Manila Standard - 2021 June 18 - Friday

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ROMUALDEZ GRATEFUL FOR DU30’S SUPPORT, NOT RULING OUT VP RUN IN 2022 Lakas-HNP alliance ready to ‘level up‘

By Maricel V. Cruz

HOUSE Majority Leader Martin Romualdez on Thursday did not rule out a vice presidential bid in next year’s polls as he expressed gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte for choosing him

for the position.

“I thank President Duterte for his trust and confidence in me to hold the second-highest position in the land. I am deeply honored that he considers me, a congressman from the Eastern Visayas worthy to serve as the coun-

try’s next Vice President. For this, I will be eternally grateful to the President,” Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, said.

“Currently, I am keeping my options open with regard to the 2022 elections.

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By Maricel V. Cruz THE Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) and the Lakas-Christian Muslims Democrats will form a formidable alliance to ensure victory in next year’s national elections.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez made the announcement amid talks of a possible political tandem

House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD Party President Martin Romualdez (right) is not closing his doors on the 2022 national elections as he expressed gratitude to President Rodrigo “ Rody” Duterte for the surprise endorsement of him as vice presidential candidate in the 2022 elections.

File photo by Ver Noveno

Face shields’ fate up in air VOL. XXXV • NO. 123 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Palace, IATF split on whether protective gear must be lifted or not

By Vito Barcelo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas

F

ACE shields need only be worn in hospitals, the Palace said Thursday, saying this was the new policy set by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Inter-Agency Task Force, however, recommended to the President the continued mandatory wearing of face shields in enclosed and indoor spaces, including hospitals, schools, workplac-

es and commercial establishments.

“While waiting for the President’s decision on the matter, the existing policy on the use of face shields remains in effect,” presidential spokesman Harry

Roque said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, Roque said the President agreed to make face shields mandatory only inside hospitals.

“The President did say that the wearing of face shields should only be in hospitals. All I’m confirming is the President said that and of course what the President said becomes a presidential policy,” the Palace official said in a press briefing.

Roque made the remarks after Senate

President Vicente Sotto III, in a Twitter post earlier Wednesday, said Duterte has agreed that the public should only be required to wear a face shield when they go to hospitals.

Sotto, during a Senate Committee of the Whole hearing on Tuesday, noted that the Philippines is the only country in the world requiring the use of face shields in public spaces.

Earlier, Manila Mayor Francis “Isko Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JUNE 17)

1,339,457 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

6,637 58,407 NEW

ACTIVE

23,276

155

1,257,774

4,585

NEW

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

Bike, phone and cash for A4 full jabs

By Joel E. Zurbano and Willie Casas

MASKED MANNEQUINS. An assortment of face masks and face shields is displayed at a store in Imus, Cavite, with a sales clerk gamely posing in front of mannequins.

Government officials can’t make heads or tails on whether the protective coverings may now be removed or remain to be worn in public places. JR Josue

THE government will give away a bicycle and a cell phone with P5,000 worth of load to economic front-liners in the A4 category who get two jabs of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Department of Labor and Employment said Thursday.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the beneficiaries can use the bicycle and the cell phone to start their own business.

“That is your reward if you show us that you already received two doses of the vaccine starting July 1,” Bello said.

Bello said the Free Bisikleta (FreeBis) project which was launched last year, will be reintroduced as BakSikleta, to help encourage the people Next page

Senator slaps ICC Pimentel vouches for Pacquiao in 2022; ruling party rift deepens down for meddling in local affairs

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Vito Barcelo and Christine Cortez THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has no business interfering in the country’s domestic affairs since the judicial system is working, Senator Christopher Go said Thursday.

Go, who is often seen with President Rodrigo Duterte, said the government’s bloody war on drugs would continue despite the ICC move to Next page

SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III on Thursday said PDP-Laban acting president and Senator Manny Pacquiao would be a “good choice” for the ruling party’s standard bearer in the upcoming 2022 national and local elections.

“I think he (Pacquiao) will be a good choice of the party to push for president, but of course, running should be voluntary, the person should be

willing to run for that particular position,” Pimentel said in an ANC interview.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao and Pimentel said separately they would not attend the rul-

ing party’s national council meeting yesterday, saying it was unauthorized.

Pimentel sits as executive vice-chairman of PDP-Laban of which President Rodrigo Duterte is the national chairman.

“PDP Laban President Sen. Manny Pacquiao will not attend the said activity led by (Energy) Sec. (Alfonso) Cusi & his group,” said PDPLaban Executive Director Ron Munsayac in a Next page

Jobless rate eases despite pandemic, SWS survey says

By Vito Barcelo

FOR Japanese condom makers, the Olympics was supposed to be a golden opportunity, with hordes of eager tourists and tens of thousands of their innovative, ultra-thin prophylactics given to

JOBLESSNESS rate among adult Filipinos dropped to 25.8 percent amid the continuing threat of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the latest survey of Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The SWS said 25.8 percent of the country’s adult labor force remains unemployed, which is 1.5 percent lower than the 27.3 percent found unemployed in November 2020.

However, it noted the figure is still 8.3 points higher than the pre-pandemic level of 17.5 percent in December 2019.

The estimated numbers of jobless are 12.2 million in May 2021 and 12.7 million in November 2020.

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Olympics curbs deflate ultra-thin condom use

Standard wins Rotary Club award MANILA Standard on Thursday was named one of the recipients of the Pro Patria Journalism Award 2021 of the Rotary Club of Manila.

RCM said amid these challenging times, the award recognizes the media’s commitment Next page

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FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Australia boosts PH war on Covid

By Rey Requejo

T

HE Australian government has committed to provide additional P480.2 million to help the Philippines procure COVID-19 vaccines.

Australian Ambassador to Manila Steven Robinson said Thursday that he has already informed Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Health Secretary Francisco Duque, National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez and his deputy Vince Dizon about the latest commitment from the Australian government.

Robinson said Manila will receive the additional procurement and end-to-end distribution support to meet its needs under Australia’s new agreement with UNICEF to purchase safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.

“I have informed Secretaries @teddyboylocisn @SecDuque Galvez and Dizon of Australia’s additional com-

mitment of AUD13.72 (P480.2M) to buy #COVID19 vaccine for the Philippines,” Robinson posted on his Twitter.

“This will make an important contribution to meeting the country’s vaccine needs in 2021,” the Australian envoy added.

Locsin thanked the Australian government for its additional assistance to the Philippines.

This new commitment, according to Robinson, is in addition to their support through the COVAX initiative to which Australia has contributed AU$130 million.

To date, he noted, the Philippines received a total of 5,025,870 vaccine doses from the COVAX facility.

COVAX is the global pooled procure-

Romualdez...

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For sure, the President’s warm support and words of encouragement will weigh heavily on whatever decision I have to make in October 2021.”

“Let me assure the President that I will seek his guidance in the pursuit of this decision,” Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, added.

At the same time, Romualdez said at a news conference via Zoom that he was focused at the moment on pieces of legislation on “how we can be a more efficient House of the People.”

“We would want to finish up the 18th Congress strong,” Romualdez told reporters covering the House.

The President earlier said he would give way and support Romualdez should the lawmaker decide to run for the vice presidency.

As House Majority Leader, Romualdez assured that he would remain “focused on steering the approval of vital legislative measures that the President wishes to be passed before his term ends next year.”

“We have many things to do in the House, there are many bills we need to pass to lighten the lives of our countrymen during the pandemic,” Romualdez said.

The President said he promised Romualdez his support as early as last year at the height of the speakership tussle at the House of Representatives.

The fight then for the Speakership was between Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.

“So this was my deal with him [Romualdez]: ‘Do not bother with that (speakership) and in the next election, which is just around the corner, if you run for vice president, I will support you.’ And I will hold on to that commitment,” the President said.

In a related development, LakasCMD chairman, Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., expressed the party’s gratitude to the President for expressing his support to Romualdez should the latter decide to run for vice president.

Moreno” Domagoso also called on the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to lift its policy mandating the wearing of face shields in all public places to ease the burden on the people.

Based on science, the use of a face shield on top of face masks gives an “additional protection” against COVID-19, molecular biologist Nicanor Austriaco said in a press briefing with Roque.

The IATF-EID in December last year made it mandatory for the public to wear face masks and full face shields in all public spaces to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said he and other lawmakers met with the President Wednesday night, and they were told that they could take their face shields off so they could hear each other.

During their discussion, the President acknowledged that the Philippines was one of the few countries that still uses face shields in the fight against COVID-19, Zubiri said.

He also said that the use of face shields is more needed in hospitals or high-risk areas and jobs.

“Then the topic was focused on the need for face shields and if they were truly necessary,” Zubiri said.

Also at the meeting were House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and Senators Christopher Go, Joel Villanueva, Ramon Revilla Jr., Ronald dela

Jobless...

From A1 The May 2021 survey found the Labor Force Participation Rate at 67.0 percent, or an estimated 47.5 million. It was 66.7 percent or an estimated 46.3 million in November 2020.

The jobless consist of those who voluntarily left their old jobs, are seeking

Olympics...

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But a ban on overseas fans, strict virus rules, and regulations preventing the distribution of their premium condoms to competitors have left manufacturers deflated.

Since the 1988 Seoul Games, hundreds of thousands of free condoms have been distributed at the Olympics, to encourage safe sex as the world’s elite athletes mingle at close quarters.

While organizers are still expected to hand out 160,000 condoms at the pandemic-postponed Games, which start next month, virus rules should limit interaction in the Olympic Village.

The rulebook for athletes specifically warns them to “avoid unnecessary forms of physical contact,” leaving some wondering why condoms are being distributed at all.

The plan to give them out “is some-

ment to help ensure fair and equitable just three percent of its population of 25 distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, million fully inoculated so far. especially to low-income countries like the Philippines.

Possible COVID treatment A repurposed arthritis drug has shown Australia restricts AZ use positive results in a clinical trial of paAustralia recommended that Astra- tients hospitalized with COVID-19, acZeneca’s COVID-19 jab should not be cording to a paper published in the New given to people under 60 on Thursday, England Journal of Medicine. a fresh blow to the country’s glacial Tofacitinib, taken orally and sold unvaccine rollout. der the brand name Xeljanz among othHealth Minister Greg Hunt said con- ers, was tested in a trial of 289 patients cerns over possible links to blood clots hospitalized with severe COVID across meant Pfizer was now “the preferred 15 locations in Brazil. vaccine” for everyone under 60 years old.

Half received the drug – a 10 mg pill Australian authorities had already re- twice a day – and standard care like glustricted the AstraZeneca shot to those over cocorticoids that tamp down an overac50 in April, after several cases of severe tive immune response, while the other blood clots were possibly linked to it. half received a placebo and standard care.

Thursday’s further restriction came After 28 days, 18.1 percent of the group after a 52-year-old woman died of receiving the tofacitinib progressed to blood clotting after receiving the jab. respiratory failure or death, compared to Hunt admitted the move would 29 percent in the placebo group. This rep“challenge” the country’s already badly resented a statistically significant relative stalled vaccine rollout, which has seen risk reduction of 63 percent. AFP

Bike,...

From A1 especially the said workers to have themselves vaccinated.

Bello said an initial 2,000 bicycles will be provided to beneficiaries -1,000 of which will be distributed in the National Capital Region (NCR) while the other 1,000 will be distributed to its regional offices nationwide.

Those who would like to apply for the program may contact the DOLEhotline 1349 or the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns social media account.

The government has started vaccinating those under the A4 priority list this month.

The DOLE’s FreeBis project aims to cushion the effects of the pandemic on the livelihood of workers.

The bicycle units come with a helmet, raincoat, water bottle, thermal bag, and an Android mobile phone with a P5,000 load.

Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) on Thursday delivered to Manila another 1.5million Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine doses from Beijing.

The shipment, which arrived at 7:16 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, includes the first batch of 500,000 doses procured by the private sector.

CEB chief strategy officer Alex Reyes said Cebu Pacific will continue to support the government’s vaccine distribution efforts while helping the private sector obtain doses of the vaccine.

“We are committed to continue contributing in this national fight against COVID-19 through the safe and timely delivery of vaccines from abroad and across our domestic network,” said Reyes.

Over the week, more than 330,000 doses were shipped to different provinces such as Virac, Tuguegarao, Masbate, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga, Legazpi, Bacolod, Cotabato, Butuan, Tagbilaran, Roxas and to Cebu as the newest destination.

Rosa and Francis Tolentino.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the Department of Health (DOH) would appeal the decision, saying now was not the time to stop using face shields while vaccination coverage remains low.

“Any layer of protection is better than less protection,” Duque said.

Earlier on Thursday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Duterte has agreed that face shields must only be worn in hospitals.

Villanueva and Zubiri confirmed their conversation with the President, but said it was “off the cuff” and not an official discussion.

The declaration about face shields has highlighted the differences of opinion within the administration.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that the wearing of face shields is still required, but on Wednesday, treatment czar and Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said they may be removed when outdoors.

DOH spokesperson Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Vega’s statement “has always been the standing policy.”

Face shields, she said, must be work in enclosed public spaces, school, workplaces, commercial establishments, public transport and terminals, places of worship, and other public spaces in which the one-meter physical distancing is not possible and where there are more than 10 people gathered at the same venue at the same time.

Meanwhile, OCTA Research Group fellow Nicanor Austriaco said on Thursday that implementing a 10-day quarantine for incoming travelers in

Metro Manila and Cebu will be effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 variants in the Philippines.

Austriaco said this policy will prevent variants, especially the Delta variant that originated in India, from spreading in the country “like ink spreading in water.”

He warned that the Delta variant is 50 percent transmissible than the original coronavirus strain.

“I would like to support the science in enforcing a 10-day quarantine for international travel in NCR and Cebu,” said Austriaco, during a Palace briefing.

“Why? Because science shows that this quarantine is 99.7 percent effective at preventing variants from entering,” Austriaco said.

Austriaco said he did not support calls to shorten the quarantine period because it would not ensure safety from the more contagious variants.

“I know there is a debate in our country on shortening the quarantine but there is no scientific evidence that a seven-day quarantine would protect us enough from the variant and if it enters Cebu, it will enter the entire country.

It will be catastrophic and we will get another surge and it destroys Christmas this year,” Austriaco said.

Instead of shortening quarantine days, he urged the government to “seek ways to verify quarantine status” of returning Filipinos.

Austriaco suggested allowing vaccinated Filipinos to bypass testing and quarantine, however.

“It is very expensive. It is difficult but it is a sacrifice for the Philippines because we have to protect ourselves from the Indian variant,” he said.

with Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio for the 2022 polls.

“We have a close relationship and we are looking forward to strengthening it further as we look toward the 2022 elections. We will not part ways, so to speak,” he said in a press briefing.

“In fact, we will strengthen our al-

liance and we will formalize that very soon, at a proper time and what is most mutually convenient to both parties,” he added.

He said HNP, Duterte-Carpio’s political party, and Lakas have a longstanding alliance even before the 2019 elections.

But Romualdez clarified that it is premature to speculate on the possible tandem as both he and Duterte-Carpio have yet to firm up their political plans

for the 2022 polls.

“First of all, we do not want to preempt Mayor Sara because she has to make her final decision on the matter but definitely Mayor Inday Sara, her brand of leadership, she is really qualified,” Romualdez said.

“I have not even decided myself on a national run but definitely it is something that we will be considering and making consultations with our partymates and our constituency,” he added.

jobs for the first time, or lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.

Joblessness reached a record-high 45.5 percent in July 2020. It eased to 39.5 percent in September 2020, 27.3 percent in November 2020, and 25.8 percent in May 2021, the SWS said.

The average joblessness rate for 2020 is a record-high 37.4 percent, surpassing the previous record average of 28.8

percent in 2012. The 2019 average was 19.8 percent.

The poll results showed that joblessness rose in the Visayas, from 19.1 percent in November 2020 to 28.7 percent in May 2021, as well as in Mindanao, from 17 percent to 23 percent.

It fell in Metro Manila from 37.8 percent in November 2020 to 30.8 percent in May 2021.

The number of unemployed adults

decreased in Metro Manila, from 37.8 percent in November 2020 to 30.8 percent in May 2021; and in Balanced Luzon, from 32.7 percent to 24.2 percent during the same period.

“The 1.5-point decline in the national joblessness rate was due to decreases of nine points in Balance Luzon and seven points in Metro Manila, offset by increases of 10 points in the Visayas and 6 points in Mindanao,” the SWS added.

hold the President accountable for the thousands of deaths from anti-drug operations.

“They have no business interfering with our internal affairs,” Go said, even as Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the ICC has full jurisdiction over the drug war-related deaths in the country under the Duterte administration from 2016 to March 2019, right before the Philippines withdrew from the ICC. The crimes committed during that period, according to HRW International Justice Program associate director Param-Preet Singh, are “fair game for the ICC.” “The Philippines was a state party to the ICC from November 1st, 2011, to March 17th, 2019,” Singh said in a press briefing Wednesday evening.

Although building the case and establishing pieces of evidence to prove the elements of the crime is going to be a slow and tedious process given that the tribunal operates outside the country’s borders, Singh told reporters that ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has already taken these into consideration and is, therefore, several steps ahead.

“She indicated that she’d already taken steps to preserve evidence knowing that this would be a challenge moving forward,” Singh said.

Singh said this is not the first time that a concerned party does not wish to oblige the ICC. The new prosecutor and Bensouda’s successor, the British lawyer Karim Khan, took her place Wednesday and was also aware of the drug war after his visit to the country back in 2018.

not going to attend that,” Pimentel said.

Should Pacquiao listen to his advice, Pimentel said he would push Pacquiao to declare his presidency by August or September.

“The decision cannot be delayed much longer,” he said, adding that PDPLaban members who intend to run for president should still observe “formalities” within the party.

Moreover, Pimentel said Pacquiao’s “greatest asset” was his rugs-to-riches experience.

“Given the difficulty which our country is undergoing right now and our people, poverty is still widespread. He has seen the different levels of economic situation in the lives of human beings. He has been through all of those. He experienced sleeping in carts and now he is already staying in an exclusive village,” he said.

“He has been there and it is true that he knows what our countrymen are going through. His heart is in the right place. His heart wants to solve the problem of poverty,” he added.

wrong, to be set right.”

“This is a reasonable zeal for one’s country. And we at Manila Standard stay hewed closely to this principle in taking a stand on burning issues,” Estabillo said.

“We are gratified and humbled by your recognition of our work in nationbuilding. While our role is a small one, it comes forth big to us in more ways than one. Bringing you the latest and relevant

news of the day is only half of our daily toil. The other half, and more importantly, is to ensure your paper observes the highest standards of journalism,” he added.

Estabillo also recognized all the employees of Manila Standard who made the award possible.

“This is an award that belongs not to a select few but to all who labor silently to put Manila Standard to bed to see light again each new day,” he said.

Lakas-HNP...

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thing I just cannot comprehend,” tweeted Ken Noguchi, a Japanese mountaineer and environmental activist.

Games organizers say distributing condoms is meant to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, and that the International Olympic Committee has asked for the handouts to continue this year, despite the pandemic.

“The distributed condoms are not meant to be used at the Olympic Village,” the organizing committee told AFP. Instead they are supposed to be “brought back by athletes to their respective home countries and to help them support the campaign to raise awareness,” they added.

While the distribution is going ahead, there’s a wrinkle for manufacturers: a ban on their prized model, condoms that are just 0.01mm thick.

As soon as Tokyo was named 2020 host, Japanese condom firms thrust ahead with their manufacturing to ensure maximum coverage in time for the Games. AFP

Pimentel...

From A1 Viber message.

He said the PDP Laban national leadership, grassroots membership, and old guards of the party see the July 17 assembly as unauthorized.

“Any resolution or decision that will be borne out of this unauthorized activity will be ignored,” added Munsayac.

“I have no hand in that meeting, I’m

Standard...

From A1 “for the protection of free expression.”

Manila Standard publisher Rolando Estabillo, in accepting the award, said the newspaper’s brand of patriotism is “never blind” – pointing to former US Senator Carl Shurz’s famous quote: “My country, right or wrong. If right, to be kept right; if

Senator...

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FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SC upholds MMDA’s number coding scheme

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Supreme Court has affirmed the authority of the Metro Manila Development Authority to enforce measures aimed at resolving traffic congestion in the National Capital Region, including the implementation of the MMDA’s number coding scheme on public utilities.

In an en banc decision penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the SC Court En Banc ruled that petitioners Samson Pantaleon, et al. had “failed to present a clear factual foundation to rebut the presumption of validity of the challenged issuances”, particularly the MMDA’s Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, otherwise known as the number coding scheme, embodied in MMDA Resolution No. 10-16 and MMDA Memorandum Circular No. 08, Series of 2010.

The SC stressed that the assailed MMDA issuances were validly issued pursuant to MMDA’s power to regulate traffic under RA 7924.

Under RA 7924, the MMDA is vested with authority to regulate the delivery of metro-wide services in Metropolitan Manila. The law confers upon MMDA, through the Metro Manila Council (MMC), the power to issue regulations that provide for a system to regulate traffic major thoroughfares of Metro Manila for the safety and convenience of the public.

According to the high court, the MMDA issuances were issued within the limits of the powers granted to MMDA. The tribunal pointed out that the MMDA’s discretion to reimpose the number coding scheme on public utility buses was a reasonably appropriate response to the serious traffic problem pervading Manila.

“The arbitrariness, oppressiveness

and unreasonableness of the implementation of the issuances have not been sufficiently shown. The buses driven by petitioners have not been totally banned or prohibited from plying the Metro Manila roads. However, as in private vehicles, the operation of public utility buses in Metro Manila was merely regulated with a view to curb traffic congestion,” the SC held.

The tribunal noted that “there is no outright deprivation of property but merely a restriction in the operation of public utility buses along the major roads of Metro Manila through the number coding scheme.”

The SC also held that the challenged issuances do no encroach upon the regulatory powers of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board over public utility vehicles under EO 202, saying the MMDA issuances also are not violative of the due process clause of the Constitution.

The SC also held that petitioners, who are bus drivers plying along the routes between SM Fairview and Baclaran, are not the real parties in interest. The real parties in interest are the bus owners/operators or franchisees, it noted.

By virtue of a memorandum of agreement between MMDA and bus operators associations, public utility buses were partially exempted from the number coding scheme. However, the public utility buses were eventually included in the traffic scheme pursuant to the assaile MMDA issuances.

Senators push bidding for power reserves deal

By Alena Mae S. Flores and Macon RamosAraneta THE Senate Committee on Energy has directed the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission to pursue the competitive selection process or bidding for the ancillary services requirement of the grid operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said during yesterday’s hearing that the Senate supports the contracting of reserves but “we want to make sure it is on a competitive manner and its important also to look at all the details.”

NGCP announced on Wednesday it would start the bidding process for its ancillary services requirement to help meet the objectives of the government and secure the best value for power consumers.

Ancillary services are support services needed to maintain power quality, reliability and security of the grid.

ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera asked NGCP to come up with some sort of bidding and “30 days should start today, 30

days will be from today”.

Gatchalian, however, urged DOE and ERC to use the established CSP rules for distribution utilities and electric cooperatives.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi expressed willingness to sit down with ERC and even supervise the CSP process for the conversion of the non-firm AS contracts to firm contracts.

DOE said the lack of firm AS contracts contributed to the lack of reserves plaguing Luzon grid.

NGCP president Anthony Almeda said in an earlier statement the conduct of the CSP will provide the best price to consumers.

NGCP, however, said procuring AS on either firm or nonfirm basis is not a solution to the recurring brownouts in the country.

“What we have is a supply, and not a distribution, problem.

For the grid to effectively address imbalances between supply and demand, we need to increase the power capacity of the country to meet rising demand as we start to recover and fully reopen the economy,” Almeda added.

‘Seniors must enjoy 20% discount for online buys’ A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Thursday said the 20 per cent discount mandated by law for purchases of senior citizens and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) should include purchases made online.

In filing House Resolution 1880, Rep. Alfred Vargas, chairman of the House Committee on Social Services, said with the pandemic and restrictions on their movements, many senior citizens and PWDs have resorted to buying online, but they don’t get the required discounts.

Vargas attributed this anomaly to the “lack of clear guidelines” from national agencies tasked with implementing the provision on discounts.

“With the lack of clear guidelines from implementing agencies regarding the special discounts on online transactions, millions of Filipino senior citizens and persons with disabilities are unable to avail of the privileges that they rightfully deserve under the law,” according to a resolution filed

by Vargas.

The resolution urges the concerned government agencies to immediately draft and implements guidelines extending the discounts for online purchases.

In HR 1880, Vargas noted that under existing laws, the elderly and PWDs are granted 20 per cent discount on purchases.

These laws, he said, do not make any exemptions for online purchases.

“The Expanded Senior Citizens Act and the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities do not make any distinction on the applicability of its privileges and special discounts between offline and online transactions, and must thus be interpreted to be available for online purchases,” Vargas said in his resolution.

As early as October 2020, Vargas said consumer advocacy groups have asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to release the guidelines to allow the elderly and the PWDS to avail themselves of the discounts for their online purchases. Maricel V. Cruz

SEAFARERS CHOICE. Filipino seafarers receive Pfizer vaccines administered by Manila vice Mayor Honey Lacuna during

symbolic vaccination of seafarers at Palacio De Maynila along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. Looking on (from left) areLabor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Manila Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso and Senator Joel Villanueva. Norman Cruz

Ombudsman suspends Brooke’s Point mayor THE Office of the Ombudsman has found Mayor Jean Feliciano of Brooke’s Point, Palawan guilty of “Oppression or Grave Abuse of Authority” following her illegal actions in stopping the operations of Ipilan Nickel Corporation and demolishing mining properties.

The Ombudsman said that “she is suspended for one (1) year from service without pay” for taking “undue advantage of her official position”.

Records show that Feliciano issued a Closure Order dated May 22, 2017, a Cease and Desist Order dated July 24, 2017, and a Demolition Order dated August 11, 2017 against Ipilan Nickel on the

strength of a resolution from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) revoking the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) of the company.

But the DENR resolution has yet to attain finality at the time pending a decision on Ipilan’s motion for reconsideration, making the ECC valid and subsisting, the Ombudsman said.

Without authority, Feliciano led the demolition of gates, fences, staff house, and other structures in the mine site, an event “duly supported by reports and affidavits of witnesses” according to the Ombudsman. In a June 5, 2020 Resolu-

tion, the DENR eventually confirmed the validity of Ipilan’s ECC and recalled the Cease and Desist Order it issued. “We have always conducted our operations under applicable rules and regulations and remain firmly committed to responsible mining. We hope this decision will allow us to move towards community development and sustainable growth in Brooke’s Point and nearby communities,” said Engr.

Carlo Matilac, project operations head of Ipilan Nickel. The cutting of trees in the area earlier elicited reactions from some quarters but the Office of the Ombudsman notes that Ipilan had a valid Special Tree Cutting and EarthBalling Permit.

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News

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021

Ex-extremists now eligible for Labor aid program

By Vito Barcelo FORMER members of violent extremist groups who have voluntarily abandoned their causes are now qualified for the Department of Labor and Employment’s Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

In a statement, Bello also said that families of recovering drug dependents, applicants of the “Balik Probinsiya, Bagong Pag-Asa” program, and dependents of casualties in legitimate police and military operations are also eligible for assistance under DILP, subject to existing guidelines.

DILP is a DOLE flagship program that provides grant assistance for capacity-building on livelihood and entrepreneurial ventures for vulnerable and marginalized workers.

Former members of the Abu Sayyaf, Maute, Dawlah Islamiya, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and Turaife groups, among others, may apply to the program.

“I issued supplemental guidelines on the implementation of the DILP to expand its covered beneficiaries, and we are reaching out to more members of our society for a truly inclusive development,” Bello said.

The new eligible for DILP program under DOLE Administrative Order No. 126 series of 2021 also includes individuals who will implement the Free Bisikleta or Freebis program, an alternative employment or livelihood opportunity through a small vending or delivery business.

The maximum amount of assistance for the individual Free Bisikleta livelihood project is increased from P20,000 to P25,000 inclusive of working capital, coverage to micro-insurance, and training.

Punish makers of vulgar DepEd modules —Win THOSE who created and cleared a selflearning module with a vulgar description of the mythical Filipino creature “aswang,” which Sen. Win Gatchalian believes was deliberate, should be held accountable, the lawmaker said yesterday.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture stressed those involved in the creation and clearing of the said material should be penalized.

He was referring to a Department of Education (DepEd) module that was flagged in a hearing of the House committee on public accounts.

The said module used an obscene Filipino word that means sexual intercourse in English.

Since the meaning of the word is clear and obviously not appropriate for young learners, Gatchalian suspects the inclusion of the word in the module was intentional.

What’s worse for Gatchalian, however, is how these materials still get through DepEd’s quality assurance process.

“Obviously, the system failed. And we also need to investigate this matter and hold the quality assurance mechanism or those people who are implementing the quality assurance to account. But more importantly, look for that person who wrote that,” said Gatchalian. Macon Ramos-Araneta

DRUGS AND GUNS.

Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar shows to the media confiscated highpower firearms, ammunition, illegal drugs, and cash from a group led by former Talitay, Maguindanao Mayor Montasser Sabal, who was killed trying to escape his police escorts on Thursday. Manny Palmero

Rody leaves BARMM polls to local leaders

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Muslim political leaders to meet as a council and resolve the issue on proposals to postpone the elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) until 2025, said Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Once they have settled the issue, Duterte told them to come back to Malacañang for the final meeting with him on the June 24, the senator said Thursday.

According to Zubiri, the President was also largely neutral on proposals to defer the BARMM elections.

He said the President merely listened to

the pros and cons on the issue in a meeting Wednesday night with the officials of BARMM headed by Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim and regional governors.

“Both sides presented their position on the matter,” said Zubiri.

He said BARMM officials presented a scenario that they have not really been

able to govern and take off due to the late appointment of the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority (BTA) as well the COVID-19 pandemic, triggering several shutdowns in the region.

“Their view of postponement was supported by the Local Governments of Lanao Sur, Basilan and Tawi tawi,” related Zubiri.

However, he said those opposing the deferment headed by Sulu Governor Sakur Tan kept insisting on the need to the right of suffrage in the region. This was also acknowledged by the President, the senator said.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, Chair of the Senate Local Government, pointed out that elections may be difficult as there has been no passage of an electoral code for the region.

A5 VACCINATION. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora (center) witnesses the vaccination against the coronavirus of those who belong to the A5 category or indigent residents at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San J uan City.

Manny Palmero

’Fewer violence vs. women cases, but more unreported’

By James Paul Gomez and Alain Kyle Robredillo ALTHOUGH the country logged fewer cases of violence against women (VAW) in 2020, an expert said Thursday the lack of mobility due to lockdown restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an underreporting of cases of abuse of women.

“It can be ten times more or one hundred times more,” said University of the Philippines Center for Women and Gender Studies director Nathalie Africa-Verceles.

She said the statistics only provide a surface-level of awareness on the prevalence of VAW, as there are still unreported accounts of women abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The VAW statistics are useful for us to have an idea (about the cases), but the numbers are inaccurate,” Africa-Verceles said in an online interview.

In the report published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded 15,553 VAW cases in 2020, falling 27.2% compared to the 21,366 cases in 2019.

CHED says QCU now full-fledged university

By Rio N. Araja

SEABORNE AID. Led by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) District Northeastern Mindanao, up to 200 grocery packs were distributed to fishermen in the waters of Barangay Ipil, Surigao City. This initiative was made possible in collaboration with the PCG Auxiliary 809th Squadron, BRP Kalanggaman (FPB-2404), and PCG Special Operation Group. PCG Photo

THE Quezon City University is now a full-f ledged higher education institution after compliance with all the requisites of the Commission on Higher Education.

CHED chairperson Dr. Prospero de Vera III and UniFAST executive director Ryan Estevez awarded the certificate of recognition to QCU represented by Mayor Joy Belmonte.

“This CHED recognition is a testament to the quality of education that we provide in QCU. For years, we have continuously strived to provide improved higher education programs for our students that will prepare them as they join the workforce.

We believe this achievement will open more opportunities for our QCians,” Bel-

monte said.

With the institutional recognition, full tuition fee and miscellaneous fees of more than 8000 qualified scholars will be covered by CHED’s UniFAST program.

The Quezon City Polytechnic, now QCU, was established on March 1, 1994, by virtue of the City Council Ordinance No. SP-171 offering technical and vocational courses.

In 2001, the school was renamed Quezon City Polytechnic University after it reached university status in 2001.

In 2019, the city council passed Ordinance SP-2812 converting QCPU to QCU to align with the Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act which provided free higher education in state and local universities and colleges.

Ex-mayor dies trying to flee police escorts A FORMER mayor in Maguindanao was shot dead while allegedly trying to escape and shoot it out with his police escorts on Thursday.

Former Maguindanao Mayor Montasir Sabal was arrested at the Port of Batangas at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, together with his companions Philippine National Police Chief General Guillermo Eleazar said in a press conference at Camp Crame.

Sabal had been tagged as involved in the deadly 2016 night market bombing in Davao City, Eleazar said, citing intelligence information.

He was being transported to Camp Crame early Thursday when he allegedly grabbed a gun from a cop and shot one of his escorts.

“Sabal shot one of the escorts but failed to hurt the cop, who was wearing a vest,” Eleazar said.

He said Sabal was one of the suppliers of arms and explosives to rogue Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

The ex-mayor was also found to be one of the planners of the Davao bombing, which the BIFF has claimed responsibility for, Eleazar added.

At least 12 people were killed, and dozens were injured when an explosion ripped through the night market on Davao City’s Roxas Street on September 2, 2016.

During the arrest of Sabal’s group on Wednesday at the Port of Batangas, police operatives recovered firearms and suspected illegal drugs.

Eleazar said one of Sabal’s possible motives was to use the firearms for the upcoming elections.

Du30 nominates Roque to UN int’l law expert panel

By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte nominated Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque to be part of a United Nations (UN) expert panel that develops and codifies international law.

Roque is one of the 11 nominees from the Asia Pacific Region to the International Law Commission (ILC), alongside Japan and the United Kingdom; China, South Korea; Thailand; Cyprus; Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka; Mongolia; and Lebanon and Bahrain.

Roque was a former human rights lawyer, a professor on International Law in the UP College of Law, and a lawmaker before his stint as Duterte’s spokesperson.

Based on the advisory issued by the United Nations on the International Law Commission, the United Nations General Assembly will elect eight individuals to the International Law Commission from the Asia Pacific Region.

Roque thanked President Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr. for his nomination.

Opinion Depositions clarified

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021

B1

EDITORIAL

as when he or she is abroad or in a remote place in the Philippines (Section 4, Rule 23, ARCP). The deposition is commonly used for this purpose since the attendance of a witness in court cannot be compelled by a subpoena for the said reason. A warrant to arrest the TO SOME lawyers, the taking of a witness cannot be issued to require atdeposition is of minimum legal value. tendance in court nor can the court hold Why take a deposition when the depo- the non-attending witness by reason of nent is expected to evade the questions distance of more than 100 kilometers in or simply deny material and relevant contempt (Section 10, Rule 21, ARCP). facts within his knowledge? This was When a witness is sick, infirm or the question I received more than a de- of advanced age, a deposition can be cade ago when I delivered a Mandatory taken as his or her testimony in court.

Continuing Legal Education lecture to I was once faced with such a predicalawyers. ment when my septuagenarian client, The taking of a deposition is a mode who had a serious heart ailment, told of discovery. It is taken under oath in me that he cannot physically testify in the presence of any judge in the Phil- court because it may cost him his life. ippines, a notary public, or any person Aside from filing a Motion to take his authorized to administer an oath stipu- Written Interrogatories with supportlated in writing by the parties (Section ing documents to prove his deteriorat10, Rule 23, 2019 Amendments to the ing physical condition, he had to be Rules of Civil Procedure [ARCP]). The brought to court with an ambulance for deponent may be a visual examinaexamined on any tion of the judge. matter, not priviDepositions may The taking of a leged or confidenalso be taken in tial, which is reledeposition is a mode a foreign country vant to the subject before: (a) a conof discovery. of the pending case sular office of the or action.

Republic of the The deposition Philippines; (b) a or examination, person or officer appointed by commiswhether oral or written, is in a question sion or under letters rogatory; and (c) and answer form. It may be mistaken any person authorized to administer an for an examination in court if taken be- oath stipulated in writing by the parties fore a judge, but it is different from an (Section 11, Rule 23, ARCP). A comexamination taken during trial. To ful- mission is “an instrument issued by a ly appreciate its legal significance, the court of justice … directed to an indiunderstanding of its uses is imperative. vidual by name … authorizing him to A deposition may be used to contradict take the depositions of the witnesses or impeach the testimony of the depo- named therein, while letters rogatory is nent as a witness (Section 4, Rule 23 a request to a foreign court to give its ARCP). This happens when the depo- aid, backed by its power to secure the nent who is presented as a witness in desired information” (Dulay v. Dulay, court is impeached with the use of his G.R. No. 158857, November 11, 2005). or her own deposition that contains inThe manner of taking the deposition consistent statements. by the deposition officer is as follows: The deposition of a deceased witness (1) to put the deponent/witness on oath; may be used as the latter’s testimony in (2) to record by stenography the testia court proceeding. However, the depo- mony unless the parties agree othersition of the deceased witness given in wise; (3) to note the objection of any a former case or proceeding, judicial party; (4) to submit to the deponent the or administrative, involving the same transcribed examination for review and parties and subject matter, may only signature, unless the reading and signbe given in evidence against the ad- ing are waived by the witness and the verse party who had the opportunity to parties; and (5) to enter the changes, if cross-examine him or her (Section 49, any, in the form or substance desired by Rule 130, 2019 Amended Rules on Ev- the witness/deponent (Section 17, Rule idence).

23, ARCP).

It is also possible that the witness resides more than 100 kilometers from full version on www.manilastanthe place of the trial or hearing, such dard.net

BDO must resolve credit card woes

BANCO de Oro’s slogan “We find ways” seems reassuring at first. Unfortunately, I experienced lately how BDO has found ways to inconvenience their customers, particularly credit card holders in this time of the worldwide deadly COVID virus transmission.

I had informed BDO of my travel abroad and my intent to use my BDO Platinum They find American Express card, and indeed.

I was assured I should have no problem using it in the United States.

When I tried to use it in San Francisco CA, however, I received a phone message from BDO, notifying me that my credit card had been “blocked.”

Just as anyone normally would, I directed my credit card concern to BDO’s customer service hotline.

My BDO Amex card was reactivated

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

in no time so I thought it was just a minor glitch and nothing that would spoil my trip.

In a few days, however, I found my credit card blocked once again causing me inconvenience, which apparently defeats the purpose of credit card use for cashless purchases and charges especially during international travels under these uncertain times.

So, I went online to contact the BDO customer service hotline but this time I found the call center attendant horribly inefficient and insensitive to my predicament. Obviously, she also lacked understanding of credit card transactions. ways, “Mag-e-exceed na po kasi kayo sa credit limit ninyo Sir kaya nablock ang inyong card”, was all she can tell me despite my available credit limit or amount to spend is still way over a hundred thousand pesos.

“Sorry to hear that, sir. Sige po ia-unblock po namin ang card nyo,” was all the BDO customer service representative had to say.

It’s grossly frustrating and I’m anx-

Regional COVID-19 spike

T

assurance that the Philippines is now far from experiencing another spike.

On the contrary, the population should still exercise caution due to the threat from the Delta variant of the virus that earlier swept India.

HE virus transmission rate in the Philippines has slowed down in the past two weeks, especially in Metro Manila, but this doesn’t mean COVID-19 will not rear its ugly head again.

We should continue to be cautious.

Stricter quarantine and lockdown measures have successfully reduced the daily number of COVID-19 cases in the country to around 5,000 to 6,000 from the high numbers in April. A report of the independent OCTA Research Group said Metro Manila recorded an average of 829 cases a day from June 9 to 15, or down 13 percent from the previous week. The cases correspond to an average daily attack rate of six per 100,000, putting Metro Manila under a moderate risk classification.

The declining rate, though, is not an

Neighboring countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, which have porous borders with the Philippines in the south, have been recording a surge in COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Health has just confirmed that the Delta variant is the cause of the recent spike.

Indonesia, which has the most number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia at 1.95 million, is reporting daily cases near 10,000 in the past two weeks, its highest since late February.

The cases just soared to 12,264 yesterday. The Jakarta government in response extended quarantine restrictions for another 14 days to June 28 to contain the spread of the virus.

Malaysia also stretched its own lockdown period until June 28 after COVID-19 daily cases hit over 5,000 in the past three weeks. Malaysia has logged over 678,000 cases as of yesterday.

The current high infection rate in these two Southeast Asian nations could spill over to the southern part of the Philippines, a concern that Philippine authorities must closely monitor.

Malaysians from Sabah can easily travel to the southernmost part of the Philippines and trade with Filipinos living in the Sulu Archipelago and vice versa.

The same is true in the Davao-General Santos-Tahuna-Bitung (North Sulawesi) sea route of the Philippines and Indonesia.

COVID-19 can easily pass through international borders as we have seen in the past. The Philippine should be vigilant to stop a new source of transmission in the south.

Communist China controls the nation’s electricity supply CITIZEN BAROK LOUIS ‘BAROK’ BIRAOGO THE recent bouts of unplanned, rotational power failures throughout Luzon have created quite a stir.

“Brownouts,” as these power outages are called locally, are the last things this country’s crowded hospitals need during these deadly times of COVID-19. They also aggravate summer, the time when the demand for electricity is well felt.

Beyond all that inconvenience, the Filipino people should be made aware that Communist China controls the nation’s dependence on electricity. This was made possible by President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and his cohorts in the Liberal Party (LP).

To truly understand the mess, a brief backgrounder is in order.

In 2009, the LP-dominated Congress enacted Republic Act No. 9511, the franchise of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). Although the NGCP sounds like a government agency, it is actually a private consortium composed of three corporations -- the Monte Oro Grid Resources Corporation, the Calaca High Power Corporation, and the State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid).

Documents indicate that State Grid is completely owned by the communist government in China, and is touted as the largest utility company in the world.

Under its franchise, the NGCP is a monopoly service operator mandated to manage the national electricity grid of the Philippines in accordance with implementing directives issued by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Two of those directives are the Philippine Grid Code promulgated by the ERC, ious it might happen again so I wish to be enlightened, having received no prior notice of the bank’s action because other credit cards from different banking institutions would simply decline any transactions beyond the card holder’s credit limit.

I was aware that I had not maxed out my credit limit. I have been conscientiously paying my monthly credit card dues.

which are expected to be ready at all times, can supply the increased demand for electricity in that particular area.

In converse, the grid rechannels electricity from areas where the demand is less to places where the demand is great.

Under that system, unplanned power failures anywhere are not supposed to happen. Only scheduled power outages can take place, and only for the purpose of grid maintenance and repairs.

So how come the unplanned rotational power failures actually took place all over Luzon weeks ago? The NGCP is to blame for the mess.

Just recently, it was learned that the NGCP adamantly refuses to comply with the Philippine Grid Code of the ERC and the circular on ancillary services of the

DOE. In an announcement it posted on social media last week, the NGCP declared that it isn’t bound by the Code and the circular.

Restated, the NGCP said it will not comply with the provisions of both its franchise and the EPIRA Law. Further, the NGCP allowed several of the power plants affiliated with the national electricity grid to stop operating, on the lame excuse that it is expensive to keep them running continuously.

As a consequence of the NGCP’s improvidence, the sudden rise in the demand for electricity in Luzon weeks ago resulted in a sharp reduction in the available supply of electricity. This triggered the national electricity grid to automatically shut down in random areas of the system, there being no stand-by power plants to provide the needed power. As a result, Filipinos all over Luzon were made to suffer unplanned, rotational power failures, which made the summer heat even more unbearable.

To keep the supply of electricity continuous, the NGCP says it will have to buy electricity from power plants that are not affiliated with the national electricity grid.

Because those power plants are free to quote spot prices, the cost of the electricity to be purchased from them will be very expensive.

That anomaly notwithstanding, the NGCP is threatening to increase the cost of electricity to be paid by consumers, if the consortium is required to comply with the Philippine Grid Code and the DOE circular. In other words, the NGCP says that there will be no hikes in electricity bills if it is allowed to get away with its non-compliance with its franchise and the EPIRA Law. It is quite obvious that Communist China, which controls the NGCP, is using our nation’s demand for electricity as a weapon against the Filipino people. Congress should step in and put the NGCP in its proper place.

I asked people around and it turned out that a number of BDO credit cardholders have had the same trouble with their credit cards, getting blocked without advance notice.

Some credit cardholders have complained about the bank’s credit card department’s “harassment” in demanding payment for their purchases and charges, their credit cards blocked despite not reaching

their credit limits.

Perhaps Mr. Nestor V. Tan, BDO President and Chief Executive Officer, should look into the unprofessional and lackluster performance of the bank’s credit card division.

I’m confident a major institution like BDO can truly find ways to upgrade customer service to world standards, and provide its clientele the rewarding banking experience they deserve.

and a circular on ancillary services issued by the DOE in 2019. Those directives implement Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (the EPIRA Law), which was enacted to ensure a continuous supply of electricity in the country at reasonable cost to both residential and industrial consumers.

The national electricity grid is actually a computerized system of inter-connected power plants and power distribution outlets all over the country. It is closely monitored by the NGCP to determine and predict where and when electricity is most needed.

To assure a continuing supply of power at any given area where the demand for it is very pronounced, the NGCP adjusts the grid so that its affiliated power plants,

Congress should step in and put the NGCP in its proper place.

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Yellow journalism

1Sambayan is breaking up

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser

What happens now to the VFA?

My fighting faith

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World

HK police raid tabloid Apple Daily, arrest five H

ong Kong police arrested the chief editor and four executives of prodemocracy newspaper Apple Daily on Thursday, raiding its newsroom for a second time in the latest blow to the outspoken tabloid.

The paper and its jailed owner Jimmy Lai have long been a thorn in Beijing’s side with unapologetic support for the financial hub’s pro-democracy movement and scathing criticism of China’s authoritarian leaders.

More than 500 officers were involved in the dawn operation which authorities said was sparked by articles Apple Daily had published “appealing for sanctions” against Hong Kong and China’s leaders.

It is the first time the content of media reporting has sparked arrests under the new security law.

The union representing Apple Daily’s journalists described the operation as a “wanton violation of press freedom” that “displayed how much police power has inflated under the national

security law.”

Officials said the five executives were arrested for collusion with a foreign country or external elements “to endanger national security.”

“They have overall responsibility for the content, style and principles of news reporting,” senior superintendent Steve Li told reporters.

Authorities also confirmed HK$18 million ($2.3m) in Apple Daily assets had also been frozen under the security law, the first time a seizure order has been made directly against a Hong Kong media company, rather than an individual.

Hong Kong is historically a major international media hub although its press freedom ranking has slipped dramatically in recent years. AFP

Some 500 policemen swarm the Apple Daily newspaper office early morning of June 17, 2021, raiding its newsroom for a second time in the latest blow to the outspoken tabloid. AFP

Chinese mourn passing of heroic pig that survived 2018 earthquake

GENERAL GENERALGUIDELINES: GUIDELINES: 1.

1.

2.

2.

Acceptance Acceptance of of Purchase Purchase Offers Offers shall shall start start on on the the scheduled scheduled bidding bidding date date and and time. time.

3.

3.

Dropping Dropping of of bid bid envelopes envelopes will will be be on on the the date date of of bidding bidding from from 8:30 8:30 AM AM to to 10:00 10:00 AM AM only. only. Opening Opening of of Bids Bids will will immediately immediately follow. follow. Late Late bid bid envelopes envelopes will will not not be be accepted. accepted.

4.

4.

The The sale sale IP-RUs IP-RUs isis on on an an “As-Is, “As-Is, Where-is” Where-is” basis. basis. Interested Interested bidders bidders are are enjoined enjoined to to personally personally inspect inspect the the GSIS GSIS IP-RUs IP-RUsfor forsale. sale.“As-Is, “As-Is,Where-Is” Where-Is”isisdefined definedas asthe thepresent presentphysical physicalcondition conditionof ofthe theretail retailunit unitthat thatGSIS GSISisisselling sellingand and the the buyer buyer isis buying, buying, “with “with all all attendant attendant faults, faults, ifif any,” any,” whether whether or or not not immediately immediately apparent apparent and and without without any any express express or or implied implied warranty. warranty. The The buyer buyer takes takes this this condition condition at at his his or or her her own own risk, risk, without without recourse recourse against against the the GSIS GSIS as as to to their their condition. condition.This This includes includes knowledge knowledge by by the the buyer buyer of of the the presence presence of of occupants occupants inin the the retail-unit retail-unit being being purchased. purchased.

5.

5.

C. C.

Pursuant Pursuantto toRepublic RepublicAct Act(RA) (RA)No. No.10963 10963or orthe theTax TaxReform ReformAct Actfor forAcceleration Accelerationand andInclusion Inclusion(TRAIN) (TRAIN)Act, Act,the theselling selling price price of of GSIS GSIS properties properties above above PhP2 PhP2 million million shall shall be be subject subject to to twelve twelve percent percent (12%) (12%) Value-Added Value-Added Tax Tax (VAT).

(VAT).

7.

7.

Purchase Purchase offers offers are are only only accepted accepted inin CASH CASH or or MANAGER’S MANAGER’S CHECK/S CHECK/S payable payable within within thirty thirty (30) (30) calendar calendar days days from from the the date date of of bidding, bidding, without without privilege privilege of of extension. extension.

8.

8.

AAdownloadable downloadable bid bid form form shall shall be be properly properly accomplished accomplished with with the the following following data: data: A. A. B. B. C. C. D. D. E. E. F.F. G. G.

Date Date of of Bidding Bidding Name Name of of the the bidder bidder Exact Exact address address of of property property you you are are interested interested to to bid bid Transfer Transfer Certificate Certificate of ofTitle Title No. No. Mode Mode of of Payment Payment Amount Amount of of bid bid (in (in numbers numbers and and inin words) words) Signature Signature of of the the bidder/representative bidder/representative

9.

9.

Bid Bidproposal proposalshall shallbe bewritten writtenininwords wordsand andininfigures figuresand andmust mustnot notbe belower lowerthan thanthe theMinimum MinimumAcceptable AcceptableOffer Offerof of the the property. property. Should Should there there be be aa difference difference inin the the amount amount inin words words and and inin figures, figures, the the amount amount inin words words shall shall prevail. prevail.

10.

10.

Bidders’ Bidders’deposit deposit equivalent equivalent to to at at least least 10% 10% of of the the Bid Bid Offer Offer plus plus the the 12% 12% VAT, VAT, ifif applicable, applicable, shall shall be be inin the the form form of of aa MANAGER’S MANAGER’S CHECK CHECK payable payable to to the the Government Government Service Service Insurance Insurance System.

System.

Current Current Mayor’s Mayor’s Permit Permit issued issued by by the the city city or or municipality municipality where where the the principal principal place place of of business business of of the the winning winning bidder bidder isis located located IfIf the the winning winning bidder bidder isis aa cooperative, cooperative, a. a. duly duly accomplished accomplished Company/Corporate Company/Corporate Profile Profile b. b. Cooperative Cooperative Development DevelopmentAuthority Authority Registration Registration or or any any proof proof of of such such registration registration c.c. Current Current Mayor’s Mayor’s Permit Permit issued issued by by the the city city or or municipality municipality where where the the principal principal place place of of business business of of the the winning winning bidder bidder isis located located

16.

16.

AA Notice Notice of of Approval Approval of of Sale Sale (NOAS) (NOAS) shall shall be be issued issued to to the the highest/winning highest/winning bidder bidder on on the the day day of of bidding. bidding. The The Bidder’s Bidder’s deposit deposit of of the the other other non-winning non-winning bidder/s bidder/s shall shall be be returned returned immediately. immediately.

17.

17.

The Thedeposit depositequivalent equivalentto toat atleast leastten tenpercent percent(10%) (10%)of ofthe theBid BidOffer Offerplus plus12% 12%VAT VATshall shallbe bepaid paidnot notlater laterthan than3:00 3:00PM PM on on the the day day of of bidding. bidding. The The 90% 90% balance balance of of the the bid bid amount amount plus plus 12% 12% VAT VAT shall shall be be paid paid either either inin cash cash or or inin manager’s manager’s check check within within thirty thirty (30) (30) calendar calendar days days from from receipt receipt of of NOAS, NOAS, without without privilege privilege of of extension. extension.

Sample SampleComputation: Computation: Bid BidAmount AmountisisPhP2,610,000.00 PhP2,610,000.00

Strictly, Strictly, “One “One bidder, bidder, One One specific specific property” property” only, only, which which means means that that aa bidder bidder cannot cannot submit submit two two (2) (2) or or more more bids bids for for one one property. property.AAbidder bidder may may submit submit one one bid bid each each to to as as many many properties properties as as he/she he/she wants wants to to buy, buy, as as long long as, as, he/she he/she posts posts the the required required 10% 10% bid bid deposit deposit of of the the total total bid bid price price for for each each property. property. The The bidder bidder must must present present valid valid government government IDs IDs upon upon registration registration on on the the date date of of public public bidding. bidding.

6.

6.

11.

11.

d. d.

Sale Sale of of GSIS GSIS Investment Investment Properties Properties –– Retail Retail Units Units (IP-RUs) (IP-RUs) shall shall be be through through competitive competitive public public bidding. bidding.

Deposit Deposit --(10% (10%of ofPhP2,610,000.00) PhP2,610,000.00)++12% 12%== PhP PhP261,000.00 261,000.00++ 31,320.00 31,320.00 == PhP292,320.00 PhP292,320.00 Balance Balance--(90% (90%of ofPhP2,610,000.00) PhP2,610,000.00)++12% 12%== PhP2,349,000.00 PhP2,349,000.00++ 281,880.00 281,880.00 == PhP2,630,880.00 PhP2,630,880.00

18.

18.

Non-compliance Non-compliancewith withthe theterms termsand andconditions conditionsstated statedininthe theNOAS NOASwill willresult resultininthe theforfeiture forfeitureof ofthe thebidder’s bidder’stotal totaldeposit. deposit.

19.

19.

In Incase casethe thehighest/winning highest/winningbidder bidderfails failsto tocomply complywith withthe therequirements requirementswithin withinthe thespecified specifiedtime, time,the thesaid saidNOAS NOASshall shall be be deemed deemed automatically automatically revoked revoked and and the the highest/winning highest/winning bidder bidder shall shall be be informed informed inin writing. writing. The The second second highest highest bidder, bidder, ifif any, any, shall shall be be informed informed inin writing writing ifif he/she he/she isis still still interested interested to to acquire acquire the the property. property. IfIf still still interested, interested, he/she he/she must must remit remit the the required required non-refundable non-refundable 10% 10% deposit deposit within within three three (3) (3) working working days days after after receipt receipt of of notice notice from from GSIS. GSIS.

20.

20.

GSIS GSIS reserves reserves the the right right to to waive waive any any formality formality or or to to reject reject any any or or all all bids bids received. received. The The list list of of properties properties available available for for sale sale may may be be updated updated without without prior prior notice. notice.

21.

21.

For For bidding bidding inquiries, inquiries, you you may may call call the the Real Real Property PropertyAccounts Accounts Management Management Department Department (RPAMD) (RPAMD) at at trunk trunk line line numbers numbers (02) (02) 8479-3600, 8479-3600, and and (02) (02) 7976-4900 7976-4900 local local numbers numbers 3228, 3228, 3374, 3374, and and 3396 3396 or or send send an an email email at at mbgonda@gsis.gov.ph, mbgonda@gsis.gov.ph, chplogdat@gsis.gov.ph, chplogdat@gsis.gov.ph,mmmagbanua@gsis.gov.ph, mmmagbanua@gsis.gov.ph,amqjulian@gsis.gov.ph, amqjulian@gsis.gov.ph,or orjsvicaldo@gsis.gov.ph. jsvicaldo@gsis.gov.ph.

Only Only the the participating participating bidder bidder shall shall enter enter the the bidding bidding room. room.

2.

2.

The The bidder bidder must must properly properly wear wear aa facemask facemask and and face face shield shield any any time. time.

3.

3.

Social Social distancing distancing must must be be strictly strictly observed. observed.

4.

4.

Bringing Bringing of of ballpen ballpen isis encouraged. encouraged.

5.

5.

Please Please follow follow the the health health and and safety safety protocols protocols before before entering entering the the GSIS GSIS Building.

Building.

6.

6.

Additional Additional health health and and safety safety measures measures shall shall be be published published on on the the GSIS GSIS website website page page once once the the IATF IATF issues issues additional additional or or new new guidelines. guidelines.

1.

1.

Register Register at at the the RPAMD RPAMD Secretariat/Registration Secretariat/Registration table. table.

2.

2.

Present Present the the sealed sealed Bid Bid Envelope Envelope enclosing enclosing eligibility eligibility documents documents between between 8:30 8:30 AM AM and and 10:00 10:00 AM AM to to the the RPAMD RPAMD Secretariat.

Secretariat.

Properly Properly accomplished accomplished bid bid form; form;

2) 2)

Manager’s Manager’sCheck Checkpayable payableto toGovernment GovernmentService ServiceInsurance InsuranceSystem Systemrepresenting representingdeposit depositequivalent equivalentto toat atleast least 10% 10% of of the the Bid Bid Offer Offer plus plus 12% 12% VAT, VAT, ifif applicable. applicable.

3) 3)

Special Special Power Power of ofAttorney Attorney (SPA), (SPA), ifif the the bidder bidder isis being being represented represented by by another another person. person.

Two Two (2) (2) proofs proofs of of occupancy, occupancy, ifif the the bidders bidders isis the the occupant occupant of of the the subject subject property: property: a. a. b. b.

12.

12.

13.

13.

Barangay Barangay certificate certificate that that the the bidder bidder isis occupying occupying or or residing residing inin the the subject subject property; property; and and Valid Valid Government Government Issued Issued ID ID with with an an address address showing showing that that the the bidder bidder isis currently currently residing residing inin the the subject subject property, property, or or c.c.

Latest Latest Billing Billing Statement Statement under under the the Bidder’s Bidder’s Name Name that that shows shows he/she he/she isis currently currently residing residing inin the the subject subject property. property.

The The following following information information shall shall be be clearly clearly written written outside outside the the sealed sealed bid bid envelope envelope (mailing (mailing envelope). envelope).

The The existing existing tenant tenant or or occupant occupant or or his his duly duly authorized authorized representative representative through through aa valid valid Special Special Power Power of ofAttorney Attorney (SPA) (SPA) has has the the right right to to match match the the offer offer of of the the declared declared highest highest bidder, bidder, provided: provided:

••

Ensure Ensure to to read read and and follow follow the the General General Guidelines; Guidelines;

••

Ensure Ensure that that the the downloadable downloadable Bid Bid form form isis properly properly accomplished; accomplished; and and

••

Ensure Ensure that that the the Bid Bid form form contained contained inin the the sealed sealed envelope; envelope;

IN IN THE THE MATTER MATTER OF OF PETITION PETITION FOR FOR CANCELLATION CANCELLATION OR OR ANNULMENT ANNULMENT OF OF DEED DEED OF OF CONVEYANCE CONVEYANCE OVER OVER LOT LOT COVERED COVERED BY

BY TRANSFER TRANSFER CERTIFICATE CERTIFICATE OF OF TITLE/CERTIFICATE TITLE/CERTIFICATE OF OF LAND LAND OWNERSHIP OWNERSHIP AWARD AWARD NOS.8314/00446441, NOS.8314/00446441, 8346/00446481, 8346/00446481, AND AND 8348/00446483 8348/00446483 ALL ALL SITUATED SITUATED IN IN BRGY. BRGY. AGLAMOMA, AGLAMOMA, (NOW (NOW BIAAN), BIAAN), MARIVELES, MARIVELES, BATAAN BATAAN LORD LORD BYRON BYRON E. E. ABRIZ ABRIZ AND AND ROLANDO ROLANDO A. A. ABRIZ, ABRIZ, Petitioners, Petitioners, -vs-vs-

GUIDE GUIDE FOR FOR BIDDERS BIDDERS 4) 4)

more like a goat.

A local museum near the city of Chengdu had purchased the famous pig for 3,008 yuan ($450) and kept it as a tourist attraction while it lived out its days.

It succumbed to “old age and exhaustion” on Wednesday night, the museum said on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform.

In human terms, it was 100 years old, The Global Times said, citing its breeder.

The celebrity porker was named China’s animal of the year in 2008 because it “vividly illustrated the spirit of never giving up.”

The Weibo hashtag “Strong Pig died” had drawn nearly 300 million views by mid-day Thursday and was rising fast.

Weibo users hailed it as “the most famous pig in history.” AFP

Republic Republic of of the the Philippines Philippines DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT OF OF AGRARIAN AGRARIAN REFORM REFORM ADJUDICATION ADJUDICATION BOARD BOARD Region Region III III OFFICE OFFICE OF OF THE THE PROVINCIAL PROVINCIAL ADJUDICATOR ADJUDICATOR Dinalupihan, Dinalupihan, Bataan Bataan ----------------------------------------------------------------------paradbataan03@gmail.com paradbataan03@gmail.com // (047) (047) 240-5205 240-5205

HEALTH HEALTH PROTOCOLS PROTOCOLS UNDER UNDER NEW NEW NORMAL NORMAL 1.

1.

ALL ALL participating participating bidders bidders shall shall insert insert the the following following documents documents inin aa bid bid envelope: envelope: 1) 1)

A PIG that became an unlikely national icon in China after surviving 36 days under rubble from a powerful 2008 earthquake has died at the age of 14, sparking an outpouring of emotion on Thursday.

“Zhu Jianqiang,” or “Strong Pig,” shot to fame after being discovered alive after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in southwestern Sichuan province on May 12, 2008.

The earthquake left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing and the pig’s miraculous story, subsisting on a bag of charcoal and rainwater, was hailed as an inspiring symbol of the will to survive.

Witnesses said the young “Zhu Jianqiang” had lost so much weight by the time it was pulled from the rubble that it looked

R-0301-0024-0026-2021 R-0301-0024-0026-2021

CELSO CELSO RAMENTO RAMENTO JR., JR., GUILLERMO GUILLERMO MARTINEZ, MARTINEZ, HELEN HELEN CRUZ CRUZ PIODO PIODO AND AND RANCHO RANCHO ANA ANA LIZA LIZA RESORTS, RESORTS, INC., INC., Respondents, Respondents, x----------------------------------------------------------------------------x x----------------------------------------------------------------------------x SUMMONS SUMMONS AND AND NOTICE NOTICE OF OF HEARING HEARING

3.

3.

Make Make sure sure to to final final check check the the content content of of the the sealed sealed bid bid envelope envelope before before proceeding proceeding to to the the Bid Bid Box. Box.

4.

4.

Only Only participating participating Bidders Bidders will will proceed proceed to to the the Bid Bid Box Box to to drop drop the the sealed sealed Bid Bid Envelope Envelope (ask (ask assistance assistance of of RPAMD RPAMD Secretariat/Personnel Secretariat/Personnel only). only).

5.

5.

Once Once the the sealed sealed envelope envelope isis inside inside the the Bid Bid Box, Box, we we are are refrained refrained from from retrieving retrieving the the envelope. envelope.

6.

6.

Opening Opening of of Bids Bids will will immediately immediately follow. follow.

TO TO :: CELSO CELSO RAMENTO RAMENTO JR. JR. Brgy.

Brgy. Biaan, Biaan, Mariveles, Mariveles, Bataan Bataan HELEN HELEN CRUZ CRUZ PIODO PIODO Brgy.

Brgy. Biaan, Biaan, Mariveles, Mariveles, Bataan Bataan

GUILLERMO GUILLERMO MARTINEZ MARTINEZ Brgy.

Brgy. Biaan, Biaan, Mariveles, Mariveles, Bataan Bataan RANCHO RANCHOANA ANALIZA LIZARESORTS, RESORTS, INC. INC. Unit Unit 1403, 1403, Ritz Ritz Tower, Tower,Ayala AyalaAvenue Avenue Makati Makati City City

GREETINGS: GREETINGS:

He/she He/she participated participated inin actual actual bidding bidding and and Inserted Inserted the the two two (2) (2) proofs proofs of of occupancy occupancy inside inside his/her his/her bid bid envelope envelope as as indicated indicated inin Number Number 99 of of these these guidelines guidelines

You You are are hereby hereby summoned summoned and and directed directed to to file file your your verified verified answer answer to to the the complaint complaint // petition, petition, copy copy of of which which is is herewith herewith served served upon upon you, you, within within aa non-extendible non-extendible period period of of fifteen fifteen (15) (15) days days from from receipt receipt hereof hereof pursuant pursuant to to Section Section 1, 1, Rule Rule 77 of of the the 2009 2009 DARAB DARAB Rules Rules of of Procedure, Procedure, attaching attaching therewith therewith the the affidavits affidavits of of witness/es witness/es and and documentary documentary evidence, evidence, if, if, any. any.

14.

14.

IfIfthe theoccupant occupantwill willexercise exercisehis/her his/herRight Rightto toMatch Matchthe theoffer offerof ofthe thedeclared declaredhighest highestbidder, bidder,he/she he/sheshall shalladjust adjusthis/her his/her initial initial deposit deposit based based on on the the bid bid amount amount of of the the declared declared highest highest bidder. bidder. He/she He/she must must also also pay pay the the adjusted adjusted deposit deposit on on the the day day of of bidding. bidding.

Both Both parties parties are are hereby hereby directed directed to to attend attend the the preliminary preliminary conference conference of of the the case case on on July July 13, 13, 2021 2021 at at 1:30 1:30 pm. pm.

15.

15.

The The declared declared highest/winning highest/winning bidder bidder shall shall submit submit within within fourteen fourteen (14) (14) calendar calendar days days of of the the actual actual bidding, bidding, the the following following documents: documents:

A. A. B. B.

A. A.

B. B.

IfIf the the winning winning bidder bidder isis an an individual, individual, a. a. duly duly accomplished accomplished Personal Personal Profile Profile (with (with attached attached recent recent two two (2) (2) pieces pieces of of 2x2 2x2 ID ID pictures pictures of of the the winning winning bidder) bidder) b. b. photocopies photocopies of of two two (2) (2) valid valid IDs IDs (at (at least least one one should should be be aa government-issued government-issued ID) ID) IfIf the the winning winning bidder bidder isis aa corporate corporate entity entity or or partnership, partnership, a. a. duly duly accomplished accomplished Company/Corporate Company/Corporate Profile Profile b. b. Registration Registration Certificate Certificate from from the the Securities Securities and and Exchange Exchange Commission Commission (SEC) (SEC) c.c. Articles Articlesof ofIncorporation Incorporation(if (ifcorporation), corporation),Articles Articlesof ofPartnership Partnership(if (ifpartnership), partnership),General GeneralInformation InformationSheet, Sheet, and and By-Laws By-Laws duly duly certified certified by by the the SEC SEC

Dinalupihan, Dinalupihan, Bataan, Bataan, May May 18, 18, 2121.

2121.

HON. HON. NOEL NOEL L. L. PAREL PAREL Provincial Provincial Adjudicator Adjudicator For For the the Adjudicator Adjudicator EMILY EMILY CRYSTAL CRYSTAL M. M. NACIN NACIN Clerk Clerk to to the the Adjudicator Adjudicator (MS-JUNE (MS-JUNE17/18/19, 17/18/19,2021) 2021)

(MS-JUNE (MS-JUNE4/11/18, 4/11/18,2021) 2021)

CYAN CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK

Business PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, June 17, 2021

-85.43 PTS. 6,887.92

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

3,294,213,342 115,243 14,183,561,270.07 76 129 41

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.1280

Japan

Yen

0.009039

0.4350

UK

Pound

1.399000

67.3311

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128823

6.2000

Switzerland

Franc

1.100837

52.9811

Canada

Dollar

0.814930

39.2210

Singapore

Dollar

0.748783

36.0374

Australia

Dollar

0.761100

36.6302

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655760

127.8164

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

12.8338

Brunei

Dollar

0.745990

35.9030

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.032092

1.5445

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.1039

Euro

Euro

1.199600

57.7343

Korea

Won

0.000883

0.0425

China

Yuan

0.156326

7.5237

India

Rupee

0.013648

0.6569

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.242954

11.6929

New Zealand

Dollar

0.705300

33.9447

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036009

1.7330 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Dyson of UK eyeing full R&D center in PH

B3

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

PH dips 7 places in 2021 competitiveness ranking T

By Othel V. Campos

HE Philippines dropped seven places in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2021 on poor economic performance amid the pandemic, the IMD World Competitiveness Center of Switzerland said Wednesday.

The Philippines fell from 45th spot last year to 52nd place among 64 countries this year, its lowest ranking in five years.

The Philippines in the Asia-Pacific region ranked 13th among 14 nations, just ahead of Mongolia at the bottom.

IMD and local partner Asian Institute of Management attributed the steep decline of the Philippines’ ranking to economic performance, government and business efficiency this year. Its economic perfor-

mance fell the hardest due to the pandemic while unemployment rates doubled from around 5 percent to more than 10 percent.

It also suffered in terms of public finances and productivity of firms in the private sector.

The declines were observed on gross fixed capital formation, labor force longterm growth, medical assistance, long term growth on employment, government surplus/deficit, real GDP growth per capita, real GDP growth, exchange rate stability, unemployment rate, researches in R&D per capita, youth unemployment, bribery and corruption, public finances, pension funding and exports of commercial services.

The IMD said that while there were declines in many of the criteria, there were also some improvements. The biggest improvements were noted on current account balance, foreign currency reserves per capita, homicide, patents in force, internet users, banking sector assets, tourism receipts, women in management, pollution problems, electricity costs for industrial

clients, unemployment legislation, pupilteacher ratio, access to water and youth exclusion.

The report noted the key attractiveness indicators that would help the Philippines improve its ranking. Respondents of the executive opinion survey ranked the attractiveness indicators as skilled labor, open and positive attitudes, high educational level, cost competitiveness and dynamism of the economy.

The IMF, with the help of the AIM, identified the challenges the Philippines confronts in 2021, including ensuring inclusive economic recovery and quickly reviving business and consumer confidence; effectively controlling the COVID-19 epidemic and implementing full vaccination rollout; building resilient social infrastructure especially in health and education; sustaining increased investments in physical and digital infrastructure; and, maintaining fiscal health while adequately providing stimulus and support especially for vulnerable sectors.

THE Board of Investments and British lifestyle consumer appliance manufacturer Dyson Ltd. are in talks over the the firm’s plan to expand its research and development office in the Philippines after five full years of sales growth.

BOI managing head and Trade undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said the company had made known its interest to put up a software and R&D center in the Philippines “Just last year, even at the height of the pandemic, they announced their expansion into software with plans to further strengthen research and development from the Philippines. We are now in discussion for a full blown R&D center here in the Philippines,” he said Wednesday during a virtual business forum between the Philippines and Switzerland.

Dyson Electronics Pte. Ltd. Philippines, a unit of Dyson Ltd., exports Dyson vacuum cleaners to Switzerland. Dyson vacuum cleaner is the top export of the Philippines to Switzerland, Rodolfo said.

The Philippines, he added, is the biggest production base of Dyson.

Othel V. Campos

SEC affirms ruling vs Tanco brokerage THE Securities and Exchange Commission affirmed the findings of the corporate watchdog Capital Markets Integrity Corp.

(CMIC) that the stockbrokerage firm of businessman Eusebio Tanco, Venture Securities Inc., violated multiple trading rules that led to the collapse of another stockbrokerage firm—R&L Investments Inc. The development prompted Tanco to decline his nomination as director of the Philippine Stock Exchange in the forthcoming board elections on July 2.

“Recent events which, unfortunately and unjustifiably, have besmirched the reputation of Venture Securities and its officers and employees compel me, out of delicadeza, to decline the nomination for membership in the Board of the Exchange,” Tanco said in a statement.

The SEC en banc in its decision dated June 15 also denied the appeal of VSI to reverse and set aside the resolution issued

by CMCI, which found the stock brokerage in violation of the self-regulatory organization’s rules and imposed a corresponding penalty of P5.16 million.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Vivant seeks capital expenditure of P7b LISTED Vivant Corp. is looking at capital expenditure budget of up to P7 billion in the next three years, with the bulk going to power investments, officials said Thursday.

Vivant is spending P5 billion for power and around P1.4 billion to P2 billion for its infrastructure projects.

“We mentioned that we are allocating P5 billion in capex not specifically for all RE (renewable energy but for all projects for the next three years so that’s until 2023,” Vivant Energy Corp. executive vice president and chief operating officer Emil Andre Garcia said during a virtual briefing.

Garcia said P3 billion would be spent for 2021 capex as the economy reopens.

Vivant Energy spent around P500 million last year due to the impact of COVID-19.

Garcia said the company was also pursuing investments in conventional types of generation. “However, because of our aggressive RE targets, a large chunk of that is allocated for RE,” the official said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Manila

Standard

ANOTHER CEB DELIVERY. Cebu Pacific safely transports 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from Beijing TODAY to Manila via flight 5J 671 to support the rollout of the vaccination program. Included in the shipment is the first batch of privately procured vaccines to arrive in the country consisting of 500,000 Sinovac doses.

PAL booked P82.6-b losses since the start of pandemic

By Darwin G. Amojelar PAL Holdings Inc., the operator of Philippine Airlines, on Thursday reported a total of P82.6 billion in losses since the start of the global pandemic and until the first quarter of the year as it finalizes a comprehensive restructuring plan that would revive its operations.

The Lucio Tan-led airline said its total comprehensive losses amounted to P73 billion last year, higher that P10.20 billion in 2019.

The airline also incurred a P9.60billion loss in the first quarter of the year, slightly lower from P10.72 billion in the same period last year.

PAL Holdings blamed the huge losses last year and the first quarter to the worldwide travel restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Revenues of PAL amounted to P55.3 billion last year compared with P81.8 billion worth of expenses.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global airline industry incurred record losses of more than P6.1 trillion amid a 65-percent decline in airline passenger traffic, the sharpest drop in history.

Emirates Airlines last year lost about P290 billion, Lufthansa, P385 billion, Cathay Pacific, P134 billion, Singapore Airlines, P154 billion and Japan Airlines P125 billion.

To continue its operations despite the huge losses, PAL has drawn on bridge funding and support from its majority shareholder, deferred payments through the forbearance of lessors, lenders and suppliers; carried out a retrenchment program; and implemented cost-cutting measures.

“To complete the recovery, PAL management and stakeholders are working on the final stages of a comprehensive restructuring plan that will enable the airline to emerge financially stronger from the current global crisis,” the airline said.

Imported vehicle sales up 59% in five months THE Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. said Wednesday sales by member-companies jumped 59 percent in the first five months to 25,217 units from 15,811 units a year ago.

“We attribute the gradual improvement in AVID sales to our members’ tireless commitment to provide customers with quality vehicles and after-sales service that will see them safely through life’s many journeys. We all must keep on pitching in to weather this storm and to bring us all closer to our dreams in the new normal,” said AVID president Ma. Fe Perez- Agudo.

The industry group said sales of passenger cars grew by 29 percent in the five-month period to 6,357 units from 4,928 units a year earlier, while those of light commercial vehicles rose 68 percent to 18,128 units from 10,782 units. Commercial vehicles sold reached 732 units, up 624.7 percent from 101 units in the

same period last year.

It attributed increased vehicle sales to the gradual re-opening of the economy and less restrictive quarantine measures. Suzuki was the top seller in the passenger car segment with 3,259 units sold, followed by Hyundai with 2,170 units.

Ford dominated the light commercial segment with 7,692 units sold. Suzuki placed second with 4,933 units while Hyundai was third with 2,450 units sold.

Data showed that month-on-month sales increased by 8.1 percent to 4,864 units in May from 4,496 units in April. While passenger car sales dipped by 5 percent to 1,029 units from 1,087 units, sales of light commercial vehicles went up by 22.4 percent to 3,814 from 3,116 units.

Commercial vehicle sales suffered a downtrend of 93 percent to 21 units in May from 293 units in April.Othel V. Campos

NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING Please be informed that the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of HARBOR STAR SHIPPING SERVICES, INC. (“HSSSI”) will be held and conducted virtually via the MS Teams online meeting platform on Thursday, 08 July 2021, 9:30 a.m. for the following purposes: 1.

2.

3.

Call to Order Certification of Notice and Quorum Approval of the Minutes of the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting held on 23 September 2020 4. Management Report 5. Amendment of Article II of the Amended Articles of Incorporation to include in its Primary Purposes the business of conducting ship repair, building and breaking activities 6. Approval of Audited Consolidated Financial Statements of HSSSI and its subsidiaries as of 31 December 2020 7. Ratification of all acts, resolutions and proceedings of the Board of Directors and of Management, done in ordinary course of business since the 23 September 2020 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting up to 08 July 2021 8. Election of Directors 9. Appointment of External Auditor 10. Other Matters 11. Adjournment

BSP stays calm on expected US Fed rate hike

By Julito G. Rada BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Thursday the possibility of an early interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve will not have any significant impact on the Philippines because of the country’s solid and strong macroeconomic fundamentals.

“Any rate hike by the Fed will not be an immediate threat to the Philippines. Our GIR [gross international reserves] is healthy and interest rates now are at rock bottom,” Diokno said in an online news briefing.

“There will be a mid-term election in the US next year. I doubt the Fed chairman will ‘rock the boat’ amid the [ongoing] uncertainties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Diokno said.

Diokno assured that local monetary authorities would be ready if the Fed decides to increase interest rates sooner. “We could do a lot of measures [on this],” he said.

Reports from the US indicated the Federal Reserve signaled an increase in interest rates earlier than previously expected amid the accelerating economic growth and inflation.

After a two-day meeting, Fed officials left the main interest rate near zero and said the agency would continue to make massive purchases of Treasury and mortgage bonds to support financial conditions and the recovery.

More Fed officials now see a rate hike happening next year or in 2023. Most Fed officials in March expected no rate change through 2023.

Experts warn Asia-Pacific leaders on WHO’s ‘baseless’ vaping rules A GROUP of acclaimed experts sent letters to Asia Pacific’s health ministers and secretaries to express their deep concern about the World Health Organization’s latest Tobacco Product Regulation Report.

The Expert Advisory Group of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates warned that WHO’s study group was not acting in public health’s best interests by recommending bans on all aspects of vaping that are the cornerstone of its effectiveness.

“Vaping has been critical in helping smoking adults move away from a product that has a 50-percent chance of killing them to the safer

alternative that has less than a 10% chance of causing harm,” the group said in the letter.

The group of scientists, researchers and harm reduction policy advocates said WHO’s TobReg does not provide credible guidance based on science and evidence.

This is despite health leaders requiring evidence-based recommendations to guide their development of pragmatic, risk-proportionate public health regulation, they said.

It addressed the letter to Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul, The Philippines’ Dr. Francisco Duque III, New Zealand’s Andrew Little, Australia’s Greg Hunt, Hong Kong’s Sophia Chan,

Indonesia’s Dr. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Malaysia’s Dr. Adham Bin Baba, Taiwan’s ShihChung Chen and India’s Dr. Harsh Vardhan.

“We respectfully ask that when it comes to decision making around tobacco harm reduction you continue to rely on the international and independent evidence first and foremost as the science,” said CAPHRA’s expert advisory group.

Sending a link, the group strongly suggested that the region’s health leaders and their colleagues review the most recent report from the Royal College of Physicians UK.

The record date for stockholders entitled to notice of, participate and vote at the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting is set on 04 June 2021 (“Stockholders of Record”).

Considering the current circumstances, Stockholders of Record may only attend/participate via proxy, remote communication or vote in absentia, subject to validation procedures.1 Only validated stockholders will be provided access to the MS Teams meeting platform and can cast their votes in absentia on or before 29 June 2021 via the Corporation’s secure online voting facility.

Stockholders who wish to participate in the meeting via the MS Teams online meeting platform and to vote in absentia should notify the Office of the Corporate Secretary through a Letter of Intent to be sent via e-mail to asm-2021@harborstar.com.ph or fill up the registration form at www.harborstar.com.ph/asm2021registrationform on or before 23 June 2021.

The Corporation is not soliciting for proxies. Stockholders who are unable to join the meeting but wish to vote on items in the agenda by proxy must submit their duly accomplished proxy forms via email to asm-2021@harborstar.com.ph on or before 23 June 2021.

Stockholders may send their queries and comments to the Management Report and other items in the Agenda to asm-2021@ harborstar.com.ph on or before 02 July 2021.

The Definitive Information Statement containing the attendance, voting and election procedures, along with the Notice, Agenda, Proxy, Management Report, SEC Form 17-A, , SEC Form 17-Q and other information related to the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting can be accessed at http://www.harborstar.com.ph/investors/pse_disclosures.

Very truly yours, (SGD) IGNATIUS A. RODRIGUEZ Corporate Secretary 1

For the detailed registration and voting procedures, please visit http://www.harborstar.com.ph/ and refer to the “Guidelines for Participation via Remote Communication and Voting in Absentia and through Proxy”.

(MS-JUNE 17/18, 2021)

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

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FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021

PH Azkals gear up for next phase of campaign THE Philippine Azkals will now get ready for the next stage of their campaign.

Azkals coach Scott Cooper said this following the end of their joint 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup qualifying campaign.

The national men’s football team got challenged and played to a 1-all draw with Maldives on Tuesday (early Wednesday morning, Manila time) at the Sharjah Stadium in Sharjah, UAE. This allowed the Philippines to finish Group A in third place with their 3-2-3 win-draw-loss record.

“We wanted to push the national team up. This game will provide proof that they can buy into that, something that can help the team move up,” said Azkals coach Scott Cooper.

The Philippines is now in the third round of the 2023 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup qualifiers with Jordan, which made it to third place in Group B. Bahrain and Palestine are also in the mix with India, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia and Turkmenistan.

Second placer China finished its bid in Group A with a 3-1 win over top-finishing team Syria.

During their game, Angel Guirado scored his10th goal for the Azkals with a volleyed strike past Maldives goalie Mohamed Faisal in the 19th minute.

Six minutes later, Maldivian forward Ali Fasir struck back when he escaped from the Philippine backline.

Peter Atencio

Gilas Pilipinas hero SJ Belangel scores against two Korean defenders during the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers on Wednesday at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center in Angeles City, Pampanga. Belangel hit the buzzer-beating, off-balanced triple that gave the Philippines a pulsating 81-78 win and a berth in the FIBA Asia Cup in Indonesia in August. fiba.basketball

Gilas hopes for better chemistry vs Indonesia

Korea bounces back with rout of Indonesia 5

FORMER Philippine Basketball Association import Guna Ra, also known as Ricardo Ratliffe, struck the thick of the fight until the end. with 23 points for Korea as they

By Peter Atencio The Indonesians have suffered two swamped Indonesia, 104-81, yesblowout losses to Korea and Gilas in the terday.

ECOMING a cohesive team is in the works for first window in February 2020.

The win allowed the Koreans After that, the Indonesians bounced the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball to bounce back from their 78-81 back by taking down Thailand, 90-76, team. loss to the Philippines in the onin the Bahrain window last November. going Group A hostilities of the Gilas will again draw firepower from Indonesia, on the other, is also in the And this is what Team Philippines will 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers guards Dwight Ramos and Belangel and strive to achieve when it confronts Indonesia main draw, since they are the host nation at Angeles University Foundation big men Angelo Kouame, Kai Sotto, at 6 p.m. today (Friday), with practically noth- of the event.

Sports and Cultural Center in AnCarl Tamayo and Justine Baltazar.

Friday’s game could well be a no-bearing at stake for both teams but bragging rights. geles, Pampanga.

Kouame dished out big numbers Having a better game than what they ing one, but it will test how far Gilas playNakheon Kim shot 14 points, against Korea with 12 points, 6 rebonds have shown against Korea will allow ers have bonded as a team. while Jun Seok Yoo chipped in 12 and 3 steals.

And so did Sotto with 11 “There was not a lot of system and coGilas to move forward with more confifor the Koreans, who posted their points and seven rebounds. dence in Group A of the 2021 FIBA Asia hesion out there. We’ll get to that as time third triumph in four outings.

On the other hand, the Indonesians will Cup Qualifiers at Angeles University goes by. But this is the game (vs Korea), Lester Prosper banged in a bring up a strong frontline, with AmeriFoundation Sports and Cultural Center in where our players just stepped up and game-high 25 points and 12 recan-Indonesian cager Brandon Jawato fimade big plays,” said coach Tab Baldwin.

Angeles, Pampanga. bounds for the Rajko Toromnally cleared to play as he teams up with The Gilas mentor talked about his obserGilas posted its fourth straight win in the nan-coached Indonesian side. naturalized player qualifiers, this time over Korea, 81-78, on vations after their encounter with Korea.

Korean coach Cho San Hyun Lester Prosper According to Baldwin, Korea took on Wednesday evening on a buzzer-beating, is relieved that his team has manunder the boards. off-balanced triple by SJ Belangel, thereby Team Philippines with its usual intensity aged to recover from their unforbooking a seat to the tournament proper of and physicality. But these waned in the latter tunate to Gilas. stages of the game, allowing Gilas to stay in the FIBA Asia Cup, set this August.

“We have our strong points, and that’s our fastbreaks and pressure defense. But the whole still needs to improve,” said Cho. Meanwhile, Toroman, who used to coach Gilas, said he and the talented 16-year old, who earlier second set as they trailed, 1-3. Fortuthe Indonesian squad promised in the day, lost to fifth-seed Andrea nately, they found their second wind and to give Team Philippines a hard Lazaro Garcia of Spain, 6-2, 4-6, won four straight games, capped off by a time.

4-6, to bow out of the singles com- break of their opponents’ serve to move “Tomorrow, we will try to push petition. in front, 5-3. The Lahey-Tjandramulia rethem. In this moment, they are In the doubles contest, the pair of taliated with a break of their own to stay the favorites, and better than us.

Eala and Jimenez Kasintsevas got off to alive, 4-5, but Eala and Jimenez KasintWe will try to make sure that they a fantastic start as they led 3-0. Howev- sevas answered with another break to will have a hard time,” said Toroer, the Lahey-Tjandramulia found their capture the second set, 6-4, and force a man. bearings and won the next four games third set decider The Koreans quickly took a to surge in front, 4-3. The game endIn the race to 10 affair, the Eala-Jimenez 27-12 lead in the first period, beed up being tied at 5-5 but Lahey Kasintsevas immediately went to a 3-0 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK hind a driving layup and a jumper and Tjandramulia broke Eala and lead but could not sustain their momenfrom Seounghyun Lee. Jimenez Kasintsevas’s serve to go tum, committing two double faults to Lee’s trey in the last 58 seconds up, 6-5, and then, held their serve to trail, 4-5. The Lahey-Tjandramulia duo of the opening quarter later saw win the first set, 7-5. eventually cruised to the 10-6 win in the Korea taking an 18-point spread, Eala and Jimenez Kasintsevas third set to secure the match and a place 26-8. Peter Atencio ALEX EALA found themselves in trouble in the in the semifinals.

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Eala, Andorran bow out in quarterfinals FILIPINA tennis ace and Globe ambassador Alex Eala saw her run in the W25 Madrid come to an end after she and partner Victoria Jimenez Kasintsevas lost to American Ashley Lahey and Australian Olivia Tjandramulia, 5-7, 6-4, 6-10, in the doubles competition of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour W25 Madrid at the Ciudad de la Raqueta in Spain.

The defeat ended a tough day for Manila

Standard

TODAY

PH beach volley teams begin bid for Tokyo slots

(MS-JUNE 18, 25 & JULY 2, 2021)

THE Philippine beach volleyball teams set in motion their bid for Tokyo Olympic berths in the semifinals of the Asian Volleyball Confederation Continental Cup on Friday in Nakhom Pathom, Thailand.

Bannered by Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, the women’s team will have its hands full against powerhouse Japan and New Zealand, with the men facing the same daunting task against Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan and Lebanon.

The other women’s pair of Dij Rodriguez and Babylove Barbon as well as the men’s tandems of Jaron Requinton and James Buytrago and Jude Garcia and Anthony Arbasto complete the Philippine campaign backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine National Volleyball Federation partner Rebisco. Rondina, the most experienced on the team having competed in the Rio 2014 qualifiers, said she will be treating every match like a championship game.

“In this set up, it’s a do or die game because one win, you’re in the final, and one loss, you’re out,” Rondina said. “This is a rare opportunity for us, facing very strong

teams because we’ve been battling teams in the Southeast Asian regions.”

Charo Soriano, PNVF’s beach volleyball commission chair, thanked the federation’s supporters as the country goes for potential berths in Tokyo.

“It’s really a collaborative effort among the PSC, PNVF, Rebisco, Taguig City, Ilocos Norte and all those who are supporting the sport,” Soriano said. “I have much respect for everyone who planned, strategized and made this opportunity possible for our athletes.”

The Philippines, according to PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara, qualified for the Continental Cup semifinals by virtue of the bronze medal finishes in both the men’s and women’s divisions in the 2019 SEA Games.

Only the No. 1 teams in both genders will advance to the Tokyo Olympics. The finals are set on June 24.

DIJ RODRIGUEZ

PH BEST COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDERS Special Feature

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FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 advertise@manilastandard.net

Top communications service providers: Making lives easier

By Peter Paul Duran

F

OR as far back as anyone who knows how to text on a keypad can remember, it was just between two household names.

Back when dial-up was still a thing and until your first status update, you were acquiring the services of either Globe or Smart/PLDT. Nowadays, with the entry of a third telecommunications player and the existence of other broadband connections either fixed, wireless, or satellite,

the Philippine telco scene has come a long way.

Consumers, likewise, now have the broader power to choose the best plan and provider that suit their everyday needs.

According to Ookla, the global leader in internet testing, data and analysis, the country ranks 80th in

the world in terms of fixed broadband speeds with 49.31 Mbps while for mobile, PH is 84th globally with a 29.12 Mbps download speed.

Read on as we list down some of the Philippines’ best communication service providers and what they are committing to improving these numbers. Next page

Converge dives deep in ‘blue ocean’ of Philippine fiber broadband

Dennis Anthony Uy Converge CEO and Co-Founder

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ONVERGE, the only pure play fiber broadband service provider in the country today saw the pent-up demand for quality and affordable fixed broadband services in the country even before the pandemic.

Demand for fiber broadband became even more important when people were forced to stay at home following the movement restrictions amid the pandemic.

In fact, Converge said fast, reliable and affordable internet access became a lifeline for those working from home, having online classes, and even for entrepreneurs who had to pivot their businesses towards the new digital economy.

Aside from this, Filipinos are avid social media users. The Philippines is said to have about 76.2 million social media network users that is seen to grow to 90 million by 2025.

Filipinos are said to spend an average of about 4 hours and 15 minutes each day on social media, significantly higher than the global average of 2 hours and 25 minutes.

Converge, which is focused on fiber technology to provide world-class fixed broadband internet services, worked aggressively to meet customers’ demand for connectivity.

The company saw its subscriber base nearly double during the pandemic to almost 1.2 million at the end of March 2021 compared to the previous year’s level when the pandemic just started.

To be able to service the surge in demand, Converge more than doubled the number of installation teams compared to before the ECQ lockdown, enabling the company to substantially reduce the backlog of installation by the last quarter of 2020.

“Customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do as an organization and we will make sure that they get the best possible experience, especially in this time of the pandemic,” said Converge CEO Dennis Anthony H. Uy. In December 2020, Converge installed 86% of new NCR subscribers within seven days and 64% within one day of application, respectively.

These augmentations, combined with improvements in the customer onboarding and installation process, allowed Converge to further increase rapid conversion from application to installation.

Converge also significantly increased their customer support and enhanced their digital channels, to respond to customer queries, leading to reduced drop call rates for both our customer care and service desk teams.

“Currently, we have almost tripled the number of our customer contact agents, bringing our answer call rate to 90%. We have scaled up our installation and repair teams. We are also investing heavily on the digital infrastructure to further improve the customer experience,” Uy reported.

“GO DEEP” AND “GO NATIONAL” Converge’s mission since the beginning is to provide fiber-powered broadband connection to unserved and underserved markets.

This means continuing to implement improvements on the customer service and support, while widening availability and accessibility of its products.

Filipinos.

The company, which debuted on the local bourse in 2020 - with the biggest IPO at that time in the Philippine Stock Exchange – made its competitors in the fixed broadband market sit up and take notice.

Converge believes competition can bring about two clear benefits - it forces existing players to innovate, that is, to introduce something new that will give them an advantage over competitors while consumers are introduced to better technology or services.

The more choices a consumer has in a given product market, the more competitive the environment, and so market players are ‘forced’ to offer the best product at the optimal price.

Thus, Converge has introduced products to its subscribers such as the Time of Day FiberX Plan that allows our subscribers to choose day or night time when they can experience double the speeds of their base plans at just an additional P399 monthly fee.

With high-speed broadband penetration in the Philippines still low at 12%, Converge sees the fiber Converge’s business center in Reliance, reconfigured to comply with health protocols broadband market as still a ‘blue ocean’ market— and thus has a lot of room for growth and more than Availability will be accomplished through ASEAN markets such as Vietnam (66%), Thailand enough space for more players to compete. network rollout - connecting Visayas and Mindanao (35%) and Malaysia (30%). to the Converge fiber backbone - while deepening As a broadband market, the Philippines is one of FIBER FOR SPEED the existing network in Luzon to more regions and the most underdeveloped in Asia with the slowest For Converge, the best gauge of the performance provinces. average service speeds in the region. is achieving, if not exceeding, its own targets.

Accessibility means making sure fiber broadband This has been due to a number of factors that Converge boasts of having the newest and most products remain within reach of Filipinos and the include: the country’s archipelagic topography, modern fiber network compared to its competitors. company offers value-for-money since it already which makes inter-island connectivity difficult and The company is banking on fiber optic provides 35 Mbps at an entry level price of P1,500. costly; and the underinvestment in fixed broadband technology which remains far superior to any The company is committed to be accessible and infrastructure by telecommunication operators wireless technology when it comes to quality and give the best value for customers. whose primary focus has been and continues to be speed of connectivity.

Under Converge’s twin strategy called “Go mobile and wireless, rather than fixed broadband.

Fiber broadband is delivered straight to each Deep” and “Go National,” the company continues To address this, Converge is building a national home or customer via a dedicated fiber cable line to increase fiber broadband penetration in areas backbone. compared to via mobile signal that comes from where it already has a presence.

As of May, the submarine cables connecting a cell tower that is shared by all users within the As part of the Go Deep strategy,for example, Luzon to Mindanao have been finished and laid limited area reached by the radio waves from the Converge continues to roll-out in more cities and out. Converge reached the shores of Cebu in April cell tower and is susceptible to signal disruptions municipalities in Luzon. and Cagayan de Oro in May. like walls and other structures.

The company continues to add capacity because “The fiber cables - the submarine and inland - had Fiber optic technology can also realistically there are areas where Converge is sold out and been interconnected. We are in the phase of lighting offer up to 100 Gbps connectivity compared to some areas where service is not yet available thus it up, which means putting up the equipment so by 5G technology that can only reach up to 20 Gbps providing room for growth. the end of this quarter, the backbone from Aparri to download topspeed.

Meanwhile, Converge’s “Go National” strategy Davao will be live,” said Jesus “Boboy” Romero, The company decided to invest in fiber as there refers to its expansion into Visayas and Mindanao. Converge Chief Operations Officer. has been so much investment and competition The company recently connected both regions At the same time, Converge is continuing to roll in mobile technology for decades and apparent to its national fiber backbone and on June 7, 2021, out the last mile network. underinvestment in fixed broadband. officially launched services in the Visayas with the Converge’s mission is to reach 55% of Philippine Latest data show each Filipino already has two opening of a regional office and business center in households with its network by 2025. As of March, SIM cards for wireless services. Meanwhile, highMandaue City in Cebu province. the Company’s national household coverage is a speed broadband internet penetration in the country Converge expects to roll-out our services in little over 28% which means the company is on is only at 12% as of end-2020.

Mindanao within the second half of the year. track to meet its targets.

This means that only one household for every On the international side of the network, In the first week of June, Converge had a grand 100 families in the country has a high-speed Converge recently invested announced its plan to launch in Cebu for its services and will soon launch internet connection, a sad plight as the internet is invest roughly $100 million to secure much needed in other cities in Visayas and Mindanao in the vital to empower people in this digital age. capacity on the Bifrost Cable system, a transpacific second half.

Moreover, while the bandwidth demands of cable being built to connect Singapore to the US. customers continue to grow exponentially, mobile Part of the investment is developing a branch to MARKET DISRUPTOR network operators will need to continue upgrading spur off to the Philippines and a cable landing Among the factors that hinder the connectivity their network to accommodate this demand. station in the southern region of the country. is the country’s archipelagic topography, which Fiber, in terms of its technical specifications, makes inter-island connectivity difficult and costly. can already accommodate the high bandwidth SERVING THE UNTAPPED MARKET Another factor is the underinvestment in fixed requirements that the current mobile networks According to Converge, the Philippine fixed broadband infrastructure by telecommunication cannot. broadband market is a ‘blue ocean’ market operators whose primary focus has been and 5G may have the bandwidth capacity and the with connectivity needs that are significantly continues to be mobile and wireless, rather than speed to accommodate that but right now, the underserved and underpenetrated compared to fixed broadband. market may not be ready. Device manufacturers other regional markets.

Thus, as the only pure fiber broadband internet and application developers are still preparing Media Partners Asia reported that the Philippines provider in the market, Converge is introducing 5G-capable devices. ended 2020 with a fixed broadband penetration some disruption in the competition, and investing To know more about Converge, visit www. of almost 12% (compared to fixed broadband heavily in fiber broadband infrastructure to penetration of 9% in 2015), lower than most other provide world-class quality connectivity to more convergeict.com

Converge’s flagship business center in Pampanga

Converge lineman, completes installation of fiber line (photo taken before the pandemic)

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|| FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 advertise@manilastandard.net

PH best communication service providers

Filipinos’ reliance on internet at an all-time high

By Coleen Magahis and James Santua

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HE COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lockdown after lockdown since 2020, disrupting the way people live their lives.

The Philippines started enforcing indoor directives in March of 2020 in an attempt to curb the COVID-19 transmission in the country, resulting in the increase of Filipinos’ reliance on internet connection for information.

According to the National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Household Survey performed by the Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in October 2020, 17.7% of all residences in the country have Internet access.

Smartphone shipments increased by 26.8% to 4.2 million devices between January to March, the International Data Corporation stated.

The results indicated that smartphone use is increasing, with telecom companies PLDT and Globe reporting higher mobile internet traffic during this period.

“Despite the economy contracting in 2021Q1, the smartphone market continued to thrive, indicating a growth in demand for devices during the pandemic.

Lockdown restrictions softened across the country for most of the first quarter and vaccinations started rolling out in March,” said the Client Devices Market Analyst of IDC Philippines, Angela Jenny Medez.

In July 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte issued a decree emphasizing the

importance of expediting LGU permissions so that more cellular towers may be installed to increase communication and connection in the Philippines.

According to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), 2,789 Local Government Unit (LGU) licences were granted to telcos between January and April 2021, a 294 percent growth over the average of 1,636 LGU permits given in 2019.

From 2020 to 2021, the population of internet users in the Philippines rose by 4.2 million, +6.1%. In January 2021, 67 percent of Filipinos had internet access.

While the number of mobile connections, or cellular data, in the country de-

clined by 15 million, -8.9%, respectively from January 2020 to January 2021.

In the recent Ookla Speedtest Global Index report, the Philippines’ mobile internet speed has improved to 84th out of 177 countries, up from 86th in January.

Ookla Speedtest Global Index The most recent Digital 2021 report in February showed that the Philippines

Top communications....

From C1

PLDT/SMART The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company or PLDT as we know it today was founded nearly a century ago back on November 28, 1928. The company is now a leading telecommunications and internet service provider in the country thanks to its three principal business groups focused on (1) fixed-line, (2) wireless, and (3) information and communication technology.

According to the company, it offers the “largest and most diverse range of telecommunications services across the Philippines’ most extensive fiber optic backbone and fixed line, cellular and satellite networks.”

Furthermore, its subsidiary, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is a whollyowned wireless communications and digital services arm that serves approximately 96% of the country’s cities and municipalities with its combined 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G network, the company says.

With world-first innovations such as Smart money, Smart Load, Pasa Load, Smart Padala, all the while leading the pack when it comes to revolutionary products and services, PLDT/Smart provides mobile communications services, highspeed internet connectivity, as well as access to digital content and services to support the country’s growing digital economy.

CONVERGE ICT Converge is a relatively new player in providing connection to the Filipino household.

Banking on its high-speed fiber offerings at affordable rates, the company stays true to its commitment to “provide pure end-to-end fiber internet connection.”

Although the company mainly offers fiber internet connection, it’s worthy to note the role of Converge in connecting more and more Filipinos. From their network facilities to your home, Converge ensures no loss in data transmission or slowdown in internet connectivity, leading to greater speed and bandwidth “only capable with Optical Fiber wires, all the way,” as the company claims.

For its efforts, Converge ICT Solutions, Inc., recently bagged Bronze in the 2021 Asia-Pacific Awards for the New Product Category Award for Innovation. For the second year running, Converge also received the Fastest Growing Fibre Internet Service Provider award from the International Finance Awards.

“Without a doubt, our goal is to continue innovating and providing a quality internet connection that will not only support but also enrich the lives of the Filipino people,” said Converge Co-Founder and CEO Dennis Anthony Uy. GLOBE As per the company, Globe is “not simply a telco company.” It shares that it is an organization that creates and enables digital life for the Philippines. Ultimately, it envisions that every Filipino can “access choices, overcome challenges, and discover new ways to enjoy life.”

With that said, one of the largest mobile network operator in the Philippines and fixed-line and broadband network operators is all-out in making life easier for its 89.3 million total mobile subscribers as of May 2020.

But don’t just take the company’s word for it, Globe has received multiple awards for its efforts, including the International Finance Awards (IFA) as the Fastest Growing 5G Network Service Provider while the award giving-body also recognized globe head honcho Ernest Cu as Best Telecommunications CEO. DITO TELECOMMUNITY Dito telecommunity is a consortium between Udenna Corporation and China Telecommunications Corporation.

Led by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dennis A. Uy, the third major player in the local telco scene is undergoing an aggressive entry into the fore. Launched this year with a particular focus in key areas in Mindanao and Visayas before tapping the Metro Manila market, Dito is now present in more than 100 cities and municipalities nationwide with 3,000 stores.

As of June 2021, the company claims that they are nearing the 1-million subscriber mark in only a few months since their March 8, 2021 launch date, bolstering their vision of being “the industry leader in connecting and empowering Filipino communities.”

spends an average of 10 hours and 56 minutes a day on the internet through any device, and out of that nearly 11 hours, five hours and 45 minutes of it was spent by ages 16 to 64 using mobile internet.

Furthermore, the 2021 Digital report statistics show that there are 73.91 million internet users in the Philippines, with 96.5 percent, or approximately

71.3 million, accessing the internet via mobile devices.

In the 2020 Digital report, it showed that out of the 73 million internet users, 70.45 million of them are accessing the internet on mobile with a daily average of 9 hours and 45 minutes of internet usage.

Mobile access to the internet in the Philippines was at approximately 66 percent in 2019. By 2025, it is projected

that those who will access the internet through their phones will grow at nearly 80 percent, leading to an increase of mobile consumers, Statista stated.

Numerically, 70.7 million individuals used their mobile phones to access the internet in 2019. It is expected that the number of mobile internet users in the nation would reach about 90 million by 2025.

Photo Courtesy: datareportal.com

PLDT and Smart advocate SOGIE-inclusive policies, training activities RESEARCH has shown that companies with a diverse and inclusive workplace culture are more likely to be innovative and able to stay ahead of changes - qualities that are critical in the fastpaced world of telecommunications.

As the Philippines’ largest fully integrated telecommunications company, PLDT Inc. (PLDT), along with its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), cultivates a more than 18,000-strong groupwide employee base that is reflective of the diversity of the many communities in which they operate.

In celebration of International LGBTQ+ Pride Month this June, PLDT and Smart announced group-wide employee activities to move the needle towards gender equality in the workplace.

PLDT and Smart Pride: Everyone is Included is a campaign aimed at raising awareness and promoting acceptance of LGBTQ+ employees, demonstrating the companies’ diversity and that every individual is valued.

Engagement with a diverse workforce provides insights that allow PLDT and Smart to better understand their customer base and generate creative campaigns for products and services. “The strength of our organization is founded on the talent and diversity of our people, with each individual con-

fident of being an integral part of our community. This is the inspiration of our unwavering commitment to promote an inclusive workplace - one that is safe regardless of gender, identity, sexual orientation, or expression,” PLDT and Smart Chief People Officer Gina P. Ordoñez says.

SOGIE-education webinar, virtual tributes Activities include a webinar on the basics of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE).

Aside from increasing awareness, the learning session aims to prevent acts of discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. This is aligned with PLDT and Smart’s goal to provide a safe, secure, resilient and healthy working environment across all levels.

Apart from the webinar, PLDT and Smart will conduct a variety of virtual engagements and tributes throughout June to show support and acceptance of LGBTQ+ colleagues. Starting with management representatives, messages from group-wide allies shall reinforce the message of inclusivity.

Equal opportunity employer LGBTQ+ activists have been organizing since at least the 1920s, but it was the fervor caused by discrimi-

natory incidents in Stonewall, New York in 1969 that helped catapult the movement to a new level. The advocacy has continuously evolved over the years into what is now known as Pride Month, which serves as a platform for LGBTQ+ needs and rights such as protection against harassment and promoting equal employment opportunities.

In relation to the objectives of International LGBTQ+ Pride Month, PLDT and Smart are employers that give equal opportunity to all qualified applicants. Both companies aspire for a work environment characterized by openness, trust and respect, and this is reflected in a group-wide non-discrimination policy in hiring.

Commitment to the UNSDGs PLDT and Smart’s initiatives for workplace gender equality underscores the group’s commitment to helping the Philippines attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSGDs), such as SDG #5: Gender Equality and SDG #8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

The activity also falls under projects that push for Excellence Through Human Capital, which is one of the seven sustainability pillars that make up the PLDT group’s Sustainability Framework.

DENR backs PLDT and Smart’s e-waste disposal programs IN TIME for World Environment Day 2021, PLDT Inc. and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) signed a tripartite partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through its Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Region 3 and DENR-accredited provider JMR Trade & Transport Services (JMR) for an initiative aimed at the proper collection, transport, disposal, and recycling of electronic and hazardous waste from cellsites and offices.

For PLDT and Smart, e-waste includes discarded phones, tablets, computers, chargers and device accessories, while hazardous waste includes used lead acid batteries (ULAB) and fiber optic cables.

The involvement of DENR-EMB Region 3 covers coordination with other

regional offices to provide support to the waste recovery project. The agency will also link PLDT and JMR to its network of scientific researchers and experts.

The partnership is aligned with PLDT and Smart’s #SmartPlanet e-Waste Program, which uses technology to encourage a proper way of recycling discarded electronic devices. This helps avoid harmful effects of electronic waste on health and the environment.

The program’s primary innovation is the #SmartPlanet phone recycling bin, which uses electronic sensors to send out Smart e-load in exchange for used phones, chargers, and tablets. The device was PLDT’s winning entry during the first MVP Geek Olympics, an annual innovation competition that is open to all employees of companies under the leadership

of businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

The MVP Group event is a brainchild of PLDT Innolab, an incubator for startups and developer communities wanting to scale extensible partnerships.

The DENR partnership also supports PLDT’s and Smart’s long-running partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) for its battery recycling program. The program involves the collection of used lead-acid batteries from cellsites for proper treatment and recycling. Recycling proceeds are then used to support various community projects. For PLDT, these recycling proceeds or the ULAB CSR Fund is primarily used for building classrooms, especially in remote areas. From the start of the program in 2006, the initiative has funded the construction of 44 classrooms nationwide.

Life

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021

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Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com

FREE AT LAST. Senior Filipinos can finally experience once again the joys of being part of the outside world as the Inter-Agency Task Force now allows those over 65 years old to go outside of their homes, provided they are fully vaccinated.

“L

Viva la Libertad!

ONG live freedom!”

I thought of shouting this out when I heard the good news.

Finally, after 15 long months, the decision-makers at the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) have come to their senses by granting us, fully vaccinated seniors, the freedom to get on with our lives, as we want it, well, almost, as there are still some restrictions. Nevertheless, they couldn’t have done it at a more auspicious time – the day before our country’s Independence Day! At first, I was livid when they initially declared that even when fully vaccinated, we would still be restricted to our residence, while those in the 18-65 age group who we see on TV, partying like there was no pandemic and without any form of face cover, would be free to go wherever they please. I thought, “What’s the use of the vaccine and all that drama in assigning us to the A2 priority group?” Good thing they realized that it would have been a big mistake.

I know that IATF’s restrictions on seniors’ activities have good intentions,

and I appreciate that. But, as much as it safeguards our continued existence, it also prevents us from having a life!

I accept that we are more vulnerable to this virus than the younger age groups, but we are not weak and helpless. And I resent being lumped together with those below 18 years old, a lot of whom are seen to be careless in their preventive measures against the virus. The IATF should have realized early on that, compared to these teenagers, we, seniors, have had more than 65 years of experience in discerning how best to protect ourselves from any form of danger.

Moreover, IATF also disregarded the fact that we have been looking forward to enjoying our twilight years. We worked so hard for so many decades,

Fully vaccinated seniors can spend time with their families and friends outdoors after 15 months of being cooped up at home.

so that we could eventually reward ourselves with little luxuries and life’s guilty pleasures in our sunset years. But their misguided policy kept us on suspended animation!

At the onset of the pandemic, we followed all of IATF’s guidelines to the letter because, as mature and experienced individuals, we realized that the medical sector was still figuring out how to handle COVID-19. But, as months progressed, more information on the virus came to fore, and doctors declared that as long as a person avoids crowded places and protects himself very well with the standard health and hygiene equipment, chances of infection will be minimal.

Yet, even if we protected ourselves with properly worn face mask, face shield, hand gloves, and unlimited supply of hand sanitizers, we, in the above-65 category, continued to be on “house arrest”. But those between 18 and 65 years old could freely roam around town, clearly exposing themselves to or becoming spreaders of the virus because their face shield covered only their hair, and their face mask, only their chin.

Having been cooped up at home for more than a year and bothered by IATF’s unfair treatment of my generation, I had to find a way to reconnect with the outside world, to keep my sanity intact. Thank goodness for a friend who assigned me to write about a certain tourism establishment and issued me a corresponding APOR (Authorized Person Outside Residence) so I could leave the house without any hassle with the authorities. After completing my task and, feeling like an escaped prisoner, I excitedly drove to a fine dining restaurant in a 5-star hotel and, served by a solicitous maître d’, enjoyed to the max my favorite juicy steak and wine. It was a delightful experience I have craved for so long.

But some of my senior friends were not as lucky.

One was given a birthday treat by her family who brought her to a fancy restaurant on the other side of town. The food was pre-ordered but, upon their arrival, the restaurant’s guard refused her entry for being a senior. No form of bribe nor cajoling could make the guard “bend” the rule. Since the food was ready and they were too far from home, the family decided to let my septuagenarian friend, the poor birthday celebrant, partake of the food alone inside the family car in the parking lot, while the rest of them continued the celebra-

‘‘

I accept that we are more vulnerable to this virus than the younger age groups, but we are not weak and helpless. tion, dining in the restaurant. My friend was all tears after the incident.

Another elderly friend celebrated the high school graduation of her only grandson by bringing him to shop at an upscale mall because, she told me, her months of continued confinement at home made her miss the simple joys of being a part of the outside world. Of course, the guard did not allow her inside, which saddened her so much. She said her world crumbled because she

YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE What’s the opposite of Irony? Wrinkly.

imagined herself as a prisoner who was sentenced to reclusión perpetua for being a senior!

A recent article by Gil Yuzon of the Inquirer said, “seniors have the psychological need for personal and social interaction, and that isolation can lead to

depression, weight loss, cognitive decline and other medical complications.” I definitely could relate to this because I have experienced all four physical conditions.

In fact, there have been many days the past year that I felt despondent, having been restricted for what seemed like an eternity to the confines of my home.

This prolonged isolation from the outside world, mixed with the feeling of helplessness, often drove me to wonder if I should start writing my goodbyes through my version of Mi Ultimo Adios.

Speaking of “adios”, I had another senior friend who followed all IATF guidelines to the letter and, even if already allowed, refused to hear Mass at his neighborhood church for fear of the virus. He preferred to just wait for the pandemic to be contained so that he could enjoy life to the fullest once again. He had a stroke the other day and died.

Pope Francis has declared July 25 as the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, to coincide with the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. He said this is His gift to us, seniors, to further emphasize the pastoral care of the elderly as a priority that can no longer be postponed by any Christian community.

The IATF decision-makers must have followed the Pope’s lead, or maybe their equally suffering parents chided them for robbing us, seniors, of our lives!

Or, probably, they realized that even with the pandemic gripping the entire globe, no other country in the world has prevented seniors from going out because of our significant contribution to the economy. In fact, now that we have a life, I’m sure our country’s businesses will be on the rebound faster through unprecedented sales!

Thankfully, we’re free again and, regardless of what made IATF liberate us from bondage, I’m appreciative. Using the exact words of my late mother, every time she would express her extreme gratitude to someone who did her good, let me convey to IATF, “Desde lo mas profundo de mi corazon, gracias!” (From the deepest recesses of my heart, thank you!).

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

FOR YOUR LAST-MINUTE PLANS

Father’s Day feast for dine-in and takeaway Bru Coffee Bar’s Father’s Day Tin Cakes

PASAY-based Conrad Hotel Manila celebrates Father’s Day on Sunday with signature feasts for the man of the house.

Executive Chinese Chef Eng Yew Khor works the wok at China Blue by Jereme Leung to indulge dads with a Feast Fit for a King whose highlights include golden roast U.S. duck with BBQ gravy sauce, sautéed premier U.S. sliced beef and cha tsai, and steamed signature house specialty red gold long life custard buns, among other favorites. Prices start at P4,200 per person.

Dad prefers to celebrate at home? Brasserie on 3 offers Takeaway Father’s Day BBQ set good for up to six. At P1,850, it includes grilled BBQ pork ribs with chili sauce, U.S. steak, Cajun-style chicken breast, chili corn bread, and cheesecake collection, among others.

C Lounge’s 2,500-peso Father’s Day Hamper comes with a bottle of its signature cocktail Hilario or collectible mini spirits, paired with Executive Chef Daniel Patterson’s homemade chicharones, spiced Cajun almonds, and more. Bru Coffee Bar, meanwhile, offers Father’s Day Tin Cakes available in four variants. Prices start at P200.

Call 0917-650-4043 or (02) 8833-9999 or visit bit.ly/conradmestore for inquiries and reservations.

The BTS Meal comes with 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, two dipping sauces, and medium Coca-Cola.

No more waiting –

Brasserie on 3’s Father’s Day BBQ set

Meanwhile, Crimson Hotel Filinvest City in Muntinlupa fires up the grill with its BBQ takeaway bundle complete with a hearty serving of salad, dessert, and assorted meats and sides grilled and glazed to customers’ liking. For P2,000 net per order, this smokin’ hot deal can serve up to four people and is available today until June 20.

Other takeaway bundles from the hotel include Baker J’s Gentleman’s Box (assortment of homemade cold cuts, croissants, and slices of Baker J’s signature sourdough bread) priced at P699; and Firehouse Pizza’s Pizza for Pops (one signature pizza, one classic pizza, eight pieces of parmesan fried chicken wings with garlic aioli, one pan of truffle pasta, and Desserts in Jar) at P2,000.

China Blue’s Feast Fit for a King

Firehouse Pizza’s Pizza for Pops

Call 0998-961-3409 or email bakerj@crimsonhotel.com or firehousepizza@crimsonhotel.com to order.

The BTS Meal now served in PH

AFTER months of waiting for the arrival of a one-of-a-kind “menu tour” here in the Philippines, McDonald’s is finally serving the BTS Meal in stores today.

Made in collaboration with K-pop group BTS, the meal consists of the boys’ favorite McDonald’s items: 10 pieces Chicken McNuggets, medium World Famous Fries, medium CocaCola, and Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces inspired by recipes from the chain’s South Korea outlets.

For those wondering, the Sweet Chili sauce has a sweet and chili pepper heat with a slight vinegar flavor, while the Cajun Sauce is a hot mustard with a sweet and slightly sour taste and a hint of Cajun spices.

The BTS Meal comes in a special packaging featuring the BTS logo.

In a press launch held a day before the menu drop, McDonald’s Philippines marketing manager Oliver Rabatan said, “The BTS Meal is a new way to connect with the fans (ARMYs).”

“This band is truly a global phenomenon with a fanbase that knows no borders, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring the BTS Meal to our customers in the Philippines,” added Rabatan.

Fans can also check out the purple photo booth McDonald’s will be mounting on June 21 in its branches nationwide. The BTS x McDonald’s merch collection is also available through the WeVerse Shop App. The BTS Meal is available starting June 18 until June 27 only for dinein, takeout, drive-thre, and delivery.

Irah Marie Tan

C4

|| FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 advertise@manilastandard.net

PH BEST COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDERS Special Feature

Development of fiber internet, 5G network in PH

By P. Y. Deligero

I

N THE modern world, the internet is a musthave to perform certain activities. Social media networks require a stable connection to allow users to enjoy posting, sharing, and viewing various media for their work and entertainment.

Several games also require a strong connection so users can enjoy long hours and a smoother gaming experience.

During the previous year, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a strong internet connection was needed so that users can stay connected with their friends and family despite the distance.

More importantly, it played a crucial role in allowing students and employees, respectively, to learn and work remotely.

Over the years, the Philippines has gradually progressed with the quality of its internet connection as it went from dial-up modems, where users can’t connect to the internet and use the phone at the same time, to modems, routers, and more.

With the realization that the internet has become a commodity nowadays, more telecommunication companies are working towards providing quality internet service through the latest innovations in internet connection, namely 5G and fiber internet.

More about fiber-optic internet One of the latest developments on internet connection is fiber-optic internet. By using fiber-optic cables, data is transferred at a faster rate compared to cable, and especially dial-up, since the cables can carry large amounts of data, which often reaches multiple terabits, in a single line.

A fiber-optic connection allows more devices such as computers, tablets, phones, and more to have a more stable and faster connection to the internet via a direct network or WiFi. This speed is the main reason why many people are shifting towards companies that are offering fiber internet connections. But, of course, this advantage has a catch and that’s the price.

Compared to the regular internet connections that use cable wires, fiber optic cables are pricier, often discouraging users since they get enough satisfaction from the 20 to 100mbps that they usually get from cable since most downloads from the internet don’t usually max out that connection.

But many Filipinos are slowly switching to a fiber-optic connection after realizing that it gets things done more efficiently and makes the experience more satisfying for hundreds of thousands of users.

Knowing more about 5G In the meantime, 5G or 5th generation mobile network refers to the modern global wireless connection that came after the 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. It enables a new kind of network connection designed to virtually connect people and things such as machines and devices.

This new wireless technology

is meant to deliver multi-Gbps data speeds, increased network capacity and availability, as well as a uniformed user experience that boasts of higher performance and improved efficiency to connect people and industries.

When compared to the previous 4G network, 5G has an increased network speed and capacity that’s expected to move data a hundred times faster to support new types of applications and connectivity across a wider range of devices.

For Filipinos, this creates new opportunities that they can embark on with the ultrafast speeds from the network as well as its ability to support new types of applications that are continually being developed to this day.

Companies in the PH that offer fiber and 5G connections

When it comes to the statistics around household download speed, the Philippines ranks 176th out of 202 countries worldwide and 21st out of 22 in Asia. Many people are clamoring for better speed and connection from internet service providers or telecommunication companies.

Since there has been a large demand for a faster and stable internet connection in the Philippines, several companies have since begun offering these services to provide users in homes and businesses to give them a quality experience that fosters productivity.

One of the companies that offers fiber-optic internet is PLDT. It began offering direct-to-the-home (DTTH) fiber-optic data in 2011 to selected Metro Manila subdivisions.

This service is known as PLDT Fibr and is considered to be the first in the country to use fiber optic cables to deliver broadband services with speeds of up to 100mbps. Eventually, the service became available to more areas in the country, allowing more people to experience fast and stable internet connections.

Another company that offers fiber services in the Philippines is Converge, or Converge ICT Solutions.

It started its broadband operations in 2012 and envisioned providing highspeed internet connection to millions of households and businesses across the country.

Presently, Converge continues expanding its reach to allow more

Filipinos to have a satisfying experience with their internet connection through its end-to-end fiber-optic connection.

To make sure that their users get the right amount of data speed according to their preferences, Converge offers various plans that offer speeds that range from 20mbps, 50mbps, and 100mbps.

Lastly, Globe Telecoms, or popularly known in the Philippines as Globe, offers a 5G network connection to its users. It boasts that its 5G services can go up to 20x faster than LTE with fiber-fast speeds that reach 100 Mbps.

Data signals in the 5G connection travels through data frequencies across three different spectrums that include low-band for great area coverage, mid-band for several area coverages, and low-bad for lowest area coverage.

Unlike 4G and LTE which only uses two spectrum bands, Globe proudly claims that its 5G connection services utilize all three to create an almost real-time latency, allowing faster response time needed for new technologies.

With the availability of fiberoptic internet connections and 5G networks in the Philippines, more users get to enjoy faster connections that don’t regularly falter and cause inconveniences.

More users continue to realize the potential of using modern technology to improve their internet connections. As a result, they invest in having quality services, especially now when the internet has become a necessity to keep things going.

As the world progresses, more developments will be made to produce faster and stronger connections that will continue to provide new opportunities for users. In the Philippines, this will provide new solutions to problems with data speed and create a faster as well as more satisfying experience for a large number of users.