of a petition the militant group sought to Quash the perjury charges filed

by Esperon.

In an order dated 19 March 2021, QC Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Eleuterio Bathan dismissed the Petition

for Certiorari filed by accused Cristina Palabay, Elisa Tita Lubi, Roneo Clamor, Edita Burgos, Wilfredo Ruazol, Gabriela Krista Dalena, Jose Marie Callueng, Gertrudes Ranjo-Libang, and Joan May Salvador, officials of Gabriela, Karapatan, and the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), along with their Motion for Reconsideration which sought the reversal of the earlier order of the judge denying their application for a writ of preliminary injunction.

“The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) lauds the efforts of its Legal Cooperation Cluster in bringing forth accountability and justice against the CTGs and their allies. The continuing defeat of these organizations in the sphere of due process affirms our principle that we are a nation of laws, and shall remain to be,” said lawyer Marlon P. Bosantog, NTF-ELCAC spokesperson for Legal Affairs and Indigenous Peoples’ Concerns.

By Rey Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said there were 15 nominees who were aspiring for the seat in the Supreme Court that Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo vacated following his promotion as Chief Justice.

Guevarra, an ex-officio member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), did not identify the 15 aspirants, but admitted that two of the 15 applicants “are not from the judiciary.”

“Names (are) to be published after the first round of deliberations next week,” Guevarra said, in a text message to reporters.

The JBC is the constitutional office that accepts, screens and nominates appointments to the judiciary.

Three days after Gesmundo’s appointment, the JBC started its search for applicants to the lone vacancy at SC. The deadline set last Monday, May 10.

Filipinos seen gaining from use of UK-based Covovax MILLIONS of Filipinos stand to benefit from the results of Covovax licensed

by Novavax following the global announcement of final efficacy analysis of the UK Phase 3 trials of the vaccine on Tuesday (Philippine Time).

Philippine Covovax distributor Faberco Life Sciences, citing the results released by Novavax in the US, said that the vaccine provides 100 % protection against severe cases of COVID 19 and 96.4 percent efficacy against original strain of COVID-19.

The UK Phase 3 trials also concluded that Covovax registered a 90.9% efficacy in adults with high-risk medical comorbidities and 88.9% efficacy in adults over the age of 65 years old.

Likewise, the trials results confirmed that the vaccine provides 100 % protection against severe diseases caused by the

South Africa and UK variants of COVID 19. It also showed 86.3% efficacy against B.1.1.7 UK variant and 55.4% efficacy among HIV-negative participants, with the vast majority of cases due to the B.1.351 South Africa escape variant.

Due to the encouraging results, numerous studies have been expanded to include adolescents (12-17 years old), pregnant women, as well as on its potential use as booster and in combination with other COVID-19 vaccines, and for seasonal revaccination.

With new developments announced

by Novavax, Faberco Life Sciences, will proceed with Emergency Use Authorization application with the Philippine FDA using published data and other relevant information provided by Serum Institute of India (SII)

RIDE FOR KIDS. An employee of a toy store along Roosevelt Avenue, Quezon City arranges miniature autos for children on Tuesday (May 11, 2021). Toy cars are good indoor recreation for children as the coronavirus quarantine restrictions prohibit them from going out of their homes. Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

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News

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021

Taal ‘unstable’ amid elevated unrest–Phivolcs

Magnitude 5.8 quake rocks Occ. Mindoro

ELEVATED unrest has recurred in Taal Volcano in the past 48 hours and its condition remains unstable, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Wednesday.

The volcano has been under Alert Level 2 (increased unrest) since March 9.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum Jr. earlier said if current unrest persists, this can lead to an eruption.

For the past 24 hours, Phivolcs recorded 355 volcanic earthquakes, including 201 low frequency volcanic quakes, which were caused by movements or eruptions of magma from the volcano.

Activity at the main crater was dominated by the upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in its lake which generated 200-meter tall but weak plumes.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission averaged 3,463 tons/day on May 11, Phivolcs said.

Meanwhile, Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon province was rocked by 166 volcanic earthquakes on Wednesday, signifying a rising level of volcanic activity for the past three days (May 10-12).

Phivolcs raised the volcano’s status to Alert Level 1 (abnormal) on Tuesday.

Paul Alanis, Phivolcs resident volcanologist in Sorsogon, said the series of volcanic quakes were due to hydrothermal pressure that has been building up in the volcano’s vent.

He explained that hydrothermal activity is caused by water mixing with hot rocks, producing gas pressure and rock movements in the volcano’s vent.

Alanis described the volcano’s abnormality as “localized,” since the quakes generated were not related to magma but hydrothermal pressure detected near the crater.

Historically, Mt. Bulusan has had phreatic eruptions under Alert Level 1.

Phivolcs records indicate that Bulusan’s last eruption was in 2017. In July 2020, volcanologists raised the volcano’s alert status to Level 1 but in October last year, scientists returned the status to “normal.”

By Rio N. Araja

SETTING AN EXAMPLE. (Top) Navotas Mayor Tobias Tiangco completes his COVID-19 inoculation following his second jab of CoronaVac at the San Jose Academy. The mayor encouraged Navoteños to take part in the city’s vaccination program. (Left) In San Juan City, Mayor Francis Zamora witnesses the first roll out of Pfizer vaccines at the FilOil Flying V Centre. The city received 11,700 doses of Pfizer vaccine from the Department of Health. Andrew Rabulan and Manny Palmero

ICTSI: CENTER CAPABLE OF INOCULATING 12K PEOPLE DAILY

Duque backs Nayong Pilipino mega vax site H

By Willie Casas, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

ealth Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday backed the plan to use Nayong Pilipino as a temporary COVID-19 mega vaccination site, saying it is crucial to meet the government target of inoculating 500,000 Filipinos every day.

“I have already agreed in principle that this facility will be used temporarily as a huge vaccination center to speed up our vaccination coverage,” Duque said in an ANC interview.

The construction of the vaccination center will be shouldered by the ICTSI Foundation of businessman Enrique Razon Jr. “We really need big areas to ramp up our coverage. I said I will support the conversion of that area into a huge vaccination site,” Duque added.

The government is targeting to vaccinate 120,000 people per day in the National Capital Region alone.

The Nayong Pilipino mega vaccination center will be able to handle 10 percent of NCR’s requirement, or as many as 12,000 people a day, the ICTSI Foundation said in a statement.

“As early as March this year, the ICTSI Foundation submitted an unsolicited proposal to the government to build a temporary mega vaccination

center in aid of the government’s goal to inoculate as many Filipinos as possible to curb the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and to achieve herd immunity by yearend,” it said.

The facility will feature an ambulatory vaccination station and a drive-through area. It will also house the mega quarantine center run by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that was also built by the Razon Group at no cost to the government.

“Contrary to previous reports, the proposed site is actually a deserted, uninhabited and vacant area and not an urban forest as erroneously claimed. It must be remembered that the entire Entertainment City sits on reclaimed land and unused portions of it, along with the Nayong Pilipino property, have limited vegetation including non-endemic trees,” the foundation said.

Less festivities for Eid’l Fitr amid COVID pandemic

By Nash Maulana COTABATO CITY – The country’s five million Filipino Muslims would have to comply with public health protocols for today’s Eid’l Fitr (Thursday) by suspending the traditional early morning prayers in public assembly sites and family reunions marking the end of month-long daily fasting.

Bangsamoro Mufti Abubakar Abu Huraira Udasan declared late Tuesday night that Eidl Fitr will be celebrated today.

He also upheld a 2020 decree by the Bangsamoro Dharul Ifta (House of Opinion) on the need to suspend public gatherings, including congregational prayers held in public.

The Palace also issued Proclamation 1102 declaring May 13 as regular holiday throughout the country, pursuant to Republic Act No. 9177, which declares Eid’l Fitr, among other Muslim holidays, as a national holiday.

Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos said that in prayers and in deeds, Muslims shall “all continue to work towards peace, progress and prosperity as one nation with one God.” “The NCMF joins all Believers in celebrating the end of Ramadan, and is looking forward to another year of service and goodwill,” he added.

RAMPED UP EFFORTS. Residents of Makati City receive Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines at the Makati Medical Center on Wednesday. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government aims to inoculate 25 million people from the most vulnerable sectors within the third quarter of the year. Norman Cruz

2 killed as truck plows into queue of SAP beneficiaries

By Jess Malabanan CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga—Two persons died and four others seriously injured when a wayward dump truck plowed into a queue of people, mostly beneficiaries of the government Special Amelioration Program, near the City Hall of San Jose Del Monte, police said Wednesday.

The fatalities were identified as Herminio Gerona, the truck driver suffered a heart attack that led to the accident, and a 54-year resident, Analyn Somooc.

Injured were Ronilo Navarro Jr., Mario De La Rosa, Mary Rose Eustaquio and Ce-

cilia Beramo, all residents of City of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan.

The victims, police said, were waiting for their names to be called at the tent being utilized as a temporary holding area for SAP beneficiaries.

The dump truck is owned by the local government unit of the City of San Jose Del Monte.

“Initial investigation revealed that Gerona was driving the dump truck around 7:40 am when he had a heart failure, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and rammed straight to a tent beside the City Treasury Office where the victims were waiting in

line for their cash aid,” read the incident report of the police.

Police said the truck driver and the other victims were rushed to the Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose Del Monte but Gerona and Somooc were declared dead upon arrival.

“We extend our condolences to the families of the victims. Accidents like this happen but we can prevent and avoid them, if you think you are distracted, stressed, fatigued or unwell and it will affect your judgement while driving, you should not get behind the steering wheel,” said Brig. Gen. Valeriano De Leon, director of the Central Luzon PNP.

Automated process ensures roadworthiness

caption.

CHANGE OF COMMAND. Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar witnesses the passing of the baton of command between the outgoing Calabarzon Regional Director Brig. Gen. Felipe Natividad and his successor, Brig. Gen. Eliseo Cruz in Camp Vicente Lim in Laguna. Natividad was moved to the Special Action Force as its new head. Roy Tomandao

WHEN Mang Rey (not his real name) renewed his car registration, it cost him a little over P2,000 to cover the entire process, from getting his vehicle tested for carbon emission at a Private Emission Testing Center, to securing a third party liability insurance policy, to the manual visual inspection at the Land Transportation Office.

At a private motor vehicle inspection center, for roughly half the price, a car owner will already complete vehicle inspection and emission testing, and the inspection results are transmitted and uploaded directly to the LTO system without any human intervention.

This is aligned with the objective of the Department of Transportation’s service automation project, which is to streamline the transaction between the DOTr’s many agencies and citizens who require their services.

Automating the process reduces red tape as well as opportunities for corruption, given that fixers used to make a profit from individuals renewing their driver’s license and other documents from agencies under the DOTr. Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade said he believes lesser human contact would ensure transparency, compliance, and ultimate the roadworthiness of vehicles.

A MAGNITUDE 5.8 earthquake rocked Occidental Mindoro and was felt in Metro Manila Wednesday morning.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology said the quake occurred 11 kilometers northeast of Abra de Ilog town at 9:09 a.m.

Of tectonic origin, the tremor had a depth of 110 kilometers.

Intensity 5 was felt in Lubang, Occidental Mindoro; Calamba City, Laguna, and Calaca, Batangas.

Intensity 4 was felt in Malvar and Lemery in Batangas; Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro; Mendez and Tagaytay City in Cavite; andLimay, Bataan.

Batangas’ Agoncillo, Cuenca, Talisay and Lipa City; Cavite’s General Trias and Dasmarinas, and Metro Manila’s Muntinlupa City and Makati City reported intensity 3.

Intensity 2 was reported in Caloocan City and Marikina City; Olongapo City, Zambales; Cavite City; Sta. Cruz, Laguna; Taysan, Batangas; Batangas City; Lucena City, Dolores and Mulanay towns in Quezon province; and in Binangonan Rizal.

San Mateo, Rizal, and San Francisco, Quezon had intensity 1.

SMC earmarks P1b for Pasig River cleanup

SAN Miguel Corporation and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will start the cleanup of the Pasig River before the end of the month as the company committed to spend P1 billion for the initiative – the boldest attempt at reviving the biologically inactive river.

The cleanup, which is shaping up to be the largest joint government and private sector effort to rehabilitate the heavily polluted and silted Pasig River, is the second such initiative of SMC. Last year, the company began a similarly ambitious P1 billion effort to clean up the 27-kilometer Tullahan-Tinajeros River system, running from La Mesa Dam through Quezon City, Malabon, and Navotas – cities known for flooding during the rainy season.

“We are taking decisive action to clean up our major river systems to balance the needs of our economy and the environment towards a viable and sustainable path forward, “ SMC president Ramon Ang said. “[SMC is committed to] rid our major river systems of silt and solid waste and return them to their ideal depths, so they can more effectively channel flood waters out to the Manila Bay. More importantly, we want to help significantly reduce plastic waste pollution in our seas and oceans – which endanger our marine resources, and threaten fishing grounds.”

In a report released by scientific online publication “Our World in Data” on May 1, the Tullahan River is listed as one of seven Philippine rivers in Asia that contribute the most plastic waste to the oceans.

Other Philippine rivers in the list are the Pasig River, Meycauayan River in Bulacan, Pampanga River, Libmanan River in Camarines Sur, Rio Grande de Mindanao River, and the Agno River in Pangasinan.

“Like traffic, congestion, and smog, pollution of our bodies of water is one of the many issues that have made life difficult and less than ideal for all of us these past couple of decades. While many of us may not immediately notice it, we are paying a big price for these compounding problems. Our advocacy is to take action and undo some of the damage and rescue and rehabilitate our rivers,” Ang said.

Apart from the Tullahan and Pasig Rivers, SMC has earlier announced its plans to dredge the Meycauayan Rivers as part of its environment and flood mitigation program for Bulacan province.

For the Pasig River rehabilitation project, SMC is looking to extract some 50,000 metric tons of silt and waste every month, or a total of 600,000 metric tons per year from the river.

To ensure sustainability, SMC integrated the river’s rehabilitation into plans for the Pasig River Expressway, to be built on the banks or sides of the river, and seen to further decongest traffic and improve accessibility within Metro Manila.

Opinion A major setback

THE recent move by President Duterte to resurrect mining after being dormant for several years is a disappointment. It is a major setback in our battle to protect our degraded environment.

We are one of the most vulnerable countries when it comes to climate change and global warming. Thus, reopening the mining industry will only exacerbate our vulnerabilities. For starters, our country is already one of the most mineralized countries in the world. We have been mining for gold since the Spanish colonial period. Mining activity increased dramatically when the Americans took over.

We used to be one of the largest gold producers in the world. Today, we are not even near the Top 25. Ever since we started mining in earnest at the start of the 20th century, I do not know of any mining company that fully rehabilitated its concession area after all the minerals have been extracted. Kennon Road is a good example. The mountainsides along the road are all extensively tunneled. This is the reason why the mountains cannot hold water to keep the mountain slopes firm; they cannot prevent frequent slides when there are heavy downpours.

Marinduque is another example.

The Canadian-owned Marcopper simply packed up and left when the dam containing all the chemicals used for mining burst, leaving the Boac and Makalupnit rivers practically dead.

The rivers were never rehabilitated and remain polluted to this day. Fishing in Calancan Bay where the two rivers discharge has all but disappeared. Multiply that with all the mined areas in the country and one can imagine how bad mining has been for our environment.

The government should not be taken by promises of responsible mining because there is no such thing. It is a myth. Yet, the government now appears to have once again surrendered to foreign mining interests that have partnered with their local counterparts to allow them to resume mining operations with grave consequences to our environment. We will be allowing these companies to export all the ores which will destroy and deplete our mountains.

There is also no such thing as a restored mountain. Once the mountain is leveled or degraded due to mining, it is gone forever. All that our officials should do is to take a helicopter ride in Benguet to see what mining has done to the mountains near Baguio City. It should be very clear by now that the

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021

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EDITORIAL

primary beneficiaries of any mining operation would be the foreign investors. The residual benefit that will accrue to the country is actually small. Is P25 billion to P50 billion of revenue a year really worth it, considering the destruction that mining will do to our environment? We should not be in such a hurry to extract all our remaining minerals and leave nothing for future generations of Filipinos.

Most developed countries try to preserve their environment for the future.

These countries instead go to poorer countries in Africa and Asia to do their mining. In the process, they damage the environment of those countries. Because of the kind of minerals that we have, it is going to be very difficult to extract these minerals without seriously damaging our environment.

We face a bleak future if we can’t get our act together.

Indeed, we are already actually experiencing the effects of climate change and global warming in real time. Think of Typhoon Yolanda that killed about 10,00 people in 2013. There is a renewed effort to strengthen the Paris Accord after four years of hiatus when the United States withdrew from the agreement in 2016.

More ambitious goals are being set to reduce carbon emissions to mitigate temperature rise. The mission is to accelerate the move away from fossil energy to renewable energy. For our part, we have set our own ambitious goals to reduce our carbon emissions but this cannot be achieved if we continue to build coal fired power plants.

In one study done, a sea level rise of one meter will threaten 25 cities in Asia. Seven of those 25 cities are in the Philippines. This is not to mention what the one-meter rise will do to our coastlines where most of our people live. The objective is to prevent between two to three degrees Celsius rise in global temperature by the end of this century. Failure to do so will have dire consequences for all countries, most especially countries like the Philippines.

One consequence is that the size of the country will shrink considerably. If that happens, where will the people go and live given that our population is still growing rapidly? Up in the mountains that have already been damaged and denuded due to mining?

We face a bleak future if we can’t get our act together by making difficult but necessary decisions to protect our country’s future. The President should reconsider his decision.

Why government’s 2021 GDP growth target is unrevised AT THE end of 2020, the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte announced a target growth rate of 6.5-7.5 percent for this country’s 2021 gross domestic product. Until a few weeks ago it was reiterating that GDP target. The National Economic and Development Authority said that it expected the Philippine economy to get out of recession mode early this year and steadily heat up as 2021 proceeded and end the year with full-recovery GDP growth.

Then came this week’s announcement that the economy contracted by 4.2 percent in the January-to-March quarter. The news almost certainly came as a shock to the economic managers; but it did not surprise those who could perceive no indications of an economic turnaround in the making. What was perceived was an economy whose vigor level was little changed from

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

2020, with the unemployment rate still at a very high level, businesses continuing to shut down and general business activity held down by the seemingly interminable lockdown of the economy. The best first-quarter outturn that could be expected, in the eyes of those observers, was little or no growth.

With the happening of the 4.2-percent quarterly contraction, one would expect the economic managers to make a judicious scale-down of their 2021 GDP growth target. To date, they have not done so. Why? I can think of three possible explanations.

The first is that the economic managers have doubts about the accuracy of the Philippine Statistics Authority’s GDP figures and believe that the correct figures present a more favorable picture of the Philippine economy’s performance. This is possible but unlikely because the economic managers are able to review the GDP data before they are made public. As former numbers come in, GDP data can be, and are, revised, but the changes usually are not enormous.

The second possible explanation for the government’s unwillingness to revise its 2021 GDP growth target

I

Foot in mouth disease

N his eagerness to please his boss, the President’s spokesman this week put his foot squarely in his mouth when he declared that the Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef, which has been swarmed by hundreds of Chinese ships, was not a part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

In doing so, presidential spokesman Harry Roque contradicted both the Defense and the Foreign Affairs departments, which have protested the presence of the ships and demanded that China pull their ships out of Philippine waters.

None of this fazed the Palace mouthpiece, however, who claimed that it was the President’s critics who were making a big deal over the more than 200 Chinese ships swarming the reef, just to make his boss look bad.

“Our enemies are really making a big deal out of it,” he said in Filipino, once again reducing a national security concern into a political fight.

And here again, he was dead wrong.

It was, in fact, the government’s own National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) that raised the alarm over the presence of the Chinese ships, a situation that both Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. found unacceptable.

Roque was also dead wrong about the reef being outside the country’s EEZ,of course, and Lorenzana has said as much.

Even the Palace’s allies in Congress are distancing themselves from the obsequious defense of Beijing’s interests emanating from the Palace these days.

In the wake of the Palace’s latest statements, the Department of Foreign Affairs said its position on the Julian Felipe Reef remains “unchanged.”

For the record, the reef lies 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan, which means it is within the 200 nautical miles of the Philippine baseline, that, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), counts as the country’s EEZ. Its distance to the nearest coast of China or Hainan Island is 638 nautical miles.

Jay Batongbacal of the UP Institute

for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, makes the same point, and adds that the Palace statements may be used

by China to its advantage.

“If we measure the distance from the Julian Felipe Reef to the nearest point in Palawan, which is Rizal town, that’s 175 nautical miles. So, when he (Roque) said that it’s too far and is already outside the EEZ, that’s incorrect.

This can easily be proven by anyone who will measure the distance,” Batongbacal says.

Batongbacal also counters Roque’s statement that the reef is outside the Philippines’ EEZ “because it forms part of the territorial sea of McKennan Reef,” which is held by China, but which is claimed by the Philippines as part of the Kalayaan Island Group.

“The Julian Felipe Reef is part of the Philippines, based on our law, Presidential Decree 1596, which says it’s part of the Kalayaan Island Group.

And even if you assume that it’s not part of the Philippines because the territorial sea for Julian Felipe Reef has not yet been defined…, it would still be part of our exclusive economic zone. So, in either case, that’s ours,” he says.

There is no doubt that the President’s critics are using the issue to skewer the administration, as well they should—but the Palace should realize, too, that even its allies in Congress are distancing themselves from the obsequious defense of Beijing’s interests emanating from the Palace these days.

My COVID experience

LAST week, I got tested for COVID-19. The test came back positive. Immediately, I was put under home care. I then developed cough, mild fever, and body malaise.

Upon medical advice, I went to the hospital for treatment. I stayed in the emergency room, just like everybody else, and waited until a room in the COVID ward was available. I was given medicine and was advised to rest.

Nevertheless, I continue to work as much as I can.

Having experienced COVID personally, I have seen how this disease takes its toll not only on the patient, but also on their families, the caregivers, doctors, nurses, and other frontliners.

Reflecting on this ordeal, there are two points I would like to raise. First, my experience showed that this pandemic is beyond the persistent reminder to adhere to public health and safety protocols. At this point where we have reached more than a million infections, myself included, COVID-19 can indeed strike anyone, anytime, anywhere. I am proof.

While I consider myself fortunate to

I urge the economic managers to abandon the 6.5-7.5 percent GDP growth target and replace it with a more realistic pair of figures is a sincere belief that the first-quarter contraction was just a glitch in the economy’s march toward full recovery and that the rest of the year will see an uninterrupted improvement in the economy’s performance. But with the fifth month of 2021 now approaching midpoint without any clear signs of recovery, a things-will-get-better expectation appears shaky at best.

The third possible explanation for

only have developed mild symptoms and have resources to seek medical help, I cannot help but think about the journey of other people who are not similarly situated. Perhaps, many of us have encountered people desperately looking for supplies and/or medicines, and frontliners asking for additional PPEs. We have heard stories of those asking for monetary help to pay for their loved ones’ hospital bills.

There may also be others who failed to get tested or seek medical help from hospitals, or completely decided not to do so because they didn’t have the means to pay.

I am calling for a clear, logical, and united action in the government.

Unbeknownst to many, the local legislature of Quezon decided NOT to pass the COVID budget. We are then constrained to work with the pre-COVID budget. That said, we, at the LGU, have been at the forefront of COVID-19 response. While we have been given the reins to implement health protocols, we can only do so much. This is my second point. Primarily, we need rethe government’s unwillingness to revise downward its 6.5-7.5 percent 2021 GDP target is a desire to maintain the Filipino people’s hopes, or at least not dampen them. A high economic growth rate, even if somewhat unrealistic, buoys the people’s spirits, especially in gloomy times like the present. The big risk in this, of course, is the erosion of confidence in the government when targets fall for short of results.

I think that this is the more plausible explanation for the government’s reluctance to revise downward its GDP growth for this year - to, say, 3 or 4 percent.

A government clinging on to something likely to lead to its embarrassment is not a good thing. Which is why I urge the economic managers to abandon the 6.5-7.5 percent GDP growth target and replace it with a more realistic pair of figures. There is a pandemic; the Filipino people will understand.

sources for continuous supply of medical equipment and PPEs for our local health facilities. We also need resources to implement programs that will mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in communities. More importantly, we ask for sound policies that will strengthen and augment our efforts to further prevent transmission of disease and provide adequate social and medical aid to the public. Hence, it is my fervent hope that the local legislature abide by the opinion of DILG and finally pass a COVID-responsive budget.

We rely so much on the combined efforts of the national agencies, legislative bodies, and other local government units. This is why I am fervently calling for a clear, logical, and united action in the government. We need to set an example for the public to cooperate, especially in following protocols and in considering the common good.

It all boils down to the sense of social responsibility of each one, not only in protecting one’s self but also in protecting others. Sadly, many lack the foresight and discernment in reducing risks of COVID-19 and supporting valuable efforts of the LGU. Moving forward, I hope that the national government, executive agencies, and other local government units urgently heed our call for action and cooperation and recognize the impact of this COVID-19 pandemic, especially on the poor.

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BLACK PILLAR.

12 kids among 35 dead, deadly night of violence continues in Gaza Strip

Black smoke billows after a series of Israeli airstrikes targeted Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip early on May 12. Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip have hit the homes of highranking members of the Hamas militant group, the military said Wednesday, with the territory’s police headquarters also targeted. AFP

TEL\AVIV—Palestinian militants and the Israeli army exchanged a barrage of deadly fire in the early hours of Wednesday as intense fighting continued overnight, with UN envoy for Middle East Peace Tor Wennesland warning the two sides were heading “towards a full-scale war”.

Israeli police reported two people had been killed after Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they had launched more than 300 rockets into Israel in retaliation for attacks on buildings and civilians.

In response, the Israel Defense Forces said they had launched their largest strike across the Strip since the 2014 Gaza conflict, including targeting the homes of senior Hamas figures.

The heaviest fire in years between the foes has been triggered by violence in Jerusalem, and has killed at least 35 Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip and five people in Israel, as well as wounding hundreds more.

In the crowded, Israeli-blockaded enclave

of Gaza that Hamas controls, 12 children and one woman were among those killed since Monday night.

A further 230 people were reported wounded from the ongoing Israeli air strikes, many rescued from the smouldering ruins of buildings.

Earlier, Defence Minister Benny Gantz warned “this is just the beginning” of Israel’s strikes.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh vowed in turn that “if Israel wants to escalate, we are ready for it”.

In Israel, sirens sounded as Hamas rockets rained down, and some of those unable to make it to underground shelters took cover under bridges.

“It was scary,” said Haim Roy Ben Shlomo, 38, resident of Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv, adding he had heard “several loud shots, or booms, above our heads”.

A man and a girl were killed Wednesday in the central city of Lod after a car they were in was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, Israeli police said. AFP

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late ROSA A. CATIIS, consisting of real property located at Quezon City have been extra-judicially settled with deed of donations by and among heirs before notary public Atty. Eliseo S. Calma Jr. as per Doc. No.514 ; Page No. 103 ; Book No. 1411 ; Series of 2021.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

(MS-MAY 13/20/27)

Manila

Standard NOTICE TO THE TODAY PUBLIC

We are looking for the whereabout of one MR. NELSON M. STA. MARIA. This is in Manila relation to the Petition for NullityTODAY of Marriage to be filed by Mrs. Julie Ann Oriña Koike.

For information on the current residence and contact details of Mr. Sta. Maria, please contact us at 09164009551 or 7718-4845.

Standard

(MS-MAY 6, 13 & 20, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late CAYO E. VILLANUEVA, consisting of real properties and shares of stock located at Quezon City and Lapu-Lapu City have been extra-judicially settled by and among heirs before notary public Atty. Mattheu Jericho A. Reyes as per Doc. No. 357; Page No. 74; Book No.: I; Series of 2017.

(MStandard-Apr. 29, May 6 & 13, 2021)

NOTICE is hereby given that the Articles of Incorporation of TOYO INK COMPOUNDS CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Philippines, was amended by a majority vote of Directors and by the vote of Stockholders representing at least two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding capital stock of the corporation at a meeting held on February 11, 2021 at 106-A Integrity Avenue, Carmelray Industrial Park 1, Canlubang, Calamba City, Laguna, the principal office of the Corporation.

The amendment refers to shortening of the term of existence of the corporation by amending Article FOURTH of its Articles of Incorporation, as follow: FOURTH: That the term for which the Corporation is to exist shall end on August 31, 2021.

NOTICE is likewise given that any person who may have any legitimate claims for or against the Corporation after August 31, 2021 may contact, for the purpose, A.M. SISON, JR. & PARTNERS LAW OFFICE, represented

by Atty. Carlito P. Egaña, with address at 20/F Security Bank Centre, 6776 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, and with Telephone Nos. 8891-1338 to 40, the party duly authorized by the Corporation to handle its liquidation and winding-up affairs.

CARLITO P. EGAÑA Corporate Secretary

India COVID-19 toll eclipses 250k; variant fueling surge N

EW DELHI—India’s coronavirus death toll passed 250,000 on Wednesday as the World Health Organization said the variant fuelling the surge had been found in dozens of countries across the globe.

While vaccinations have helped to ease the pandemic crisis in the United States and Europe, India is in the grip of a devastating wave.

Another 4,205 deaths were on Wednesday confirmed over the previous 24 hours, a national record, taking total fatalities to 254,197.

But many experts believe the official numbers of people dying in India, which has one of the world’s most poorly funded health care systems, are an underestimate.

“Even three to four times would be an under-

estimate,” Anant Bhan, an independent health policy and bioethics researcher, told AFP. Across India overwhelmed hospitals have been unable to treat people and there have too many bodies for crematoriums to deal with, and many Covid-19 deaths are not properly recorded as such.

Bodies being burnt in car parks and other public places have highlighted the scale of the crisis.

Bodies have also been seen floating down

the holy Ganges river, stoking concerns that the virus is now raging in India’s vast rural hinterland where two-thirds of people live and where health care is patchy.

On Wednesday, the number of bodies of suspected virus victims washing up on the banks of the Ganges in the northern state of Bihar rose to 71, according to officials.

Bihar’s water resources minister said a net had been placed in the river to catch any more bodies.

Huge political rallies and religious events that attracted millions of people over recent months are two key factors being blamed for India’s crisis.

A variant of the virus called B.1.617, which was first detected in India in October, is another. AFP

(MS-MAY 3/13/17, 2021)

Manila

Standard

TODAY

PERFORMANCE ART. A student performs ‘Who killed them’ during anti-government protests in Cali, Colombia, on May 11. At least 42 people, including a uniformed officer, have died in Colombia as part of the antigovernment protests that started on April 28 and have escalated into a severe crisis due to internationally condemned repression. AFP

Cities fail to adapt to climate change, millions at risk—CDP

(MS-MAY 13, 2021)

(MS-MAY 13, 2021)

PARIS—Hundreds of cities have no climate adaptation plans in place despite rising threats like floods, heatwaves and pollution, according to a report Wednesday that said this could put 400 million people at risk across the world.

Fast-expanding urban areas are home to more than half the population of the planet and are increasingly exposed to climatefuelled disasters, economic shocks and health crises as the world warms, with fears that vulnerable communities will be hardest hit.

CDP, a global non-profit that collects data disclosed by companies, cities, states and regions on environmental impact, analysed over 800 global cities and found that 43 percent do not yet have a plan to adapt to the challenges of climate change.

With more and more people drawn to live in urban areas, CDP estimated that by 2030 around 400 million people will be living in poorly prepared cities.

“The urgent need to act and have adaptation measures in place to keep the citizens safe, is increasing together with (the growing urban population),” said Mirjam Wolfrum, CDP’s Policy Director for Europe.

She said that 93 percent of the cities included in the report were facing “significant threats”, while 60 percent highlighted “substantive” water security issues. AFP CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business PSEi May 12, 2021

TOP GAINERS 1 2

PIZZA TCB2A

LAST PRICE 7.93 0.9

% CHANGE CHANGE 0.47 6.30% 0.05 5.88%

3 4

ACPB1 CNPF

532 22.5

17 0.7

3.30% 3.21%

5 6 7

GREEN MVC LBC

4.25 4.68 16

0.13 0.14 0.46

3.16% 3.08% 2.96%

8 9 10

CEU ION LFM

6.7 1.09 29

0.14 0.02 0.5

2.13% 1.87% 1.75%

TOP LOSERS 1 2

MHC PHA

LAST PRICE 0.38 1.76

% CHANGE CHANGE -0.08 -17.39% -0.19 -9.74%

3 4

ECP OPMB

6.12 0.013

-0.52 -0.001

-7.83% -7.14%

5 6 7

MA LC MAB

0.014 0.17 0.015

-0.001 -0.012 -0.001

-6.67% -6.59% -6.25%

8 9 10

DFNN LCB LAND

4.2 0.173 1.62

-0.28 -0.011 -0.1

-6.25% -5.98% -5.81%

B3

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks sink; SM Prime and Megaworld tumble S HARE prices tumbled Wednesday on concerns that a global blockbuster recovery will cause inflation to spike and prompt central banks to stop their stimulus programs and increase interest rates.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slumped 90.43 points, or 1.4 percent, to 6,236.40 on a value turnover of P6.2 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 141 to 55, with 5) issues unchanged.

Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, sank 5.4 percent to P2.82, while SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group, the largest mall operator, fell 4.3 percent to P32.50.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and electricity distribution, hospitals and infrastructure, dropped 4.5 percent to P3.64, while AC Energy Corp. of Ayala Corp. fell 3.7 percent to P7.05.

Fears about surging inflation, meanwhile, continued to trouble the rest of Asian markets Wednesday, with investors nervously awaiting crucial US price data later in the day that could ramp up expectations the Federal Reserve will taper its monetary policy earlier than flagged.

Tokyo shed 1.6 percent to extend Tuesday’s more than three percent plunge, while Seoul was also off more than one percent. Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Mumbai and Bangkok all fell.

Taipei’s tech-rich bourse tumbled more than eight percent at one point as tech fears were compounded by news that Taiwan was imposing strict containment measures including the banning of large gatherings over a cluster of local infections.

The index pared a lot of the losses but still finished down 4.1 percent.

Hong Kong and Shanghai gained on bargain-buying.

Global equities have had a torrid start to the week as traders bet that stimulus

measures, the rollout of vaccines and the reopening of businesses will fan a blockbuster recovery in the world economy but bring with it an explosion of spending that will push costs through the roof.

And with a range of commodities including copper, iron ore and lumber all surging to records or multi-year highs, those concerns are increasing while observers said rising demand for employees is also pushing up wage costs, adding upward pressure to prices.

“It’s not going to be that easy to pull eight million people off their sofas and back to work without the price of doing that having to be higher than it was before,” said Mark Holman, chief executive officer at TwentyFour Asset Management. “This is inflation risk.”

The unease on trading floors comes despite repeated Fed insistence that while it sees inflation spiking owing to the recovery and the low base of comparison last year, officials will not make any policy adjustments such as winding in their bondbuying or lift interest rates yet. With AFP

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

SMPH ALI TEL ICT PGOLD MEG JFC AP ACEN AC

VOLUME 32224500 13182900 240375 1678010 7050800 73262000 1156800 8462200 25228300 209540

VALUE (PHP) 1072989070 422728490 300738920 233372388 232411465 211119360 198691943 195397155 178460226 152329035

UK economy showing signs of resurgence LONDON, United Kingdom— Britain’s economy began to recover strongly at the end of the first quarter despite lockdown restrictions, official data revealed on Wednesday.

Gross domestic product jumped 2.1 percent in March, the Office for National Statistics said, although by not enough for the UK economy to avoid contracting overall in the first quarter.

GDP shrank by 1.5 percent overall in the first three months of 2021 compared with the final quarter last year, the ONS said.

The UK is meanwhile currently exiting lockdown at a gradual pace, allowing the economy to further recover from pandemic fallout.

“As we cautiously reopen the economy, I will continue to take all the steps necessary to support our recovery,” finance minister Rishi Sunak said in reaction to the data.

Darren Morgan, ONS director of economic statistics, said the strong recovery seen in March was led by retail and school re-openings, offsetting weakness in the services sector.

He added that construction grew strongly over the quarter and stood above its pre-pandemic level in March.

Morgan also noted that manufacturing recovered robustly in both February and March.

Meanwhile, “exports of goods to the EU continued to increase in March and are now almost back to their December level” before Brexit took place, he added.

“However, imports from Europe remain sluggish in the first three months of the year, being outstripped by non-EU imports for the first time on record.”

Britain formally exited the European Union at the start of the year.

The growth recovery tallies with the Bank of England’s outlook.

The BoE last week said the UK economy will enjoy a stronger-thanexpected recovery this year after the government began easing its coronavirus pandemic lockdowns quicker than anticipated.

It is expected to rebound by 7.25 percent this year amid vaccine rollouts, the central bank predicted after it upgraded its prior guidance of a 5.0-percent expansion. AFP

PANIC BUYING. Cars line up to fill their gas tanks at a COSTCO at Tyvola Road in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 11, 2021.

Fears the shutdown of a major fuel pipeline would cause a gasoline shortage led to some panic buying and prompted US regulators on May 11, 2021 to temporarily suspend clean fuel requirements in three eastern states and the nation’s capital. A ransomware attack Friday on Colonial Pipeline forced the company to shut down its entire network, though industry experts say any shortages will be temporary. AFP

US business group says 42% of members plan HK exit HONG KONG, China—More than 40 percent of a top US business group’s members in Hong Kong said they plan to leave the city in a survey released Wednesday, highlighting growing concerns over Beijing’s sweeping national security law.

China blanketed Hong Kong in a broad security law last year to snuff out dissent after months of huge and often violent democracy protests.

The American Chamber of Commerce survey—conducted between May 5 and 9—found 42 percent of 325 respondents said they were planning a move away, with a significant majority (62 percent) citing the national security law as a key reason.

Other reasons given included the city’s pandemic control measures, its future competitiveness, the high cost of living and concerns over the quality of education as dissent is quashed.

“While people share their love for living in this dynamic city, they also reveal growing underlying tensions and nagging fears,” said Tara Joseph, AmCham’s president.

“Previously, I never had a worry about what I said or wrote when I was in Hong Kong,” one respondent wrote in comments published in the survey.

Another cited an “increase in antiforeigner sentiment in the media and government statements.”

Of those who are planning to move, three percent said they intended to leave immediately, 10 percent said by the end of summer, 15 percent by the end of the year, and 48 percent said they would leave within three to five years’ time.

“AmCham strongly suggests that the government pay close heed to the sentiment of expatriates in Hong Kong and work towards allaying major concerns through stronger understanding of Hong Kong’s international talent, lest the city lose competitiveness versus other business hubs,” AmCham said.

A similar AmCham survey last August showed that 39 percent of 154 firms it surveyed had plans to move capital, assets or operations out of the city due to the national security law.

But moving is a costly exercise and there have been few signs major American multinationals are about to pull out en masse. AFP

Lessons from 2011 disaster help Toyota withstand chip shortage

By Etienne Balmer TOKYO, Japan—The global microchip shortage dragging on the auto industry has put barely a dent in production at Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker, thanks to lessons it learned after Japan’s 2011 tsunami disaster.

While the latest crisis caused by skyrocketing demand for semiconductors has forced global car makers to revise production plans, Toyota exceeded its sales targets this year and expects to sell even more units in the next 12 months.

Its success lies in part, experts say, in its decision to prepare extensively for disruptions after the experience of Japan’s devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis 10 years ago.

The catastrophe left parts of Japan’s industry on its knees for months, especially vehicle makers, whose domestic supply chains were thrown into turmoil.

Toyota suffered like its rivals and took six months to return to normal production, but the firm resolved not to let the same thing happen again.

“Toyota learned the lessons of the

2011 earthquake probably better than anybody,” said Christopher Richter, an auto expert and managing director at the brokerage CLSA. The Japanese giant reviewed all its suppliers, even the most indirect, giving it a better understanding of its supply chain and allowing it to react quicker in times of crisis.

Faced with a global semiconductor shortage this year, “they were just way better prepared than any other automaker in the world,” Richter told AFP. A source close to another Japanese carmaker agreed.

“We all took steps like that postFukushima, but Toyota did it best, and kept it up,” he said, referring to the nuclear plant that was crippled by the tsunami.

The global auto industry has faced serious headwinds during the pandemic, with lockdowns fueling declining sales, and a shortage of the chips used in modern vehicles has only compounded the woes.

A surge in demand for home electronics that use semiconductors, as well as a US cold snap, a drought in Taiwan and a fire at Japan’s Renesas

manufacturer have created a perfect storm throttling chip supplies.

Loyal suppliers Toyota was a pioneer of the widely used “just-in-time” production model— where stockpiling is kept to a minimum to reduce costs.

But as soon as it spotted the first signs of a chip shortage, the firm switched things up.

“Toyota was the first automaker to adjust its supply chain management system from a purely ‘just-in-time’ model to a hybrid model where it stockpiles more of the critical components such as semiconductors,” said Joshua Cobb, an auto analyst at Fitch Solutions.

“Toyota has always been a leader in developing supply chain management systems, and other automakers tend to follow Toyota’s lead,” Cobb said.

German auto giants Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler, and their US rival General Motors, Manila have all recently announced thatStandard they will change their supply and stockpiling TODAY systems to build up more reserves.

But the Japanese firm had a head start, and another crucial advantage: most of its suppliers, including chipmakers,

are Japanese companies, which will “prioritize supplying Toyota,” Cobb said.

Toyota often holds shares and sometimes controlling stakes in these firms, so it has “greater control” over the situation, he added.

“This differs from other automakers, specifically European and American automakers which source most of their components from Asian companies,” Cobb told AFP. An industry source said Toyota also prioritizes good relations with suppliers, ensuring consistently solid sales and pledging not to renegotiate fees after a contract has been signed.

All these factors mean Toyota often comes out on top.

“If we receive orders from several clients at the same time, we have to prioritize the most powerful and stable,” said the source.

Announcing its earnings Wednesday, Toyota could point to the fruits of its preparations, surpassing its sales target with 9.9 million vehicles sold by all its brands in the financial year to March.

It is now targeting total sales of 10.5 million units in 2021-22. AFP

NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING To All Stockholders: Please be informed that the annual meeting of stockholders of BRIGHT KINDLE RESOURCES & INVESTMENTS, INC. (the “Corporation”) for the year 2021 which is scheduled every last Thursday of May of each year has been postponed and reset to a later date to be determined by the Board of Directors, during a meeting to be called for such purpose.

The purpose of the postponement is to give the Company more time to prepare for additional matters that will be presented to the stockholders at the meeting.

A Notice of Meeting will be issued in relation to the new meeting date.

Makati City, 12 May, 2021.

In this file photo taken on March 9, 2012, workers assemble the front bumper of Toyota’s compact hybrid vehicle “AQUA” on the assembly line of the Kanto Auto Works’ Iwate plant in Kanegasaki, Iwate prefecture. AFP

MAILA G. DE CASTRO Corporate Secretary (MS-MAY 12 & 13, 2021)

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

B4

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021

PSE INDEX CLOSING Wednesday, May 12, 2021

-90.43 PTS. 6,236.40

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

3,629,675,762 87,481 6,197,856,150.01 55 141 50

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.8700

Japan

Yen

0.009208

0.4408

UK

Pound

1.414600

67.7169

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128730

6.1623

Switzerland

Franc

1.107420

53.0122

Canada

Dollar

0.826856

39.5816

Singapore

Dollar

0.754262

36.1065

Australia

Dollar

0.784300

37.5444

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655478

127.1177

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266652

12.7646

Brunei

Dollar

0.751428

35.9709

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.032165

1.5397

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.0337

Euro

Euro

1.215100

58.1668

Korea

Won

0.000893

0.0427

China

Yuan

0.155562

7.4468

India

Rupee

0.013630

0.6525

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.242954

11.6302

New Zealand

Dollar

0.727400

34.8206

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035809

1.7142 Source: BSP

Globe Telecom eyes new offerings amid competition

By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Wednesday it is eyeing new offerings to strengthen its leadership in the mobile sector and regain business momentum despite the mobility restrictions as it continues to gear up for increased competition.

Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said the company would roll out new offers for more than 80 million subscribers to address changing consumer behaviors that arose from the pandemic.

“Globe is stepping up its efforts so you will start to see more aggressive offers that will give the people basically more value for their money,” Cu said.

London-based Fitch Ratings said the entry of DITO Telecommunity would further intensify competition in the local landscape.

Cu, however, said the third player had not yet made a dent on the telco industry. “Certainly at this point, we don’t see that [effect] yet given the very wide disparity in coverage between them [DITO] and the two incumbents,” said Cu. DITO only runs on 4G and 5G networks that cater mostly to data services and not voice calls and SMS. Globe is pushing its network rollout which includes site upgrades to 4G/LTE, 5G mobile expansion and rollout of more fiber-to-the-home capabilities.

The company also continues to deploy mobile and broadband services regardless of community quarantine status to address the demand for connectivity which is vital especially during this period.

Globe-at-Home has been upgrading its subscribers to higher technology for better connectivity experience.

Its latest fiber plan called UNLI FIBER UP provides customers with fast and reliable internet for the whole family’s needs, plus health essential and entertainment freebies.

The company earmarked P70 billion in capital expenditures this year as it aims to deliver first-world internet connectivity for the Filipinos. The budget will be used to build and upgrade more sites and install 1 million fiber-to-the-home lines.

MISTER DONUT FRANCHISING.

Mister Donut Philippines opens its doors to more Filipino micro-entrepreneurs in this time of pandemic with the rollout of Mister Donut On Wheels in trike format.

For a minimal investment of P185,000, Filipinos can now operate their own Mister Donut franchise and reap the benefits of being part of a strong global brand that continues to innovate to make sure the franchisees are optimizing their business.

Cherryl Carino, franchise management head at Mister Donut Philippines, says the investment would be lower if the interested franchisee already has an existing motorcycle that fits the trike specifications.

Business Gokongwei family buying 9% of Shakey’s for P1.25b J

By Jenniffer B. Austria

E Holdings, a private investment company owned by the Gokongwei family, is acquiring a 9-percent stake in pizza chain Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. for P1.25 billion.

Shakey’s said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the entry of JE Holdings as a new strategic investor would enable the company to further strengthen its operations and support expansion plans amid the pandemic.

“I’ve always been a fan of the Shakey’s brand and look forward to working with both the Board and management to further the company’s growth and restart expansion plans in anticipation of the inevitable reopening of our economy. I strongly believe in the long-term prospects of the food service industry, against a backdrop of rising Filipino incomes, and I have confidence that Shakey’s will continue to be a leader in this space,” said

Lance Gokongwei, chairman and president of JE Holdings.

JE Holdings will purchase Shakey’s shares at P8.20 apiece, representing a 10-percent premium over the company’s latest stock price and 14.6 percent higher than the latest 45-day volume weighted average.

“We look forward to the entry of the Gokongwei family, and we in management are grateful for their belief in our business and our brands,” Shakey’s president and chief executive Vicente Gregorio said.

“Despite the short-term challenges, we too remain optimistic about our longterm prospects and, as result, have begun investing again in our stores, our people and our various operating capabilities. We

believe that we are in a relatively good position financially and, with the added benefit of a new strategic investor, we plan to make the most of both the fresh round of capital and the various synergies that come along with partnering with the Gokongwei group of companies,” he said.

Shakey’s reported a net income of P28.7 million in the first quarter, down 75 percent from P113.6 million in the same period last year.

First-quarter gross revenues were also down 30 percent to P1.28 billion from P1.83 billion a year ago.

“The ongoing COVID-19 crisis continues to weigh heavily on the restaurant industry, with many consumers challenged by the macroeconomic conditions and/ or opting simply to stay home amidst the fear of contracting the virus. The latter part of this quarter also saw the re-imposition of stricter measures to curtail dine-in, disrupting the part of our business which was experiencing a relatively good trajectory before then,” Gregorio said.

MORE VACCINES. Cebu Pacific safely delivers about 70,000 COVID-19 vaccines to various parts of Visayas and Mindanao on May 11 and 12, aiding in the continuous distribution of vaccines across the country. The shipment comprised of 4,760 doses for Bacolod, 7,600 for Cotabato, 18,075 for Davao, 27,620 for Legazpi, 6,200 for Puerto Princesa and 5,320 for Zamboanga. The vaccines were preserved in temperature-specific refrigerated containers to maintain potency and efficacy up until arrival at the designated stations.

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority said Wednesday it approved 57 new projects worth P25.38 billion in the first quarter, up by 54 percent from P16.49 billion in the same period last year.

“The Philippines is still indeed an investment haven and PEZA’s brand of excellence, a one-stop non-stop shop that has become part of the solution during these challenging times, and continued operations is chosen by many investors,” said PEZA Director-General Charito Plaza.

The new investments are expected to provide employment to some 5,601 workers. Among the 57 newly-approved projects, 43 would be located in Luzon, 10 in Visayas and four in Mindanao.

Data showed of the total, 22 investments are export projects, 15 are IT, seven are facilities, three are logistics, two are utilities and tourism projects and eight are new ecozone development projects.

Plaza said the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent surge of COVID cases in the country continued to pose challenges to agency’s investment performance, but “PEZA remains confident as exports from economic zones soared 15.63-per-

By Julito G. Rada THE Monetary Board, the policy-setting body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Wednesday kept the benchmark interest rate at a record low 2 percent, on expectations that the annual increases in consumer prices will remain manageable in the next two years.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, who is also the board chairman, said in an online briefing the board decided to maintain the interest rate on the BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase facility at 2 percent. The interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities were also retained at 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

“Latest inflation forecasts indicate that inflation is likely to settle within the target range in 2021 and 2022.

Inflation is now projected to track a slightly lower path in 2021 to average near the upper end of the target band, as price pressures on food commodities are abating with improved weather conditions, the impact of Executive Orders No. 128 and 133, s. 2021, and the implementation of direct non-monetary interventions to alleviate supply constraints,” Diokno said.

“Meanwhile, the inflation forecast for 2022 is seen to remain near the mid-point of the target but has increased slightly owing in part to rising international crude oil prices,” he said.

Diokno said the risks to the inflation outlook were broadly balanced. The Monetary Board said the timely implementation of approved non-monetary measures would be crucial in mitigating further supply-side pressures on meat prices and inflation.

“At the same time, the Monetary Board expects the domestic economy to continue to recover in the coming months, aided by the government’s targeted fiscal interventions and the sustained rollout of its vaccination program,” Diokno said.

IN BRIEF

Japanese company invests in Micro-D

Investment commitments in economic zones increased 54% to P25.38b in the first quarter

By Othel V. Campos

BSP maintains borrowing rate at record-low 2% on firm inflation

cent growth in the first quarter.”

She said that from $12.91 billion in the first quarter of 2020, exports grew by 13.5 percent to $14.93 billion in the first quarter of 2021. Employment in ecozones also went up by 2.94 percent to 1.58 million workers from 1.53 million workers a year ago.

Economic zones reported that 90 percent or 2,701 companies were operating nationwide with 1.93 million employees both working in skeletal force and workfrom-home arrangements. The manufacturing sector was 94-percent operational while the operating capacity of IT-BPO industry was estimated at 84 percent.

Plaza cited the unwavering confidence of locator companies on PEZA’s efforts to provide all means necessary to continue the companies’ operations.

“With the approval of new projects and increase in the investments and exports in the first quarter of 2021, this proves that PEZA is unfaltering in keeping the Philippine economy afloat and being on top of its game in performing its mandate, mobilizing the country’s investment competitiveness, and creating employment opportunities for many Filipinos,” Plaza said.

Phoenix rebounds with P121-m profit in 1st three months

By Alena Mae S. Flores PHOENIX Petroleum Philippines Inc. on Wednesday reported a turnaround in its financial situation to book a net income of P121.3 million in the first quarter from a P386-million net loss in the same period last year.

Phoenix said in a disclosure to the stock exchange overall volume was 43 percent higher year-on-year, supported by the fast-growing liquefied petroleum gas cylinder business and the strong rebound in the commercial and other B2B segments.

“Our April results, despite the quarantines, exceeded pre-COVID levels for the first time. While this is very encouraging, we remain cautious and thus committed to our priorities of providing the best offer to our customers, operational excellence, and accelerating growth,” said Phoenix Petroleum president Henry Albert Fadullon.

Phoenix said it remained the third largest oil player in 2020. The company’s market share as of end-2020 rose to 7.1 percent from 6.9 percent in the first half last year on the back of the strong recovery of core business in retail, LPG and commercial and B2B based on internal data and information provided by the Department of Energy.

“We are proud to grow our market share even in the most difficult times.

We are grateful and inspired by the whole team for their hard work and dedication, our customers who continue to trust in the brand and our business and financial partners who supported us in the true spirit of Bayanihan.

Our aspirations for growth have not changed and this crisis has only made us leaner, more focused and stronger as a company,” said Fadullon.

Volume from subsidiaries overseas more than doubled during the period, it said. The overseas business, led by the trading subsidiary in Singapore, remained robust in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, the LPG operations in Vietnam eased following the consecutive triple-digit growth in the prior quarters.

LEADING IT technology integrator Micro-D International Inc. and subsidiary Novare Technologies Inc. plan to go public within four to five years after sealing a multi-billion investment with Japanese private equity firm Advance Partners.

“We’ve always run ourselves as if we were a public company. We are working with Advantage Partners to see whether there is a four-year year horizon [for IPO] or sooner than that. For this deal, I felt it was important to invite international investors only because that would give us a better understanding and flavor of the different markets that we want to serve,” MDI chairperson Myla Villanueva said in a virtual briefing Wednesday.

AP Head of Asia Emmet Thomas said the private equity firm looked into MDI and was glad to offer capital and technology support to the Philippine tech firm. “MDI is a very dynamic company with strong growth prospects.

We see the opportunity in them to continue to succeed and advance further. We hope this will be the first of many investments in the Philippines for us,” he said. Othel V. Campos

Ayala Corp. gets nod on P30-b bond program THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the P30-billion shelf registration program of conglomerate Ayala Corp.

It gave the go-signal on Ayala’s proposed bond offering in a meeting on May 11, subject to the company’s compliance with remaining requirements.

The first tranche of Ayala’s debt securities program will comprise up to P6 billion of three-year bonds due 2024 and five-year bonds due 2026, with an oversubscription option for another P4 billion.

Assuming the oversubscription option will be exercised, the net proceeds from the bond offering will be used to refinance maturing debt and partially finance the company’s capital expenditures.

The bonds, which will be offered at face value, will be listed and traded on the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. The offer period will be from May 17 to 21 while issue date was tentatively set on May 28, 2021.

Jenniffer B. Austria

BDO clients cautioned on social media posts BDO Unibank Inc. cautions the general public to be careful of the information they share on social media as scammers lurk online to steal personal information, which they use to access online bank accounts and steal money. They can also use it to open new bank accounts.

BDO advises clients never to post documents with their full name, birthday and other information that scammers can use to answer security questions on social media.

“Review your profile. Reconsider sharing your full name, birthday, education background, employment and other personal information. Choose the people who can see your posts. Social media platforms have privacy settings you can adjust to filter what others can see,” the bank said.

“Only add people you actually know, especially if you’re sharing personal moments like birthday celebrations, family photos, or professional achievements. Unfriend those you don’t really know,” it said.

BDO encouraged clients to report suspicious incidents to ReportPhish@bdo.com.ph, or get in touch with its representatives by logging in Messenger and looking for BDO Customer Care with the blue verified checkmark from Facebook.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021

Last-gasp LA Lakers delay Knicks’ playoff goal

Julius Randle of the New York Knicks is trapped by Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 101-99 Laker win in overtime at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Chug Juggers emerge champs of TikTok GGPH Creator Cup THE second TikTok GGPH Creator Cup Tournament is officially over, with Chug Juggers emerging as winners. Chug Juggers team members, @ verdennn, @deadjahvu, @kenjhungry, @filmreal and @saucy2k_, bested seven other participating teams to take home $600 and Valorant merchandise.

Second placers 7Seas, composed of @deathlessxd, @7s_strykee, @7s_dreix, @7s_cain and @7s_ akaishio.ch, were awarded $300 plus valorant merchandise. Players @rukivjp, @superpluu, @7skitsune, @aryannaepperson and @envyyygaming from the Pluwuyanna Supremacy team won third place, and received $100 and Valorant merchandise.

Out of 40 creators who played in #GGPHCreatorCup2, @saucy2k_ from the winning team Chug Juggers was declared Tournament Most Valuable Player, and was awarded another $100 along with Valorant merchandise.

Hosted in partnership with FIGHT Esports, co-presented by Globe, supported by Riot Games, and sponsored

by Wallet Codes, ChampTailors, and Galawang Pinoy, TikTok’s #GGPHCreatorCup2 was played over two days, from April 27 to 28, 2021.

The game was set within Valorant, a popular first-person shooter game

by Riot Games, and was streamed live on the @TikTokGGPHPOfficial account.

TikTok has recently established itself as a new home for gamers online, with tournaments such as Creator Cup helping to grow and solidify the community. The constant addition of rich and relevant gaming content helps add diversity to the platform as well.

On TikTok, people can become a part of online communities that they wish to belong to, across varying interests, including gaming. Through this, the platform is able to continue bringing joy and inspiring creativity among all of its users.

Want to be part of the awesome gaming community on TikTok? Download the app on your iOS and Android devices today to get started.

PH beach volley bets to train in Pagudpud

By Peter Atencio

T

HE national men’s and women’s beach volleyball teams will start going into physical training next week under a more relaxed quarantine protocol settings in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

They will be sent to the northern part of Luzon after the National Team Committee named 10 members each for the men’s and women’s beach volley pool, instead of the usual four.

Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said this following the announcement on Wednesday of the 20 men and 16 women who made the initial cut to the national volleyball indoor pool.

“Makatikim naman sila ng sariwang hangin and makapag-ensayo naman sa beach at hindi nakakulong sa gym at sa hotel,” said Suzara.

Members of the national men’s and women’s beach volley squads, which made it to the bronze-medal round of the

2019 Southeast Asian Games have been retained.

The men’s beach volley squad, led by Jude Garcia, Jaron Requinton, James Buytrago and Ranran Abdilla, are joining the Asian Contintental Cup, which is a qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics, Women’s beach volley team members, led by Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, will join the men’s team in plans to train outdoors in the Ilocos Norte region, which is now under a General Community Quarantine.

The coaches, Paul Jan Doloiras (beach volleyball men) and Rhovyl Verayo (women), also plan to bring them to nearby provinces to extend their training as well.

Both beach volley teams are set to

C1

plunge into action from June 14 to 17 in Thailand and will extend their stay for up to a week if any of them makes it as far the semifinals.

Suzara said talks are now going on with the local government units for possible partnerships in training.

National Team Commission chair TonyBoy Liao said that while the roster of the national men’s indoor team has been completed, they plan to complete the list for the national women’s squad, which only has 16 players.

Four additional players will be included and recommended once Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito comes to Manila on July 1.

The members of the national men’s and women’s indoor pool, which was collated following a three-day tryout at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone last April 28 to 30, are being readied for the Asian Senior Championship slated to start on Aug. 27 at the Angeles University Foundation in Clark, Pampanga, right after the FIBA Asian World Cup Qualifiers for Basketball.

LOS ANGELES—Talen Horton-Tucker drained a clutch three-pointer in the closing seconds of overtime as the Los Angeles Lakers snatched a thrilling 10199 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

Horton-Tucker’s 24-foot effort with 21.1 seconds remaining sealed a battling win for the Lakers and prevented the Knicks from clinching their first playoff appearance since 2013.

It was the dramatic final act of a pulsating clash at the Staples Center, which saw the Knicks’ former Lakers player Julius Randle dominate for long periods with a 31-point display.

Randle looked to have given the Knicks the edge with a superb threepointer of his own from 25ft which put the visitors up 99-98 with just over a minute remaining.

But a crucial travelling call against Randle moments later surrendered possession to the Lakers, allowing HortonTucker to grab his game-winning late three-pointer.

The victory means the Lakers’ faint hopes of securing an automatic playoff place are still alive, with three games remaining. The Lakers, who were missing the injured LeBron James, are seventh in the Western Conference with 39 wins against 30 defeats. The top six teams advance automatically to the postseason.

Horton-Tucker finished with 13 points while Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers scoring with 23. Anthony Davis added 20 points while Andre Drummond had 16 points with 18 rebounds.

Randle meanwhile was backed by Derrick Rose, who had 27 points.

Elsewhere Tuesday, Andrew Wiggins poured in 38 points as the Golden State Warriors upset the second ranked Phoenix Suns 122-116 in San Francisco.

The Warriors, who downed the Western Conference leaders Utah on Monday, fought back from a 16-point first half deficit to grind out a gutsy win.

Steph Curry had 21 points for the Dubs while Kent Bazemore added 17.

Devin Booker led the Phoenix scorers with 34 points while veteran Chris Paul added 24.

- Sixers frustrated In other games, Caris LeVert scored 24 points as the Indiana Pacers staged a fourth quarter rally to frustrate the Philadelphia 76ers’ bid for the Eastern Conference top seed ranking.

The Sixers could have clinched top spot heading into the playoffs with a victory over the Pacers, who are ninth in the standings, but instead crashed to a 103-94 defeat in Indianapolis. AFP

Vera, Bhullar all set for colossal clash REIGNING ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera and top contender Arjan “Singh” Bhullar both exhumed confidence in the lead-up to their World Title clash.

The heavyweight titans will now meet in the main event of the previously recorded ONE: DANGAL, which airs from the Singapore Indoor Stadium this Saturday, May 15.

Their collision course is more than a year in the making, and after several postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both men can’t hide their excitement.

“I’m excited and I’m nervous. I’ve been thinking about Arjan Bhullar for a long time. I’m excited to finally be able to have our contest,” Vera told ONEFC. com.

“I respect Arjan — I’m giving him more respect than anybody else that I’ve faced because he’s the one standing in front of me. I want to find out what he’s got, I want to see how well he can take [what I’ve got], and I want to see if he can move with me.”

For Bhullar, the lengthy layoff hasn’t bothered him, especially because he has remained on his toes ever since the match was announced.

“My greatest strength is my insights, which allow me to train daily, weekly, and yearly. For as

long as I have, I stay disciplined all the time – not just when I have a fight booked or I have a competition coming up. I keep my eye on the prize,” Bhullar shared.

“This is my life, my priority, and my life’s work, and I take it very, very seriously. There is nothing more important to me in my life and no other priority, so my insights will separate me from [Vera].

“Skills are great, and being faster and stronger, all those things [are helpful]. But when you have a war of attrition, it’s the insights that always come out, and that’s going to be the difference in this fight.”

Vera, however, knows he will have to be aware of Bhullar’s boxing in order to defend his World Title.

That’s because Bhullar turned heads in his debut, as he dominated striker Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli on the feet to take a unanimous decision win at ONE: CENTURY II. “He’s a very, very well-rounded opponent, and most people only talk about his wrestling. They don’t talk about boxing or his head movement, which is crazy to me, so that’s why I’m talking about it,” Vera said.

“His boxing is ridiculous, man. He put hands on Mauro Cerilli in their last outing. He has very good hands, very good head movement, and he doesn’t mind staying inside the pocket.

Brandon Vera

Japan to vaccinate Olympic athletes before Games

A Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games banner displayed on the wall of the Metropolitan Government building in Tokyo. Brazil will start vaccinating against COVID-19 the athletes and technical commissions members who will participate in the Tokyo-2020 Olympic Games, the Health Ministry announced. AFP

TOKYO —Japan plans to vaccinate its Olympic athletes before the Tokyo Games, domestic media reported Wednesday, a move that would place them ahead of the general population as the government faces pressure over a slow rollout.

There was no immediate comment from Olympic organizers or Japan’s Olympic Committee on the reports in the Nikkei and Yomiuri Shimbun dailies, which did not name their sources.

The newspapers said around 2,500 people including athletes and coaches would be included,

with Japanese sports federations in charge of administering the jabs.

Japan’s government had previously denied it was considering a plan to vaccinate athletes ahead of the general population.

Earlier this month, US drug giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech announced a deal with the International Olympic Committee to provide vaccines for competitors and staff at the Tokyo Games.

They said initial doses for participating delegations would begin at the end of May, without specifying which teams would be involved.

Japan has so far only approved the Pfizer jab and the government has faced pressure for the comparatively slow rollout of its inoculation campaign as Tokyo and other areas battle new virus emergencies.

For now, only medical workers and the elderly are eligible for jabs, with no timeline yet set for the general population to receive them.

Polls show public dissatisfaction with the rollout, and the government has pledged to speed up the programme.

The Games, opening in just over

10 weeks, face continued controversy in Japan, where surveys show a majority oppose holding them this summer.

But in a potential bright spot for organizers, around 280 doctors have applied for just 200 volunteer positions at the Games, the Kyodo news agency reported Wednesday citing unnamed sources.

Organizers have come under fire for requesting medical volunteers step forward to help during the Games at a time when Japan’s healthcare system is under pressure from a fourth virus wave. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

TODAY

ERC CASE NO. 2021-009 RC DAVAO DEL NORTE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC (DANECO) AND SAN MIGUEL CONSOLIDATED CORPORATION POWER (SMCPC), Applicants. x-------------------------------------------------------x

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 29 January 2021, Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc. (DANECO) and San Miguel Consolidated Power Corporation (SMCPC) filed a Joint Application seeking the Commission’s approval of the Power Supply Contract (PSC) with prayer for provisional authority or interim relief and confidential treatment of information.

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

3.

0.2831

PhP/kWh

1.6566 1.9397

17.5

Other Charges. DANECO shall bear all other costs and charges incurred after the Delivery Point, including but not limited to transmission line losses, interconnection charges and site specific loss adjustments, among others;

17.6

Adjustment Formula. The Contract Charges shall be adjusted on a monthly basis in accordance with the following Adjustment Formula (Annex II-B ofthe PSC):

Joint Applicant DANECO is a non-stock, non-profit electric cooperative, duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with principal address at Km. 100 National Highway, Montevista, Davao de Oro Province. It has the exclusive franchise to supply and distribute electricity in all the Municipalities in the Province of Davao de Oro, namely: Compostela, Laak, Mabini, Maco, Maragusan, Mawab, Monkayo, Montevista, Nabunturan, New Bataan and Pantukan, and in the City of Tagum and Island Garden City of Samal (“IGACOS”) and certain Municipalities in the Province of Davao del Norte, namely: Asuncion, Kapalong, New Corella, San Isidro and Talaingod (the “Franchise Area”);

This Joint Application for Approval of the Power Supply Contract (“PSC”) dated 31 August 2017 entered into by and between DANECO and SMCPC is being submitted to the Honorable Commission for its review and approval pursuant to Sections 25 and 45 (b) of Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001” or the EPIRA, Rule 5, Section 4 (e) and Rule 11, Section 5 of its Implementing Rules and Regulations ORR), Rule 20 (B) of its Rules of Practice and Procedure, and other pertinent rules and regulations.

Statement of Facts

5.

Capacity Charges

=

Capital Recovery Fee (CRF) + Fixed Operation and Maintenance Fee (FOM)

Energy Charges

=

Variable Operation and Maintenance Fee (VOM) + Fuel Fee + Start-up Charge

I.

CONTRACTED CAPACITY as of 2018 (MW)

4

2017-2020

MIXED

EEIP

15

10

2013-2023

BUNKER FUEL

TSI3

15

25

2015-2040

COAL

SEC (NON-FIRM)4

15

25

2019-2044

COAL

SMCPC

20

10

2016-2026

15

25

2017-2042

COAL

5

5

2016-2021

DIESEL

9.

10.

5

COAL

It is expected that the power requirements of DANECO will significantly increase in the next few years as demonstrated by DANECO’s Actual and Forecasted Load Data, hereunder shown:

YEAR

DEMAND MW (CP7)

CRFmonth = CRFxCC

2016

86

2017

89

2018

96

2019

101

2020

107

2021

113

CRF

=

Capital Recovery Fee in PhP/kWmonth contained in Annex II-A of the PSC (No indexation)

CC

=

Contract Capacity in kW contained in Annex I of the PSC

II.

Contract Capacity in kW contained in Annex I ofthe PSC

TPC

=

Total plant capacity (net) per unit in kW

a)

PPD. DANECO may avail of the PPD equivalent to one percent (1%) of the total of the Capacity and Energy Charges of the current power bill

b)

CED. DANECO shall be entitled to the following CED:

Discount, PhP/kWh

Below 65%

None

66% to 75%

0.05

76% to 85%

0.10

86% to 95%

0.15

96% and above

0.20

Outages.

FIXED OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE FEE (FOMmonth)

17.8.1

Annual Outage Allowance Per Unit. SMCPC shall be entitled to an Annual Outage Allowance of one thousand one hundred fiftyeight (1,158) cumulative outage hours for each Contract Year at the cost specified in Annex II-A of the PSC. During this period, SMCPC shall not be obligated to deliver energy to DANECO;

17.8.2

Major Maintenance Outage Hours Per Unit.

SMCPC shall be allowed an additional outage allowance of seven hundred twenty (720) cumulative outage hours for Major Maintenance once every five (5) years counted from the first Major Maintenance of each Unit of the Plant. SMCPC is not obligated to deliver energy during Major Maintenance Outage; and

17.8.3

Unutilized Outage Allowance hours or Major Maintenance Outage hours shall not be carried forward to any subsequent Contract Year; and

Where: FOM

=

Fixed Operation and Maintenance Fee in PhP/kW-month contained in Annex II -A of the PSC

PHCPlm

=

Philippine Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Income Households in the Philippines - All Item (2006=100), as posted by the Philippine National Statistics Office for the calendar month within which the start of the current Billing Period occurs

PHCPlo

CC

=

III.

=

17.9

18.

Replacement Power. To ensure the uninterrupted supply of energy to DANECO during the Annual Outage Allowance or Major Maintenance Outage hours, SMCPC may procure replacement power from other sources, the cost of which shall be passed-on to the BUYER.

Copies ofthe following documents and/or information are attached to the Joint Application as annexes and made integral parts hereof: Annex

Philippine CPI for All Income Households in the Philippines - All Items (2006=100), as posted by the Philippine National Statistics Office for the calendar month of the SUPPLY EFFECTIVE DATE Contract Capacity in kW contained in Annex I of the PSC

2022

119

2023

126

2024

133

2025

141

2026

149

2027

157

VOM

=

PSC between DANECO and SMCPC.

“B”

Resolution No. 08 Series of 2020 of the TASKFORCE DUTERTE-NORTHERN DAVAO POWER (“NEATFDNDP”) Board of Directors.

“C”

Secretary’s Certificate of SMCPC.

“D”

Local Government Unit (“LGU”) Certification from the Municipality of Montevista.

“E”

LGU Certification from the Province of Davao de Oro.

“F”

USCPIm

=

PHCPIm

Impelled with the desire to meet the increasing demands of electric power, on 12 December 2016, DANECO conducted a Competitive Selection Process (“CSP”) pursuant to Resolution No. 13, Series of 20158 of the Energy Regulatory Commission (“ERC”). However, the CSP resulted in a failure of bidding. Accordingly, DANECO conducted the second round of CSP on 04 January 2017. Unfortunately, the same was likewise declared a failure of bidding due to non-compliance by the participating bidders with the Technical Evaluation (Folder 2).

=

=

FXo

Given its demand growth, DANECO deemed it appropriate to secure stable, reliable and adequate supply of electricity. Accordingly, DANECO finds it reasonable to enter into bilateral power supply agreements with various generation companies. Thus, the power supply of DANECO is sourced from different power suppliers in order to mitigate the impact of power deficiency in case one power supplier incurs delay in its commercial operation or discontinue the project or when undergoing preventive maintenance or outage.

=

=

Variable Operation and Maintenance Fee in PhP /kWh contained in Annex II-A of the PSC

“F-1”

LGU Certification from the Province of Davao Occidental

“G”

Complete issue of the newspaper of general circulation where the Verified Joint Application was published.

“H”

Affidavit of Publication of the newspaper of general circulation where the Verified Joint Application was published.

“I”

Competitive Selection Process (“CSP”) Documents of DANECO. Articles ofIncorporation of DANECO. By-Laws of DANECO.

“L”

List of Board of Directors of DANECO

“M”

Alternative Demand Side Management (“DSM”) Program.

“N”

Articles of Incorporation of SMCPC.

US CPI for All Urban Consumers - All Items (1982-84=100) for the calendar month of the SUPPLY EFFECTIVE DATE

“O”

By-Laws of SMCPC.

“P”

Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Certificate of Registration.

“Q”

Amended General Information Sheet (“GIS”) of SMCPC.

The average daily exchange rate of the Philippine Peso to the US Dollar, as posted by the BSP for the calendar month within which the start of the current Billing Period occurs

“R”

Document showing information related to the Ultimate Parent Company, its Subsidiaries, and all its Affiliates.

United States (US) CPI for All Urban Consumers - All Items (1982-84=100), as posted by the Unites States Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) for the calendar month within which the start of the current Billing Period occurs

“R-1”

Exchange rate of the Philippine Peso to the US Dollar, Base=PhP44·00 Philippine CPI for All Income Households in the Philippines - All Items (2006=100), as posted by the Philippine NSO for the calendar month within which the start of the current Billing Period occurs

=

Philippine CPI for All Income Households in the Philippines - All Items (2006=100), as posted by the Philippine NSO for the calendar month of the SUPPLY EFFECTIVE DATE

AE

=

Associated Energy in kWh delivered to the BUYER by the SELLER during the current Billing Period at the Delivery Points stated in Annex III of the PSC

The Parties agree to adopt changes in any of the inflationary indices subject to prior notification by the SELLER to the BUYER for the occurrence of any of the following events: a) shift made in the base year and other adjustments to such inflation index made by the relevant authorized entity; or b) the inflation index: i) becomes unavailable, ii) is replaced by a new benchmark rate as determined by the relevant authorized entity or its successor-in-interest, iii) ceases to exist, or iv) in the reasonable determination of either Party, fails to reflect the real costs and forms an integral part of this price adjustment formula; FUEL FEE (Fuel month)

12.

On 17 April 2017, DANECO together with its Bids and Awards Committee (“BAC”) and members of NEATFDNDP invited potential power suppliers for direct negotiations. However, only FDC Misamis Power Corporation (“FDC - Misamis”) and SMCPC expressed interest to participate in the negotiations and offered reasonable power costs in line with DANECO’s state of rehabilitation.

DANECO then deemed it advantageous for its memberconsumers to secure its power supply from different sources to prevent a total blackout in case of interruptions. Thus, DANECO decided to procure the needed thirty megawatts (30 MW) from the two (2) contending power suppliers at a uniform least cost. As a result, DANECO decided to procure from SMCPC fifteen megawatts (15 MW) of its power supply requirements.

14.

Accordingly, on 29 August 2017, the BAC in its Resolution No. 24, Series of 2017 recommended the award for the supply of 15 MW electric power to SMCPC. On even date, the NEA-TFDNDP Board of Directors in its Resolution No. 160, Series of 2017 approved the recommendation of the BAC and authorized its Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) to enter into a PSC with SMCPC, which Board Resolution was confirmed in a subsequent Board Resolution No. 86, Series of 2018 dated 23 May 2018.

15.

On 31 August 2017, DANECO and SMCPC executed the PSC, which is the subject of the instant J oint Application.

16.

Prior to the filing of the instant Joint Application, a Certification from the DOE stating compliance with the CSP requirement should be secured and submitted to the Honorable Commission as prescribed the DOE Circular 2018-02-0003. Thus, DANECO, in its Letter dated 13 February 2020, requested for the issuance of such Certification from the DOE.

17·

Salient Features Contract Capacity. The Contract Capacity for the duration of the PSC shall be 15,000 kW. DANECO shall maintain a minimum hourly nomination of at least forty percent (40%) of the Contract Capacity for the duration of the PSC, as its share in the minimum stable load of the Power Plant.

Newcastlem

=

Average monthly coal price index in USD/MT as posted by global coal on the website www.globalcoal.com for the calendar month within which the start of the current Billing Period occurs

Newcastleo

=

Coal price index USD74.00/MT

Base Fuel Cost

=

Blended Cost equivalent to USD62.69/ MT

Freight Cost

=

Actual Transport Costs in USD/MT which includes but not limited to port charges, fuel insurance, wharfage fees, excise tax, handling, customs brokerage fees, custom duties, stevedores and arrastre costs, tuggage costs, survey fee, towage, pilotage, light dues, mooring and unmooring, berthing and de-berthing, and tonnage dues and sundries on the coal used during the current illing Period. Freight costs shall include all other existing and future taxes, fees, imposts and other charges that may be imposed on the transport of coal

CR

=

FXm

=

equivalent

to

=

Exchange rate of the Philippine Peso to the US Dollar, Base=PhP44.00

=

Associated Energy in kWh delivered to the BUYER by the SELLER during the current Billing Period at the Delivery Points stated in Annex III of the PSC

17.4

Contract Charges. Under the PSC, DANECO shall pay the following Contract Charges for the duration of the PSC, subject to the applicable value-added tax (“VAT”), and computed as follows:

The Parties further agree that when any or all of the above components of the Fuel Cost no longer reflect the SELLER’s actual cost of coal (including the FOB price, coal indexation, premiums, among others), the Fuel Cost shall be computed based on the SELLER’s actual cost of fuel subject to the SELLER’s prior notification to the BUYER and subject to the approval of the Honorable Commission prior to implementation.

1,530.2100

B. Fixed Operation and Maintenance Fee

PhP/ kW-month

383.8079

Start-up Charge (per Unit and per Startup) - to be added on top of VOM & Fuel charges

Cold Start-up - downtime of eight (8) hours and above

Capacity Fees

Total Capacity Fee

Warm Start-up - downtime of less than eight (8) hours

1,914.0179

Energy Fees Where:

Certificate of Endorsement (“COE”) issued by the DOE. Supply-Demand Scenario including the Average Daily Load Curve of DANECO.

“X”

Latest Distribution Development Plan (“DDP”) and Load Forecast Projections of DANECO.

“Y”

Decision of the Point -to-Point Limited Transmission Facilities of the Malita Plant with NGCP.

“Z”

Transmission Service Agreement (“TSA”) between NGCP and DANECO.

“Z-1”

Connection Agreement between NGCP and SMCPC.

“AA”

Executive Summary of the PSC.

“BB”

Details ofthe Power Rate Calculations and Financial Model (Confidential).

“CC”

Write up on the Fuel Supply Contract (Confidential).

“DD”

Affidavit of the Competitive Fuel Procurement Process.

“EE”

Relevant technical and economic characteristics of the generation capacity, installed capacity, mode of operation and dependable capacity.

“FF”

Costs analysis of the proposed pricing provisions of the PSC.

“GG”

Details of the Interconnection Facility of the SMCPC Power Plant.

“HH”

SMCPC Audited Financial Statements (“AFS”) for the year 2019·

“II”

Certification (from Engine manufacturer or IPP) of the heat rate in liters per kWh.

“JJ”

Simulation of the number of operating units necessary to meet the MEOT and/or additional energy/demand requirements of DANECO.

“KK”

Potential Cost (absolute amounts and PhP/kWh) of Ancillary Services as and when SMCPC or DANECO is connected to the main grid.

“LL”

Certification of Non-Applicability of a Certificate of Commerciality by an RE Developer After Due Confirmation with the DOE

“LL-1”

Certification of Non-Applicability of a Renewable Energy Service/Contract from the DOE.

“LL-2”

Write-up on the Non-Applicability of the Certification from the National Power Corporation (“NPC”) on DANECO’s Transition Supply Contract (“TSC”).

“MM”

Rate Impact Analysis.

Indicative Rate Impact on DANECO’s Generation Rate 19.

The indicative rate impact on DANECO’s generation rate is hereunder shown, to wit:

Allegations in Support of the Confidential Treatment of Annexes “BB” and “CC”

In line with this, SMCPC, prays for the confidential treatment of the information contained in the following annexes, and that the said information should not be disclosed except to the officers and staff of the Honorable Commission:

Contract Term. The PSC shall take effect between the Parties on the date of signing (“Execution Date”) and shall remain effective for a period of fifteen (15) years from Supply Effective Date;

PhP/kW-month

“V” “W”

21.

17.3

A. Capital Recovery Fee

Certificate of Compliance (“COC”) issued by the ERC.

The average daily exchange rate of the Philippine Peso to the US Dollar, as posted by the BSP for the calendar month within which the start of the current Billing Period occurs

AE

Amount

Environmental Compliance Certificate (“ECC”).

“U”

Section 1, Rule 4 of the ERe Rules of Practice and Procedure provides that a party to any proceeding before the Commission may request that certain information in the Honorable Commission’s possession be treated as confidential and thus, should not be disclosed to the public.

Generation Source. The source of the supply shall be the 2 x 150 MW Circulating Fluidized Bed Coal-Fired Power Plant (“the Plant”) owned and operated by SMCPC and located in Barangay Culaman, Malita, Davao Occidental.

Unit

Board of Investment (“BOr’) Certificate of Registration.

“T”

20.

17.2.

Particulars

Write Up on the Shareholders’ Agreement

“S”

Consumption rate at 0.70kg/kWh escalated annually by one percent (1 %) or the actual plant fuel consumption rate, whichever is lower

FXo

V.

LGU Certification from the Municipality of Malita, Davao Occidental.

“J”

Considering that the CSP already failed twice, DANECO found no other alternative but to conduct a negotiated procurement to address the urgent need for additional power.

Prior to the final negotiation, the National Electrification Association (“NEA”) issued Office Order No. 044, Series of 2017 dated 22 February 2017 creating Task Force Duterte - Northern Davao Power (“NEATFDNDP”) for the purpose of rehabilitating DANECO.

LGU Certification from the Province of Davao del Norte.

“K”

PHCPIo

IV.

Documents/Information

“A”

“E-1”

VARIABLE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE FEE (VOMmonth)

FXm

The expiration of its Power Supply Agreement with Therma Marine, Inc. (“TMI”) in September 2017 and its Contract for the Supply of Electric Energy (“CSEE”) with PSALM in December 2020, and the projected increase in the energy requirements of DANECO’s memberconsumers will result in a shortage of the available energy.

17.1.

=

Collection Efficiency Levels

17.8

Where:

USCPIo

11.

13.

CC

Where:

MGC6

8.

PLANT TYPE

15

2

FDC-COAL

7.

YEAR

PSALM

1

6.

TERM

The actual price of diesel oil in PhP / liter as billed by supplier of diesel oil applicable for the Billing Period

CAPITAL RECOVERY FEE (CRFmonth)

DANECO currently sources its electricity requirements from the following power suppliers: EXISTING SUPPLIERS

=

Discounts. SMCPC provides for both Prompt Payment Discount (“PPD”) and Collection Efficiency Discount (“CED”);

Joint Applicant SMCPC is a corporation duly created and existing by and under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with business address at Sitio Inaburan, Barangay Culaman, Malita, Davao Occidental 8012.

The Joint Applicants may be served with the orders, notices and other processes of the Honorable Commission through their respective undersigned counsels at the addresses indicated herein.

LFOm

MONTHLY CONTRACT CHARGES = Capacity Chargesmonth + Energy Chargesmonth

Nature of the Application 4.

17.7

Where:

NOTICE OF VIRTUAL HEARING

2.

PhP/kWh

D. Fuel Fee Total Energy Fee

IN THE MATTER OF THE JOINT APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE POWER SUPPLY CONTRACT (PSC) ENTERED INTO

BY AND BETWEEN DAVAO DEL NORTE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (DANECO) AND SAN MIGUEL CONSOLIDATED POWER CORPORATION (SMCPC) WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY OR INTERIM RELIEF AND CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT OF INFORMATION

1.

C.Variable Operation and Maintenance Fee

Annex

22.

Documents and/or Information

“BB”

Details of the Power Rate Calculations and Model.

(Conifidential)

“CC”

Write-Up on the Fuel Supply Contract. (Conifidential)

Annexes “BB” and “CC” contain the details of power rate calculations and financial model of SMCPC as well as the manner by which these were derived. Said information are proprietary in nature and should be protected as trade secrets as contemplated by law and jurisprudence. In the case of Air Philippines Corporation us. Pennswell, Inc.9 , the Supreme Court defined a trade secret, as follows: “A trade secret may consist of any formula, pattern, device, or compilation of information that: (1) is used in one’s business; and (2) gives the employer an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not possess the information. Generally, a trade secret is a process or device intended for continuous use in the operation of the business, for example, a machine or formula, but can be a price list or catalogue or specialized customer list. It is indubitable that trade secrets constitute proprietary rights. The inventor, discoverer, or possessor of a trade secret or similar innovation has rights therein which may be treated as property, and ordinarily an injunction will be granted to prevent the disclosure of the trade secret by one who obtained the information “in confidence” or through a “confidential relationship”. American jurisprudence has utilized the following factors to determine if an information is a trade secret, to wit:

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(1) the extent to which the information is known outside of the employer’s business; (2) the extent to which the informationis known by employees and others involved in the business; (3) the extent of measures taken by the employer to guard the secrecy of the information; (4) the value of the information to the employer and to competitors; (5) the amount of effort or money expended by the company in developing the information; and

YUGEL LOSORATA

(6) the extent to which the information could be easily or readily obtained through an independent source.” (citations omitted, emphasis supplied) 23.

The interest of the consuming public is sufficiently protected by the review and evaluation of the rates under the PSC by the Honorable Commission, without the need to disclose the contents of Annexes “BB” and “CC”. The reasonableness and transparency of the prices of electricity is to be assured by the Honorable Commission through its own review and verification of the generation and operating costs of SMCPC;

24.

More importantly, the competitors of SMCPC, should they obtain the information in Annexes “BB” and “CC”, will gain undue advantage thereon and have the opportunity to use the same in their operations.

The negotiating power of SMCPC with parties it plans to contract with or who it is currently doing business with, will clearly be thwarted if it is compelled to disclose such information;

25.

Accordingly, one (1) copy each of Annexes “BB” and “CC”, is placed in a sealed envelope, with the said envelope and each page of the documents and/or information stamped with the word “Confidential”.

26.

Lastly and corollary to the foregoing, SMCPC would like to implore the discerning wisdom of the Honorable Commission to include in its Order the “procedures for the handling or returning the confidential information, as appropriate, upon the close of the proceedings or at the end of the period for which the information is to be treated as confidential” pursuant to Letter (d), Section 4, of the ERC Rules and Practice and Procedure.

27.

This is guided by the fact that SMCPC will seek for the return of these sought to be declared confidential annexes after its utilization as evidence in this case and/or at the close of the proceedings hereof, so as to relieve the Honorable Commission of the burden of safekeeping the trade secrets of SMCPC enclosed in the subject annexes.

Allegations in Support of the Prayer for Provisional Authority or Interim Relief

24.

The foregoing discussions / arguments are hereby repleaded and incorporated by way of reference in the efforts of the joint applicants to substantiate the prayer for the issuance of Provisional Authority (“PA”) or Interim Relief (“IR”).

25.

The plea for the subject reliefs which will allow the immediate implementation of the subject PSC upon the filing hereof and pending the final resolution of the instant case is anchored upon the provisions of Rule 14 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure (“ERC Rules”), to wit: “Section 3. Action on the Motion. - Motions for provisional authority or interim relief may be acted upon with or without hearing. The Commission shall act on the motion on the basis of the allegations of the application or petition and supporting documents and other evidences that applicant or petitioner has submitted and the comments or opposition filed by any interested person, if there be any.”

26.

The entreaty based on the mentioned provisions of the ERC Rules is also intended to afford the Honorable Commission ample opportunity to evaluate the instant application as the process thereof may entail months before a final approval can be rendered under the circumstances.

27.

Further and most importantly, the interests of the consumer-members of co-applicant DANECO will be served with the issuance of the PA or IR prayed for herein, as the grant thereof by the Honorable Commission will ensure a steady and reliable supply of power at a competitive rate.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, foregoing premises considered, Joint Applicants Davao Del Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (“DANECO”) and San Miguel Consolidated Power Corporation (“SMCPC”) most respectfully pray before the Honorable Commission that: 1. An Order be issued by the Honorable Commission immediately upon the filing hereof and before the scheduled hearings/proceedings and/or during the pendency of this case and prior to the final resolution/approval thereof, GRANTING the following: a. a Provisional Authority or Interim Relief allowing the Joint Applicants to immediately implement the PSC subject of this case in its entirety more particularly but not limited to the rates, fees, charges and tariff adjustment mechanisms set out therein; b. that Annexes “BB” and “CC”, and the information contained therein be treated as CONFIDENTIAL, directing their nondisclosure to persons other than officers and staff of the Honorable Commission, continuously protecting the said information from public disclosure by maintaining the same separate and apart from the records of the case, and ensuring that these are not divulged to unauthorized persons; c. the procedures for handling the confidential information upon the close of the proceedings and its return/delivery to SMCPC be issued by the Honorable Commission pursuant to Letter (d), Section 4, of the ERC Rules and Practice and Procedures; 2. After hearing and trial on the merits, ISSUE a Decision approving the Joint Application and the PSC between DANECO and SMCPC, including all the rates, fees, charges and tariff adjustment mechanisms set out therein at the rates provided in the PSC, and authorizing DANECO to charge and collect fees therein from its customers reckoned from the start supply by SMCPC to DANECO. Other relief just and equitable under the premises are, likewise, prayed for.

The Commission hereby sets the instant Joint Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, Pre-Trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on the following dates and online platform for the conduct thereof, pursuant to Resolution No. 09, Series of 202010, dated 24 September 2020.

Date

Platform

Activity

18 June 2021 (Friday) at nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 AM)

Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) Application

Determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements and Expository Presentation

25 June 2021 (Friday) at nine o’clock in the morning (9:00 AM) (02:00 A.M.)

Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) Application

Pre-trial Conference and Presentation of Evidence

Any interested stakeholder may submit its comments and/or clarifications at least one (1) calendar day prior to the scheduled virtual hearing, via electronic mail (e-mail) at docket@erc.ph, copy furnish the Legal Service through legal@erc.ph. The Commission shall give priority to the stakeholders who have duly submitted their respective comments and/or clarifications, to discuss the same and propound questions during the course of the expository presentation.

Moreover, all persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission via e-mail at docket@erc.ph. copy furnish the Legal Service through legal@erc.ph, a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) calendar days prior to the date of the initial virtual hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the ERC Revised Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: 1) The petitioner’s name, mailing address, and e-mail address; 2) The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and 3) A statement of the relief desired.

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

THERE'S something in Alexa Ilacad that gives the impression she's beyond her artista looks and likewise not merely benefiting from a surname deeply associated with star makers.

To somehow explain what it is, she possesses an aura that exudes charm and cheerfulness. She looks unpretentious and sounds delightfully raw, simply real.

That was the impression I made out of her during a recent virtual press conference to promote her latest single "Stay Right Here."

While I have listened to a couple of her songs before, and heard her name in showbiz circles a number of times, I had yet to interact with her or even see her face before that hour.

She was very accommodating and straight to the point in answering questions. "Yes, I always find myself wanting to talk to someone, especially in this pandemic," she said when asked if it ever got to a point when she felt like she's needing a shrink to help her address anxiety.

When another reporter asked her about how she could juggle acting and singing duties under a lockdown situation, she implied it's actually her hectic schedule that helps her deal with this

Manila

Standard

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THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 TODAY nickie.standard@gmail.com

Charming, cheerful Alexa strange scenario that has been going for over a year now.

Her new single dropped in digital stores last April 30 is correctly described as "an urban dance pop track heady with atmosphere and dripping with charismatic vocals."

It is also a “stark departure from the upbeat, near-naivete” of her preceding single “Love At First Sight” put out late last year. That track’s acoustic version turned out to be a pleasant version significantly different from the master recording.

It shouldn’t be a bad idea if there’ll also be a stripped-down take of “Stay Right Here,” which sonically relied on its party mood arrangement and pointed to the fact that the singer, in her own words, had chosen Dua Lipa as her life’s peg.

It's easy to understand the connection when you listen to the song. But worth-noting is Alexa's own strength to convince you to hold on to her song until you realize you’re already in a place you'd want to be, more so if you're having a kind of cabin fever caused by prolonged indoor stay. The title takes hold once you're assured you need not go out because it’s safer right at home.

The song’s basic beauty of melody and Alexa’s engaging singing are a good mix with unplugged guitar, perhaps even with the one in her room, as accompaniment.

Alexa Ilacad drops her latest single, the urban dance pop track ‘Stay Right Here.’

Alexa was first seen in Goin’ Bulilit (20082013) before she took on a couple of primetime series, The Good Son (2017-2018), and The Killer Bride (2019). She bagged her first lead role as Hasmin in Santigwar (2019) before portraying Bobbie Salazar in the movie Four Sisters Before the Wedding (2020).

After releasing her debut album To The Moon And Back in 2016, the new label Off The Record backed her continuing rise on the music scene.

STANDARD’S CHOICE

69th Miss Universe Hot Picks (first of three parts)

T

HE 69th Miss Universe pageant is happening on May 16 (May 17 in Manila). Twenty-one semi-finalists will be pre-selected from among the 74 contestants.

Manila Standard reveals its traditional hot picks who have a chance to become Miss Universe 2020. With the WME/IMG talent agency, the current owner of Miss Universe pageant, placing importance to girls who can speak, like Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Iris Mittenaere (2016), Demi-Leigh Nel Peters-Tebow (2017), Catriona Gray (2018), and reigning Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi (2019), any one of these girls are capable to become an ideal spokesperson for the Miss Universe cause: 16. Colombia Laura Olascuaga She has a sensational body and very strong in pasarela.

This 25-year-old freelance model is a broadcast journalism graduate. She currently works in her state of Bolivar’s communications department that gives aid in the development of vulnerable communities.

She learned sign language to communicate with her deaf sister.

17. Argentina - Alina Luz Akselrad, Argentina’s bet is a 23-year-old radio/TV host and a holder of Harvard University certificate in persuasive writing and children’s rights. She has authored books on young women's empowerment and guidance. She’s not just tall, she

20. Romania - Bianca Lorena Tirsin T h i s 22-year-old business ETON administration CONCEPCION student at Aurel Vlaicu University in Arad can complements her height with high-fashion outfits. just be the next Miss 18. Jamaica - Miqueal-Symone Williams Universe. An This 24-yearambassador old model for Cetatea and student in Voluntarilor marketing at the Arad and University of awarded the the West Indies “ Vo l u n t e e r has created a of the Year” project that award since provides 2017, her internet access main focus to Jamaican within the children who organization is cannot attend rehabilitating online school hospitals, classes due to organizing events for children with Down lack of internet syndrome, and raising funds for impoverished access. Called areas in her community.

“The Bloom Initiative,” Miss 21. Vietnam - Khanh Van Nguyen Tran Jamaica can Social media favorite Miss Vietnam is 25 certainly share years old. She currently works as an ambasthis project with the rest of the world especially sador of One Body Village - an organization those who badly need it. that supports, rescues, and helps girls who are victims of exploita19. Cambodia – Sarita Reth tion and Miss Cambodia is 26 s e x u a l years old, a degree holder a b u s e . in English, attended the pri- N e a r l y vate French primary school a victim Lycée Français René- of sexual Descartes, and abuse, she is presently pur- learning the suing a Mas- art of selfters Degree in d e f e n s e .

I n t e r n a t i o n a l Vietnam is Relations at always highthe Royal Uni- fashion and versity of Law has fabulous pasareand Economics. la.

An actress, she received the ABS-CBN will bring 2016 UNFPA the Miss Universe 2020 Cambodia Youth Cham- coronation finals live pion Award for her advo- telecast via the A2Z channel cacy in promoting gender at 8:00 a.m. on May 17 and equality, reproductive will also be streaming health rights, and campaign commercial-free on against gender-based vio- iQiyi. (Read part 2 on lence in Cambodia.

Friday)

PAGEANT CONCEPT

1) The name, mailing address, and e-mail address of such person; 2) A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and 3) The grounds relied upon.

Any of the persons mentioned in the preceding paragraphs may access the copy of the Application on the Commission’s official website at www.erc.gov.ph.

Finally, all interested persons may be allowed to join the scheduled initial virtual hearing by providing the Commission, thru legal.virtualhearings@erc.ph, with their respective e-mail addresses and indicating therein the case number of the instant Application. The Commission will send the access link/ s to the aforementioned hearing platform within five (5) working days prior to the scheduled hearing.

WITNESS, the Honorable Commissioners ALEXIS M. LUMBATAN, CATHERINE FUENTES P. MACEDA, FLORESINDA G. BALDO-DIGAL and MARKO ROMEO L. FUENTES, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 13th day of April 2021 in Pasig City.

AGNES VST DEVANADERA Chairperson and CEO

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation; Engineering Equipment Incorporated Power; Therma South, Inc.; Sarangani Energy Corp.; FDC Misamis Power Corporation; Mindoro Grid Corporation; Coincident Peak; A Resolution Directing All Distribution Utilities (DUs) to Conduct a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) in the Procurement of their Supply to the Captive Market adopted on 20 October 2015; G.R. No. 172835, December 13, 2007; A Resolution Adopting the Guidelines Governing Electronic Applications, Filings and Virtual Hearings Before the Energy Regulatory Commission.

(MS-MAY 6 & 13, 2021)

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DIGITAL powerhouse GMA Public Vietnam, Kuwait, Australia, United Affairs (GMA PA) forges ahead as Kingdom, Italy, and Thailand. one of the Philippines’ biggest and It was in 2016 when GMA most followed content creators, Public Affairs surpassed 100,000 recently reaching 15 million subscribers on YouTube and subscribers on YouTube. received its Silver Play Button.

The latest feat comes just a year Two years later, it was awarded a after the said channel hit the 10 Gold Play Button for gaining over million subscriber mark that gave 1 million subscribers. And in 2020, GMA Network its second Diamond Digital powerhouse GMA Public Affairs forges ahead as one of the channel earned the Diamond Play Button and becoming the first the Philippines’ biggest and most followed content creators, Play Button for its 10 million Philippine TV company to receive recently reaching 15 million subscribers on YouTube. subscribers milestone. two YouTube Diamond Creator Across popular platforms, GMA awards.

Public Affairs has more than 85 With its wide array of videos that range from previously aired million followers. Data from Tubular Labs and Crowdtangle also documentary, docudrama, news magazine, lifestyle TV shows, to short- showed that in 2020, videos of GMA Public Affairs’ various programs form journalism and explainers, GMA Public Affairs continues to attract earned over 6.5 billion combined views on social media. With 1.3 billion new viewers and subscribers on its YouTube channel. From April 2020 minutes, GMA Public Affairs emerged as the most-watched News and to date, it tallied a total of 2.8 billion views. The YouTube channel also Politics media creator in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) in terms of total recorded 264 million hours of watched videos as of this writing. minutes last September 2020. Also in 2020, GMA Public Affairs was GMA Public Affairs also remains ahead of ABS-CBN News, which listed among the Top 5 Philippine media creators on TikTok. only has 12.1 million subscribers and 1.9 billion views from April 2020 Last month, GMA Public Affairs launched its online campaign to date. “#JabWellDone” which encourages more Filipinos to get vaccinated On top of netizens from the Philippines, the YouTube channel has against COVID-19 and to help curb the spread of the virus. The viewers coming from various parts of the globe including the United campaign organically reached over 8 million users on Facebook alone States, India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Canada, Malaysia, Japan, during the first week of its launch.

Life

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

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HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021

The 360-degree virtual showroom showcases the new look of the Sub-Zero and Wolf’s Makati showroom, with features that allow visitors to navigate the area by clicking and dragging through the interface, read product descriptions, and even measure the product using a ruler tool.

Immersive virtual appliance shopping

By Bernadette Lunas

M

OST of my purchases in the past year until today have been bought online, contributing – albeit modestly – to the multi-billion-dollar e-commerce market here in the Philippines. Despite the availability of this option across a variety of products, there are still a few things I refuse to buy online without physically seeing them first.

Appliances. Especially big ones.

A survey conducted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development found a 7 percent increase in online purchases of home furniture and household products in emerging economies last year. Statista’s Furniture and Appliance E-commerce Report in 2020, meanwhile, projects online sales of this segment will comprise 3 percent of its total market revenue by 2023.

While availability and accessibility is not an issue – what with more brands, retail channels, and e-commerce platforms enabling easy-peasy appliance shopping – my personal concern is just being able to see and imagine the product at work and in its place prior to purchase. Seeing how it would look like in the kitchen.

To break the barrier between online and offline shopping experience, a

virtual version of the newly renovated Makati showroom of premium refrigerator and cooking equipment brands Sub-Zero and Wolf is now accessible to Filipinos.

Redesigned by Architect Anna Sy, managing director of CS Design Consultancy, Inc., the physical showroom of the American appliance brands boasts an ample space and luxurious look with its high-ceiling, easy-on-the-eyes palette, and polished finishes.

“Its well-planned layout has made it easier for clients to imagine how these appliances would fit into their kitchens.

The showroom’s light and bright design allows the luxurious finishes of the products to shine,” Focus Global said in a statement.

“We finished renovating the showroom a few months earlier, but because of the pandemic we weren’t able to

Sub-Zero and Wolf are known for premium refrigeration system and cooking equipment, respectively.

launch it,” related Stephen Sy, president and chief executive of Focus Global.

In light of the current situation, the brands recreated the experience virtually. Launched last year, the 360-degree virtual showroom features the new design of the Makati showroom, thereby allowing clients to step into the space as if they were truly there, and navigate the area.

According to Focus Global, Sub-Zero and Wolf are the first appliance brands in the country to introduce an enhanced digital customer journey in the market,

offering “truly digital and convenient experience from beginning to end”, shared executive vice president Loli Sy. Along with the convenience of seeing all the displays, visitors to the virtual showroom can click and drag through the interface to explore its different areas, click on the tags to read product descriptions or go directly to the brands’ official website, inspect some of the units closer (e.g. virtually open a SubZero fridge), measure the appliances using the ruler tool, and share the link of the specific corner of the showroom to

their designers or to family and friends.

Focus Global also offers a guided virtual tour where sales designers can assist customers and give more information about each product as they go around the tour via video call. Set up an appointment with the brands’ online booking site.

The showroom is open Monday to Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at The Residences at Greenbelt, Manila Tower, Esperanza Street, Makati City. The virtual showroom is accessible through bit. ly/SZWFRez2virtualshowroom.

5 ways to enjoy summer indoors WITH summer plans on hold, many homebound Filipinos are looking for ways to enjoy the bright and sunny season. Quick commerce platform foodpanda offers five ways to have fun at home.

Sundae fun day

Live by the beach

Gather the family and have an ice cream party, with each person scooping their favorite flavors and topping them with an assortment of ingredients.

Houses at Sola are located a mere five-minute walk away from the 1.5-kilometer white sand of Pico Beach.

Watch party

Create a cozy home theater complete with blackout curtains, a speaker setup, and a hefty supply of snacks such as pizza, burgers, and cold drinks.

Grill out

First time foodpanda customers get P100 off for a minimum of P299 worth of food delivery this May.

Nothing says summer like a fun bar- healthy Mediterranean or hearty Italian. becue. Play some summer tunes, fill up Try a new Chinese dish or go Korean. the inflatable pool, and fire up the grill.

Prepare family favorites such as steaks Spa day and hotdogs. Not a fan of grilling? Have Have a pampering day by trying on the flame-grilled food delivered. latest trends and beauty products. Cooling face masks are a great way to refresh Taste trip those pores on a hot summer day.

Explore exciting new cuisines such as For the whole month of May, new

foodpanda customers get P100 off for a minimum of P299 worth of food delivery using the voucher code FUNSUMMER, while those picking up their orders can use PICKUPSUMMER and get P100 off for a minimum spend of P450. Avail of free delivery for a minimum spend of P150 from foodpanda shops using the code SHOPSFD.

Globe At Home launches online help hub

IN A bid to empower subscribers in managing and improving their Internet at home, Globe At Home launched an online account management hub.

The customer care hub #WiFiSolutions contains user guides to educate and help customers solve Wi-Fi issues and manage their broadband account.

Aside from tips and tricks to boost Wi-Fi signal and speed, it also includes a troubleshooting section that eliminates the need to The #WiFiSolutions online call for quick fixes. But if the situation calls help hub aims to help for it, the support section makes it easy to customers manage and improve their Internet book an appointment and track repairs. connection at home.

The site also has sections for managing the customer’s Globe At Home account, with features that let them monitor usage, to improve our customer care, especially president of marketing at Globe At Home. pay bills, and upgrade their plan. now that connectivity plays a bigger role The help hub is accessible via glbe.

“We want to make sure that we are able in daily life,” says Barbie Dapul, vice co/wifisolutions.

HOW do you like the idea of living in home follows a modern tropical theme: your own beach house? a fusion of organic materials such as Costa Del Hamilo, Inc. (CDHI), wood, stones, and lush vegetation with developer of SM Prime’s premium clean lines, contemporary curves, and beach resort communities, offers an a muted color palette. The entire village alternate primary home and haven will be buffered by a swathe of greens. weekend getaway.

“This new seaside resort commuSola at Pico de Loro Cove is CDHI’s nity of Hamilo Coast will exude the first horizontal project and an exclusive same modern tropical appeal as the residential community inside the lux- nine residential condominium develury seaside sanctuary of Pico de Loro opments currently sprawled across Cove in Hamilo Pico de Loro Coast, NasugCove,” said bu, Batangas.

Alexis Ortiga, The location, CDHI senior which can be assistant vice reached by appresident of prox i mately projects and 90-minute sales drive from Accordi ng SM Mall of to Ortiga, lot Asia, is a pricuts will be vate, 2.7-hecsingle-loaded tare enclave Sola lot owners will also get individual membership and regularthat boasts to Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club. shaped, facing open spaces, a a Central Park healthy environment, as well as ameni- Spine that will serve as an area for ties and services that redefine primary leisure and recreation. “It will be living in the “new normal”. Approxi- incorporated with spaces that are mately 40 percent of the area is allo- serene and functional, including a cated for lush greens, pathways, roads, meditation garden, children’s playand open spaces. There are lounging ground, bike lane, and jogging trail.” areas, play areas for kids, and ample Ortiga adds a Rejuvenation Zone lawns for outdoor activities. pocket park will be connected to Most important, the residential com- Pico Beach. munity offers access to 1.5 kilometers Aside from its exclusive amenities, of white sand beach, with a mere five- lot ownership in Sola comes with an minute walk to Pico Beach. individual membership to Pico De The architectural design for each Sola Loro Beach and Country Club.