Manila Standard - 2021 August 10 - Tuesday

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DOH deems PH a ‘high risk’

Cases surge 42% with Delta spreading to 13 regions; health care use critical

By Willie Casas, Joel E. Zurbano, and Rey E. Requejo

T VOL. XXXV • NO. 176 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

HE Philippines is now considered "high-risk" for the spread of COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) warned Monday.

"Nationally, our case classification is now at high-risk," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.

Vergeire said the growth rate of coronavirus cases in the country increased to 42 percent in the past two weeks.

MMDA passes resolution banning exercise outside homes during ECQ From July 26 to Aug. 8, 2021, the country's average daily attack rate Next page

OLYMPIANS. President Rodrigo Duterte (top, right) salutes four

of the Philippines’ boxing team members who bagged three Olympic medals at the just concluded Tokyo Games 2020 during their courtesy call via video teleconference. The four –Olympic silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial as well as teammate Irish Magno–are shown earlier upon arrival at the NAIA terminal 2 in Pasay City on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021.

PCG, DANNY PATA AND AVITO DALAN

Five charged with spreading fake news

By Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz

Duterte orders DILG, DSWD to give out 'ayuda,' not LGUs

POLICE have filed cases against five people for spreading fake news through social media about the government's COVID-19 vaccination program, Malacanang said Monday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the police have already identified the five but declined to name them, saying they will be located and brought to jail.

This developed as the government will target administering 1 million COVID-19 shots in a day, Na-

(Full story on A4) tional Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon said, in response to Vice President Leni Robredo's call to speed up the vaccination drive while Metro Manila is under lockdown.

“With all due respect to Vice President Leni, but in fact, let us wait for the vaccine cluster. We will target 1 million. That is our target, it is more than 750,000,” Next page Dizon said.

Palace: House can't be stopped from Octa probe

Vax for kids deferred on safety, supply woes THE Department of Health has thumbed down proposals to start the vaccination of minors, citing insufficient supply and the need for further studies on the safety of vaccines on children aged 12 to 17 years old.

“Our recommendation on the issue of pediatric Next page

LAPPED IN LUXURY.

Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippines’ first and only Olympic gold medalist, is welcomed to her P14-million fully-furnished twobedroom residential condominium unit in Eastwood City with a special cake featuring her Olympic gold medal. Leading the turnover of her unit was Kevin L. Tan, chief strategy officer of Megaworld, and son of real estate tycoon Andrew Tan.

CONGRESS cannot be stopped should it decide to investigate the OCTA research group’s credibility, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this after leaders in the House of Representatives called for a probe into OCTA research group's “qualifications, research methodologies, partnerships, and composition.”

“Congress has plenary powers to investigate in aid of legislation; you cannot stop Congress. OCTA must understand that,” Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

He acknowledged lawmakers’ goal to probe qualifications of members of the OCTA research group.

“What congressmen are saying is they want to find out the qualifications of those reading data,” said Roque, a former party-list lawmaker himself.

The Malacañang explanation notwithstanding, Sen. Richard Gordon aired

8,900

78,480

29,128

6

1,560,106

7,937

(As of 4 PM, AUGUST 9)

By Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Duterte administration’s “huge investment” on Filipino athletes has gained for the Philippines its best performance in nearly a century at the Olympics, Malacanang said Monday.

“It is not a coincidence that we had the best ever performance in the Olympics, including our first gold medal ever, under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte. Figures will bear me out that our President really invested in our athletes,” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque told a press briefing.

A statement from the Philippine Sports Commission last month said the government provided P2.7 billion to cover the expenses of the country's Olympic campaign, including foreign exposures, training, equipment, meals, supplies, and allowances.

President Rodrigo Duterte also provided an additional P100,000 allowance Next page

HOSPITALS TURN UP THE HEAT ON PHILHEALTH NEWS / A2

Prez or VP? Marcos mulls over options

Next page

1,667,714

Investments in sports paid off—Palace

Robredo, Sotto camps feud; LDP goes for Sara

By Macon RamosAraneta SENATE President Vicente Sotto III slammed Monday supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo for their "poor understanding" of her recent meeting with Senator Panfilo Lacson, who is running for

President next year.

"I'm disappointed,” said Sotto, alluding to Robredo's supporters who believe Sotto pushed for the meeting for the Vice President to backtrack on her possible run for the presidency.

"That was fabricated," stressed Sotto, who has de-

clared his intention to run for vice president alongside Lacson in next year's election.

Meanwhile, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) president and Senator Juan Edgardo Angara confirmed Monday his party would support Davao City Mayor Sara Next page SOTTO

FORMER Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos has said he is open to run for President in the 2022 presidential elections or to be the vice presidential running mate of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte should the latter decide to seek the country’s highest office.

Interviewed by veteran television and radio host Anthony Taberna on Tapatan ni Tunying over YouTube on Sunday, Marcos said he is prepared to run for whatever position in the May 2022 presidential polls, including the presidency.

“I have been ready for a long time already, yes I am ready,” Marcos said when Next page

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News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Hospitals turn up the heat on PhilHealth Dr. Jose Rene De Grano, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPi), said the delayed reimbursements would be used to pay for the salaries of healthcare workers, medical equipment, and supplies.

“These delays will have a huge impact

because we rely only on our services and the admission of our patients,” De Grano said in Filipino.

“If there are no funds, this will affect the salary of our employees, our capacity to buy medical supplies and pay for oxygen,” he said.

The Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) had said that PhilHealth owed private and public medical facilities some P20 billion in COVID-19 claims.

De Grano said its members in the Visayas and Mindanao had yet to receive reimbursements from PhilHealth.

De Grano said private hospitals usually received moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 cases and received about P143,000 for moderate cases.

“If you have 10 patients, in two weeks’ time that's P1.4 million or around P2.8 million in a month," De Grano said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said while he wanted PhilHealth to re-

DOH...

Meanwhile, Vergeire said the DOH has been continuously hiring health workers since cases increased in March this year.

Some 4,851 health workers were hired in the past four months.

“We have reached 97 percent of our target number of hires across all regions,” she said.

Vergeire said the target number of hires is estimated based on the needs of each area, adding that a recomputation will be done to account for the Delta variant.

The Filipino Nurses United (FNU) earlier said the number of health workers hired by the DOH is “way below” the promise of President Rodrigo Duterte in his 2020 State of the Nation Address to hire 20,000 health workers this year.

The group previously said a random survey it conducted found that most government hospitals have a shortage of 40 to 50 nurses based on bed capacity.

The management of St. Luke's Medical Center (SLMC) on Monday announced that its ward and intensive care units in both branches in Taguig City and Quezon City have reached full capacity.

In an advisory, SLMC officials advised those seeking urgent medical treatment to consider other medical facilities as their hospitals still had patients in line at the emergency rooms.

"Be assured that we will keep the public updated. For now, we appeal to everyone to help prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the community by continuously adhering to health and safety protocols," the hospital management stated.

The Health department said 25 other hospitals in the National Capital Region are now in critical levels of health care occupancy rate amid the spike in cases.

In Pasay City, the local government reported that the intensive care units for persons infected with COVID-19 at the Pasay City General Hospital are now at 60 percent capacity.

The hospital management, however, said the facility remains in full service for non-COVID-19 cases.

PCGH Officer in Charge Dr. John Vic-

tor de Gracia said the hospital is still accepting non-COVID patients for surgery, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology.

He said the facility gives priority to residents of Pasay for admission for both COVID-19 and non-COVID cases.

The DOH said the increase in COVID-19 cases was being experienced across all age groups and not just children.

The DOH said there was an overall 59 percent increase in cases among all age groups during the period of July 13 to 25 compared with July 26 to August 8.

Among the age groups, the highest increase was observed among the 30 to 39 age group and lowest among those 80 years old and above during the same period.

The department also said that the COVID-19 national vaccination program is following priority groups to allocate COVID-19 vaccines to those who need them the most due to the global scarcity of vaccine supplies. As of Aug. 7, the government has fully vaccinated 11.2 million people.

“We continue to call on the eligible population groups to get vaccinated. To all adults already eligible for vaccination, please register with your local government units for immediate vaccination while children are not yet being vaccinated. By vaccinating yourselves, you are also protecting the children as you will shield them from possible COVID-19 infection,” Vergeire said.

The more infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 has been recorded in 13 of the country’s 17 regions, the DOH said.

The National Capital Region (NCR) has the most cases of the Delta variant with 146 cases, Vergeire said.

The others are: Calabarzon (47), Central Luzon (39), Central Visayas (37) and Western Visayas (36).

Of the country's 450 cases, as of Aug. 5, 426 patients have recovered while 10 have died.

The country currently has 13 active cases of the Delta variant, while one case was still being verified.

Of those infected, 83 were not inoculated against COVID-19. Thirty-five had

received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while one got just the first jab.

The agency is still verifying the vaccination status of the remaining 315 cases.

The Philippine Genome Center has so far sequenced 10,473 samples, of which, 2,362 were found to be positive for the Beta variant (first detected in South Africa), 2,093 for the Alpha variant (first detected in the UK), two of the Gamma variant (first detected in Brazil), and 287 of the P.3 variant (first detected in the Philippines).

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) opposed the suggestion of removing fixed checkpoints and setting up random ones in Metro Manila.

DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the department would discuss the matter with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Eleazar, who made the suggestion.

Earlier, Eleazar said they are considering removing checkpoints in Metro Manila, which are causing chokepoints and heavy traffic conditions. He said the police should be deployed in areas where they are needed more such as in vaccination sites and areas where cash assistance was distributed.

But Malaya said the checkpoints were needed to enforce curfew and stay-athome orders.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday assured the public of the proper implementation of the rules and ordinances by authorities tasked to enforce health and safety protocols in areas covered by the enhanced community quarantine to control the spread of the COVID-19 and its variants.

Guevarra’s statement came after the PNP revealed that more than 20,000 quarantine violators have so far been arrested during the first three days of the ECQ period.

The PNP said 353 of the accosted quarantine violators will face formal charges for violation of curfew hours being implemented in Metro Manila. The National Capital Region posted the highest number of quarantine violators with 4,394.

Roque said the government would give P1,000 per person to low-income residents regardless of if they are vaccinated or not.

Roque also dismissed suggestions that President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks about keeping unvaccinated people at home were to blame for the rush to vaccination centers.

“The jostling happened on Thursday.

If that was a reaction to what the President said, that should have happened on Tuesday or Wednesday, but that did not happen,” Roque said in Filipino.

Some of those who flocked to Thursday's vaccine queues said they feared being prohibited from going out or being disqualified from getting cash aid during Metro Manila's lockdown.

“The President's remark had no connection to that. Let us not put color in what the President said. There are really people who sabotaged the vaccination,” Roque said.

Officials last week said online disinformation prompted thousands of people to flock to vaccination centers, which were overwhelmed by their number.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said taking booster shots for COVID-19 vaccines was against government policy.

Duque, chairman of the inter-agency task force against COVID-19, urged people with knowledge on this to come forward.

Duque said there is currently no recommendation from the country's vaccine expert panel or the all-experts group to have a supplementary inoculation.

In the case of San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora who has admitted to receiving four shots of COVID-19 vaccines, Duque said from his understanding, the congressman was advised to take a booster shot because of "serious comorbidities."

"We respect the decision of his physician," said Duque.

Zamora received two doses of the vaccine developed by Chinese state firm Sinopharm in December last year, months before the Philippines started its vaccination program in March.

Because he was "immunodeficient," the doctors told him he should get two booster shots from Pfizer-BioNTech, he said.

Duque maintained that all COVID-19 vaccines used in the Philippines are effective, no matter the brand.

"Our vaccines are all effective, whether they’re Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Janssen. They are all effective in preventing severe and critical COVID infections, preventing hospitalization and death," he said.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), meanwhile, reiterated that “no vaccine, no employment” policy is unlawful and said vaccination is not a requirement for work. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

team’s methodology came into question, said OCTA uses three types of data from the Department of Health (DOH) to make projections.

These are: 1) Report date or the date a case was reported; 2) Specimen date or the date a specimen was taken; and 3) Onset date or the date of onset of illness.

“If you look at [the] report date today, that’s highly correlated with the onset date [from] three days ago,” he said in an online forum hosted by the PhilippineAmerican Academy of Science and Engineering.

“It’s not 14 days ago, as some critics are claiming that our data is wrong, [it’s from] over the past 14 days, it’s unreliable. In fact, it’s highly reliable… We understand that what we’re looking at is really three to four days old and that’s fine,” he said.

Earlier, infectious disease expert and DOH advisor Dr. Edsel Salvana said: “The main problem with OCTA's case projection model is that it is based on cases reported in the last two weeks."

Lawmakers cited Salvana’s statement when they called for a probe into OCTA to determine its qualifications, research methodologies, partnerships, and composition. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Investments...

receive such an honor from our citizens of the Republic of the Philippines. You went to Tokyo to fight and I, well, say that you did your best and the Filipino people appreciate it, especially bringing honor to the country.

You all won in that,” the President said.

“We saw the fruits of that investment,” Roque said.

“For the first time, we gave record financial assistance to our athletes, and we can now see the fruits of this investment,” Roque added.

Roque assured that the government would provide financial assistance to all Filipino athletes to become world class athletes.

“I think our investment in our athletes will continue because we have seen that if they bring home medals, it’s not only their victory but the victory of the entire Filipino nation,” he said.

“We needed those medals in this time of our history in the middle of the pandemic.

They provided us hope,” Roque said.

Under Republic Act 10699, Olympic medalists would be awarded P10 million for winning a gold medal; P5 million for a silver medal; and P2 million for a bronze medal, while Paralympic medalists would get P5 million for a gold medal; P2.5 million for a silver medal; and P1 million for a bronze medal. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

By Willie Casas

B

ILLIONS of pesos in unpaid health claims by the state-owned Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth) could affect the ability of private hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, an official said Monday.

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(ADAR) per 100,000 population was at 7.20.

ADAR is the number of new cases over a two-week period, divided by the population.

Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao were among regions tagged as "high-risk.”

The Philippines logged on 8,900 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of infections to 1,667,714.

Six new fatalities brought the COVID-19 death toll to 29,128.

The DOH also reported 7,937 persons who recently recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 1,560,106.

There were 78,480 active cases, of which 94 percent were mild, 2.1 percent were asymptomatic, 1 percent were critical, 1.7 percent were severe, and 1.18 percent were moderate.

This number of active cases was the highest since Aug. 8, which recorded 7,516.

Nationwide, 65 percent of the ICU beds, 55 percent of the isolation beds, 56 percent of the ward beds, and 47 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

In Metro Manila, 67 percent of the ICU beds, 55 percent of the isolation beds, 57 percent of the ward beds, and 50 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

A total of 236 health facilities nationwide, 25 of which are in Metro Manila, have registered a critical-risk health care utilization rate (HCUR) of 85 percent or higher as the country battles a fresh spike in cases, the DOH said.

Vergeire said the HCUR refers to the occupancy of isolation, ward, and intensive care unit beds, as well as the utilization of mechanical ventilators.

The DOH also reported that the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus has been detected in all 17 areas in Metro Manila.

Five...

From A1

Authorities on Thursday administered over 710,000 COVID-19 shots, the highest ever in a day since the immunization campaign started in March, noted Dizon, who is also the country's coronavirus testing czar.

Fake news on social media caused people to swarm vaccination sites in Manila, Las Pinas and Antipolo City on the mistaken belief that unvaccinated persons would not receive cash aid during the lockdown.

"To the peddlers of fake news, you will be found, you will face charges, and you will be sent to jail,” Roque said.

The government placed Metro Manila under ECQ—the strictest quarantine level —from Aug. 6 to 20 to prevent the spread of the more transmissible Delta coronavirus variant.

Palace:...

From A1

his strong objection to House Resolution 2071, which urges the Committee Good Government and Public Accountability to conduct a probe on the credentials and background” of OCTA Research Group.

He branded it as a “preposterous idea” accusing OCTA of “gaming the system” by “brazenly trying to manipulate the health emergency to promote its professional reputation at the expense of public welfare.”

"This cannot be allowed to fester by allowing idle minds to sensationalize it in aid of legislation," stressed Gordon.

The dubious motives ascribed to this exercise, Gordon noted, becomes more questionable in light of the high level of accuracy shown by the OCTA Research Group’s forecasts especially during past and most recent surges in the NCR and adjacent provinces.

He said this brings the question: "Is OCTA being punished for being right?"

OCTA’s projections are not based on data from two weeks ago, a fellow of the group said Monday.

Professor Guido David, after the

From A1

to each of the 19 Filipino Olympians, apart from the $1,000 (about P50,000) already provided by the PSC. Also on Monday, Duterte announced the government is granting additional incentives to all the Olympians, on top of those already mandated by law.

The Office of the President will grant P2 million each to silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, P1 million more to bronze medalist Eumir Marcial, and P200,000 to boxing quarterfinalist Irish Magno, as well as the other athletes who did not make the podium in the quadrennial event.

Duterte announced this as the boxers paid him a courtesy call yesterday upon their arrival from Tokyo.

Roque issued the statement even after the country’s first Olympic gold medalist, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, and boxer Marcial had complained of the lack of funding support for their Olympic preparation in May 2019 and in March this year, respectively.

Still, Duterte said the four Olympic medalists would receive the Order of Lapu-Lapu, a medal given in recognition of invaluable or extraordinary service in relation to a campaign or advocacy of the President. All Tokyo Olympians would also receive presidential citations for their efforts, he added.

“It is not an everyday occurrence that we

imburse hospitals as soon as possible, he called on the hospitals to wait to ensure the funds that would be disbursed would be "legally defensible."

"They continue to do reconciliation of their figures because there seems to be a difference between what the hospitals are submitting versus what PhilHealth has established as payables to the private hospitals," Duque said in an interview with ANC's Headstart.

"You see, PhilHealth is subject to COA auditing rules and regulations, and it just simply wants to ensure that any taxpayer or contributor’s money that is paid to the hospitals as its partners has legal basis," he said.

Vax...

From A1

vaccination is to delay this first,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in his report to President Rodrigo Duterte late Monday evening.

He said if at all, vaccination can only be recommended for children with comorbidities.

Duque said “safety, equity and protection” have been taken into consideration in making the recommendation as only the Pfizer vaccine has been given emergency use authorization for use on minors.

The Philippines would have to vaccinate 12 million to 14 million additional people if the government allowed the inoculation against COVID-19 for children aged 17, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Monday.

“Rest assured that like the vaccine approved for adults, we will not be giving these jabs to children unless it is safe and effective,” FDA Director General Eric Domingo said.

Domingo also explained that with the Delta coronavirus variant, even teenage children are readily infected and afflicted with severe COVID-19.

"The children are now becoming more vulnerable also," he said, adding the country's more vulnerable population -- the elderly and adults with comorbidities -- should be completely jabbed first.

Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Finance committee, said there might be a need to include funding for the vaccination of minors through a supplemental budget.

"I think ang original idea in the budget is for adults only. But the children should be included, especially given the new variants like Delta," he said.

"We might have a supplemental budget, or this can be prioritized in the 2022 budget," Angara said, adding the Senate would be studying it. Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Robredo...

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Duterte-Carpio if she should decide to run for president in 2022.

"I and the party members I have spoken to have agreed to support her should she decide to run for President. We are just waiting for the draft MoA [memorandum of agreement] to formalize any agreements made,” Angara said in a text message to ABS-CBN News.

Angara made the confirmation a day after Hugpong ng Pagbabago Secretary General Anthony del Rosario told the media that other political parties have already committed their support for Duterte-Carpio should she seek the presidency in 2022.

Sotto said Robredo should not have immediately dismissed Lacson's offer of his “practical” formula for unification in the coming national and local elections.

"Ping's offer was sincere and selfless.

She (Robredo) was not supposed to reject right away and instead study first the possibilities.

"Outright rejection meant they had something else in mind at the outset," emphasized Sotto.

Despite prodding from the opposition, Robredo has remained undecided if she would seek the country's highest elective post.

Lacson also said he was "quite disappointed” with Robredo’s “outright” rejection of his offer.

“It was just my suggestion. I thought of it on top of my head, so this is not solid, which means there's still variations (sic). But I was quite disappointed that it was nipped in the bud, so to speak," explained Lacson.

The senator said he was expecting Robredo to tell him to consult her supporters.

"But outright, she said ‘That can’t be’ or there was resistance immediately. I think I don’t want to pursue it, I already explained the logic, wisdom, and rationale of my proposal," said Lacson. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Prez...

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Taberna asked him if he would run for president.

During the early part of the interview, Marcos said he had yet to make his final decision on whatever position he will run for next year’s presidential elections.

“I am running for something in May of 2022. Right now, tinitingnan pa rin natin although malapit na tayo sa filing,” Marcos said.

“Lagi kong sinasabi na ang bilis ng [takbo ng] pulitika dito sa Pilipinas.

Iyung isang linggo o dalawang lingo ang daming maaring magbago kaya hindi puwedeng nagmamadali. Baka magdesisyon tayo or mag-announce at biglang may nangyari na naging mali ang desisyon mo, kailangang mag-ingat,” he said.

Asked about the possible Bongbong- Sara tandem, Marcos said: “Lahat ng sinasabi mo puwede. Wala tayong sinasabing hindi puwede. Wala akong sinasabing ito ang gusto ko at ito ang ayaw ko.”

Sought for his comment on possible Sara-Bongbong partnership, Marcos said he is open to discuss the matter with the end goal of ensuring people’s interest.

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021

Extradition readied vs. ex-diplomat in sex abuse

Personnel from the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau unload boxes of powdered milk from a cargo truck inside the Pamantasang Lungsod ng Maynila on August 9, 2021. The local government of Manila is expected to distribute milk to senior citizens as part of a package OF assistance to residents.

Norman Cruz

Manila seeks clarification on HK’s lifting of travel ban THE Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday vowed to clarify with Hong Kong authorities about certain rules governing the lifting of the travel ban on overseas Filipino workers who are willing to return to work in the special administrative region. “Initial report seems to confirm this (lifting of travel ban) but there are still conditions needing clarification,” DFA Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Eduardo Meñez said.

The DFA official cited, in particular, the requirement of Hong Kong authorities for returning OFWs to present a recognized vaccination card.

According to him, the DA will inquire whether the yellow card or the vaccination passport being issued by the Department of Health’s Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) will be recognized in Hong Kong.

Reports indicated that Hong Kong is ready to lift the travel ban for the nearly 3,000 OFWs currently stranded in the Philippines who wish to return to work there provided they are fully vaccinated.

“HK authorities are looking for a recognized vaccination card – still being determined if the BOQ issued yellow vaccination card will be recognized by HK authorities, so nothing clear yet,” Meñez stressed.

Meñez also said there is also need to clarify with Hong Kong authorities the length of quarantine period required for OFWs. Hong Kong still requires a 14-day quarantine even for fully vaccinated workers upon arrival in the special administrative region.

But Meñez said it appears that there will still be a 21-day quarantine period upon checking at the HK airport webpage. Rey Requejo

By Rey E. Requejo

Duterte confident Asean can overcome Covid, other tests P

By Vito Barcelo

resident Rodrigo Duterte expressed confidence that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will be able to win its fight against COVID-19 the same way that it hurdled various challenges in the past.

“We in ASEAN are no stranger to difficult times that test our capacity to act together and surmount challenges. But our enduring bonds of amity and solidarity have always pulled us through,” he said in his message on the 54th founding anniversary of ASEAN. “Notwithstanding the difficulties we face as the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, I am confident that

ASEAN will prevail as it has done so many times in the past,” he said in an official statement Sunday night.

Duterte also reminded the memberstates to “reflect” on how far ASEAN has come as “one community.”

“May we always remember and value how much stronger we are together than on our own,” he said.

“ASEAN will continue to rise to pre-

sent challenges and lead the region with renewed sense of purpose and an even firmer commitment to the ideals of peace, freedom, and prosperity,” he added.

He emphasized the importance of working hand in hand to reach their shared goals.

“As we celebrate our collective achievements and reflect on how far we have come as one community, may we always remember and value how much stronger we are together than on our own,” he said.

The union was established by the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in 1967. Its members now include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

RELIEF ITEMS.

Quezon City Councilor Candy Medina of District Two distributes relief goods – rice, canned goods, coffee, noodles, and other essential items – to some 1,250 families living in the densely and underprivileged barangays in Payatas, Commonwealth, Batasan Hills, Holy Spirit, and Silangan. “In this time of lockdowns, we understand that food is a very essential part of our constituent’s daily living. Even before Metro Manila was placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), our local government continues to do its work on the ground to reach out and help families in Quezon City,” Medina said.

Esperon slams critics over ‘self-serving, political statements’ NATIONAL Security Adviser and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict Vice Chairman Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Monday rebuked critics who suggested that the NTFELCAC funds should be diverted to the Covid-19 efforts, arguing that each of the previously “neglected” barangay even de-

serves more than the P20 million allotted to them under the flagship Barangay Development Program.

At the weekly virtual press conference, Esperon said that critics’ statements regarding the budget to counter the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National

Democratic Front were “self-serving” “political statements” meant to entice voters in the coming national and local elections at the expense of the peace and development efforts being undertaken by NTF-ELCAC. In response to these “irrational” suggestions that the task force’s funds

‘Public must do their bit on Bay rehab’

By Rio N. Araja ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu on Monday called on the public to do their share in helping the government rehabilitate Manila Bay. Cimatu said solid waste management is everyone’s responsibility He lamented that tons of trash were washed ashore on Manila Bay due to incessant rains brought about by the enhanced southwest monsoon or “hanging habagat.”

“As the primary government agency responsible for the environment, we would like to remind all Filipinos that it is not solely the duty of the DENR to be the guardian of the country’s environment and vast natural resources,” he said.

“We are all in this together. As stew-

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ards of nature, we must ensure that wastes are properly managed and disposed of,” he added.

The agency’s solid waste management program is one of Cimatu’s priority programs when he assumed office in 2017.

Citing data from the Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesNational Capital Region’s West Field Office, he said that 12,187 sacks of solid waste were collected from the Baywalk area on July 16-29 after continuous rains inundated parts of Metro Manila and several Luzon areas.

Among the garbage that was collected were single-use plastic cups, plastic bottles, and personal items, such as bags, shoes, slippers, and clothes.

should be used instead for the Covid-19 pandemic, Esperon emphasized that “fighting Covid-19 is not only the threat of concern,” adding there is the “economy to take care of, efforts on anti-criminality,” like fighting illegal drugs and “efforts of sovereignty” in guarding the West Philippines Sea.

THE Philippines will seek the extradition of a former American diplomat who was indicted in the United States for sexually abusing a 16-year-old Filipino woman and possessing child pornographic materials during his tenure in Manila. That can be done once criminal charges are also filed against him in the Philippines, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara said on Monday.

Dean Cheves, a member of the US foreign service stationed in the Philippines from September 2020 to February 2021, has been indicted by the US federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia.

“The DOJ is presently coordinating with the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) on relevant legal issues such as diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention and territorial jurisdiction,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

Once these issues have been clarified, Guevarra said the Philippine government will “proceed to coordinate with the US Department of justice under the umbrella of the RP-US Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).”

“Depending on the evidence made available, the subject US personnel may be held criminally and civilly liable under our Anti-Child Abuse Act, AntiChild Pornography Act, Anti-Human Trafficking Law, and the Revised Penal Code,” Guevarra explained.

“Mr. Cheves may be extradited to the Philippines once he is charged under any or all of the aforementioned laws, subject to the provisions of our extradition treaty with the US,” he said.

High court refers ‘red-tagging’ raps to rights panel

By Rey Requejo THE Supreme Court through its Committee on Human Rights will take appropriate action on the concerns raised by several cause-oriented groups and individuals seeking protection against red-tagging and the filing of trumpedup charges by state security forces.

“Re: Letter urging the Court to formulate and issue preventive and remedial steps to address the worsening state of human rights in the country.” The Court resolved to note and refer to the Committee on Human Rights for appropriate action, the Letter dated May 18, 2021 of various organizations and individuals, urging the Court to undertake measures to address the worsening state of human rights in the country,” the SC said in a single-page notice released recently.

The committee is chaired by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

The letter was signed by representatives of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Karapatan Alliance Philippines, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Confederation for Unity , Recognition and Advancement of Government, Cordillera People’s Alliance, Gabriela and several individuals.

Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of Bayan and one of the signatories to the letter, said the group welcomes the Court’s referral of their letter to the Committee on Human Rights and noted that some of the issues raised have been addressed through the new rules on the issuance and service of search and warrants, which include compelling police authorities to use bodyworn cameras in the enforcement of these warrants.

LOCKDOWN WOES.

Barangay Personnel and Volunteers wearing their PPE with the assistance of the Dasmarinas CityPolice roam around a subdivision in Dasmarinas City on August 8, 2021 which has been placed under a two-week lockdown due to a high number of COVID-19 infections. LGU Dasmarinas distributed packs of groceries, medicines, vitamins, and cash assistance to every household that are affected by the localized lockdown. JR Josue

News

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021

Villar: Release of upcycled chairs continue

By Macon Ramos-Araneta DESPITE the pandemic, Senator Cynthia Villar pushed through with the distribution of school chairs made from recycled plastic wastes to different public schools and farm schools across the country.

The latest beneficiaries of the sturdy and durable plastic chairs, given through the Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance), are the indigenous peoples of Barangay Laiban in Tanay, Rizal and the Conrazon Elementary School in Bgy. Bansud, Oriental Mindoro.

The chairs were given to the IP beneficiaries through the help of the 2nd Infantry Division in Camp Capinpin in Tanay.

On the other hand, the turnover of the chairs to the Conrazon Elementary School was facilitated by the 203rd Brigade of the Philippine Army.

Aside from helping the government resolve the problem of the lack of school chairs, Villar said the recycling of plastic wastes also reduces trash.

“Eventually, recycling plays a significant role in the government’s waste management program that would help create a clean and healthy environment,” the senator said.

The chairperson of the Senate environment committee said recycling wastes creates livelihood and sources of income for poor communities.

6 suspected trafficked victims rescued—BI

By Vito Barcelo IMMIGRATION officers intercepted six suspected human trafficking victims bound for the United Arab Emirates from leaving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the six passengers, all women, were intercepted at the immigration departure area of NAIA Terminal 3 by the BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) for attempting to board an Emirates flight to Dubai.

BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan said the UAE visas pasted on their passports were all counterfeit.

“During primary inspection, they claimed that they were balik-manggagawa, or overseas Filipino workers merely returning to their old employers. They alleged to have been directly hired as domestic household workers, but were unable to show any proof of such claim,” the bureau said.

The documents were submitted to the BI’s forensic document laboratory, which later confirmed the visas were spurious.

MEDICAL, HUMANITARIAN TRAVEL OK’D. The Philippine National Police will allow persons traveling for health, medical or humanitarian reasons to cross the strict border control points in Metro Manila and four adjacent provinces. In Manila, police strictly enforce health protocols to ensure shoppers at the Blumentritt Market observe physical distancing. Norman Cruz

11m in MM to get P1k ayuda

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

C

LOSE to 80 percent of the 13 million residents in Metro Manila are set to receive a one-time P1,000 cash assistance — or a maximum of P4,000 per qualified household — during the hard lockdown starting Wednesday, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

This after the Department of Budget and Management released a total of P10.894 billion to the local government units in Metro Manila, which was placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine Friday last week until August 20.

LGUs have 15 days to finish the distribution of the ayuda, but they are allowed to seek an extension if they are unable to complete it due to the chal-

lenges brought about by the pandemic.

Meanwhile, poor households in the provinces of Laguna and Bataan as well as in Cagayan de Oro City and Iloilo City, which were also placed under ECQ, will also receive cash aid, Roque said.

He said the DBM has proposed a P2.715 billion cash aid for Laguna while compu computations are still being made for Bataan.

Laguna, Iloilo City, and Cagayan de Oro will be under ECQ until Aug. 15, Metro Manila until Aug. 20; and Bataan until Aug. 22 Under the ECQ status, only essen essential establishments and industries such as hospitals, groceries, and courier and delivery services, among others, will be allowed to fully operate while the move movement of the general public will be limited.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday sought an increase in the funds for the social ser ser-

EARTHLY BEAUTIES.

Prime Media to serve as new source of info, entertainment

Filipino-Syrian model Naelah Alshorbaji, 23, was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2021. Joining her court are Ameera Almamari (Air), Rocel Songano (Water), Roni Meneses (Fire) and Sofia Galve (Ecotourism).

Taguig breaches 400k-mark of first dose vaccinations

By Joel E. Zurbano THE City of Taguig has breached the 400,000-mark of individuals vaccinated against the novel coronavirus disease.

On Saturday, the city also posted its highest single-day COVID-19 doses administered with a total of 18,395 jabs.

To date, Taguig had already administered more than 665,000 (first and second dose) jabs across the city’s vaccination hubs as of Monday.

Mayor Lino Cayetano thanked his constituents for the trust and confidence they have given the city’s vaccination program

against COVID-19.

Two months ago, Taguig also surpassed its target of vaccinating 7,000 people daily after it started inoculating those belonging to the A4 category, or persons working outside their residences.

Cayetano attributed the increased number of people who want to be vaccinated to the ease of booking and scheduling process, and to the hard work of the city’s healthcare personnel and vaccination teams.

The local government has provided 12 vaccination sites stationed in strategic areas in Taguig.

vices sector in the to-be-submitted National Expenditures Program for 2022 .

He also asked for a reappropriation of security sector funds to pandemic response, including the release of cash aid.

Starting 2018, Drilon said the social services sector has suffered a negative growth and slightly increased by only 0.5 percent in 2021.

In contrast, except in 2019, the budget share of the defense sector is on an upward trend.

“It cannot be the norm again next year, if we want to fast-track our economic recovery and lift our people out of poverty, hunger and unemployment,” Drilon said.

“Even if the national budget kept growing over the years, the percent share of social services to the national budget didn’t grow along with it and has in fact suffered decreases,” he added.

FOLLOWING the signing of a memorandum of agree agreement between Prime Me Media Holdings Inc. (PMHI) and Philippine Collec Collective Media Corpora Corporation (PCMC), Prime Media is now laying the groundwork for strategic planning and reorganiza reorganization.

“Prime Me Media has been quiet for a while, but very soon the public will have a new source of in infor mation and enter entertainment,” said PMHI p r e sid e nt M a n ol i t o Manalo.

“We are now focused on strengthen strengthening the team,

side-by-side with strategic planning for additional frequencies for both free tv and radio,” he added.

Manalo said the media company is currently in talks with several content providers.

“A couple of organizations have expressed their interest in working with Prime Media. We look forward to an interesting program line-up very soon,” he said.

PCMC has been launching radio stations and television studios nationwide.

Broadcasting since 2009, it currently operates PRTV in Tacloban and 18 FMR radio stations covering Tacloban, Calbayog, Catbalogan, Catarman, Ormoc, Borongan, Davao de Oro, Iligan City, Butuan, Camiguin, Davao de Oro and Zamboanga Sibugay.

In the pipeline is the launching of FMR stations in Baguio, Partido Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Cagayan Province, Nueva Vizcaya and Dipolog.

PCMC airs via livestream from its studios in Makati and Fairview.

Prime Media Holdings Inc. is trading under the PSE ticker symbol “PRIM.” The holding company intends to venture into real estate development, leisure and hospitality, and gaming to expand and diversify its business.

Manila vice mayor tests positive for COVID

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

MANILA Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan tested positive for COVID-19 while Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso tested negative.

Lacuna-Pangan said the positive result of her swab test came out early evening Sunday.

A doctor by profession, she said she did not expect she will be infected with the novel coronavirus as she has been “very, very careful” – constantly sanitizing her hands and even wearing double face masks.

The vice mayor, who has been fully inoculated against COVID-19, has been in charge of the city’s vac-

cination program, along with her husband, Manila Health Department chief Dr. Arnold Pangan.

She said she needs to temporarily rest from her job as she appealed to the public to take extra care and continue observing safety protocols.

The vice mayor recalled she began feeling symptoms of tiredness Friday. Come Saturday, she already had a sore throat and body pains that she decided to get a swab test on Sunday. Everything she ate also tasted bitter.

Domagoso asked for healing prayers for the speedy recovery of Lacuna-Pangan, saying she is highly instrumental in the success of the city’s mass vaccination program.

Lacuna-Pangan

Opinion

Pilgrimages and state visits age. We then went on a tour of Jerusalem, Nazareth, Cana and Bethlehem and other parts of Israel, after which we went to Egypt to retrace where the Blessed Virgin Mary and husband went to escape the bloody killing of innocents after the birth of Jesus Christ. Santa Banana, we even IN MY book, “The Road Never Ends,” I went swimming in the Dead Sea where missed out on two chapters - my pilgrim- nobody sinks. ages to the Holy Land, to Rome, and the When we got back to Israel, our guide Marian pilgrimages. The other chapter is took us to a kibbutz, actually a communicomposed of the many foreign and state ty of Jews, where they live and work. It visits of former Presidents Fidel V. Ra- was all in all a significant pilgrimage for mos, Erap Estrada and Gloria Macapagal me and my wife.

Arroyo which I joined.

The pilgrimages that my wife and I joined those foreign and state visits I made without our children were as as both a journalist and member of the momentous and exciting. We toured business delegation.

France, visited I was chairman of the site of the unMetrolink Travel and corrupted body of These trips enriched Saint Catherine, Tours, a travel agency, and the chairman the miraculous my life. of the Philippine medal of the BlessTelecommunications ed Virgin Mary, the Communications place where Saint Co. Inc., (PTIC) when I was then a gov- Therese was buried, where Saint Bernaernment nominee of a sequestered com- dette dug with her bare hands a spring pany. that flowed to the town of Lourdes, and The pilgrimages that my wife and I where pilgrims like us took a bath. We took, often with our daughter, and some- saw thousands of churches, a testament times with our son and his wife, were in- to the miracles of Lourdes. If you, dear teresting and exciting. reader, get the chance to go to Lourdes, Our first pilgrimage was to the Holy join the night procession where you can Land. We were with travel agents led by even hear chants in Filipino. the late Ado Escudero of Villa Escudero.

We also went to Fatima in Portugal We flew Egypt Air. During that trip, we where the Virgin Mary appeared to retraced the carrying of the cross by Je- three small children. The third message sus Christ to Mount Calvary, now inside of the Blessed Virgin was the most siga grand basilica, where the crucifixion nificant of all, where she foretold the ended. It was the climax of our pilgrim- end of the world, which the Vatican did

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021

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EDITORIAL

A blow to press freedom ple is instructive. Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the ponente, emphasized the importance of giving the press much latitude of discretion in reporting even at the expense of occasional inaccuracies. Thus, and I quote“The need to protect freedom of speech FREEDOM of the press has been dealt and of the press cannot be understated. a hard blow not by government or social These freedoms are the most pervasive media trolls but ironically by the man- and powerful vehicles of informing the agement of the Philippine Daily Inquirer government of the opinions, needs, and (PDI). The Inquirer promises its readers, grievances of the public. It is through and I have been one since 1986, bal- these guarantees that the people are kept anced views and fearless views. Alas, it abreast of government affairs. Without betrayed this commitment when its man- these rights, no vigilant press would agement entered into a compromise deal flourish. And without a vigilant press, the with the complainant in a libel case. government’s mistakes would go unnoThe libel complaint was filed by Melo ticed, their abuses unexposed, and their del Prado, a broadcaster of DZBB Ra- wrongdoings uncorrected. dio-TV GMA Network, against five PDI “In this regard, journalists and the mereporters and editors in connection with dia enjoy a wide latitude of discretion in the newspaper’s investigative reports investigating, gathering, and reporting on the P10-billion pork barrel scam. In news pertinent to public affairs. Public afexchange for dismissing the complaint, fairs encompass a wide array of matters, PDI management agreed to run an apol- including information on public officials’ ogy to Del Prado on the Inquirer front exercise of their official functions. Impage, expunge from bued with public inthe PDI archives 10 terest, these officials exe pork barrel stories/ are expected to exeThe Inquirer sidebars related to cute their mandate in his libel complaint a manner consistent betrayed its (these stories have with law, morals, and commitment to its been widely praised public policy. and awarded), and “Consistent with readers. in pay him damages the right to deliver inworth P1.5 million formation on public in advertising space. matters, journalists However, three Respondents to the li- and members of the press may at times bel case - former PDI Executive Editor write inaccurate articles. Nonetheless, liJose Ma. D. Nolasco, former Inquirer ability should attach only if it is proven News Editor Artemio T. Engracia Jr, and that the article was written and published former Inquirer Reporter Nancy C. Car- with knowledge that it was false or with vajal refused to sign the Compromise. reckless disregard for the truth.”

Nolasco, in a press statement where he One may be tempted to suggest that discloses a letter he sent to PDI manage- the Tulfo case is inapplicable considerment, argues that a reading of Inquirer ing that the subject of the supposed libelstories related to Del Prado’s complaint lous commentary was an official of the and the Supreme Court rulings on libel Bureau of Customs which at first glance would show “it’s not our defense which is not similar to Del Prado’s complaint, is indefensible but Del Prado’s case having been initiated by a private individwhich is unsustainable.” ual. Both cases, however, involve matters I agree. Nolasco may not be a lawyer of public concern and interest. As such, but he knows his constitutional law. For there must be no distinction whether the sure, he understands freedom of the press complainant is a public or private indiand the law on libel, and what is at stake vidual as long as matters of public interin this case. est are involved.

The landmark 1964 decision by the I teach constitutional law in many law U.S. Supreme Court in New York Times schools in the country. When I teach the Co. v. Sullivan sets restrictions on the Bill of Rights, including freedom of exability of public officials to sue for def- pression and the press, I tell my students amation. They must not only must prove that they must love, embrace, and defend the normal elements of defamation - pub- these rights to keep enjoying them. PDI’s lication of a false defamatory statement compromise deal with Del Prado is more to a third part - they must also prove that dangerous in that we expected that great the statement was made with “actual newspaper to draw the line. By not doing malice”, that is that the defendant either so, not only the reporters and editors of knew the statement was false or reckless- PDI are endangered but everyone in the ly disregarded whether or not it was true. profession can be targeted. And yes, press Actual malice is the onus that Del Pra- freedom itself is endangered do must discharge to prove libel. On the Thomas Jefferson once said, “Where the other hand, the respondents must present press is free and every man able to read, proof in their defense that they strictly all is safe.” With this action by PDI manadhered to the stringent journalistic stan- agement, some say it is akin to suicide, the dards of investigation and verification. press is less free. And no one is safe.

This they have shown as Nolasco explains in detail in his statement.

Website: tonylavina.com Facebook: The recent case of Raffy Tulfo v. Peo- deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

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Malicious intent deliberate Facebook post on two different troll accounts.”

Last week, just before the enhanced community quarantine came into force again in the capital region and environs, an inordinate number of people swarmed to vaccination sites in Las Piñas, Manila and Antipolo in the mistaken belief that they would not be allowed outdoors or receive

ALICE has never earned its rightful place in a civilized society. During a pandemic, it is even more reprehensible.

These past few days we learned that the Internet -- which has greatly helped people, communities and industries during this pandemic -was used to create disruption, chaos and confusion with regard to the ongoing vaccination drive to combat COVID-19.

For example, at least two Facebook accounts announced that the Quezon City government was accepting walk-in vaccinations on certain sites, leading to overcrowding and causing a potential super spreader event over the weekend.

“This is definitely a work of malicious intent,” said Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on the ABS-CBN News Channel. “Unlike other fake news, we don’t know the cause. This one was a

There is a special place in hell for those who derive pleasure out of such acts. cash aid if they were not vaccinated.

In the City of Manila, troll farms are suspected to be behind the hacking of the website for vaccination registration. The city government said it was highly likely that the attack was triggered by bots that generated at least 1.2 million registration requests during a single night. The result was that legitimate Manila res-

idents encountered difficulty getting into the system.

An initial probe traced the high volume of requests to five IP addresses.

We have no way of understanding what the motive could be behind these interventions. This is a time when we should be helping each other in many ways -- hanging onto a job or finding one, reminding one another about safety protocol, providing for families’ basic needs, obtaining medical assistance, and getting inoculated against the deadly virus -- the only way we can collectively outpace and defeat the pandemic.

Amid the great need to be helpful, constructive, compassionate and reasonable during this period of grief and danger, some people perversely choose to do the opposite. There is a special place in hell for those who derive pleasure out of such acts. These people should be fished from their murky hideouts, paraded in shame and then thrown into jail for all the aggravation they cause an already beleaguered nation.

RO3 shines as PNP’s best amid pandemic P/BRIG. Gen. Valeriano T. De Leon calmly confronted P/MSGT Jonel Nuezca, the Parañaque City policeman arrested for shooting dead his neighbors, a mother and son, over a petty domestic dispute in Paniqui, Tarlac last December.

And then, General De Leon blurted at the cold-blooded murderer, “Sinira mo ang PNP sa ginawa mo. You dragged down the entire police organization for killing those people just like killing a dog. Scalawags like you have no right to wear the PNP uniform and badge.”

The PNP Police Regional Office 3 chief guaranteed the dismissal from the service and life imprisonment of the Parañaque cop, who is said to be “off-duty” at the time of his drunken rampage in Tarlac.

“The truth is we are never off-duty, as we swore to serve and protect the people at all times, that’s twenty four-seven wherever we are,” Gen. De Leon stressed.

He assured that no police officer ends up like Nuezca under his watch as director of PNP-PRO 3, which has been adjudged as PNP’s “Best Police Regional Office” for its anti-crime drive and civic work in the provinces of Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.

I sure hope the rest of the PNP regional offices would reform and perform as well as PRO-3 does. not bear immediately.

No less than 80,000 pilgrims witnessed the “Miracle of the Sun” show over television.

We also went to Rome and saw the works of Michaelangelo. It was all worth it. It was an experience of a lifetime, Santa Banana!

Those pilgrimages that my wife and I took made us reflect on what we were on earth for. Life is just one long journey along a road that never ends. With faith in God, we might just prevail at the end to join him in Eternal Life. *** Meanwhile, joining the foreign trips and state visits of no less than three former presidents was significant in my life as a journalist. I saw places I had never seen before, and also witnessed firsthand how a president works when on a visit to other countries.

I joined the visits of Ramos to Hanoi and to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, to Vienna, to Prague and then on to Moscow and back to Kuwait. We also went to Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Gen. De Leon thanked the Camp Crame top echelon headed by General Guillermo Eleazar who recognized PRO 3’s “outstanding accomplishments not only in fulfilling its mandate to maintain peace and order but also winning the heart and mind of the people in times of pandemic crisis.”

It did not surprise me, knowing Gen. De Leon’s hands-on style of management at the PNP Firearms and Explosives Unit

(FEU).

He left a legacy of competence and efficiency, having instituted “contactless” transactions with online firearms registration, licensing, renewal and payments which eliminated red tape and corruption.

Gun owners observed a drastic change when registering firearms and getting licenses because De Leon made all of the transactions online including the payments.

Civilian gun owners only have to come personally for drug tests and psychiatric examinations.

Gen. De Leon, a member of Philippine Military Class “Makatao” class of 1989, had also served as PRO-7 director impressively before taking over PRO-3 in Octo-

ber 2020 for retired general Debold Sinas.

Under Gen. De Leon’s leadership, PRO 3 was recognized for its crime-busting operations, particularly its anti-illegal drugs drive and anti-terrorist efforts.

Gen. De Leon and his men are credited with seizing hundreds of kilos of shabu designer drugs and marijuana worth millions of pesos, hoards of high-powered illegal firearms, arrests and neutralization of high-value-target personalities in Bulacan, Pampanga and Zambales.

The PRO 3 director said those arrested include several foreigners engaged in international illegal drugs trafficking.

Gen. De Leon warned there will be no letup in the drug war, especially against “narco-politicians” who want to beef up their election campaign funds.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, PRO-3 has actively partnered with the Armed Forces, local government units (LGUs) and the non-government organizations (NGOs) in extending relief and rescue operations, and medical missions.

And now, PRO-3 personnel are among the frontliners implementing the rollout of the government vaccination program to attain herd immunity.

“It is in winning the heart and mind of the people more than pursuing the remnants of the communist New People’s Army in the mountains that we can make peace flourish in the countryside,” Gen. De Leon said.

Some police generals should find time to pick Gen. De Leon’s brain. Little wonder that PRO-3 is the PNP’s best regional police office.

The trips with Erap were just as exciting.

I was actually surprised that in Tiananmen, there is a mall of taipan Lucio Tan and SM also has a shopping mall.

I was glad that I was part of these memorable trips as a member of the business delegation and a journalist. Seeing other countries in the company of a president where we got VIP treatment was a privilege.

It was also a learning experience for me. *** Last Saturday’s 365 Club meeting via Zoom was very interesting with the presence of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, former Nueva Ecija Congressman Rene Diaz, BizNewsAsia publisher and Manila Standard columnist Tony Lopez in attendance.

On politics we talked about the presidential and vice presidential candidates, together with the names brought as senatorial candidates. And most importantly how much a candidate for mayor, for government, a representative and a senatorial

candidate must spend to have a chance of winning.

For a presidential candidate, the figure can go as high as P5 billion. A senator must spend something like P300 million to P500 million. House representatives could spend at least P30 million. This will come from investments by donors and contributors. *** According to official reports, there are about 28 political dynasties nationwide. A family can have three or more members elected or appointed in government. This practice is prevalent. A well-known taipan has his wife a senator, his daughter a mayor, and his son a member of the cabinet and daughter-in-law an undersecretary.

President Duterte himself has a daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara, a son as vice mayor, and another son as representative.

There must be a law against all these monopolies of power and privileges. I believe it can be done by a president sincere enough to push for it, Santa Banana!

Some police generals should find time to pick Gen. De Leon’s brain.

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UN panel ready for report on climate impacts PARIS—As heart-stopping images of fires and floods dominate news cycles worldwide, the UN’s climate science panel will unveil on Monday its much-anticipated projections for temperature and sealevel rises less than three months before a crucial climate summit in Scotland.

After two weeks of virtual negotiations, 195 nations approved the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) comprehensive assessment of past and future warming on Friday in the form of a “summary for policymakers”.

The text -- vetted and approved line by line, word by word -- is likely to paint a grim picture of accelerating climate change and dire threats on the horizon.

On the heels of deadly floods in India, China, and northern Europe as well as asphalt-melting heatwaves in North America and southern Europe, the IPCC’s report is the first so-called assessment report since 2014.

Both the world and the science have changed a lot since then.

With increasingly sophisticated technology allowing scientists to measure climate change and predict its future path, the report will project global temperature changes until the end of the century under different emissions scenarios.

Based almost entirely on published research, it could forecast -- even under optimistic scenarios -- a temporary “overshoot” of the 1.5 degrees Celsius target of the Paris Agreement and revise upwards its estimates for long-term sea-level rise. AFP

Dixie wildfire now 2nd-worst in Cali history GREENVILLE—The monstrous Dixie Fire in northern California has grown to become the second-largest wildfire in state history, authorities said Sunday, with three people reported missing and thousands fleeing the advancing flames.

As of Sunday, the fire had destroyed 489,287 acres (198,007 hectares), authorities said, up from the previous day’s 447,723 acres. It now covers an area larger than Los Angeles.

The Dixie blaze is the largest active wildfire in the United States, but only one of 11 major wildfires in California.

Over the weekend, it surpassed the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire to make it the second-worst fire in state history.

“It was like driving out of a war zone that you see in a movie,” Tami Kugler told AFP, sitting beside her tent at an evacuation station after fleeing the historic town of Greenville before it burned down.

“My neighborhood is gone -- I mean gone, gone. Everybody I care and love about that’s in that neighborhood, their homes are gone,” she said, adding: “I didn’t have insurance.”

On Saturday, Governor Gavin Newsom visited the charred remains of Greenville, expressing his “deep gratitude” to the teams fighting the flames. AFP Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 222, QUEZON CITY ARGIELA SHANE ACILING, a.k.a. ARGIELA SHANE DAWING ACILING a.k.a. JOCELYN ACILING BENDECIO Petitioner, -versusSPECIAL PROC. NO. R-QZN-19-09804-SP THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, THE ADMINISTRATOR AND CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS OFFICE (PSA) formerly NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE (NSO), ARGENTINA DAWING ACILING AND RAMON AMBROSIO BENDECIO ALL OTHER PERSONS WHO HAVE INTEREST OR CLAIM TO THIS INSTANT PETITION, Respondents. x-----------------------------------------------x

ORDER

This pertains to the petition for the correction of entry, change of name, and cancellation of late registration in the Certificate of Live Birth of Argiela Shane Aciling registered with the Office of the Quezon City Civil Registrar filed by the petitioner, through counsel, on October 19, 2018.

In her subject petition, petitioner alleges that on 22 January 2000, petitioner was born to common law spouses, Argentina Dawing Acling and Ramon Ambrosio Bendecio in Quezon City.

In her Certificate of Live Birth (Annex “A”), it was registered that her biological mother’s name is “JOCELYN ACILING BENDECIO” (Annex “A-2”) under the pretense that they were married.

In the aforesaid certificate of live birth, her biological mother was the informant. Entry No. 20 is of the Certificate of Live Birth is hereto submarked as Annex “A-4”. Likewise, here biological mother supplied that she was married to petitioner’s biological father. Entry number 18 is of the Certificate of Live Birth is hereto sub-marked as Annex “A-5”.

On June 25, 2004, petitioner’s biological mother registered again her

FLOODED RIVER. Boys along with local boatmen play atop a submerged structure at Daraganj Ghat, one of the flooded banks of the Ganges River in Allahabad, India on August 8. AFP

Olympic baton to Beijing amid virus B

EIJING—The focus immediately shifts to Beijing as the curtain falls on the Tokyo Olympics, with a growing coronavirus outbreak in China and boycott calls looming large just six months from the start of the Winter Games.

The Beijing 2022 Olympics are scheduled to take place from February 4 to 20, when the Chinese capital will become the first city to host a Winter and Summer Games.

New venues have been constructed and some from Beijing 2008, including the “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium, are being spruced up as China attempts to show the world its best face.

The 2022 Games will be spread over three main zones -- Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, which is about 180 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of the

birth but under the name “ARGIELA SHANE DAWING ACILING” (Annex “B”). This is the name used by the petitioner in all her official and personal transactions (Annex “D” to “T”).

In the second registration of certificate of live birth, her biological mother supplied that she was not married to petitioner’s biological father. Entry no. 18 is of Certificate of Live Birth is hereto sub-marked as Annex “B-5”. There was likewise an affidavit of acknowledgment/ admission of paternity in page 2 of the birth certificate is hereto sub-marked as Annex “B-6” and the name and signature of Israel Vargas Duma is hereto sub-marked as Annex “B-7” and made an integral parts thereof.

Lastly, due to the conflicting entries in the date and place of marriage, petitioner was constrained to verify the same in the Philippines Statistics Office and she discovered that her parents were never married. A Certificate of No Marriage was appended hereto (Annex “C”). In the same certificate, petitioner used the name “ARGIELA SHANE DAWING ACILING” (Annex “C-1”).

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and in substance, the initial hearing of this case is set on September 6, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. and all interested parties are directed to appear before this Court and show cause why the petition should not be granted.

Let a copy of this Order be served to the petitioner through his counsel, the Civil Registrar of Quezon City, the Philippine Statistics Office (formerly NSO), the Office of the Solicitor General and the Office of the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office. Lastly, let a copy of this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation to be chosen by raffle the Office of the Executive Judge, at petitioner’s expense.

SO ORDERED. Given in Chambers this 18th day of July 2019 in Quezon City.

(Sgd.) EDGAR DALMACIO SANTOS Copy furnished: Judge Argiela Shane Aciling (P) PAO (C/P) LCR-QC PSA OSG OCP CMO-OCAD (MStandard - Aug. 10, 17 & 24, 2020)

capital. A high-speed train will connect the three hubs.

All competition venues were completed several months ago, and the Chinese government has been keen to assert that preparations have successfully ploughed on despite the coronavirus pandemic.

But just as Beijing 2022 swings into view, China is now facing its largest virus outbreak in months, even if infection numbers are still low compared with many other countries.

Another headache for the Beijing

should take their cue from Tokyo in handling the virus threat.

There were concerns there would be mass infections among participants in Japan but while there have been cases, the worst fears have not materialized.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and local organisers insisted on testing everyone involved before and regularly during the Games and keeping athletes away from the public.

Spectators have also been barred from most events at Tokyo 2020 -- it is unclear whether Beijing 2022 will follow suit.

“Overall, the strategy that has been used by Tokyo has been pretty successful and I think Beijing will dupliTokyo model? cate something very similar,” said Bo Bo Li, assistant professor of sports Li, adding that he was “curious” about management at Miami University in what China would do with its current Ohio, said Beijing 2022 organisers strict quarantine procedures.

Olympics and China’s ruling Communist Party is sustained calls from activists, the Uyghur diaspora, and some Western politicians for a boycott over the country’s rights record, especially the fate of Muslim minorities.

China, where Covid-19 emerged towards the end of 2019, already had some of the world’s strictest containment measures and is ramping them up further in the capital.

People flying into China from abroad must quarantine for between two and three weeks in a hotel, and it is unclear if the thousands of athletes, team officials, media and others coming to the Games will have to do likewise.

2nd Afghan city falls as Taliban tighten noose

FIRE SHELTER. A woman sleeps in her car on the beach as wildfire rages in Pefki village on Evia (Euboea) island, second largest Greek island, on August 8. Hundreds of Greek firefighters fought desperately to control wildfires on the island of Evia that have charred vast areas of pine forest, destroyed homes and forced tourists and locals to flee. AFP

Nagasaki observes atomic bomb anniversary TOKYO—The Japanese city of Nagasaki on Monday commemorated the 76th anniversary of its destruction by a US atomic bomb, with the mayor calling for the global community to build on a new nuclear ban treaty.

Nagasaki was flattened in an atomic inferno that killed 74,000 people,

three days after the nuclear bomb that hit Hiroshima.

The twin attacks rang in the nuclear age and gave Japan the bleak distinction of being the only country to be struck by atomic weapons.

Survivors and a handful of foreign dignitaries offered a silent prayer at 11:02 am (0202 GMT), the

exact time the second -- and last -- nuclear weapon used in wartime was dropped.

For a second year, the number of people attending was much smaller due to coronavirus restrictions.

The ceremony is the first since an international treaty banning nuclear weapons came into force last year. AFP

KABUL—The Taliban seized the stronghold of a notorious Afghan warlord Saturday, officials said, the second provincial capital to fall to the insurgents in under 24 hours.

The deputy governor of Jawzjan province told AFP he was with government forces who had abandoned Sheberghan city and retreated to the airport on its outskirts, where they were preparing to defend themselves.

The city is home to warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, who only returned to Afghanistan this week from medical treatment in Turkey, but is currently in Kabul.

Aides said he was meeting with President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday in an attempt to persuade the country’s leader to fly in reinforcements.

“We have demanded the government deploys at least 500 commandos so we could work to retake the city,” said his party’s spokesman, Ehsan Niro.

The Taliban have taken control of vast tracts of rural Afghanistan since early May when they launched a series of offensives to coincide with the start of the final withdrawal of foreign troops.

Afghan government forces largely abandoned the countryside to the insurgents, but are now scrambling to defend a string of cities. AFP

Bereaved in Beirut hold ‘funeral’

BLAST CAUSE. Protestors join families of the August 4 victims during a symbolic funeral procession from Beirut port on August 8, days after the first anniversary of a vast dockside explosion in Lebanon that left more than 200 people dead. AFP

BEIRUT—Lebanese protestors carried imitation coffins in a symbolic funeral procession from Beirut port Sunday to demand justice, days after the first anniversary of a vast dockside explosion that killed more than 200 people.

Families of the victims were joined by dozens of supporters, some wearing black and carrying burning torches, at an entrance to the port where a warehouse fire on August 4 last year ignited a vast stash of ammonium nitrate, causing one of the biggest peacetime blasts in history.

Wives, sisters and mothers of those killed held portraits of their loved ones and marched ahead of three symbolic

coffins covered in flowers, an AFP reporter said.

“Ammonium nitrate did this,” read one sign.

Accompanied by drumming from a marching band, the demonstrators marched through the nearby districts of Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhail, which were heavily damaged by the blast.

“These coffins are symbols to remind people that we carried the coffins of our martyrs,” said Ibrahim Hteit, spokesman for a bereaved families’ association.

“We deserve the truth and we deserve justice for our loved ones. We’re not going to give up,” he said. AFP

Business

B3

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market climbs; AC Energy, Monde Nissin lead gainers China Telecom T eyes $8.4-b IPO —world’s biggest

SHANGHAI—China Telecom could raise more than $8 billion in a Shanghai initial public offering that would be the biggest this year, months after it was delisted in the United States amid Washington’s stand-off with Beijing.

The firm said it had priced its offer at 4.53 yuan per share, which would be worth 47.1 billion ($7.3 billion), according to a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Friday.

However, if an over-allotment option was exercised that would jump to 54 billion yuan ($8.4 billion), Bloomberg News said.

China Telecom was delisted by the New York Stock Exchange in January along with fellow stateowned telecoms firms China Mobile and China Unicom following an executive order by former president Donald Trump.

The order banned investments by Americans into a range of companies deemed to be supplying or supporting China’s military and security apparatus.

China Telecom is the country’s largest fixed-line operator, and the share issue would be the biggest of the year, topping the $5.4 billion raised in Hong Kong by TikTok rival Kuaishou Technology in February.

Many of China’s biggest tech and telecom firms listed their shares on the more developed US stock markets in the 2000s as they sought access to funding, but the tide has been turning.

Authorities have been pushing in recent years to instead encourage such companies to list on its domestic exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen, as well as Hong Kong, a trend expected to be accelerated by an ongoing government campaign to strengthen control over its major tech giants. AFP

HE stock market rose Monday on bargain hunting ahead of the release of the gross domestic product figures in the second quarter today.

The Philippine stock Exchange Index advanced 92.66 points, or 1.4 percent, to 6,632.57 on a value turnover of P6.4 billion.

Gainers beat losers, 115 to 91, with 34 issues unchanged.

Major noodle maker Monde Nissin Corp. climbed 6.9 percent to P16.78, while property developer Ayala Land Inc. of the Ayala Group increased 4.6 percent to P33.80.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group, the biggest mall operator, gained 3.8 percent at P33.90, while AC Energy Corp., a unit of Ayala Corp., rose 2.4 percent to P9.37.

Most Asian markets, meanwhile, rose Monday but investors remained cautious as a forecastbeating US jobs report reinforced optimism about the economic recovery while also fanning speculation the Federal Reserve could begin tapering monetary policy this year.

Spiking infections around the world from the

Delta coronavirus variant are also jangling nerves and hammering oil prices as governments reassess their growth outlooks with some—including China—forced to reimpose lockdowns and other containment measures.

Data from the United States on Friday showed the world’s biggest economy created 943,000 new jobs in July, while the June reading was also revised higher to more than 900,000.

Still, US investors were broadly upbeat, with the Dow and S&P 500 ending at all-time highs, though the Nasdaq slipped with tech firms more sensitive to higher rates.

And Asian investors mostly took up the baton, though early rallies fizzled.

Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok rose but Seoul, Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta slipped while Sydney was flat.

Tokyo and Singapore were closed for holidays.

The employment data news provided some much-needed reassurance that the rebound was still on track despite Delta’s spread.

However, it also renewed concerns that in a bid to prevent overheating, the Fed will start to wind down the ultra-loose policies—including record-low interest rates and a vast bond-buying scheme—that have been integral to an equity market rally since April last year. With AFP

Farmer Liset Garcia (right) helps a customer at her Sweet Girl Farms stand in Reedley, California in California’s drought-stricken Central Valley, July 23, 2021. In the valleys of central California, residents have watched with dismay as verdant fields have turned into brown, dusty plains, leaving shriveled trees, dying plants and exasperated farmers. AFP

Drought threatens California farms supplying much of US food supply

By Camille Camdessus REEDLEY, California—In the valleys of central California, the search for water has turned into an all-out obsession as the region suffers through a drought that could threaten the US food supply.

Residents have watched with dismay as verdant fields have turned into brown, dusty plains, leaving shriveled trees, dying plants and exasperated farmers.

Much of California, and of the broader US West, has suffered through years of lighter-than-usual precipitation and a particularly dry winter.

State and local authorities, fearful that there may not be enough water for city dwellers or wildlife, have abruptly cut supplies to farms, provoking anger and consternation.

Along the roads between major farming operations, billboards have popped up everywhere, urging: “Save California’s Water.” They accuse the authorities of “dumping... our water in the ocean.”

Growers complain that the state’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, is strangling them under a mountain of pointless restrictions, leaving them unable to fill their usual role of supplying America’s supermarkets.

‘Starving’ the world “I had two wells dry up last week,” 28-year-old Nick Foglio, a fourthgeneration farmer and feed broker, told AFP. He added that he has “2,000 acres (800 hectares) of alfalfa going dry.”

Standing in a dusty field near Fresno, he said he worries that with “the wrong political agenda, we’re simply going to starve ourselves and probably the rest of the world.”

California authorities don’t seem to be hearing that message.

Reacting to dire signs of a worsening climate crisis, they passed new emergency legislation last week to prevent thousands of people—notably farmers—from diverting streams or rivers.

“In a year when Mother Nature doesn’t make it rain, there is no water for them,” said Jeanine Jones, a manager with the California Department of Water Resources.

A ‘devastating’ situation When the authorities cut off water supplies, farmers find themselves forced to rely on wells, dug deep into the ground at costs of several thousand dollars. They draw groundwater from subsurface pools hundreds of feet deep. But even they eventually run dry.

“The situation is pretty terrible,” said Liset Garcia, who relied on well water to irrigate half her 20-acre farm—until it dried up. AFP

KUWAIT AUCTION. People shop at a fish market in Kuwait City during auction on August 8, 2021, as auctioning resumes in the country after six months of closure amid the coronavirus pandemic. AFP

On performance feedback JOSEF PAOLO B. ROCAMORA

GREEN LIGHT WE must admit that we are all social beings. We will need to be with people most of the time during our lifetime for various reasons (personal, academic, or business) and in varying degrees of affinity (family, friends, colleagues or acquaintances).

It is also normally acceptable to say that we’re political animals, and this has been academically immortalized in the words of Aristotle, “man is by nature a political animal.” We have this tendency to compete for available (or even scarce) resources, to overcome competition (hopefully, in an objective manner and not the cut-throat type), and to associate ourselves with groups of people or institutions that will provide us with life’s necessities and potential growth opportunities. Inevitably, the quid pro quo principle consistently governs our lives with others, i.e., I go with you because you give me something, and you go with me for precisely the same reason.

Since we’re going to share spaces with people at different times in our lives and expect mutual benefits, we must always show the best version of ourselves to others. We must be fully committed to offering people something beneficial— whether in the form of either tangible or intangible benefits.

Businesses run and function in the same way, and thus, the employer-employee relationship is formed by the mutual interest of people to benefit both parties. The Labor Code of the Philippines governs this relationship and ensures balance and fairness between the interests of both sides.

In case of conflict, the scales of justice favor the employee, but everything else is equal. In this set-up, the employer provides the employee with employment, and the employee renders services to the employer. Thus, the balance will have to be maintained.

Part of ensuring that this contractual relationship stays stable, civil, professional and balanced is the feedback mechanism that typically involves all employees and members of the organization. They are all measured frequently based on a certain determined standard by the organization’s owners to ensure that everyone complies with and intends to reach organizational goals.

Whether as students or professionals, we all went through the familiar monitoring, disciplining, and correcting processes that made us the more experienced and learned people that we have become. And these do not stop until we stop studying or working with other people.

“We all need people who will give us feedback.

That’s how we improve.”—Bill Gates.

Bill Gates’ simple and direct statement, trite as it sounds, is undeniably true. And it is also true that we don’t realize that there’s something wrong with us until someone tells us. I remember hearing something like, “we are usually oblivious to our own smell,” which means that to ourselves, we are normal because we deal with ourselves daily. But to others, we might not be pleasant to be with anymore.

Being an experienced educator, I realize how important and indispensable feedback is to my professional and personality development. Hearing these scornful words may hurt at first, and I may deny their input, but through this experience, I understand how people view me. I know where I can improve further. Though I may have to go through the storm, I appreciate the rainbow and the calm after the tempest.

I had experience with some colleagues who are in denial of what others say about them, but it’s usually easier to find fault in others and relish the fact of being able to tell others. I guess we are just human.

With all these said, I advocate for feedback staying in the organization’s processes and employee awareness. After giving the employees feedback, employers should sit down with them to discuss the areas of concern and suggest ways to improve.

I’m also making this call to employers and Human Resources Departments to craft a feedback mechanism that is timely, updated and relevant. If done well, a sound feedback system will enable companies to achieve a competitive advantage. I urge them to review this mechanism in consultation with key stakeholders and update it regularly as the organization grows and more people are taken in. In this way, organizations can consistently manage their people and maintain the balance in the employer-employee relationship.

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, DLSU. He can be reached at josef_rocamora@dlsu.edu.ph.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

Manila

Standard

TODAY 16th to 22nd Floors, Fort Legend Towers 31st Street corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City 1634 Statement of Condition (Head Office and Branches) As of June 30, 2021 AMOUNTS

ASSETS

CURRENT QUARTER

PREVIOUS QUARTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS JACK LEE Chairman

Cash and Cash Items Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Loans and Receivables - Net Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivables - Others Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net Real and Other Properties Acquired-Net Other Assets-Net

505,162,112.86 2,941,405,439.95 1,569,215,861.88 644,426,054.46 6,456,216,066.54 3,731,055,461.90 34,260,799,898.56 3,267,160,000.00 30,889,634,477.42 548,690,675.00 444,685,253.86 504,895,531.72 997,089,991.53 95,541,233.56 1,462,239,874.13

594,153,795.29 4,321,196,039.73 1,113,768,076.88 1,083,200,788.97 7,832,036,310.86 2,918,949,738.50 29,777,311,388.02 2,770,616,000.00 26,997,229,942.16 412,268,757.00 402,803,311.14 493,860,032.46 1,026,414,468.01 100,384,321.01 1,177,714,585.11

OLIVER D. JIMENO LI-HSUAN JUAN KEVIN HUANG ALEXANDER A. PATRICIO STEPHEN D. SY LUIS Y. BENITEZ JR.

TOTAL ASSETS

53,168,047,527.09

50,438,989,544.84

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Bills Payable a) Interbank Loans Payable Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities

67,167,235.11 36,023,811,136.44 1,947,689,083.48 1,947,689,083.48 1,044,726,270.00 3,341,287,849.14

65,373,585.59 33,870,864,648.52 2,932,177,899.07 2,932,177,899.07 473,995,503.78 2,642,574,852.92

TOTAL LIABILITIES

42,424,681,574.17

39,984,986,489.88

JIMMY ARSENIO Y. SAMONTE Senior Vice President

5,505,833,769.57 -68,187,040.37 5,305,719,223.72

5,505,833,769.57 -357,549,938.33 5,305,719,223.72

RAFAEL V. RUFINO III Senior Vice President

TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

10,743,365,952.92

10,454,003,054.96

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

53,168,047,527.09

50,438,989,544.84

Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accounts Derivatives Others

870,369,934.64 62,940,569.30 1,083,142,132.58 350,000,000.00 3,980,555,241.77 1,638,509,384.74 641,027,679.36 997,481,705.38 19,651,094,850.01 1,789,824,027.53

1,299,722,074.11 125,599,341.25 1,192,925,738.99 350,000,000.00 4,883,190,626.26 1,823,494,561.55 719,277,658.83 1,104,216,902.72 22,056,049,689.27 2,594,669,047.33

TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

29,426,436,140.57

34,325,651,078.76

35,515,969,780.35 810,484,627.93

31,143,561,163.42 963,446,464.26

714,005,693.65 2.01% 293,635,446.30 0.83% 175.79%

948,312,423.03 3.04% 440,119,665.40 1.41% 144.07%

LIABILITIES

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings

CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross Total Loan Portfolio (TLP) Specific Allowance for credit losses on the TLP Non-performing Loans (NPLs) a. Gross NPLs b. Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) c. Net NPLs d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) e. Ratio of total allowance for credit losses to gross NPL (%) f. Ratio of specific allowance for credit losses on the gross TLP to gross NPL (%) Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses Ratio of DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to TLP (%) Gross Non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivable to TLP (%) Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises b. 2% for Medium Enterprises Return on Equity (ROE) (%) Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis a. Total CAR (%) b. TIER 1 Ratio (%) c. CET 1 (%) Deferred Charges not yet Written Down Unbooked Allowance for Credit Losses on Financial Instruments Received Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) in Single Currency on Solo Basis (%) Basel III Leverage Ratio (BLR) on Solo Basis (%)

113.51%

101.60%

3,718,889,374.11

4,856,816,920.10

16,741,800.44

16,359,481.49

0.05% 0.00

0.05% 0.00

0.00%

0.00%

3.28% 1.78% 2.58%

2.99% 1.83% -0.52%

24.82% 23.97% 23.97% 0.00 0.00 170.52% 18.43%

26.96% 26.10% 26.10% 0.00 0.00 220.13% 18.57%

I/ We hereby certify that all matters set forth in this Published Balance Sheet are true and correct, to the best of my knowledge and belief.

(Sgd.) ANDREW A. FALCON Chief Finance Officer (Signature Over Printed Name)

(Sgd.) OLIVER D. JIMENO President and CEO (Signature Over Printed Name)

WILLIAM B. GO Vice Chairman DIRECTORS

OLIVER D. JIMENO President and CEO ARTHUR WANG Deputy Chief Executive Officer ERIBERTO LUIS S. ELIZAGA Executive Vice President

REMO ROMULO M. GARROVILLO JR. Senior Vice President LOLITO RAMON A. CERRER, JR. Senior Vice President JUSTINE BENEDICT G. DELA ROSA Senior Vice President MARY ANNE G. BERNAL Senior Vice President MARIA ALICIA C. MARASIGAN Senior Vice President

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

B4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021

Business Agriculture production fell by 1.5% in second quarter T

Metro Pacific set to complete Cebu-Cordova bridge February

By Othel V. Campos

HE agriculture and fisheries production, which represent about a tenth of the gross domestic product, declined 1.5 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.

By Darwin G. Amojelar METRO Pacific Tollways Corp. said Monday it expects to compete the P31-billion new expressway in Cebu province by February next year.

“Right now the project [CebuCordoba Link Expressway] is 80-percent complete. Our expectation is by February of next year, at least this iconic bridge will be open for traffic. It will be a great boost for the people of Cebu and we are excited about this project,” MPTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said.

The 8.5-kilometer CCLEX spans the Mactan Channel, linking Cebu City with the municipality of Cordova and outlying towns of Cebu province.

CCLEX will have two lanes in each direction that will provide a safe, quick and scenic passage to around 50,000 vehicles daily, easing the traffic in two old bridges–the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.

CCLEX has a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour and a navigational clearance or height of 51 meters to allow large vessels to pass underneath the bridge.

The expressway project in Cebu is being implemented by Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. under a joint venture agreement with the local governments of Cebu City and Cordova.

CCLEC is a subsidiary company of MPTC, the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. which is a publicly-listed infrastructure holding company and a member of the MVP Group.

MPTC reported a core income of P1.9 billion in the first half, up 105 percent from the same period last year.

Revenues went up 36 percent to P8.3 billion with improved traffic volumes benefitting from reduced mobility restrictions and continuing vaccine roll-out.

“This was attributed to the decline in livestock and fisheries production,” the PSA said in a statement Monday. The second-quarter figure brought farm output in the first six months of 2021 to a negative 2.5 percent.

Crops, which accounted for 56.2 percent of the total agricultural production, rose 3.1 percent with palay and corn harvests posting increased harvests.

Palay production increased 1.2 percent to 4.17 million metric tons from 4.12 million MT, while corn production grew 6.3 percent to 1.43 million MT

from 1.35 million MT, according to the PSA. It also noted a double-digit growth for sugarcane at 34.8 percent, potato at 24.8 percent, onion at 22.0 percent and cabbage at 13.1 percent. Increases in production levels were registered for cacao at 9.9 percent, rubber at 5.9 percent and pineapple at 4.6 percent.

There were improved harvests for tomato at 3.0 percent, ampalaya at 2.7 percent, eggplant at 2.1 percent, banana at 1.3 percent, coconut at 0.8 percent and sweet potato at 0.1 percent.

The livestock subsector dropped 19.3 percent, pulled down by the 26.2-percent decline in hog production. Poultry production increased 2.5 percent, with duck, chicken eggs and duck eggs posting output increments.

Fisheries sank 1.1 percent, with double-digit declines noted for yellowfin tuna, roundscad, threadfin bream, frigate tuna, fimbriated sardines, skipjack and Bali sardinella.

The PSA said that at current prices, the value of agricultural production amounted to P503.3 billion in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, the PSA revised the firstquarter gross domestic product performance to -3.9 percent from the preliminary estimate of -4.2 percent. The PSA will release the second-quarter GDP data Tuesday.

The PSA revises the GDP estimates based on an approved revision policy consistent with international standard practices on national accounts revisions.

AMLC SATELLITE OFFICE. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno (center) leads the opening of the AntiMoney Laundering Council satellite office at the New Mint Plant Building, BSP Security Plant Complex in Quezon City. With Diokno are (from left) Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Emilio Aquino and AMLC Secretariat executive director Mel Georgie Racela. Apart from its close proximity to law enforcement and intelligence agencies for easier coordination, the satellite office will accommodate the AMLC's additional personnel.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING To All Stockholders: Please be advised that the annual meeting of stockholders of MARCVENTURES HOLDINGS, INC. (the “Corporation”) will be held virtually on September 3, 2021 (Friday) at 2:00 p.m. at the 4th Floor, BDO Towers Paseo (formerly Citibank Center), 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. Due to the COVID-19 situation and for the health and safety of the stockholders, the meeting will be conducted by remote communication or in absentia and may be accessed through the following link: https://conveneagm.com/ph/ASM-MHI-2021.

The Agenda of the meeting is as follows:

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SUPERMARKET chain operator Puregold Price Club Inc. said Monday net income climbed 17.3 percent in the first half to P3.99 billion from P3.4 billion in the same period last year on higher sales.

Puregold said in a statement firsthalf consolidated net sales rose 7.1 percent year-on-year to P76.18 billion.

“Puregold’s innovative digitization approach through our Puregold Mobile app, Puregold Channel and our e-commerce website will enable us to connect seamlessly with our consumers during this COVID-19 pandemic and at the same time strengthens customer loyalty,” said Puregold president Vincent Co said.

The company said at least 72 percent of the total revenues came from Puregold Stores network and the remaining 28 percent from S&R Membership warehouse clubs and S&R New York Style Pizza stores.

Consolidated income from operations grew 7.5 percent to P6.14 billion from P5.71 billion a year ago, on strategic cost controls.

The grocery chain opened 15 new Puregold stores in the first half and plans to add 30 to 40 stores in the second half. It also seeks to open two S&R warehouse clubs.

Puregold group now has 484 stores nationwide, moving closer to its goal of 500 stores nationwide. These include 418 Puregold stores, 20 S&R membership shopping warehouse and 46 S&R New York Style QSR outlets.

The company earmarked P4.1 billion to P4.7 billion for capital expenditures this year. About half of this year’s budget will be allocated for the new stores.

Puregold launched the Puregold Mobile App in 2020 as consumers mobility was hindered by the pandemic.

The app allows shoppers and members to purchase goods conveniently via smart phones. There are 780,000 subscribers of the app.

Meralco announces higher rate in August

Pag-IBIG Fund gets COA’s highest audit rating

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By Jenniffer B. Austria

IN BRIEF

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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Puregold’s net earnings rose 17% to P4b in 1st half

Call to Order Proof of Notice and Certification of Quorum Approval of Minutes of Previous Stockholders’ Meeting Approval of the Management Report and Audited Financial Statements Ratification of All Acts of the Board of Directors and Management Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation to Reduce the Number of Directors Election of Directors Appointment of the Independent External Auditor Other Matters Adjournment

PAG-IBIG Fund earned the Commission on Audit’s highest audit rating for the ninth consecutive year despite the pandemic, top officials said Friday.

In a letter dated July 29, COA informed the agency that it rendered an unmodified opinion—its highest rating—on the fairness of the presentation of Pag-IBIG Fund’s financial statements for the year 2020.

“We faced many challenges last year. However, we remained committed in managing the Filipino workers’ fund excellently. We implemented a number of loan payment reprieves and stimulus programs to help our members and stakeholders during the lockdown while ensuring that these did not affect our robust financial standing,” said Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, chairman of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and of the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund board of trustees.

“Our ninth straight top rating from state auditors is a milestone for us as an organization and

serves as proof that even amid the health emergency, we heed the call of President Duterte in ensuring that government offices like ours are run professionally and remain corruptionfree,” said del Rosario.

From 2012 to 2017, Pag-IBIG Fund earned COA’s unqualified opinion and from 2018 to 2020, it gained its unmodified opinion. Auditors use both the unqualified opinion and unmodified opinion, which are the highest ratings that COA gives to a government agency or corporation, to mean that the financial statements of an agency are presented, in all material respects, in accordance with applicable financial reporting frameworks.

Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive Acmad Rizaldy Moti said that even while they rapidly responded to the needs of members, stakeholders and their own personnel through numerous programs and interventions, the agency made sure that all requisite processes were strictly followed ensuring that all were above-board prior to implementation.

The deadline for submission of proxies is on August 24, 2021. Validation of proxies will take place on August 27, 2021.

Pursuant to SEC Notice dated March 16, 2021, a copy of this Notice, the Definitive Information Statement, Management Report, Proxy Form, minutes of the previous meeting of the stockholders, and other documents related to the meeting may be accessed through the Company’s website https://www. marcventuresholdings.com/.

Makati City, August 4, 2021.

ROBERTO V. SAN JOSE Corporate Secretary *All proxies which have been previously submitted shall remain valid unless revoked.

(MS-AUG. 9 & 10, 2021)

Globe hikes 2021 spending to P76b GLOBE Telecom Inc. said it raised its capital expenditure budget by P6 billion this year to support its data network expansion nationwide.

“Our guidance for capex moved from P70 billion to P76 billion for 2021,” RIza Maniego-Eala, chief financial officer of Globe, said in a virtual briefing.

Eala said the bulk of this year’s capex would be spent for data network expansion nationwide. As of June, Globe invested a record P43.3 billion to improve its network infrastructure and internet connectivity, beating last year’s spending by 107 percent.

Globe made significant strides in its network expansion with 641 new cell sites as of first half, and 8,175 site upgrades which included both 4G LTE and 5G. Globe also surpassed the 600,000 fiber-to-the-home lines delivered in 2020, connecting more households all over the country to fiber. Darwin G. Amojelar

ICTSI’s Iraq unit hits new milestone

For purposes of the meeting, stockholders of record as of August 3, 2021 are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the said meeting. Stockholders intending to participate by remote communication should register at https:// conveneagm.com/ph/ASM-MHI-2021 on or before August 24, 2021. The password to attend the meeting shall be provided by the Company to all stockholders of record or their proxies who have successfully registered to attend the meeting. Please refer to the Procedure for Participation and Voting at the 2021 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting (attached to the Definitive Information Statement) for detailed information on participation by remote communication and voting in absentia (electronic voting) or by proxy.

For any questions about the conduct of the virtual meeting, you may send an email to maila.decastro@marcventures.com.ph or inquiries@ marcventures.com.ph.

MANILA Electric Co., the biggest retailer of electricity, announced Monday a slight upward adjustment in power rate by P0.0965 per kilowatt-hour in August.

The rate translates into an increase of around P19 in the monthly bill of a residential customer consuming 200 kWh. The overall rate for a typical household rose to P9.0036 per kWh from P8.9071 per kWh in July.

Meralco vice president and spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga, however, said this month’s rate is still lower than the pre-pandemic charge of P9.5674 in August 2019 and P10.2190 in August 2018, which showed the series of competitive biddings by the company resulted in lower electricity charges.

The transmission charge for residential customers increased by P0.1331 per kWh to P0.7323 per kWh this month from P0.5992 in July on higher ancillary service charges, which accounted for about 36 percent of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ total transmission charge.

“The higher rates, however, were tempered by Meralco’s continued implementation of the Distribution Rate True-Up refund, which began in March,” Zaldarriaga said. Alena Mae S. Flores

INTERVENN RAISES P10B. InterVenn Biosciences announces the completion of a P10billion Series C financing from SoftBank Group, Heritage Provider Network, Irving Investors and Highside Capital Management. The fund will largely be allocated for the development and commercialization of Dawn, a blood-based test aimed at helping physicians appropriately match cancer patients to the immuno-oncology therapy with the best possible chance of response.

InterVenn, headquartered in California, is led by Filipino founder and chief executive Aldo Carrascoso (right), a graduate of the Ateneo De Manila University and Babson College.

BASRA Gateway Terminal, a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc. in Iraq, handled three million twentyfoot equivalent units after seven years of operating the Port of Umm Qasr.

“Three million TEUs in seven years is a remarkable feat. We continue to focus on strong collaborative efforts with all our customers–the shipping lines, cargo owners and transporters–to maximize our efficiency,” said BGT chief executive Romeo Salvador.

“Through efficient operations, digitalization and focus on safety, BGT reaffirms its commitment to supporting the country’s economy and providing world-class service to our growing customer base,” he said.

Since BGT started operations, ICTSI invested more than $250 million to modernize the multipurpose terminal. The investments include the construction of three new berths at BGT East, rehabilitation and expansion of the three existing berths and the terminal yard, acquisition of new equipment including three postPanamax quay cranes–the largest in Iraq, and implementation of state-of-the-art systems, all of which have helped BGT maintain its market leader position. Darwin G. Amojelar

Sports

Diaz receives P14M condo unit from Megaworld THE Philippines’ first and only Olympic gold medalist, Hidilyn Diaz, can now officially call Eastwood City her home.

The 30-year-old Diaz on Monday received her P14-million, fully-furnished two-bedroom condominium unit gift at the 47-storey One Eastwood Avenue from tycoon Dr. Andrew L. Tan and property giant Megaworld, days after returning to the country following a successful stint at the just concluded Olympic Games held in Tokyo, Japan.

The unit, which was specially curated by Megaworld’s in-house interior design team, comes complete with furniture and fixtures as well as appliances.

“All that Hidilyn and her family need to do is just bring their clothes and other personal effects, and they are good to stay in the unit.

We are excited to welcome her and her family and loved ones to Eastwood City, particularly in this newest residential condominium tower in our first-ever township.

She has brought so much pride to our country and she deserves all these rewards for her hardwork in raising our flag so high in the Tokyo Olympics,” says Kevin L. Tan, chief strategy officer, Megaworld, and son of the real estate magnate.

Also lending a nostalgic feel to Diaz’s new space is a commissioned charcoal painting by 21-year-old fine arts student, John Ken Gomez, which captured two images of Diaz’s historic and emotional moment at the Tokyo Olympics, and a special message from Megaworld that says, “Thank you for lifting our country up high.”

This is prominently displayed in the unit’s living room.

“The story of Hidilyn’s victory is a great source of inspiration for Filipinos. I hope every time she looks at that artwork, she will be reminded that she is a symbol of hope and pride for all of us,” Gomez shares.

As an owner of a condo unit, Diaz and her family can enjoy the first-class amenities of One Eastwood Avenue, which include a badminton court at the roofdeck, landscaped gardens, a lap pool with pool seat jets, paved sunbathing lounge and seating area, and a bar with indoor and outdoor lounge. There are also skygardens located on the 8th, 18th, and 28th floors of the tower.

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Japan on Monday. At left, Megaworld chief strategy officer, Kevin L. Tan (right), hands to Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz a commissioned charcoal painting done by 21-year old John Ken Gomez showing Diaz’s historic Olympic moment. (Photos courtesy of Philippine Airlines and Megaworld)

RSA to give P22 million to Olympic medalists

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AN Miguel Corporation (SMC) president Ramon S. Ang will give Tokyo Olympics medalists, led by the country’s very first gold medal winner, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, a total of P22 million in incentives for achieving the Philippines’ best Olympic performance after 97 years of competing in the foremost international competition.

Ang’s “personal gift” or incentive to the winning athletes, as earlier announced by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) prior to the Summer Games, will consist of P10 million for weightlifter Diaz, P5 million each for boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio for winning silver medals, and P2 million for boxer Eumir Marcial’s bronze finish.

“As a longtime partner and supporter of Philippine sports, I’m so happy for our athletes. All their hard work paid off. They’ve opened the eyes of so many Filipinos sports patrons, fans, and aspir-

Eduard Folayang of Team Lakay hopes to end his streak of losses when he sees action against Zhang Lipeng of China at ONE: Battleground II in Singapore.

ing athletes that indeed, we Filipinos can compete and win against the best in the world in the Olympics. This is just the beginning. We have the momentum. We can only get stronger in the succeeding Olympics,” Ang said.

“I’m especially grateful to Hidilyn, whom we’ve supported for several years now, for giving honor to the country by winning our very first Olympic gold medal. We can build on these successes to develop stronger sports programs and produce more Olympic winners like Hidilyn, Carlo, Nesthy, and Eumir,”said Ang.

Ang also said that the Olympic athletes, as well as their coaches and teams, gave the Philippines more than just medals.

“The message of this Olympic campaign for us Filipinos is clear. We are resilient in the face of challenges and we do not back down from adversity. This pandemic is perhaps one of the greatest challenges in our lifetime. Thank you Hidilyn, Carlo, Nesthy, and Eumir for giving us hope and inspiration during this critical time. You showed us that nothing is impossible,” Ang said.

Ang added that as the Olympics showcased the outstanding athletic feats that fully-trained athletes are capable of, it also serves as a reminder that people are not limited, and that Filipinos should endeavor to keep fit and healthy in the face of COVID-19.

“Aside from following health protocols to stop the transmission of the virus and getting vaccinated, we should also do our best to make sure we are mentally and physi-

AT this point, Eduard “Landslide” Folayang should have grown tired of the criticism thrown his way, on whether at 36 years of age, the two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion should already hang his gloves for good.

But the proof is in the pudding, that despite the Igorot warrior being on the losing end of his last three fights, he remains on top of his game and can still hang with the best the lightweight division has to offer.

That’s why for Folayang, his next bout against Chinese star Zhang Lipeng in the main event of ONE: BATTLEGROUND II on Aug. 13 in Singapore will be a make-or-break match in its truest form.

“I agree and I see it as a make-or-break, meaning break in a literal way that it will be the fight that will break my skid of losses,” he said, with his past slide dropping his record to 22-11.

“Every fight is imp Brave FCortant to me so yes, I need to be so focused to make it this time. This fight against Zhang means a lot because it will give me the opportunity to step forward again, one step closer to my goal of becoming a champion once more.”

It’s easy to say that Folayang really has nothing else to prove in his career.

Being the face of Philippine mixed martial arts in the past half-decade, he has led the Filipino charge

in the realm of ONE Championship as warriors from Team Lakay showed that it truly can be considered as among the best athletes in the world.

Though his legacy is already intact, Folayang argues that he still has a lot more to give.

“I’m not yet done,” a defiant Folayang said. “In fact, I’m more fired up than ever.”

It has been more than two years since Folayang last draped that illustrious ONE Lightweight World Championship on his shoulders. And there’s no question that he misses the feeling of holding that title on his arms and wearing it on his waist.

But his recent skid also means that Folayang is farther than ever from the pinnacle of the lightweight division, which fuels the doubts thrown his way.

Understanding his current situation, the Team Lakay veteran knows that there’s only one way to silence the chatter -- both on his status as one of the best in the weight class and his capabilities to still be on top whenever he enters the ONE Circle.

“Sometimes people who are doing nothing and have nothing to strive for want you to be like them and they do this by talking negatively and pulling people down,” he said.

And the only tonic he has in mind? It’s not just to win over Zhang, but to win emphatically.

Ramirez vows to continue gains by Tokyo Olympians THE future of 19 Filipino athletes who competed and won medals in the Tokyo Olympics will not be neglected.

The plan for their future will be discussed when sports officials convene a series of meetings in the coming days.

Their participation in competitions that will help them qualify for the Paris Olympics will be mapped out and tackled in detail.

Sustaining the goals and gains made in the Olympiad will be put on review, according to Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez.

Ramirez, who will sit down with Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino and representatives from the private sector, said this

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10 , 2021

WELCOME HOME. Olympic boxing silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial fly back home via Philippine Airlines flight from Tokyo,

Make or ‘break’ for Folayang at One: Battleground II

By Peter Atencio

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

after he got back from Tokyo, and while undergoing quarantine.

“We have to confer with Cong. Tolentino and the private sector on these athletes.

Iyung 19 na iyan, tuluy-tuloy lang kanilang training up to the Olympics in Paris, Los Angeles and Brisbane,” said Ramirez.

The government sports agency is now crafting a playbook, and it will serve as a guide for athletes, coaches, the national sports associations and the private sponsors in their efforts to to prepare selected athletes for major international competitions.

It’s based on the experiences of these 19 athletes, and how they prepared and participated in their respective events in the quadrennial meet.

Many of these athletes were first timers in joining Olympic events, and they have found it difficult to make

podium finishes.

And they need to be given numerous chances to be able to join future Olympicrelated events.

“Bihirang-bihiran ang isang debutante, ang isang baguhan sa Olympics na Manalo ng medalya, lalo na ng gold,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez drew an example out of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s experience.

Diaz, now 30, needed to join four Olympiad before she is finally able to bring home the gold medal.

Now done with her fourth Olympic stint, Diaz may still see action in the Paris Games, if she is still up to it.

Diaz led the Philippine campaign with a gold medal in the 55-kg. class of women’s weightlifting, with boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio getting silvers

William Ramirez

in the men’s flyweight and women’s featherweight categories.

On the other hand, pro-bound Eumir Marcial took the bronze medal in the men’s middleweight.

cally fit and healthy during this crisis. I believe that will help us a lot in coping with the stresses of this time,” Ang said.

Before the pandemic, SMC consistently supported the country’s participation and hosting of international competitions, including the staging of 2019 Southeast Asian Games. In this SEA Games edition, the Philippines also completed its best performance so far in 42 years of participation with a haul of 149 gold medals, 117 silvers and 121 bronzes.

In 2005, SMC also backed the Philippine team that won the overall championship in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games with 112 golds, 85 silvers and 93 bronzes.

Ang, through SMC, is also a major supporter of Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards. The PSA, 100-member, 56-year-old association holds the annual awarding ceremony to honor athletes, coaches, officials and organizations that made a significant impact to Philippine sports.

Brave FC nominated to MMA Awards BRAVE Combat Federation is nominated for two major citations at the 13th Annual World MMA Awards.

The Bahrain-based promotion joins the Best Promotion of the Year category with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Bellator MMA, Legacy Fighting Alliance and UAE Warriors.

Amid the pandemic, PFL made its return last April for the 2021 regular season, setting up shop in a state-ofthe-art bubble at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Like other MMA promotions, BRAVE CF also had to cancel a couple of its scheduled events at the onset of the global health crisis.

However, it managed to bounce back a few months later and held a successful series of shows in countries such as Slovenia, Romania, Sweden and its home base of Bahrain.

This year, BRAVE CF has extended its reach in Europe, hosting fight cards in Russia, Belarus and Italy. The promotion is slated to have another show in the region with its debut offering in Konin, Poland on September 25.

Apart from the company itself, BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid is likewise one of the five nominees for the Leading Man of the Year award alongside UFC boss Dana White, MMA manager Ed Soares, IMMAF chief Densign White and Bellator’s Scott Coker.

Voting for the 13th Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards is now underway at worldmmaawards. com. It will conclude on Sept. 8.

BRAVE CF will return to Almaty, Kazakhstan on August 21st to hold BRAVE CF 53. Hometown hero Nurzhan Akishev is penciled to face South Korea’s Tae Kyun Kim in the main event.

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Sports

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021

Wizards postpone Summer League tiff due to virus WASHINGTON—The Washington Wizards were forced to postpone an NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas on Sunday, lacking enough players to face the Indiana Pacers due to Covid-19 regulations. he team announced late Saturday that guards Cassius Winston and Issuf Sanon and forward Isaiah Todd had entered NBA Covid-19 health and safety protocols.

The Wizards could not field a minimal roster due to Covid-19 contact tracing according to NBA health and safety rules.

The contest was to have been the Wizards’ opener in the off-season event, used mainly for rookies and second-year players.

Sanon, a 21-year-old rookie, is from Ukraine. Winston and Todd are Americans.

The Wizards’ lineup also includes Colombian rookie center Jaime Echenique and Mali forward Chieck Diallo, who was among three signed Saturday to help fill out the roster.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat inked NBA All-Star guard Jimmy Butler to a four-year contract extension Saturday worth a reported $184 million dollars.

Heat president Pat Riley called Butler “the anchor and face” of the franchise in announcing the deal, an extension of the contract that will pay Butler $36 million for the 2021-22 NBA season.

The club did not announce terms of the deal that will keep Butler in Miami through the 2025-26 season, but ESPN, citing Butler’s agent, said it was worth $184 million.

“With Jimmy, we get an All-NBA player, an All-NBA Defensive player, tough as nails and a complete player across the board,” Riley said.

“He’s very deserving of this contract as he continually puts himself at the top of the league at his position.

Having him in the Heat organization has been a great, great coup for us.”

Butler started all 52 games in which he played last season, averaging a team-leading 21.5 points, 7.1 assists and 6.9 rebounds. His 2.08 steals per game led the league.

Butler also shot 86.3 percent from the foul line. AFP

People walk over part of the course at the Olympic facility for BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo, the morning after the closing ceremony for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. AFP

Tokyo counts cost of $15B pandemic Olympics gamble

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OKYO—Tokyo awoke to a huge bill and soaring coronavirus cases on Monday after pulling off a mid-pandemic Olympics that at times looked impossible and had a mixed reception to the end.

Olympic officials have been predictably bullish, saying the Games offered hope and uplifting moments, and went off without any major coronavirus outbreaks.

“These Olympic Games have been a powerful demonstration of the unifying power of sport,” International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach said at his closing press conference.

But it will take longer for Japan to reckon with a Games that were highly controversial and unfolded as virus cases exploded in Tokyo and elsewhere.

The Asahi Shimbun daily, which had called for cancellation despite being a sponsor of the Games, said the nearly $15 billion event was a “gamble” with people’s lives.

“This gamble went ahead, making the situation worse,” it said on Monday.

A poll conducted by the paper over the last two days of the Games found 56 percent of Japanese supported holding the event, with 32 percent opposed.

Just 32 percent said they felt the Games were “safe and secure”, with 54 percent unconvinced.

Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics were unlike any other, starting with last year’s historic postponement that upturned years of planning for athletes.

Restrictions at the Games themselves meant masks for all, cheering for none, and fans banned from almost all venues for the first time.

‘High praise’ Despite everything, as the Games opened there were signs that Japan’s public might be having a change of heart.

Thousands flocked to the Olympic Sta-

dium for a glimpse of the opening ceremony fireworks and a chance to take their photo in front of the Olympic rings.

When the sport got under way, people defied requests to stay away from events held on public roads, and snapped up Olympic merchandise in stores across Japan.

“If you see these athletes running in front of you, you can’t help but cheer for them,” Hirochika Tadeda told AFP along the route of the triathlon, which passed in front of his home.

Tributes to the athletes were a key theme of editorials in Japan on Monday, with the Yomiuri Shimbun offering “high praise for competitions into which they poured all their efforts.”

There had been concerns about what the pandemic and the postponement would mean for sport at the Games.

But despite some high-profile disappointments, performances remained impressive, with world records broken and the successful introduction of several new sports including skateboarding and surfing. AFP

Olympic medalists, Tolentino, Ramirez to grace PSA Forum THE Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum resumes with a bang as no less than the country’s four medalists in the just concluded Tokyo Olympics led by first ever gold winner Hidilyn Diaz, grace the virtual session this Tuesday (August 10).

Diaz reunites with silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, along with bronze medal winner Eumir Marcial in the public sports program, where they will be joined by Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez.

The special session presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation starts at 10:30 a.m.

The Forum is powered by Smart and Upstream Media as the official webcast partner.

PSA President Rey Lachica of Tempo enjoins members to follow the session via livestreaming on the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation, officially shared by Radyo Pilipinas 2 Facebook page.

Zumbarangay Pilipinas drumbeats need for mental, physical fitness in pandemic ALMOST 300 women, girls and LGBTQI joined Zumbarangay Pilipinas Solo Exercise On-Cam Challenge with video entries of their solo dance performance to the tune of the original exercise music, Igalaw galaw Ating Katawan. Its upbeat track invites everyone to rise up, shape up, and move their bodies to the beat.

The nationwide exercise campaign organized by the Women in Sports of the Philippine Sports Commission received entries from the barangay level across its four categories: Women Frontliner category; Women Open category, LGBTQ category, and kids and young category, which accepted entries from participants aged 6-17 years old, and with parent’s or guardian’s consent.

In the form of a fun-filled contest, the Zumbarangay Pilipinas keeps a row of internationally renowned personalities from the dance, fitness and

sports industries.

Judged based on forms and style, movement, vigor and energy, and Philippine cultural and artistry value, qualified barangay-level entries moved on to city/ town-level qualifiers, and to provincial, regional and national levels.

The panel of judges for the city/town level include an international dance sports multi-medalist, an award-winning international choreographer, licensed Zumba instructors, and a certified group exercise instructor.

Stephanie Sabalo is a celebrity and international multi-medalist dance sport athlete, who won two golds and one silver in the 19th SouthEast Games. She clinched the top five position, besting 150 couples from around the globe, who competed in the Adult Amateur Five Dance category in the German Open Championships in 2015.

FREE THROW SHOOTER NATHANIEL DELA CRUZ

Numbers that matter AS THE smoke of the preseason transfer clears, there seems to be a sudden fixation about the age of several Los Angeles Lakers players, with the poorly veiled insinuation that a team with that many veteran superstars is an old unit that will have a hard time - if not be truly incapable – of winning the championship.

I say this as a fan, not of the LA Lakers, but as a fan of avoiding hasty conclusions and putting to full use the merits of being observant, prudent, and thoughtful: if you are looking for the chink in the armor of the Lakers, it is not the age of

its players. That number is irrelevant.

The Lakers will not lose because they are old, by NBA’s (or the NBA fans’) standards.

If you think a team loaded by players in their 30s is weak, then consider this: there are at least 3 players in their 30s in each of the four best basketball teams in the Tokyo Olympics. Slovenia has Jaka Blažič, who is 31, while Zoran Dragic is 32 and Jakob Cebasek is 30. Six players in the Australian men’s basketball team are in their 30s - Chris Goulding (32), Joe Ingles (33), Matthew Dellavedova (30), Nathan Sobey (31), Aaron Baynes (34), and Patty Mills (32), who had 48 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal against Slovenia to lead Australia to its first-ever Olympic medal in men’s basketball.

First runner-up France has four on the roster who are in their 30s - Andrew Albicy (31 years old), Thomas Heurtel and Nicolas Batum (both 32 years old), and Nando de Colo (34 years old). Five gold medalists from the US team are in their 30s - Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Draymond Green are all 31 years old; Kevin Durant is 32 while Javale McGee is 33.

And it is not just in basketball. The

Chris Beltran is an international and award-winning choreographer, best known as the Coach and Director of the 2017 and 2016 back to back World Hip-Hop International Champions in USA, UPeepz.

Aside from Hip Hop International, he has also won gold medals in the 2015 and 2013 World Supremacy Battlegrounds Champions in Australia. An international choreographer who has taught in Guam, LA, New Zealand, Scotland, Bangkok, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne to name a few, he has been recognized by the NCAA as a threetime Ani ng Dangal Awardee for Dance in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Professor Michiko Aseron is a dance faculty from the University of the Philippines Diliman-College of Human Kinetics as well as a licensed Zumba instructor and ballet teachers.

Coach Lenlen Ruis is a certified AFAA group Exercise instructor who started Tokyo Olympics hosted a slew of elitelevel athletes many of them in their 40s or 50s - Australia’s Mary Hanna (equestrian) is 66, mind you. Ni Xialian (Luxembourg, table tennis) is 58; Phillip Dutton (US, equestrian) is 57; Steffen Petters (US, dressage) is 56; Jessica Kraut (US, jumping) is 55; Nino Salukvadze (Georgia, shooting) is 52; Oksana Chusovitina (Uzbekistan, gymnastics) and Rune ‘The Danish Destroyer’ Glifberg (skateboarding) are both 46; Abdi Abdirahman (US, track and field) is 44; Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena (beach volleyball) and Antonio Díaz (Venezuela, karate) are all 41; Sue Bird (US, women’s basketball) is 40. This is not to mention the long list of athletes in their mid-30s and late-30s competing - and winning - in the biggest sporting stage in the world.

A 2018 study on the linear decrease in athletic performance points out that decline begins after swimmers, longdistance runners, and sprinters reach 70 years old, while a 2008 research noted that “for elite athletes in all sports, as for the general population, age-related muscle atrophy begins at about 50 years

her career in the Fitness Industry in the late 80s. She was also known as a world class sport aerobics athlete in the 90s. In 2003, Coach Lenlen Ruis began to serve as the head coach of the aerobic gymnastics Philippine team, and led several aerobic gymnasts to win medals in the SEA Gmaes 2003, SEA Games 2005 and other international competitions.

Bam Mogato is a American Council of age”. Active NBA players in their 30s are still decades away from experiencing the start of the considerable decline of their athleticism, and people easily believe that the mid-30s Lakers are not competitive enough. I hope they are not betting men putting money on it, and before you do, consider that these basketball players who are ridiculed for their age, have been playing elite-level, highly competitive basketball with enough minutes logged in practice, training, regular season, and postseason games to stay in peak shape.

The number that will matter in LA’s winning or losing is not age.

A more important number to consider is minutes - how these will be dispensed and how it will affect those who get the short end of the stick. Young or old, it is not easy to be a solid contributor if you are playing limited minutes in sporadic appearances.

A more important number to consider is their defensive rating as a unit, or their outside shooting and turnover averages.

It does not matter if they are old if they can defend. It does not matter if they are old if they can outshoot you. It does not

on Exercise Certified Fitness Instructor since 2000, a Barre3 Certified Teacher since 2009, and a Certified Kettlebell Teacher by IKFF 2011 and IKSF since 2015. She completed a Certificate in Sports Graduate in 1994 from the University of the Philippines.

For more information on Zumbarangay Pilipinas mechanics, please visit www.riseupshapeup.com. matter if they are old if they can outsmart you. It does not matter if they are old if they can work together seamlessly and flawlessly; after all, success is the rabbit in a magic trick and teamwork is when the wand, the hat, and the hands are all complicit to an act meant to prove you can teach old dogs new tricks.

More important than their age that will factor in winning is the number of days key players will be forced to sit out because of injuries. Considering the trend in recent seasons, I think this will be the most important of all. We can argue that Denver didn’t survive the Playoffs because Jamal Murray was out. Jaylen Brown’s absence left too big a hole in Boston to remain afloat and make it to the second round. And if the 26-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo was not fit to play in the Finals, the Bucks-Suns series would have played out differently.

Right now, oddsmakers see the Lakers as one of the most dangerous (if not the most dangerous) teams among contenders vying for the trophy, old age notwithstanding. So don’t confuse the LA Lakers with your tito’s Sunday Club team – at least, not yet.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021

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Sanya Lopez not threatened by presence of new Kapuso stars IN A recent virtual interview, TV star Sanya Lopez was “It’s like, we’re a family and I’m one of their children. So, I don’t asked if she feels threatened by the transfer of ABSfeel bothered,” she asserted.

CBN talents to her mother studio, GMA. Some of the Among the newly-transferred Kapuso stars, it’s Bea Alonzo who excites Kapamilya stars who already joined the Kapuso stable her the most. She confessed that she’s been a fan of the box office star. are Bea Alonzo, Richard Yap, Pokwang, and Beauty JOSEPH PETER “I watched all her movies before. In fact, all of my audition pieces Gonzalez. John Lloyd Cruz is also rumored to follow are culled from her previous works. Even my audition piece for GONZALES suit.

GMA Artist Center, it was based on one of her projects. We haven’t “I’m not bothered at all. In fact, I’m even happy seen each other personally yet, but this early, the idea excites me. It with such development. It only means that they have is my fervent wish that I’ll be able to work with her in the coming confidence and trust in the network,” the actress said in Filipino. days,” she revealed.

As one of GMA’s prized female leads, considering the success of her latest Apart from Bea, Sanya also dreams of working with John Lloyd Cruz. primetime project First Yaya, she believes that her network will continue to take “He is also one of my idols. If ever it’s true that he will also be a Kapuso soon, care of her.

I hope I’ll be given the chance to collaborate with him in one project,” she said.

SHTICKS

Sanya Lopez is delighted to work with new Kapuso stars.

Actors (from left) Joel Kinnaman, Margot Robbie, and John Cena join director James Gunn (in dark suit) at the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Suicide Squad' on Aug. 2

‘The Suicide Squad’ stumbles at box office

WITH COVID-19 fears again depressing North American moviegoing, new Warner Bros./DC superhero film The Suicide Squad led the weekend box office but took in only an estimated $26.6 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.

The movie, dubbed a pseudo-sequel to 2016's major hit Suicide Squad, again featured A-listers Margot Robbie and Viola Davis, but two big names from the earlier version—Will Smith and Jared Leto—sat this one out. The film's simultaneous release on HBO Max further hurt its box-office totals.

Hollywood has been struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels. "This is

an unforgiving market," David Gross, who runs consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, told Variety.

Last week's box office leader, Disney's family-friendly adventure film Jungle Cruise, slipped to second spot, taking in $15.7 million for the Friday-throughSunday period, less than half its weekearlier total.

In third was Universal's psychological thriller Old, at $4.1 million. In fourth place, for the second straight week, was Disney Marvel superhero flick Black Widow starring Scarlett Johansson, which took in $4.0 million. And in fifth was Matt Damon film Stillwater from Focus Features, at $2.9 million. AFP

MBC unveils top 15 entries in short film fest

MANILA Broadcasting Company has announced the 15 films that made it into the final round of the first MBC Short Film Festival.

For the animation category, Ana by Mary Angelica Panganiban; Stay by Irenea Catalina Valencia; Last Piece

by Andrea Mae Kristine Bonagua, Gaspar dela Cruz III, Jenny Mateo, and Anthony P. Santiago; Home by Bryan Kent Abias; and Distance by Dexter Paul de Jesus got the nod of selection jurors Benedict Carandang, Teddy Co, and Adrian Arcega.

Among the 49 documentaries submitted, those that received the highest scores from the selection panel that included Ditsi Carolino, Seymour Sanchez, and Collis Davis were Mga Batang Anipa

by Maria Fyl Gultian and Alundra Villanueva; Ang Meron sa Wala by Arby and Christine Larano; Diva Divine? by Francis Tavas; Titser Gennie by Elijah Prades; and the Tausug rap Maglabay Ra in Sakit by Mijan Jumalon.

Short features dominated this year’s submissions, breaching the hundred mark, and giving jurors Sari Dalena, Auraeus Solito, and Treb Monteras a tough time.

Eventually, those that scored highest were Judy Free by Che Tagyamon; The Slums

by Jan Andrei Cobey; Tarang by Arvin Belarmino; Excuse Me Miss Miss Miss by Sonny Calvento; and Ang Gasgas na Plaka ni Lolo Bert by Janina Gacosta. The 15 films, which are automatically guaranteed P15,000 each, go back to square one, with a different but equally elite panel of jurors choosing the three category winners who will receive P75,000 each, and will then compete for the Grand Prix, with a total takehome prize of P165,000.

Trailers of these films are now up on dzrh.com.ph/msff The full films will be posted from Aug.16 onwards when viewers can also begin casting their votes daily until Aug. 25 for their choice of Fan Favorite. Winners will be announced in a special program on Aug. 28, to be streamed at 7:00 p.m. on all social media platforms of MBC stations nationwide -- DZRH, Love Radio, Yes The Best, Easy Rock, Aksyon Radyo, Radyo Natin, and DZRH News Television.

The MBC Short Film Festival was conceptualized as the centerpiece of the anniversary celebrations of the network’s flagship station DZRH, now on its 82nd year, as it continues to watch history unfold, giving unparalleled service to the Filipino public, and showcasing the Pinoy’s triumph over adversity, even amid the pandemic.

Some of the entries competing in the first MBC Short Film Festival

ABS-CBN strengthens presence on Youtube I

N ITS effort to stay connected with Filipinos and to boost its transition into being an agile digital company, ABS-CBN launches “Kapamilya YOUniverse” complimenting its growing list of digital properties that appeal to a wide array of audiences, ABS-CBN’s

In a statement sent to Manila Standard Entertainment, ABS-CBN said that “Kapamilya YOUniverse” is the coming together of the YouTube channels of Star Cinema, Star Music, MOR Entertainment, ABS-CBN News, and ABS-CBN Entertainment for a showcase of exciting and relevant content—from ABS-CBN classics to new exclusive shows made for YouTube, live concerts, up-to-date news and information, interactive programs, and song playlists.

On the Star Cinema YouTube channel, He’s Into Her fans can delight in “He’s Into Her Extras,” which are bite-sized interviews with Donny Pangilinan, Belle Mariano, and their co-stars, and “He’s Into Her The Journey,” a special documentary about the making of the hit online series.

Film geeks and fans will also enjoy “Secret Movie Files,” which are fun and quick explainers about what went on behind the scenes to pull off the pivotal scenes in Star Cinema’s blockbuster hits.

Its first episodes will feature Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, and director Cathy Garcia-Molina.

‘He’s Into Her’ lead stars Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano

Music aficionados can enjoy their favorites on Star Music YouTube channel’s “Gold School,” a live jam session featuring the hottest OPM artists’ own versions of popular OPM songs, and “The Music Room,” a live performance set where the best and up-and-coming artists sing their hits.

Filipinos who are looking for fun, advice, and relatable conversations may also turn to the MOR Entertainment YouTube channel.

They can tune in to the fan-favorite “Dear MOR,” where DJs Popoy and Betina narrate true love and life stories while interacting with kaMORkadas. They can also listen to non-stop hits in “MOR Playlist,” tickle their imagination in “Bedtime Stories,” send their untold life experiences and secrets to “Confessions,” and get hearty laughs

Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla are featured in the first episode of ‘Secret Movie Files.’

from the impromptu dramedy “Gapnud sa Kinabuhi,” which caters to Bisaya listeners.

Get updated on the latest headlines with ABS-CBN News, as it brings comprehensive news updates, relevant discussions and interviews, and shows that tackle important events and issues this August.

YouTube subscribers in the Philippines who are in need of uninterrupted entertainment can also rely on ABSCBN Entertainment YouTube channel, which houses Kapamilya Online Live’s 24/7 streaming of classic and current ABS-CBN entertainment shows and movies.

Every month, ABS-CBN Entertainment will also continue to publish English-dubbed series and English-subbed Filipino blockbuster movies for viewers worldwide.

Love in the age of uncertainty IN THIS current age of uncertainty, what is not only evident but crystal clear is everyone’s wish to relive our happy prepandemic chaotic lives.

This longing for normalcy led the majority to be curious about the Boys Love drama universe especially its rainbow-colored themes and characters.

The Philippine’s premier contribution to the genre is Gameboys, produced by the Idea First Company, written by Ash Malanum, and directed by Ivan Andrew Payawal.

Currently, thelocal and international followers of the phenomenal Filipino BL drama are all delirious with the showing of Gameboys the Movie. As to why it gets the distinction of being the motion picture with the most number of tickets sold on its opening weekend, no one is baffled and puzzled.

The viewership, as the days go by, increases exponentially. The no spoiler word-of-mouth campaign about the Payawal helmed pink romantic drama that has Kokoy de Santos and Elijah Canlas as its leads, further increases its box-office strength.

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO Thus, to those who cannot help but wonder, what makes the movie incarnation a special viewing treat, let me enumerate the ways.

The movie gives you all the reasons that make you kilig, cry copious tears with the complications and entanglement, feel the courage and be hopeful of the fact that people who share a different kind of love need a lot of commitment.

The actors who not only gave their hearts, but their truths and souls to the characters they portray come as another movie strength. De Santos and Canlas as Gavreel and Cairo, plus Kyle Velino, Miggy Jimenez, Kych Minemoto, and Adriana So were all emotionally committed and forthright in being Terrence, Wesley, Achilles and Pearl.

They are all Philippine show business’s new acting hopes.

Aside from delivering their lines with conviction, these young actors speak in volumes with their eyes, in the many quiet scenes that they enacted and shared on screen.

Read full story on manilastandard.net

Elijah Canlas and Kokoy De Santos as Cairo and Gavreel in ‘Gameboys the Movie.’

‘Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96’ wraps up unique season SHOWING the remarkable resilience of Filipinos, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) successfully held its unique season dubbed Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96 via its new home, GMA Network—and making history as the first collegiate athletic league in the Philippines to safely hold a sports tournament in the time of the pandemic.

Since it started last June 13, Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96 brought to the spotlight the student-athletes from the 10 member-schools Arellano University (AU), Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL), De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSCSB), Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), José Rizal University (JRU), Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), Mapua University (MU), San Beda University

(SBU), San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSCR), and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA(UPHSD). Following health and safety protocols, NCAA showcased the students’ world-class talents in taekwondo, chess, volleyball, and basketball.

On Sunday (Aug. 8), NCAA formally wrapped up this unique season with a special program that aired on GTV and led by Season 96 Policy Board President and Colegio de San Juan de Letran President and Rector Fr. Clarence Victor C. Marquez, OP. Fr. Marquez expressed his gratitude to the public’s support for NCAA Season 96. “Admittedly, it has been a challenging season as we joined the rest of the world in confronting this pandemic—enduring death, disease, and other difficulties;

continuing with whatever remains of our plans and offering our courageous response, our wonderful hope to our member school communities, to our student-athletes, and to our fans,” he said.

Also in attendance at the NCAA Studio of Champions were the members of NCAA Management Committee.

Incoming NCAA Season 97 Policy Board President and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde President Br. Edmundo Fernandez, FSC is optimistic that the next season will be as exciting as the last.

“This year we were reminded of our national pride and the Filipino spirit through our national athletes who raised our flags and brought home medals from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Inspired by our national athletes and our students, such

Celebrating the successful Season 96 during the closing ceremonies in the NCAA Studio of Champions were ‘The Clash’ alumni Jessica Villarubin, Jeremiah Tiangco, and Anthony Rosaldo.

as Hidilyn Diaz, the first Olympic Gold Medalist of the country, we continue to provide a venue for our student-athletes to develop the values and discipline through NCAA,” Br. Fernandez ended.

“From all of us here in GMA Network, we extend our warmest congratulations to the NCAA Season 96 Policy Board and Management Committee, NCAA student-

athletes and coaches, and the entire NCAA community for successfully mounting its most challenging and fruitful season yet,” said GMA Network Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon.

Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96 was hosted by Martin Javier and Sophia Senoron with Anton Roxas as sports anchor.

Life

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

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HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021

Managing diabetes during pandemic

By Jessica Asprer

I

N THE face of a global health crisis, patients with diabetes should be more cautious and proactive, experts say.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, diabetes had already been notorious for taking the lives of many Filipinos, ranking 4th in the leading causes of death in the country in 2020, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Latest PSA data show that there had been 39,723 deaths due to this disease, while registered deaths due to COVID-19 (confirmed and probable) were 30,140.

A comorbidity of COVID-19, diabetes increases risk of suffering from worse symptoms of the virus. “If you have diabetes and you get COVID,” the chances of becoming severely ill, Dr. Aurora Macaballug says, are high.

While it is not true that people with diabetes are at greater risk to contract the virulent disease, “there is a higher morbidity and mortality [associated with] COVID-19 infection in people with diabetes,” according to Dr. Macaballug, chair of the Advocacy Committee of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism (PSEDM).

Dr. Macaballug notes recent studies highlighting that COVID-19 can cause diabetes when the SARS-CoV-2 virus attacks the pancreas, damaging the cells responsible for producing and regulating insulin.

NOT SO SWEET DISEASE. Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death in the Philippines. (Inset) Products such as sugar-free food items and glucometers, as well as counseling services from pharmacists trained in diabetes management are available at the Mercury Drug #DiabetesCare corner.

Crushing myths, heeding facts

To help properly manage the disease, experts debunk myths and misconceptions concerning diabetes.

Whether eating sweets causes or exacerbates the condition is a common question.

“Sweets [are] not the cause of [dia-

From top left, clockwise: PADE president Leyden Florido, Dr. Noreen Tangcuangco-Trinidad, PSEDM Advocacy Committee chair Dr. Aurora Macaballug, and Mercury Drug representative Nellie Calipjo talk about diabetes management.

betes]; it’s ‘yung pagkain mo nang marami,” clarifies Leyden Florido, president of the Philippine Association of Diabetes Educators (PADE).

Sugar increases blood glucose level, but specifically sweet-f lavored food items are not the only source of sugar. The amount of calories and sugars in a diet should be factored in when determining one’s risk for diabetes. Other factors likewise affect blood sugar levels, such as physical activity, medication, age, and stress, among others.

Dr. Macaballug warns against using herbal supplements with no proven therapeutic benefits as alternatives in managing the disease.

Drinking alcohol is allowed but only in strict moderation, while smokers are strongly advised to stop the vice associated with insulin resistance.

Patients with diabetes who are also struggling with depression or anxiety are acutely at risk of having low blood sugar levels, Dr. Macaballug adds.

The expert cautions those with genetic predisposition to diabetes or are lead-

“We cannot insist on giving the mediing a sedentary lifestyle are at higher cation that we think would be best for risk of developing the disease. the patient, but we have to make do with Avoid and manage what the patient can afford or what the Dr. Macaballug underscores the four patient can actually acquire,” she says, elements, dubbed “Apat Dapat”, that adding there is no medicine completely help avoid fluctuations in blood sugar void of side effects while reassuring levels: exercise, good diet, adherence to that “nobody will give you anything medication, and regular consultations that will hurt your body” to quell gewith a physician. neric drug skepticism.

She says muscle action from exercise Florido emphasizes the value of conwill help lower insulin resistance. Experts sulting with doctors, which can be done recommend 150 minutes per week or 30 via teleconsultation if in-person apminutes per day of physical activity. pointment is not feasible.

Consistency is vital, as Dr. MacabalPharmacies have also adapted to the lug points out, “Once you let go of the current situation by accepting e-prepractice of exercising, which had kept scription and offering other services. the diabetes at bay, andiyan lang ‘yon, To date, there are 29 “Get Well Diatataaas ulit ang sugar mo.” betes Care Hubs” nationwide, Mercury Adherence to the right dose and tim- Drug’s one-stop section for the needs ing of prescribed medication is likewise of patients with diabetes, shares repreimportant. “May onset ‘yan, may dura- sentative and pharmacist Nellie Calipjo. tion ‘yan.” Having a pillbox can help Select Mercury Drug stores also have systematize medication to avoid skip- drive-thru services and allow booking ping doses, she adds. via Viber to address mobility concerns.

Recognizing financial constraints “During this pandemic, pharmaother patients face, Dr. Macaballug cists are the most accessible healthmakes a case for cheaper generic anti- care professionals in the community,” diabetic drugs. says Callipjo.

HEALTH BULLETIN

Incidence of blood clot after AstraZeneca shot lower than in people with COVID-19, real-world study shows

Fully vaccinated employees of SM Hypermarket at SM City North Edsa. (Inset) The drive-thru vaccination site at the mall caters to Quezon City citizens under the A1, A2, A3, and A4 priority list.

Over 10k SM North Edsa employees fully vaccinated, more jab sites open at the mall

SM CITY North Edsa reported more than 10,000 of its employees have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while partner tenants are close to reaching 100 percent of its vaccination initiatives.

Earlier this year, the mall and Quezon City government partnered for a vaccination site at Skydome to provide convenient, safe, and accessible vaccination area for citizens.

The public-private partnership has

recently opened additional vaccination sites at the Cinema Area. SM City North Edsa also rolled out its drive-thru vaccination program for people under A1, A2, A3, and A4 priority lists at the Carpark Plaza on the 6th level.

“This is another product of our strong partnership with the private sector,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said during the launch of the drive-thru vaccination program. This site will be convenient for

those who register in groups like a family who just have to drive-thru this site while in the comfort of their cars.”

Unvaccinated QCitizens may book their COVID-19 vaccine through city government-assisted booking: QC Vax Easy (https://tinyurl.com/QCVaxEasy), barangayassisted booking (https://tinyurl.com/brgyassistedbooking), or business registration for COVID-19 vaccination (https://tinyurl. com/BusinessRegforVax).

SM City North Edsa’s security guards are 100 percent vaccinated.

Frankie’s encourages staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Fully vaccinated Chowking team.

THE number of individuals developing rare blood clotting disorders after getting AstraZeneca or mRNA vaccine is lower when compared with expected rates in the general population and in those infected with COVID-19, real-world study shows.

Citing a population-based cohort study of over one million individuals, published as a pre-print on The Lancet server, very rare clotting disorder thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (TTS) following vaccination were observed with both vaccines but “these were in line with what would be expected in the general population and lower than in those diagnosed with COVID-19”.

Follow-up time was not sufficient to report rates after two doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, though other studies have shown rates of rare blood clotting events to be lower after a second dose.

Regardless of the vaccine used, the increase in rates of thrombosis among persons infected with COVID-19 was far higher than among those vaccinated, AstraZeneca said.

Rates of venous thromboembolism were eight times higher after a diagnosis of COVID-19 infection compared with the expected rate.

The analysis included 945,941 mRNA participants (778,534 with two doses) and 426,272 AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine participants, conducted between December 27, 2020 and May 19, 2021. It also included 222,710 COVID-19 participants identified between Sept. 1, 2020 and March 1, 2021, and 4,570,149 background participants as of January 1,

AstraZeneca cites a real-world study showing incidence of rare blood clotting disorders after vaccine is lower compared with those infected with COVID-19.

2017 from a public health database held in Catalonia, Spain.

“This real-world study offers further evidence of the favorable benefit:risk profile of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine and demonstrates the critical role all COVID-19 vaccines are playing in combatting the pandemic,” said Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D. The country president of AstraZeneca Philippines said in an interview last week that more than 15 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine were expected to arrive in the country this year until early 2022.