Manila Standard - 2021 July 25 - Sunday

Petecio wins; Yulo advances in vault but bows out in 5 other events n By RIERA U. MALLARI

TOKYO—The Philippines handed out a sound beating in the boxing front, but absorbed several in taekwondo and gymnastics as the Summer Olympic Games went full blast on Saturday.

Former world champion boxer Nesthy Petecio fashioned out a dominant 5-0 mauling of Congo’s

Marcelat Sakobi Matshu to easily advance to the Round of 16 in the women’s featherweight division of the boxing competitions at the Kokugikan Arena.

Gymnast Carlos Yulo will also advance to finals of the vault exercise but failed to make the cut in five other events, including his favorite floor exercises, rings, parallel bars, horizontal bar and pommel horse at the Ariake

Gymnastics Center with routines filled with poor landings and missteps.

Yulo placed sixth in vault with a tally of 14.712. Only the top eight athletes in each apparatus will advance to the finals.

For All-Around, the 21-year-old gymnast finished 47th with 79.931, also missing the cut as only the top 24 gymnasts will qualify for the final.

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(Below, left) Women’s world boxing champion Nesthy Petecio (blue) opens the medal bid of the Philippine delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with a dominant win over Congo’s Marcelat Sakobi Matshu (red) at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo on July 24, 2021. (Below) Filipino taekwando jin Kurt Barbosa (red) bows down to South Korea’s Jang Jun (blue) while (Above) gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo makes it to the vault finals but bows out in five other events, including his pet floor exercises. AFP

17 NEW CASES OF MORE TRANSMISSIBLE DELTA VARIANT RECORDED

Longer curfew hours in NCR

Some 14 cities in the National Capital Region were inundated by floodwaters amid the enhanced southwest monsoon.

Along España Boulevard in the city of Manila, four teenagers cling to their submerged sidecar bike. NORMAN CRUZ

n By JOEL ZURBANO, WILLIE CASA & FRANCISCO TUYAY

LONGER curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. will be imposed in the National Capital Region starting today (July 25, 2021) as the local transmission of the deadlier Delta variant prompted the government to revert Metro Manila’s status to the stricted General Community Quarantine with heightened restrictions.

The Metro Manila Council’s decision came as the Department of Health and the UP-Philippine Genome Center identified 17 new cases of the Delta strain, bringing the total to 64.

“We need to limit the movement of the public through the imposition of longer curfew hours. Since the Delta variant spreads exponentially, we should not let our guards down and implement necessary restrictions to contain the virus,” MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. said.

‘Unusually high number of deaths’

On Saturday, the country logged 6,216 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 1,543,281.

The death toll climbed to 27,131 after 241 more patients died from the disease. The day before, the Department of Health reported zero deaths but only because of a technical glitch.

“The unusually high number of deaths reported today can be attributed to a backlog of cases being updated after the resolution of the system error,” the Health department said.

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COVID-19 PH AT

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GLANCE

1,543,281 6,216 New

54,401 241

1,461,749

6,778

Recoveries

n By JOEL ZURBANO, JESS MALABANAN & FRANCISCO TUYAY MORE than 15,000 people have been preemptively evacuated in Metro

Manila amid heavy flooding brought about by the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Saturday.

Damage to agriculture stood at P12.38 million in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Western Visayas, with some 885 farmers affected.

NDRRMC spokesman Mark Tim-

bal said in Marikina City alone, some 3,077 families or 13,225 persons were brought to evacuation centers.

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27,131 Death

Widespread flooding displaces over 15,000 people

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Topless Tongan, ripped Vanuatu spark heated debates online

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Ex-VP Binay joins senatorial slate – Sotto n By COLEEN MAGAHIS FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay will join the senatorial line up of the Lacson-Sotto tandem for the 2022 elections, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Saturday.

“Ongoing meeting with our new Senatorial Candidate! Sabi ko sa inyo big time eh!” Sotto said in a Viber message to reporters.

“Yes, he [Binay] confirmed with us [he will join our] senatorial lineup,” he added.

Sotto earlier said he and Senator Panfilo Lacson are neither opposition nor administration bets.

“We are not pro-opposition. We are not pro-administration. We are pro-Filipinos,” he said.

Lacson, an independent candidate, has yet to be adopted by the Nationalist People’s Coalition, of which Sotto is the chairman.

But Sotto said a party decision will likely be reached on July 28, and a formal announcement will be made on Aug. 4.

Prior to announcing Binay’s inclusion in their senatorial lineup, Sotto named 10 possible candidates, namely: former senators JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan II, and Loren Legarda, re-electionists Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Richard Gordon, Joel Villanueva and Juan Miguel Zubiri; former Commission on Elections commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, and Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez.

“Those are what Senator Lacson and I had talked about who we want to be senators, or come back in senatorial position. We know they will be great, not just on being senators, but for the nation,” Sotto said.

“We could provide a good alternative for the people in 2022,” he added.

37% of Pinoys think quality of life to improve

SOME 37 percent of Filipinos said they believe their quality of life will improve in the next 12 months amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent survey of the Social Weather Stations showed.

The poll, conducted from June 23 to 26, also showed that seven percent said their quality of life will worsen (pessimists), while 42 percent said it will stay the same.

Fourteen percent of the respondents did not give any answer.

SWS said this resulted in a net personal optimism score of +30, which the polling firm considers very high.

It was six points higher than the +24 (high) in May, and five points lower than the +35 (very high) in November last year.

“The last three surveys show a continuing recovery from historic lows of -19 in May 2020 and -10 in July 2020,” the SWS said.

The survey also showed that the net personal optimism rose by 12 points in Balance Luzon, and five points in Metro Manila.

For Balance Luzon, the score was +26 in May, then +38 in June while it was +29 for Metro Manila in May, then +34 in June.

These contributed to a six-point rise in the national net personal optimism score from May 2021 (+24) to June 2021 (+30).

The survey results also showed that net personal optimism was at a very high +42 among college graduates and junior high school graduates (+30).

“Scores among all levels of education among respondents rose from May 2021: 10 points among non-elementary graduates, 4 points among elementary graduates, 5 points among junior high school graduates, and 5 points among college graduates,” the SWS said.

A huge sinkhole appears beside a house in Taal, Batangas after a powerful magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the province early Saturday morning.

MARY ANGELINE DELMUNDO

JULY 25, 2021

Magnitude 6.6 quake rocks Luzon : USGS A

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

A STRONG earthquake shook the Philippines on Saturday, the US Geological Survey reported, but it was deep, and local authorities said they did not expect damage.

The 6.6-magnitude quake struck off the main island of Luzon at 4:48 am (2048 GMT) at a depth of 112 kilometers, USGS said.

It was followed a few minutes later with a 5.8-magnitude quake in the same region that was also deep.

“It’s very strong. We were alarmed,” said police Major Ronnie Aurellano in Calatagan municipality, Batangas province, which is south of Manila and near the epicentre of the quakes.

“It’s raining very hard here as well, but our people here are used to earthquakes.

They’re aware of the duck, hold and cover when there’s an earthquake. We’re checking low-lying areas in case there’s a tsunami,”

he added.

The Philippine seismological agency said it did not expect damage. And there was no tsunami warning or threat, according to the US Tsunami Warning System.

“It’s not as strong compared to the previous quakes here – there’s no damage reported to us,” said police Cpl. Bernie Faderogao in nearby Mabini.

“Our sliding door was just slightly shaken but it didn’t break,” he said.

Aftershocks continued to shake the municipality of Calatagan in Batangas, with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recording at least 24 aftershocks, with the strongest at magnitude 5.5, which immediately followed the first intense

tremor.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has deployed teams to assess infrastructures in three regions – Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa – to evaluate the structural integrity and damage caused by the earthquake to key infrastructure.

The DPWH said all national roads and bridges in the NCR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa are passable to all types of vehicles.

“We are also monitoring if Taal Volcano will react following the earthquake,” Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste.

Taal Volcano is under Alert Level 2, but it showed “eruptive activity” a few days earlier.

The Philippines is regularly rocked by quakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

WITH AFP

Speaker: House delivers on priority bills commitment n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

THE House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has delivered on its commitment to pass pieces of legislation that are responsive to the needs of Filipinos in these trying times.

In its Legislative Performance Report titled “Paving the Nation’s Path to Recovery,” the Velasco-led chamber said it has been “consistent in pursuing a legislative agenda anchored on saving lives, sustaining economic growth, and spearheading a public policy that is responsive and effective to the health crisis.”

Velasco said the President’s accomplishments were made despite the limitations and challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The House said its priorities are two-fold: to help all Filipinos impacted by the pandemic, and to revive and rebuild the country’s economy.

“With these priorities in mind, the HRep has not let the prevailing situation distract itself from the work that has to be done. The

HRep has performed commendably in spite of the current limitations and challenges,” the report said.

“On these two fronts, the HRep worked tirelessly to pass key legislative measures, mandating a whole-of-government approach to fight the pandemic,” the report added.

Foremost of these measures are the two Bayanihan laws—Republic Acts 11469 and 11494—which provided P250 billion in emergency subsidies to affected families and workers and a P165-billion economic rescue package, respectively.

The report stated that in its second regular session, the House delivered measures that not only address pandemic-related concerns, but also enabled structural reforms that will revive the economy and make it more resilient.

“These reforms ensure that opportunities and benefits of economic growth are more equitably shared. Moreover, these measures illustrate that we do not sacrifice our environment for economic growth,” the report said.

INCLUSIVE JAB. To mark the

43rd National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora leads the special vaccination session for PWDs at the FilOil Flying V Center Arena.

MANNY PALMERO

FromtheFRONTPAGE PETECIO...

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Of the 17 new Delta variant cases recorded, 12 are local cases, one involved a returning overseas Filipino worker, while four are still being verified.

Of the 12 local cases, nine had addresses in Metro Manila while three were from Calabarzon.

Cops to ensure kids stay indoors

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar ordered cops to ensure children are not out on the streets after the national government decided to bar kids anew from venturing outdoors.

“I ask for your understanding because the PNP will do everything we can to ensure we are all safe from this deadlier variant,” Eleazar said.

“I appeal to all parents to exercise constant vigilance in ensuring their kids remain indoors. This Delta variant is more transmissible, and children may serve as super spreaders if they are exposed to this strain.

Thirty-five kilometers away from Tokyo at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba City, Filipino taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa was handed a brutal 26-6 beating in the men’s -58kg elimination round by world no. 1 Jang Jun of South Korea. The defeat was so lopsided that the referee stopped the fight via Point Gap even before the third round was finished.

Barbosa still had a chance to advance up to the bronze medal fight via repechage if Jang would advance to the championship round, but the Korean later suffered an upset loss to Tunisia’s Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi, 25-19.

Jang’s stunning defeat officially made Barbosa as the first casualty of the 19-strong Philippine delegation in the Olympiad. “(This is) God’s plan, thank you Lord,” Tweeted the 21-year-old Barbosa after the loss.

In contrast, Petecio is very much alive in the competition.

After a shaky first round, Petecio went to work starting, using her lateral movements to create clear angles, where she landed her power blows.

The game-plan continued in the third, including heavy combinations midway, mixed by a defensive effort in the end to seal the win (30-27, 30-27, 29-28, 30-27, 30-27).

The breezy victory, however, was just the calm before the storm as she takes on a tornado of a foe in the Final 16 in Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-Ting of Chinese Taipei, a former world champion and the top seed in the 54 to 57-kg division here.

Game time is on Monday, July 26 at 12:39 p.m., Philippine time.

The 29-year-old Davao del Sur native Petecio is coming off an extensive training camp in Thailand with fellow boxing Olympians Irish Magno and Carlo Paalam.

Meanwhile, world’s no. 25 Magno takes on 17th-ranked Christine Ongare of Kenya in the preliminary round of the women’s flyweight division on Sunday.

Ongare was the first female Kenyan boxer to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the sport, when she claimed bronze in the flyweight category at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

The Philippine boxing team’s coaching staff took time to scout the Kenyan boxer in an effort to find

cracks in her armor.

“We analyzed her opponent last night and the tactic [Irish] needs to use is sort of going in and out of punching range,” said boxing coach Don Abnett. “The Kenyan girl loves to scrap. [Irish] just has to open the space, let her miss and then counter with what we call bread and butter shots, strikes to the head and body.”

On Monday, flyweight no. 25 Carlo Paalam battles 25-year-old Irishman Brendan Irvine, ranked no. 32.

Eumir Marcial, by virtue of his being seeded no. 3 here, drew a bye.

Needing only two wins to clinch a bronze medal and four to secure gold, the middleweight Marcial will fight the winner of the bout between Algeria’s Younes Nemouchi and Ugandan Kavuma David Ssemujju.

WIDESPREAD...

In the municipalities of Rodriguez, San Mateo and Taytay in Rizal province, at least 1,700 individuals had to leave their homes while more than 300 were evacuated in Cainta.

The Metropolitan Manila Devel-

opment Authority reported massive flooding in at least 14 cities in the National Capital Region, with breast-deep waters in Barangay San Isidro in Parañaque City.

Residents of Taguig City also suffered from waist-high flood in Barangays Maharlika and West Bicutan.

MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos said the high volume of garbage in the metropolis compounded the problem.

“It will be a never-ending cycle.

People throw garbage, then we conduct cleanup operations. It’s time we break the cycle. Let us exercise discipline in managing our trash properly,” said Abalos.

In Pampanga, widespread flooding affected more than 26,000 individuals, local disaster-control officials said.

“Our rescue personnel and equipment are on standby alert 24/7 ready to respond in any given situation,” said Angelino Blanco, head of the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Some 1,000 police personnel have also been deployed across Cordillera, Central Luzon and Mimaropa to assist in relief operations.

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India rescuers hunt for survivors as monsoon toll hits 76 RESCUERS in India combed through mud and debris Saturday in a desperate search for survivors as the death toll from heavy monsoon rains climbed to 76, with nearly 90,000 others evacuated.

Torrential downpours have lashed India’s western coast in recent days, leaving dozens missing near the commercial capital Mumbai and precipitating the worst floods in decades in the resort state of Goa. “Rainfall in various parts of the state often coinciding with high tides and also discharge from dams led to various regions... getting inundated,” the Maharashtra state government said in a press release.

More than half of the deaths occurred in hard-hit Raigad, south of Mumbai, where landslides buried dozens of houses, killing 47 and with another 53 feared trapped under layers of mud.

The downpour caused the Savitri river to burst its banks, leaving the town of Mahad completely inaccessible by road, and prompting terrified residents to climb onto rooftops and upper floors to escape swelling waters.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams could not land their choppers in the area due to bad weather on Friday but were eventually able to rescue locals as waters began to recede.

Goa suffered its worst floods in decades, according to the state’s chief minister Pramod Sawant, who said the monsoons had caused “widespread damage” in the region but no casualties.

Rescue teams and military units worked to evacuate people stranded by flooding but their operations were hampered by landslides blocking roads, including the main highway between Mumbai and Goa. Water levels rose to nearly 20 feet (6 meters) on Thursday in areas of Chiplun, 250 kilometers (160 miles) south of Mumbai, after 24 hours of uninterrupted rain submerged roads and homes.

“Contact from the town was completely cut off due to land routes being inundated,” the Maharashtra government said.

Seven naval rescue teams equipped with rubber boats, life jackets and lifebuoys were sent to the affected areas, along with specialist divers and a helicopter to airlift marooned residents.

Nearly 90,000 people have been evacuated in Maharashtra so far. AFP

Topless Tongan faces ripped rival at Olympic opener TONGA’S Pita Taufatofua was feeling the love on Saturday after oiling up to cause an online sensation at a third straight Olympic opening ceremony, but this time he was challenged by an equally ripped rower from Vanuatu.

Taufatofua first captured world attention when the Rio Games opened in 2016, appearing topless and glistening with body oil while enthusiastically waving the banner of his tiny South Pacific nation.

He racked up 45 million Twitter mentions within hours, then went on to repeat his chest-bearing feats at the curtain raiser for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games, despite freezing conditions.

The 37-year-old, competing in taekwondo in Tokyo, again proved a popular online focal point at the stripped-back ceremony to kick off the Games on Friday, acting as Tonga’s co-flagbearer with fellow martial artist Malia Paseka.

This time, however, there was a fly in the ointment in the form of Vanuatu rower Riilio Rii, a 27-year-old Games debutant who also showed off his glistening torso while wearing a traditional multi-coloured grass skirt.

The head-to-head inevitably led to a series of “who wore it better?” debates online, with the official Olympic Twitter account weighing in.

“It if ain’t broke don’t fix it,” the Games feed posted alongside a picture of Taufatofua, following up by saying “Pita, we see you and we raise you” after Rii’s appearance.

Both athletes had their supporters, with specialist publication Rowing Voice declaring Rii “won the night... looking regal to his toes.”

Taufatofua appeared unfazed by the competition as he posted a message to supporters on Saturday.

“Thanks all for the tags and love,” he wrote. “Not sure if going viral during a pandemic is a good thing but I appreciate all the messages and support.”

Brisbane-based Taufatofua qualified for taekwondo in Rio, then cross-country skiing in Pyeongchang, hoping to compete in kayaking in Tokyo to become the first athlete to contest three different Games in three different sports. AFP

WORLD

WORLDBRIEFS JULY 25, 2021

Chefs Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali

US celebrity chefs pay $600,000 over sexual harassment

FEEL THE THUNDER. A July’s full moon, also called the ‘Thunder Moon,’ rises

near the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. The smoke of the western wildfires gives the moon this orange-red hue. AFP

8m people in Hanoi go into lockdown as virus cases soar

V

“We have to take economic risks to fight the pandemic.”

MASKLESS OUTCRY. A protester (left) tries to push away a police horse in Sydney on July 24, 2021, as thousands of people gathered to demonstrate against the city’s month-long stayat-home orders. AFP

IETNAM locked down eight million people in Hanoi on Saturday, the latest attempt to curb a serious coronavirus outbreak that has already forced a third of the country to stay home.

Authorities reported more than 7,000 new infections across the nation on Friday – the third record number of daily infections in a week.

The centre of the normally bustling capital was empty and shops were shuttered as the lockdown came into force, although people could still be seen on the streets in the outskirts of the city.

“I think people in Hanoi as myself agree with the city’s sudden decision of locking down the city,” said local resident Nguyen Van Chien.

“We have to take economic risks to fight the pandemic,” he added.

After successfully containing limited coronavirus outbreaks last year, Vietnam has seen cases skyrocket since late April.

About a third of Vietnam’s 100 million people are already subject to lockdown orders.

But the outbreak has shown few signs of slowing and southern commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City – which has

recorded the majority of recent cases – extended its stay at home order on Friday.

“I have been indoors for a month.

The situation in our city is scary,” resident Le Bich Thanh told AFP. Authorities began a campaign to disinfect the entire city, which they say will take a week.

Vietnam was one of the few economies that expanded last year due to its success in containing the virus during the first wave of the pandemic.

But the Southeast Asian country has been slow to procure and administer vaccines, with just almost 4.5 million doses given so far.

It is also developing its own inoculations and authorities say they hope to reach herd immunity by early 2022.

Vietnam has a policy of hospitalising all virus carriers, putting medical workers and hospitals under huge strain, although the rule has been lifted in some areas. AFP

US CELEBRITY chefs Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich agreed to pay $600,000 in a settlement to 20 former employees over sexual harassment allegations, the New York Attorney General said Friday.

A four-year investigation launched after accusations of sexual harassment were leveled against Batali concluded that “more than 20 employees were subjected to a hostile work environment in which female and male employees were sexually harassed by Batali, restaurant managers and other coworkers,” said a statement from the attorney general’s office.

“B&B, Batali and Bastianich must pay $600,000 to at least 20 former employees, revise training materials in all B&B restaurants, and submit biannual reports to the (Attorney General’s office) to certify compliance with the agreement,” the statement added.

The accusations were not the first against the once-prestigious Batali, known for his red ponytail and orange Croc shoes.

Earlier allegations led him to apologize publicly for making “many mistakes” and to take a sidelined role at his businesses, later selling his stake in all of his restaurants.

Batali had partnered with fellow popular chef Bastianich in several restaurants and they teamed up in the Batali and Bastianich Hospitality Group (B&B), which was dissolved in 2019.

The two men, regulars on TV cooking shows, had also created one of New York’s temples to Italian cuisine, partnering with the chain of gargantuan Eataly food stores.

The agreement announced Friday implicated several of Batali and Bastianich’s New York restaurants: Babbo, Lupa and Del Posto, which is now closed.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said in the statement that at their restaurants, “Batali and Bastianich permitted an intolerable work environment and allowed shameful behavior that is inappropriate in any setting.” AFP

Sokor TV network apologizes for offensive broadcast A MAJOR South Korean broadcaster apologized Saturday for using offensive images and captions to describe participating countries during the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony on Friday night.

Coronavirus restrictions meant a stripped back celebration with the traditional delegations of athletes masked and far smaller than usual, ranging from just a handful of people to a few dozen.

MBC – one of the largest national television networks – used images of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster for Ukraine, a riot for Haiti and a promotional bitcoin poster for El Salvador when each nation entered the stadium.

The broadcaster issued an apology following the opening ceremony, saying “inappropriate images and captions were used to introduce some countries.”

“We apologize to those countries including Ukraine and our viewers,” it said.

For some countries, the descriptions were more gastronomic, with images of pizza for Italy, sushi for Japan, and salmon for Norway.

In the captions, the network described the Marshall Islands as “a former nuclear test site for the United States” and Haiti as a country “with an unstable political situation due to the assassination of its president.”

Despite the network’s apology, the images and captions triggered outrage online.

“They used whatever popped up first on Google,” said one user online.

Another added: “This is a serious diplomatic discourtesy.” AFP

Ecuador prison riot death toll rises to 27 ECUADOR on Friday raised to 27 the number of inmates killed in prison riots in two jails this week that forced the government to declare a state of emergency.

President Guillermo Lasso had issued the order “to mobilize all necessary human and economic resources to re-establish order” in Ecuador’s prisons after violence erupted on Wednesday at jails in Guayas, in southwestern Ecuador, and Cotopaxi, in the center of the country.

The SNAI prisons management body tweeted Friday that “19 inmates are reported dead, one of them by hanging” in the Cotopaxi prison.

Eight inmates were reported killed at the Guayas prison.

Authorities initially reported 22 deaths in the riots, which also saw 57 others wounded, among them eight police officers, one of whom was raped.

Cotopaxi Governor Oswaldo Coronel explained at a press conference the previously uncounted bodies had been recovered on Thursday night and were therefore not included in the first toll.

The SNAI also said 86 escaped Cotopaxi inmates had been recaptured, without specifying how many had escaped.

The two jails had previously experienced violent riots in February, when clashes between rival gangs vying for control of the country’s main prisons left 79 inmates dead in a single day.

Ecuador’s prison system has about 60 facilities designed for 29,000 inmates but is burdened by overcrowding and staffing shortages.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Ecuador has used alternative sentences for minor offenses as a means of easing its prison population, which reduced overcrowding from 42 percent to 30 percent.

Ecuador’s human rights ombudsman says there were 103 killings in Ecuador’s prisons in 2020. AFP

Canva PH among Asia’s best work places

n By OTHEL V. CAMPOS TWO companies based in the Philippines topped the Best Workplaces in Asia list in two different categories, while seven more joined other Asian companies to complete the 2021 roster.

Canva Philippines, the online design company founded by Filipino-Australian Melanie Perkins, topped the Best 100 Small and Medium Business category, while DHL Express ranked first among the Best 30 Multinational Companies in Asia, according to the list released by Great Place to Work Philippines.

Western Union Services Philippines Inc. placed 7th in the Best 70 Large category. Completing the MNC category were Ericsson Telecommuni-

cations Inc., 7th; American Express International, 9th; Synchrony Global Service, 13th; Paypal Philippines, 16th; SAS Institute, 22nd; and S&P Global Philippines, 25th.

“The Best Workplaces in Asia 2021 List is extra special because this is the first year that Philippines-based companies are being recognized with this gold standard of recognition. With these Philippine companies performing very satisfactorily among the best workplaces in the region, Filipinos have excellent opportunities to be a part of organizations that are committed to fairness, pride, innovation and employee well-being. We hope that this also serves as an inspiration for other Filipino companies,” said Great Place to Work Philippines managing

partner Antoniette Mendoza-Talosig.

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make strategic people decisions.

Great Place to Work surveyed over 3.3 million employees from over 1,000 companies across 16 countries in Asia and the Middle East to determine the 200 companies from 18 different industries in three categories—small and medium, with 10-499 employees; large (500+), and multinational.

Factors such as well-being, innovation, pride and fairness have elevated winners of the Best Workplaces in Asia above the competition. These winning employers know that thriving company cultures lead to thriving businesses.

3 startups join Globe’s venture builder program

JULY 25, 2021

n By DARWIN G. AMOJELAR THREE angel ventures—a digital platform for non-techy sellers, an online community for K-culture fans and an IT skills training program for increased employability—successfully secured funding from 917Ventures, the country’s largest corporate venture builder wholly-owned by Globe Telecom Inc., to bring them closer to their dreams. venTwo of the ven tures, Fanlife and KodeGo, belonged to the first batch which joined 9 1 7 Ve n t u re s ’ three-month Velocity bootcamp in December. The Globe third, BentaTV, Telecom’s came from the com917Ventures pany’s internal Venture Builder program.

Velocity program brings external talent and their ideas into the 917Ventures family, to provide them the opportunity to create businesses with the growth levers and network advantage of operating within 917Ventures and Globe. Each venture is receiving up to P2.5 million initial funding.

Vince Yamat, 917Ventures managing director, expressed pride to have three budding businesses move on to the seed round.

“We are happy to find ideas that are aligned with our vision of improving the digital lifestyle of Filipinos and helping solve social issues through technology. These ventures are already getting ready to spin off into a company so we are here to provide them with the support they need,” Yamat said.

“We look forward to seeing them grow and take off to be successful digital pioneers,” he said.

With K-culture being very popular in the Philippines, Fanlife brings fans closer to their favorite K-Pop or K-Drama stars through exclusive experiences such as virtual concerts and livestreams, and official merchandise. Aside from Korean artists, Fanlife also connects the fans to their other local and international favorites all within the website.

“Velocity has been a great platform for us to finally get this idea into fruition, to finally have something for artists and fans to keep connecting despite the pandemic,” Aya Villa-Real of Fanlife said.

KodeGo is an online bootcamp for those who would like to learn or improve in various areas of IT so they can land the right jobs. It offers a “learn now, pay later” model where students can focus on learning without financial stress. Students only start to pay a percentage of their income once they land a job with a P30,000 minimum income threshold.

Read more online

App supports Filipino MSMEs L n By MARY BEATRICE L. UMLAS and JAMES PAUL R. GOMEZ

EMI, an application where users can share about their experiences and recommendations on local shops, is now helping lift micro, small and medium enterprises in the Philippines despite the threat of the pandemic.

Cheryl Ng, chief executive of Lemi, said the application paved the way for small businesses to appear on the top results of Google search, enabling the brand to function as a website. what Lemi’s hoping to “Although there do“So is that by supporting local is really high businesses, by getting them into the limelight, by featuring them unemployment, on our market, featuring them in our home page, we’re able to especially now be a place for all the people into buy local to support due to COVID, terested local, to see where these local are,” Ng told Manila what you see are businesses Standard. people starting to Ng, a Hong Kong-based entrepreneur, chose the Philippines as build businesses the first market of Lemi because of the country’s large, digitally liton their own, and erate and entrepreneurial society.

As the health crisis left many making their own Filipinos jobless, Ng highlighted the significance of supporting opportunities, local businesses. which I super The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that unemployed applaud. I really Filipinos in May reached 3.73 think that that is million.

“Although there is really high unemployment, especially now the way you should due to COVID, what you see are do business.” people starting to build businesses on their own, and making their own opportunities, which I super applaud. I really think that that is the way you should do business,” she said.

The Hong Kong-based company recognizes MSMEs as key players in the Philippine economy, hence targeting them as their primary market.

“Lemi is very focused on supporting Filipinos and supporting the Philippine market. I’m trying to make sure that we’re able to support the Philippines’ certain small businesses,” Ng said.

The PSA said that in 2019, about 1,000,506 business enterprises were operating in the Philippines. Of these, 995,745 or 99.5 percent were MSMEs.

RLC Residences teams up with leading proptech platform Ohmyhome to showcase its value proposition and product offerings.

Team members of Canva Philippines

Lemi now has more active users in the country as more Filipinos shift to e-commerce. “We have more active users, and the reason why is because people are definitely buying online more. I think that the pandemic has made people more aware. Instead of buying from big brands, you buy from a local brand, it really makes a big difference,” Ng said.

Ng said supporting small businesses means providing them what they need to get started, such as an advanced customer relationship management system and a custom microsite optimized for search engines.

“We try to get them selling immediately, making a living, and our goal as a company is to help them make a life out of their passion, help them make money for something that they are passionate about doing. I believe that this is going to create a much happier world where everyone is doing what they love,” she said.

Established in 2016, Lemi once focused on travelers who blog their experiences from different business services on the platform, but it shifted to MSMEs amid the travel restrictions brought by the pandemic.

Lemi has more than 5,200 business partners, surpassing their goal of 1,000 business partners by mid-year.

“Our team right now is just focused on trying to make sure that we are providing the best products and the best experience to the businesses,” Ng said.

“We realized that especially with the digital age, ever-moving and ever-changing, we have to keep abreast of what exactly is it that will make the customer experience easier, simpler, so that they can really focus on what they do best,” she said.

Lemi CEO Cherryl Ng

Local developer taps proptech platform FOURTEEN months into the pandemic, the Philippine property market is seen as one of the most resilient in the business sector—for a good reason.

Quickly adapting to changes brought about by the new normal, entire families are now primed to literally do everything in the comfort and safety of their dwellings. Thus, residential property seekers are showing greater interest in living spaces with safety and smart-home features and within communities that offer convenient access to essential destinations and amenities.

Location is also getting closer scrutiny, as homes offering proximity to hospitals and wellness facilities and retail establishments are prioritized.

With the pandemic imposing financial strain on families, prospective buyers are also drawn towards developers extending consumer promotions and flexible payment schemes.

Because the field is rife with opportunities, it has spawned a plethora of industry players, all vying for a slice of the property pie. The stiff competition has driven top residential property brands such as RLC Residences

to shift the property buying/selling journey to an immersive online experience.

“The traditional way of property selling,” experts say, “has been relegated to the sidelines since consumer behavior across all sectors is now massively influenced by things they see, view, and experience online.”

RLC Residences teamed up with leading property technology platform Ohmyhome to showcase its value proposition and product offerings. The partnership is also strengthening RLC Residences’ presence in the international market.

With the help of Ohmyhome’s reliable platforms and presence in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, Karen Cesario, RLC Residences’ head of marketing, says, “there is increased awareness for the brand, which we anticipate to drive additional prospects for us, in terms of international sales.”

“Through Ohmyhome,” Cesario says, “RLC Residences, backed by Robinsons Land Corp.’s more than 30 years of solid real estate experience, is progressing into becoming a glob-

al brand that can compete with its Southeast Asian counterparts in terms of design standards and product innovation.”

More than expanding its horizons, RLC Residences seeks to partner with a property platform that puts customers first. “Ohmyhome offers a unique customer servicing experience that gives high regard for every client inquiry. This end-to-end service makes all transactions safe and convenient for investors and homebuyers,” Cesario says.

With the partnership, RLC Residences brings its top-notch condominium developments to the Ohmyhome platform. These include SYNC, The Sapphire Bloc, The Magnolia Residences, Galleria Residences Cebu and The Residences at The Westin Manila Sonata Place. Situated in key cities such as Pasig, Mandaluyong, Quezon City and Cebu City, RLC Residences caters to a wide range of markets: young professionals, early nesters and small families, retirees, OFWs and property investors.

Read more online

ERNEST JOHN OBIENA: I know what I am capable of.

JULY 25, 2021

Obiena’s laser-sharp focus

TOKYO—A few days before the biggest fight of his sporting life, Ernest John Obiena is relaxed and with a laser-sharp focus that may well decide his destiny in the Summer Olympic Games here.

Momentarily staying at the Conrad Tokyo before moving to the Olympic Village in a couple of days, Obiena revealed his state of mind to Philippine reporters following a long 13hour flight from Italy, where he has been based for the past 18 months.

“I’m good. I feel not so excited about it (Olympics), all the hype and anything. Well, maybe, not yet. And I guess that’s a good thing.

So I have training today, actually. I might do it inside the hotel,” said the 25-year-old Obiena, adding that Sunday is reserved for rest, before making his last jump session on Monday.

Sporting excellence runs in the Obiena family. His father Emerson, a silver medalist in the Southeast Asian Games, used to hold the Philippine pole vault record, while his mother Jeanette was a hurdler during her collegiate days. Sister Emily is also a pole vaulter.

And so it was just natural for him to dream and win in the Olympics.

“That was definitely a dream, but I don’t know if I could achieve it or not. I never really thought that I was in the position of vying for a medal.

Realistically speaking, I actually can.

I really didn’t think of this. A week ago, my coach said to me ‘No bullshit, EJ. You have to stay focused, we have to do something special. Don’t do something foolish,” said EJ with a laugh.

After meeting Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergey Bubka in 2014, EJ was able to learn of an opportunity to train in Italy, under the former’s legendary coach Vitaly Petrov – a decision that changed his life forever.

From a mere 5.01 meter record which he accomplished at the PATAFA weekly relays in July 2014, Obiena has consistently been breaching the 5.85-meter mark for the past international tournaments he joined in Europe, catapulting him to no. 6 of the World IAAF rankings.

“My coach started in 2014. He’s the guy who made me jump where I am jumping now. He’s the guy who was with me through it all. When I was injured with my ACL, he was not physically there, he called me and he was really devastated with what happened. I believe I won’t be where I am at without him. I am grateful that he saw something in me, and he decided that I like this guy. I’m just really happy and grateful today. I guess I wouldn’t be able to repay them unless I get something big here,” said EJ, who also has been training with Rio Olympics champion Thiago Braz of Brazil, another protégé of Petrov.

“We are partners in training, but on the field, we are competitors,” said EJ, who knows he is equipped to do good at these Olympics.

“I know what I can do. I’m excited in a way that I can control, which is good. I’m just here to do my part, I know what I have to do, I have competed with these guys a couple of times, so, I just need to bring my normal self from that qualification day, hopefully to the finals,” said EJ. ­—R. MALLARI

NZ’S OLYMPIC KARATEKA ANDREA ANACAN:

Her blood, roots will always be Filipino I

n By RIERA U. MALLARI

IMAGINE if she never left the Philippines. She would have been the country’s 20th Olympian in the Summer Olympic Games, a “Philippine” karateka halfway around the world headed to the greatest show on earth.

Her name is Andrea Anacan, who will be representing New Zealand in the Olympics.

Andrea left the Philippines with her family and moved to New Zealand when she was just 12.

But her love for the Japanese martial art of karate began in the Philippines when she was only four.

It flourished when she joined the Association for the Advancement of Karate-do, an organization that unified the various dojos in the country.

“When she (Andrea) was training with us at AAK, she was very hardworking na talaga,” revealed Sensei Chino Veguillas, a senior AAK instructor and sport/karatedo coach at La Salle Santiago Zobel and St. Paul and a many-time national karate team member.

“She was one of the smallest in the group, but that didn’t stop her from competing and winning.

And she was always at

“I didn’t ever dream of going to the Olympics when I started this sport, it’s been a bit of a surprise to be honest. There’s been a lot of hard work, I can’t quantify the hours that me and my sensei have put in, we never could have imagined this but I couldn’t be more excited.”

ANDREA ANACAN makes a karate demo during the announcement ceremonies of her qualification to the Tokyo Olympics.

Photo courtesy of NZ Team FB Page

training and very passionate and I can say very intense for a karateka of her age,” added Veguillas in recalling the little bundle of energy that was Andrea.

“If I’m not mistaken she was here until she was 12. I’m not sure with the dates. Pero I think it was in the ‘90s. I was a Sensei na during that time.

Sometime she would train with me. But most of the time she trained with another co-AAK blackbelt and also a SEA Games gold medalist Brandy Mariano.”

The foundation that Andrea built in the Philippines, she carried over to New Zealand, where she became its first ever karate representative to the Olympics.

Karate, one of four sports making their debuts at the Tokyo Olympics, is composed of two disciplines – Kumite, where karatekas fight each other, and Kata, where karatekas are judged on how they perform particular patterns of movement.

Andrea always shared how she started in the sport because it was very endearing.

“My mom (Mary Ann) and dad (Illya) wanted me to do a co-curricular activity which was different from academics. So my mom gave me a choice between ballet or karate,” said Andrea, repeating her interesting story a countless times.

“My family is really high on security – I had to memorize my phone number and memorize my address, no talking to strangers, don’t accept anything from strange people. So when she asked me, would you like to do ballet or karate, I said karate, because if I ever get kidnapped, what am I going to do?,” she says with a laugh in an online interview.

So Andrea linked up with Sensei Johnny Ling, who further cultivated her karate skills, elevating it to Olympic levels. Ling advised Andrea to give up the contact version of the sport, and instead focus on Kata, the non-contact one.

“Sensei told me when I was 14, ‘if you don’t grow any taller in a year, you’ll stop competing in kumite and do kata’. Because he told me that I can’t reach my opponents when I’m fighting and they’re so much taller than me and with a longer reach. I didn’t grow any taller, I’m still 4’11” but it’s actually really beneficial for kata because my center of gravity is lower.”

Andrea placed seventh at the 2018 Karate World Championships and has been working towards the New Zealand Olympic team since then.

On July 6, the 30-year-old Andrea received the news that would change her life forever – she was finally headed to the Olympics.

“I didn’t ever dream of going to the Olympics when I started this sport, it’s been a bit of a surprise to be honest. There’s been a lot of hard work, I can’t quantify the hours that me and my sensei have put in, we never could have imagined this but I couldn’t be more excited,” she said.

Miles away from New Zealand in the Philippines, her friends and peers are equally excited.

“We’re are proud of her even if she is representing New Zealand. Her blood and roots will always be Filipino,” said Veguillas.

Tokyo Games had to be held, Macron says in Japan

TOKYO—French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday backed Japan’s decision to host the delayed Olympics despite the pandemic, as he attended the opening ceremony in Tokyo with just a few hundred other officials and dignitaries.

Paris will host the next edition of the summer Games in 2024, and Macron’s meetings in Tokyo included talks with International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach.

The French president, who arrived on Friday morning, was one of only around 950 people in the stands, including US France’s President Emmanuel First Lady Jill Biden.

Macron (left) meets with Japan’s Coronavirus rules have forced MaPrime Minister Yoshihide Suga cron to reduce his delegation to a min(right) at the Akasaka Palace in imum, and he is travelling with just a Tokyo, the morning after they single minister. attended the opening ceremony of But despite the restrictions, Macron the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. AFP

told France Televisions hours before the ceremony that “these Olympic Games had to be held” after they were postponed for a year in March 2020.

“We have to resist, we have to hold these Games. It’s important because the Olympic spirit is a spirit of cooperation and that’s what we need in these times,” he added.

Earlier Friday, Macron met Emperor Naruhito, who declared the Games officially open at the ceremony in Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium.

Macron told France Televisions he sympathised with the difficult decision Japan faced in moving ahead with the Games even as infections rise in Tokyo.

“I think that they did not anticipate that these variants were going to happen and because their borders were shut, they started vaccinations later

than some others, which has created difficulties,” he said.

“But I think the Japanese authorities were right to go ahead with the Olympics,” he added.

“It demonstrates something: that whatever happens, we have to adapt, to organise and do the best we can.”

‘All of France cheering’

On Saturday, Macron will meet Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, two years after his first official visit to Japan.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the situation in the Indo-Pacific region in the face of growing maritime and military pressure from China, as well as bilateral economic ties.

Macron is also planning to raise the issue of parental abduction in Japan, which does not offer joint custody for

children in cases of divorce or separation.

The subject has been in the headlines since a French father in Tokyo began a hunger strike to win access to his children, who he says were abducted by their Japanese mother.

Vincent Fichot has not seen his two children in nearly three years and began a hunger strike outside the Olympic Stadium on July 10.

The French president will get a taste of Olympic sport during his brief trip, with stops at the judo and women’s 3x3 basketball competitions—both of which are taking place without spectators.

He said he would be carrying a message of “total and complete support.”

“I know all the sacrifices they have made... all of France will be cheering them and their performances.” AFP

JULY 25, 2021

n By JESSICA ASPRER AN ENTIRE year had “zoomed” by and life in lockdown still marches on month after month.

People have become savvy Internet users with countless hours spent online. But scrolling through social media during downtime has become a monotonous way to pass the hollow hours.

Bored online? Here are other ways to kill time.

Google Arts & Culture

Discover the world’s art and culture

Google Arts & Culture is an online platform that makes art and culture accessible online. Browse through different masterpieces by theme, colleccollec tion, art movement, artist, medium, and others in high-resolution. You can also try out their exex periments made by artists and creative coders if you’re up for something more interactive.

Map the stars

We don’t really get a great view of the night sky 100,000 here in the Stars city — what more indoors! 100,000 Stars is a stellar Chrome Experiment that lets you pan through space with its interactive visualization of 119,617 stars.

Go for a stroll (virtually)

City Walks Live

Need to go for a walk? Wander about the differ different streets around the globe, day or night, with City Walks Live. Since the platform was created during the pandemic, you can see what some cities look like during and before COVID-19.

Drop by a café (also virtually)

The faint tapping and tinI Miss My Cafe kling of glasses, the indistinct chatter of customers, the rattling burr of coffee beans in the grinder, the swishing sound of the espresso machine, and finally, the flow of smooth coffee making its way to the bottom of the cup are ambient noises I Miss My Cafe brings virtually for those missing that part of the coffeehouse experience. It even has a tastefully curated Spotify playlist so you can grab your morning coffee from the kitchen and pretend it’s what you ordered from the barista.

Radio Garden

The Bambike ecotours in Intramuros are popular among tourists and locals.

n By STEPH LLARENA

Bryan McClleland plans to introduce electric Bambikes soon.

NVIRONMENTAL consultant and social entrepreneur Bryan McClleland asserts bamboo is “arguably the greenest building material” available on the planet. And he intends to bring it across the country and the world with his Bambike.

The Bambike Revolution Cycles founder welcomes the growing “We’ll get through interest and excitement over cycling, as it has become a popthe worst part of the ular means of transportation the pandemic-induced pandemic and see more during public transport shortage.

According to data from the people back on the Bureau of Customs, bicycle saddle. For its many imports soared to 2.1 million units in 2020, more than doubenefits, cycling will ble from the previous year’s 1 Apart from its utility, only continue to gain million. cycling appeals to modern eco momentum.” warriors as it helps minimize one’s carbon footprint.

—BRYAN MCCLLELAND, The government supports founder of Bambike the promotion of cycling and the improvement of infrastructures such as protected bike lanes to help jump-start the economy.

“Promoting cycling and other modes of active transportation will provide safe, healthy, and affordable means of participating in the economy,” Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said earlier.

Even before the pandemic, McClleland’s socio-ecological enterprise has PEDAL TO been fueling sustainable mobility since THE FUTURE. it first hit the road in 2010. Bambike Bambike founder offers guided ecotours using the Bryan McClleland bamboo bikes plans to bring sustainable handmade by mobility in more skilled craftsmen in a places in the community in Victoria, country and Tarlac which is part across the globe.

of Gawad Kalinga.

“Our mission is to build the greenest products on the planet while creating jobs for some of the people that need them the most,” said McClleland.

Started in Intramuros, the ecotours have become popular among locals and tourists as they offer the opportunity to pedal along the city’s Spanish colonial heritage and cultural landmarks. When the business was forced to close during the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila, the enterprise provided Bambikes to frontliners in Manila, Quezon City, Pasig, and Iloilo, as well as offered maintenance services.

The ecotours have since reached other areas in the country, with the recent launch of Green Sparks Guimaras (Bambike tour around the island) and the soon-to-be-launched ecotours in Batangas (to explore farms, forests, beaches, and snorkeling sites).

McClleland believes that building Bambike into a global brand is the best way to deliver its positive impact to more people and communities around the world. Hence, Bambike is going international.

Bambike has provided a custom fleet of bam-

boo bicycles to a hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia for guests to use.

“Our plan is to continue innovating our bike models and business operations to best meet global market demands.”

McClleland shared that currently, the company is producing only about 30 units per month because hand-making the bikes is labor-intensive. Enhancing its manufacturing process and collaborating with a reliable logistics provider like FedEx, he said, would help them attain higher volume production and wider cross-border distribution.

“FedEx has been a great logistics provider for us because of their professional services and international reach. We know that when we send out our products to customers in any destination, they will receive their orders fast, safe, and intact,” he said.

In a bid to further take sustainable mobility a few notches higher, McClleland plans to venture into offering electric bikes in the near future, which he believes is a game-changing approach to personal mobility and will appeal to the global bike market. The enterprise is also scaling manufacturing of the Bambino, a bolt-together bamboo balance bike for kids.

McClleland sees a brighter future as they aim to grow and expand amid an ongoing pandemic. “We’ll get through the worst part of the pandemic and see more people back on the saddle. For its many benefits, cycling will only continue to gain momentum.”

Listen to global radio

There are more w a y s than one to learn about distant cultures, and in times like this, you won’t need a pricey plane ticket. Tune in to live rara dio stations across the planet with Radio Garden.

The website uses geolocation and satellite imagery.

Visitors get to explore the interface via a 3D globe.

Travel back in time with sounds

Remember that sound a Windows 95 computer would make? The Museum of Endangered Sounds is an online archive of 33 archaic noises of tech and Museum of electronics equipment that The Endangered Sounds will surely walk you down memory lane. Sounds that trigger instant nostalgia include the iconic Nokia ringtone, operators of pay phones, the whirring of a vinyl turntable, the clack clacking of a typewriter, and the oddly satisfying sound of a rotary phone, among others.

Explore and save ideas

If you like it, then you should have put a pin on it.

Save ideas from across the web on Pinterest. SomeSome times, you won’t know what you’re looking for until you see it and that will get your creative juices flowing again.

Meet up with friends

Hangout after work in this virtual pixel world. Gather Pinterest Town is a video-conferencing platform with a twist — users can recreate their environments in 2D in this RPG-like online space and customize their own playable characters.

Gather Town

Read more activities you can do online at manil manilastandard.net/lifestyle.

Pinoys in Dubai develop a news aggregator app HOMESICK and unable to come home because of COVID-19 pandemic, Filipino tech experts in Dubai developed an app that picks up information from news organizations to stay up to date with what’s happening at home.

Called News in Bullets, the news aggregator app summarizes news from major outlets in the Philippines and all over the world, making top global stories easy to read. It also alerts readers once a new article comes up and has the capability to filter fake news.

RJ David, chief innovation officer of News in Bullets, said that the app filtered the news headlines based on preferred topics and publication sources. The app gathers the stories that are of interest to the subscribers, saving them the time on web browsing as news and information are presented in digestible bullet points.

“Being almost 10 hours away from home—with a 4-hour difference in our time zones—is hard enough as it is as an overseas Filipino worker,” David said. “Through this innovation, we hope to bring news about home closer, when home is needed the most.”

The news app supports more than 65 languages, from Azerbajani to Zulu.

Highly skilled and passionate editors sift through news sources and weed out potential misinformation so the subscribers will not fall into the fake news trap.

“It’s amazing how Filipinos abroad can perfectly collaborate with diverse talents from other cultures in order to bring our common goal of delivering quality service for readers and publishers alike,” said chief technology officer Clarence Ancheta.

The concept of the app was developed by a team of young talents in Dubai, mostly Filipinos. But the team also includes other nationalities.

“We all felt desperate to get any bit of news from home, and how our loved ones may be coping with the pandemic,” shared Ancheta.

Readers can also filter topics they don’t wish to read.

“There are some users who feel that they would be better off if they don’t read news regarding COVID or other topics they deem too stressful for them. Because of that, we are building a fully customizable environment to care for their mental well-being while also keeping them up to date with the news that matters,” said Ancheta.

The company will soon open its platform to the public so they can generate content on the News in Bullets app. “This means you will be free to post your own news content and potentially earn from the traf-

The Dubai-based Filipino team that developed News in Bullets.

The app gathers information from news organizations and presents them into digestible bullet points.

fic you generate.”

Its Newsreels sections, meanwhile, targets youth who are highly engaged in social media as it allows the subscriber to view and upload their video content.

News publications can partner with the app.

So far, News in Bullets have reached a total of 22,627 active app units for both iOS and Android, and has been ranked number 1 in News apps for Android and number 3 on iOS.

JULY 25, 2021

reon collabs with Xerxes Bakker in nostalgic track ORMOC, Leyte’s indie-influenced music duo reon officially releases “Back To The Times,” its debut single under Warner Music Philippines (WMP).

Formed in January 2020 with bedroom pop as its main genre, the pair is composed of singer-songwriter and producer Noah Alejandre and singer-songwriter Reanne Borlea. The name reon is a combination of the first two letters of their first names.

The talented duo won first place at the PhilPop Songwriting Competition in 2020 as they were picked by music veteran judges out of 5000 entries in getting a full signing deal with Warner Music Philippines in 2021. reon embraces simplicity and rawness in music by telling narratives of different ex-

periences that are consistently enthralling its steadily growing fanbase. Being from Southern Philippines, reon never ceases to amaze both its fans and peers in the industry with its brand of unique musicality proving that there are hidden gems in other different parts of the country.

“Back To The Times” is a nostalgic track centered on the pureness and the joys of childhood. The song reminisces innocent and carefree moments where things are focused on childhood games without any sense of time and the burden of serious responsibilities. The song juxtaposes the simplicity of childhood and the complexity of adulthood where responsibilities and independence become major priorities. The

song shows how childhood is merely a fleeting moment. Since time moves forward pushing people to grow, the only option is to look back and ponder on the happy memories of the past.

It should be noted that for “Back To The Times,” reon collaborated with Grammy-nominated music producer Xerxes Bakker who is internationally renowned for his collaborations with Maroon 5, Snoop Dogg, Imagine Dragons, Cee-Lo Green, Ella Eyre, Tungevaag, and Quintino.

“Back To The Times” is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

reon is an indie-influenced music duo based in Ormoc, Leyte that was formed in January 2020 whose genre is mainly bedroom pop.

The show evokes the anxiety, loss, grief, and sadness that the past year and a half has brought, but it’s also a story of courage, strength, connection, and hope.

n By AMIRA DANICA PASION

INGER and actress Julie Anne San Jose is definitely on a roll. Amid the pandemic, the 27-year-old star continues to release music, star in her own series, and update her fans with digital shows and performances.

Lorde tackles mortality, growing up, and life away from social media in her new single, “Stoned at the Nail Salon.”

Lorde is ‘Stoned at the Nail Salon’

GRAMMY Award-winning multiplatinum artist Lorde has released “Stoned at the Nail Salon,” the second track from her third studio album Solar Power due for release on Aug. 20 Universal Music New Zealand.

The album includes 12 tracks and is produced by Jack Antonoff who she collaborated with on her chart-topping last album, Melodrama.

“This song is sort of a rumination on getting older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if you’ve made the right decisions.

I think lots of people start asking those questions of themselves around my age, and it was super comforting to me writing them down, hoping they’d resonate with others too. I used this song as a dumping ground for so many thoughts,” the artist says of the song.

Lorde performed the television debut of “Stoned at the Nail Salon” on Late Night with Seth Meyers on July 21 when she visited Seth for a full show takeover. The artist chatted, performed, and hit the bar for a very special episode of Seth’s signature “Day Drinking” segment.

Earlier this summer, Lorde announced her 2022 World tour dates. The sold-out 40+ show tour, promoted by AEG Presents in the US and Canada, is her first North American tour since 2018 and kicks off in North America in Nashville on April 3 at the Opry House before concluding at the Santa Barbara Bowl on May 7.

Adding another title to her growing catalog, streaming app Viu Philippines released the teaser for the original series “Still,” which features Julie Anne together with singers Christian Bautista and Gab Pangilinan.

The eight-episode musical narrative series revolves around the story of a group of aspiring artists who get stuck in a music camp during the first couple of months of the pandemic.

In this time of isolation, they unlock friendship and rediscover themselves and their dreams through powerful and poignant music. The show evokes the anxiety, loss, grief, and sadness that the past year and a half has brought, but it’s also a story of courage, strength, connection, and hope.

Pat Valera, two-time Palanca-award-winning playwright of “Dekada ‘70 (Musical)” and “Mula sa Buwan”, leads the team as the primary creator and showrunner, in collaboration with Giancarlo Abrahan (“Sila Sila,” “Paki,” and “Dagitab”) and seasoned film, TV, and theater acac tor Nicco Manalo.

Local theater stars Bituin Escalante, Gabby Padilla, Lance Reblando, and Abe Autea are also part of the series.

They’re joined by other theater standouts MC Dela Cruz, Chaye Mogg, Roco Sanchez, Ian Hermogenes, and Shaira Opsimar.

Meanwhile, The Kapuso star covers Spotify’s Equal playlist other than Julie Anne’s upcoming featured on a digital billboard on Times musical series, the

JULIE ANNE SAN JOSE

singer is also promoting “Limitless,” a musical trilogy slated for Sept. 17 release.

“This is very personal to me, this is something that we have never done before,” Julie Anne stated adding that the tickets are expected to be available by July 30.

“Limitless” will be handled by the producers from New York’s TV and Film awards finalists and from the makers of Alden Richard’s previous virtual reality concert.

The project is Julie Anne’s follow-up to her latest single “Free,” released on May 5. It’s also the reason why she was featured by Spotify as the cover for the Equal playlist that showcases empowering women’s music performances and compositions.

The cover was unveiled on a digital billboard on Times Square, New York.

Previously featured local female singers on Times Square were Nadine Lustre and Reese Lansangan who also became a cover for Spotify’s Equal playlist.

Square in New York.

Kisses Delavin, Maureen Wroblewitz vie for Miss Universe PH crown n By MHERYLL L. ALFORTE PINOY Big Brother alumna Kisses Delavin and Asia’s Next Top Model winner Maureen Wroblewitz are among the official delegates in this year’s Miss Universe Philippines pageant.

On July 19, Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) officially announced the top 100 delegates viewing for the coveted Miss Universe Philippines crown.

“Universe, here is the last group of ladies to complete our official delegates for this year’s pageant,” MUP revealed the last batch of 100 ladies on its Facebook page which included Delavin and Wroblewitz.

Born Kirsten Danielle Delavin, the 22-year-old actress is no stranger to

pageants. Even before joining showbiz, she had already won several pageant titles in her hometown, Masbate.

These included Miss Masbate and Miss Kaogma in 2016, and Miss Teen Masbate in 2013.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old model Wroblewitz revealed in June that apart from acting, she also has plans to further make a mark in showbiz by venturing into beauty pageants.

“I’ve always considered joining a pageant. As in my other old interviews, I’ve said that I’ve always considered it and I’m not closing my doors. I did say that when I feel ready I would consider it,” she shared during a media conference as a new Star Magic Artist.

This year’s edition of MUP has a

Actress Kisses Delavin and model Maureen Wroblewitz (not in photo) are among the 100 official delegates in this year’s Miss Universe Philippines pageant.

Kumu streamer J Scott now a recording artist

J Scott is a kumu streamer and a rising personality on social media.

UP-AND-COMING talent J Scott is making his way into the recording scene with his debut single “Grown Up man,” released under ABS-CBN’s Old School Records.

A fresh face on the music scene, J Scott revealed in a MYXclusive interview that he was discovered by label head Kikx Salazar while he was live streaming on Pinoy community platform kumu.

“At first, I didn’t know him. He asked me to sing ‘Akin Ka Na Lang,’ I just went for it, even if it was too high for me. Then he told me to look for who wrote the song, I was shocked. Then he told me that we should collab soon, and it actually happened,” he said.

As a music label committed to producing songs reminiscent of past eras of music and discovering new talents, Old School

Records aims to bring back the sweet candy pop music prevalent during the 2000s through J Scott’s artistry.

“Grown Up Man,” written and composed by Kikx with Theo Martel, offers a chill vibe that’s in stark contrast with its lyrics about being more mature and ready for commitment in relationships.

“It’s about a person who isn’t used to committing to someone and scared to be in a relation-

different screening format where the list of 100 delegates will be narrowed down to 30 finalists through a series of challenges in the succeeding weeks. In compliance with the strict health protocols, all challenges will be done remotely and virtually so they won’t have to travel all the way to Metro Manila where MUP is based.

Only the Top 50 will be needed to fly to Manila for live interview challenges with the MUP’s board of judges.

Finally, the Top 30 will be the only ones to compete in-person during the coronation night.

The Miss Universe Philippines 2021 coronation night is scheduled on Sept.

25 where MUP 2020 Rabiya Mateo will crown her successor.

ship. One day, he met someone who changed his mind and pushed him to be serious in love,” J Scott said.

Although relatively a newbie, J Scott has already started to build quite a solid presence on social media sites like TikTok (58.8K followers) and kumu (16.88K followers).

J Scott’s single “Grown Up Man” is out now on various digital music services.

Jay Tonga and his furry travel companion Bamboo.

JULY 25, 2021 n Editor: DESIREE CARLOS

Chien, a rescued kitten of Save ALL Inc. , loves 1.5 ml of ginger water or salabat which is ginger boiled in water.

Salabat helps warm up a cat’s body. Give only during very cold nights.

email: daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Ginger is good for cats and dogs with no maintenance meds Flordeliza Bautista with her daughters Kath and Kimmie and their furbabies Bruno, Sofia and Nyaki.

Jean Edilo’s son with their dog Macchiato.

A

Mr. Gray

Mr. Gray

Benefits

Peralta, in “Ginger for Cats & Dogs” in authenticpets.com, cited “Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects (2nd edition)” which mentioned scientific studies that showed ginger can help as or with the following:

n By ROWENA DAVID

LMOST everyone I know grew up with a pet or two. As anyone who grew up with pets would say, a home without a pet is almost unthinkable. Over the years, pets have become an important part of the Filipino family. Statistics from 2009 showed that there was one pet dog for every eight Filipinos. That number had changed significantly in 2014 when the number of households with at least one dog increased to 9 million. The Philippine Canine Club’s 2020 records showed that there were approximately 11,600,000 dog owners (pure-bred or not) in the Philippines. That number will likely continue to rise.

Allowing children to have pets has several benefits. Pets can help develop a child’s Emotional Intelligence (EI), also known as Emotional Quotient (EQ). EI, as defined by psychologytoday.com, is the “ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.” People with well-developed EI tend to have successful careers and can maintain nurturing relationships than those with less developed EI. Taking care of pets teaches children to be more patient and considerate of their actions towards their companion animals.

Pets provide comfort and companionship. Pets are great at relieving kids’ stress or reducing their anxiety. When Dr. Gail F. Melson, Ph.D., author of “Why the Wild Things Are: Animals in the Lives of Children,” asked a group of 5-year-olds what they did when they felt unhappy or anxious, more than 40 percent of those kids said they turned to their pets for comfort.

“Kids who get support from their animal companions were rated by their parents as less anxious and withdrawn,” Dr. Melson reported. Kids also perceive their companion animals as non-judgmental so they’re not afraid to talk to them about their secrets or private thoughts.

Caring for pets teaches responsibility.

Pets require feeding and caring. Giving children age-appropriate chores for their pets is a good opportunity to teach them responsibility. Knowing that they have an important role in the household can boost their confidence and sense of achievement.

Caring for pets teaches children empathy. According to Elizabeth Omerod, companion animal veterinary surgeon, studies show that kids who interact with animals have “higher levels of self-esteem,

greater empathy, and better social skills.”

Caring for pets gives children the opportunity to practice being caregivers and to be sensitive to the needs of others.

Pets can help children with special needs become more social. In 2013, Marguerite E. O’Haire and other researchers published the results of their study in which the participants were children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to the study, children with ASD showed more prosocial behaviors towards their peers in the presence of animals compared to toys.

According to Jay B. Tonga, a certified dog behaviorist, pets are not for everyone, especially if family members are busy with their work or school. “But for the most part, pets are not just animals but also our companions. Dogs, cats, birds, fishes, chickens, rabbits - these are what you see when you visit our home. They say it’s hard to have pets, yes it’s true. It’s also time-consuming because you have to take care of them - feed them, clean them and give them your TLC- but these are nothing compared to the joy that they give us, especially to our kids. My kids love them. They became more responsible and they understand that these friends rely on them most of the time. My 14-year-old and 6-year-old have always been involved in feeding them, bathing them, walking them, and simply petting them.

They get

GINGER, or “luya,” has been used for 5,000 years to heal many ailments such as inflammation, colds, nausea, arthritis, and some infections. It has 115 bio-active components, with Gingerol being the primary one and many anti-oxidant

By DESIREE CARLOS properties.

It a good natural supplement to help in certain ailments. But ask the vet first if your dog or cat is on medication.

“It has some powerful and amazing natural components so you don’t want it to interfere with your pet’s medication. Or work with your holistic vet to incorporate ginger into your pet’s diet, especially if your cat or dog is suffering with one of the ailments listed below,” said Jessica Peralta in If your pet is fit and healthy, then ginger can be given to your pet when needed. But do not give too much.

The Tonga family with Bamboo, their mosttravelled dog.

better at it every day,” Jay said.

For Flordeliza B. Bautista, a freelancer and animal welfare advocate, raising her two daughters with her other furry children taught them to be kind and compassionate adults. “For me, taking care of pets is the perfect way to teach my girls love and responsibility. I also teach them to extend mercy and care for animals that are injured or hungry. I want them to be emphatic adults. I believe in learning by example, so we feed stray animals. Sometimes we rescue them if needed. My girls grew up with kindness and they have this willingness to help not only people but animals as well,” Flor shares.

Jean Edilo, a volunteer at Mandaluyong Animal Shelter (MAS), believes that compassion needs to be instilled in children while they’re still young. “We need to teach our children that animals, just like humans, need food, shelter, and care,” Jean said. “My 17-year-old son cleans our cats’ litterbox before I come home from work. He also walks our dog Macchiato during weekdays and gives it a bath during weekends. He already knows the routine even though he’s busy playing the Call of Duty.”

Taking care of a pet is similar to taking care of a child: it requires a lifetime commitment. More and more people now recognize that pets are not just animals but also part of the family.

They are included in family events and milestones. Perhaps the most important role they play is they help strengthen the bond among family members.

All they ask in return is our love and affection.

About the author: Rowena David is faculty member at College of Computer Science in the University of Makati, is a freelance writer (Tagalog short novels), admin of Philippine Pet Lovers Society Facebook page, an animal rescuer and animal welfare advocate.

“Kids who get support from their animal companions were rated by their parents as less anxious and withdrawn.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Antioxidant Anti-inflammatory agent Anti-nausea, vomiting Anticancer agent Respiratory issues such as asthma and coughs Dementia Osteoarthritis and rheumatism

Diabetes Diarrhea Bloating Irritable bowel syndrome 12 Ulcerative colitis 13 Cardiovascular disease 14 Platelet aggregation 15 Cholesterol 16 Immunosuppressive

8 9 10 11

Ginger has “a positive impact on the didi gestive enzymes,” Peralta said.

“This is important because we know that digestive enzymes are abundant in the stomach, small intestine and the pancreas. They break down food you and your pet eat into smaller nutrients. In these building block forms, the body can then absorb them, transport them to where they are needed to make organs and tissues function correctly and optimally,” Peralta said.

If the digestive enzymes are not enough, then the body will have problems absorbing nutrients from the food. This applies for pets who are eating healthy food, Peralta said.

“If the digestive enzymes don’t function at their optimum levels then nutritional deficiencies are inevitable. These deficiencies can develop into a more pressing issue such as nutrients leaking from the small intestine into the bloodstream. Then damaging the body because the immune system attacks the foreign nutrients in the blood thinking it is being invaded,”Peralta said.

If your pet has insufficient digestive enzymes, the pet will inevitably end up with poor digestion, then toxins will build up in the gut, Peralta said.

“This can lead to irritable gut syndrome, then liver insult which creates bile problems and increased pancreatic enzyme demand.

Ultimately, what your pet is left with is inflammation in their body that becomes the foundation for disease, that develops into chronic illness,”Peralta said.

MORE SPECIFIC BENEFITS FOR PETS Can help with respiratory symptoms such as cough in cats & dogs Anti-Inflammatory Help calm Diarrhea Bloating Irritable bowel syndrome Anticancer agent

Can treat canine heartworm disease Can prevent nausea and vomiting Can aid in digestion issues such as gastroenteritis Can be used to eliminate or release something in the stomach For cardiovascular disorders.

How to give to pets

You do not need to give ginger every day.

It can be used as a medicinal herb, and not a herb for everyday use, Peralta stressed.

“There have been full scientific studies of the effects of ginger for dogs but none actually conducted for cats and there doesn’t seem to be enough studies determining if there are any serious side effects if ginger is given regularly and long term to pets,” Peralta said.

She added, “Many holistic practitioners for both people and animals use ginger as a medicinal herb. Use the recommended dosages for the short time needed. If you’re looking to use it more regularly and long term then work with your holistic vet so they can monitor your pet.”

Stop giving ginger if your cat or dog begins to show adverse side effects. But a little ginger for your pet in the short term to help with things like vomiting should be fine.

Cats do fine with ginger if you are giving a small amount or as part of a herbal formula. Dogs are generally okay with ginger, Peralta added.

We gave Garfield 3ml of ginger water or salabat after he vomited.

He did not vomit again

NEXT WEEK: How much to give to pets and some

tips on how to give ginger to our furbabies.