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Pacquiao loses comeback bid 42-year-old legend falls prey to stinging punches of Ugas

M

ANNY Pacquiao suffered a dramatic upset defeat Saturday at the hands of Cuba's Yordenis Ugas, who outclassed the Filipino boxing icon with a composed, unanimous points victory at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

VOL. XXXV • NO. 189 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

In his first fight after a two-year absence from the ring, Pacquiao was made to look every bit of his 42 years as the younger Ugas dominated with a stinging jab and cleaner punching to retain his WBA welterweight belt.

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What’s next? Manny’s career at a crossroads MANNY Pacquiao, Filipino boxing superstar and senator, is at a crossroads in his career.

After an upset defeat to Yordenis Ugas Sunday, Pacquiao hinted it might be the end of his glittering 26-year professional career.

"In the future you may not see Manny Pacquiao fight in the ring. I don't know,” said the 42-year-old

Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao slips after being pushed by his Cuba-born foe, WBA Super Welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas (inset) during their title fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ugas won by a unanimous decision. AFP

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Magsayo kayoes Mexican, sets up title bout FILIPINO Mark Magsayo turned an imminent loss into an electrifying win, knocking out Mexico’s Julio Ceja 50 seconds into the 10th round of their World Boxing Council featherweight title eliminator Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Yordenis Ugas.

Behind on the scorecards after a sound beating from the Mexican in the middle rounds, Magsayo slowly recovered and saw an opening in the 10th, landing a vicious right straight that snapped Ceja’s head back.

Magsayo soon landed a solid right hook to the jaw of the Mexican to finally put him down

on the canvas, where he stayed down and was attended to by the arena’s medical staff.

The 26-year-old fighter from Bohol remained undefeated as he raised his record to 23-0 (16 KOs) and put himself in line to battle for the WBC belt currently held

by American Gary Russell Jr.

Ceja remained winless in nearly four years and dropped to 32-5-1 (28 KOs), with his last victory coming in November 2017.

Magsayo started the bout as the aggressor as he landed a stinging left hook that sent Ceja to the seat of his pants in the first round.

But Ceja regained his composure, Next page

Filipino workers watch on their television set inside their quarters in Tondo, Manila the bruising fight between Manny Pacquiao and WBA Super Welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas, Nevada. Danny Pata

OCTA’s fearless forecast: 20,000 daily in 2 weeks

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Othel V. Campos

Pinoy pugilist Mark Magsayo does a backflip to celebrate his victory against his Mexican opponent whom he knocked out in the dying minutes of the eliminator fight, thus setting up a battle for the crown currently held by American Gary Russell Jr. AFP

CITING the continuing rise in the virus reproduction rate outside Metro Manila, the independent OCTA Research Group on Sunday said the country could see 20,000 fresh COVID-19 cases a day within two weeks.

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said hitting 20,000 cases a day was very likely because the reproduction number—or the number of people one patient can infect—has been greater than 1.

Nationwide, it stands at 1.45 and is still rising.

Metro Manila, which was placed under a two-week lockdown earlier this month, saw its reproduction rate fall from 1.9 to 1.67 this week, an indication he Next page

Hospital group threatens 3 vax makers wary of tripartite deals to cut ties with PhilHealth

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz THE bridge between the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) and hospitals is bound to collapse, hospital and medical groups warned, after the state run insurance company temporarily suspended payments of claims to some health care providers.

In a joint statement, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP), the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), and the Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) said there were “serious cracks” in the the bridge between them and PhilHealth caused by a feeling of mistrust on the part of the state insurance agency.

"The bridge is bound to collapse," the hospitals associations and Next page

WITH international drug manufacturers still overwhelmed by new orders for the coronavirus vaccine, tripartite agreements for securing COVID-19 jabs have been put on hold, National Task Force Against COVID-19 spokesman Restituto Padilla said Sunday.

Vaccine makers Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson were still not accepting new tripartite agreements, Padilla said.

"Moderna and AstraZeneca have already said they do not want to enter into agreements until they finish their current delivery. The same is true of Johnson & Johnson,” he said.

This comes in the wake of Senator

Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri's call to the Senate to probe reports that tripartite agreements for vaccine procurement have not been signed.

This developed as the Philippines received one million doses of procured Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines on Saturday, together with the second tranche of 260,800 Sinopharm vaccine doses donated by the Chinese government.

A total of 26.5 million doses of Sinovac have so far been delivered to the country, of which 24.6 million doses were procured by the national government.

The 260,800 doses of Sinopharm vaccines complete the one-million donation Next page

1,839,635 16,044

125,900

31,810

215

1,681,925 13,952 (As of 4 PM, AUGUST 22)

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Follow money trail to uncover corruption—solon

The agencies should follow the trail “to unearth corruption in the Duterte administration,” the lawmaker said.

“This pattern of supposed inefficiency has become suspicious since President Duterte does not divulge his yearly overall savings since he sat in office. It is anomalous that Congress is forced to approve the yearly budget without knowing the absorptive capacity of the receiving agencies that it will fund,” he said.

In the Senate, Senator Richard J. Gordon stressed that the responsibility of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III

does not stop in releasing the special risk allowances to medical frontliners amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duque, Gordon said, must make sure that the money reaches the intended recipients.

Amid the pandemic, Gordon, as Chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, noted that the country is “fighting a medical war.”

"No government worth its salt should ever allow its soldiers, the medical workers, in this case to go to war without adequate support and compensation,” Gor-

don said.

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee, said all government agencies should be given the opportunity to answer and rectify the observations by the COA, not just the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Health, on the allowances for frontliners.

"It is their job to rectify the observation by COA within (the specified period). If not fixed, charges should be filed immediately to stop suspicions," said Go. He stressed that government agencies must also be given the chance to rectify issues in accordance with the processes provided by law. If irregularities are indeed proven, he said cases must be filed against those involved to hold them accountable.

Zarate noted the DBM has already issued National Budget Circular 586, which is trying to collect the expected savings from the 2020 General Appropriations Act from government agencies.

“This NBC 586 covers released allotments under the FY 2020 GAA, which re-

Pacquiao...

glittering career.

Although the Filipino was aggressive throughout, advancing with flurries of punches from the opening round, few of his blows inflicted damage on Ugas, who cleverly used his advantages in reach and height to frustrate Pacquiao.

Ugas scored consistently with crisper punches that often rocked Pacquiao back on his heels.

Ugas's jolting left jab caused problems for Pacquiao throughout, and he repeatedly did damage with a series of powerful rights.

After a cagey opening round, Ugas quickly asserted himself in the middle rounds, startling Pacquiao with a left-right combination in the fifth before ending the sixth with another hard right.

A T-Mobile crowd of 17,438 tried to rally Pacquiao with chants of "Manny, Manny" throughout but the Filipino's legion of admirers grew steadily more subdued as the rounds wore on.

Pacquiao, with a cluster of red marks on his cheek and forehead a testament to Ugas's increasing effectiveness, continued to come forward as he sought a big round to change the complexion of the contest.

But Ugas would not be denied, and he had Pacquiao scrambling onto the defensive once again after landing a double left jab and a right hook in quick succession in the 10th, before closing out the final rounds to win.

Despite his failure to reclaim the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight belt, Pacquiao will always be the

Filipino “People's Champ,” the Palace said Sunday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said public support for Pacquiao's boxing career has always been “unwavering.”

“The boxing icon’s loss in Las Vegas would not diminish the honors he bestowed to our country and the joy he gave to our people,” he said in a press statement.

The statement was in contrast to the vicious attacks that President Rodrigo Duterte launched against Pacquiao, who is also a senator and who wants to run for president next year.

He said the 42-year-old Filipino boxer will always hold a special place in the hearts of every Filipino.

The ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), to which both the President and the boxersenator belong, also expressed pride in Pacquiao for putting up a “good fight” against the 35-year-old Cuban fighter.

“His loss may be unexpected to a nation still euphoric over a sterling Olympic performance of our athletes but the outcome did not diminish our respect to the man who brought so much honor to the country and put the Philippines in the sporting map around the globe,” the PDP-Laban said.

Pacquiao was PDP-Laban president until an assembly called by PDP-Laban vice-chair and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi declared party positions vacant.

House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said Pacquiao had nothing left to prove in the boxing ring.

“He will forever remain the People’s

Champ, our Pambansang Kamao. We’re still proud of you, Manny!” he said.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said Pacquiao had nothing to be ashamed of, saying he gave it his all but Ugas fought a smart fight.

He described Pacquiao as gracious in both victory and defeat and said the senator has been an inspiration in the last 20 years for all Filipinos.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who may also run for president, said Pacquiao is and will always be the People's Champ who brought unprecedented honor to the country.

“I don't think there will be another boxer in the world who can equal his feat, at least not in the next 100 years. That, plus his big heart for the poor and the downtrodden,” he said.

On both counts, Lacson said Pacquiao is the champion Filipinos will always love and admire.

Senator Richard Gordon said Pacquiao should hold his head up.

“He fought a 25-month layoff and [fought] a taller, hungrier Ugas. He has already and truly earned the eternal respect of the world. We are ever proud of him,” Gordon said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Pacquiao was still his champion. “He made the Filipino proud,” he said.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, a Pacquiao supporter, described the boxer-senator as “a national treasure” who showed his bravery “which can be used in other aspects of life.” AFP, Rio N. Araja, Macon Ramos-Araneta

Essential and priority construction projects are also at 100 percent capacity as well as essential retail trade and service establishments, food preparation establishments, public and private financial service providers, business process outsourcing establishments (BPOs) and export-oriented businesses, public transport providers and operators, sanitation and waste disposal, capital markets and utilities including gasoline stations, and telecommunications services.

Media establishments and their total permanent staff complement, inclusive of reporters and other field employees are allowed at 50 percent capacity. On the other hand, private corporations are encouraged to process payrolls online.

Other establishments and industries that have opened on half their capacities include manufacturers of electrical machinery, wood products, non-metallic products, textiles and wearing apparel, paper and paper products, rubber and plastic products, coke and refined petroleum products, other non-metallic mineral products, computer, electronic, or optical products, machinery, motor vehicles, and non-essential retail trade and service establishments.

Hotels and other accommodation establishments are also allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity following the protocols and guidelines issued by the Department of Tourism.

Testing and tutorial services are allowed at 50 percent capacity as well as review centers and schools but classroom-type face-toface interaction remains prohibited.

Also on Sunday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it confronted 149,963 health protocol violators during the 15 days of EQQ in Metro Manila. Most of the violators were merely given warnings, though some were fined or made to perform community service.

Most of the violations were over the failure to wear a face mask or face shield, failure to follow social distancing rules, or being involved in mass gatherings.

The PNP also warned drivers of public utility vehicles to strictly follow the minimum public health standards or face citation tickets.

PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar said the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) has already been instructed to issue traffic violation tickets to the operators and drivers of PUVs especially in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, and Cavite.

Hospital...

fraud control. She said fraud control is a basic tenet in managing funds. "Hence, PHilhealth finds it imperative to implement measures to ascertain the security and sustainability of funds entrusted to it."

She also assured all health care providers that the policy will be enforced with respect to due process and existing rules and regulations.

But PHA president Dr. Jaime Almora said several hospitals were alarmed by the new PhilHealth circular.

He emphasized they are particularly afraid that their COVID-related claims will be declared "fraudulent" and the tag could unfairly taint the reputation of hospitals.

The PHA chief also said some of their member-hospitals found the new PhilHealth circular “too sweeping.”

"Our hospitals are connecting the temporary suspension to the numerous unpaid claims. So what does this mean, they don't want to pay by using 'fraudulent' claims as an excuse?

“We cannot help but connect the circular with the non-payment of the bills,” he added.

Despite the controversy, he said they will still admit COVID-19 patients, but he appealed to PhilHealth to give “financial risk protection” to hospitals.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said the PhilHealth circular had good intentions, but it may hamper the COVID-19 response if it is not properly implemented.

“In theory, it’s a good idea to crack down on insurance fraud, especially as our resources are scarce. In practice, if they implement this the way tax audits are done, that is, every small claim is subject to the same level of scrutiny, then it could delay the flow of critical financial resources towards COVID-19,” Salceda said.

Salceda said that he hopes Philhealth will spend its financial resources wisely.

He said unless PhilHealth takes a risk-based approach in which cases are prioritized to determine which are worth examining, the circular could delay the flow of much-needed funding towards struggling government COVID-19 treatment centers.

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Office of the Ombudsman and Commission on Audit should follow the money trail of unutilized funds and savings to discover corruption in the government, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said on Sunday.

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Ugas, 35, had only been drafted in to face Pacquiao earlier this month after the eight-division world champion's original opponent Errol Spence Jr. suffered an eye injury in training.

But the defending champion seized his opportunity brilliantly to win on all three cards, with one judge scoring it 115-113 and two others 116-112.

"That's boxing," a deflated Pacquiao said afterwards.

"I had a hard time in the ring making adjustments. My legs were tight. I'm sorry I lost tonight, but I did my best."

It was a sweet victory for Ugas, who had been awarded the WBA title after Pacquiao was stripped of the belt by the sanctioning body earlier this year for inactivity.

"I'm very excited but most of all, I want to thank Manny Pacquiao for giving me this opportunity in the ring today," said Ugas, who improves to 27-4 with 12 knockouts. "We only had two weeks of training but I listened to my corner and it all worked out.

"I told you I am the champion of the WBA and I showed it tonight. A lot of respect for (Pacquiao), but I won the fight."

The defeat is almost certain to renew doubts about Pacquiao's future in the sport he has graced through 72 fights spanning 26 years since 1995.

However, Pacquiao could have few complaints about the eighth defeat of his

OCTA’s...

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said that the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was effective.

Guido said the downward trend in new cases may be observed in the next few weeks but this will require sustained efforts in pandemic management over the next four weeks by the local and national government and the public.

He said the effects of the ECQ might be apparent in the first or second week of September as cases in Metro Manila decline.

The National Capital Region (NCR) is averaging 3,500 new cases a day, versus 4,000 previously, David said.

The country logged 16,044 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections to 1,839,635.

A total of 13,952 people recovered from the coronavirus while 215 died.

Of the total number of cases, the Department of Health (DOH) said 6.8 percent or 125,900 are active cases, 91.4 percent or 1,681,925 are recoveries and 1.73 percent or 31,810 died.

With the shift to a modified ECQ, businesses in Metro Manila, Bataan and Laguna have been allowed to reopen at 50 percent of their capacity, except for sectors that are considered high-risk.

In an advisory issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), establishments that are still closed include personal care services like beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops and indoor and al-fresco operations of restaurants, eateries and commissaries.

Operations with sustained full operations are the hospitals, health centers for dialysis and chemotherapy, health insurance providers, disaster risk reduction management officers; manufacturers of medicines and vitamins, medical supplies, devices and equipment, including suppliers of input, packaging, and distribution; industries involved in agriculture, forestry, fishery, and the food value chain; logistics service providers, cargo handling, warehousing, trucking, and similar operations; manufacturing related to food, beverages, and other essential goods like soap and detergents, diapers, personal hygiene products and disinfectants; companies that manufacture, distribute and/or supply equipment or products necessary to perform construction or maintenance works, such as cement and steel or spare parts.

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the medical group said. "Maybe it is time to review the engagement with PhilHealth and level the playing field.”

The country's state insurer temporarily stopped payment of claims of hospitals and other health care providers that are under suspicion of fraud.

Several hospital groups said they will consult their members on whether to sever their affiliation with PhilHealth.

On Friday, PhilHealth issued Circular 2021-0013, which set guidelines on the issuance of Temporary Suspension of Payment Claims or TSPC against health care providers and claims under probe for fraud, unethical acts, and abuse of authority.

The TSPC will not exceed 120 calendar days, but it may extend for another 90 days if the case warrants further investigation.

PhilHealth noted the investigation was a way to control those seeking to take advantage of the system.

But health care providers rejected the circular and the allegations hurled against them, saying these lacked basis.

“The health care providers view this baseless circular as another ploy to deny or delay the payment of claims,” the groups said.

Earlier, PHA disclosed Philhealth has been indebted to health care providers to the tune of P86 billion.

The PHA, PMA, and PHAPi, however, said its members will continue to serve the PhilHealth-covered patients as long as their members' contracts with PhilHealth are still in force.

In a statement, PhilHealth said the policy has been in place since 2016 and the latest circular only added provisions that would "ensure that due process is observed" in the issuance of the TSPC. It assured providers that "good claims" will be untouched.

Shirley Domingo, Philhealth vice president, said the latest circular was issued in the spirit of proper fund management and

main unobligated until May 15, 2021, but not expressly earmarked for the implementation of programs/activities/projects addressing the COVID-19 pandemic,” the solon said.

These allotments “can be realigned by the President as he sees fit.

This is a Disbursement Acceleration Program-like savings and a form of presidential pork," he added.

“Without proper accounting, we cannot blame the people for thinking that this administration is trying to create an enormous war chest in the run up for the 2022 elections," Zarate stated.

Last June, the Department of Health (DOH) announced that the P9 billion fund for the new tranche of special risk allowance (SRA) for health workers has been released to the agency’s regional offices.

However, some health workers are complaining they are not getting the right benefits due to them as provided by law.

(See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Magsayo looked beat from there but hung on until he backed From A1 Ceja to the ropes in the 10th, when his stinging rights sealed dominating the succeeding rounds and his victory. even knocking Magsayo down in the In a preliminary card, Filipino fifth with his own left hook.

John Dato suffered the first loss of his

Magsayo...

What’s...

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southpaw who has earned the moniker “Pambansang Kamao”—the only boxer to win championships in eight different weight divisions.

"I've done a lot for boxing and boxing has done a lot for me. I look forward to spending time with my family and thinking about my future in boxing.”

"In my heart I want to continue fighting. But the thing is I have to consider also my body,” he added.

But hanging up his boxing gloves is not the only decision Pacquiao has to make.

Pacquiao, believed to be mulling a presidential bid, is now expected to turn his attention to his political career.

"There's a lot of things that I need to accomplish to help people and that's my mission. I want to be an inspiration to all the Filipino people inside and outside the ring,” he said.

"I am a fighter inside and outside the ring. And I look forward to getting back to the Philippines and serving the Filipino people as this pandemic continues to affect millions in the Philippines.”

“I will make a final announcement next month,” he added.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Pacquiao described the presidency as being a “destiny.”

"God has a plan for me. I want to be a legend in boxing and a legend in politics. That is my legacy," he said in SI interview.

But Pacquiao is first to admit that his political fight is proving to be an even bigger and tougher challenge than his bouts inside the boxing ring.

“I know that I am facing a big problem and more difficult work than boxing, but I want to help the people. I want to help them,” he said. With AFP

3 vax...

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committed by the Chinese government.

Sinopharm vaccines have already received an Emergency Use Listing from the World Health Organization, as well as an Emergency Use Authorization from the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration.

In Quezon City, the city government has recorded close to 500,000 vaccines administered during the enhanced community quarantine from Aug. 6 to 20 in Metro Manila.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city was able to administer 493,000 vaccines to city residents and workers during the two week-lockdown.

From Aug. 6 to 20, 415,923 first doses were administered, while there were 77,077 second dose vaccines recorded for the A1 to A5 priority groups under the QCProtekTodo Vaccination Program.

Padilla pointed out that vaccine makers are not ready to accept new agreements even as the Vaccination Program Act of 2021 allows local government units to purchase their vaccines through multi-party agreements.

"There are many suppliers saying that they are not ready to enter into a tripartite agreement for now because they have yet to fulfill their pending orders," Padilla said over Dobol B TV. Belmonte said the city government has intensified and maximized every opportunity to vaccinate its residents and workers during the ECQ period.

“Every vaccine we jab is a life we save. So we made full use of all our registration processes -- barangayassisted, QCVaxEasy Portal, companyassisted, homeowners’ associationassisted and bakuna nights to reach our target individuals and vaccinate them during the heightened quarantine period when we were given an increased and stable supply of vaccines,” she said.

As of Aug. 21, the city government has administered 2,143,698 vaccine doses.

Over 1.4 million individuals or 86.36 percent of the 1.7 million target population have already received their first doses.

Over 675,000 or 42.06 percent of the same target population have been inoculated with the second dose.

The mayor said they are determined to reach population protection by setting the target to 1.7 million or 80 percent of its adult population, especially during the surge of cases.

“The national government recognizes that Quezon City has the largest city population in the entire country and cumulatively, the most number of cases.

With that, they continue to support our vaccination program by providing an appropriate number of vaccine doses to us,” Belmonte said. Rio N. Araja professional career after a unanimous decision defeat to Angel Antonio Contreras.

Dato was knocked out in the third round of the eight-round featherweight contest as he dropped to a 14-1-1 (9 KOs) win-loss-draw record.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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PNP-PDEA ‘shoot-out’ findings up

by Aug. 31

By Rey Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Sunday said the National Bureau of Investigation is expected to complete this month its probe into the Philippine National Police-Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency shootout as the NBI is just finishing the tedious evidence-gathering process involving the examination of several thousands of printed content extracted from the mobile phones of the involved operatives.

Guevarra expressed optimism that the NBI would be able to complete its investigation on the PNP-PDEA shootout, that left five people dead, by the end of August.

“The NBI hopes to submit its final report to the DOJ by the end of this month,” Guevarra said, in a text message to reporters.

The NBI findings will be forthcoming six months after the February 24 shooting incident took place outside the Ever Gotesco Mall in Commonwealth, Quezon City.

Guevarra admitted that it is taking the NBI a longer time to finish its report because they were being very thorough with their investigation. They are just waiting for the results of a forensic report that would serve as the final piece in their investigation, he said.

“The NBI has almost completed its investigation and is waiting for just one remaining critical report— the result of digital forensic examination of the mobile phones of the operatives involved in the incident,” he said.

“A lot of material evidence is expected to be mined from these devices,” he added.

According to Guevarra, aside from the tedious process of obtaining cyber warrants, “our forensic investigators have had to examine meticulously an average of 22,000 pages of text messages, call logs, videos, and pictures per mobile phone.”

The shootout between operatives of the PNP Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and the PDEA resulted in five casualties, including two PNP personnel and one PDEA agent. There were also reports of others injured.

DRIVE-THRU JAB. Manila residents get their 1st dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the drive-thru vaccination site at the Quirino Grandstand on Sunday. About half of the more than nine million residents of Metro Manila eligible for vaccination have received their second dose against COVID-19, according to Metro Manila Council chairman and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez. Norman Cruz

Hong Kong allows OFWs with BOQ cards to enter F ILIPINO workers vaccinated in the Philippines will be allowed entry in Hong Kong starting Aug. 30 upon presentation of Bureau of Quarantine vaccination certificates, the Department of Labor and Employment announced on Sunday.

DOLE said the HK government has already agreed to let overseas Filipino workers who received COVID-19 vaccines in the country to come and work provided they have vaccine certificates issued and validated by the BOQ. Some 3,000 OFWs who are awaiting

deployment to HK will benefit from the development.

OFWs will undergo quarantine in specified hotels, the cost to be shouldered by employers.

The HK government is now in the process of coordinating with partner hotels.

The HK government previously refused to honor vaccination certificates issued by local government units as they did not come from a single source.

The BOQ, through efforts by DOLE and the Philippine consulate in HK, prepared a draft vaccination certificate bearing the passport details of the OFWs as requested by HK. Pending inclusion of those details in the yellow card, HK immigration will honor the vaccination certificates issued by the BOQ for incoming OFWs.

Tax relief bill for schools needs corrective measure—Villafuerte CAMARINES Sur Rep. Luis Ray Villafuerte expressed confidence the Senate and Congress would work overtime to pass a corrective legislation defining the tax rates for proprietary schools and allowing them to enjoy a 1 percent preferential tax rate until June 30, 2023 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measure would not be passed on time, given that most private schools shall open classes this month, he said.

He urged his colleagues to pass the bill in September.

The corrective legislation would spell a “big relief” for schools, and “hopefully” enable them to keep their teachers and recruit more teachers for school year 2021-2022, he noted.

Villafuerte is one the principal authors of House Bill No. 9913 that consolidated his HB 9672 with similar other bills to lower the preferential tax rate on proprietary educational institutions to 1 percent from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023, after which the preferential rate will be set at 10 percent. Rio Araja

FIELD HOSPITAL. A

healthcare worker and security guard arrange the food items and other essential goods sent by the relatives of patients at the COVID-19 field hospital in Luneta Park, Manila on Sunday. President Duterte wants the undelivered benefits and allowances for health care workers released within 10 days, as fatigue and lack of compensation may force them to quit their posts and leave hospitals understaffed.

Norman Cruz

SC affirms 2 jail terms vs. Davao City drug dealer THE Supreme Court has upheld the two jail terms imposed by the trial court and sustained by the Court of Appeals on the accused who was arrested for selling shabu to a police officer in a buy-bust operation in 2015.

In a resolution made public last July 30, the SC dismissed the appeal of Noralyn Sariol Luma as it affirmed the CA’s ruling that convicted her of violations of Sections 5 (sale) and 11 (possession) of Article II of RA 9165.

After her arrest, confiscated from Luma were 13 more plastic sachets containing 6.80 grams of shabu (Methamphetamine Hydrochloride), a dangerous drug.

The Davao City Regional Trial Court convicted Luma of violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 under Republic Act No. 9165.

On October 30, 2019, the appellate court in Mindanao based in Cagayan de Oro City upheld the trial court’s decision.

The case was elevated to the SC. In ruling agaist Luma, the SC stressed that both the RTC and the CA correctly ruled that “all the respective elements of the crimes are present in this case.”

“The prosecution clearly established that, during a legitimate buy-bust operation conducted by law enforcement operatives of the San Pedro Police Station in Davao City, accused-appellant (Luma) was caught in flagrante delicto selling a plastic sachet containing 0.1835 gram of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, or shabu, to the designated poseur-buyer, Police Officer (PO) 3 Gerry R. Tudlasan (PO3 Tudlasan),” the SC ruled.

The high court said that when Luma was “searched upon arrest, thirteen (13) more plastic sachets containing a total of 6.8096 grams of the same substance were recovered from her possession.”

At the same time, the SC said that “all the links of the chain of custody were likewise established, considering that: (a) PO3 Tudlasan had custody of the seized items from the moment of seizure, conducted the marking, inventory, and photography in the presence of accused-appellant herself, as well as the required witnesses, and finally, turned over the seized items to PO2 Perfecto Tuloy at the police station for recording purposes.” Rey E. Requejo

Coast Guard buying P12-b patrol boats THE chairman of a House committee has endorsed the Philippine Coast Guard’s plan to acquire two additional French-made high-endurance offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) at an estimated cost of P11.2 billion.

“The two 84-meter OPVs will reinforce the PCG’s capability to intercept Chinese and other foreign fishing vessels that may stray into our 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea,” Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said in a statement on Sunday.

“We must stress that PCG patrol boats, and not Philippine Navy warships, are the ones expected to actually stop, board and inspect foreign vessels suspected of illegal fishing and other criminal activities within

our EEZ,” Pimentel said.

“Our PCG patrol boats are supposed to enforce our marine environmental protection laws and apprehend foreign poachers, while our warships are there to deter potential external threats and maintain freedom of the seas,” Pimentel pointed out.

The PCG’s first 84-meter OPV from French shipbuilder OCEA S.A. was acquired at a cost of P5.6 billion. Commissioned only last year, the boat is now the PCG’s flagship, the BRP Gabriela Silang.

Pimentel said the two additional OPVs would increase to five the number of large PCG boats capable of performing continuous intercept missions for long periods, to include the two 94-meter multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) that will be delivered next

summer by Japan’s Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. The two MRRVs are being acquired at a combined cost of P6.7 billion.

“As far as we’re concerned, the money that we’re spending for these new PCG vessels is a sound investment in keeping our coastline safe and protecting our rich marine resources for the enjoyment of future generations of Filipinos,” Pimentel said.

“Besides, these PCG vessels will also be helpful in maritime search and rescue missions, considering that we rely heavily on inter-island passenger travel by sea,” Pimentel said.

The PCG has also ordered 10 smaller, 44-meter MRRVs from Japan Marine United Corp. at a cost of P8.8 billion. The first of the boats was delivered earlier this month.

PNP WARNING. The Philippine National Police warns drivers of public utility vehicles to adhere to the minimum public health standards or face stiff sanctions amid blatant disregard for rules particularly in passenger buses and jeepneys. PNP photo

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News

MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

Marcos’ plea to ease curbs on worship places hailed

By Rey E. Requejo THE appeal made by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to ease quarantine restrictions on the church and other places of worship raised hope for leaders of different church ministries.

Willy Lasac of the Worldwide Soul Winners said Marcos is an instrument to help make the church stronger during these difficult and uncertain times.

“We really appreciate your heart, Senator Bongbong Marcos for putting yourself in our place and trying to keep in mind our wellbeing, physically, socially and mentally. You are God’s instrument, for such a time as this, to make us the church God wants us and needs us to be,” he said in a statement.

The Cenacle Harvest Ministries said that Marcos’ understanding of their predicament is a manifestation that he was raised in a God-fearing home.

“At this point in time, we are holding on to our faith alone to cheer us up and not to be consumed by fear, insecurity and anxiety.

And we are looking to the church as an agent of change that will do God’s mission of restoration and reconciliation and wholeness in the face of brokenness, alienation and illness.

You have been raised up in a God-fearing home which is being conveyed by the fact that you understand our predicament right now,” the ministry said in a separate statement.

Meanwhile, Pastor Kenneth Andrew Durante of the Biyaya ng Diyos Revival Church said they are blessed that Marcos took the cudgels for the church and other places of worship to give people opportunity to express their faith while the country battles with the pandemic.

“We support former Senator Bongbong Marcos in his desire to open all houses of worship during this pandemic. We are blessed because there is someone like him who stood and took charge with initiative for the work of the church, to give people the opportunity to express their faith and believe that Jesus is our blessed Hope in this pandemic,” Durante said.

LOCKDOWN VIOLATORS. The Philippine National Police rounded up more than 149,000 violators during the two-week period that Metro Manila was placed under the strictest Enhanced Community Quarantine. File photo shows 28 residents accosted by members of the Manila Police District Station 11 for violating the curfew earlier this week.

Congress to work double time on priority measures

By Rio N. Araja

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FTER a two-week suspension due to the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila, Congress will work double time on pending priority measures as it returns to session today (Monday), Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said.

Graveyard shift: Robredo attends to virus referral calls personally VICE President Leni Robredo is attending personally to calls made through the Office of the Vice President’s Bayanihan E-Konsulta on COVID-19 cases on a graveyard shift.

This was revealed by her chief of staff, Philip Dy, during Robredo’s weekly radio program “BISErbisyong LENI.” “The VP herself is often on a graveyard shift.

Starting 11 p.m. until midnight, she is focused on the emergency thread and the local government unit referral thread to see if there is really an emergency (case), and to facilitate immediately to a hospital (referral) or to call a local government unit (referral) so we could respond to the needs of the family or the patient,” Dy said.

He said the teleconsultation program has been flooded with over 400 cases a day.

“We could feel there is an increase in the cases (of COVID-19) through our Bayanihan E-Konsulta free teleconsult project. Just the past week, we received an average of more than 400 cases per day,” he said.

Prior to the hard lockdown, Dy said they only received an average of 100 cases daily in June and July.

Robredo launched the online medical consultation program in April to help address the surge in COVID-19 cases. Rio N. Araja

IT’S A GIRL! Members of Dasmariñas Police Community Relation Team who were conducting a cleanup drive at Brgy. San Nicolas 2 help a mother give birth near the barangay hall. The mother and her baby girl are both in good condition. JR Josue

Taal Volcano records 142 earthquakes

“We will tackle as many bills and resolutions as possible to make up for the time lost during the ECQ,” he said.

Congress is expecting for the submission by the executive department of the National Expenditure Program (NEP) that would contain the proposed P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022, he said.

Once the NEP is received by Congress, the committee on appropriations, chaired by ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap, shall begin the budget deliberations as soon as possible.

“We are ready to carry out our constitutional duty of carefully scrutinizing the NEP and eventually pass a national budget that is truly reflective and responsive to the needs of Filipinos as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on people’s lives and the economy,” Velasco said.

During the two-week lockdown period from Aug. 6 to 20, all meetings were held via videoconferencing and congressional offices were closed.

Only secretariat personnel with extremely essential tasks were allowed to report physically to the office.

Starting today, plenary sessions shall be held under a hybrid platform from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., with only the Speaker or his duly designated deputies, the majority leader and minority leader or their representatives, and a limited number of Secretariat personnel physically present inside the session hall.

The rest of House members shall attend the session through videoconference.

TAAL Volcano in Batangas has generated 142 volcanic earthquakes in the past 24 hours.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the activity at the main crater was dominated by upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in the Taal Lake.

The volcano generated plumes 2,400 meters tall that drifted west southwest and northwest.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission averaged 5,973 tons per day on Aug. 21.

“In addition, vog (volcanic smog) was observed over Taal Volcano and vicinity,” Phivolcs said.

Alert Level 2 (increased unrest) still prevailed over Taal Volcano.

“The Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs reminds the public that at Alert Level 2, sudden steam- or gasdriven explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within and around Taal Volcano Island,” the agency said.

Government prohibits the entry into Taal Volcano Island, a permanent danger zone, especially the vicinities of the main crater and the Daang Kastila fissure. Rio N. Araja

Villar Foundation webinars teach animal production

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE challenges brought about by the pandemic have prompted the Villar SIPAG Foundation to use social media platforms to connect and reach out to people in order to disseminate information and educate them on native animal production.

The foundation, of which Sen. Cynthia Villar serves as director, partnered with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Swine Poultry Research and Development Center (NSPRDC) in the conduct of three-day webinars entitled “Katutubong Hayop, Pag-asa natin sa Pagbangon ngayong Pandemya.”

Despite the many barriers Filipinos face due to the pandemic, Villar underscored the need for people to be creative in finding means to produce their own food.

Aside from urban gardening, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Food and Agriculture encouraged the production of native animals like native pig and chicken, among others.

Villar said native animal production can provide livelihood to Filipinos while contributing to food sufficiency and stability.

“It is important to develop the industry of native animals to improve the income of local farmers at animal breeders and alleviate their living conditions. This also

reflects our culture and Filipino foods,” she said.

At the same time, the senator said it can help support economic recovery.

Angelo Valencia, owner of Tibby’s farm in Pampanga, said the future of the Philippines is in the countryside, not in the cities.

“If the Philippines want to really make it to the first world, we have to empower agriculture, agro-culture and agroforestry,” Valencia said.

Dr. Rene Santiago of the Philippine Native Animal Production said native animals are important components of most agricultural production systems in the rural areas in Asia.

Social enterprise helps college dropouts earn degree

By Gabriel Orendain DID you know that out of every 100 Filipinos who reach college eligibility age, only 23 will enter college? And of these 23, at least 19 will drop out in the first three years, 77 percent of them due to financial constraints? Of the four who will actually graduate, only one will be considered employable.

To address this alarming situation, the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) introduced 20 years ago the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency Academic Program (ETEEAP), which helps employees who have not finished college by giving them academic credits for work experience and work-acquired knowledge.

INSPHERO (Inspiring Hero) leverages ETEEAP to give millions of Filipinos not just the opportunity to complete a college program, but to increase their employability as well. INSPHERO wants to instill in its graduates a strong sense of gratitude which they can express by paying forward with greater love

for God through their families, dedication and loyalty to their companies, and with care for the communities they are part of.

One such inspiring INSPHERO story is that of Innah Celine Hurtado, Assistant Manager of Optum Global Advantage and President of the INSPHERO alumni. This is her story: “God’s plans unfold in the most beautiful of ways’’ is what I heard my sister say when I was candidly talking about my college graduation. I had always dreamed of earning a degree, especially since all my siblings are college graduates. But the older I got, the further I felt from reaching my dreams.

Eleven years ago, my mom was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles. The night before she went into a coma, she motioned me to her bed and she whispered, “Nak, pakabait ka ha?” She slipped into a coma the following morning and two days later, passed away.

When she was still alive, I never got to tell her my promise. And so, a few minutes after she quietly passed, I whispered to her: “Ma, I’ll

be good and I’ll finish college.” The loss of my mother coupled with my gender identity struggles led me to rock bottom. I was at a loss as to how to keep moving forward.

My life then went on a cycle of just trying to figure things out until I started to gradually feel that my dream would remain just that – a dream. Thankfully, I realized that God has wonderful plans for me when I came across a college completion program offered by INSPHERO, a social enterprise that gives employed Filipinos who have not completed college the opportunity and assistance to make their diploma dreams come true.

After I enrolled in the program and began my college completion journey, I realized that there were many stories similar to mine.

Mitch, a single mom of two kids, and Amiel, a dad of one, set their dreams aside to take care of their kids on their own. Both had to take on multiple side hustles while working in the BPO industry. Jessy’s dad died when she was nine years old and her mom was sickly.

She decided to drop out of college to take care

of her two siblings, a nephew, and her mom before continuing college after a 15-year hiatus. Kimmy had to leave her family, loved ones, friends and her home to work abroad.

Jeff had to miss out on many classes because of his health. Several girls became pregnant when they were very young and had to stop school to provide for their families. These are just a few of the many faces and names of those confronting common challenges: juggling fulltime jobs while dealing with financial difficulties, caring for family, school requirements, digital overload and the global pandemic.

INSPHERO allowed us to fulfill our promise of graduating not only to ourselves but to parents and other family members who also longed for us to conquer the college arena. Moreover, the social enterprise’s importance lies in its ability to bridge the gap between our lost dreams and the chance to make them a reality through self-directed learning, something that we all thought was lost in time and had been buried among so many of our regrets and what-ifs.

Getting a degree opened many doors for

us. With the newfound strength and courage that we gained through this experience, we are now able to pursue with grit and passion the next goals of our lives. Currently, 64 percent of INSPHERO graduates are pursuing further studies (masters and certification courses), 32 percent are in a direct path for career growth or promotion, and 100 percent of its alumni are promoting the program. The INSPHERO Alumni Association is up and running, instilled with the INSPHERO value of gratitude: “It is not happiness that makes you grateful. It is gratefulness that makes you happy.” The alumni share the same INSPHERO Pay Forward philosophy by extending their support to future batches.

We all came together with different stories on how our dream for a college degree had faded or was lost. But we all have one thing in common—we took the opportunity as a challenge, and through grit and perseverance, we made it.

If you want to know more about INSPHERO and how to pursue your college degree, send an email to info@insphero.ph

Opinion A heartbroken nation

CORRUPTION - as a priest friend who happens to be both a canon lawyer and a civil “juris doctor” once pointed out to me – comes from two Latin words, “cor” which means “heart”, and “raptus” which translates as broken. Hence, etymologically, the word “corruption” means broken heart. This definition literally and figuratively captures the full meaning of the word “corruption.”

More than the act itself of stealing from the government or accepting bribes for political favors, what is even more worrying is how our people appear to have been desensitized to the extent of corruption in Filipino society. Euphemisms have even been used to refer to corrupt practices, such as “pabaon” for retiring government officials or “SOP” in government contracts.

But by any measure, corruption cannot be made part of a government’s “standard operating procedure.” Over time, we have been made to accept that corruption is endemic in our culture and ingrained in society as if it were normal.

American economist Robert Klitgaard explains the logic of corruption through this formula, C = M + D – A. It means, corruption equals monopoly plus discretion minus accountability. It means one person having monopoly over making decisions would encourage more corruption. This, however, can be reduced by instilling and increasing accountability. This could mean introducing accountability mechanisms like independent audits, freedom of information and civil society participation.

Eradicating corruption, however, is far from Klitgaard’s simple formula. The question of ending corruption is perhaps the most difficult to solve in the long history of human societies. Flawed as our human nature is, so is the tendency to put personal interest over the common good, or the propensity to use public goods for personal ends. However, it is not our brokenness that truly defines what is best in our nature, but rather our innate capacity for goodness.

Normalizing corruption would appear that we have resigned ourselves to the fact we are not capable of building a just and upright society.

Klitgard’s formula, however, proposes a good starting point - accountability. Who indeed is to be blamed for the corruption in government?

There is no question that the corrupt and the crooked among our public officials share a huge amount of the guilt. It could also be said that the weak political systems and structures have allowed for too much discretion without demanding a greater or even just an equal amount of accountability.

Or, as we exact accountability from others, have we also examined ourselves?

Have we considered what acts of commission or omission we may have done to allow the growing prevalence of corruption in Filipino society?

The problem of corruption in the Philippines may be as old as our nation’s history. What is worrisome, however, is it seems that we never learn, or worse, that we do not even care. The truth is that we have become like the frog placed in a pot of water set to boil. The poor frog didn’t realize the steadily rising temperature in

the water and the moment he did, it was too late. At boiling point, the hot water meant certain death to the poor frog.

Corruption in our country has thrived in the same manner. We turned a blind eye to its existence – and even by our acts of commission or omission, allowed it to happen. Then suddenly, we found ourselves trapped in the whole system of corruption and patronage. Without us noticing it, corruption has taken root, perhaps even infected, the whole political system.

Then, we shouldn’t be even pointing only at those we accuse of corruption.

Probably, we shouldn’t exact accountability only from those we elected to office, but we should also ask it from ourselves who voted them to office. How many times have we turned a blind eye to corruption as long as it worked to our advantage? How many Filipinos have exchanged their vote for money – and yet complain and point fingers as if we do not share in this societal sin?

How many times have we turned a blind eye to corruption as long as it worked to our advantage?

Our failure or even complacency to demand accountability from ourselves, in a way, forfeits our right to exact the same from others. Similarly, eradicating corruption cannot be realized without the social participation and moral commitment of the people.

Solving corruption, therefore, begins with us. Change does not come by way of changing the names and faces of our political leaders, without doing anything to change the system in place. There can be no good government without an accountable electorate. But how can we demand accountability from our officials when we are indebted to them instead of them being beholden to the people’s trust?

The inconvenient truth is that corruption never happens without our participation – that is, either by our action or inaction.

Demanding integrity from people in government is a double-edged sword. We cannot demand integrity from people in government if we are not willing to live by it – as citizens and most especially as voters. If we do not vote for the right people in government, if we sell our votes and if we are complacent and tolerant of the corruption around us, then we cannot demand integrity from others.

The evil that we have to fight are not just those above us, not just those in power.

We have to fight the evil within us too. We have to own politics to transform it and value accountability and transparency to demand it from others. In the end, politics can either be a curse or a blessing. Because ultimately, we just get the type of political leaders that we deserve.

For so long, corruption has made us a heartbroken nation – a country mired in poverty and misery. But as they say of broken hearts, we can heal only if we are willing to put together our broken pieces, that is, our own individual actions geared towards a collective good. In the end, no one else can heal us but ourselves. It is up to us to work together to restore this nation and make it whole again – heart and soul.

The US on Afghanistan soil WE USUALLY see scenes of people clinging to an aircraft or falling from it, but these are in the movies.

Recent events in Afghanistan showed that it happens in reality. People were trying to flee a perceived danger. And through social media, people around the world are aware of these developments.

Many are worried that the Taliban would commit horrendous acts, with the U.S. military having pulled out of the country.

It’s hard to imagine the fear and apprehension Afghans feel in this terrifying time in their country. But it’s also hard to believe that these events happen only because of the decisions of a few -- some of whom are safe in their offices in Washington, far from the crisis happening in Afghanistan.

Many of us may feel empathy for the people in Afghanistan experiencing these troubles right now. Observing the recent steps taken by the U.S. in light of the crisis, one could say that those in the office of President Joe Biden, who is in charge of the execution of the U.S. military pullout, lack that empathy which many of us feel. Several Democrats and Republican lawmakers are now airing their concern on the supposed lack of coordination and poor

execution of Biden’s administration on this matter.

Still, it is kind of naïve to see it this way, considering the two decades the U.S. spent in Afghanistan just to end in this crisis.

And this is the harsh reality about the US, given its role as the ‘protector of global commons.’ Drastic decisions have to be made to protect her interests, domestic and abroad, that might have negative repercussions, not usually to those on US soil, but in lands far from it.

When will the Americans learn their lesson?

In the case of Afghanistan, such selfserving decisions (for the most part) coupled with poor handling and missteps, led to the return of the Taliban, paving the way for the possible return of the Islamist group’s atrocities.

What the US did 20 years ago to protect its interests, and maybe the interests of the world as well, and to share to the Afghans the values of liberty it cherishes are now on the brink of total collapse. The worst part

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EDITORIAL

EvEryman

By Raxenn Ayesha Lachica

MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

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Duque the beloved GAIN, we are moved to ask: What does the Health Secretary have on the President?

Addressing the nation over the weekend, President Rodrigo Duterte professed his unconditional support for Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who is again under fire for his agency’s failure to address the findings of irregularity -- amounting to at least P67 billion -- by the Commission on Audit.

“I will stand for Duque even if it [brings] me down,” said Mr. Duterte.

Earlier in the week, the President, instead of making good on his commitment to act decisively on any whiff of corruption in his administration, tore into the COA and faulted it for making its audit reports public. He said these reports tainted the reputations of institutions and individuals. Mr. Duterte, who is a lawyer and should really know better, challenged the mandate of the commission and exhorted his Cabinet to ignore the COA reports.

The reports are published on the

Ultimately, it’s not Mr. Duterte who will suffer the consequences of his devotion. website of the commission, just as they have been for years.

The 2020 annual audit report for the Department of Health pointed to at least P67 billion of taxpayers’ money that could, at best, have been used in a judicious and timely manner to help the people, health workers and the health system during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This, of course, is not the first time Duque’s leadership of the Health Department and the government’s anti-COVID measures are being criticized. Over the past year and a half, there have been repeated calls for his

resignation not only from social media users or administration critics, but also from legislators.

Through all this, Mr. Duterte has loyally stood by Duque, whose immediate response to the latest round of questions has been to unsuccessfully appeal to public sentiment and tearfully accuse COA of destroying him and his agency.

Meanwhile, all those defending him take advantage of the public’s lack of familiarity with the audit process.

Published audit reports are never preliminary; they include the answers given by the audited agency to questions raised by the auditors, and even an exit conference with both auditor and auditee present. Nothing satisfactory was produced by the DOH during this stage.

Mr. Duterte now asks us to give him a reason why he should fire his favorite official. Alas, no reason will be compelling enough for somebody who has already made up his mind. Ultimately, it will not be to the President’s own detriment to keep somebody like Duque by his side. But sadly, we are the ones bearing the brunt of his undying devotion.

Legacies and lessons for the next government IT’S BEEN 38 years since that fateful day on August 21, 1983, when Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was assassinated by his military captors at the tarmac of what was then the Manila International Airport. This tragic moment in history awakened the nation in what was globally branded as the peaceful “People Power” revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship.

Almost four decades later, being old enough to have been an active participant as an activist and a citizen, I ask the question: Are we any better?

Looking back, to build forward was the apt theme of the Stratbase ADR Institute’s (ADRi) latest virtual town hall discussion that gathered highly respected cabinet members of the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III. They discussed the lessons, legacy reforms, and relevant strategies that were found to be strategically relevant to a new government in 2022.

Former Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson showed how Filipinos and this administration are benefiting from PNoy-led reforms that rejected the strong influence of political dynasties in the distribution of developmental programs by adopting the 5R management mantra of Right Projects, Right Cost, Right Quality, Right on Time, and Implemented by the Right People.

Under his watch, the High Standard Highway Master Plan to connect Metro Manila all the way north to Tarlac and South to Batangas and Quezon was put in place, the upgraded standards for construction and school buildings were upgraded, and 18,000 kms of national roads were improved.

Moreover, they developed the Master Plan for flood control in Metro Manila under which 12,000 flood control projects were built from Navotas to Bulacan and the river wall along the Pasig-Marikina River.

More than 35,000 classrooms were built to address the classroom gap. Many high standard highway projects that are still ongoing are the NAIA expressway, TarlacPangasinan-La Union expressway, NLEX Harbor Link, Skyway 3, and the Plaridel Bypass.

According to Former NEDA DirectorGeneral, Secretary Manny Esguerra, during PNoy’s watch, economic growth

was sustained at 6.3 percent. By six-year moving averages since the 1970s, this is the highest across presidential terms because of “the higher quality of growth, which was propelled by sound fundamentals, accompanied by structural changes rather than being debt-ridden.”

“The favorable investment climate was generally due to the reforms to increase productivity. A testament to that is the improvement in the Philippines’ global rankings in the Global Competitiveness Index, the Economic Freedom Index, Ease of Doing Business, and the Corruption Perceptions Index,” Sec. Esguerra said.

Former Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, for his part, said, “I think the one critical factor was the leadership provided by a determined, knowledgeable, trustworthy, and decent president, as exemplified by President Noynoy Aquino.”

The current administration benefitted from the sound policy and velocity of economic growth of the PNoy administration.

Other factors that Sec. Abad highlighted were the “experienced, dedicated, and very respectable people” in the cabinet, the openness to working with the civil society, the private sector, the academe, multilateral institutions and international NGOs, the willingness to be set performance against global governance standards, and openness to innovations in new technology to improve efficiency.

“The People’s Budget, open data, Seal of Good Housekeeping, participatory audits, budget partnership agreements, and of course, bottom-up budgeting, I think, put together, contributed immensely to what was achieved during those six years in terms of promoting greater transparency, accountability and reducing significantly the corruption in government,” Sec. Abad said.

is that Uncle Sam seems to have little interest in handling the uncertain situation Afghans face right now, which he started.

How long will this international political setup prevail -- where lives, cultures, and societies of weaker states are sacrificed to protect the interests of the more powerful states?

What the US did to Afghanistan two decades ago has taught it a lesson, mainly on the millions of dollars going out of American soil and the thousands of lives of American soldiers dying far from their homeland. And now, the lives of the people that the US tried to ‘protect’ are now at stake due to its zealous pursuit to ward off ideas and policies that run against its own.

When will America truly learn its lesson?

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Maraming salamat, Manny

Losing support

The author is a graduating journalism student at the University of Santo Tomas.

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Former Energy and Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Gregorio Almendras said that every program was about addressing the issue of poverty through job generation.

“Why was PPP an option? Because President Aquino decided we would be better off spending our money on social services rather than building all these other infrastructure projects which clearly the private sector could do.” Sec. Almendras said.

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary, Amb. Albert del Rosario, maintained that PNoy’s greatest legacy to the nation is the Award on the South China Sea Arbitration rendered on July 12, 2016 by the Tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. “Securing the Award had been the centerpiece of foreign policy during President Aquino’s administration, and the Award will continue to be a centerpiece of Philippine foreign and security policy for the next administrations,” Amb. del Rosario said.

ADRi President Prof. Dindo Manhit stated: “Contrasting the practices, policies, and results of the Duterte administration with those of the Aquino administration could be a source of lessons.”

“Through the preservation and the promotion of a democratic way of life, a democracy with integrity and decency in government, public participation, transparency, and dynamism for social and institutional reforms is what we need,” Prof. Manhit said.

It is clear that the current administration benefitted from the sound policy and velocity of economic growth of the PNoy administration. All these will continue to be relevant beyond this administration. The stark difference in leadership character, polarizing stance and irreverent demeanor of the President greatly diminishes confidence that we need to defeat this protracted crisis.

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Department of Environment and Natural Resources Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Website: http:/www.denr.gov.ph / E-mail: web@denrgov.ph

DENR Administrative Order No. 2021-_26_ SUBJECT :

municipality, as well as those who intend to sell their bamboo shall be required to have his/her farm registered and be issued with a Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration.

Naturally grown bamboo within eligible areas for development mentioned under Section 5 shall strictly follow the registration procedure prior to the issuance of Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration.

6.1.1. Bamboo Plantations within Agricultural Lands (Alienable and Disposable) and/or Private Titled Lands ● Authenticated Copy of Land Title Ownership (OCT/TCT); ● Certified True Copy of Tax Declaration, in case of Untitled A&D land; ● A copy of proof of possession of the land (e.g., lease, mortgage, pledge, trust and the like), in case the applicant is not the registered owner of the land; ● Photograph of the bamboo plantation; and ● Inventory list of bamboo plantations reflecting the species planted, total no. of clumps and total area planted.

Pursuant to Section 19 of Presidential Decree No. 705, as amended, otherwise known as the “Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines”, E.O No. 318, series of 2004 (Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in the Philippines), E.O No. 879, s. 2010 (Creation of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council), E.O No. 193, s. 2015 (Expanding the Coverage of the National Greening Program), Malacañang Memorandum Circular No. 30, s. 2012 (Implementation of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Program), DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2004-16 (Prescribing Revised Schedule for Administrative Fees), and DAO No. 2019-22 (Adoption of Forestry Investment Road Map), the following rules and regulations governing the establishment, harvesting and transport of bamboo poles are hereby promulgated.

6.1.2. Bamboo Plantations within Ancestral Lands ● Photograph of the bamboo plantation; ● Copy of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title/Certificate of Ancestral Land Title (CADT/CALT); and ● Copy of Ancestral Domains Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) indicating the establishment and management of bamboo plantations.

SECTION 1. Basic Policy. It is the policy of the State to ensure the sustainable utilization, development, management, protection and conservation of the country’s forest and other natural resources including Non-Timber Forest Products for the benefit of present and future generation. It also provides for a self–reliant and independent economy allowing for the equitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth.

a. increase the productivity, supply and access to bamboo resources in support to the development of the Philippine bamboo industry; b. provide a system for sustainable harvesting, transport and use of bamboo resources; c. accommodate other support activities such as research and development, processing and marketing; and c. contribute in mitigating the impacts of climate change and attaining environmental stability.

SECTION 3. Scope and Coverage. This Order shall cover all naturally grown bamboo stands, backyard farms and plantations found within forest lands, agricultural lands/ (alienable and disposable), mineral lands, private titled lands, and ancestral lands. Established bamboo plantations under the programs of the Department of Agriculture shall not be covered by this Order.

SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. For the purpose of this Order, the following terms are to be understood and interpreted as follows: a) Agricultural L a n d - lands o f t h e public domain which are neither forest/timber, mineral nor national park. b) Alienable and Disposable Lands - land of the public domain, which has been classified declared as such and available for disposition. c) Ancestral Lands - land, subject to property rights within the ancestral domain already existing and/or vested upon the effectivity of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997, occupied, possessed and utilized by individuals, families and clans who are members of the ICCs/IPs since time immemorial, by themselves or through their predecessors-in-interest, under claims of individual or traditional group ownership, continuously, to the present except when interrupted by war, force majeure or displacement by force, deceit, stealth, or as a consequence of government projects and other voluntary dealings entered into by government and private individuals/corporations, including, but not limited to, residential lots, rice terraces or paddies, private forests, swidden farms and tree lots. d) Bamboo - perennial giant grass belonging to the family Poaceae that is either erect or climbing. Generally used for weaving, handicraft manufacture, and house construction. e) Bamboo Products/Resources – refers to bamboo materials, and its by-products that can be used for economic gains and protective and environmental functions. f) Bamboo Stand – refers to a bamboo form of plantation or natural stand; or plantation, an aggregate of clumps occupying a specific area and sufficiently uniform in species composition, age, spacing and condition as to be distinguishable from the natural bamboo stand; in natural stands, spacing is irregular, species composition not necessarily uniform and clumps randomly and widely distributed. g) Bamboo Clump – refers botanically, clumping bamboo is classified as a “sympodial” species. The emerging shoots (eventually growing into culms) grow up from near the base of the mother plant to form, typically, isolated culms radiating from the center and growing outward in all directions to form a circular mass of vegetation. h) Bamboo Backyard Farming - those bamboo operations having a maximum of ten (10) bamboo clumps and are basically in the house backyard, with the household members as workers. i) Bamboo Processing Enterprise - a business engaged in the conversion of bamboo poles for various products and applications including walls, panels, trusses, handicraft, and novelty products (furniture, handicraft, and decors) focused on the possible use of bamboo as substitutes for wood for various applications (plywood, laminated bamboo, composites, pulp and paper, bamboo arts, and other architectural applications). j) Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration - a certificate issued by the CENRO/ Implementing PENRO that serves as registration, harvesting and transport permit (Annex A). k) Commercial Bamboo Production - refers to a management regime by which the commercial value of bamboo products/ resources are enhanced over a specific rotation period, resolve to yield, be distributed for, sold or dispense of to intended consumers. For the purpose of this Order, an area shall be considered as commercial production if it has more than 11 bamboo clumps. l) Family Approach – participation of families under the National Greening Program as partners of the Department for the development of plantations or rehabilitation of qualified areas. m) Forest Lands - includes the public forest, the permanent forest or forest reserves, and forest reservations. n) Mineral lands - any area where mineral resources are found. o) Private Titled lands – land(s) covered by either administrative or judicial Titles such as Free Patent, Homestead and Sales Patent, and Torrens Titles obtained under the Land Registration Act (Act No. 496, as amended), or under Public Land Law (Commonwealth Act No. 141). p) Tenured Forest Lands – a forest land covered by an agreement/ contract or management arrangement for peaceful possession and use of such specific forest land and the resources found therein.

SECTION 5. Establishment of Bamboo Plantations. Development of bamboo resources in forest lands, agricultural/ (alienable and disposable) and private titled lands shall be encouraged and be sustainably developed and managed based on the inherent capacity of these resources for the benefit of the people.

The following areas shall be eligible for development: ● Forest lands ● Mineral lands ● Agricultural lands/ (Alienable and Disposable lands) ● Private Titled lands Bamboo plantations established for protection purposes such as those along rivers and streams shall be exempted from harvesting but may be subjected to intermittent cutting for silvicultural treatment, provided that such is consistent with the existing rules and regulations and shall not impair the rehabilitation measures therein.

SECTION 6. Registration of Bamboo Plantations and Backyard Farms. All bamboo plantations intended for commercial production shall be registered at the Department’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) or implementing Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) with jurisdiction over the bamboo plantation.

Tenure holders with bamboo plantations shall no longer be required to acquire a Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration, provided that the establishment of bamboo is indicated in their management plans. The tenure holder is required to update their respective management plans should they consider venturing into bamboo plantations.

Bamboo backyard farms which are located adjacent to one another and within one barangay may opt to form a cooperative/association to become eligible for commercial production registration. They may also register individually, free of charge, provided that they will have a steady and sustainable supply of bamboo resources to meet the growing demands of the market.

e) Insurance Coverage. To ensure the protection and continuity of bamboo plantation operations and avoid the risk or liability covered for an individual/entity in force majeure cases, insurance coverage may be availed by bamboo developers and enterprises, with assistance from DENR.

6.1 Documentary Requirements. The following requirements shall be submitted by the applicant together with the duly accomplished registration form (Annex C):

RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT, HARVESTING AND TRANSPORT OF BAMBOO

SECTION 2. Objectives. This aims to encourage the establishment of bamboo plantations and to promote the sustainable use of bamboo as wood substitute in support of the development of bamboo-based industries in the Philippines. Specifically, it aims to:

assistance from DENR, may coordinate with any government banks/financial institutions of their choosing to apply for financial subsidy consistent with the existing rules and regulations set by the financing institutions.

6.1.3. Bamboo Plantations under the National Greening Program- Family Approach ● Copy of signed Letter of Agreement; and ● Photograph of the bamboo plantation.

6.2. Registration Process. The applicant shall submit all the pertinent requirements to the concerned CENRO/Implementing PENRO. The CENRO/Implementing PENRO shall verify the documents and conduct a rapid site assessment of the bamboo plantation. The outputs of the rapid site assessment are GIS-generated maps and geotagged photos which will be used as the basis for the issuance of the Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration. The GIS generated map shall be attached to the Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration upon issuance. Any application for registration with incomplete or invalid documentary requirements shall be returned to the applicant without prejudice to refiling.

f) Processing and Marketing. The DENR, may coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry in linking harvested bamboo products to processing centers. The location, capacities and types of bamboo establishment and operation of processing enterprises shall be encouraged, consistent with the One-TownOne-Project (OTOP) of the different Local Government Units.

SECTION 16. Penal Provision. The harvesting and gathering of naturally-growing and plantation bamboo in forest lands and private lands, along with its transport outside specified areas without registration shall be punished in accordance to Section 77 of PD 705, as amended, and other appropriate laws, rules, and regulations.

SECTION 17. Transitory Provision. All existing bamboo plantations and naturally growing bamboo for commercial purposes shall be registered to the Department within one (1) year upon approval of this Order. Newly established bamboo plantations shall be registered with the DENR within three (3) months after establishment.

SECTION 18. Issuance of Technical Bulletins and Guidance.

The Director of the Forest Management Bureau is hereby authorized to issue technical bulletins and guidance in support to this Order.

SECTION 19. Separability Clause. Should any provision or part of this Order be declared unconstitutional, those not affected shall remain to be in force and full effect.

SECTION 20. Repealing Clause. All other Department circulars, orders, memoranda, and issuances inconsistent herewith shall be amended or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 21. Effectivity Clause. This Order shall take effect after publication in a newspaper of general circulation and upon submission to the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) from the UP Law Center.

ROY A. CIMATU 6.3. Approving Authority. The Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration shall be issued and approved by the concerned CENRO/ Implementing PENRO in favor of the plantation owners/developers.

6.4. Applicable Fees. Fees shall be collected as prescribed under existing laws, rules and regulations. A one-time registration fee of P 3,000.00 shall be paid by the applicant subject to change as deemed necessary by the Department. Bamboo plantations under tenured forestlands and backyard farms are hereby exempted from paying the application fee.

SECTION 7. Expansion of Bamboo Plantation. Plantation owners within agricultural/ (alienable and disposable) and private titled lands may expand their bamboo plantation any time, warranting that the area for expansion is still within their legal ownership and that the procedures mentioned under Section 6 shall still be exercised.

SECTION 8. Sustained Yield Cut. The standard thinning intensity for the silvicultural treatment of bamboos for protection purposes and harvesting intensity to maximize yield on bamboos for commercial purposes shall be in accordance with existing rules and regulations.

SECTION 9. Validity of Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration. The Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration for bamboo plantations within agricultural (alienable and disposable lands) and/or private titled lands and bamboo backyard farms shall have no expiration until a declaration from the owner states that such bamboo stand is no longer productive.

SECTION 10. Grounds for Suspension/ Cancellation of Certificate.

The Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration may be suspended/ canceled if the operation is inconsistent with any of the terms and conditions of, or failure to comply with, or perform the obligations imposed in, the Registration Certificate, and of other pertinent laws, rules and regulations SECTION 11. Harvesting and Transport of Bamboo Poles. a. Bamboo Plantations within Tenured Forest Lands. The tenure/ancestral land holders shall prepare or revise/amend their appropriate management plan, as required by the specific tenure issuance, to indicate areas and activities for bamboo plantation.

The accompanying transport document shall be limited to the copy/ ies of approved tenure arrangement. b.

c.

Bamboo Plantations within Agricultural/ (Alienable and Disposable) and/or Private Titled Lands. Owners of bamboo plantations within agricultural/ (alienable and disposable) and private titled lands who shall engage in commercial production shall secure Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration from the Department. The Certified True Copy of Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration shall serve as the cutting and transport documents of harvested bamboo poles.

Bamboo Backyard Farming. For owners of bamboo backyard farms who intend to sell their bamboo, the Certified True Copy of Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration shall serve as the cutting and transport documents of harvested bamboo poles.

SECTION 12. Payment of Forest Charges and Fees. Forest charges shall be applied to naturally growing bamboo harvested within public forest lands, agricultural lands/ (alienable and disposable) and private titled lands as promulgated under RA No. 7161 and other existing rules and regulations.

Bamboo plantations within private titled lands, ancestral lands and forest lands shall be exempted from payment of forest charges. Authentication fee of P50.00 per page for the Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration shall be charged pursuant to the revised schedule of forestry administrative fees.

SECTION 13. Provision of Incentives to Bamboo Plantation Development Owners and Bamboo Processing Enterprises. The following incentives shall be provided to investors of bamboo plantation development and bamboo processing enterprises: ● Plantation owners shall be exempted from the payment of government share for the use of public lands for commercial bamboo plantation for the first 10 years or when the plantation owner starts to harvest his/her plantation, whichever comes first; ● Registered plantation owners shall be exempted from the payment of forest charges on planted bamboo that may be imposed by national government; and ● Allow without restriction the exportation of bamboo poles and bamboo resources derived from the registered farms and/or plantations.

SECTION 14. Monitoring and Evaluation.

An integrated bamboo information network system shall be developed by the Department through the Forest Management Bureau in coordination with various government agencies, private sectors a n d other concerned stakeholders to address the issue on the availability of data on bamboo resources. The information system shall cover but is not limited to the following: a) bamboo plantation; b) bamboo processors; and c) markets. The system shall be the source of information of the industry and the general public on the bamboo supply and demand status, location of farm and processors, prices and volume, government links to research and development, and financial assistance.

Annual reports of tenure forestland holders reflecting the harvesting and transport of bamboo shall be incorporated in the database. The system shall be linked to the Enhanced Forestry Information System (eFIS).

SECTION 15. Support Activities. The following support activities shall be conducted: a) Capacity Building. All engaged implementers, plantation managers, extension officers, and laborers shall be trained for thorough skills building for Bamboo Plantation Development, with assistance from ERDB and other concerned government agencies.

They shall serve as the pool of trainers that can be tapped for extending technical assistance to requesting parties inside or outside the Department in terms of bamboo plantation development. Small entrepreneurs shall also be capacitated in the formation of cooperatives, with the assistance of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and other concerned government agencies. b) Research and Development. The DENR, through the FMB, ERDB and other concerned government agencies and research institutions shall continue to support studies on various aspects of bamboo plantation development for the purpose of improving the process and quality of harvested bamboo poles and in reducing cost of production. c)

Further, registration shall not be required for backyard farmers who will harvest and consume their bamboo for personal use, for as long as these bamboos will be transported only within their municipality. However, owners of bamboo backyard farms who will harvest their bamboo for personal use and which would be transported from outside of their d)

Technology Transfer. All bamboo plantation developers and enterprises shall be assisted by the DENR, to register and avail of technology transfer arrangements provided by the concerned units and centers under the Department of Science and Technology.

This is to promote economic development through commercializing innovative technology and enhance the collaboration between operators and the government.

Financial Assistance or Subsidy. Eligible borrowers, with

ANNEX A. CERTIFICATE OF BAMBOO PLANTATION REGISTRATION No: _____________ Pursuant to Section 19 of Presidential Decree No. 705, as amended, otherwise known as the “Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines”, Executive Order No. 192 (Providing for the Reorganization of the Department of Environment, and Executive Order No. 318 (Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in the Philippines), Republic Act No. 7161 (Increasing the Forest Charges on Timber and Other Forest Products) and DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-16 (Prescribing Revised Schedule for Administrative Fees), and other existing laws and regulations, a Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration is hereby issued to: _________________________________________________ (Name of Applicant/Represented by) A Citizen/Organization/Cooperative/Association/Corporation/Proprietor of the Philippines with business/permanent address at ______________ ______________________, to engage in the business of establishing, harvesting and transport of bamboo poles, located at Sitio ____________, Barangay _____________, Municipality of _________________, Province of _______________________.

Covering a total area of _______________ (in words) _______________ (figure) hectares with (no. of bamboo clump) _____________________ bamboo clump/s, if applicable.

This Certification is subject to the provisions of applicable Forestry Laws and regulations promulgated or which may be promulgated, subject to the Terms and Conditions enumerated in the succeeding page (marked as Annex B) and such other additional regulations which may hereinafter be prescribed.

This Certification is effective on _________________ (date of issuance) at _______________________, Philippines.

Approved: __________________________ CENRO/Implementing PENRO ANNEX B. TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

The certification issued is non-negotiable and non-transferable that is co-terminus with the approved tenure, and without the necessity of a formal order by this Office, will automatically expire; For bamboo stand within Agricultural Lands (Alienable and Disposable) areas, and ancestral lands (CADT/CALT), the Certificate of Bamboo Plantation Registration shall have no expiration until a declaration from the owner states that the such bamboo stand is no longer productive; Planting of bamboo for the rehabilitation of rivers, stream banks and other suitable areas are encouraged. Planted bamboos along banks of rivers and streams may be subjected to intermittent cutting consistent with the existing rules and regulations and shall not impair the rehabilitation measures set forth; A report on the number of bamboo poles harvested shall be submitted to the DENR – CENRO/Implementing PENRO on a semi-annual basis. The Regional Office shall consolidate these reports and submit it to the Forest Management Bureau for monitoring and evaluation purposes; The bamboo plantation shall be subjected to yearly monitoring and performance evaluation by the DENR in coordination with other government agencies; DENR officers/personnel shall be authorized to enter the registered plantation areas/backyard farms to inspect and shall be allowed to present available documents as may be required by the inspectors; and Violation of any of the above terms and conditions shall be sufficient ground for termination/cancellation of the certificate, subject to due process without prejudice to the imposition of appropriate penalties pursuant to existing regulations.

ANNEX C. REGISTRATION FORM Name of Applicant: _______________________________________ Company Name (if applicable): _______________________________ Principal/Permanent Address: ________________________________ Location of Plantation: ____________________________________ Area planted (in hectares): ________________________________ Species of Bamboo Planted: ___________________________ Number of Bamboo Poles to be Harvested, if applicable: CHECKLIST OF REQUIREMENTS. Please check the appropriate box.

Bamboo Plantations within Ancestral Lands

Bamboo Plantations under the National Greening Program-Family Approach

Duly accomplished Registration form

Photograph of the bamboo plantation

Copy of signed Letter of Agreement

A copy of proof of possession of the land (e.g. lease, mortgage, pledge, trust and the like), in case the applicant is not the registered owner of the land;

Copy of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title/ Certificate of Ancestral Land Title (CADT/ CALT)

Photograph of the bamboo plantation

Inventory list of bamboo plantation reflecting the species planted, total no. of clumps and total no. of area planted

Copy of Ancestral Domains Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) indicating the establishment and management of bamboo plantations

Bamboo Plantations within Agricultural Lands/ (Alienable and Disposable) and/or Private Lands

Certified True Copy of Tax Declaration, in case of Untitled A&D land Authenticated Copy of Land Title Ownership Photograph of the bamboo plantation Payment of Registration Fee (attach Official Receipt) (MS-AUGUST 23, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World Taliban inherit untapped $1T minerals trove THE Taliban now hold the keys to an untouched trillion-dollar trove of minerals including some that could power the world’s transition to renewable energies, but Afghanistan has long struggled to tap its vast deposits.

The Taliban are already in a financial bind since they returned to power 20 years after their ouster, as major aid donors halted their support for Afghanistan.

Endless wars and poor infrastructure have prevented the country from getting its hands on the metals that could brighten its economic fortunes.

The resources include bauxite, copper, iron ore, lithium and rare earths, according to a January report by the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Copper, which is needed to make power cables, became a hot commodity this year as prices soared to more than $10,000 per ton.

Lithium is a crucial element to make electric car batteries, solar panels and wind farms.

World demand for lithium is expected to grow by over 40 times by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency.

And Afghanistan “sits on a huge reserve of lithium that has not been tapped to this day,” said Guillaume Pitron, author of the book “The Rare Metals War.” Afghanistan is also home to rare earths that are used in the clean energy sector: neodymium, praseodymium and dysprosium.

The country’s untapped mineral riches have been estimated at $1 trillion by the USGS, though Afghan officials have put it three times as high.

Afghanistan has done better digging for precious stones such as emeralds and rubies as well as semiprecious tourmaline and lapis lazuli, but the business is plagued with illegal smuggling to Pakistan.

The country also mines for talc, marble, coal and iron.

While the Taliban’s takeover may deter foreign investors, one country that appears willing to do business with them is China. AFP

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MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021 || mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Afghans on ‘impossible’ race against time to flee Kabul

T

ENS of thousands of Afghans were racing Sunday to flee their country as the United States warned of security threats at Kabul’s chaotic airport and the European Union said it was “impossible” to evacuate everyone at risk from the Taliban.

In the week since the hardline Islamist militants took back power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have vowed a softer version of their brutal rule from 1996-2001, and taken steps towards forming a government.

But terrified Afghans continue to try and flee, deepening a tragedy at Kabul

airport where the United States and its allies have been unable to cope with the huge numbers of people trying to get on evacuation flights.

Britain’s Sky News on Saturday aired footage of at least three bodies covered in white tarpaulin outside the airport. It was not clear how they had died.

situation as “one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history.”

Circumstances were further complicated on Saturday when the US government warned its citizens to stay away from the airport.

No specific reason was given, but a White House official later said Biden had been briefed on “counter terrorism” threats, including the Islamic State group.

The United States, which has thousands of troops trying to secure the airport, has set a deadline to complete the evacuations by August 31. AFP

New Zealand queries virus approach amid Delta outbreak

TRIUMPH OF LIFE. In this image courtesy of the US Air Force, medical support

personnel from the 86th Medical Group help an Afghan mother and family off a US Air Force C-17, call sign Reach 828, moments after she delivered a child aboard the aircraft upon landing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. During the evacuation flight from an Intermediate Staging Base in the Middle East, the mother went into labor and began experiencing complications due to low blood pressure. The aircraft commander made the decision to descend in altitude to increase air pressure in the aircraft, which helped stabilize and save the mother’s life. The baby girl and mother were transported to a nearby medical facility and are in good condition. AFP

Sri Lanka bans ‘drunk driving’ of elephants under new law SRI Lanka will issue captive elephants with their own biometric identity cards and ban their riders from drinking on the job under a wide-ranging new animal protection law.

Many rich Sri Lankans – including Buddhist monks—keep elephants as pets to show off their wealth, but complaints of ill treatment and cruelty are widespread.

The new measures are aimed at protecting the animals’ welfare and include strict regulations around working elephants, as well as mandating a daily two-and-a-half-hour bath for each creature.

Official records show there are about 200 domesticated elephants in the South Asian nation, with the population in the wild estimated at about 7,500.

The new law will require all owners

Sky reporter Stuart Ramsay, who was at the airport, called the deaths “inevitable” and said people were being “crushed,” while others were “dehydrated and terrified.”

The footage was the latest image of utter despair, after video of a baby being lifted over a wall at the airport and horror scenes of people hanging onto departing planes.

Families hoping for a miracle crowded between the barbed-wire that surrounds an unofficial no man’s land separating the Taliban from US troops. Roads to the airport were choked with traffic.

President Joe Biden has described the

to ensure that animals under their care have new photo identity cards with a DNA stamp.

It also brings in multiple regulations for working elephants.

Baby elephants can no longer be used for work – even cultural pageants – and cannot be separated from their mothers.

Logging elephants cannot be worked for more than four hours a day and night work is prohibited.

There are new restrictions on the tourism industry too – from now on, no more than four people can ride an elephant at once, and they must sit on a well-padded saddle.

Their use in films is banned, except for government productions under strict veterinary supervision, as is allowing their riders to drink while working.

“The person who owns or has the

custody of such elephants shall ensure that the mahout (rider) is not consuming any liquor or any harmful drug while employed,” Wildlife Protection minister Wimalaweera Dissanayaka said in a gazette notification dated Thursday.

Owners must send their animals for a medical check-up every six months.

Those who violate the new law will have their elephant taken into state care and could face a three-year prison sentence.

Capturing wild elephants in Sri Lanka is a criminal offence punishable by death, but prosecutions are rare.

Animal rights activists as well as elephant experts have alleged that over the last 15 years, more than 40 baby elephants have been stolen from national wildlife parks. AFP

SIGNIFYING THOUGHT, WORD AND DEED. Brahmin students from Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam participate in the janoi or ‘sacred thread’ changing ceremony on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on August 22, 2021. AFP

Israel strikes Gaza after border clashes

NEW Zealand conceded its ambitious “COVID zero” elimination strategy may no longer be viable on Sunday as an outbreak of the virulent Delta variant spread further.

COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins reported a further 21 cases in a virus cluster that emerged in Auckland last week, ending a six-month run of no local cases and sparking a national lockdown.

Hipkins said Delta’s highly transmissible nature was making this outbreak more difficult to contain than others, raising “big questions” about the elimination strategy.

“The scale of infectiousness and the speed at which the virus has spread is something that, despite all the best preparations in the world, has put our system under strain,” he told TVNZ. New Zealand’s widely praised COVID-19 response – which has resulted in just 26 deaths in a population of five million – centers on eliminating the virus from the community.

It has relied on strict border controls backed by hard lockdowns when any cases do slip through, but Hipkins said Delta may force a rethink. “(Delta’s) like nothing we’ve dealt with before in this pandemic,” he said.

“It does change everything. It means that all of our existing preparations begin to look less adequate and raises some pretty big questions about the future of our long-term plans.”

Neighboring Australia has also pursued a “COVID zero” strategy and been similarly frustrated as its Delta cases continue to spike. AFP

ISRAELI warplanes bombed Gaza Saturday after clashes between its troops and Palestinian protesters left dozens injured, including an Israeli border policeman and a 13-year-old Palestinian boy who were both critically wounded.

The Israeli military said it carried out air strikes against four weapons sites and that it had reinforced its Gaza division with additional troops.

The escalation came exactly three months since Israel and the enclave’s Islamist rulers Hamas reached a truce following their deadliest fighting in years.

Israeli troops fired at Palestinian protesters who gathered near the REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Gaza border wall, the army and REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION Palestinian witnesses said.

BRANCH 217- QUEZON CITY A Palestinian gunman fired at rtc1qzn217@judiciary.gov.ph Israeli troops through an opening THE MATTER OF PETITION FOR RECOGNITION in the wall and crowds of young IN OF FOREIGN DECREE OF DIVORCE UNDER RULE 108 protesters hurled explosives over EVELYN G. BON, Petitioner, the barrier and tried to scale it.

-versusCIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-19-18520-CV The Hamas-run Gaza health TOSHINAO MIYAZAKI, PHILIPPINE STATISTICS ministry said the injured included AUTHORITY and CITY CIVIL REGISTRY OF a 13-year-old boy left in a criti- QUEZON CITY, Respondents. cal condition after being hit in the x-----------------------------------------------------x SECOND AMENDED ORDER head.

This is a verified petition filed by Evelyn G. Bon praying for the “Forty-one civilians were judicial recognition of foreign judgment of divorce obtained in and cancellation of the report of marriage from the records wounded with various injuries,” Japan of Philippine Statistics Authority and City Civil Registry of Quezon the ministry said in a statement, City.

Petitioner alleges that she got married to Toshinao Miyazaki with Hamas saying “thousands” on December 17, 1999 in Koshigaya-shi, Saitama, Japan; that of protesters had taken part. petitioner and Miyazaki met in Japan where they became friends eventually sweethearts; that petitioner and Miyazaki were The Israel Border Police said and not blessed with an offspring during their marriage; that after a 21-year-old sniper in its under- more than two years of marriage, Miyazaki lost his job and he asked petitioner to leave his house which petitioner cover unit was critically wounded forcefully did; that Miyazaki was able to obtain a divorce decree in the City when he was shot by a Palestinian Government of Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan on August 29, 2002; that petitioner is now seeking that the foreign protester. divorce decree obtained by Toshinao Miyazaki in Japan be “His condition is critical and judicially recognized.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form ad substance, there is a risk to his life,” it said of notice is hereby given that said petition is hereby set for hearing on October 6, 2021 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning before this the wounded officer. located at Room 604, Sixth Floor, Hall of Justice – Annex, Israeli police commissioner Court Diliman, Quezon City at which place and on which date and time, Kobi Shabtai in a statement any person who has objections to the petition may appear and file his opposition thereto. vowed the force would “continLet a copy of this Second Amended Order be published at the ue to act firmly and with all our expense of the petitioner, once a week for three (3) consecutive a newspaper of general circulation throughout the might against those who want to weeks Philippines. Likewise, let a copy of the petition with its annexes and this Second Amended Order be furnished to the Office of harm us.” the Solicitor General, Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon Defense Minister Benny Gantz City, Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City, Philippine Authority, Quezon City and be posted in the Bulletin had warned that “these are defi- Statistics Board of the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, nitely extremely serious events Quezon City.

SO ORDERED. that will have a response.” AFP Quezon City, Philippines, June 3, 2021.

Russian rocket launches 34 new satellites from UK operator Oneweb A RUSSIAN Soyuz rocket has blasted into space carrying 34 new satellites from British operator Oneweb, which aims to provide broadband internet everywhere in the world.

The rocket operated by Europe’s Arianespace took off successfully at 2213 GMT Saturday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan,

the Roscosmos space agency said in a statement.

It was the fifth launch of OneWeb satellites this year, with the last one on July 1.

OneWeb is working to complete the construction of a constellation of low earth orbit satellites providing enhanced broadband and other services

to countries worldwide.

The company is competing against billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in the race to provide fast internet for the world’s remote areas via satellites.

The UK company plans for its global commercial internet service to be operational by next year, supported by

some 650 satellites.

Arianespace, which has worked with Russia for close to two decades, is under contract to make 16 Soyuz launches between December 2020 and the end of 2022.

With this latest mission, a total of 288 satellites are now in orbit for the constellation. AFP

(Sgd.) DOLLY ROSE R.BOLANTE-PRADO Acting Presiding Judge Cc: Atty. Donnarence M. Masilungan-Jalmasco Counsel for the Petitioner The Cabanas Mall, Northwing 3 Space C, McArthur Highway, Longos, Malolos, Bulacan attydmmasilungan@gmail.com Office of the Solicitor General Makati City Office of the City Prosecutor Quezon City Office of the Local Civil Registrar Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority Quezon City Toshinao Miyazaki 1-65-42- Iwana, Noda City Chiba Prefecture, Japan

(MStandard-Aug. 16, 23 & 30, 2021)

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

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MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, August 20, 2021

-85.29 PTS. 6,633.22

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

2,035,105,585 83,807 6,304,303,166.20 113 78 47

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.5130

Japan

Yen

0.009112

0.4603

UK

Pound

1.364000

68.8997

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128371

6.4844

Switzerland

Franc

1.088969

55.0071

Canada

Dollar

0.780031

39.4017

Singapore

Dollar

0.732869

37.0194

Australia

Dollar

0.714800

36.1067

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652661

133.9939

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

13.4690

Brunei

Dollar

0.730194

36.8843

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.029999

1.5153

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.7533

Euro

Euro

1.167900

58.9941

Korea

Won

0.000850

0.0429

China

Yuan

0.153972

7.7776

India

Rupee

0.013446

0.6792

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.236016

11.9219

New Zealand

Dollar

0.683000

34.5004

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035690

1.8028 Source: BSP

Robinsons Land pegs REIT price at P6.45 a share

By Jenniffer B. Austria RL COMMERCIAL REIT Inc., (RCR), the real estate investment trust company owned by Robinsons Land Corp., has set the final price for its maiden share offering at P6.45 apiece.

RCR at this price level will raise as much as P23.5 billion from the sale of up to 3.34 billion secondary shares with an over-allotment of up to 305.1 million common shares.

The final price of P6.45 is 11.36 percent lower than the maximum cost of P7.31 each.

It set the offering period from August 25 to September 3 and the listing of the shares in the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange on September 14.

New investors will corner 36.67 percent of RCR’s issued and outstanding common shares, while current shareholders will retain 63.33 percent, if the oversubscription option is exercised.

RCR’s initial portfolio, which has a total gross leasable area of 425,315 square meters, consists of 14 office buildings registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authoriy.

These buildings are strategically located in central business districts across Metro Manila, such as Makati, Pasig, Quezon City and Taguig, and in the key cities of Naga, Tarlac, Cebu and Davao.

The total appraised value of RCR’s initial portfolio is at about P73.9 billion as of 30 June 2021 based on Santos Knight Frank’s estimates.

RLC has 422,000 sq. m. of office leasing portfolio that RCR could acquire in the future.

RCR will be fourth REIT to conduct an initial public offering on the PSE after AREIT Inc., DDMP REIT Inc. and newly-listed Filinvest REIT Corp.

BPI Capital Corp. and UBS AG Singapore Branch will serve as joint global coordinators, lead managers, and joint book-runners for the proposed offering.

A REIT is a stock corporation established principally for the purpose of owning income-generating real estate assets such as apartment buildings, office buildings, medical facilities, hospitals, hotels, resorts, highways, warehouses, shopping centers and railroads.

It is a type of investment instrument that provides a return to investors derived from rental income of the underlying real estate asset.

Cebu Pacific cargo business up by 27%

CEBU Pacific said revenues from its cargo business rose 27 percent in the first half of the year on stronger demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The airline of the Gokongwei Group said revenues from cargo flown reached P2.81 billion in the first six months of 2021, up from P2.22 billion in the same period last year.

Cargo sales in the first half accounted for 48 percent of total revenues. Cebu Pacific transported 53.8 million kilograms worth of shipment from January to June this year.

CEB in the second quarter of 2021 carried 28.7 million kilograms of goods across its domestic network and international destinations.

International cargo remains a key component with top commodities such as electronics, automotive parts, aquaculture products, medical goods, fruits and flowers.

Throughout the pandemic, CEB remained agile by exploring alternative revenue streams to boost cargo operations.

Some of these initiatives included the introduction of hybrid flights with one sector carrying passengers, while the other loading purely cargo. Darwin G. Amojelar

BDO Capital, BPI back clean energy

GCASH-DA TIEUP. GCash, the country’s leading mobile wallet app, teams up with the Department of Agriculture to give farmers and fisherfolk a more convenient digital payment platform for safer and more efficient payment transactions. The DA and GCash signed a contract for cashless payment collections for such services as sanitary and phytosanitary permits and laboratory fees.

Leading the signing of the agreement are Agriculture Secretary William Dar (fourth from left) and GCash vice president for enterprise and public sector Jose Luis Reyes (fifth from left), along with Agriculture Undersecretary Roldan Gorgonio, IoT Valley Corp. chairman and president Rolando Amaleo Lirio III, Philippine Association of Agriculturists Inc. chairman Roberto Rañola and Bayad senior vice president and chief operating officer Francispito Quevedo.

DOF prepares fiscal plan to restore targets by 2024

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Department of Finance said over the weekend it is drawing up a fiscal consolidation plan to cut government deficit and bring back economic growth near the 2016-2019 levels by 2024 or 2025, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in an online briefing.

“The fiscal consolidation plan is an ongoing project which we have started about a month and a half ago. A first formal paper was issued by [Undersecretary] Gil [Beltran]...

That is the first paper on our fiscal consolidation. We will come up with more details on that plan,” Dominguez told reporters.

“It is an evolving plan, which we will leave to our successors in the next administration. That is our duty and we will do it,” Dominguez said.

Fiscal consolidation refers to the policies undertaken by the government to reduce the budget deficit and accumulation of debt stock. It is not aimed at eliminating fiscal debt.

Beltran said based on DOF estimates, if all the measures and policies are passed, the government would be back to the usual deficit by 2025. “We can even do better if the economy rebounds quickly,” he said.

“The debt won’t be far off from 60 percent. It will go a little over that, but

“Indonesia has already said that ‘we have to cut our budget to keep our deficit reasonable,’” he said. Dominguez said the other way is to increase government’s revenues.

Dominguez said the fiscal consolidation period would be difficult, but it would be favorable amid the prevailing low interest rates.

“So we have to see how the plan evolves. As I said, it depends on how long this pandemic will last. Fortunately, we are in a relatively good position,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez said the national government debt, as a proportion of gross domestic product, was expected to settle at a still manageable level of 58.7 percent this year.

He said the government was expected to go back to the road of fiscal consolidation once the virus was contained and public spending normalized to pre-COVID level.

SM SCHOLARS. SM Prime Holdings Inc., along with SM Foundation, Don Bosco One TVET Philippines Inc. and the city government of Pasay, welcome 20 deserving scholars to the SM-Pasay TechnicalVocational Scholarship Program via an online conferencing platform. The scholars from financially challenged families in Pasay City underwent a tedious screening and selection process.

They were awarded a full tech-voc scholarship, covering tuition, monthly allowance and various enrichment activities.

SM Foundation provides deserving and qualified students with access to college education and technicalvocational studies since 1993.

To date, SMFI has produced over 7,600 college and tech-voc scholar-graduates nationwide.

PLDT, Globe bare higher data traffic and 5G partnerships

By Darwin G. Amojelar PLDT Inc. said 5G data traffic on Smart Communications Inc. network doubled in the first half of the year, driven by unlimited promos and the deployment of 5G network nationwide.

Data traffic on Smart 5G more than doubled between the first and second quarter of 2021, while the number of unique devices connected to 5G also doubled as of end-June compared to end2020, as Smart increased the number of 5G base stations deployed across the nation to over 4,800.

Jane Basas, Smart senior vice president and head of Consumer Wireless Business, underscored the importance of making 5G handsets accessible to more

Filipinos, in order to expand the 5G adoption in the country.

“As we continue to build out our 5G network, we are also already seeing affordable handsets in the market. This will be key to 5G adoption, as we help our customers upgrade to 5G,” she said.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom Inc. said it expanded its roster of 5G roaming partners in a bid to serve more Filipinos abroad.

The company owned by the Ayala Group added Japan through Softbank, Turkey through Turk Telecom, Switzerland’s Swisscom and O2 Czech Republic, the largest operator in the Czech market, to its roster of overseas partners on August 20.

The company has also teamed up with Israel’s Pelephone so its visiting sub-

scribers from the country may enjoy the benefits of 5G in the Philippines.

“Our relentless 5G roaming expansion efforts are driven by our commitment to provide the best travel experience for our customers worldwide,” Coco Domingo, Globe vice president for Postpaid and International, said.

Globe postpaid and prepaid customers currently abroad and those intending to travel to top destinations worldwide can enjoy a more stable internet with hardly any delay when they connect to the 5G network of Globe’s partner telcos.

Subscribers of Globe’s roaming partners will also have access to Globe’s 5G network when they visit the Philippines as long as they are using 5G-enabled phones in over 1,700 5G locations.

DITO Telecom expands mobile coverage to 18 new areas as subscribers hit 2-m mark DITO Telecommunity Corp. said over the weekend it expanded its mobile services to 18 new areas, ramping up its presence to 210 cities and municipalities nationwide.

DITO said it is now available in Don Carlos, Manolo Fortich, Baungon, Libona, Impasug-ong, Maramag in Bukidnon province; City of Gingoog and Lugait in Misamis Oriental province; San Simon in

IN BRIEF

Pampanga province; San Carlos City and Lingayen in Pangasinan province; and Pura in Tarlac province.

It is also available in Agoncillo, San Nicolas, Lian, Calatagan and Tuy in Batangas province, and Magallanes in Cavite province.

DITO said new and current subscribers could avail of DITO’s 25GB of high-speed data for 30 days with unlimited texts to all networks, un-

limited DITO-to-DITO calls and 300 minutes of calls to other mobile networks for only P199.

Another value-for-money promo available to DITO subscribers is the DITO 99 offer with 10GB of data for 30 days for P99, unlimited DITO to DITO calls, 300 minutes of calls to all mobile networks and unlimited SMS to all networks.

DITO said it now has more than 2

million subscribers, five months after its launch in March this year.

“In less than five months after our official launch, we have just reached two million subscribers, covering around 200 cities nationwide,” DITO said in a statement.

DITO is a joint venture of Udenna Corp., Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. and China Telecommunications Corp. Darwin G. Amojelar

BANCO de Oro Capital and Investment Corp. and the Bank of the Philippine Islands expressed interest to finance clean energy projects that will address climate and energy transition risks and increase resilience.

The two financing institutions cited a need to address challenges in funding renewable energy projects.

“Banks are implementation ready. We are already strictly regulated by the Monetary Board and the Central Bank, so if they issue more guidelines we’ll just follow it. We do a lot of project finance and we analyze all the risks anyway—we try to factor that in,” said BDO Capital president Eduardo Francisco in a webinar organized by the Institute of Corporate Directors in partnership with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project Philippines and ClientEarth.

BPI vice president Jo Ann Eala said the bank takes both climate and environmental risks and opportunities into consideration in the projects.

“We have to make sure that the projects that we support, and we fund are actually making money and profitable, meaning the project is sustainable. It is important that the project can sustain itself financially,” Eala said. Alena Mae S. Flores

Analysts expect stock market to consolidate

SHARE prices are expected to consolidate this week after last week’s rally as concerns about rising COVID-19 cases will continue to temper investor optimism.

Analysts said the recent lockdown and continued implementation of mobility restrictions could delay the expected economic recovery.

While the market may have already priced in the a downgrade in the gross domestic product for the third quarter of the year, online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia. com said the expectation of brisker fourth quarter will still depend on how government contains the more contagious Delta variant and raises spending to spur growth.

“In the light of the August lockdowns, the impact of which will likely carry over to September due to the still-rising COVID-19 cases, managing expectations over the next quarriers will be key in navigating the mostcyclical equities market,” 2TradeAsia said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index jumped 5 percent last week to 6,633.22, while the broader All Shares Index climbed 3.7 percent to 4,123.72. Jenniffer B. Austria

Megawide in talks to develop P1.9-b Cavite bus project MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. said over the weekend it started negotiations to develop a P1.9-billion bus rapid transit project in Cavite province.

Megawide said the proposed Southwest BRT project would involve a busbased transport system running on regular intervals along an alignment of 22.5 kilometers.

The whole project, which the company will undertake in partnership with Maplecrest Group Inc., will have five terminals and 34 stations.

“The proposed project will benefit residents of Cavite, particularly those in Imus, General Trias and Tanza areas by providing them with a convenient and efficient mass transit option that connects the Cavite areas,” Megawide said.

It said there is no mass transportation along the proposed alignment. Megawide said the transport options in the area like jeepneys and tricycles could be feeders to the BRT. Megawide said the project aimed to have an initial traffic of 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles daily running on dedicated lanes to avoid mixing with regular traffic and help reduce congestion in the area.

It will also offer reliable bus schedules, efficient ticketing and trip scheduling system and clean and comfortable businesses.

The unsolicited project was submitted to the provincial government of Cavite for approval. Like other unsolicited proposals, it would be subject to Swiss Challenge.

Megawide said it was planning to start operating the project by the fourth quarter of 2022 depending on the pace of government approvals.

The project is a part of Megawide’s thrust to expand its transport-oriented development. Megawide operates the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange.

It is also in the advance stage of discussion with the local government of Baguio City for a potential land transport project that could be connected to its terminal in Paranaque.

It also started the construction of the P5.5-billion redevelopment of Carbon Market in Cebu which has a vital integrated transport component.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Sports

Volleyball booms in pro league launching DESPITE minor concerns along the way, the pro volley launch proved successful in terms of managing its staging in the midst of the COVID-19 dilemma with Chery Tiggo earning the distinction as the first champion of the Premier Volleyball League under professional setup.

“With a pandemic-friendly environment, all our hard work that has been invested has paid off,” said Ricky Palou, president of Sports Vision, organizer of the PVL, which turned professional in late 2020 on the premise it has enough women players to make the move and take the sport to new heights.

But it took a lot of effort to making the turnaround a reality with Sports Vision citing the help and cooperation of Ilocos Norte, which offered to host the launch in a “bubble” setup and under league guidelines/restrictions in consonance with such measures from the LGU, being health, well-being and safety of each player and delegation the top priority.

“We’re grateful to Gov. (Matthew) Manotoc and Games and Amusements Board chairman Baham Mitra for their inspiration and encouragement,” said Palou, adding that the GAB chair, who also watched some of the games, even offered to assist and went out of his way to talk to the agencies concerned to help ensure the smooth conduct of the event.

Palou also commended the support of Ilocos Norte First District Rep. Ria Christina Fariñas and Fritzie Ann Kaye Gapasin, Mayor of Bacarra, which took over the hosting of the five-week tournament at the PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center.

The PVL’s first pro tournament held in a highly competitive but friendly environment, according to Palou, also encapsulated the need for an outlet for athletes during the global health crisis and at the same proved that pro events can resume under safely and controlled conditions.

Palou also praised Cignal TV Inc. and TV5 Network, headed by president/CEO Robert Galang and vice president for Channels and Content Siena Olaso, for providing the link between the tournament and the fans in “closeddoor” setup via live broadcast of the games on One Sports+ on Cignal TV’s multiple on-air and digital platforms.

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Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines (left) looks at Yordenis Ugas of Cuba after slipping during their WBA Welterweight Championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

L

AS VEGAS—Manny Pacquiao plans to take his time before deciding on his future but admitted on Saturday he may not return to the ring after his upset defeat to Yordenis Ugas.

The 42-year-old Filipino boxing superstar indicated he now planned to tur n his attention to his political career in the Philippines in the wake of a unanimous points defeat to Ugas.

“In the future you may not see Manny Pacquiao fight in the ring,” Pacquiao said. “I don’t know.

“I’ve done a lot for boxing and boxing has done a lot for me. I look forward to spending time with my family and thinking about my future in boxing.”

If Saturday’s loss was Pacquiao’s final fight, it marks the end of a glittering 26-year professional career that has already ensured the Filipino will go down as one of the

all-time greats.

Against Ugas on Saturday however, age finally appeared to have caught up with Pacquiao as he was outboxed and outfoxed by a skilful, younger opponent.

Although Ugas said he would be willing to give Pacquiao a rematch, it is hard to see how a second fight would pan out any differently.

Beyond that, other, younger fighters in the welterweight division such as Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford are likely to be even more dangerous for the veteran Filipino.

“In my heart I want to continue fighting,” Pacquiao said. “But the thing is I have to consider also my body.”

Pacquiao is now expected to turn

Ronald Mascarinas of Bounty Agri Ventures, which happens to be one of the Pacquiao’s corporate sponsors.

“I am truly heartbroken by the loss.

Pacman fought bravely like the true

champion he is, but admittedly, Yordenis Ugas made the legend look human today.

Father Time has finally caught up with our champ, yet, still, this is a proud swan song for our country’s pride.”

HE is the first and only boxer to win world titles in eight weight divisions.

Manny Pacquiao, the boxer, has nothing more to prove in the ring. For more than two decades, he wowed the boxing world by beating the some of the best in different weight divisions and earned the nod as Boxer of the Decade.

The legendary Pacquao is still at it, although his gallant stand fell short against an Olympic bronze medalist, who scored a masterful 12-round unanimous decision win in their match for the world Boxing Association welterweight title.

Has Father Time, finally caught up with Pacquiao?

Some boxing experts and a lot of netizens think so. Messages urging Pacquiao to retire have flooded the social media.

Someone on Twitter posted that Pacquiao “should retire (from the ring) and attend to this Senate tasks.”

Another with a Twitter handle Tom Cruz begs Pacquiao to retire “before you totally lose your magic. And back off from politics.” Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines is attended by his team during the fight against YorOne of the most compelling messages denis Ugas of Cuba for the WBA Welterweight Championship boxing match at T-Mobile came from one of Pacquiao’s top fans, Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

his attention to his political career.

Already a Philippines Senator, Pacquiao is believed to be mulling a presidential bid.

“There’s a lot of things that I need to accomplish to help people and that’s my mission,” Pacquiao said.

“I want to be an inspiration to all the Filipino people inside and outside the ring.

“I am a fighter inside and outside the ring. And I look forward to getting back to the Philippines and serving the Filipino people as this pandemic continues to affect millions in the Philippines.”

Pacquiao, whose fight against Ugas was his first in two years, meanwhile said he had been unable to move freely during the bout, complaining of “cramp” in his legs which he suggested may have been down to overtraining as much as age.

“I couldn’t move. My two legs were tight. But I’m not making excuses,” he said. “Too much hard work. I ran in the

mountains, also doing 32 rounds (in training) every day. I don’t know. We’re not young any more.

Pacquiao’s veteran trainer Freddie Roach also acknowledged that time might finally have caught up with his friend and protege.

Roach has repeatedly said over the years he will be the first to advise Pacquiao to quit if he believes he has declined—and hinted that time may have come.

“He’s the best customer I’ve ever had, the best guy, and the best f ighter,” Roach said. “I’ll hate to see the day Manny retires, but this could be it. We’ll see what Manny decides.”

Roach meanwhile said that Pacquiao had struggled to get to grips with Ugas’s advantages in height and reach.

“His range was hard to get to,” Roach said. “He’s got long arms, very tall, he was hard to get to. He fought a good fight. We just couldn’t reach him.” AFP

Mascarinas added that Paquiao has already served his country well and he “deserves to slow down now and enjoy the fruits of your labor with your loved ones.”

Glenn Mondol, one of Pacquiao’s former padwork trainers, posted “Parang nagpaparamdam na ang panahon.

Kailangan ng isabit ang gloves.”

In his tweet, World Boxing Organization super featherweight champion Jamel Herring said Pacquiao has nothing more to prove. “I won’t say, “he dared to be great”, because he was already great before the opening bell of this fight.”

International boxing judge Alfie Jacosol suggested that if Pacquiao will pursue higher political office, “it would be wise to stick with it and let the young fighters take the center stage.”

“He has already defied father time so many times and not to push it to the limit.

(Retirement) would be a wise decision for both his health and his family.”

At 42 years old, Pacquiao still fought like a world-class pugilist. He apologized for his loss, even if he didn’t need to.

But when asked after the bout what he thinks about retiring, Pacquiao is still unsure of what lies ahead.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. Let me rest first.” Will he run for President? “I will make a final announcement next month.”

Celestino, Frank to represent PH in Nebelhorn tilt; Martinez injured

Romero gives incentives to Olympic boxing medalists HOUSE Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero (1-Pacman Partylist) on Saturday delivered his promise to the Tokyo Olympics boxing medalists, while making an appeal to one of them.

Romero virtually led via Zoom the simple handover of checks to Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial at the AirAsia headquarters inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

In a ceremony aptly dubbed “Bagsik Ng Kamao,” Romero fulfilled his pledge of P2 million each to silver medalists Petecio and Paalam, as well as P1 million to bronze winner Marcial.

“Nesthy, Carlo and Eumir brought immense pride and hope to the Filipino people amid these trying times due to the pandemic. They truly deserve these blessings,” said Romero. “But please, your Olympic

MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

And now, the end is near

Father Time catches up with Pacquiao

By Randy Caluag

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

journey should not stop in the Tokyo Games, abot kamay na ninyo ang pangarap ninyong mag-uwi ng ginto.’

Edwin Galvez, CEO in one of Romero’s companies and AirAsia executive Erick Arejola handed the checks to the Tokyo Games heroes.

Romero also stressed the significance of their victories to Philippine boxing, saying: “They proved once again na kaya talaga ng mga Pinoy na makipagsabayan sa buong mundo pagdating sa boxing like what Manny Pacquiao and our other great boxers did. Iba ang bagsik ng mga kamao ng Pinoy!”

Two weeks ago, Romero personally handed a P3-million check of Hidilyn Diaz, the country’s first Olympic gold medal winner.

Romero also promised that Marcial will have a lifetime free electricity since

With Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero in the background, boxers Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Marcial hold their mocked checks. Also shown are Edwin Galvez, CEO in one of Romero’s companies and AirAsia executive Erick Arejola.

he operates the electric cooperative in and unleashed some combinations Zamboanga City before thanking the former amateur To his delight, Marcial stood out basketball godfather.

By Peter Atencio EDRIAN Paul Celestino, the reigning national men’s champion, and United States-based Sofia Frank have earned the right become the the country’s representatives to the Nebelhorn Trophy next month.

The two made the cut following a virtual evaluation which the Philippine Skating Union did the past month.

“Our evaluation has concluded.

We evaluated three of our senior male skaters and two ladies for figure skating,” said PHSU president Nikki Cheng in an interview with the Manila Standard.

The 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy will be held on September 22 to 25 in Oberstdorf, Germany, and it is part of the 2021–22 ISU Challenger Series.

The Nebelhorn Trophy is the final Olympic qualifying event for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

Celestino is currently training Montreal, Canada while Frank is in Colorado Springs.

Last year, Celestino managed to join the 2020 Four Continents, and saw action in the senior division, and placed 20th.

Frank finished decently this year in the 2021 U.S. Championship Series, and joined in the junior division, and came up with a 14th place finish.

PHSU will not be fielding Michael Christian Martinez in the qualifiers.

Martinez, the first Southeast Asian figure skater to compete in the Winter Olympics, will sit this one out due to injury.

The 24-year-old Martinez last saw action for the Philippines in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

Manila

Standard

TODAY

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Website: http:/www.denr.gov.ph / E-mail: web@denrgov.ph

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. All Department Orders, Circulars and other issuances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and amended accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation and upon acknowledgement of receipt of a copy thereof by the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) of the UP Law Center.

DENR Administrative Order No. 2021- 27 SUBJECT :

PRESCRIBING THE GUIDELINES ON THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AGREEMENT FOR ALL TENURE INSTRUMENTS ISSUED UNDER THE FORESTRY SECTOR

ROY A. CIMATU Secretary

In line with the on-going rationalization and streamlining of processes, promotion of more private investment in forestry development projects, and pursuant to Presidential Decree (PD) No. 705, as amended, Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, and the Philippine Master Plan for Climate Resilient Forestry Development, which envisions, among others, to “place all forest lands under sustainable forest management in order to meet demands for forest goods and ecosystems services, this guidelines on the issuance of Provisional Agreement (PA) for all tenure instrument applied for and/or issued by the DENR under the forestry sector is hereby issued and promulgated:

O

NE of six Filipino athletes set to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games has tested positive for COVID-19, along with an unspecified number of officials and coaches.

SECTION 2. Scope and Coverage. This guidelines shall cover all applications for new, renewal and/or conversion of tenure instruments being issued by the DENR under the forestry sector, which have been endorsed to and received by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for the issuance of the corresponding Certification Precondition (CP) and/or Certificate of Non-Overlap (CNO), as follows:

Because of this, there will only be five athletes seeing action in the games when their competitions officially begin on Thursday.

“The delegation landed safely in Japan and have cleared all the safety and health protocols.

Those, who tested positive did not join the delegation anymore.

Tuloy ang laban, definitely,” said chef de mission Francis Diaz in a message to the Manila Standard.

No further details were given on the status of the national delegation, which was supposed to be a 21-member contingent, that has already entered the Athletes’ Village.

On Thursday, swimmer Gary Bejino and powerlifter Achelle Guion are supposed to begin the Philippines’ campaign.

Swimmer Er nie Gawilan, who was a participant the 2016 Summer Paralympics, was among those who made

1.

2.

3.

4.

Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) Socialized Industrial Forest Management Agreement (SIFMA) Forestland Grazing Management Agreement (FLGMA) Forestland Grazing Lease Agreement (FLGLA) for conversion to FLGMA 5. Forest Land Use Agreement (FLAg) 6. Forest Land Use Agreement for Tourism Purposes (FLAgT) 7. Community-Based Forest Mgt. Agreement (CBFMA) 8. Other Lawful Purposes Lease Agreement (OLPLA) for conversion to FLAg or FLAgT, as the case may be 9. Special Land Use Permits (SLUPs) for conversion to FLAg/ FLAgT 10. Tree Farm Lease Agreement (TFLA) and/or Agroforestry Farm Lease Agreement (AFFLA) for conversion into SIFMA SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. For the purpose of this Order, the following terms are to be understood and interpreted as follows: Certificate of Non-Overlap (CNO) – refers to the Certificate issued by the NCIP attesting to the fact that the area where the plan, program, project or activity to be done does not overlap with, or affect, any ancestral domain.

b.

Certification Precondition (CP) - refers to the Certificate issued by the NCIP, signed by the Chairperson or authorized representative, attesting to the grant of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) by the concerned Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs)

c.

Government Share – an amount to be paid by a user as a share to the government in the form of user’s fee for the use of a certain parcel of the forest land.

d.

Permanent improvement – refers to improvement introduced to the land under contract/agreement which cannot be removed without causing any damage therefrom.

e.

Provisional Agreement (PA) – refers to a two-year agreement granted by the State to a natural or juridical person who applied for new, renewal and/or conversion of tenure instruments under the forestry sector, and such application has been endorsed to and received by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for the issuance of the corresponding Certification Precondition and/or Certificate of Non-Overlap (CNO).

f.

Temporary improvement – refers to improvement introduced to the land under contract/agreement which can be removed without causing any damage therefrom.

PH Paralympic athlete positive for COVID-19

By Peter Atencio

SECTION 1. Basic Policy. It is the policy of the State to sustainably manage the country’s forest resources and to protect and advance the rights of the Filipino people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.

a.

Sports

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

it to Tokyo.

Philippine Paralympic Committee chief Michael Barredo said those who tested positive were still in Manila when they were examined.

“Despite the setback, we are confident that our athletes will give their best in pursuit of their Paralympic dreams, and to bring honor and glory to the country,” said Barredo in a statement.

According to reports, the first coronavirus case was detected in the Paralympics’ Village on Thursday last week.

The case involved a Gamesrelated staff member, who is not a resident in Japan.

There are around 4,400 para athletes from 160 teams competing in Tokyo from August 24 to September 5.

Those staying at the village are required to undergo daily COVID-19 testing, wear face masks and maintain social distancing.

SECTION 4. Provisional Agreement and Approving Authority.

4.1 In order to provide the applicant ample time to secure the corresponding CP/CNO from the NCIP, a Provisional Agreement (PA) with a validity of two (2) years shall be issued by the Regional Executive Director after 15 days from the date the NCIP has received the endorsement, following the attached Format marked as Annex “A” for new application, Annex “B” for renewal and Annex “C” for conversion to other instruments, subject to the following conditions: 4.1.1 For new application • The holder may proceed with the ground survey, delineation and demarcation of the boundaries of the would-be tenured area; • The holder shall manage, maintain and protect the area against any form of unlawful activities; and • The holder may be allowed to introduce temporary improvements in the area.

4.1.2

A general view shows the Paralympics symbol rings lit up at night on the Odaiba waterfront in Tokyo. AFP

Tokyo Paralympics to open under shadow of pandemic

For renewal • The holder shall not introduce additional permanent improvements in the area; • The holder shall continue managing and protecting the area against any form of unlawful activities; • The holder shall follow the terms and conditions of the previous agreement/permit; and • The holder shall be authorized to harvest and utilize the products from existing agroforestry and established tree plantations, in accordance with the approved plan or permit.

4.1.3 For conversion to other tenure instrument • The holder shall not introduce additional permanent improvements thereon; • The holder shall continue managing and protecting the area against any form of unlawful activities; • The holder shall follow the terms and conditions of the previous agreement/permit; and • The government share (GS) shall be computed following the existing guidelines under which the tenure instrument shall be converted.

4.2 The PA shall automatically be terminated upon the issuance of the corresponding tenure instrument by the concerned DENR Office. Likewise, it may be extended if no CP or CNO is issued within the period; or until the application therefor shall have been finally approved by the NCIP; and provided that no violation of existing laws, rules, and regulations was incurred within the duration of the PA. Should a resolution of Non-Consent be issued by the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs), and the application is finally denied and returned by the concerned NCIP Regional Director, a notice shall be issued by the concerned DENR Regional Office to the applicant to vacate the area and dismantle introduced temporary improvements within seven (7) days. All permanent improvements shall be subjected to take-over by the Government pursuant to existing laws, rules, and regulations.

Moreover, the PA shall be deemed terminated and the area shall be placed by the DENR under an appropriate management arrangement and/or may be open for investment.

4.3 The validity period of the PA shall form part of the 25-year period of the tenurial instrument in conformity with the 50-year limitation on the utilization, development, and conservation of natural resources as provided under the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

SECTION 5. Responsibilities of the PA Holder and the DENR 5.1 The holder shall ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the PA and shall exert due diligence in securing the corresponding NCIP Certificate within the 2-year period; 5.2 The concerned DENR Regional Office shall assist the holder in securing the corresponding NCIP Certificate by endorsing the application requirements to the concerned NCIP Regional Office consistent with existing laws, rules, and regulations.

(MS-AUGUST 23, 2021)

TOKYO—The Tokyo Paralympics open Tuesday after a yearlong pandemic delay and with the virus continuing to cast a long shadow as Japan battles a record surge in cases.

As at the Olympics, the event will be marked by strict virus rules, with almost all spectators banned and tough restrictions on athletes and other participants.

While a swell of domestic support emerged during the Olympics after months of negative polls, there is deep concern in Japan as the Paralympics approach with the country going through a fifth virus wave.

More than 25,000 new cases were recorded on Thursday, and medics across the country have warned hospitals are at breaking point with serious cases also at record highs.

It’s a challenging environment for the most important sports event for disabled athletes, and International Paralympic Committee chief Andrew Parsons has warned participants against complacency.

Despite the backdrop, IPC officials insist the reach of the event will be “incredible.”

“Of course the fact that we will not have spectators at the venues is a challenge,” Parsons told AFP in an interview.

“But we believe we will reach more than four billion people through broadcasting.”

Local officials say the Games can be held safely, with athletes and other participants subject to the same anti-infection rules that applied to the Olympics.

Virus ‘situation has deteriorated’ Competitors can only enter the Paralympic Village shortly before their event and must leave within 48 hours of the end of their competition.

They will be tested daily and limited to moving between training venues, competition sites and the Village.

The measures are intended to prevent the Games from becoming a superspreader event— and officials say the Olympics proved the restrictions work.

There were 552 positive cases linked to the Olympics reported from July 1 until Sunday, the majority among Japan residents employed by the Games or working as contractors.

So far, 138 cases related to the Paralympics have been confirmed, also mostly among Japan-based Olympic officials, though at least four athletes have also tested positive.

But Olympic officials say there is no evidence of infection spreading from the Games to the rest of Japan, where case numbers were already on the rise.

Still organizers acknowledge the worsening environment.

“The infection situation today is different to how it was before the Olympics. It has deteriorated,” said Tokyo 2020 official Hidemasa Nakamura on Friday.

“And the local medical system is also in a very tight situation.”

The virus surge has caused tensions, with some local regions and schools cancelling planned trips to Games events despite support for the programme from Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike. AFP (MS-AUGUST 23, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Entertainment V

IVA Live has presented a brandnew streaming event that featured the music of one of the most prolific rock singer-songwriters in OPM.

The online event, billed Rico Blanco Songbook: Musical Stories by Rico Blanco, is a celebration of the singer-songwriter’s most memorable songs from his time with Rivermaya up to his breakthrough years as a solo artist.

Retelling these songs are some of the most recognizable musical acts today as well as some rock luminaries of the Pinoy music scene such as December Avenue, Ebe Dancel, Callalily, Spongecola , Gibbs Sisters, Earl Generao, and Mayonnaise and Viva Records artists such as This Band, Raphiel Shannon, John Roa, Janine Tenoso, and Sarah Geronimo have reimagined the music of the ex-Rivermaya lead singer and songwriter.

Described as a musical documentary, Rico Blanco Songbook: Musical Stories by Rico Blanco is a first-of-itskind musical special locally produced and released that is exclusive for streaming. The Treb Monteras II-

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‘RICO BLANCO SONGBOOK’ musical documentary directed special also features heavily on musical performances. Ebe Dancel, Mayonnaise’s Monty Macalino, Yael Yuzon of Spongecola, and Kean Cipriano of Callalily will reveal their perspectives about Blanco as an artist.

“Some songwriters are good at melodies, some at lyrics, Rico excels at both. He always has this ‘shet-ang-gandasana-ako-na-lang-nagsulat-nun’ song in every album he releases. He’s a master at what he does and I’ve always idolized him,” Dancel said of Blanco.

Newer acts such as December Avenue, This Band, John Roa, Raphiel Shannon, and Earl Generao talk of the impact the singer-songwriter has had on their own craft.

“We were excited and honored to

pay tribute to one of OPM’s greatest songwriters. Rico is one of my musical heroes. Growing up listening to his songs heavily influenced my passion for music,” December Avenue singer Zel Bautista said.

The virtual concert-slash-streaming event’s setlist relies on the Rico Blanco Songbook—a ten-track album compilation that reinvented the hits of the Pinoy rock artist. This includes “Your Universe”

by Geronimo, “Wag Mong Aminin” as interpreted by Ebe Dancel, This Band’s “Liwanag Sa Dilim” and Janine Tenoso’s “A Love To Share” to name a few of the songs included in the album.

Rico Blanco Songbook: Musical Stories

by Rico Blanco premiered on Aug. 7 on Rico Blanco Songbook’ is a celebration of the singer-songwriter’s most memorable songs several platforms including www.ktx.ph from his time with Rivermaya up to his breakthrough years as a solo artist.

Dingdong Dantes is among the major honorees in this year’s Ani ng Dangal.

NEW York City shut down on Saturday its star-studded concert people streamed out of the grounds, with some taking shelter meant to mark its "homecoming" in the wake of the pandemic's under scaffolding and building entryways. worst devastation, over the threat of severe weather as Hurricane The weather cut short a show that had begun with groups of Henri churned closer. revelers cheering and dancing, with seating marked out by laying Manilow, who was Barry Manilow down picnic blankets ahead on a line-up that included of five hours of live music that Bruce Springsteen, Patti kicked off at 5:00 p.m. (2100 Smith, and Paul Simon, GMT). was cut off mid-song by a Even before the bad weather booming voice urging concert hit, many were still concerned goers to proceed swiftly but over COVID-19, despite calmly to the nearest exit due vaccination requirements. to approaching storm clouds.

All attendees aged 12 and "I was so disappointed," over had to provide proof of Manilow told CNN after vaccination, except for those his set was cut short. "This prevented from getting shots for was a wonderful, wonderful reasons of disability. Masks were experience up until the rain not required at the outdoor event, hit. We were so excited to do except for unvaccinated children. this."

"At least everyone is Some 60,000 people were vaccinated" at the show, said expected at the concert in Ilana Gomez, who was most Central Park, as the hurricane, excited to see guitarist Carlos packing maximum sustained Barry Manilow performs at We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert Santana's band play. winds near 75 miles (120 at The Great Lawn in Central Park on Saturday, Aug. 21, in New York.

"Music is what I missed the kilometers) per hour and most" during the pandemic, the heavy rains, was drawing closer to making landfall sometime on 27-year-old told AFP, adding that it was "amazing" to be with so Sunday. many people but that she thought it wasn't "the best idea" to have Sporadic lightning and thunder rolled in over the park as such a large event. AFP, read full story on manilastandard.net

New York’s ‘homecoming’ concert called off as hurricane nears

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO

Philippine Independent Film Festival, won the Golden Remy trophy at World International Houston Film Festival.

“When you are honored by the NCCA with an Ani ng Dangal award, you feel like you are heroes who gave honor to the Republic, to the country, and its people, of course. We fought for and let the worldclass talents of the Filipino shine on the global cinematic stage. This is my fifth time to win the Ani ng Dangal, so I am truly grateful, mabuhay ang sining at kulturang Pilipino,” declared director Ignacio.

Eric Ramos, another honoree, was the screenplay writer of the pink film Rainbow Sunset. It was headlined by the muchmissed Eddie Garcia and Tony Mabesa.

The award-winning screenplay writer said: “I'm grateful to the NCCA for this recognition. This is my sixth award for the most successful film of my screenwriting career, Rainbow's Sunset, and an offshoot of my Best Story Innovation Award for the same film, courtesy of the Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival.”

“And to receive my Ani ng Dangal award alongside the film itself and two of its lead stars, Eddie Garcia and Tony Mabesa, makes the honor even sweeter.

Never mind the sad reminder that Tito Eddie and Sir Tony are no longer with us,” he added. Read full story on manilastandard.net

Liza Soberano is BGYO’s dream girl in ‘The Baddest’ FAST-RISING P-Pop group BGYO has a fresh anthem for fans as it drops its sophomore single "The Baddest," which captures the group’s ideals of a modern dream girl – a captivating mind, confidence, and personality beyond her beauty.

The single’s music video, which has been viewed more than half a million times since its release on Aug. 20, features actress Liza Soberano.

The song was composed and written by The Aristocrat and TC Mack with help from ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo, Gelo Rivera, and Akira Morishita. It follows BGYO’s phenomenal debut “The Light,” which surpassed one million streams on Spotify.

Prior to the release of their comeback single, BGYO landed on top of the Next

MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

Top OPM acts headline

Harvest of honors DINGDONG Dantes, Cristine Reyes, and the late movie legend Eddie Garacia and theater titan Tony Mabesa are four of the major honorees in this year’s Ani ng Dangal.

Now on its sixth year, the Ani ng Dangal by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) bestowed sixtythree artists in the fields of architecture and allied arts, literary arts, music, visual arts, and cinema.

This annual event was the highlight and concluding rite of the National Arts Month. Ani ng Dangal Awards, through the NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts headed by its commissioner Dr. Rolando B. Tolentino. The Harvest of Honors is for artists who have earned the highest international awards and accolades in nine categories: Architecture, Cinema, Dance, Dramatic Arts, Literary Arts, Music, Visual Arts, Folk Arts and Broadcast Arts during the past year.

Adding more stellar value to it is the Ani Ng Dangal trophy sculpted by National Artist for Visual Arts, Abdulmari Asia Imao. The national artist transformed the sarimanok into a mono-winged creature with the National Arts Month rice stalk logo incorporated in the rampant wing’s feathers.

The Maranaos’ mythical creature soars above a globe that symbolizes the height of artistic achievement on the global stage.

One of the cinematic arts awardees is director Louie Ignacio. His film, School Service, originally shown in Cinemalaya

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

Big Sound's Pandora Predictions Chart last Aug. 16. Last May, the group debuted at No.2 of The Next Sound Big Sound.

The Next Big Sound's Pandora Predictions Chart includes acts based on “their likelihood of success, as measured by our patented predictive algorithm,” including streaming on Pandora and social media buzz while the Next Big Sound Chart's data compilation" predicts which artists are to join the Billboard 200 chart for the first time within said a year,” according to Pandora Predictions’ official page.

Apart from releasing the single and music video, BGYO, as well as their sister group, BINI will appear in the “Happy Hallyu Day” virtual fest this Aug. 28 and 29, 7:00 p.m. on the Philippine Kpop Convention Inc’s (PKCI) Facebook page.

Actress Liza Soberano is featured in the music video of BGYO’s second single, “The Baddest.”

GMA Network’s Entertainment website surges in growth GMA Network continues to deliver top-notch news and entertainment beyond free TV as the GMA Entertainment website posted an impressive traffic growth performance last July.

Surpassing its numbers month after month, July was the site's best performing period thus far as it registered a 49-percent increase in page views and 24 percent in user growth.

Since the start of 2021, the site's page views have shown a surge of 138 percent from January.

The significant numbers driven by the Entertainment website for the said month greatly impacted the performance of the GMA Network portal (www.GMANetwork.com), which likewise posted its highest traffic performance. The portal, which consists of the Entertainment site along with GMA News Online, delivered a record-breaking total of 291 million page views in July.

First Yaya, GMA’s top-rating primetime series which recently concluded its story on TV, remained as the website’s most popular show in terms of video views for the reported month in the Full Episodes site. In terms of popularity, First Yaya was followed by Ang Dalawang Ikaw, The World Between Us, Endless Love, and Legal Wives.

GMA Network entertainment site gives viewers exclusive access to the latest celebrity and showbiz news plus updates on your favorite Kapuso shows.

In addition to the latest news and updates that can be seen on GMA Entertainment, netizens can also catch up on currently airing and past Kapuso shows via the Full Episodes site and on the GMA Network mobile app.

SB19, The Juans among performers in YouTube FanFest THE virtual edition of YouTube FanFest (YTFF) returns for its second year in the Philippines, presented by Globe and All Things Hair PH by Unilever. The online event will be divided into three episodes streaming live from Aug. 27 to 29 at 6:00 p.m. on the YouTube FanFest channel.

YTFF went virtual for the first time last year in line with the pandemic to provide uplifting content to Filipinos wherever they are and bring everyone together in spirit despite being apart.

Aside from this, the online event will continue to celebrate diversity and inclusion through its 2021 show.

The 2021 YouTube FanFest celebrates food, music, local culture and the beauty of diversity as it gathers netizens’ favorite content creators and artists all across the Philippines.

The event’s stellar lineup features the biggest P-Pop group SB19, Filipino pop-rock band The Juans, singersongwriters Zack Tabudlo, Reneé Dominique, and Lesha.

Joining the roster are the Philippines’ biggest content creators including dancers and siblings Ranz Kyle, Niana Guerrero and Natalia Guerrero, Mikey Bustos, ThatsBella, About Raf, Hazel Quing, Madam Ely, Tita Khrissy, itsclaudineco, and Raiza

SB19 joins other top performers in this year’s digital edition of YouTube Fanfest.

Contawi, and more.

True to its mission of inclusion, YTFF is putting a spotlight on creators from Cebu who will open the threeday virtual event.

The first episode, dubbed as “Island Life,” features Cebuano creators Medyo Maldito, Raphiel Shannon, and Snake Princess who will take fans on an adventure in the beautiful island of Cebu. Indai Allyn, G-FORCE and The Juans will join them, while Mikey Bustos will be present across the three episodes.

The beauty of diversity shines through on the second day named “Everyone is Beautiful” as lifestyle and beauty creators About RAF, Andree Bonifacio, Hazel Quing, itsclaudineco, Lesha, Madam Ely, Raiza Contawi, ThatsBella, and Tita Krissy Achino will take on a series of exciting challenges and collaborations

that will surely make fans smile.

For “The Finale,” some creators from the first and second days will come together with Benedict Cua, Chef RV Manabat, Natalia Guerrero, Niana Guerrero, Ranz Kyle, Reneé Dominique, Simpol, SB19, Team Lyqa, and Zack Tabudlo to celebrate diversity, togetherness, and further surprise fans on YouTube in a special entertainment experience.

“YouTube aims to be helpful by providing uplifting content to Filipinos who are staying safe indoors and to our frontline heroes wherever they are.

We strive to do this while celebrating diversity and inclusion, bringing together people from several walks of life including creators from our beautiful Pride community and from regions beyond Metro Manila,” said Gabby Roxas, Marketing Head of Google Philippines. Mheryll L. Alforte

Life

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

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FOOD

MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

Ooni pizza oven cooks pizza in less than 90 seconds.

Cooking up a better future

Drumstick fried chicken with honey, one of the dishes made by students of SMC’s cooking program.

SMC’s training program unlocks the potential of underprivileged women

Gelatin con Leche

Students present their dishes prepared with the help of TESDA trainer Yolly Villarama.

M

Dynamite with fish flakes

ARICEL Concepcion and Rolinda Monteclaro, both selling food for a living, wanted to add new items to their menu to offer something different and entice more customers.

So when a free cooking class opened in their community both joined eager to learn.

“Gusto ko po talagang sumali sa cooking class para magkaroon ng higit na kaalaman sa pagluluto at ma-apply ko po sa pagtitinda namin. Nag-o-online (selling) po kami at gusto rin namin magtayo ng kainan,” shared the 39-yearold Concepcion.

Monteclaro, 38, is likewise grateful for the program.

The cooking classes they were referring to was San Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) community-based Cookery Classes for former settlers in Barangay Taliptip, in the municipality of Bulakan.

SMC’s cooking program, along with other training programs, are aimed at teaching new skills to relocatees who used to reside in Taliptip, future site of the company’s New Manila International Airport.

Bringing opportunities closer SMC president Ramon Ang said the short programs were devised to cater to relocatees, particularly mothers, who were not qualified for scholarships in the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) and could not leave their homes for training.

“Our goal was to give them adequate training, even for a short time near their homes, on skills that they can immediately use for business,” he added.

San Miguel teamed up with Barangay Taliptip community training organizer Edna Ramos to organize the classes where students learned from certified TESDA trainers.

Over 100 relocatees have completed short courses in community-based entrepreneurship and reselling, beads and accessories making, fish deboning, tinapa making, shrimp paste and dessert making,

Restaurant-quality pizza made at home

By Tet Defensor WHAT is more fun than eating pizza?

Preparing it with friends and watching it cook in seconds in your very own sleek pizza oven, that is.

Enzo Santos first saw Ooni pizza oven at a co-worker’s place in the United Kingdom. Pizza with friends is always fun, but that particular evening instead of calling for delivery, his friends prepared the pizza from scratch.

The pizza tasted great but what caught Santos’ attention was the sleek oven that stylishly rested on the table.

It was small and compact, so different from the typical massive kitchen oven.

Amazed at the new gadget, he managed to squeeze a newly purchased Ooni oven in his suitcase on a trip back to Manila for the holiday break.

“We gave it to my parents as a gift for Christmas,” he said.

The oven was a big hit. “On Christmas day, we made pizza during the family get-together. It was the worst pizza [we’ve had] because we didn’t know what we were doing, but we had so much fun,” he shared.

When Santos returned to UK, he immediately got in touch with the makers of the oven.

Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Ooni was born via the Kickstarter funding platform in 2012. Known as “game-changing pizza oven”, the owners swept past their funding goal.

It immediately captured an audience worldwide because it was handy, priced competitively, and produced greattasting, restaurant-quality pizzas.

“The timing was perfect because I was working in UK,” Santos said.

“I sent them an email, I told my story and where I want to go. I continued the conversation with them for six months, and all throughout that time I developed a relationship with them. There were some Filipinos who were looking to distribute the oven, but because we were the first ones, we were granted the exclusive distribution.”

Ooni certainly added a new twist to pizza enjoyment. Apart from the convenience of cooking delectable woodfired pizzas at home, it has a gas-powered model allowing users to take the oven for picnics and other outdoor get-togethers.

“If you are a chef, you know that

Enzo Santos (right) brought Ooni to the Philippines after discovering it in UK.

pizzas taste best when wood fired,” he said. The high temperature from the wood gives the crust a nice char and smoky flavor. Ooni’s gas-fired oven produces the same rich flavor. “But instead of using wood, you connect to an LPG tank. It’s as easy as plug and play,” he added.

Ooni’s local presence immediately caught fire, thanks to Facebook and Instagram posts. “We started marketing using Viber groups of friends and family members and word spread like wildfire.

When a friend posted about owning one, other friends would want one as well. We were sold out during our first six months,” Santos related.

Ooni ovens are currently available at www.ovendepot.ph and on Lazada. They also have an active Facebook community of Ooni users where members share recipes and enjoy special deals when purchasing ingredients and supplies.

The wonder gadget couldn’t have come at a better time. People are home and are very eager to try something new to keep their mind off the pandemic. One customer in their product review said it was the “best quarantine purchase”.

“Restaurants buy our ovens because for typical oven, 500 degrees Celsius is impossible. It can only go up to about 300 or 285 Celsius. If you are making Neapolitan, classic Italian pizza, you need a very hot oven. With Ooni, you can cook it in less than 90 seconds,” Santos shared, adding, “We have a lot of buyers who make pizzas at home and sell them to their neighbors.”

MID-AUTUMN MOONCAKES The Cookery Classes was organized to give relocatees from Barangay Taliptip adequate training on skills they can immediately use for business.

doormat making, and most recently, cookery.

“With our experience in the food business and the ongoing trends during this pandemic, we know that food remains a viable business for homemakers. The use of online platforms will also help them expand their market beyond their immediate communities,” Ang said.

Cooking to earn SMC funded the purchase of masks, cooking gear and equipment, and ingredients for the classes held at the venue provided by Taliptip barangay captain Michael Ramos.

For five days, the trainees learned the proper measuring of ingredients and familiarized with equipment and preparation of ingredients before doing the actual cooking. The last batch of trainees completed their training on August 5.

“Puro fast learner na sila. Basta yung instruction malinaw ay kaya nilang sundan,” noted trainer Yolly Villarama, who teaches food processing, cookery, housekeeping, food and beverage service, and flower arrangement in TESDA. The short curriculum included courses on how to make mother sauces, salad and salad dressings, stocks sauces and soups, and vegetables and meat dishes, but Villarama also gave the trainees some leeway on what to cook.

Concepcion and Monteclaro both preferred Chicken Cordon Bleu and Gelatin Con Leche, noting their salability. “Kakaiba po yung panlasa niya at alam kong tatangkilikin po siya,” Concepcion said.

Learning the important things “Ang lagi ko pong sinasabi sa mga estudyante ay sipag at tiyaga lang ang kaakibat ng training na ito,” Villarama said.

“Dapat alam nila ang proper procedure [...] ano ang tamang pagluluto. Kinakailangan talaga na pati yung personal hygiene bago magluto ay alam nila.”

Concepcion learned the importance of personal hygiene and cleanliness of cooking equipment to ensure the food is clean and safe for consumption.

Monteclaro added, “Ang natutunan ko sa kanya ay wag pachamba-chamba.

Kahit marunong ka na talaga magluto, gagamit ka ng panukat o measuring cup para po maging okay yung panlasa ng mga pagkain.”

Ramos said that more than the skills, the training gave the relocatees confidence on how to better support their families.

“Napakalaking tulong po ang proyektong ito dahil nagkaroon ng kumpiyansa ang mga relocatees na hindi lamang sa pangingisda maaring kumita. Ang kasanayang kanilang natutunan ay magiging bahagi na ng kanilang pamumuhay at maari nilang pagkakitaan ngayong panahon ng pandemya,” Ramos said.

Hilton Manila’s oriental treasures HUA Yuan Brasserie Chinoise at Hilton Manila ushers in the Mid-Autumn Festival with three exquisite mooncake flavors.

The restaurant offers Red Bean Paste with Single Egg Yolk, White Lotus with Single Egg Yolk, and Mixed Nuts that come in striking red box which features a pair of red-crowned cranes among clouds and ornate die-cut window pane, inspired by the moon windows of Oriental architecture.

A box of four mooncakes is priced at P2,488 nett, while a box of two is P1,488 nett. Pre-orders booked today until Aug. 31 get a 15 percent early bird discount.

Box customization is available upon request. Call (02) 7239-7788 or 0917-8266442, or send a message through m.me/hiltonmanila to order.

Manila Marriott’s chest of luck

Man Ho, Manila Marriott’s Chinese restaurant’s mid-autumn offering is soft and golden brown and comes in an elegant box.

Flavors of filling include Wu Ren Yue Bing (pecans, walnuts, cashews, toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and Jinhua ham), Coconut, Red Lotus Paste, and White Lotus Paste.

Packaging options are likewise varied, with eight mooncake chests available for four or six mooncakes with Chinese tea, a bottle of wine, or Man Ho’s signature candied walnuts.

The Mooncake Chest starts at P2,988 nett. A 20 percent early bird discount applies to orders placed today until August 25. Call 0917-624-5980 to order.