Manila Standard - 2021 June 29 - Tuesday

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Metro remains under GCQ

Duterte retains certain curbs until July 15, imposes MECQ in 22 other areas

By Willie Casas and Vito Barcelo

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has maintained the prevailing General Community Quarantine with some restrictions for Metro Manila and Bulacan as well as for Rizal province from July 1 to 15.

10 MILLIONTH JAB.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque injects the 10 millionth COVID-19 vaccine jab in the country to Nieves Gatacutan of Brgy.

Gen. T. De Leon at the Valenzuela City Astrodome on Monday.

Valenzuela PIO

GCQ with heightened restrictions will remain for the provinces of Laguna and Cavite, while Baguio City, Ifugao province, the city of Santiago in Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Quezon, Guimaras, Aklan, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Antique, Capiz, Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga, Iligan City, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Cotabato City will be under GCQ with regular restrictions. Next page

VOL. XXXV • NO. 134 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Rody throws jab Moderna boosts PH arsenal in war on COVID-19; 20m more doses at PacMan over corruption yarn

By Jimbo Gulle PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte pulled no punches against Senator Manny Pacquiao on Monday night, telling the boxing politician he would not run as vice president in next year's national elections "if the president is against the party."

In his weekly televised briefing, the President blasted Pacquiao for keeping silent about corruption allegations in his administration while praising him constantly during his 5 years in Malacanang.

"I am challenging you (to speak up about corruption). Or else, totoo ang sabi nila na namumulitika ka lang (it's true what they say, that you are just politicking)," Duterte told Pacquiao, the acting president of the ruling PDP-Laban party.

The President even said he will campaign against Pacquiao if the senator fails to identify the corrupt officials under his Next page administration.

MORE VACCINES. A forklift loads one of the boxes of Moderna vaccine into a reefer van at the NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Sunday. The plane carrying 249,600 doses of the US-made vaccine arrived about 11 p.m. via Singapore Airlines Flight SQ918.

Joey O. Razon

Romualdez: Options open; Lakas, HNP join forces Bayanihan 2 law HOUSE Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said Monday he was keeping his options for a 2022 run open as his political party forms an alliance with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's regional party.

Romualdez's Lakas-CMD renewed its alliance with Duterte-Carpio's Hugpong ng

Pagbabago ahead of next year's elections.

Duterte-Carpio has topped preference surveys for the position of president, and her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, recently said he would support Romualdez’s vicepresidential bid should he go for it.

In an interview on ANC's Headstart, Romualdez was asked if he would not

seek the second highest executive post if not as the younger Duterte-Carpio's running mate.

He replied, "Obviously, the alliance is with HNP, so that will be the priority. I’ve not had many conversations with other parties with respect to this development."

Next page

FMR RADIO. House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez (right) stands with the management and staff of FMR (Favorite Music Radio), led by its president Sofonias Gabunada Jr. (2nd from right), who invited the Leyte lawmaker as its guest of honor in launching its 38th and newest station in Makati City on Monday. Romualdez then answers questions from host Jeremy Madronal for the station's pilot episode (left photo). Ver Noveno

Nas Daily to create 12 Pinoy video academies

By Rushelle Intia

will launch 12 new academies in the Philippines to be led by different FiliFAMOUS Internet content creator pino personalities.

"We are going to help hundreds of Nuseir Yassin, better known as Nas Next page Daily, has announced that his group

expiring June 30: funds foregone?

By Maricel V. Cruz CONGRESS may not be able to hold a special session to pass the bill extending the validity of the Bayanihan 2 law, which expires on June 30, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said Monday.

If the validity of the law is not extended, funds that it earmarks for the country’s COVID-19 response and economic recovery will no longer be available after June 30.

“Bayanihan 2… was on agenda during the visit to Malacanang. We were not able to take that up, there has been no clarity moving forward.

It’s looking quite tight. The likelihood of extension is becoming dimmer at this point,” Romualdez, chairman of the House committee on rules, said in an interview Monday.

Next page

Hunt for drug lord on; Interpol tapped

By Rey E. Requejo and Vito Barcelo

cate alleged drug lord Peter Go Lim by placing his name under its “Red Notice,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday.

THE Philippine government will seek Lim faces two counts of violations of Next page the help of the International Police to lo-

THE country's vaccination drive against COVID-19 got another boost with the arrival of the first shipment of Moderna vaccines.

A total of 249,600 doses of the American-made jabs arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 via Singapore Airlines Flight SQ918 on Sunday evening.

"This is very significant as we now have five brands of vaccines in the country. It can create a lot of confidence because globally, this is the second (most used) vaccine by many countries. As what I have said earlier, the side effects of this vaccine are very rare, very negligible and most of the countries agreed that they are very comfortable with using Moderna vaccines," National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. told reporters in an interview.

The vaccines currently being used by the Philippines in its fight against COVID-19 are Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Sputnik V. Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JUNE 28)

1,403,588 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

5,604 52,029 NEW

ACTIVE

24,456

84

1,327,103

6,154

NEW

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

PET to Robredo: Comment on Marcos motion

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, has ordered Vice President Leni Robredo to comment on the motion for reconsideration filed by former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., whose election protest was dismissed by the tribunal last Feb. 16.

The PET gave Robredo 10 days to file her answer from receipt of the resolution issued last June 15, SC spokesperson Brian Keith F. Hosaka said in a text message to reporters.

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News

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Arming civilians ‘not a policy yet’ Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said while Duterte was “open” to the idea of arming anti-crime volunteers, there was a need to undergo the process of completed staff work.

"Well, as you said, he is open to the idea but there is no finality yet," Roque said.

Roque was referring to President Duterte’s remarks last week during the launch of the Global Coalition of Lingkod Bayan Advocacy Support Groups and Force Multipliers in Camp Crame, where the Chief Executive proposed arming the civilians to fight criminality in the country.

"If you have this coalition, you have a list of people who are there who can arm themselves. I will order the police if you are qualified, get a gun, and help us enforce the laws,” Duterte said.

“The coalition consists of civilian organizations which will serve as the police’s partner in its fight against crime and police community relations programs,” the President said.

On the other hand, Roque shared the view with Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar that the proposal to arm volunteer groups was to ensure their own protection and to defend themselves against criminal elements.

“Maybe the best view expressed so far is the view of PNP Chief Eleazar which I share, and that is we need to understand

Metro...

over 10 million have been administered, covering 2.52 million for second dose and 7.538 million for first dose.

Restrictions may be eased further Earlier in the day, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases may consider removing some restrictions under Metro Manila’s GCQ status.

The OCTA Research Group on Sunday said it may still be premature to ease quarantine restrictions as the country’s vaccination program has not yet reached the advised levels.

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said it is still too early to shift to a modified GCQ or the loosest classification of restrictions for the NCR Plus bubble.

50% population protection in November David said Metro Manila could reach a population protection level of 50 percent in November, and 75 percent by December should the vaccination program cover the area’s 10 million population.

Population protection indicates that there is fewer than one case per 100,000 people. Given Metro Manila’s population, this would mean it would have

fewer than 140 new confirmed cases daily.

Metro Manila’s average daily attack rate (ADAR) was at 4.83 cases per 100,000 population, classifying it as a moderate-low risk area. Its positivity rate was 7 percent.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) benchmark for the positivity rate is 5 percent or lower.

5,604 fresh cases The Philippines logged 5,604 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of infections to 403,588, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.

The DOH reported 84 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 24,456.

The DOH also reported 6,154 persons who recently recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 1,327,103.

Some 52,029 active cases were reported, of which 90.1 percent were mild, 5 percent were asymptomatic, 1.4 percent were critical, 2.1 percent were severe, and 1.49 percent were moderate.

Beef up genome sequencing Meanwhile, the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) said it plans to increase the country’s capability for whole ge-

nome sequencing as new variants of the coronavirus are being detected.

PGC Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Saloma said the Philippines can double its genome sequencing capacity and improve its turnaround time if more areas are equipped to sequence samples.

Saloma said the Philippines is currently capable of sequencing 750 samples weekly, less than 1 percent of its confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The Philippines has so far detected 1,085 Alpha variant cases, 1,267 Beta cases, two Gamma cases, and 17 cases of the Delta variant first identified in India.

SOS: More health workers needed Also on Monday, a doctor in Motiong town in Samar said they need more health workers and assistance as 16 medical frontliners have tested positive for COVID-19.

Of the 16 frontliners, five are in home quarantine, six are in isolation facilities, while the rest are at the rural health unit, said Dr. Katerina Abiertas.

“Health workers are tired. Due to our training, even if we're tired and even if our family is sulking, we put our jobs first because we took an oath. But we also need to be taken care of,” Abiertas said in Filipino on ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

Of these initial doses, 150,000 doses were procured by the government, while 99,600 doses were purchased by the private sector, led by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), Galvez said.

“We will study the deployment of these vaccines because this is our first time handling Moderna. The majority of the vaccines will be deployed in the National Capital Region and later, we will give other urban centers and areas. The priority sectors for deployment are A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (persons with comorbidities but we have committed the bulk of these vaccines to OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and the seafarers and government front-liners,” Galvez said.

The Philippines has inked a supply agreement for 20 million doses of Moderna vaccines, which will be delivered in batches in the coming months.

Of this number, 13 million doses were procured by the government while the re-

maining 7 million doses were purchased by the private sector for their workers.

Galvez also announced that the government inoculated around 10 million Filipinos.

On Monday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III administered the country's 10 millionth COVID-19 vaccine to Nieves Catacutan, who belongs to the A5 group (indigents), at the Valenzuela City Astrodome Mega Vaccination Hub. Galvez was accompanied by Christian Martin Gonzalez, executive vice president of ICTSI, David Gamble Jr., economic counselor of the US Embassy in the Philippines, officials of Zuellig Pharma, and Health Undersecretary Carol Tanio.

Duque said the latest shipment of 1 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine would be allotted to areas experiencing a surge in infections.

“We will be bringing these to the areas with a surge. We have a surge in Region 6, Region 8, and then we have of course Caraga, Region 10, parts of Region 11, Soccsksargen, Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) but we are still waiting for the certificate of analysis," Duque said.

Meanwhile, a member of the Vaccine Expert Panel, Dr. Nina Gloriani, said people who missed their second dose have up to six months to get fully vaccinated.

The DOH earlier said 113,000 Filipinos missed their scheduled second jab.

A DOH bulletin said the country has administered more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of June 27.

A total of 7,538,128 have received their first doses while 2,527,286 have already completed the required two doses, the DOH said.

“The total doses administered in the 17th week of our national vaccination reached a record high of 1,658,072 doses,” the DOH said.

“The government is urging eligible populations belonging to priority groups A1 to A5 to register with their local government units, get vaccinated, and complete the required number of doses as scheduled,” they said.

“Regardless of vaccination status, everyone is urged to continue practicing the minimum public health standards as you may still get infected with COVID-19 and infect other people,” the DOH said.

Among the 35.5 million essential workers included in the fourth priority group, 829,662 have received at least one jab while 12,340 have been fully vaccinated.

The Philippines has also inoculated 184,125 indigents.

In other developments: • Cebu Pacific vowed to transport more COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Philippines after it successfully carried 2 million doses of vaccines from Beijing on June 24. To date, Cebu Pacific has flown 9 million COVID-19 doses from China and distributed 1.8 million doses across the Philippines.

• Ambassador to Canada Rodolfo Robles said the Philippines has expressed its intent to get some of Canada’s excess COVID-19 vaccines.

Canada has secured 180 million COVID-19 jabs for its 40 million people, which could mean an excess of up to 100 million shots. "I had the Philippines listed among those who are interested in getting the excess [vaccines] of Canada," he said in a Palace briefing.

Willie Casas and Vito Barcelo

Nas...

Rody...

Hunt...

Romualdez:...

From A1

From A1

From A1

Filipino (content) creators become teachers! Because knowledge is the only thing that increases when you share it with others," the Arab-Israeli Nas said in a Facebook post.

Nas Academy is a platform that offers courses that help people tell their stories using video. The 12 new academies under it include content creation, journalism, finance, design, art, fashion, basketball, and money management.

Nas also announced that 12 personalities in the country will teach each of the 12 new academies.

Catriona Gray, the 2018 Miss Universe, will be teaching how to be a beauty queen. Jessica Soho, an award-winning broadcaster and journalist of GMA Network, will teach journalism.

Michael Cinco, a Filipino couturier based in Dubai, will teach fashion. Erwann Heussaff, a famous YouTube vlogger for food, will teach content creation.

Moira Dela Torre, a famous singer, will teach songwriting. Whang-od, the Filipino traditional artist, will share her experience of becoming the first female tattoo artist in her tribe.

Anthony Francisco, known as the "Visual Father of Baby Groot" and a senior visual development artist at Marvel Studios, will show how to design creatures.

Jason Magbanua, the director and visual storyteller, will teach how to make captivating video content. Chinkee Tan, a motivational speaker and wealth expert, will teach money management.

Carlo Ople, tech vlogger, will teach how to turn a content creation hobby into a business. James Deakin, a Filipino-British journalist, will teach effective communication. Finally, Mavrick Bautista, the owner of Mav's Phenomenal Basketball, will teach basketball.

"If you fail to do that, I will campaign against you because you're not doing your duty. Do it. If not, I will just tell the people, 'Do not vote for Pacquiao because he is a liar,'" Duterte said.

"Mahirap mag-VP tapos ang president kontra partido. Tulad nitong si Pacquiao.

Sabi 3 times mas corrupt kami. Wala ka sinabi all these years puro praises ka sa akin," said Duterte, the ruling party's chairman.

"Saan? Aling office? Sino yun?

(Where? What office? Who?) You have the privilege of not being arrested if you say it inside Congress. I will wait for your list," the President told Pacquiao.

While he acknowledged that he has been friends with the boxer-politician for a while, Duterte lamented that Pacquiao only told him of his corruption concerns "yesterday or the other day."

"Hindi ko sinasabi na walang korapsyon kaya nga sabi ko ituro mo (I am not saying that there is no corruption, that's why you should point it out). Every admin will have its share of corruption problem,” he said.

"Do not ever think that if you will win as president na wala nang corruption dito sa Pilipinas. And for your dream of giving everybody houses in six years’ time, just like what Senator Enrile said, good luck na lang. You must be dreaming," the President added of Pacquiao.

Through a resolution in a national council meeting in Cebu last May, PDP-Laban formally asked Duterte to slide down to vice president in the 2022 elections for a presidential candidate of his choice -- which the party hopes are either his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, or longtime aide Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque previously said the senator was still one of Duterte's five preferred candidates to succeed him in Malacanang.

section 26 in relation to section 5, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 pending before a Makati court.

Guevarra hinted that it was possible that Lim might have slipped out of the country through the backdoor since the Philippines has “a very extensive coastline.”

“Aside from intensifying efforts on the part of our intelligence and law enforcement agents to track down Peter Go Lim, we may also request the Interpol to assist if there are indeed indications that this fugitive has slipped out of our country,” Guevarra stressed.

Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar also on Monday ordered three key offices to determine the whereabouts of Peter Lim. "We are checking on that and I have given a directive to the DI (Directorate for Intelligence), PDEG (PNP Drug Enforcement Group), and CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) to check on this. We have no exact information yet to validate this,” Eleazar said in a press conference in Camp Crame.

At the same time, Eleazar ordered an accounting of all dismissed drug cases since 2016 as part of the "intensified cleanliness policy."

“Having data and information on these dismissed drug cases since the war on drugs started in 2016 would truly help the PNP leadership determine the interventions needed so that the junking by the courts of drug cases filed by the police would be avoided in the future,” he told reporters.

He added that the PNP was aiming to improve the conviction rate, particularly in drug-related cases, noting that a higher conviction rate would reflect the success of the campaign against illegal drugs. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's call to arm civilians to help the police in fighting crime is "not a policy yet," Malacanang said Monday – while creating ripples of opposition from various sectors.

From A1

Some 22 areas were placed under the stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine: Cagayan, Apayao, Bataan, Lucena City, Puerto Princesa, Naga City, Iloilo City, Iloilo province, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, Davao Del Norte, Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur. 10m vaccine mark breached Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said more than million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in the country in July and August.

This includes the following deliveries for July: 5.5 million Sinovac, 1.17 million AstraZeneca, 250,000 Moderna, 500,000 Pfizer, up to 4 million from COVAX, up to 1 million (likely J&J) from the United States, and 1.1 million from Japan.

For August, the government expects the delivery of 13.67 million vaccine doses from various brands.

The country has so far received 17.45 million vaccine doses, of which

Moderna...

From A1

that volunteer groups have the right to defend themselves in the face of danger," Roque said.

"We cannot allow our volunteers to be at the mercy of criminal elements and we encourage them to fight with us," Roque said.

In response, lawyer Jacqueline Ann de Guia, Commission on Human Rights spokesperson, said "arming civilians without proper training, qualification, and clear lines of accountabilities may lead to lawlessness and proliferation of arms that may further negatively impact on human rights situation in the country."

Eleazar, however, assured that the President’s suggestion was to "encourage volunteerism and definitely not vigilantism." (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

From A1

"But we’ll keep our options open, and we’ll see how things come along.

But the likelihood will obviously be with our allies at the HNP," he said.

The president's daughter has not yet confirmed her plans for 2022, but at least one ally said he had "no doubt" Duterte-Carpio would run for president.

In January, she told her supporters to wait for 2034.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections has surpassed its target number of new voter registrants for the May 9, 2022 national and local elections.

“So far we have around 4.3 million new voters who have already registered which means we have already exceeded the expectations we set out with back in 2019,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a virtual forum on Monday.

At the same time, the poll body official is looking to have at least 60 million registered voters for next year’s national polls.

“Last week, we had 60 million registered voters in our list of voters.

Meaning to say, come 2022 we will have at least 60 million voters who will be potentially going to the polling centers on Election Day. The latest numbers are 4.3 million for new registrants. Roughly 60 million in terms of the whole list of voters,” he added.

But he said they were expecting the voter turnout to be lower than the number of registered voters.

The Comelec registered a 75 percent voter turnout in the 2019 midterm elections, where only 46.3 million out of a total of 61.8 million voters participated.

Some 84 percent of over 54 million voters participated in the 2016 presidential elections.

The ongoing nationwide voter registration will end on September 30. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Panel to probe Calbayog mayor’s killing formed

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has created a three-man panel of prosecutors tasked to conduct the preliminary investigation on the five criminal cases filed before the National Prosecution Service against individuals allegedly involved in the killing of Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino in Samar.

In a department order dated June 21, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra designated Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Rodan Parrocha, Assistant State Prosecutor Benny Nicdao, and Prosecution Attorney Rafael Cruz to the panel to conduct the investigation on the cases.

Guevarra ordered the panel to file the necessary charges against the 10 respondents if they find sufficient basis to hold them liable for the killing of Aquino.

“The panel shall likewise handle all cases between/among the same parties which are all related/connected with, or which may have arisen or may arise as a consequence of, any of the aforementioned criminal complaints, including any and all counter-charges,” said Guevarra.

PET...

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Robredo had yet to comment on the order as of press time.

In a unanimous vote, the PET upheld the victory of Vice President Robredo in 2016 as it dismissed Marcos’ protest.

Seven justices voted to dismiss Marcos’ protest while eight justices voted in the result – the dismissal of the protest.

The decision was written by Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen.

Last May 6, Marcos filed a motion to reconsider the ruling, pleading the PET to “proceed with the presentation of evidence for the third cause of action.”

The former senator’s protest against Robredo has three causes of action — annulment of the proclamation of Robredo; recount and revision of ballots in 36,465 protested clustered precincts; and annulment of election results for Vice President in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Basilan on the ground of alleged terrorism, intimidation, and harassment of voters, as well as pre-shading of ballots in all of the 2,756 protested clustered precincts.

In his protest, Marcos named the provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental as his pilot areas for the recount and revision of ballots.

In its decision, the PET said that “based on the final tally after revision and appreciation of the votes in the pilot provinces, protestee Robredo maintained, as in fact she increased her lead with 14,436,337 votes over protestant Marcos who obtained 14,157,771 votes. After the revision and appreciation, the lead of protestee Robredo increased from 263,473 to 278,566.”

In his motion, Marcos pleaded the PET to direct the Commission on Elections to conduct the technical examination of the voters’ signatures appearing on the Election Day Computerized Voter’s List (EDCVL) as against the voters’ signatures appearing on the Voters Registration Records (VRRs) in the protested clustered precincts of the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and Basilan relative to the third cause of action.

According to Marcos, the PET should conduct another preliminary conference and proceed with the presentation of evidence for his third cause of action.

Bayanihan...

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"The deadline is already on June 30.

We lack time to hold a special session," Romualdez said, adding that the call for Congress to hold a special session should come from Malacañang.

"There should be certification of its urgency, so we have not had that yet… we still even have to get the concurrence of our counterparts in the Senate,” he added.

The House has passed a bill extending the validity of Bayanihan 2 until Dec. 31.

Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged President Duterte to call Congress to a special session to extend the Bayanihan 2 or We Recover as One Law. “We have to extend the effectivity of the law again so that the government can spend whatever remains of the millions of funds we have appropriated for pandemic response,” he said.

“Unless we pass another extension bill, the unspent funds would no longer be available (after June 30),” Rodriguez said.

Quoting media reports, he added that more than P18 billion of the P165 billion appropriated by Congress under Bayanihan 2 still had to be disbursed as of last week.

In a press briefing on June 21, presidential spokesman Harry Roque confirmed that P18.4 billion or 13 percent of the appropriated funds had not yet been obligated.

News

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

High court finds nothing wrong in SEC fund release THE Supreme Court has cleared officials of the Securities and Exchange Commission on an Audit commission ruling that disallowed the disbursement of provident fund to SC employees.

In a 24-page decision written by Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier and recently published online, the tribunal “affirmed with modification” the Commission on Audit’s (COA) en banc decision on January 2018.

COA disallowed SEC employees and officials’ share in the provident fund contribution of its employees, amounting to PHP19.72 million.

Among other reasons, COA said the disbursement of the amount from retained income is not in accordance with rules since the purpose of the provident fund is to augment the maintenance and other operating expenses and capital outlays of SEC. “When it comes to the determination of whether or not a disbursement is in accordance with accounting and auditing laws, the COA, not the Office of the President or the Department of Budget and Management, should be granted primary jurisdiction,” COA stated in February 2020 when it junked SEC’s appeal.

SEC elevated the case to the SC. The SC modification on the COA decision said the approving, certifying and authorizing officers of SEC are absolved from refunding the disallowed amount.

Marawi rehab gains impetus —housing czar

By Rio N. Araja

HOUSING czar Eduardo del Rosario on Monday cited a latest assessment showing that the overall completion rate of the ongoing government rehabilitation effort in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur is now at 68 percent.

“With the progress of different projects being implemented, we can see that every month, there is progress and hopefully some projects can be completed even before December (of this year),” he noted.

“Starting next month, we will either be inaugurating or turning over completed projects,” he added.

He assured the public, especially the Maranaos, that the Task Force Bangon Marawi remains on track to meeting its timeline of finishing all projects within the term of the Duterte administration.

He said the task force is set to award 170 permanent housing units in July, and that there would be ribbon-cutting for three more barangay complexes inside the most affected area.

According to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, the construction of road networks in Marawi’s former ground zero is now 70 percent completed.

“The road networks are very important because these will signal for us to allow those residing in Sectors 4 to 9 to come home and build their respective houses by October,” he said.

MILLION MORE DOSES. Cebu Pacific on Monday, June 28, safely transported another one million COVID-19 vaccine doses from Beijing to Manila, via flight 5J 671. This was the second major shipment in less than a week, after CEB successfully brought home two million doses from China on June 24. These consecutive vaccine arrivals indicate progress in the rollout of our country’s inoculation program.

US, PH team up for P1.6b flagship energy project

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE United States has partnered with the Philippines in launching its P1.6 billion (US$34 million) flagship project to support a more competitive, secure and resilient energy sector in the country.

US Embassy in Manila Chargé d’Affaires John Law on Monday said US Agency for International Development stressed that the five-year Energy Secure Philippines (ESP) project will promote the country’s key energy sector priorities and support its climate mitigation goals.

Law joined USAID Philippines Acting Mission Director Sean Callahan and Philippine Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi for a virtual signing of a memorandum of understanding. Energy Regula-

tory Commission Chairperson Agnes VST Devanadera was also present to witness the MOA signing ceremony.

The embassy official said that through the ESP Project, the U.S. will work with Philippine government and private sector partners to improve the performance and efficiency of energy utilities, deploy renewable energy systems, enhance competition in the power sector, and address energy sector cybersecurity.

The US government will also mobi-

lize more than P36 billion ($740 million) in private sector investment and help develop at least 500 megawatts of clean energy generation capacity, the embassy official pointed out “We look forward to building and sustaining new partnerships with diverse stakeholders across the energy sector whose collective efforts are required for a more competitive and advanced energy sector,” Chargé d’Affaires Law, in a statement.

Cusi expressed his optimism on the project’s positive impact on the Philippine energy sector.

“The ESP will provide a wealth of opportunities for the DOE, as we reevaluate the appropriateness of our current policies vis-à-vis our country’s energy goals,” he said, in his speech.

CERTIFIED SAFE. Taytay

Mayor Joric Gacula led the placing of the Safety Seal with SM City Taytay’s Mall Manager Maureen Fernandez. SM City Taytay was granted with a Safety Seal certification by the local governement of Taytay, Rizal after complying with the minimum health protocols set by the IATF amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Norman Cruz

Imelda, nine others earn ‘laureate’ tag for fostering China-PH ties FORMER First Lady Imelda Marcos was recognized, along with 9 other “laureates,” for “fostering and promoting understanding” between Philippines and China.

The award was given by the Association for Philippines-China Understanding (APCU) and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines.

CORAL TRIANGLE.

DENR CALABARZON calls for further protection of Mabini, Batangas as center of marine biodiversity during Coral Triangle Day, an event to make people aware of the need to protect the coral reefs and clean up the surroundings.

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“As a novel award-giving body, APPCU pays special tribute to Filipinos who have made efforts through time in strengthening friendly ties and promoting mutual understanding between the Philippines and China using their respective advocacies and expertise in the various fields and disciplines,” APCU said, an initiative launched in January this year.

Marcos was recognized under the “Hall of Fame category” which acknowledges the “prestige and stature of the individual.”

Nine other individuals were recognized, namely: • Former special envoy of the Philippines to China and Philippine Silkroad International Chamber of Commerce Chairman

Francis Chua (Hall of Fame category) • Philippine Association for Chinese Studies President Rommel Banlaoi (Outstanding Contributions category) • Global Talk News Radio Herman Laurel (Outstanding Contributions category) • Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran, Inc. founder Teresita Ang-See (Outstanding Contributions category)

GSIS to insure postal workers GOVERNMENT Service Insurance System President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet recently announced that the pension fund will provide insurance coverage to 6,600 Philippine Postal Corporation personnel including permanent and contractual employees and postmen nationwide.

PhilPost has allotted a budget of p616,000 for the insurance coverage. It is the second agency that partnered with GSIS to insure their personnel. Last June 14, the Manila City Government approved a Php7.5 million insurance coverage to around 45,000 barangay officials, including tanods and chairpersons of the Sangguniang Kabataan.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, GSIS launched the Bayanihan Fund for Frontliners. Under the program, the family of public frontliners who would succumb to COVID-19 are entitled to an additional Php500,000 in insurance benefits over and above their life insurance benefits as GSIS members.

War on corruption must be consistent, senator urges govt

By Macon Ramos Araneta SENATOR Panfilo Lacson on Monday cited the importance of consistency in the implementation of existing laws against money laundering and terrorist financing to show consistency in fighting corruption.

The consistency in fighting corruption, he noted, will play a major role not only in restoring the trust of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and other international financial institutions, but can solve many other problems that beset our country amid the pandemic.

The consistent implementation of existing laws, he said, plays a significant role to combat corruption despite legislation against money laundering - especially of ill-gotten wealth - and terrorism financing.

According to Lacson, one of the reasons the Philippines was included in the FATF’s gray list in 2012 is that the FATF wanted it to address deficiencies in countering terrorist financing, among others.

In response, Congress passed Republic Act 10168 or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

This was further enhanced by RA 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. This may, however, call for further measures such as amending our existing Bank Secrecy Act, to address a major source of corruption. What we need is to make it difficult, if not impossible, to hide or launder ill-gotten wealth. This would be a big deal in helping stop corruption,” he said.

Since his first term as senator in 2001, Lacson said he had repeatedly filed a bill seeking to amend the Bank Secrecy Act to remove privacy protection for government officials and employees.

He was also the principal author of the first amendatory law to the 2001 Anti-Money Laundering Law in the country, lowering the threshold amount from PHP4 million to the international standard of PHP500,000 or US$10,000, among others.

Under the 18th Congress, he filed Senate Bill 26 stripping public servants of the protection from Republic Act 1405, which prohibits disclosure or inquiry into bank deposits as a general rule. The bill is still pending before the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies.

“When you enter the government service, you should not invoke the Bank Secrecy Act, to show transparency. This should apply to all public servants, from the President down to the lowest rank. Unfortunately, the bills I filed and refiled in this regard have not gotten off the ground,” he said.

“In past years, we have seen a ‘selective’ implementation of laws.

There must be consistency to regain trust. Until the people and the international community see that even perceived political allies are sent to jail for wrongdoings, there will always be that perception that certain influential people are exempt from our justice system,” he said.

“In other words, more than leadership by example, it is more consistency that can make the big difference,” he added.

News

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TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

DOH: Illegal to disclose other person’s HIV status

By Willie Casas

GARBAGE TRAP. Personnel from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority install a trash trap at one of the tributaries of Estero Tripa de Gallina along Aurora Avenue in Pasay City on Monday. The trap would lessen the damage caused by garbage on pumping stations. Norman Cruz

Oil firms hike gasoline prices

by P1 per liter

By Alena Mae Flores THE country’s oil firms raised pump prices by P1 per liter for gasoline, P0.65 per liter for diesel and P0.70 per liter for kerosene effective 6 a.m. today (Tuesday) to reflect the movement of prices in the world market.

This is the fifth consecutive week of oil price increases brought about by optimism of a global economic recovery.

“Please take note that Total Philippines Corporation (TPC) will adjust prices effective tomorrow Jun 29, 2021 6:00am Price Increase of P0.65/ li on diesel. Price Increase of Ph/li on gasoline,” Total said in its advisory.

Aside from Total, PTT Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, PetroGazz and Cleanfuel issued separate advisories of the latest oil price hike.

Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. announced over the weekend that fuel prices would go up during the week of June 29 to July 5, 2021.

“Diesel will increase by P0.70 to P0.80 per liter. Gasoline will increase

by P1.00 to P1.10 per liter,” Unioil said.

The latest adjustment resulted in a net increase of P11.75 per liter for gasoline, P9.90 per liter for diesel and P8.40 per liter for kerosene since the start of the year.

Oil prices have been going up for the past weeks on the strength of a rapidly recovering global economy and continued output restraint among US shale producers, according to the Department of Energy.

Jab ‘human error’ promptly corrected

By Vito Barcelo and Miguel Magbag

M

AKATI City Mayor Abigail Binay on Monday apologized over a viral video showing a volunteer nurse inserting a syringe but failing to inject the vaccine content to a female resident, saying it was an honest mistake which has been promptly corrected.

“It was human error on the part of the volunteer nurse that was immediately corrected,” she said in a statement.

“We acknowledge the video, it was a human error on the part of the volunteer nurse. It happened last June 25. June 26, the video was shown to us. We apologize to the public for this,” she added.

She said the female resident in the video has already been vaccinated as

she asked the public for understanding for the volunteer frontliner.

“Volunteer frontliners have been working for more than a year now, and to be honest, it is really hard to get vaccinators now. Let us be more compassionate to the nurse who volunteered her time. The nurse is a human being who gets tired, the nurse apologized and this will not happen again,” Binay said.

She appealed to the public not to use the incident to throw accusations or to attack the credibility of the vaccination program.

The Department of Health earlier said they will investigate the case and coordinate with the respective local government unit concerned.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III likewise urged medical frontliners administering the COVID-19 vaccines to exercise more caution.

“There has to be an abundance of caution when injecting, and to see to it the entire content of the syringe has been injected,” Duque said.

Testing czar Sec. Vince Dizon described the incident as an “isolated case.”

FIERY ORANGE. The

sun shows a strong orange color due to thermal or temperature inversion on Monday, June 28, 2021. Thermal inversion is a reversal of the normal temperature behavior in the troposphere closest to the Earth’s surface, in which a layer of cool air at the surface is overlain by a layer of warmer air.

Danny Pata

Taal may form volcanic smog, Phivolcs warns July 12 National WPS Victory Day pushed

By Rio N. Araja

THE public is warned against the possible formation of volcanic smog or “vog” over the Taal Caldera in Batangas due to continued volcanic sulfur dioxide gas emission from the main crater of Taal Volcano in the past two days.

“Should sulfur dioxide gas emission continue at the same rate (past week average of -4,330 tons/day) or increase and atmospheric condition promote the formation of vog, communities surrounding Taal Lake are advised to take necessary precautions,” the Department of Science and TechnologyPhilippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its advisory.

According to Phivolcs, vog is a type of air pollution that is caused by volcanoes, consisting of fine droplets of volcanic gas such as sulfur dioxide.

As it is acidic, vog can cause irritation of the eyes, throat and respiratory tract in severities depending on the gas concentrations and duration of exposure.

“People, particularly sensitive to such ill effects, are those with health conditions, such as asthma, lung disease and heart disease, the elderly, pregnant women and children. If vog occurs and exposure cannot be avoided, please be mindful,” Phivolcs said.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Risa Hontiveros on Monday filed a resolution declaring July 12 as National West Philippine Sea Victory Day to mark the country’s 2016 triumph at The Hague and in honor of the efforts of the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III in securing the landmark legal victory.

“PNoy is the father of our 2016 victory at The Hague. If not for his unwavering commitment to put the Philippines first, we would not have been awarded a landmark legal decision in international law, which established our credibility in the global arena,” Hontiveros said.

“Because of our victory in The Hague, the international community fully supports the Philippines against

abuses committed by China,” she said in filing Proposed Senate Resolution No. 762.

The resolution states that after Chinese vessels began barring Filipino fisherfolk from their traditional fishing grounds in Panatag Shoal and other parts of the WPS, Aquino pushed for the arbitration proceedings against China before the Permanent Court of

THE Department of Health on Monday has warned the public it is illegal to disclose HIV- or AIDSrelated information about a person without consent.

The DOH made the warning following a false claim made by a lawyer in a radio show that the late former President Benigno Aquino III had HIV. Lawyer Larry Gadon was heavily criticized on social media for peddling false information, and radio station dwIZ has already apologized to the Aquino family.

The DOH said Republic Act 11166 or the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act guarantees the confidentiality and privacy of anyone tested or treated for, exposed to, or has HIV- and AIDS-related illnesses.

“It shall then be unlawful to disclose, without written consent, information that a person has AIDS, has undergone HIV-related test, has HIV infection or HIV-related illnesses, or has been exposed to HIV,” the DOH said.

“We would like to warn and remind everyone that disclosure of confidential information, such as HIV status is illegal and they can be charged in accordance with law. Violators are liable to criminal, administrative, and civil sanctions and penalties,” it added.

Aquino passed away Thursday last week due to renal disease secondary to diabetes.

HIV advocacy group The Red Whistle said it is planning to file a disbarment case against Gadon for spreading disinformation.

8 brgy. execs suspended for failure to pass new budget

By Vito Barcelo THE Makati city government ordered a 90-day suspension of eight Barangay Carmona officials for neglecting to submit and enact the barangay annual investment program and budget in 2019 and 2020, depriving its residents of basic and social services.

“The barangay operated on a reenacted budget for two consecutive years, which deprived the residents of Carmona of much-needed social services and benefits because no funds were available for the implementation of social programs and services,” according to a resolution issued by the Makati City Council.

Under a reenacted budget, allowable expenses are limited to salaries and wages, essential operating expenses like utilities and supplies, and statutory and contractual obligations.

The suspension order included chairman Joselito Salvador, presiding officer of the Sangguniang Barangay, together with kagawad Jason Layug, Andres Chua, Jeffrey Sordan, Christopher Guerra, Rosalie Garcia, Maria Andrea Paula Vicente, and Virgilio Guillermo.

“The enactment of the annual budget cannot be overemphasized as operations of the barangay are dependent on the funds available for the services that it renders on a daily basis,” according to Cherry Canda-Melodias, director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Makati City.

Under the Local Government Code, an elective official may be disciplined, suspended, or removed from office on the grounds of dishonesty, oppression, misconduct in office, gross negligence, or dereliction of duty.

Villar inaugurates Las Piñas hospital 12-storey extension

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Cynthia Villar led on Monday the inauguration of a modular hospital and the groundbreaking of an additional 12 storeys of Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center to boost the city’s health facility amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The modular hospital, undertaken by Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, is across LPGH & STC and is complete with ventilation systems, oxygen lines, and air conditioning units with a 39-

bed capacity for COVID patients.

The facility, the senator said, would decongest LPGH & STC as it handles mild and moderate COVID-19 cases.

The DPWH has been building modular hospitals to augment the country’s healthcare facilities and to ensure unhampered care for COVID patients.

The expansion of LPGH & STC, according to the senator, was in line with Republic Act No. 11497 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte that ordered the upgrading of its bed capacity from 200 to 500 beds.

GROUNDBREAKING. Sen. Cynthia Villar, Public Works Sec. Mark Villar and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar lead the groundbreaking of the 12-storey extension of the Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center on June 28, 2021. The construction of additional storeys is in line with Republic Act No. 11497 upgrading the hospital’s bed capacity with an allocated funding of P644 million. Danny Pata

Opinion Extrajudicial killings as official policy

Five presidential bets? to run for president and vice president, respectively. No doubt, both Senators have name recall and popularity, but up to this point, people are still guessing what will happen. What party do they belong to?

This despite the fact that Sotto is talking about the Nationalist People’s Coalition, which was organized by the late San Miguel Chairman-CEO, Danding Cojuangco.

Another group which has been making THERE are now four groups showing interest in the May 9 elections for President noises lately is the Reform Party of former and Vice President. There is of course the Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. Who will be its choices of outgoing President Duterte, led candidates? People recall that Sara who had by presidential daughter, Davao City Mayor him ousted.

There are also talks about a “third force,” Sara Duterte-Carpio.

While the President has not mentioned but nobody knows just yet what that group Sara as his choice to succeed him, everybody will present to the people.

All things considered we can expect no knows that his daughter is his first choice. less than five Sara herself has political groups not declared on election day. herself running *** Then again, for President, The choice but there’s a everything is speculation of the President mounting clamor for vice at this point. for her to run president, House - a very good Majority Floor political strategy Leader Martin with 11 more months to go for the polls. Duterte himself Romualdez, raises a lot of interesting used the same strategy in 2016. Like father, points. A Sara-Martin combination presents a formidable team - the South, Eastern like daughter.

Who will be her running mate? There Visayas and even the North in Ilocandia and are reports that it will either be Bongbong parts of Luzon because Martin is the first Marcos, Martin Romualdez (who has been coursin of Bongbong.

It is a formidable combination with mentioned as the President’s preference) and former Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro. Sara’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago and the Lakas-CMD political party. There were But all these are speculation.

The 1Sambayan, which declared itself as in fact rumors that Lakas-CMD was the United opposition, wants Vice President staging a coup in the House to replace Leni Robredo to run under its banner, but Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. But people Robredo has not made up her mind on are now asking: What will happen to whether to run for local office or for the Bongbong, who has been mentioned as available for the vice presidency? There presidency.

Then, there are Senator Ping Lacson are reports that Sara prefers Bongbong and Senate President Tito Sotto who intend to be her VP. As I said, anything can

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

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EDITORIAL

quoted below: Phase 1 (1 July 2016 – mid-October 2016) saw the implementation of Project Double Barrel in the first three months following Duterte’s inauguration. It included law enforcement activities under both Operation Tokhang and Operation HVT. Amnesty International (“AI”) called this period “Duterte’s 100 days of carnage”.

IN THE Request for Judicial Investigation Phase 2 (26 October 2016 – 29 January filed before the International Criminal 2017), the implementation of “Project Court on the situation in the Philippines in Double Barrel Alpha” expanded the the context of the Duterte Administration’s scope of Double Barrel, focusing on the war on drugs campaign (WoD), Prosecutor “neutralization of high value targets” and Fatou Bensouda gives an exhaustive extending Operation Tokhang to “schools, narration of the factual and jurisdictional business establishments, subdivisions and bases to justify the grant of such Request. condominium,” in addition to visits to drug By way of historical background, the suspects’ residences.

Request lays down in chronological order a Phase 3 (30 January 2017 – 5 March narration of the significant events of Rodrigo 2017) saw the temporary suspension of Duterte’s war on drugs from the time he was police anti-drug operations, following the mayor of Davao City up to the early years of killing of Korean national Jee Ick Joo by his presidency, starting July 2016 up to March PNP personnel. Duterte 2019. This factual narration ordered the PDEA to take serves to reveal a pattern of over all anti-drug-related Here is the extrajudicial and extralegal operations, while the PNP killings perpetrated by was ordered to clean its unassailable state and non-state actors in ranks of so-called “rogue” furtherance of a State policy conclusion. police, including those to kill suspected drug users suspected to be involved and sellers and to instigate in drug-related activities. members of the public to The Armed Forces of the carry out such killings.

Philippines (“AFP” or “armed forces”) were As stated in the Request, as early as tasked with assisting the PDEA in its work.

February 2016 and throughout the WoD, Phase 4 (6 March 2017 – 10 October the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 2017) corresponded to the implementation (“PDEA”) repeatedly reported that a high of “Project Double Barrel: Reloaded”, which proportion of the country’s barangays were relaunched Project Double Barrel “with a “drug affected” – meaning that a drug few revisions in its mechanisms”. PNP Chief user, dealer (or “pusher”), manufacturer, Dela Rosa promised that “this time it is going marijuana cultivator, or other drug to be more extensive, aggressive and wellpersonality had been “proven” to exist coordinated”. Dela Rosa also promised “a less in such locations – and indicated that the bloody, if not bloodless” campaign.

WoD should continue until all barangays Phase 5 (10 October 2017 – 4 December could be considered cleared. Most-used 2017) saw a second suspension of the drugs in the Philippines are believed to police’s involvement in anti-drug operations, be into methamphetamine hydrochloride following the highly publicised killing of (commonly known as “shabu”) and teenager Kian Delos Santos by members of cannabis (marijuana). the PNP, and increased public criticism of the During 1988-1998, 2001-2010, and WoD. Responsibility for “leading the all-out 2013-2016, the current President of the war against illegal drugs” was transferred to Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, served as the PDEA exclusively until 5 December 2017, Mayor of Davao City on an anti-drugs when the PNP was again put in charge of and anti-crime platform, earning him the conducting anti-drug operations. nicknames “The Punisher” and “Duterte Phase 6 (from 5 December 2017) signalled Harry” for the violent manner in which the return of the PNP to the conduct of he sought to combat crime. On multiple WoD operations, under the supervision occasions, Duterte publicly supported and of the PDEA.41 During this phase, on 21 encouraged the killing of petty criminals April 2018, Oscar Albayalde took over from and drug dealers in Davao City. During his Dela Rosa as head of the PNP. Albayalde tenure as Mayor, Davao City police officers reportedly confirmed his commitment to and the so-called “Davao Death Squad” continuing “the programs of the previous (“DDS”), a vigilante group comprising leadership.” both civilian and police members linked to Since the launch of the WoD campaign, the local administration, allegedly carried despite the high number of killings during out at least 1,000 killings. According to police anti-drug operations, President Bensouda, those killings share a number Duterte has repeatedly and publicly of common features with killings during confirmed his commitment to continue on the later national WoD campaign, including with the murderous campaign. the victim profile, advance warning to the The unassailable conclusion: these victim, perpetrator profile, the means used, killings are a result of an official policy and the locations of incidents. of the state. The Philippine government The Request then divides the WoD sanctioned all these killings. campaign into six operational phases covering the period between July 2016 Website: tonylavina.com Facebook: and March 2019, excerpts of which are deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

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TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

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Asking for trouble

RMING civilian anti-crime volunteers as President Duterte suggests will result in more, not fewer crimes. This stark warning comes, not from a human rights activist, but from Senator Panfilo Lacson, who was chief of the national police from 1999 to 2001.

Arming civilians to fight criminality could backfire, especially if they don’t have the proper training and mindset, Lacson says, adding that stricter gun control measures by the police would be a better solution to criminality.

To bolster his case, Lacson cited recent abuses by off-duty policemen who were involved in fatal shootings—including Master Sergeant Hensie Zinampan who shot a 52-year-old woman in the back of the head in Fairview, Quezon City in May, a month after the victim’s son figured in a fist fight with him. A murder charge has been filed against Zinampan.

Another case, which Lacson did not mention, was a shooting incident at the Manila Police Department (MPD) headquarters on June 25, in which a drunk cop broke into his office at night to get a rifle, then shot and killed a colleague and wounded another before being shot dead himself by responding policemen.

“If our law enforcers who are supposed to be trained are prone to lapses, how much more in the case of untrained civilians?”

Lacson asked.

But the senator isn’t the only one who thinks arming civilian volunteers is a bad idea.

“Arming civilians without proper training, qualification, and clear lines of accountability may lead to lawlessness and proliferation of arms that may further negatively impact the human rights situation in the country,” a spokesperson for the Commission on Human Rights said.

The plan could easily backfire.

In 2012, a study entitled “Arming civilians for self-defense: the impact of firearms proliferation on the conflict dynamics in Southern Thailand” found that a government policy to arm civilian volunteer militias led to a sharp proliferation of firearms in the southernmost provinces, researchers found.

“The research findings brought to light the way in which firearms proliferation and the rise in the arming of civilians potentially escalates the conflict dynamics and contributes to ethno-religious polarization as well as to communal violence,” the study concluded.

In the United States where gun violence and mass shootings are rife, the data is there for anyone who wishes to see it.

A 1998 study in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery found that “every time a gun in the home was used in a self-defense or legally justifiable shooting, there were four unintentional shootings, seven criminal assaults or homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides.”

In 2017, Stanford Law School professor John Donohue found that states that adopted right-to-carry laws experienced a 13 percent to 15 percent increase in violent

crime in the 10 years after enacting those laws.

It is germane to point out that Mr. Duterte, in seeking to arm civilian militias, wants to specifically target communist rebels in one of the world’s longest running insurgencies.

But the International Committee of the Red Cross, in a 1999 study, found that civilians have paid an appalling price for the widespread availability of weapons and ammunition.

“The unregulated transfer of weapons and ammunition can increase tensions, heighten civilian casualties and prolong the duration of conflicts,” the ICRC study said.

In Burkina Faso, where the government began civilians to fight jihadists in 2020, several things can go wrong, writes Sam Mednnick in The New Humanitarian.

First, there is a lack of oversight. Then there is an increased opportunity for revenge.

“The government can barely provide thorough oversight of its own military, and now you’re going to throw in a bunch of random groups that have absolutely no training,” one advocate for West and Central African refugees said. “We’re entering a time of absolute chaos in Burkina.”

The current PNP chief, Guillermo Eleazar, defends the President’s proposal to arm civilians, saying that the civilian volunteers would “undergo the rules and procedures for civilians to possess and carry firearms.” But we take little solace from the assurances of an official who cannot even stop drunk policemen from shooting and killing civilians and their own colleagues.

The objective may be to reduce crime, but in arming untrained and unsupervised civilian volunteers, this government is just asking for trouble.

Time for LP to junk the Reds years in Congress with Imee saw his name on not a single new law. And that mission also evaporated when he stepped down and was rarely heard from again. *** We have the Liberal Party bigwigs to thank for inveigling PNoy into agreeing to a necro-ronation in 2010. He may no longer be with us, but those same bigwigs are still

LAST Saturday was the inurnment of former President Benigno “PNoy” Aquino III. His former colleague in Congress, now-Senator Imee Marcos, eulogized him as a “kind and gentle soul” whom she will “deeply miss,” setting a commendably Catholic tone of reconciliation. Even our acerbic President declared a 10-day period of national mourning. Any funeral, especially a presidential one, should always be an occasion for setting aside differences and coming together. *** I was a bit puzzled, though, by the Inquirer headline that proclaimed “Mission accomplished!” in PNoy’s honor. I hope they meant that he simply did his part in carrying the baton in what his Finance Secretary Purisima described as the “relay race” of the presidency. To borrow words from his Palace predecessor, he simply contributed his own “stone for the edifice” of nationbuilding; for example: A high of 7.8% quarterly GDP growth on his watch (almost as good as PGMA, whose quarterly numbers exceeded 8%--twice) Fiscal stability with his sin tax reform (preceded by PGMA’s e-VAT reform in 2005, succeeded by PRRD’s TRAIN and CREATE laws) Consequently, investment grade ratings in 2011 (much of which the upgrade reports credited to PGMA’s fiscal reforms, then were reaffirmed years later even in the depths of PRRD’s severe lockdown) After initial hesitation in 2011-12, infrastructure buildout (continuing PGMA’s infrastructure spree, followed by PRRD’s Build Build Build) Whatever it was, PNoy’s “mission” started only when he became president. He was a decent soul, true, but also a wholly ordinary man, with no executive experience, whose happen.

*** The death of former President Noynoy Aquino III has its impact on the Liberal Party, now headed by Senator Kiko Pangilingan and chaired by the Vice President. The political impact on the onset of the 2022 May 9 polls. Noynoy’s death could either solidify or cause the disintegration of the party.

No doubt, the death of Noynoy cuts both ways. It could mean that the Yellows could unite, or see itself disintegrate. *** There are high hopes that the government will achieve its goal of vaccinating at least 70 percent of the 110 million population.

Herd immunity will be a good holiday gift to Filipinos.

I must congratulate the health experts and the President himself for such optimism.

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Stop the on-and-off flirtation. very much around, casting their moist eyes on the Palace.

If the LP wants to avoid the same debacle they suffered with “Otso Otso” in 2019, they would do well, first, to dissociate themselves from the new coalition 1Sambayan, half of whose membership, I recently learned, are NDF groups. It’s past time for the LP to junk its on-and-off flirtation—since Ninoy’s time--with the CPP, the same guys who bombed their miting de avance in Plaza Miranda in August 1971.

The LP may then wish to subsume into a more potent alliance with conventional parties like the NPC and a PDP-Laban faction who seem ready to break with the administration. They have legitimate issues to raise, and besides, as a self-respecting democracy, we ought to have a viable, working opposition. *** Another mission that’s clearly still unaccomplished is the reform of Tita Cory’s 1987 Constitution. But we’re slowly getting there.

Last Friday I attended the latest in a webinar series being run by the DILG— together with partners like Konrad Adenauer, DAP, and CenSEI—to drum up support for empowering Congress to relax the Constitutional restrictions on foreign But only 2.1 million adult Filipinos have gotten their second dose. We’re still far off from the goal! *** Whether we like it or not, Filipinos living in the United States are pondering two things -- freedom and human rights -- as far as the May 9 polls are concerned. But they may be unaware of the real issues here at home.

With this kind of mentality, most Filipinos will vote against whoever President Duterte will support to succeed him. Filipinos in the US have become the opposition of the Duterte administration.

This is why the ad minist ration should conduct a massive education and infor mation campaig n among dual citizens who are living in the US. Calling A mbassador Babe Romualdez!

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@ yahoo.com.

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Residential real eatate: Two opposite trends

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investment in various sectors.

It’s heartening to report that a poll of participants at the end showed 85 percent support for relaxing restrictions on telecoms.

The next step now is to solicit the support of the Senate for a plebiscite, ideally before December when Comelec starts printing the ballots for May 2022.

Interestingly, many participants also had questions about the massive devolution of powers from national to local governments starting next year as a result of the Supreme Court’s Mandanas ruling. A whopping P155 billion of the budget will have to be transferred from national agencies to the LGUs, bringing their share up to some 38 percent of all tax collections.

Notably, another 13 percent would bring up the local governments’ share to over 50 percent, setting the fiscal basis for a federal government. That can easily be attained just by transferring to LGUs the responsibility for our classrooms and teachers nationwide, similar to US school districts. But that’s for the next administration’s agenda. *** So many of our friends continue to fall to the COVID virus as well as plain old-age ailments. I’m dedicating my Bible discussion here to one of them, my fraternity brother Rey G. Roy, who will be sorely missed.

In the second reading for today, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Timothy brings us these parting words from Paul as he faces death in Rome (2 Tm 4: 6-8): “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”

How many of us—from PNoy to Rey Roy—would be able to honestly say the same about our faith to St Peter the gatekeeper when we finally face him? It would take a lifetime of work to muster that, and yet it’s never too late for us. God’s grace is always available, only just awaiting our response to Him.

Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Jimbo Owen Gulle

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Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer Elmer T. Alitagtag Art Director

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

B2

World

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

Italy ‘mask-free, low-risk’ zone for first time

LIGHT MARKERS.

Solar lights and flags now mark the spots where 751 human remains were recently discovered in unmarked graves at the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School on the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan on June 27.

AFP

IN BRIEF ‘Heat dome’ over US, Canada areas OTTAWA—A “heat dome” over western Canada and the US Pacific northwest sent temperatures soaring to new highs, trigge ring heat warnings from Oregon to Canada’s Arctic territories on Sunday.

Hotspot Lytton in British Columbia -about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver -- broke the record “for Canada’s all time maximum high” with a temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius (116 Fahrenheit), said Environment Canada.

More than 40 new temperature highs were recorded throughout the province over the weekend, including in the ski resort town of Whistler. And the high-pressure ridge trapping warm air in the region is expected to continue breaking more records throughout the week.

Environment Canada issued alerts for British Columbia, Alberta, and parts of Saskatchewan, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

“A prolonged, dangerous, and historic heat wave will persist through this week,” it said, forecasting temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in several regions, or 10-15 degrees Celsius hotter than normal.

The US National Weather Service issued a similar warning about a “dangerous heat wave” that could see record temperatures rise to more than 30 degrees Fahrenheit above normal in parts of Washington and Oregon states. AFP

Long-term impact of Aussie virus tack MELBOURNE—Australia faces stalled population growth and budget deficits until at least 2060 as a result of emergenManila Standard cy Covid-19 measures, the government TODAY warned Monday.

The decision to slam shut its borders at the start of the pandemic, combined with lower fertility rates, mean slow population growth that will weigh on the economy, according to the 2021 Intergenerational Report.

A vast stimulus spending programme launched last year -- which saw the government pump billions into the economy to avert a full-blown depression -- will help keep the budget in deficit until at least 2060.

“This outlook has been profoundly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused the most severe global economic shock since the Great Depression,” the report says.

“While Australia’s economic recovery is Manila well advanced, some effects from this Standard shock will persist for years to come.”

TODAY Australia’s population growth has plummeted to its lowest levels in more than a century after it effectively sealed itself off from the rest of the world at the start of the pandemic. AFP DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE SETTLEMENT DEED OF OF WELMA T. SICANGCO EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is is hereby hereby given given that that the the estate estate of of the the late late WELMA WELMA T. T. Notice SICANGCO, who who died died intestate intestate on on December December 16, 16, 2019 2019 at at SICANGCO, the Manila Manila Doctors Doctors Hospital, Hospital, Metro Metro Manila Manila was was settled settled by by the way of of Deed Deed of of Extra-judicial Extra-judicial Settlement Settlement of of Estate Estate executed executed way by the legal heirs before Notary Public Atty.

Jan Rurik D. by the legal heirs before Notary Public Atty. Jan Rurik D. Padiernos of of Makati Makati City, City, dated dated 14th 14th day day of of December December 2020 2020 Padiernos and recorded recorded into into his his notarial notarial registry registry under under Doc. Doc. No. No. 271; 271; and Page No. No. 55; 55; Book Book No. No. 8; 8; Series Series of of 2020.

2020.

Page

(MStandard-June 22, 22, 29 29 July July 6, 6, 2021) 2021) (MStandard-June

AFFIDAVIT OF SELF-ADJUDICATION OF THE ESTATE OF TOMAS C. CABUEÑOS NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late TOMAS C. CABUEÑOS who died intestate on September 1, 1998 at Manila Doctors Hospital, 667 United Nations Avenue, Ermita, Manila was settled via Affidavit of Self-Adjudication executed by his son and sole compulsary heir Tomas A. Cabueños, Jr. on May 28, 2021 before Notary Public ATTY. JAN RURIK D. PADIERNOS as per Doc. No. 352; Page No. 74; Book No. 7; Series of 2021

(MStandard-June 22, 29 & July 6, 2021)

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT of ESTATE with WAIVER of RIGHTS Notice is hereby given that the estate of the spouses CHING TAN LEE and MARIA BERINO has been extra-judicially settled among their heirs WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS consisting of: • TCT No. 21411 – Mun. of Pasig; • TCT No. PT-91098 – Mun. of Pasig; • TCT No. PT-91083 – Mun. of Pasig; • TCT No. PT-108406 – Mun. of Pasig.

As per Doc. No. 100; Page No. 21; Book No. XII; Series of 2021 before Notary Public ATTY. EARLENE LIRIO R. TURANO. (MS-June 22/29, July 6, 2021)

US-led air strikes kill 5 ‘Iran-backed’ fighters W ASHINGTON—The Pentagon announced Sunday it had conducted retaliatory targeted air strikes against “facilities used by Iranbacked militia groups” on the Iraq-Syria border, which a monitor said killed at least five militia fighters.

The strikes come at a delicate moment as the United States blames Iran-linked Iraqi factions for recent attacks against Iraqi installations housing its personnel, while also hoping to work out a return to a nuclear deal with Tehran.

“US military forces earlier this evening conducted defensive precision air strikes against facilities used by Iranbacked militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region,” Pentagon spokesman

John Kirby said in a statement, adding that the attacks were carried out at the direction of President Joe Biden.

While the United States did not provide information on casualties, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “at least five Iran-backed Iraqi militia fighters were killed, and several others were wounded in an attack by US warplanes” on the Syrian side of the frontier.

The war monitor, which relies on a

network of sources inside Syria to collect information, said that military positions were among the targets hit.

Syria’s state-run SANA news agency said one child had been killed and that at least three other people were wounded.

Kirby said that the targets -- two in Syria, one in Iraq -- were selected because “these facilities are utilized

by Iran-backed militias that are engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against US personnel and facilities in Iraq.”

Kataeb Hezbollah and Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada, two hardline Iraqi military factions with close ties to Tehran, were among the “several Iran-backed militia groups” that had used the targeted facilities, Kirby said. AFP

ROME—All of Italy became a maskfree, “low-risk” zone for coronavirus Monday, marking a dramatic milestone for the first European country to be hit by the global pandemic in February 2020.

In a decree that took effect Monday, the health ministry for the first time classified each of Italy’s 20 regions as “white”, signifying low risk, under the country’s colour-coded classification system that evaluates COVID-19 risk.

That means facemasks will no longer be compulsory in outdoor areas -- welcome news across the country where an ongoing heatwave is expected to push temperatures past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some southern areas this week.

Once a symbol of the coronavirus crisis in the West -- where images of army trucks transporting coffins from the overflowing morgue in the northern city of Bergamo were seen around the world -- Italy has seen COVID-19 infections and deaths plummet in recent weeks.

A third of Italy’s population over the age of 12 has been vaccinated as of Sunday, or 17,572,505 people, according to the government.

Long prohibited from entering the country, tourists from the European Union, Britain, the United States, Canada and Japan are now back after the government removed a quarantine requirement for vaccinated visitors, or those who test negative.

Despite the progress, Health Minister Roberto Speranza urged Italians to be vigilant.

“It’s an encouraging result, but caution and prudence is still needed, especially because of the new variants,” Speranza wrote, after signing the ordinance Saturday. “The battle is not yet won.” AFP

N. Koreans fret over ‘emaciated’ Kim Jong Un

SEOUL—North Korean state television has aired a citizen’s comment about Kim Jong Un’s “emaciated” condition, a highly unusual broadcast CYAN MAGENTA BLACK in a countryYELLOW where public discussion of the leader’s health and personal life has always been off-limits.

Analysts say the remarks showed authorities were seeking to use the change to Kim’s weight to reinforce loyalty to the regime in desperate times.

The impoverished, nuclear-armed country is more isolated than ever behind its self-imposed coronavirus barricade, and this month admitted it was tackling a food crisis, sounding the alarm in a nation with a moribund agricultural sector that has long struggled to feed itself.

At the same time Kim’s health has long been closely watched internationally as his sudden death would raise IN MEMORIAM. People visit the makeshift memorial for the victims of the building collapse, near the site of the accident in Surfside, Florida, north of Miami Beach on June 27. The death toll after the collapse of a Florida apartment tower has risen to nine, questions over succession and stability.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW officials said Sunday. AFP Known as a heavyBLACK smoker, the leader has long been obese, with his weight appearing to increase steadily in recent years.

But he looked noticeably less overweight in recent media images pubSURFSIDE—The death toll after the Four new bodies and other human Beach. She had said earlier that one lished by Pyongyang’s official KCNA collapse of a Florida apartment tower remains were found after rescuers victim had died in hospital. news agency and on state television. rose to nine, officials said Sunday, with dug an enormous trench -- 125 feet “We have identified an additional four Kim’s personal life is normally tamore than 150 people still missing and long, 20 feet wide and 40 feet deep of the victims” for a total of eight identiboo for North Korea’s state media -their weary families waiting nearly four (38 by 6 by 12 meters) -- through the fied, she said during a Sunday evening Pyongyang has never confirmed how days for information as to their fate. mountain of debris, according to the press conference. “We’re working to nomany children he has -- but KCTV last The outlook grew increasingly grim Miami-Dade County mayor. tify those next of kin first.” week aired a clip of an unnamed resiby the hour, however, as the slow res“As of now, the number of conSix to eight squads, backed by two dent of the capital claiming everyone cue operation, involving workers sort- firmed fatalities remains at nine,” huge cranes and aided by sniffer dogs, in the country was “heartbroken” by ing nonstop through the rubble in tor- Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told are “on the pile actually searching at his “emaciated” condition. AFP rid heat and high humidity, carried on. reporters in Surfside, near Miami any given time,” she added. AFP

Deaths in Florida building collapse rise to nine

Cops nab top Apple Daily writer HONG KONG—Hong Kong police have arrested the lead opinion writer of Apple Daily on national security grounds as he tried to fly out of the city, local media reported, days after the pro-democracy newspaper was forced to shut down.

Apple Daily, an unapologetic backer of Hong Kong’s democracy movement, put out its last edition on Thursday after its top leadership was arrested and its assets frozen under a national security law China imposed on Hong Kong last year.

Fung Wai-kong, managing editor and chief opinion writer for the paper’s English website, on Sunday became the seventh senior Apple Daily figure detained under the law.

Hong Kong police confirmed the arrest of a 57-year-old man at the airport for “conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security.”

They did not name Fung, who wrote under the penname Lo Fung, but local media reported that he has been detained for investigation.

The prosecution of Apple Daily was sparked by articles and columns that allegedly supported international sanctions against China, a view now deemed illegal under the security law.

In the last two weeks, police have raided the Apple Daily newsroom, seized computers and servers, and arrested five senior executives. AFP

‘FREE ASSANGE’. A woman wearing an orange jumpsuit, a Julian Assange mask and a Free Assange shirt gives two thumbs up during a “Free Julian Assange” rally outside the Oakwood Community Center in Venice, California on June 27 as part of a national tour to raise awareness of Assange as a threat to press freedom. AFP

Business

B3

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Guam bares ‘vacation-vax’ program to lure tourists HAGATNA, Guam—The US Pacific territory of Guam will offer visitors a COVID-19 vaccination with their tropical holiday, in a bid to restart its struggling tourism industry.

Dubbed ‘Air V&V—vacation and vaccination—the program is primarily aimed at US expatriates in the AsiaPacific region, although other nationalities can participate.

Guam has limited COVID-19 infections and a high vaccination rate among the local population thanks to one of the most effective roll-outs in the region.

And that makes the island an attractive destination for vaccine tourists, said Visitors Bureau president Carl Gutierrez.

“This program captures a unique demographic of travelers around the world that are tired of waiting to get vaccinated in this pandemic,” he said.

Guam’s Governor Lou Leon Guerrero signed off on the initiative last week, and is expected to relax quarantine rules early next month so it can proceed.

Based on health department protocols, travelers will have to undergo a seven-day quarantine at a self-paid facility upon arrival to Guam.

If they pass a coronavirus test on day six, they will be allowed out the next day to enjoy an unrestricted beachside holiday.

Participants in the program can choose between the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Gutierrez said the first charter flight was expected from Taiwan on July 6 and up to 30,000 people were forecast to take advantage of the scheme by the end of the year.

A dozen hotels in the tourist district of Tumon have started booking Air V&V packages, with local medical clinics set to administer the jabs.

Tourism is Guam’s second-largest economic driver after the island’s US military bases, but a University of Guam study estimated that arrivals slumped 76 percent last year compared with 2019.

Gutierrez said Air V&V “will give a shot in the arm to our tourism industry through this unique and valuable service, offering more opportunities to put our people back to work and get our economy roaring again.” AFP

PSEi June 28, 2021

TOP GAINERS

Stocks decline slightly; ICTSI, BDO lead losers T HE stock market slipped Monday along with the rest of Asia, as traders took a breather after last week’s rally while keeping tabs on Federal Reserve monetary policy plans in light of the positive outlook for the global economy.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index shed 12.55 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,937.96 on a value turnover of P5.4 billion. Gainers, however, beat losers, 107 to 96, with 43 issues unchanged.

International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator and

owned by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., fell 1.6 percent to P161.40, while BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, also declined 1.6 percent to P113.20.

Emperador Inc., the biggest liquor maker, however, rose 3.7 percent to P11.80, while AC Energy Corp., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., climbed 2.9 percent to P8.42.

The rest o f Asian stocks were slightly lower Monday.

The bipartisan agreement between US lawmakers Thursday on a huge infrastructure deal provided an extra boost to already upbeat investors, who have also been calmed by Fed pledges to maintain record-low interest rates and vast bondbuying for as long as the recovery needs.

Even a sharp spike in a closely watched gauge of consumer spending for May was taken in stride on trading floors, with much of the surge being attributed to rallying energy costs.

After another record close on Wall Street, Asia struggled to maintain momentum on Monday.

Tokyo, Hong Kong, Wellington, Mumbai, Bangkok and Jakarta all eased, while Shanghai, Sydney and Seoul were barely moved. Singapore and Taipei rose.

Observers warned that while the general mood was positive, investors remained on edge as inflation continues to be a worry.

The Fed is “far away from tapering, they are far away from increasing rates, but at some point, if the markets sees the Fed being too far behind the curve you will start to see some adjustment on the long end of the curve,” Charles-Henry Monchau, at FlowBank SA, told Bloomberg TV. “We might not have seen the peak in bond yields. I would not be surprised to see some adjustments in the coming months. That might be an excuse for the market to take a bit of profit.” With AFP

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

OV RCB

0.012 19

0.001 1.5

9.09% 8.57%

3 4

I WIN

1.42 0.33

0.09 0.02

6.77% 6.45%

5 6

EURO AT

2.05 6.61

0.12 0.38

6.22% 6.10%

7 8

ALCO PRIM

0.7 3.19

0.04 0.18

6.06% 5.98%

9 10

FB GMA7

79.95 14.04

3.95 0.66

5.20% 4.93%

TOP LOSERS

FUTURE FACTORY. French President Emmanuel Macron (center) is welcomed by a Renault’s employee before a visit to the site

of the future factory of Japan-based battery maker Envision AESC group, in Douai, northern France, where Renault SA develops an electric-vehicle manufacturing hub on June 28, 2021. It is expected to be announced during the ‘Choose France’ event that Renault SA has chosen Envision AESC to produce batteries in the future Douai plant, that will equip its future electric vehicles, including the Renault 5 model. The Douai battery factory will complement Renault’s electric car hub known as ‘Renault ElectriCity’ born from pooling three of its plants in northern France, Douai, Ruitz and Maubeuge. AF

LAST PRICE

LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

EVER SLI

0.425 2.86

-0.045 -0.24

-9.57% -7.74%

3 4

FPI PHES

0.285 0.72

-0.02 -0.05

-6.56% -6.49%

5 6

MBC LODE

9.9 0.93

-0.6 -0.05

5.71% -5.10%

7 8 9 10

PRMX ABA MAHB ZHI

3.47 1.12 2.12 0.229

-0.18 -0.05 -0.09 -0.009

-4.93% -4.27% -4.07% -3.78%

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

SMPH BDO ALI ICT SM AC ACEN TECH MEG GLO

VOLUME 26,162,300 2,740,150 7,503,600 1,416,970 194,460 185,300 17,547,800 20,239,900 40,266,000 52,485

VALUE (PHP) 976,369,305.00 310,532,650.00 277,070,125.00 230,348,491.00 194,739,145.00 148,503,155.00 146,593,132.00 139,770,425.00 131,298,000.00 96,782,960.00

Volkswagen to drop combustion engine vehicle market in Europe BERLIN, GERMANY—Volkswagen said Sunday it plans to stop producing cars with internal combustion engines in Europe for its eponymous flagship brand between 2033 and 2035, as the Germany auto giant accelerates its drive towards electric vehicles.

Carmakers around the world have started setting timetables to phase out combustion engines in the face of increasingly strict anti-pollution standards put in place to fight climate change, with Volkswagen’s electric push also following lingering reputational harm from the “dieselgate” scandal.

Klaus Zellmer, board member for sales and marketing at Volkswagen’s passenger cars brand, told the Bavarian newspaper Muenchner Merkur that “we will make our entire fleet CO2 neutral by 2050 at the latest.”

“In Europe, we will leave the combustion engine vehicle market between 2033 and 2035,” he said in a interview published online Sunday.

He added that the change will take place “a little later in the United States

and China. In South America and Africa, due to the lack of political framework conditions and infrastructure, it will take a little longer.”

Volkswagen’s flagship brand had already said in March it was aiming for electric vehicles to account for 70 percent of its European sales by 2030.

Zellmer said that “as a mass-market manufacturer, VW has to adapt to different speeds of transformation in different regions.”

“Our competitors who sell vehicles mainly in Europe, for example, will certainly have to face a far less complex transformation.”

Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, announced last week it would launch only fully electric vehicles from 2026 and halt manufacturing cars with internal combustion engines by 2033.

Sweden’s Volvo has said it plans to sell only electric models from 2030.

The European Union will unveil tougher 2030 CO2 emissions targets and regulatory proposals on July 14, which are expected to force carmakers to speed up the transition to electric cars.

Disputes emerge in N. America trade deal WASHINGTON—One year after it took effect in the midst of a record economic downturn, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has yet to end trading friction between the North American allies.

The three countries said the new treaty would benefit their economies and workers but, as the anniversary nears on Thursday, the neighbors have already entered into a range of disputes—many of which have seen the United States object to Mexican or Canadian practices.

“Most of the focus on USMCA over the next several years is going to be on the disputes,” said Edward Alden, an expert at the Council on Foreign Relations.

USMCA replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement, which had been in force since 1994, and which Alden said had envisioned the continent’s three economies at one point becoming a single market, like the European Union.

That vision appears to be dead, at least for now.

“USMCA is very much the rules for three separate North American economies to cooperate, where they can, and rules for fighting where they can’t cooperate,” Alden said.

While the disputes between the countries have made headlines, Jeffrey Schott, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, credited the deal with “removing the cloud of uncertainty” over continental commerce.

“That creates a better atmosphere for trade and investment than we’ve had in some time,” he said.

Former president Donald Trump, who was known for his bellicose rhetoric even towards American allies, negotiated the USMCA, but his successor President Joe Biden could change policies.

But there are also signs that even under the new government, the squabbling will continue. AFP

In this photograph taken on June 21, 2021, staff watch as chef Saransh Goila (right) prepares an order in the kitchen of the Goila Butter Chicken restaurant in Mumbai. AFP

Indian chef taking the ‘world’s best butter chicken’ global

By Nivrita Ganguly MUMBAI, India—The coal-fired tandoor oven sends a mouth-watering scent wafting through the Mumbai kitchen as celebrity chef Saransh Goila, maker of the world’s “best butter chicken” according to MasterChef Australia, takes a break from COVID-19 relief efforts and resumes work.

Although the pandemic has done little to slow the global appetite for his delivery-only signature dish, business has been the last thing on his mind of late with India battling a brutal second wave of infections.

Much to his shock, Goila—who has over a million Instagram and Twitter followers—started getting dozens of messages daily from COVID_19 patients and their families, asking for assistance sourcing healthy meals.

“You don’t think of people being stuck for home-cooked meals in India,” he told AFP. “We are a country where you have your neighbors, friends, family always ready to help.”

But with the coronavirus forcing people into isolation and making entire families sick, those networks were of little use.

So Goila launched a non-profit

platform called COVID Meals for India in April to connect thousands of volunteer home cooks with coronavirus patients and frontline workers in around 400 cities.

Somehow, he also managed to open his second overseas kitchen in London’s trendy Shoreditch neighborhood last month, five years after launching his business.

His menu includes innovative—or sacrilegious, depending on who you ask—spins on the traditional dish.

Diners can order a butter chicken biryani, a butter chicken burger, chips with—you guessed it—butter chicken gravy, and even a butter chicken khichdi, a rice-and-lentil gruel usually served to sick people.

Goila found his calling early, winning a televised cooking competition aged 25 that led him to host a travel program showcasing regional Indian cuisine.

It was then, while covering a distance of some 20,000 kilometers (12,400 miles), that he realized butter chicken had a universal appeal that cut across India’s diverse cultures.

So the bearded chef, who prefers vegetarian food himself, decided to establish the world’s first global butter

chicken brand.

‘A hug in a bowl’ His profile exploded in 2018 when he was invited by former MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris—a fan of Goila’s cooking—to be a guest on the hit show, with contestants asked to recreate his signature dish.

Even before the pandemic, the popularity of the creamy tomato-based curry has defied every health trend going— there are no vegan or low-calorie options on his menu—with eight outlets across India and Britain.

Butter chicken’s reassuring familiarity has long made it an Indian restaurant staple, while its mild flavor is unlikely to sting even the most sensitive taste buds. Quite simply it is, as Goila puts it, “a hug in a bowl.”

But COVID-19 has turned up some unexpected challenges, with extended lockdowns transforming even fine dining restaurants into delivery businesses offering discounted meals.

The fierce competition has chipped away at Goila’s margins, slashing orders at his Indian outlets by 30 percent and forcing him to lay off 10 percent of his staff.

“It’s a tricky, tricky spot for the hospitality industry,” he said. AFP

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

B4

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

PSE INDEX CLOSING Monday, June 28, 2021

-12.55 PTS. 6,937.96

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

1,592,132,605 84,517 5,348,625,909.79 107 96 43

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.9010

Japan

Yen

0.009104

0.4361

UK

Pound

1.419600

68.0003

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128843

6.1717

Switzerland

Franc

1.111729

53.2529

Canada

Dollar

0.828500

39.6860

Singapore

Dollar

0.756201

36.2228

Australia

Dollar

0.771100

36.9365

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655760

127.2136

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266674

12.7740

Brunei

Dollar

0.753352

36.0863

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.032010

1.5333

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.0428

Euro

Euro

1.220000

58.4392

Korea

Won

0.000899

0.0431

China

Yuan

0.157050

7.5229

India

Rupee

0.013812

0.6616

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.242014

11.5927

New Zealand

Dollar

0.725500

34.7522

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036105

1.7295 Source: BSP

Jollibee offering preferred shares worth up to P12b RESTAURANT chain operator Jollibee Foods Corp. said Monday it plans to issue up to P12 billion worth of preferred shares in September to revive business growth and strengthen balance sheet.

Jollibee said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it would file with the Securities and Exchange Commission an application to register 20 million redeemable perpetual preferred shares worth P20 billion to be issued over a three-year period.

The initial tranche will involve 8 million preferred shares, with an oversubscription option for another 4 million preferred shares at P1,000 apiece to raise between P8 billion and P12 billion.

Jollibee chief finance officer Ysmael Baysa said the maiden preferred share offering would be used to buy back about $250 million worth of US-dollar denominated perpetual bonds issued in January 2020.

“Once all are executed by December 2021, JFC would have fewer debt obligations, more distributed financial maturities over the next few years, lower foreign exchange risks, and better leverage and debt servicing ratios,” Baysa said.

Baysa said the issuance of preferred shares would not change the cash dividend policy on group’s common shares which is to declare as cash dividends 33 percent of net income attributable to common equity holders.

Jollibee said the fund raising activity would also enable it to maintain the capability to finance profitable growth, which is forecasted to accelerate in the coming months and years.

The company earlier announced plans to open 450 new stores this year and at least 500 new stores per year over the next few years.

Meanwhile, shareholders of Jollibee approved the election Kevin Goh and Ee Rong Chong to the board of directors. It is the first time the company has three independent directors.

This is also the first time the company elected foreigners and a female member, reflecting an improvement in its diversity. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business Voyager secures P8.1-b fund to form digital bank V

By Darwin G. Amojelar

OYAGER Innovations Inc., the digital technology arm of PLDT Inc. behind the PayMaya mobile wallet, said Monday it raised $167 million from investors to form a digital bank and help accelerate financial inclusion in the Philippines.

Participating in the funding were shareholders PLDT, global investment firm KKR and Chinese technology company Tencent.

IFC Financial Institutions Growth Fund, a fund managed by the IFC Asset Management Company, also participated in the funding of Voyager. IFC AMC is a division of International Finance Corp., a member of the World Bank Group and an investor in Voyager.

The investment includes $121 million in fresh funding and $46 million from previously committed funds.

Voyager said the fundraising marks another milestone for the company after having successfully grown PayMaya’s mobile wallet, payments processing and digital remittance businesses.

Voyager said it is now leveraging the unique ecosystem to

expand into digital banking for the next phase of its mission to improve financial inclusion in the Philippines. The company said it applied for a digital bank license with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Voyager said it would use the new funds to expand PayMaya services and continue enabling more unbanked and underserved individuals and MSMEs with new and inclusive products, such as credit, insurance, savings and investments through a soon-tobe-established digital bank.

Once granted a digital bank license by the BSP, the new entity will provide mobile-first, low-cost, round-the-clock, frictionless, branchless, ubiquitous, paperless, secure and smart neo-banking services on the back of PayMaya’s proven technology platforms.

“We have seen a quantum leap for digital payments adoption in the Philippines over the past year, and PayMaya has served as the nexus connecting consumers and enterprises with enriching digital finance experiences. This investment supports the unique value we bring and gives us a natural head start with the target market for the digital banking service,” Voyager and PayMaya founder and chief executive Orland Vea said.

“As we did with payments and remittances, we will enable the large masses of Filipinos to leapfrog into a new stage of financial inclusion through integrated digital financial services.

Our goal is to continue making lives better for millions of underserved people and small businesses, with cutting edge solutions that are affordable and relevant,” said Voyager and PayMaya president Shailesh Baidwan.

Philex extends Padcal mine’s life by 2 years to December 2024

By Jenniffer B. Austria GOLD and copper producer Philex Mining Corp. said Monday it extended the operation of Padcal mine in Benguet province by two years, or up to December 2024.

Philex said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the Padcal mine life extension was finalized after confirmatory drilling and technical studies identified additional mineable reserves.

Philex said the updated remaining mineable reserves in Padcal mine as of end March were estimated at 30.2 million tons, with average gold and copper grades of 0.23 grams per ton (g/t) and 0.18 percent, respectively.

The new estimate includes additional reserves of 16.2 million tons from the previously declared mineable reserves as of end-2020 at 17.4 million tons, with average gold and copper grades of 0.27 g/t and 0.18 percent as reported in February 2021.

“The additional mineable reserves are expected to be mined over two years, extending the life of Padcal mine until December 31, 2024,” the mining firm said.

It said that aside from additional revenues for the government, the Padcal mine life extension would ensure the continuous employment of 1,831 employees and support the social development of the host local government units and neighboring communities during the pandemic.

“The company is currently processing all required permits and other regulatory requirements in connection with this impending life of mine extension,” the mining firm said.

The Padcal mine has been in operation since 1958.

Philex said the Padcal mine life extension would also give the company more time to bring the Silangan project in Surigao del Norte province into development and commissioning stages.

IN BRIEF PNOC unit, PFDA eye energy projects

WOOD PROJECT. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu (center) signs a memorandum of understanding with the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization for the production of value-added wood products from forests in Negros Oriental and Agusan del Sur, which will generate jobs for grassroots communities. A vertical integration project for wood processing will produce value-added wood products using raw materials harvested from community-based forest management areas being managed by people’s organizations in the two provinces.

Fitch Solutions expects BSP to begin Prevent shutdown increasing rate by 50 bps by end-2022 of Benguet hydro plants, DOE urged

By Julito G. Rada

FITCH Solutions, a unit of Fitch Group, said Monday it expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to keep the policy rate at a record-low of 2 percent this year and the first half of next year before increasing it by 50 basis points by end-2022.

“We expect the surge in inflation to prove temporary on the back of a moderation in energy and food prices, as well as spare capacity within the Philippine economy over the coming quarters,” Fitch Solutions said in a report.

“We believe the BSP will maintain accommodative monetary conditions until loan growth and domestic economic activity are on a sustained recovery and pandemic uncertainties have significantly abated,” it said.

The Monetary Board of the BSP retained the policy interest rate last week, taking into account the expected manageable inflation trajectory in the coming months.

BSP Governor and board chairman Benjamin Diokno said in an online briefing the

interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities were also kept at 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

“Latest inflation forecasts indicate that the average inflation is likely to settle near the upper end of the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent in 2021; the BSP expects that average inflation will ease towards the midpoint of the target range in 2022 and 2023,” Diokno said.

“Price pressures on food commodities have abated with favorable weather conditions and the facilitation of meat imports to augment domestic supply.

The Monetary Board emphasizes that the continued implementation of direct non-monetary measures will be crucial in mitigating further supply-side pressures on meat prices and inflation,” he said.

Diokno said the risks to the inflation outlook remained broadly balanced around the baseline projection path. The uptick in international commodity prices amid supply-chain bottlenecks and the recovery in global demand could lend upside pressures on inflation, he said.

URC EMPLOYEES. Universal Robina Corp. puts its employees on top of its priorities by making adjustments to ensure all workers are safe and still productive, whether they are working from home or on site. This has allowed URC, one of the Philippines’ largest food and beverage firms, to overcome headwinds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It reported a 15-percent growth in net income to P11.6 billion last year from the 2019 level. URC had guidelines in place on employee safety and health as early as February last year, a full month before the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.

By Alena Mae S. Flores SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday urged the Department of Energy to exercise its mandate to resolve the issues surrounding the impending shutdown of three hydroelectric power plants in Benguet province.

Gatchalian raised concern over the closure of the power plants amid the yellow and red alerts threatening the Luzon grid.

“At a time when there’s a threat of yellow and red alerts in the power supply, we have to make sure that all plants are up and running especially now that we’re in the middle of a global health crisis,” Gatchalian said, reacting on reports about the cease-and-desist order issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples in Cordillera to Hedcor Inc. Hedcor, operator of Labay, Lon-oy and F.L. Singit run-of-river hydropower plants in Bakun town, Benguet, with a total capacity of 12.4 megawatts, was given five days to wind down their operations following the issuance of the CDO on June 22.

The order to stop operations stemmed from alleged issues in obtaining consent from indigenous tribes, particularly the Bakun Indigenous Tribes Organization.

Under the Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997, project developers can only acquire permits and licenses upon the issuance of the certification precondition by the NCIP which proves consent from the indigenous community where the project will be situated.

Aboitiz Power Corp., which controls Hedcor, earlier said the issuance of the CDO on June 22 was due to alleged irregularities on the Free Prior Informed Consent Memorandum of Agreement between unit Hedcor and the Bakun Indigenous Tribes Organization signed on Oct. 15, 2019.

THE Philippine Fisheries Development Authority and PNOC-Renewables Corp. are looking at jointly developing renewable energy and other energy efficiency projects.

PFDA general manager Glen Pangapalan said in a statement several cold storage units owned by port clients already installed solar energy panels to power their operations.

“We are very interested about this renewable energy projects with PNOC-RC. We are happy that PNOC RC initiated discussions about potential projects like these. This is a good way to fast-track looming partnerships between GOCCs,” Pangapalan said.

PNOC-RC discussed the steps and requirements to be taken and provided by PFDA and its regional fish ports for the possible project implementation. These include preparation of memorandum of understanding between the two agencies, scouting of target location sites of the project, identification of other energy conservation opportunities for the PFDA RFPs and others. Alena Mae S. Flores

Villar’s AllHome leads digital transformation ALLHOME, the pioneering one-stop shop home store in the Philippines, is leading the charge in adopting digital best practice in the local home industry.

Even prior to the accelerated acceptance and adoption of e-commerce, AllHome began its journey in embracing the inevitable shift to a digital way of doing business. This was evidenced in its very own online platform www. allhome.com.ph which started serving online orders even prior to the pandemic.

When the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic started, AllHome was a first mover in ramping up digital capability. AllHome said in light of movement restrictions and store closures brought about by the varying levels of community quarantine, it introduced four channels to the market, including e-commerce platform, www.allhome.com.ph; Shop4You personal shopper service and Viber Communities-Shop Online at AllHome; and AllHome Builders Centre Shopping Community.

“Our e-commerce initiatives, even prior to the pandemic, are essentially a tour de force of AllHome’s agility and adaptability. The pandemic presented many opportunities for improvement, and AllHome’s digital expansion ranks very high in our 2021 business priorities,” said AllHome chairman Manuel Villar Jr.

SB Finance, Lazada team up for loans CONSUMER finance company SB Finance Corp. said Monday it teamed up with ecommerce company Lazada to provide Filipino sellers with multi-purpose loans of up to P500,000 to help expand their businesses and encourage continued economic growth amid the pandemic.

Under the partnership, Lazada micro and official sellers can avail of SB Finance’s multi-purpose loans through a hassle-free application and with a low introductory interest rate of 1.89 percent.

Sellers may avail of up to 12-month payment schemes and can expect funds to be credited to their accounts within three banking days.

“When the pandemic hit the Philippines, many small businesses had to pivot, close their physical stores and move to e-commerce channels. With the shift of consumer behavior to online shopping, the demand for e-commerce business expanded. Through our partnership with Lazada, we hope to help sellers gain more access to capital to grow their business and bounce back from the economic effects of the pandemic,” said SB Finance president and chief executive Abbie Casanova.

Sports

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

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

Middleton scores 38, Bucks grab 2-1 lead

Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks rest during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. AFP

Gilas hopes to pick up lessons vs Serbians NUMEROUS lessons will be learned when Gilas Pilipinas tangles with host Serbia on Wednesday during Group A action of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia.

Serbia is currently ranked no. 5 in the world and Baldwin believes that young members of Gilas will learn a lot when both teams clash at 2:15 p.m.

(8:15 p.m. in Manila) at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall.

“You’re turning every game into a lesson. And you have to because there’s so much to learn for us,” said Baldwin during the team’s virtual press conference yesterday with team skipper Isaac Go. Group A matches will begin on Tuesday with the Serbs taking on the Dominican Republic.

Gilas is playing against a Serbian team that will play without NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Serbs will be led by 27-year-old Vasilije Micic, the Euroleague’s twotime Most Valuable Player averaging 15.6 points and 4.6 assists per game.

“Everything we’re doing, particularly on the international stage now is not just new for us as a team, but new for almost all of the players,” added Baldwin.

The 12-man squad is made up of Dwight Ramos, Angelo Kouame, Justine Baltazar, Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, SJ Belangel, RJ Abarrientos, Go, William Navarro, Mike Nieto, Geo Chiu and Jordan Heading.

The Serbs remain as a powerhouse squad with Nemanja Bjelica of the Miami Heat and man-mountain Boban Marjanovic of the Dallas Mavericks still around.

After Gilas meets Serbia, they will clash with the Dominican Republic the following day.

The Philippines is looking for two wins to get out of the group stage.

From there, they will move into a crossover playoffs with the top two teams of the other group. Peter Atencio

Casimero, Donaire agree to drug testing

By Randy Caluag

T

HERE’S no stopping the All-Filipino world title unification showdown between Nonito Donaire and John Riel Casimero on August 14 in Carlson, California.

This after the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association formally announced that Casimero, who will stake his World Boxing Organization bantamweight belt, has already enrolled in the program and will undergo dope testing ahead of the fight night.

The bout was put in peril after Donaire’s wife and manager-trainer, Rachel, insisted on having Casimero undergo dope-testing by VADA. It should be noted that Donaire has been in the VADA program for years to promote a healthy, fair competition.

One of Casimero’s handlers, al-

though not mentioned and unproven, was rumored to be into doping, prompting Donaire’s camp to insist on drug testing.

Nevertheless, sources said both camps have already signed a contract that guarantees the unification bout, with winner expecting to have a date with Japanese monster Naoya Inoue (21 W-0 L, 19 KOs), considered as the top bantamweight in the world today.

Inoue is the current International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association king.

Donaire (41W-6L, 27 KOs) will

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put his World Boxing Council title on the line against Casimero (304, 21 KOs), who has been chasing Inoue for years.

Donaire, who at 38 is the oldest bantamweight champion in history, on the other hand, is itching for a rematch against Inoue after losing a decision in their first match in November of 2019.

He came back with a fourthround knockout of the then-undefeated WBC bantamweight titlist Nordine Oubaali on May 29 in Carson, California.

Even before the thorny issue of dope testing came about, there were already word wars raging on social media between the two camps, from allegations that Donaire snubbed Casimero, to the former unwilling to spar with the latter.

Expect more fireworks on social media as fight date nears.

LOS ANGELES—Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined for 71 points as the Milwaukee Bucks rallied to beat the Atlanta Hawks 113102 in game three of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday.

Middleton scored 20 of his 38 points in a blistering fourth-quarter performance and Antetokounmpo finished with 33 points and 11 rebounds as the Bucks grabbed a 2-1 series lead in front of a crowd of 16,600 at State Farm Arena in Georgia. Middleton also had 11 rebounds.

“What I saw today was unbelievable.

It was greatness,” Antetokounmpo said of Middleton.

Game four is Tuesday in Atlanta, where the Hawks are now 3-3 at home in the playoffs.

The Bucks were down by 15 points in the first quarter and did not take their first lead until the third, but they finished with a 25-7 scoring surge as Middleton led the charge.

“Shout out to Khris for the fourth quarter. He went crazy,” said Bucks’ Bobby Portis. “He did his thing, that’s for sure.”

Trae Young led the Hawks with 35 points and Italy’s Danilo Gallinari came off the bench to score 18 points in the loss. John Collins (13) and Kevin Huerter (11) also scored in double digits.

The Hawks offense started to wilt after Young appeared to reinjure his right ankle when he stepped on an official’s foot and headed to the dressing room late in the third. He returned with about three minutes gone in the final quarter.

Young is averaging 9.9 assists in the postseason but had just four on Sunday as he did not get as much help from his supporting cast.

He said his ankle was “hurting”, but added that he hoped it would be fine for game four after seeing team doctors on Monday.

“I am going to get as much treatment as I can,” he said. “That’s the plan.”

Milwaukee improved to 3-0 in game threes during the postseason. They cruised to a 113-84 win over the Miami Heat en route to a four-game sweep in the first round, and held on for an 86-83 win over the Brooklyn Nets in game three of the second round to jump-start a series comeback.

The Bucks won despite Antetokounmpo making just six of 12 from the free-throw line. The Atlanta crowd tried to distract Antetokounmpo throughout the game, counting out loud how many seconds it took him to shoot a free throw. He shot an impressive 13 of 21 from the floor. AFP

Heavier pole may help Obiena jump higher

By Peter Atencio A HEAVIER pole help Tokyo Olympics-bound Ernest John “EJ” Obiena reach his goals these days.

And this became handy when Obiena and his training partner Thiago Braz of Brazil shared the top honors Sunday in the True Athletes Classics in Leverkusen, Germany.

“Maganda ang condition. Mahangin. Kaya mabigat ang hawak na pole in EJ,” said EJ’s dad Emerson following talks with his son on Sunday evening.

Both Obiena and Olympic champion Braz cleared 5.8 meters on their second attempts in the men’s pole vault event to win the gold medal.

For Obiena, this gave him his second first place finish in two weekends.

“Mukhang kakayanin niyang tumalon nang mas

mataas sa matigas na pole,” added the elder Obiena.

Obiena, who is waiting for his heavier pole to arrive, tried the height of 5.9 meters with Braz, but failed. The 5.9 meters would have established a new Philippine record.

“Okay naman ang tawid niya sa mga poles na ginagamit niya ngayon,” said Emerson.

Germany’s Bo Kanda Lita Baehre took the bronze after he reached 5.80m on his third try, while Olympic-bound Oleg Zernikel of Germany was fourth with 5.65m.

Last week, Obiena cleared 5.85 meters on his third attempt for a new Philippine outdoor record as he claimed the gold medal in the Jump and Fly competition in Mossingen, Germany.

Obiena will be in Bygozz Bydgosszcz, Poland on June 30 to compete at the Irena Szwewinska Memorial/Bydgosszcz Cup at the Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium.

EJ Obiena

SMC turns new, modern sports facility into vax site for essential employees

With sports activities restricted during the pandemic, San Miguel Corporation is utilizing its state-of-the-art sports facility called the SMC Sports Complex for its P1 billion COVID-19 vaccination program. The said facility, which was just completed last May, will be a dedicated site for SMC employees and can accommodate up to 800 individuals per day.

SAN Miguel Corporation recently opened its new, state-of-the-art sports facility--a “dream come true” future home for the company’s professional basketball teams, who for years have had to pay other facilities for practice time.

Dubbed simply the “SMC Sports Complex”, it was, however, opened not for games or practice, but for a more meaningful purpose: as a vaccination site for thousands of employees, essential workers and extended workforce across the San Miguel Group.

“Vaccinating as many Filipinos as we can is important to reaching herd immunity and getting our economy back up.

That is why we have been helping our LGUS with their vaccination rollout, in whatever way we can. We have been hiring and deploying medical professionals to

LGU vaccination sites. We’re also setting up vaccination sites both for the public and our A4 workers. The sports facility is one of the sites for our essential workers,” said SMC president Ramon S. Ang. Through the Pasig City local government, some 1,252 SMC front line and essential workers received their first doses of the Sinovac vaccine during a recent two-day vaccination event at the facility, located within the San Miguel Foods complex along C-5 road.

“To help decongest the city’s vaccination venues and reduce the strain on health workers, we volunteered our new basketball facility and enlisted our own doctors and nurses to help Pasig City personnel in conducting vaccination here. We are very grateful to the Pasig city government for enabling some of our workers to already

receive their vaccines,” Ang said.

Since early this month, the national government has prioritized the vaccination of essential workers in a bid to get more workers back at their jobs safely, and ultimately, help revive the economy.

The new sports facility was completed just last May, and has not been used yet by any of the SMC teams, namely: the San Miguel Beermen, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings, and Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok.

It has three air-conditioned main basketball courts covering a total of 5,013 square meters.

It features “Regupol” rubberized basketball court flooring. Areas can be separated with an electric curtain divider. It is equipped with electric ceiling-mounted (forward folded) and fixed-wall mounted basketball systems, and portable basketball systems.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

Sports

Record-chasing Djokovic seeks 20th slam L Trail Blazers

ONDON— Novak Djokovic begins his bid for a sixth Wimbledon title and 20th Grand Slam on Monday as the grass court showpiece returns following its cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having already captured the Australian and French Open titles this year, world number one Djokovic is halfway to becoming just the third man in history to complete a calendar Grand Slam.

It’s a feat so rare that Rod Laver was the last man to achieve the sweep back in 1969.

In what could be a record-breaking year for Djokovic, there is also the chance of an Olympic title which could pave the way for a Golden Slam of all four majors and Tokyo gold.

“Wimbledon, Olympics, and US Open can be fun to watch Novak play because he’s going to put everything on himself to try to make it,” said world number two Daniil Medvedev.

“That’s when he’s strongest but at the same time that’s a lot of pressure.”

First up for Djokovic on Centre Court is Britain’s world number 250 Jack Draper who grew up just six miles (9.5km) down the road from the All England Club.

It will be the 34-year-old Djokovic’s first match on the court since his epic five-set win over Roger Federer in the 2019 final, the longest title match in tournament history and where he saved two championship points.

Elsewhere on Monday, Greece’s

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic practices on the Aorangi Practice Courts at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, south-west London ahead of the start of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament. AFP

Stefanos Tsitsipas, promoted to third seed in the absence of Rafael Nadal, has a tough opener against 56th-ranked Frances Tiafoe of the United States.

Tiafoe won a second-tier grass court Challenger event in Nottingham this month before making the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club.

Tsitsipas, who lost a five-set final to Djokovic at the French Open two weeks ago, made the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2018.

However, he was a first round loser two years ago and comes into Wimbledon with just 15 matches on grass in his career.

Two-time champion Andy Murray is on Centre Court against Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili, a semi-finalist in Halle.

Murray, now ranked at 119, is playing his first singles match at Wimbledon since 2017 after a lengthy battle with hip and groin injuries.

Venus Williams, a five-time champion at the All England Club who played the tournament for the first time in 1997, begins against Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania.

Williams, 41 and down at 111 in the world, hasn’t won a match on tour since the Australian Open in February.

Petra Kvitova, the 2011 and 2014 champion, starts against former US Open winner Sloane Stephens.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka faces unorthodox Monica Niculescu of Romania, a top 20 player in 2012 but who now stands at 193.

Although Wimbledon is back on the schedule this year, it will look very different with only 50% capacity until the finals’ weekend when there will be a 15,000 capacity crowd.

Players are also confined to a hotel ‘bubble’ in central London. AFP

Korda wins Women’s PGA title to become No.1 WASHINGTON—Nelly Korda won the Women’s PGA Championship on Sunday to capture her first major title and become the first American since 2014 to seize the world number one ranking.

The 22-year-old daughter of retired Czech tennis star Petr Korda made two eagles in outdueling compatriot Lizette Salas down the stretch for a three-stroke triumph.

“I’ve put in a lot of work,” Korda said. “And to finally get three wins under my belt this year and a major championship, I don’t even have words, honestly.”

Korda fired a four-under-par 68 to finish 72 holes on 19-under 269 at Atlanta Athletic Club with Salas on 272 after a closing 71.

She will jump from third to first in Monday’s new rankings, overtaking South Korea’s number one Ko Jin-young and second-ranked Park In-bee.

Korda will become the first American atop the rankings since Stacy Lewis in October 2014 and only the third US player atop the list since it began in 2006 after Lewis and Cristie Kerr.

Korda became the first American to win a major women’s golf title since Angela Stafford at the 2018 Evian.

“This is something I’ve worked for since I was 14,” Korda said. “I wanted to win a major since I played in my first one.

“To finally get it done here in Atlanta with such an Nelly Korda poses with the trophy after putting in to win on the 18th green during the final round of the amazing crowd, it was something special.”

South Korea’s Kim Hyo-joo and Italy’s Giulia Mo- KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic linaro shared a distant third on 278 with Thailand’s Club In Johns Creek, Georgia.

Patty Tavatanakit and American Danielle Kang shar- Meijer Classic. ing fifth on 280.

“I had a great week last week and carried the moKorda claimed her third LPGA victory of the year mentum into this week,” Korda said. “I just played reafter Boca Rio in February and last week at the LPGA ally well this week.”

Salas, whose only LPGA victory came in 2014 at Kingsmill, matched her best major showing, a runnerup effort at the 2019 Women’s British Open.

Korda birdied the par-4 third to grab a one-stroke lead over Salas, then hit a 7-wood 243 yards to within inches of the cup for a tap-in eagle at the par-5 fifth to reach 18-under.

Salas opened with a pair of par saves before adding an eight-foot birdie putt at the fifth and a tap-in birdie at six to pull within one of Korda, who was battling nerves.

“I wanted to keep a level head and tell myself there was a lot of golf to be played and take it one shot at a time,” Korda said.

- Turning point at 12th The turning point came at the par-5 12th, when Korda dropped her second shot within five feet of the cup and Salas sent her third into a bunker.

Salas blasted out 15 feet beyond the hole and missed her par putt while Korda rolled in her eagle putt to reach 20-under par, the three-shot swing giving Korda a four-stroke edge.

Korda sank a long birdie putt at the 14th to reach 21-under, stretching her lead to five strokes with four holes remaining.

Korda was a threat to break the record for the lowest 72-hole score in women’s major golf history, the 21-under 263 by South Korea’s Chun In-gee at the 2016 Evian Championship.

But after a lengthy wait at the par-3 15th, Korda hit her tee shot into water and went on to make double bogey, ending her run of 49 consecutive holes without a bogey and trimming her lead to three.

Korda responded with three closing pars, the last on a long putt when the victory was secure. AFP

Allianz PNB Life teams up with United City Football Club ALLIANZ PNB Life has partnered with United City Football Club (UCFC) for the upcoming AFC Champions League and the 2021 Philippine Football League (PFL), the top football league in the country.

The professional football club based in New Clark City, Tarlac announced its partnership with the major life insurance brand last June 16.

“From football to drone racing, Allianz has long been an active force behind all sorts of athletes across the world. Through this latest partnership with the UCFC, Allianz PNB Life aims to extend that tradition to the Philippines and the Asian region,” said CEO Alexander Grenz.

Globally, Allianz is best known for having seven state-of-the-art stadiums to its name. Among these are Allianz Stadium in Turin, which has seated over 6 million Juventus Football Club fans since 2011, and the Allianz Riviera in Nice, one of its greenest structures to date.

Last January, Allianz officially signed on to be the eight-year Worldwide Insurance Partner for Olympic & Paralympic Movements. It will begin its stint at the

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where it will support over 11,000 athletes and their families and continue to champion sustainable development.

As the exclusive jersey partner of the UCFC, Allianz PNB Life will be featured on the home and away versions of the limited edition AFC Champions League kits, as well as in the fan-designed PFL uniforms and all replica merchandise shirts.

“It is a great win to have a leading global brand with a strong reputation engage in longterm sports partnership and that football could receive the same kind of support here in the Philippines–even amidst a pandemic,” said Eric M. Gottschalk, President and Co-founder of United City Football Club.

He hopes that with the steady rise of the sport in the country, Allianz’ sponsorship could get other brands to support local and regional football too.

“Allianz proudly celebrates human achievement through sport and innovation. Inspiring millions with the stories and feats of our athletes sets the pace for a world that is more active, united, and Eric Gottschalk holds up the Allianz-sponsored jersey beside inclusive,“ said Grenz. the AFC Champions League banner.

name Billups head coach

LOS ANGELES—The Portland Trail Blazers have turned to Los Angeles Clippers coaching staff to find their new head coach, agreeing a deal with Chauncey Billups.

Billups is the 15th head coach in Trail Blazers franchise history, the team announced in a news release on Sunday night.

“Chauncey is a proven leader with an elite basketball IQ that has won everywhere he has been,” said president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

“He is prepared for the challenge of developing the Championship habits and strategic approach we need to achieve the expectations and goals for our franchise.”

Billups has served since November 2020 as an assistant coach with the Clippers, who are currently battling the Phoenix Suns in the NBA’s Western Conference finals. The Suns have a commanding 3-1 lead, with game five set for Monday.

The 44-year-old Billups is a five-time NBA all-star as a player. In 2016, the Detroit Pistons retired his No 1 jersey.

“I’m very excited and humbled to be the next coach of the Trail Blazers,” said Billups.

“Portland is a special place and a unique franchise.”

Portland has made the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons, the longest active streak in the NBA, but has been knocked out in the first round five times.

In 2019, they advanced to the conference finals but were swept by the Golden State Warriors in four games.

Portland has suffered firstround losses in four of the past five seasons. AFP

PSA Forum tackles chess, Olympic judo THE country’s Olympic bid in judo as well as the 2021 FIDE World Cup will be tackled in Tuesday’s online session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

Philippine Judo President Dave Carter will discuss the preparations and campaign of first time Olympian Kiyomi Watanabe in the Tokyo Games during the session that starts at 10:00 a.m.

Watanabe, 24, clinched an Olympic berth via continental quota in the women’s 63 kg division.

Meanwhile, Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales is going to talk about the Filipino woodpushers’ chances in the FIDE World Cup slated in Sochi, Russia starting on July 3. Gonzales is also National Chess Federation of the Philippines chief executive officer.

The weekly public sports program is presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. Its online airing is powered by Smart, with Upstream Media serving as its official webcast partner.

PSA President Rey Lachica of Tempo enjoins members to be part of the discussion via the PSA Facebook page. f b.com/ PhilippineSportswritersAssociation. The Forum link is also being shared via Radyo Pilipinas 2 Facebook page.

Entertainment A

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

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Championing the sounds of OPM BS-CBN Music introduced its newest partner label, 7K Sounds, which seeks to champion the sounds of the more than 7,000 islands of the Philippines.

“7K Sounds is an exciting addition to our music labels, especially since our main goal is to showcase the Filipino sound to the global stage,” said ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo.

The music label is helmed by its CEO, singer-songwriter LA Santos, who got inspired by foreign artists championed in their home country for their unique sound.

He also sees the label as a platform where more Pinoy artists can express themselves through various music genres.

“More than a music label, we are a group of dreamers striving to give others like us a platform where they can shine. We are constantly finding ways to

showcase what Filipino artists are capable of, because we believe that we deserve to be heard,” he said.

LA just released his newest single “Gitna Ng Langit,” a groovy pop R&B tune with an infectious beat and amazing guitar work. The song is an appreciation of one’s connection with a loved one even in the most mundane of situations. He also previously came out with the song “Hibang” released under the new label.

Rapper Big J, Jerson Sonza in real life, also dropped his sophomore single under 7K Sounds. Entitled “No Violence,” the hip-hop track talks about defiance— encouraging a positive attitude despite the

challenges in various situations. The artist, skilled in freestyle rapping and writing as really as 2016, often includes references to his hardships in life in his song lyrics.

Another 7K Sounds artist, Iman Franchesa Cristal, or simply Iman, is an R&B and soul singer and beauty queen who won in the 2021 Ms. Kumu Global Pageant. The Academy of Rock Philippines alumna released her debut single under 7K Sounds titled “Blackout,” an experimental R&B and soul tune about a person still hung up on someone but doesn’t really want to continue with the feelings any longer.

Apart from these fresh tracks, 7K Sounds will soon release the song “Posporo,” a collaboration of The Dawn, Sheryn Regis, and Third Flo’ and LA’s “Anong Pangalan Mo,” his collaboration with CLR which will be played in the upcoming Bb. Pilipinas pageant.

DZBB, Barangay LS continue to rule airwaves

Mike Enriquez (left) and Joel Reyes Zobel anchor the toprating DZBB program ‘Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide.’

CONSISTENTLY ruling the airwaves month after month, Super Radyo DZBB and Barangay LS 97.1 are still the number one AM and FM radio stations in Mega Manila.

Nielsen’s Radio Audience Measurement data for May 2021 has shown that GMA Network’s flagship AM station Super Radyo DZBB 594 recorded an average total day audience share of 33.3 percent with

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO FOR The first time, the biggest Cinderella Man of local Tinseltown, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, exchanged pleasantries with actors Xian Lim and McCoy de Leon, who give life to him in a biopic movie, a musical billed Yorme, directed by Joven Tan, produced by SaranggolaMedia Production.

Xian essays the role of the politician Domagoso while McCoy is Isko during his early days before and during showbiz.

“I'm honored and grateful to them.

Thank you sa kanilang dalawa. I’m excited to see the end of the project,” the Manila mayor said.

“I trust the production… I gave them, at least, the full account, what transpired in my life from basurero to my being a mayor. In these trying times, people are very sad, challenged, and threatened by the health issue of our country and the world. And I hope this project may at least, in one point or another, give hope na pag nagpupursige ka sa buhay, may awa ang Diyos, na makakaraaos ka rin kahit papaano at napagtagumpayan mo pa," he carried on.

The many challenging and colorful aspects of his life are part and parcel of the soon to be shown motion picture, which will not sugarcoat his story.

“My life is an open book, it is chronicled and documented. There were ups and downs, there were challenges. It was made public. I am not ashamed of the things that I did before. Anything that I did as a showbiz personality, I’m happy. It

a total reach of 1.93 million listeners in the said period.

Morning remained to be the station’s highest rating block with the highest rating segment recorded during the 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. timeslots. DZBB’s top-rating programs for the month were morning programs Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide during weekdays, Super Balita Sa Umaga / Isyu Atbp. during Saturdays, and Super Balita Sa Umaga on Sundays.

These shows, along with select DZBB programs are simulcast daily on GTV via Dobol B TV. Among FM stations, Barangay LS 97.1 Forever! was likewise Mega Manila’s number one in May 2021 with an audience share of 30.9 percent or a total reach of 5.23 million listeners for the month. Its closest competitor only got 17.4 percent.

Still unbeatable in the top programs list for the month is Papa Dudut’s Barangay Love Stories on weekdays as well as its weekend counterparts Barangay Love Stories Premiere and Barangay Love Stories Back-to-Back.

Following Barangay Love Stories in the top FM weekday programs are Talk to Papa with Papa Marky, Papa Ace, and Papa King; Forever Request in two separate slots hosted by Mama Belle and Mama Emma; and Potpot & Friends with Papa Jepoy and Papa Carlo.

For live audio stream, visit www.gmanetwork.com/radio.

A piece of pop culture history

Mayor Isko Moreno (center) meets with actors Xian Lim (right) and McCoy de Leon who will play himself in the upcoming musical, ‘Yorme.’

made me happy. I survived. In portraying characters, there are challenging scenes, and I’m happy when I give justice to a particular scene. And sometimes it requires extra ability and guts to do it,” Yorme related.

He is also ecstatic and confident with the actors given the tasks to portray him in the musical biopic.

“It is my first time to do a biopic and the part of his life which is most magnified and scrutinized is what is assigned to me,” said Xian.

“On my part, I did my own research prior to the shoot. Pinag aralan ko rin yung manner of his speaking, may kakaibang accent kasi si Mayor Isko.

I am proud to do this role kasi nga I am

portraying a good man. No, a great man is more appropriate,” Xian added.

For McCoy, what excites him to do the young Isko is, “We share the same humble beginnings. I was born in Tondo. I hope when he gets to watch it, matuwa si Mayor Isko sa ginawa ko.”

Other important stars in the film are Janno Gibbs who plays German Moreno, Jestoni Alarcon as his manager, Ramon Christopher Gutierrez, and Kristina Paner as his parents. MJ Lastimosa is Diana Lyn Ditan Domagoso.

Yorme is in its final stages, recording all the songs and the shoot is about to wrap. The cinema debut might happen in the December 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Big J, Iman, and LA Santos of 7K Sounds, ABS-CBN Music‘s latest partner in its effort to train the spotlight on local artists and their sounds.

DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Croods: A New Age’ now on UPSTREAM A PREHISTORIC family sets off into the world in search of a safer place to call home in DreamWorks Animation film The Croods, now available on UPSTREAM. The Croods: A New Age welcomes back the voice talents of Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage as Grug Crood; Catherine Keener as Ugga Crood; Oscar winner Emma Stone as their daughter, Eep; Ryan Reynolds as Eep's boyfriend, Guy; Clarke Duke as Eep’s brother, Thunk; and the legendary Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman as Gran Crood. Joining them are new stars Peter Dinklage as Phil Betterman, Leslie Mann as Hope Betterman, and Kelly Marie Tran as their daughter, Dawn.

Customers can purchase tickets via GMovies, the leading online ticketing platform in the country. Once done, they can view The Croods: A New Age on UPSTREAM. UPSTREAM is the latest content streaming service that offers a wide range of local and international content.

“We are very pleased to make the muchawaited sequel to the blockbuster film The Croods available to our viewers in the

Philippines. We hope families, especially children, will have a great time watching the movie,” said Janis Racpan, Director for Business Development and Marketing at Globe Telecom.

With GMovies and UPSTREAM, Globe and non-Globe subscribers will have access to thousands of films under various genres, some never shown on the big screen. For the price of one ticket, an entire household can enjoy a movie from the comfort of their home.

In ‘The Croods: A New Age,’ the prehistoric family the Croods are challenged by a rival family the Bettermans, who claim to be better and more evolved.

Chris Pratt battles future aliens in small-screen 'Tomorrow War' humanity.

WITH a top Hollywood They beg their own parents star, a dark Terminatorand grandparents to travel esque sci-fi premise and with them three decades into a reported $200 million the future to help fend off price tag, The Tomorrow hordes of the nightmarish, War would ordinarily be endlessly ravenous "white shaping up as one of the spikes." summer's biggest and The movie combines smartest blockbusters. effects-laden action scenes But the Chris Pratt-led shot on locations including movie won't be troubling box US actor Chris Pratt Iceland with horror tropes, offices at all, having been sold has beefed up for family drama, and even to Amazon for a whopping leading roles in some fee back in January, when of Hollywood's biggest environmental themes like climate change. movie theaters were shut in franchises, including "When we were making COVID-slammed California Marvel superhero the movie, there were and beyond. movies like ‘Guardians existential threats that we had Now, it will stream of the Galaxy,’ and the in the back of our mind -- like globally on Prime Video ‘Jurassic World’ films 'what's your responsibility from July 2, making it one of (photo from People). for future generations?'" said the biggest blockbusters ever McKay. to skip theaters entirely.

"And then COVID comes along," he "Please don't watch it on your phones!

Watch it on the biggest screen you possibly recalled, forcing a film shot mainly before can with the loudest sound -- crank it up," the pandemic's arrival to be finished remotely at post-production editors' homes. director Chris McKay told AFP. The parallels of a world suddenly "Invite the neighbors over so that they're not annoyed that you're cranking it up -- but turned upside-down by a threat requiring just watch it with a lot of people because a unified response were not lost on the filmmakers. you're going to have a good time."

"It's dovetailing... we process things The film's explosive premise is quickly established: time travelers suddenly appear through movies, because they can put them from the near future, where a horrifying in a distance, and especially when it's a alien invasion is on the verge of wiping out genre movie," said the director. AFP

An exclusive glimpse into BTS ‘Passion + Purpose’ campaign

Smart endorsers and South Korean superstars RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, collectively known as BTS.

SMART is releasing today the exclusive behind-the-scenes video featuring the making of the epic Passion + Purpose campaign starring BTS. And at 5:00 p.m., fans can win exclusive merchandise and get a chance to take home a Samsung Galaxy S20 BTS Edition during the Pre-Show Event Live on Smart Official Facebook.

Then, at 6:00 p.m., log on to www.smartbts. com.ph using your Smart data (whether Prepaid or Plan) to catch the exclusive behindthe-scenes content. Fans can also subscribe to Smart’s Double Giga Video promo (2GB guaranteed every day for video apps + 2GB for

all sites and apps) for as low as P99 valid for 7 days.

Directed by Goh Han Ki and produced in Seoul at the height of the global lockdown, the campaign featured the seven BTS members on different versions of The Penrose Stairs— symbolic of defying impossible situations.

It is set to two of the band’s most recent hits—the inspirational Life Goes On followed by the record-breaking hit Dynamite—appropriately providing the score to a timely and encouraging message to Filipino ARMY during the Philippines’ most challenging times.

“We are very honored to have this partnership with BTS that encourages the Filipino youth to keep their faith and continue pursuing their passion and purpose no matter the challenges the lie ahead,” said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

The Making of Smart + BTS (PASSION + PURPOSE) goes live tonight at 6:00, with a special feature on www.smartbts.com.ph For more information and instructions on how to access the Smart + BTS microsite, check out www.smartbts.com.ph or on Smart’s official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Life

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

C4

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

Where to donate plastic packaging from online shopping

By Ellicia Frentzen C. Del Mundo

O

NLINE shopping and food delivery have become part of the “new normal”. With one click, our needs and wants are delivered right away to our doorstep. However, once orders come, so is the plastic waste.

Despite the harm they pose to our landfills and oceans, plastic remains a convenient and useful packaging material. Many organizations have shifted their focus on reusing and repurposing plastic instead of totally banning it.

As the pandemic drives plastic use, the following social enterprises are encouraging Filipinos to donate their parcel packaging and other plastic waste for recycling.

JuanBag PH

JuanBag PH collects plastic packaging such as bubble wraps, courier packaging, mailer, and grocery plastic bags to be upcycled into reusable bags. The social enterprise started this year through the initiative of founder Rachelle Lacanlale who noticed the rise of plastic waste from online shopping platforms.

“JuanBag aims to reduce single-use plastics Juan at a time. We upcycle post-consumer plastics into Juan-made bags to lessen the plastic production and remove unnecessary plastic waste,” Donna Calugay, training and development head of JuanBag PH, told Manila Standard in an online interview.

They also seek to lower the packaging cost of online businesses, increase engagement with consumers, and provide livelihood opportunities.

To donate plastic waste, send a message to their Facebook page to schedule a pick-up time and date. JuanBag’s volunteer bikers, including Lacanlale, will pick up these plastic bags for free.

JuanBag is promoting a circular ecosystem by working with local businesses and communities. The collected plastics are sanitized and sent to their partner

community that weaves the materials into reusable bags. Once products are ready, they offer them to online sellers as alternative packaging. This allows consumers to choose JuanBag as their packaging when checking out items online.

Consumers are free to return the bags for repair and reuse.

JuanBag has postponed its plastic collection “because we need to get more partners for drop-off points, bikers, etc.

We are also getting ready for the pilot test of the bags,” explained Calugay.

As it awaits resumption of collection, JuanBag reminds consumers to be mindful of their consumption and encourages everyone to take action to protect the environment.

“We might think that we, consumers, are the end receivers of these single-use plastics, but it is actually [the] nature that suffers the most from this collected waste. It is time that we practice mindful consumption in which consumers know how the products are made, where they come from, and how they affect our environment,” emphasized Calugay.

The Plastic Flamingo (The Plaf)

JuanBag’s volunteer bikers pick up plastic waste from donors.

(JuanBag PH/Facebook)

and garbage bags; to high-density polyethylene (HDPE) packaging materials such as shampoo or lotion bottles, cleaning bottles, milk jugs, and bleach bottles, among others.

The Plaf also accepts other types of plastic like water cooler bottles, multimaterial packaging, and eco-bricks.

Like ordering goods and services online, it is also easy to donate collected plastic waste. Donors simply need to contact The Plaf and schedule the pick-up date. The other option is to book a courier to deliver the plastic waste to the assigned drop-off locations within Metro Manila.

Those living near a drop-off location can personally drop it off.

A few reminders before donating, according to The Plaf: the plastic waste must be cleaned and dried; it must be put in trash bags; the bags must be full and only contain plastic waste, no residual food or other liquid waste.

Started in August 2018, The Plastic Flamingo is a French social company based in Manila. It aims to raise awareness of marine plastic pollution by gathering ocean-bound plastic waste and recycling them.

It collects all types of plastic, ranging from polypropylene containers and bottles; low-density polyethylene Green Antz Builders (LDPE) such as online shopping plasGreen Antz Builders, Inc. is a waste tics, bubble wraps, clear firm plastics, management company located in Pla-

The Plaf team segregates 70 tons of collected plastic waste. (@theplaf/Instagram)

ridel, Bulacan. They make eco-bricks using a mixture of wet cement and shredded plastics.

This year, they partnered with Ayala Malls to hold a plastic drop-off tour in different malls in Metro Manila. The drop-off schedule and location can be found on their Facebook page.

For those who are planning to donate, the following are the types of plastics Green Antz is accepting: plastic bags, sachets, snack packs, plastic cups, lids, utensils, takeout plastic containers, and PET bottles.

A tip from Green Antz Builders before donating: compress, pack, and seal the empty, clean, and dry plastic waste in a large plastic bag, paper box, or carton. To save space, pack the bag tightly.

The E-Waste Project (TEP)

Apart from plastic waste, those who are wondering where to dispose of old and unused electronic devices such as cellphones, chargers, keyboards, mouse, earphones, flash drives, and others can send them to The E-Waste Project.

The group was initiated by student organizations to collect old and defective electronic waste.

TEP aims to educate people on the practice of proper recycling and disposal of hazardous and poisonous electronic materials. According to the group, ewaste is a rapidly growing problem that endangers public health and threatens the environment.

TEP also organizes webinars that tackle the proper disposal and management of old electronic devices.

iPhoto

Milk for children with cancer Green Antz Builders’ plastic drop-off point at Ayala Mall.

(Green Antz Builders/Facebook)

An e-waste collection drive organized by The E-waste Project.

(The E-waste Project/Facebook)

Juris Soliman of SM Foundation and Arlyn Guanlao of footwear label Bata Philippines hand over the milk donation for the indigent children with cancer at The Center for Health Improvement and Life Development (CHILD) Haus. Jeanette Cu of CHILD Haus, together with the kids, receive donation bought from the P50 Bata Philippines pledged for every pair worth P999 and above sold on Friday sales in August to September 2020 as part of its “Let’s Walk Together” campaign.

Almost 98% of Makati Med personnel vaccinated against COVID-19 As infection drops among healthcare staff, public confidence improves

By Jessica Asprer WITH close to 98 percent of Makati Medical Center’s personnel already vaccinated against COVID-19, medical director Dr. Saturnino Javier reported an improvement in confidence among the public to seek medical care onsite.

In a media briefing last week, Dr. Javier said the hospital’s vaccinated personnel were given Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines. The remaining staff members yet to be vaccinated, he added, were either waiting for their preferred brands or in quarantine following exposure to COVID-19 patients.

The medical director emphasized that despite their persistent vaccination rollout across all hospital demographics, Makati Med does not force its staff to be inoculated.

As of early this week, over 1.6 million healthcare workers in the country have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 1.1 million in the A1 priority group have been fully vaccinated.

“Makati Med has always given equal attention to non-COVID cases or nonCOVID patients,” Dr. Javier said, add-

The infection rate among healthcare workers at Makati Medical Center has dropped after the surge in the third quarter of 2020. (Graph taken from a report by Makati Med)

Close to 98 percent of hospital staff at Makati Med have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

ing that despite the bustling “warzone”, the hospital doors remained open to non-COVID patients.

As of May 31, the total number of admitted positive cases reached 14,241. On average, Makati Med receives 6,226 cases in a month or 207 cases per day, with a COVID fatality rate of 1.9 percent During the surge from March to April

cy measures were implemented—these included efforts to hire more healthcare personnel, a modified skeleton workforce, the addition of critical care units, enhanced teleconsultation platforms, COVID-19 home care programs, and an outpatient drive-thru program.

“We need to move forward […] have a vision of the future,” president and chief

this year, Makati Med met major challenges in manpower and bed capacity allocation, coupled with the influx of patients in emergency rooms and the growing number of severe and critical cases.

Makati Med reached maximum capacity for COVID-19 patients during the spike late in March.

Working through the surge, contingen-

executive Pilar Nenuca Almira said, noting plans of the Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospital to strengthen international partnerships with health insurance companies.

“We are very confident that Makati Medical Center will model the way, will be a trailblazer in the hospital industry,” she said.