Manila Standard - 2021 July 18 - Sunday

Cusi KOs Pacquiao Ousts boxing icon as PDP-Laban president

M

n By JOYCE PANGCO PAÑARES

ONTHS of infighting in the ruling party PDP-Laban culminated in the ouster of Senator Manny Pacquiao as party president and the election of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as his replacement.

President Rodrigo Duterte, chairman of PDP-Laban, led the national assembly in Pampanga that was not snubbed by Pacquiao, who is in the US to prepare for an upcoming fight with Errol Spence Jr. in August, and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, son of the party’s founder the late Sen. Aquino Pimentel Jr. PDP-Laban

secretary-general Melvin Matibag said about 250 voting delegates attended the assembly, including 82 who joined virtually.

“I will live by the oath I took,” said Cusi after he was sworn in by Duterte yesterday.

“I will gear our party in support of our chairman and President in the upcoming elections, especially now that mudslinging and denigration are most prevalent,” Cusi added.

CONTINUED ON 2A

www.manilastandard.net Vol. 35 35 n No.153 No.153

JULY 18, 2021

2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES

18 .00

IN MET R MANILAO

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi (left) and Senator Manny Pacquiao

PH records 2nd Delta strain death n By JOEL ZURBANO and MARICEL CRUZ

THE country has logged its second death due to the more infectious Delta variant, but the Department of Health assured the public there is no community transmission yet despite recording 11 local cases.

“In the new batch of detected Delta variant cases, a 58-year-old female has died. She exhibited symptoms five days after her medical consultation. When she arrived at the emergency room, her situation had already deteriorated and she passed away on the same day,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

The first Delta variant death, she said, involved a 63-year-old seafarer from M/V Athens Bridge.

Meanwhile, Vergeire said the Health department is still confirming whether one of two reported Delta variant cases in Antique also passed away.

“We are verifying if a case from Antique had apparently died. We are getting the complete information so that we can inform the public also. The one who has allegedly died is not yet verified, so we still have only two cases [of Delta variant deaths] in our list,” she said.

Tagged as cases no. 34 and 35, both patients in Antique have no history of travel outside the coun-

A

GLANCE

n By VITO BARCELO

1,502,359 6,040

47,257

26,598

7,213

1,428,504

122

New

Death

Recoveries

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte called for an end to “vaccine nationalism” during an emergency meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders late Friday evening, saying uneq-

Active

New New

(AS OF 4 PM, JULY 17)

tested positive.

“We are also looking at doing genome sequencing in those areas with surges to get the whole picture [of the Delta variant transmission],” Vergeire said.

Meanwhile, the OCTA Research Group said Mariveles, Lapu-Lapu City and Cebu City had the highest COVID-19 infection rates this past week.

Data from July 10 to July 16 showed that in Mariveles, Bataan, the number of infections increased to 57 from 23 in the previous week for a “very high” infection rate of 1.85 and “very high” 40.66 incidence rate.

CONTINUED ON 2A

President Rodrigo Duterte, in his intervention during the emergency meeting of APEC leaders late Friday evening, called for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, saying the crisis has turned into "an unforgiving race to immunity."

Duterte: End unfair ‘vaccine nationalism’

COVID-19 PH AT

try. The Western Visayas Center for Health Development earlier said Case No. 34 passed away on May 31.

On Friday, the DOH reported 16 new Delta variant cases, of which 11 are considered as local cases – two in Metro Manila, six in Region 10, 2 in Region 6 and one tested in Metro Manila but has an address in Region 3.

Vergeire said there is no longer any active case among the 35 patients detected with the Delta strain.

“Two have died, and the remaining 33 have all recovered,” she said.

The Health department, however, is conducting “intensive contact tracing” among all individuals who

uitable access to the life-saving jabs has turned the COVID-19 pandemic into an “unforgiving race to immunity.”

“We are aware that more than 80 percent of COVID-19 vaccines have gone to rich countries, leav-

ing the rest of us in the developing world with so little to get by.

This great imbalance in vaccine access needs to be rectified.

Vaccine nationalism must end,” Duterte said in his intervention.

Experts: Health crisis ‘becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated’

CONTINUED ON 2A

PNP to deploy 15k cops for Rody’s final SONA

WORLD | 3A

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

Philtwitter.com/ MlaStandard

manilastandard.net

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NEWS | 2A

I

N

S

I

D

E

News ...............................................................

World News .........................................

Business ...................................................

Sports ...........................................................

A2 A3 A4 B1

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net

JULY 18, 2021

NEWSBRIEFS

Gomez tests positive for COVID-19 n By RONALD O. REYES ORMOC City Mayor Richard Gomez has tested positive for COVID-19 as infections continue to rise in Eastern Visayas.

“It could be from my exposure to multiple people because of the work I do as mayor. But I will be ok,” Gomez said yester yesterday.

“I will need a lot of rest and will have to be in isolation until GOMEZ I’m better. Symptoms are mild and manageable and I will go back to work as soon as doctors will give the clearance,” he added.

According to Gomez, contact tracing is ongoing while all identified close contacts are already scheduled for swabbing.

“I ask everyone to continue to be vigilant and safe,” the mayor added.

As of July 17, Eastern Visayas reported 236 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the region’s total number of infections at 33,644, with recoveries at 31,791 and deaths at 410.

FIRE AND RAIN. (Above) Firefighters scramble to contain a first alarm

fire that hit a commercial building in Quiapo, Manila early Saturday dawn.

(Left) A little over two kilometers away, a group of teenagers wade through the flooded intersection of Lacson Avenue and España Boulevard in Manila following a heavy downpour caused by the southwest monsoon.

NORMAN CRUZ

PNP to deploy 15k cops for Rody’s final SONA T n By FRANCISCO TUYAY

HE Philippine National Police will deploy about 15,000 officers to secure President Rodrigo Duterte’s final State of the Nation Address on July 26.

Customs seizes P3.5m cigarettes

In a statement, PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the National Capital Region Police under Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao is preparing for the event at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

Eleazar led the SONA security in 2016 and 2017 as Task Group Quezon Commander and in 2018 and 2019 as NCRPO director and head of the Security Task Force.

“We encourage these groups planning to conduct mass actions to coordinate their activities with the PNP. But it would be better if they conduct their activities virtually as

THE Bureau of Customs seized some P3.5 million worth of smuggled various brands of cigarettes at the Port of Zamboanga.

Joint operatives from the BOC, the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Philippine Coast Guard intercepted a sea vessel carrying the smuggled cigarettes off the shores of Manalipa Island in Zamboanga City.

The boat was loaded with 100 master cases of King Perfect and other brands of cigarettes with a total estimated value of P3.5 million.

this is safer for all those involved,” he said, adding that protesters must follow social distancing and other public health protocols to avoid turning the event into a COVID-19 superspreader.

The House of Representatives previously said between 150 to 200 guests may be allowed to personally witness the SONA but they must undergo COVID-19 tests.

Meanwhile, Eleazar attributed the country’s vastly improved peace and order situation to the intensified anti-criminality efforts and the relentless anti-drug cam-

paign under President Duterte.

“Illegal drugs are the root of other crimes so when we intensified our campaign against this menace, our communities got safer and our countrymen more secure. It also allayed the fears of our countrymen of falling prey to criminals,” he said.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the country’s crime volume went down to 193,103 in the first semester of the year from 292,589 during the second semester of 2016, the year when Duterte assumed the presidency.

“The government’s full support to the PNP’s modernization program has also enabled the police organization to procure assets to further boost our capability in our anti-criminality operations which is aimed at better serving and protecting the public,” Eleazar said.

17 rescued, 2 dead in Sulu sea mishaps

VITO BARCELO

n By FRENCIE CARREON

12 Chinese arrested for credit card fraud

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A oneyear old baby and sixteen others survived a sea mishap off Patikul and Luuk shores as the Naval Task Group-Sulu rescued passengers of two wooden-hulled boats that sailed through raging waters Thursday late afternoon and Friday morning.

n By JOEL E. ZURBANO TWELVE Chinese nationals were arrested for illegal online gambling and credit card fraud at a posh village in Parañaque City, the Southern Police District said Saturday.

The suspects were identified as Ma Juan, 24; Chen Bung Hui, 34; Zheng Shi Feng, 27; Li Zhu Xing, 26; Wa Zhen, 30; Tong Chao Yun, 29; Ji Qing Laz, 22; Li Ling Yu, 32; Yang Shu Qi, 23; Yu Zin, 32; Wang Shen, 20, and Li Wei, 22.

SPD Special Operation Unit operatives arrested the suspects at No. 50 Matthews Street in Multinational Village in Barangay Moonwalk around 5:45 p.m. Friday after receiving intelligence reports on their involvement in credit card fraud.

“However, the suspects were also caught in the act while operating online gambling,” SPD director Jimili Macaraeg.

The foreigners, now detained at the District Special Operations Unit custodial facility, will be charged with violation of the Access Devices Regulation Act.

Fishermen from Luuk town in Sulu and personnel of the Philippine Navy‘s Naval Task Group-Sulu rescued 17 passengers of M/L Putli Dahiran and M/L Friendly and recovered the bodies of two fatalities, Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) acting spokesman Lt. Chester Ross Cabaltera said.

The fatalities were identified as

DUTERTE...

Hja Suhula Radjuli, 70, and Sitti Radjuli, 33.

M/L Friendly came from Maluso, Basilan and was on its way to Sulu while M/L Puti Dahiran was several meters away from the port of Jolo when it lost engine power.

The survivors were brought to the Naval Task Group-Sulu and 4th Marine Brigade headquarters for medical attention.

He urged APEC economies to resist imposing barriers to the free flow of vaccines and related essential products, and to instead stabilize vaccine prices to make them more affordable for developing countries.

“The Philippines is concerned with the increasing North-South divide between the ‘vaccine-haves’ and the ‘have-nots,’” he said.

“Comprehensive recovery remains elusive. Our peoples continue to suffer. We need bold, collaborative responses to get us back on the path of growth and prosperity,” Duterte added.

MOVING UP RITES.

About 30 Lumad graduate students from the Bakwit School-UP Diliman perform a ceremonial dance during graduation ceremony at the Bantayog ng mga Bayan in Quezon City on Saturday, July 17, 2021.

3.1 million jabs arrive

The country on Saturday welcomed more than 3.1 million COVID-19 doses – 1.5 million Sinovac jabs procured by the government and 1.6 million J&J single-shot vaccines donated by the US government through the COVAX Facility.

The first batch of J&J doses arrived Friday, rounding up the 3.2 million jabs that Washington donated to Manila through the UN-led vaccine sharing platform.

The latest deliveries pushed the country’s vaccine stockpile to more than 27 million.

As of Thursday, more than 14 million doses of different COVID-19 vaccine brands have been administered since the rollout started March 1. A little over 4 million individuals have received two doses and are now fully vaccinated.

DANNY PATA

Focus on seniors, persons with comorbidities

FromtheFRONTPAGE CUSI KOS...

Cusi, Matibag and Astravael Naik were earlier “expelled” through a resolution by the Pacquiao wing for pushing for the presidential bid of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is not a member of the PDP-Laban.

The resolution, however, was declared void by the Cusi-led national assembly, which then declared all national posts vacant.

Other newly-elected party leaders were Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles as executive vice president, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez as vice president for NCR, CEZA head Raul Lambino as vice president for Luzon, Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone as vice president for Visayas, PEZA director-general Charito Plaza as vice president for Mindanao, Palayan City Mayor Rianne Cuevas as national treasurer, and Sen. Christopher Go as auditor-general.

Pacquiao, in a statement released to the media, criticized the assembly, which his supporters described as a “farce” and “illegal.”

“If the likes of Cusi and the others think that politics is more important now, that is up to them. In the end, only one question remains: Who will have the support of the people?” he said.

“The Delta variant is now here in the country, and this should be the priority of our government,” he added.

Pimentel, for his part, said PDP-Laban is now facing a litmus test. “It is important for us to remain strong and to trust the party leadership under Sen. Pacquiao.”

President Duterte, however, pulled no punches in criticizing both Pimentel and Pacquiao.

“The one who made a mistake is Koko (Pimentel III), not Pacquiao.

Pacquiao does not know anything.

He does not even read. Pacquiao just

follows whatever he is told to do,” the president said. “[Pimentel] did not have a good tactic. I don’t know what pushed him to place Pacquiao as acting President. You have to elect [the party president]. That caused the split,” Duterte added.

Duterte also belittled the role of the Pimentels as founders of the PDP-Laban. “[PDP-Laban] was sleeping until I ran for president [under the party.] It was a father-and-son party. They are not even well known in Cagayan de Oro where they are from. This is not an insult. It is the truth. They cannot win there, even just for a barangay captain race,” he added.

In a separate event at the Clark International Airport also in Pampanga, Duterte introduced Senate President Vicente Sotto III as vice president, a position that the lawmaker is reportedly eyeing in tandem with Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

The Department of Health said authorities must focus on getting high-risk persons inoculated first before moving on to the next vaccination category.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said only 13 percent of senior citizens have been vaccinated, while 15 percent of those vaccinated are persons with comorbidities.

“We need to add to those numbers. We need to reach at least 50 percent,” she Vergeire said.

Sotto is the chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, which has opened its doors to Pacquiao should he gun for the presidency without the PDP-Laban to back him up.

Sotto and Lacson have started their “Tour of Luzon” – a series of consultations with local government officials to seek suggestions for a post-pandemic recovery plan.

PH RECORDS...

Cases in Lapu-Lapu City also increased to 49 this week from the previous 29 cases last week for a “very high” 1.70 infection rate and a “high” 10.94 incidence rate while Cebu City had 98 cases this week from the previous 72, with “very high” 1.42 infection rate and “moderate” 9.68 incidence rate.

For his part, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to extend financial assistance of P6,000 to his constituents while under the strictest lockdown level of Enhanced Com-

munity Quarantine.

Rodriguez noted that of the 11 local cases of Delta variant that were detected this week, five were in Cagayan de Oro City.

“Under ECQ, people are required to stay home, will not be able to work and they will not have income to purchase food and other basic necessities for their families for the next two weeks from July 16 to July 31,” he said in his letter to the President.

“In view of the same, may I request for cash assistance of P6,000 for each family in Cagayan de Oro since it is already under ECQ,” Rodriguez added.

Rolando G. Estabillo can be accessed at: manilastandard.net 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

MEMBER Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

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

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Emil P. Jurado

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

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

WORLD

WORLDBRIEFS JULY 18, 2021

Crisis becoming ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’ – US U S HEALTH authorities on Friday pleaded with COVID vaccine holdouts to roll up their sleeves and get their shots, as cases, hospitalizations and deaths surged.

The new wave is driven by the Delta variant, which now accounts for more than 80 percent of new cases, according to the covSpectrum tracker.

“There is a clear message that is coming through: this is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky told reporters.

The agency reported more than 33,000 new cases on Thursday, bringing the seven-day average up to 26,306, a 70 percent rise on the week before.

The seven-day average of hospital admissions is about 2,790 per day, an increase of 36 percent. And after weeks of declines, the seven-day average of deaths was 211, an increase of 26 percent.

The spikes are focused in communities with low vaccination rates, and “unvaccinated Americans account for virtually all recent COVID-19

hospitalizations and deaths,” said Jeff Zients, White House coronavirus response coordinator.

The new wave is driven by the Delta variant, which now accounts for more than 80 percent of new cases, according to the covSpectrum tracker.

A recent study in the journal Virological shows Delta grows more rapidly inside the body compared to past strains, and people who are infected shed much more of it in the air, greatly increasing the likelihood it will be transmitted.

Vaccines, including those made

by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, remain highly effective against the variant, but the United States’ immunization campaign has drastically slowed in recent weeks.

President Joe Biden set July 4 as a target for 70 percent of adults to have received one or more doses, but as of July 15 the figure was still only 67.9 percent. At the present rate the goal won’t be achieved until the end of the month.

Parts of the country that voted for former Republican president Donald Trump in the 2020 election have significantly lower vaccination rates than those which voted for Democrat Biden, and are now at the center of the surges.

Hotspots include Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

But health officials are hopeful that, since 80 percent of the most vulnerable age group of over-65s are fully vaccinated, the rise in hospitalizations and deaths won’t be as dramatic as the spike in cases.

This would follow the pattern seen in Israel and Britain, highly vaccinated countries struck by Delta waves. AFP

REST IN POWER. Candles are placed by journalists

next to the portrait of Reuters journalist Danish Siddiqui as a tribute in Kolkata after the Pulitzer Prizewinning photographer was killed covering fighting between Afghan security forces and the Taliban near a border crossing with Pakistan. AFP

German floods death toll rises to 133 THE death toll from devastating floods in Germany reached 133 on Saturday, police said, bringing the total number of those killed in Europe to 153.

“According to current information, 90 people lost their lives during the disaster” in the Rhineland-Palatinate region, one of the worst hit, police in the city of Koblenz said in a statement. A further 43 people have died in the neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia, and 20 in Belgium.

Troops and firefighters scrambled through the night to find victims of the devastation left by the worst floods to hit western Europe in decades.

The deluge also pummelled Luxembourg and the Netherlands, leaving streets and homes submerged in muddy water and isolating entire communities.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who returned Friday from a trip to Washington overshadowed by the disaster, vowed to provide “short and long-term support from the government” to stricken municipalities.

She has not yet travelled to the scene from the capital Berlin, but her spokesman said Friday she was in close contact with regional leaders about “a visit soon to the scene of the catastrophe.” AFP

‘Hollywood Ripper’ sentenced to death in US

GARGIULO

Biden: Social media misinformation on COVID ‘killing people’ PRESIDENT Joe Biden said Friday that social media misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccinations is “killing people” and the White House said Facebook needs to clean up its act.

“They’re killing people. The only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated. And they’re killing people,” Biden told reporters at the White House, as he left for a weekend at the presidential retreat in Camp David.

The White House is turning up the pressure on social media companies to weed out what officials say is widely spread misinformation on coronavirus vaccinations.

Facebook rejected the criticism, saying its efforts to get facts out are actually saving lives.

“We will not be distracted by accusations which aren’t supported by the facts,” Facebook said of Biden’s barb.

More than two billion people have viewed authoritative information about COVID-19 and vaccines on Facebook, which is more than any other place on the internet, according to the leading social network.

According to US health officials, a current spike in COVID-19 deaths and illnesses around the country is almost exclusively hitting people who remain unvaccinated.

Many of those refusing vaccinations, despite the ease of availability throughout the United States, have said they do not trust the shots.

Skepticism is being fueled both by false posts spread by anti-vaccine activists online and

by Republican politicians claiming the vaccinations are part of attempts at government control.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that Facebook and others are not doing enough to push back.

“Everybody has a role to play in making sure there’s accurate information,” she said. AFP

WHO eyes China lab audits next in virus origin probe THE World Health Organization said the second stage of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 should include further studies in China and lab audits.

In a closed-door briefing to member states, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus proposed five priorities for the next phase of the investigation.

They included “audits of relevant laboratories and research institutions operating in the area of the initial human cases identified in December 2019,” according to a copy of his opening statement provided by the WHO. He also suggested investigators should focus on “studies prioritising geographic areas with the earliest indication of circulation of SARS CoV-2,” the virus that causes COVID-19.

And he called for more studies of animal markets in and around the Chinese city of Wuhan, where

the disease was first detected.

The UN health agency has been under intensifying pressure for a new, more in-depth investigation of how the disease that has killed over four million people around the world first emerged.

The WHO was only able to send a team of independent, international experts to Wuhan in January, more than a year after COVID-19 first surfaced there in late 2019, to help Chinese counterparts probe the pandemic origins.

They published a report in late March, but drew no firm conclusions about how the virus first jumped to humans.

Instead they ranked several hypotheses according to how likely they believed they were, finding that it was most likely the virus jumped from bats to humans via an intermediate animal. An alternative theory involving the virus leaking from a laboratory was

deemed “extremely unlikely.”

The investigation faced criticism for lacking transparency and access, and for not evaluating the lab-leak theory more deeply.

Long derided as a right-wing conspiracy theory, and vehemently rejected by Beijing, the idea that Covid-19 may have emerged from a lab leak has been gaining momentum.

According to information obtained by AFP, the WHO has now developed a protocol for evaluating laboratory safety and biological security to help ascertain whether the virus may have emerged due to a lab accident.

The protocol, which the agency aims to use to investigate the COVID-19 origin as well as possible future outbreaks, provides measures for evaluating, among other things, the storage of virus samples and handling of waste. AFP

First coronavirus case hits Tokyo Olympics Village

A member of a group of anti-Olympic activists stands in front of an Olympic Games advertisement in Tokyo’s Tsukiji district before marching to the offices of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.AFP

TOKYO Olympics organizers re revealed the first COVID-19 case in the Games Village on Saturday as they sought to reassure competitors that the pandemic-delayed event would be safe.

Six days before the opening ceremony, organisers said an unnamed person had tested positive for coronavirus in the Village, where

thousands of athletes and officials will stay during the Games.

“There was one person in the Village. That was the very first case in the Village that was reported during the screening test,” Masa Takaya, spokesman for the Tokyo organizing committee, told a press conference.

“Right now this person is con-

fined to a hotel,” Takaya said.

Japanese media reported that the person who had tested positive was a foreign national. The Games are facing opposition from the Japanese public, who fear a fresh wave of infections.

Seiko Hashimoto, the chief organiser of the Tokyo 2020 Games, said organizers were ready to respond swiftly if there was a wider outbreak.

“We are doing everything to prevent any COVID outbreaks. If we end up with an outbreak we will make sure we have a plan in place to respond,” she said.

Hashimoto conceded that competitors at the Games, which were postponed for a year because of the pandemic, would be anxious about the virus situation – and she vowed that organizers would not hide cases.

“Athletes who are coming to Japan are probably very worried. I understand that,” she said. “That is the reason why we need to make full disclosure.” AFP

A MAN known as the “Hollywood Ripper” was sentenced to death Friday for the gruesome killings of two women in their homes in the early 2000s.

Michael Gargiulo, 45, was convicted in 2019 of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

Among his victims was 22-year-old Ashley Ellerin, who was found in her Hollywood home with 47 stab wounds in February 2001. On the night of her murder, Ellerin had been due to go on a date with actor Ashton Kutcher, who testified at the trial.

The second murder victim was Maria Bruno, a 32-year-old mother of four and neighbor of Gargiulo who was attacked in her sleep in December 2005 and “quite literally butchered,” prosecutors said.

“In this case, everywhere that Mr. Gargiulo went, death and destruction followed,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler said Friday as he announced the sentence.

Prosecutor Dan Akemon said Gargiulo targeted women who lived near him and waited for the perfect opportunity to attack them at night in or near their homes in “totally planned killings.”

Gargiulo again insisted he was innocent at Friday’s sentencing session. AFP

Pilgrims head to Mecca for 2nd pandemic hajj PILGRIMS will begin to arrive in the Muslim holy city of Mecca on Saturday for the second downsized hajj staged during the coronavirus pandemic with only fully vaccinated residents permitted to participate.

The kingdom seeks to repeat last year’s success that saw no virus outbreak during the five-day ritual but nonetheless caused resentment among Muslims abroad.

It is allowing 60,000 residents of Saudi Arabia to participate through a lottery, higher than in 2020 but drastically lower than in normal times. Religious rites will begin on Sunday.

Among the chosen ones was Ameen, a 58-year-old Indian oil contractor based in the eastern city of Dammam, who was picked for the ritual along with his wife and three adult children.

“We are overjoyed,” said Ameen, who only gave his first name.

“So many of our friends and relatives were rejected,” he told AFP. In 2019, some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world participated in the annual hajj – a key pillar of Islam that is a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.

Earlier this month, the hajj ministry said it was working on the “highest levels of health precautions” in light of the pandemic and the emergence of new variants.

Like the other countries of the Gulf, Saudi Arabia is home to significant expatriate populations from South Asia, the Far East, Africa as well as the Middle East.

“I feel like I won a lottery,” Egyptian pharmacist Mohammed El Eter said after being selected.

“This is a special, unforgettable moment in one’s life. I thank God for granting me this chance, to be accepted among a lot of people who applied,” the 31-year-old told AFP. AFP

Filipino e-commerce platform for mothers raises $5 million EDAMAMA, a new e-commerce platform designed for mothers, sraised $5 million in its latest pre-series A round. The amount will be used in automation, product development, innovations and warehouse and logistics operations.

The round was led by Gentree Fund together with Foxmont Capital Partners, Robinsons Retail and Kickstart Ventures Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom.

Edamama was established amidst the pandemic by founder Bela Gupta D’Souza, who saw the pain points of mothers as consumers when purchasing

online. She said that it is common for mothers to spend many hours in search of the best products for their children only to end up with mediocre items that have inferior quality from untrusted sources.

Edamama addresses the issue of quality and other challenges common among today’s ecommerce platforms, such as channel fragmentation, non-established brand trust, the lack of a discovery-led buying experience, and poor customer service.

Minette Navarrete, president of Kickstart Ventures, likens the mission of edamama to the ad-

The rise of ‘online Filipino workers’

age ‘it takes a village to raise a child,’ a reminder of the value of a community of supportive, trusted, personal relationships that embrace the experience of parenting.

“Edamama captures the essence of this ‘village’: an easy, trustworthy and personalized shopping experience for busy moms; useful, curated, verified content; and safe community interactions that affirm and support parenting.”

Edamama designed their “everyday trust platform” for mothers to get easy online access to quality products and services while ensuring the

lowest prices through a system that simplifies purchasing experience.

Since its conception, edamama has launched several products carefully designed to make shopping more convenient for moms and their families.

Through edamama’s Gift Registry, users can create gift wish lists for special occasions, from baby showers to birthday celebrations, and share these with loved ones. They will then receive their desired items gift wrapped and in time for their special occasion.

Another exciting feature rolled out in May 2021 is Sub-

THE Philippines’ economic growth continues to take a hit as the country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic in one of the longest lockdowns in the world.

Moody’s Analytics tapered its growth forecast for the Philippines to 4.9 percent from its 5.3 percent estimate in May. This number is significantly lower than the 6 to 7 percent growth targeted by the Philippine government for 2021.

While larger companies in the Philippines see their revenues gradually bounce back, the slow easing of restrictions and low GDP growth are taking more of a toll on Filipino workers.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that unemployment in the Philippines rose to 8.7 percent in April. The increase coincided with the tightening of lockdowns in certain parts of the country amid the higher cases of COVID-19 reported.

Edamama raises $5 million in latest pre-series A round.

Read more online

“Our strength, hope, and inspiration will always lie in what the founding families have built. We will continue to actively borrow from their wisdom, while also reinventing new contexts that are consistent with and respectful of their values.”

— Mark De Joya

The Philippines sees a substantial growth of the so-called gig economy.

scribe & Save, the Philippines’ first online diaper subscription service launched in exclusive partnership with Pampers. Moms now have the opportunity to subscribe to their favorite Pampers variants for delivery every 30 or 60 days, while enjoying free shipping and surprise freebies with every delivery.

JULY 18, 2021

n Editor: RODERICK DELA CRUZ

email: roderick_delacruz@yahoo.com

Max’s Group names two new COOs

The gig economy

As opportunities for work in the country are further limited by slower economic growth and physical restrictions, more Filipino workers have transitioned to remote opportunities. This led to an explosive growth of the digital gig economy in the Philippines.

A December 2020 paper from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies highlighted the hastened growth of the digital gig economy in the Philippines, powered by improving ICT infrastructure and influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Philippine government also noted the significance of the gig economy in off-setting some of the economic slowdown in the country, providing opportunities for workers and increasing international remittances in the country.

“We are seeing the growth of the so-called gig economy in the country and with the extended period of the lockdown being implemented because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be even more activities on this front as businesses have to adjust to the new normal,” said Senator Sonny Angara in a Philippine News Agency release.

In support of digital workers, Angara filed Senate Bill 1469 or the National Digital Careers Act, establishing a framework to strengthen opportunities for digital careers in the country.

Digital economy

As more Filipinos find opportunities online whether in the gig economy or e-commerce, the South Coast movement of money through digCity in Cebu also saw a significant ital channels increase.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported that as a result of the pandemic, the use of e-payments has spiked “more than 5,000 percent”, owing to improvements in smartphone and mobile internet accessibility as well as the increasingly ubiquitous use of QR codes, among other features intended to ease the movement of money between people and merchants.

“In the Philippines, Filipinos have been using mobile wallets way before the outbreak of COVID-19.

However, the pandemic has accelerated the usage of digital methods [such as mobile wallet services] for making payments and even after the pandemic subsides and it is over we will continue to see the increased digital adoption for transacting for Filipinos here and those living and working abroad,” said WorldRemit country director Earl Melivo.

Read more online

Mark De Joya (left) and Christopher Tiong

M

“It is important to honor that, while at the same time, as we brave the new realities of the business, there is a lot of insight to be had from outside experiences and expertise.”

AX’S Group Inc., the largest casual dining restaurant group in the Philippines, announced the promotions of Christopher “Sonny” Tiong and Mark De Joya to its executive leadership team.

Tiong, a goal-oriented decision maker with a penchant for customer engagement and deep expertise in sales, trade marketing and operations, was appointed as chief operating officer of the company’s international imports Krispy Kreme and Jamba Juice, while De Joya, a life-long marketing strategist and problem-solver, was appointed as chief operating officer of the group’s flagship brand Max’s Restaurant.

Both Tiong and De Joya bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge having worked in various industries in and outside the food industry, including pharmaceuticals, technology, fast moving consumer goods and advertising.

Tiong started at GlaxoSmithKline where he honed his skills in sales and marketing for nearly a decade. He then made a bold leap to the FMCG industry where he held lighthouse leadership positions in channels, sales and trade management across different beverage categories for such global and local companies as Coca-Cola, Universal Robina Corp., Fonterra and Vitasoy. Prior to his new appointment, he served as operations director for Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice and Yellow Cab Pizza Co. “I’ve always looked for diverse experiences because I saw it as my best chance to learn the fastest and continuously improve. With my new role in Max’s Group, I’m excited to share this mindset of continuous learning to help the company adapt and respond to whatever comes our way. The appreciation of the fact that what works today may not necessarily work tomorrow is something that needs to be alive in every organization,” said Tiong.

De Joya has been with MGI since 2017 and has amassed nearly two decades of marketing experience working with respected industry leaders the likes of global FMCG company Unilever, international advertising network McCann Worldgroup and technology giants Samsung and Huawei.

A consumer-first thinker, he comes into the role with a deft outlook on the different core business functions and how each has

evolved within the restaurant industry and changing consumer world.

“Through the years, we’ve seen that a lot of lines tend to get blurred between functions. What used to be just the job of marketing, operations, or research and development now often blends together under one integrated lens. As COO, I see this as an opportunity for me to connect the dots between my marketing and communications experience with deep commercial acumen to solve human problems and create valuable programs and systems for the people and customers of one of the most iconic brands in the Philippines,” said De Joya.

While continuing to be guided by members of the founding Trota and Fuentebella families, and incumbent group chief operating officer Ariel Fermin, the two demonstrate MGI’s forward-thinking approach to embedding within itself a diverse group of industry experts and professionals whose varying backgrounds are suited to help the company realize continued business evolution in 2021 and beyond.

This mindset goes back to the values of continuity and renewal that have guided Max’s Group in navigating the uncertain waters of the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to the constantly changing nature of the food business landscape. Balancing continuity and renewal means understanding that there is still a lot to learn from how things were done in the past while keeping an open mind to new insights from outside experiences and expertise.

“Our strength, hope, and inspiration will always lie in what the founding families have built. We will continue to actively borrow from their wisdom, while also reinventing new contexts that are consistent with and respectful of their values,” said De Joya.

“Having been around for more than 75 years, there is a wealth of generational knowledge to be mined from the Trotas and Fuentebellas,” said Tiong.

Read more online

OFWs more keen on investing in homes OVERSEAS Filipino workers are constantly proclaimed as the modern era’s “bagong bayani,” a title that attests to their unrelenting desire to support their families even if it means doing so from halfway across the globe.

Copious accounts have been written about the travails of these migrant workers. Some are overworked and underpaid, often lonely, and when stricken ill, are forced to endure the absence of a loving family.

The extraordinarily sad plight of OFWs was underscored during the global pandemic. In the confusion that ensued, homecomings were suspended and returnees were

stranded, adding to their anxiety about their loved ones back home.

Time was, the unspoken implication of their sacrifice is that one day, they will come home and enjoy the rewards of their labor— quality time with their families and a safe, comfortable home to enjoy it in.

“It’s for this reason that more OFWs, regardless of where they are, are seeking to invest in homes in the Philippines,” says Red Rosales, president of Bria Homes.

“Buoyed up by reports of the local real estate industry displaying resilience during the crisis, OFWs are optimistic that property investment is the best way to make their hardearned money grow.” He says.

With many OFWs looking to settle down in places where they were born and raised, Rosales believes that Bria can cash in on the trend by offering properties from which OFWs’ children can benefit in the long term.

One factor that augurs well for this prospect is the government’s massive infrastructure program.

Projects like the Clark International Airport, Subic-Clark cargo railway, the MRT 7 and the NLEX-SLEX connector road, among others, are expected to stimulate growth in industrial and commercial sites, thereby creating a demand for residential spaces.

Read more online

OFWs, regardless of where they are, are seeking to invest in homes in the Philippines.

JULY 18, 2021 email: manilastandardlife@gmail.com

n Editor:

Remedy Rule Luke Gebbie

The last but not the least n By ROMMEL BONG R. FUERTES JR. THE Philippines is set to be represented by 19 athletes at the coming Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Fil-Am Remedy Rule and Fil-Kiwi Luke Gebbie were the last two to make it to the Philippine roster, but they are certainly not the least.

Rule’s journey to Tokyo started in July of 2019, when she showed dominance in Gwangju, South Korea in the FINA World Swimming competition.

She clocked 1:00.42 in the women’s 100-meter butterfly, surpassing the standard time of 1:01.00 set at the 2015 Singapore Southeast Asian Games by fellow Filipina Jasmine Alkhaldi.

In the 2019 SEA Games, which the Philippines hosted, the University of Texas alum boosted her hopes for an Olympic appearance with a 55.80 finish at the 100m freestyle event, an Olympic Standard Time-B clocking.

The grind continued for Rule as she hit another Olympic selection time at the TYR Pro Swim Series in San Antonio, Texas in March of this year.

Clocking in 2:11.43 in the prelims and 2:12.23 in the 200-meter butterfly events, Rule swam through the OST qualifying time of 2:12.08.

Rule finally showed her readiness for the Olympics when she competed against Tokyo-bound swimmers from the United States at the TYR Pro Swim Series in California last April, when she surpassed once more, the Olympic standard time of 59.66 seconds with her 59.56.

After her impressive showings in several events, FINA approved of a Tokyo appearance for Rule to represent the Philippines.

Like Rule, Gebbie’s race to the Olympics started in 2019.

Gebbie began his campaign to Tokyo in a big way, towering over the competition at the Gwangju World Championships as the first ever Filipino to break the 50-second barrier in the men’s 100m freestyle event.

Gebbie sat atop the competition with a 49.94 second finish, also surpassing the Olympic Qualifying Time-A of 48.57 ticks.

The Fil-Kiwi continued to show his prowess in the sport at the 2019 SEA Games by shattering the record at the 50m butterfly event.

Gebbie clocked in the butterfly event finals 24.34 seconds, erasing Daniel Coakley’s record of 24.71 seconds.

The record stood for a decade before Gebbie’s triumphant swim.

In February, Gebbie made sure to make a statement before the Olympics.

He snagged gold at Victorian Open Swimming Championships in the 100m butterfly event with a 55.83 finish, a silver at the 50m freestyle event in 23.39 seconds, another silver at the 50m butterfly event with a 25.27 and a bronze at the 100m freestyle event with 51.27 seconds.

With his Olympics Qualifying Times stacked, it was high time for Gebbie to move on to the grandest stage in Japan.

Twenty-one days before the start of the Olympics, FINA, the international governing body for swimming, granted Rule and Gebbie spots in the Tokyo Olympics.

Rule will partcipate in the women’s 100 and 200-meter butterfly races, while Gebbie will join the men’s 50 and 100-meter freestyle events.

The swimming events will be held at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre from July 24 to August 1.

RIERA U. MALLARI; Assistant Editor: RANDY M. CALUAG

Skateboarding as a means to give her family a better life

Didal: Halfway through Olympic mission

F

Margielyn Didal: For flag and country

n By JESSICA LUNA and JONAS RYAN NITURA

Skateboarding Championships 2020 Lockdown 5 Video Competition.

Soon after, the Philippine Sports CommisFROM helping her mother sell kwek-kwek (deep fried hard-boiled egg sion, through commissioner Ramon Fernanin flour), to competing in sports’ grandest stage, skateboarder Margielyn dez was among those who initially came in to help Didal look for areas where she can do her Ardan Didal sure has come a long way. workouts.

With the help of Red Bull, ing her to go back and compete Half of that mission is now Didal burst into the Philippine sporting scene Didal said it became possible again. when she won the skateboarding gold in the for her to stay in shape and She quit school to pursue her fulfilled as Margielyn quali2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. get ready for the World Street dreams of helping her family Life was never the same for Margielyn since fied for the Tokyo Olympics Skateboarding Championships get all the support they need then, following a P6-million cash windfall from Rome, Italy. The skatepark to have a better life. Now she the government and a deluge of sponsorships. that will be held from July 23 in that Didal now trains in was is one of the best female street Her mother also stopped selling kwek-kwek.

But as an athlete, Didal never stopped becom- skateboarders -- in the world. to August 8, 2021. The other funded by Red Bull, which provided additional input on ing the best version of herself, training five to six the park’s structure. hours a day, almost everyday of the week.

Winning time half? It’s winning it all.

Didal formally earned a Back then in Palembang, where she fashioned She followed up her Asian qualifying slot to the Tokyo her most important win yet of a young career, Games triumph, with yet Olympics after she joined the women’s event of she declared to embark on a mission of qualanother gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian the World Street Skateboarding Championships ifying for Tokyo Olympics, which will debut Games as she finished ahead of fellow Filipina in Rome, Italy. skateboarding as a medal sport.

Christina Means.

Situated at no. 17 in the Olympic rankings, Half of that mission is now fulfilled as MargieIn 2021, she competed at the Street SkateDidal made the cut after organizers struck out lyn qualified for the Tokyo Olympics that will be boarding World Championships in Rome Italy, three Brazilians from the list, which had six held from July 23 to August 8, 2021. The other but only reached the semifinals and placed 17th skateboarders from the South American country. half? It’s winning it all. with 19.00 points both in the qualifiers and Brazil’s Pamela Rosa (no. 1) and Rayssa Leal semis as only the Top 8 skateboarders advanced (no. 2) and Leticia Bufoni (no. 4), made the to the finals.

Beginnings grade, but their teammates Virginia Aguas, Her road to the Olympic scene was not an Margielyn started skateboarding in 2012, just Gabriela Mazzeto and Isabelly Dasilva did easy one as she had to work her way up the around the time when she helped her mother not as each member nation can only obtain a rankings in the Olympic World Skateboarding in sell street food like tempura and kwek kwek in maximum of three spots in each event, with 12 the female division, where she is ranked 17th on front of a church to make a living. maximum across the 4 events. the street discipline.

She did not yet have her own skateboard back This same rule was applied on Japan, which Because of the pandemic, there were cancellathen so she had to wait in line to borrow one just has already three qualifiers in Nishimura, Funa tions of many events in the country and abroad. to try the sport. Didal then started competing in Nakayama and Momiji Nishiya, prompting or“Nag-struggle ako to compete for the Olymthe local scene, but most of the time she would ganizers to remove from the list Yumeka Oda. pics. Many events got cancelled. So we’re just join the men’s division because there were a few Didal is the only skateboarder from Southeast in our hometown, and without a park. And I women skaters and even fewer women’s skateAsia to make the grade. did not skate for months because of the lockboarding events.

The women’s division for the street event down,” said Didal, who however coped with the Back in 2014, she had an injury in her collarwill be on July 26 from 9 am to 1:55 pm at the pandemic by taking part and winning a virtual bone and stopped competing for at least three tournament in the women’s division of the Asian Ariake Urban Sports Park. months, but credited her girlfriend for motivat-

The new kids on their blocks at Tokyo Games PARIS (AFP)—While the Olympics emphasise their history, they also French surfer Jeremy Flores try to refresh the programme to rides a wave in the men’s broaden the appeal, include sports main round during the 2021 that are popular in host nations Isa World Surfing Games at the El Tunco beach in El and to reflect changing attitudes.

Salvador. AFP The International Olympic Committee has said it wants to promote “youth-oriented sports” and The Japanese sport make “gender equality a big focus of Karate is making its Olympic debut. for Tokyo”.

The Games will include six sports that were not on the programme in Rio as well as adding four fresh disciplines in existing sports and a string of mixed events in traditional sports.

Two of those incoming sports, baseball and softball, are hardly new to the Olympics. Baseball made its first appearance in 1904 in St. Louis, softball in 1996. Both were dropped in 2008, victims of the constant battle to control the number of competitors at the Games.

A change in approach by the bowl and emphasise flow and tricks.

IOC, aimed at increasing the number of sports from Tokyo onwards, The street competition will run over a eased the way for baseball and soft- course that include street obstacles such as stairs and rails. ball to return.

Overall, Tokyo will offer more sports as well as more chances to win gold, Surfing with a record 339 medal events.

The wave riders will take the OlymYet, while the IOC predicts that a pic plunge at Tsurigasaki Beach, 100 record 11,091 athletes will take part, kilometres west of Tokyo on the Pasome sports, particularly the new- cific coast. The event will open with comers, have small allocations.

30-minute heats in which four or five There will be just 18 BMX Free- surfers battle for peaks of promising style competitors, 40 surfers and 16 waves and conclude with a series of four-member 3x3 basketball teams. two-competitor rounds. While comFour sports make their Olympic de- petition is due to start on July 25 and buts in Tokyo. run for four days, the dates are fluid to allow organisers to wait for better waves.

Skateboarding As part of the attempt to lure in a younger audience, skateboarding fol- Sport Climbing Rope climbing was part of the gymlows snowboarding, which was added to the Winter Olympic programme nastics programme at the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896, it in 1998.

Reflecting the sport’s roots, there last appeared in 1932 and clambers will be park and street events. Park back in a very different format and as skateboarding will take place in a a separate sport.

In kumite, the fighting discipline, athletes compete head-to-head in three weight classes.

The venue is the Nippon Budokan, which was built for the 1964 games, where it was home to judo, and in 1970 hosted the first-ever World Karate Championships.

Cycling: Freestyle Bmx

Trick cycling is also coming to the Olympics with BMX Freestyle joining BMX Racing, which has been part of the Games since 2008.

The sport will use he BMX park format. Riders have 60 seconds to perform acrobatics on obstacles such as walls and ramps known as boxes and spines. They are marked on difficulty, originality, execution, height and creativity.

Basketball: 3x3

The competition will be held on three specially built walls, two of 15m flanking one of 4.5m, at the Aomi Urban Sports Park. The short wall is for bouldering, which involves climbing fixed routes. One higher wall is for speed climbing, a two-person race to the top. The other is for lead, in which climbers race the clock.

Karate

The Japanese sport making its Olympic debut, at the suggestion of the hosts, evolved on the island of Okinawa.

There will be two competitions.

In kata, individuals demonstrate their mastery of defensive and attacking moves they have chosen from the 102 recognised by the sport. Competitors are judged on “strength, speed, rhythm, balance and power of strikes and kicks; the solidity, clarity and force of movements; and the proper expression of the meaning of each technique with beautiful, flowing motion”.

Like skateboarding, basketball is taking it to the streets in Tokyo with the addition of men’s and women’s three-on-three competitions.

The playground variation is played half court using one basket. Games end when one team reaches 21 points (there are no three pointers) or after 10 minutes.

Mixed Team Events

Several traditional sports are mixing up the genders with events in which both men and women compete.

Swimming, athletics and triathlon are adding mixed relays.

In all three, teams will be made up of two men and two women. In swimming they will compete in a 4x100m medley, in athletics in a 4x400m relay and triathlon in the shorter sprint format.

There will be mixed pairs competitions in air pistol, air rifle and trap shooting and in archery.

Judo will have a team event with three men and three women, from different weight classes, in each team.

Table Tennis is bringing in mixed doubles.

JULY 18, 2021

Jamie Amorante aka Eva Prada

workplace in the

Take it easy, find a hobby (kit) n By THERIZ LIZEL R. SILVANO THERE is a finite number of things we can do to pass the time at home.

We can read books, play with our pets, grow plants, learn to play a music instrument, water the plants, learn a new language, try to revive the overwatered plants, or watch movies and series on Netflix.

But if you’re looking for something different, with no electricity or Wi-Fi connection or green thumb required, you might be interested in pursuing a new hobby that comes in a kit.

Jigsaw puzzle kits

q Instagram: @artpuzzleph

Art Puzzle PH features artworks from local artists and incorporates them into their jigsaw puzzles.

Sounds creative? Wait till you see their designs and solve the puzzles to see for yourself. Send them a message on Instagram for more details.

q Instagram: @fridayholidayph

Want a bigger challenge?

Friday Holiday PH’s 500-piece jigsaw puzzles are a perfect pastime on, say, a Friday night at home. You can solve the puzzle by yourself or make it a family hobby.

The online store also features art by emerging Filipino artists. Check its Instagram page to know more.

Painting kits q Instagram: @soberartmnl Do you like to paint your favorite members of BTS? Paint a sketch of yourself? Your pet? Sober Art takes care of the sketch, you take care of the painting.

The online shop offers customized painting kits from a photo sent by the customer, in addition to its catalog of contemporary art kits. Go to its social media to find out how to order.

L

Sam Pragoso aka Samanthastic

UCKY are those who have found the community that truly, fully accepts and cares for them.

“In our life, there will always be people who will bring you down, but always remember that there are more who will lift you up and those are the people you should focus on,” says Ports Portento, also known as the fabulous The Portia, the drag queen persona they created after being inspired by the TV show Rupaul’s Drag Race.

“I have been following the show ever since “We are celebrating because it launched, and I was inspired by all these gorgeous men in wigs,” Portento relates. at work, we don’t have to Portento is able to express themselves and let The Portia shine in their place of work – say sorry for our sexual an important matter especially in a country orientation, gender identity, where Portento believes is not as accepting as it thinks it is.

“People think that the Philippines is an or expression. We’re proud accepting country, but no, it’s just tolerating. of ourselves and don’t have Because of the toxic masculinity culture here our country, people are afraid to come out to worry about what others in because of these perceived consequences,” Portento laments. think of us.”

— Sam Pragoso The Portia was recently featured in TELUS aka Samanthastic International Philippines’ Pride event “Ready, Set, Drag”.

TIP supports the LGBTQIA+ community by providing safe avenues and vast opportunities for its team members to express their true selves.

“Ready, Set, Drag” is an event across all TIP’s seven location sites that encourages spontaneity, expression, and creativity of one’s true sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE). Participating team members are invited to join and perform in drag and encouraged to incorporate as much artistry and positivity in their performance.

“TELUS International Philippines has been very supportive when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ community,” Portento says, as he represented TELUS International Digital Solutions and Support teams.

“Gender neutral restrooms, Pride parades and marches, and no discrimination policies are some of the examples of how the company is supporting us.

We are treated as equals. And because of that, I am more than grateful for the company and what they have provided me and the rest of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

Another fierce queen who joined the event was Jamie Amorante aka Eva Prada, representing TIP McKinley West. Like the cold, sweet saging con yelo with evaporada milk that inspired her drag persona, Eva Prada brings refreshing inspiration and laughter as she performed during her company’s Pride event.

For Amorante, “Pride is a celebration of being your true and authentic self. It is an opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate our differences.

But we cannot also forget that it is a reminder that we’re still on our journey fighting for equality that we all genuinely deserve.”

“We cannot deny that discrimination is still rampant in our country. It’s sad that we’re just being tolerated but we’re not being fully accepted in our country. This is the very reason why we need to be more visible, to be stronger than ever and support the passing of the SOGIE Bill as soon as possible,” Amorante emphasizes.

Sam Pragoso or Samanthastic seconds, adding that Pride is a celebration of her optimism, courage, and confidence in showing who she really is.

“We are celebrating because at work, we don’t have to say sorry for our sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. We’re proud of ourselves and don’t have to worry about what others think of us,” says the CSE Mobility and Corporate EPP Teams representative.

Pragoso is fortunate she has found a community that accepts her like how her family accepted her. “They always supported me even up to this day,” she shares.

“There are many reasons to honor our LGBTQIA+ community, and one way we’ve chosen to celebrate together is with drag,” says Warren Tait, TIP vice president of facilities, brand, and culture and the executive sponsor of Spectrum, the company’s employee resource group for LGBTQIA+ community.

Tait continues, “Drag is where people come alive and stories are made. A person turns into a character without any fear of judgement. We foster a very inclusive, diverse, and caring culture at TELUS International Philippines and we support our team members.”

While a supportive, loving community is a gift that a person can receive, Portento, Amorante, and Pragoso believe the gift one can give to themselves is acceptance.

“Self-acceptance is the first step, and the longest journey always starts with a single step,” says Portento.

Amorante adds, “Just love yourself first. You’ll be surprised, the next thing you know, people around you will appreciate you for who you are.”

Ports Portento aka The Portia

q Instagram: @paintbyhueph

For those who prefer bold and bright colors, Paint by Hue’s painting kits include acrylic paints for colorful artworks.

The sketches available are perfect for beginners, kids, and those who want to unwind while putting paint to pre-numbered canvas. Send an order form via its Instagram page.

Murals turned into songs

Cake decoration kit q Instagram: @bearbakes.mnl

This online dessert shop offers minimalist cake and DIY cake kits for those who like to decorate their own without the hassle of baking it.

The DIY cake kit of Bear Cakes MNL includes chocolate munch box cake patties, four colored frostings, sprinkle mix, and an instruction card. Send them a message on Instagram to order.

‘Hindi Totoo’ by Rasel Trinidad aka Doctor Karayom ‘Bakwit’ by Archie Oclos

THREE wall murals by Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) awardees have been reinterpreted into musical compositions by students.

Headlined by the Music Production students of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, the ART + MUSIC by CCA project aims to encapsulate the emotions brought about by the artworks mounted around the college’s School of Design and Arts campus.

“Bakwit” by street artist and 2018 Thirteen Artist Awardee Archie Oclos, a 70-meter mural that depicts the plight and hardships of the Lumad students who were forced to leave their schools and communities because of militarization, has been turned into music by Ben Ayes.

Ayes created three themes that reflected the transitions between the provincial life, the tragedies of oppression, and the hope to narrate these struggles.

“Hindi Totoo” by 2018 TAA and

multimedia artist Rasel Trinidad the ART + MUSIC by CCA music (also known as Doktor Karayom), video, directed by CCA associwhich explored peculiar charac- ate and multimedia artist Raine ters and Filipino mythological Sanciangco. creatures, has been given a dark melody by Dwight Ian Perez.

Perez utilized the kulintang, conga, and piano for percussion; violin, cello, and bass guitar for string; and flute and bassoon for woodwind.

“Dead Masks” by 2018 TAA and multidisciplinary artist Zeus Bascon, depicting four writhing serpents made of lined emotionless masks, was unraveled by Daniel Carlos through the piano, synthesizer, violin, cello, and crystal flute as a spiritual and ethereal guide to the afterlife.

The compositions serve as the score for ‘Dead Masks’

by Zeus Bascon

Blackpink has released the new trailer for its new documovie that is set to screen in theaters worldwide.

JULY 18, 2021

Blackpink drops trailer for new docu-movie

n By RUSHELLE INTIA

YG ENTERTAINMENT has unveiled the official trailer for “Blackpink The Movie,” which is scheduled to hit the cineplex in over 100 countries on Aug. 4 and 8.

On Wednesday, the entertainment agency released the movie sneak peek showing clips from Blackpink’s recent online concert, “The Show,” and other pre-pandemic tours. The

T

The rollercoaster of emotions Gav and Cai make their fans feel in the movie is complemented by BBMA-nominee SB19’s “Hanggang sa Huli.”

Elijah Canlas and Kokoy de Santos promise to give viewers all the ‘feels’ in ‘Gameboys The Movie.’

trailer also features interview clips from the four members, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa.

The docu-movie includes three special segments: “Memory Room,” where the group members reminisce years after their debut; “Beauty,” showing all members’ individual characteristics; and an “Unrevealed Special Interview.”

The film is the first part of Blackpink’s “4+1 project,” a project that

will hold five events to celebrate the group’s fifth debut anniversary next month and will serve as a gift for their fans.

Meanwhile, YG Entertainment also confirmed earlier Wednesday that Blackpink will also join the Weverse app on Aug. 2 as the third event for the project. The Weverse app is a platform where artists and fans can communicate with each other.

On July 6, the group announced

n By ANGELICA VILLANUEVA

HE IdeaFirst Company has finally released the official trailer of the movie sequel of the internationally-acclaimed web series, “Gameboys.”

As we miss the beautiful characters of Cairo (Elijah Canlas) and Gavreel (Kokoy De Santos), let’s have a quick recap and take a trip down memory lane.

Last year, Gameboys narrated the life and relationship between a gamer, Cairo, and his fan-turned-lover, Gavreel, during the pandemic which made most of us relate to their characters—stuck in our homes, away from some of our loved ones, and the only possible way to connect with what’s happening and with other people is through social media.

With all the negativity that pandemic brought into our lives and how social media made it hard to fully feel the sincerity of the people we met online, “Gameboys” paved the way to a long-lasting friendship and true love proving that even if it’s virtual, it’s possible for love to blossom.

“Gameboys The Movie,” on the other hand, tells the continuation of their love story that blooms amid the pandemic. Now, their relationship teaches them to make crucial decisions — to stay or to go, to continue or to let go, to pass or to play?

The first part of the trailer shows how the two lead stars enjoy their most-awaited beach date -- talking about how they see themselves in the next 10 years, their plans in the future -- until Gavreel introduces Cairo to his Aunt Susan (Angie Castrence) as just his “friend.” This brings the avid viewers

to the same pains they went through in the series.

For most fans, he’s not the Gav that we all know—the proud boyfriend. The first season’s Gav will never deny and always shows off about Cai. Does it mean he already changed?

What will Cai’s take on this kind of situation?

But what made it bearable is knowing how much Gav and Cai love each other and how it will help them survive this new relationship obstacle.

The rollercoaster of emotions Gav and Cai make their fans feel in the movie is complemented by BBMA-nominee SB19’s “Hanggang sa Huli.”

As a fan myself, I want to commend Kokoy for bringing me with him to the pain he felt on that emotional scene with Elijah—which, in my opinion, won the hearts of legions of “Gameboys” fans. It’s something that will leave you speechless and bothered. Something that will make you question everything, like, why?

The trailer only brought me to a position that I never expected to be in the first place. It brought me so much pain that I found myself crying over a movie trailer after watching it for the third time at 4:00 in the morning. I never thought that this kind of pain will give me an overwhelming feeling of sadness but at the same time, the satisfying feeling of joy because I was able to feel the emotions they wanted to convey.

Elijah and Kokoy will also be accompanied by the first season’s cast members Adrianna So (Pearl), Kyle Velino (Terrence), Miggy Jimenez (Wesley), and Kych Minemoto (Achilles), which were not seen in the trailer. I was actually waiting for their scenes since they were introduced on the teaser released last January.

“Gameboys The Movie” is supposedly set to hit the cinema on July 30, giving us few more days to absorb the pain and love that the two-minutes-and-21-seconds-trailer brought. The film will also be dominating the online world through the digital streaming platforms, KTX.ph and Ticket2Me.net.

But for now, what can we do is wait, prepare ourselves, and expect the unexpected twists and turns that “Gameboys” consistently offers. G?

SB19 celebrates another milestone for ‘MAPA’ n By AMIRA DANICA PASION

SB19 makes a record as the first-ever Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated as Billboard’s Top Social Artist

TOP Filipino boy group SB19 has reached another breakthrough in its musical career when the lyric video for the song “MAPA,” the P-pop Kings’ fifth single, amassed almost 15 million views on YouTube.

Just recently, the group trended on Twitter when the single, released on May 16, breached the 10 million mark in terms of

views. And just five days later, the lyric video records another five million views.

Members of A’TIN, the group’s loyal fandom, expressed their support for the band in its latest feat. They also rally for the song to remain popular on different streaming sites such as YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok where it’s slowly getting traction with users sharing their personal experiences in a video

using the track as background song.

Meanwhile, SB19 bagged the Top Celebrity Award in the recently concluded Tiktok Awards where the group also performed its popular single live.

Following the exceptional performance of “MAPA,” the group promised to release “Pagsibol” track ahead of the virtual concert “Back in the Zone” scheduled on Aug. 1.

that they will also release a limited edition of “The Album” photobook on Aug. 9 as the second event for the “4+1 project.”

The k-pop girl group debuted on Aug. 08, 2016. In October 2020, they released their debut album called ‘The Album.’

Last March, Rosé debuted as a solo artist with her album ‘R,’ while Lisa will also make her much anticipated debut as a solo artist next month.

WHO lauds BTS for using sign language in ‘Permission To Dance’

BTS uses sign language for its latest English single, ‘Permission To Dance.’

n By MARIA KATRINA SEGUI WORLD Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commended BTS for incorporating international sign language for the music video of its latest single, “Permission To Dance.”

Dr. Tedros took to Twitter his appreciation for the South Korean act’s kind gesture.

“Thank you, @BTS_twt, for including sign language in your #PermissiontoDance music video.

As 1.5 billion people in the world are affected by hearing loss; sign language can help them to continue enjoying music which can bring joy to life,” he shared.

On the day of the music video’s release, eagle-eyed ARMYs were quick to notice the use of sign language throughout the song. Included in the choreography were international sign languages for “fun,” “dance,” and “peace.”

Fans and netizens alike showered the South Korean septet with praise for promoting representation and inclusivity towards those with hearing loss.

Stories of people with impaired hearing enjoying “Permission To Dance” went viral and touched hearts on social media.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the K-pop superstars were praised for representing minorities.

The band’s vocalist, V, was also lauded by netizens for using sign language for his speech in the Youtube program, “Dear Class of 2020.”

On July 9, BTS released its third English track, the uplifting summer anthem, “Permission To Dance,” co-written by British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran.

SASSY loves to roll in the grass and play in the garden. During these monsoon months, we wash their paws after playing in the garden so that they are clean when they lick their paws.

MONSOON MENACE:

Rescued dog Henry of Save ALL Inc. was prescribed medicine specifically developed for dogs, not a cough medicine made for humans. He is now healthy and well after developing cough due to the change of weather.

Common pet illnesses during the rainy season

JULY 18, 2021 n Editor: DESIREE CARLOS

Can you give a cough medicine for humans to your

I

n By THE PET FOOD INSTITUTE THIS monsoon season, pet owners must prepare and gear up to ensure their pets are safe and healthy. Pets can be susceptible to bacteria, virus, and other parasites.

These can compromise their overall wellbeing and cause a plethora of illnesses ranging from skin allergies and indigestion to more serious health issues such as respiratory problems.

Here are the common pet illnesses during the rainy season and tips on how owners can protect their pets from these pesky pests.

Skin Allergies

The moist and humid weather that the monsoon season brings can attract pests and other parasites to thrive in the skin and furs of dogs and cats.

Fleas and ticks—the most common pests that feed on pets—can cause mild to se-vere skin allergies.

Observe the pet while scratching. It is usually normal for pets to scratch but exces-sive itching and scratching are causes for concern. Check After playing, wash the dog’s paws into their fur and see any red-with betadine wash or water with a ness or irritation on their skin, little betadine to “disinfect” the feet to and you will the see the mount dog prevent bacterial infection when the of ticks or fleas inhabiting the licks the paws. pet’s body.

To combat this, pet owners must immediately seek treatment from their local veterinarian who will provide the proper care and treatment to address their pet’s skin allergy. If left untreated, skin allergies may cause hair loss and skin infections. Pets with dermatitis will even lose interest in engaging in physical activities and interactions.

Intestinal Problems

Intestinal problems such as diarrhea is one of the most common diseases during the rainy season. If accompanied by loss of appetite, vomiting, and fever, there could be bacterial, viral, or fungal infection in the dog or cat’s digestive system. A common cause of diarrhea and intestinal problems in pets during the rainy season is a dirty bowl. A dirty bowl, much like a dirty puddle outside the house, is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

Pet owners are advised to always keep their pets’ bowls clean and elevated to prevent bacteria and disease-carrying pests like cockroaches from contaminating their pet’s food or water.

If you need to calm your dog or pet during travels, during New Year’s eve or thunderstorm, please ask your vet to prescribe a plantbased calming tablet, or medicine with pure or more natural ingredients than chemicals.

Respiratory Diseases

While pets may not develop the same kind of cold that humans may get, they can still develop respiratory diseases with symptoms similar to a cold. Symptoms of respiratory diseases include sneezing, coughing or difficulty breathing. All of these can lead to serious health issues and pet owners should consult a veterinarian.

One way to prevent pets from developing these diseases during the monsoon months is by ensuring their pets are clean and dry. Pet owners may give their pets a regular bath however they must safeguard their pets’ health by drying their fur and paws thoroughly and properly. It is also recommended to keep a pet’s toys and bowls clean. qqq

About the Pet FooCd Institute

Pet Food Institute (PFI) is committed to educating pet owners about proper pet nutrition to keep pets healthy and happy. Through its local initiative, Well-Fed, Well-Nurtured campaign in partnership with the Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP), PFI seeks to advocate responsible pet ownership to the ever-growing Filipino pet community.

Since 1958, the Pet Food Institute has been the voice of the U.S. pet food industry. PFI is the industry’s representative before Congress and state legislatures, as well as state and federal agencies; public education and media relations resource; organizer of seminars and educational programs; and liaison with other organizations. PFI represents the companies that make 98 percent of U.S. dog and cat food.

Let the doggos play under the sun for a stronger immune system. Rescues Bela (black) and son Dathir of Save ALL Inc. take advantage of the times the sun comes out during these monsoon months.

email: daycarlos28@yahoo.com

F IT IS prescribed by the vet, yes you can give cough medicine to your dog. But if not, never “self-medicate” your dog. You can do more harm than good.

bination of allergy medicine and Always ask your vet if a certain treatment of underlying infections,” medicine for humans is safe for your dog. Some medicine for humans

By DESIREE CARLOS Vogelsang said. contain ingredients that are harmful 3. Benadryl Safety Alert: to pets, or contain too much of a certain ingrediWhich Dogs Can’t Have It? ent that can cause an illness or lead to death.

Vogelsang said Benadryl is “very well-tolerated Pet owners have been asking if they can give in dogs with few side effects. It remains one of the cough syrup to their dogs, specially the most comsafest over-the-counter drugs that veterinarians mon one called Benadryl. frequently reach for Benadryl, also known by its generic name, and recommend for diphenhydramine, is one of the few overHERE ARE THE INSTANCES their canine pathe-counter drugs that some veterinarians IN WHICH BENADRYL tients.” have prescribed for dogs. I would strongly “But the reason suggest you use cough medicine specially SHOULD NOT BE USED: why you still need formulated for dogs instead of cough meds to check with your developed for humans. Your vet knows the Low blood pressure veterinarian is to cough meds produced secifically for dogs. ensure that it is safe Cardiac conditions for your dog to take In “Can I Give My Dog Benadryl and (cardiovascular disease) Benadryl, because If So, How Much?” in PetMD, Dr. Jesthere are safety sica Vogelsang said: Glaucoma risks if your dog has “It’s always best to contact your veterinarcertain health conian for guidance before administering any Currently pregnant ditions,” Vogelsang medication to your pet, including Benadryl.” said.

Benadryl can interact with other medicine that 4. Benadryl Dosage for Dogs your pet may be taking such as anticoagulants and For dogs, the standard dosage for oral Benadryl depressants for the nervous system. You can not is one (1) mg per pound of body weight, given two give Benadryl without consulting your vet. to three times a day. Most diphenhydramine tablets “While Benadryl is generally well tolerated by are 25 mg, which is the size used for a 25-pound do, dogs and has a wide safety margin, it’s not necVogelsang said. essarily the answer to your dog’s issue. Find out “But the safest way to give the proper dose is to when Benadryl is effective and safe and when your ask your veterinarian. In addition, many formudog needs a different treatment,” said Vogelsang. lations are combined with other medications…so make sure Benadryl tablets contain only diphenhydramine,” Vogelsand said.

Here are a few things to consider before However, it is best to avoid giving Benadryl and giving your dog Benadryl, said Vogelsang: other chemical-based meds. Remember that chemicals damage the liver and kidneys. You dogs are of 1. Benadryl for Anxiety? special concern as their organs are much smaller Some owners want to give Benadryl to dogs than ours. to ease anxiety during travels or when dogs are Always ask your vet for a liver and kidney proscared of fireworks and thunderstorms. tectant for your dog while you are giving chemi“Benadryl has some efficacy in the prevention cal-based meds, specially antibiotics, to your dogs. of motion sickness in dogs and as a mild sedative, It also best to prevent illnesses by keeping the but the effects are not the same as with people,” environment clean to avoid allergies, and provide Vogelsand said. good food and multivitamins to keep the immune “If your dog has anxiety, it’s best to talk with system strong so that you can avoid cough your veterinarian to determine a course of treatand respiratory problems in ment, as it might involve making changes to your your dog. dog’s environment, behavioral training, or tools such as anxiety vests and pheronomes,” Vogelsang added.

She also stressed that a small percentage of dogs and cats can have the opposite reaction to Benadryl. They can become hyperactive instead of being sleepy or calm. If your vet will give the go signal to give Benadryl, try it at home first to avoid problems during travel.

Not all dogs or cats do not like travelling, so there is no need to give Benadryl to all dogs or cats. Also, I have always advised against giving drugs or chemical-based meds to pets.

These can damage the liver and kidneys of your dog. If you can avoid this, it is always better for your dog.

If you need to calm your dog or pet during travels, during New Year’s eve or thunderstorm, please ask your vet to prescribe a plantbased calming tablet, or medicine with pure or more natural ingredients than chemicals.

There are some such medicine in the market now.

2. Benadryl for Dog Allergies?

Benadryl is “an antihistamine that blocks the H-1 receptors on smooth muscle and blood vessels. Taken orally, Benadryl can be mild to moderately effective for dogs experiencing mild allergic symptoms,” said Vogelsang.

“Vets commonly use it to treat environmental allergies and allergic reactions to insect bites or stings. It can also be used as a pre-treatment for possible vaccine reactions,” she said.

But your pet needs to be brought to the vet immediately if she is having an acute allergic reaction with facial swelling or difficulty in breathing.

“Many allergic diseases also require a com-