Manila Standard - 2021 August 27 - Friday

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Frontliners: Pay up or we strike Deadline set today for DOH to distribute SRA, overdue benefits

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

A

HEALTH workers group on Thursday said it would give the Department of Health (DOH) until today to give them their overdue benefits for serving amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) moved up its deadline for the DOH to respond and said its members would go on strike if the benefits were not paid by Friday, the group’s president Robert Mendoza said.

“We talked with our leaders yesterday and came up with the deadline on Friday... Our previous deadline on Sept. 1 was rescheduled to Friday because we don’t expect any good news for health workers,” Mendoza said in Filipino on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

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UNHEALTHY SITUATION. Health

workers of the UP-PGH stage a die-in while other colleagues hold a ‘noise barrage’ to dramatize their demand for payment of cash and non-cash benefits for frontline medical workers such as the Special Risk Allowance and Active Hazard Duty Pay. The state-run hospital along Taft Avenue has a workforce of 4,800 personnel, making it the largest referral center in the country.

Norman Cruz, Danny Pata

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PhilHealth under pressure, vows 60% payment to hospital claims

By Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz

PHILHEALTH president Dante Gierran vowed Thursday to pay 60 percent of the in-process claims of hospitals, which runs up to billions of pesos, by next week.

This developed as a Department of Health official called on the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to prioritize the payment of “valid claims” of COVID-19 cases from private hospitals, which have threatened to disengage with the state insurer due to its unpaid debts.

“Because we know that PhilHealth is the lifeline of hospitals,” Health Undersecretary and treatment czar Leopoldo Vega told Teleradyo.

During the House committee on good government and public accountability hearing on the status of the state insurer’s

unpaid claims to hospitals, it was disclosed that PhilHealth had P21.1 billion worth of unpaid claims.

PhilHealth has denied the claim, saying its unpaid claims only amounted to P12.9 billion.

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131,921

32,728

236

1,734,551

9,659

ported by chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo.

Duterte said two more reports from Panelo on endorsements from local officials clamoring for him to run for vice Next page

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(As of 4 PM, AUGUST 26) HI-TECH ISOLATION. Three Catholic priests inspect the newly constructed stateof-the-art isolation facility at the Philippine General Hospital during the launching on Thursday, August 25, 2021. The isolation facility has an area of 570 square meters complete with 44 beds for severe COVID-19 patients and it has a negative pressure ventilation system that prevents cross-contamination. Danny Pata

Duterte still unsure on VP run, needs more convincing clamor

By Vito Barcelo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja NOTHING is final yet where President Rodrigo Duterte’s political plans for the

2022 elections are concerned.

Two days after announcing that he is accepting the PDP-Laban nomination for him to run as vice president next year, and hours after presidential spokesman Harry Roque said “things are clear now,” Duterte clari-

fied he is a step closer toward making a decision, but nothing is cast in stone.

“It seems I might really run, Sal. I am getting more and more convinced,” the President said after hearing the ringing endorsements from Tarlac mayors re-

Imee teases Sara-BBM tandem IATF pushes in-person classes

on a limited scale in universities

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Imee Marcos on Thursday pushed for a Duterte-Marcos tandem in next year’s election, with her brother, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., running with presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“Political wisdom says that if you total up the numbers, it looks good. Like a really solid tandem,” the senator said.

Sen. Marcos also said she doesn’t like her brother running for president.

“No, I don’t. The truth? As his Manang, as his older sister? I think it’s very, very difficult,” she added.

Pressed if the former senator is running for vice president, she said her brother is going to run in the next elections but could not be certain which position he would seek.

The son of the former dictator had

Sara Duterte-Carpio Imee Marcos

lost to Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2016 elections.

“Things are so volatile and he’d be honored to be the vice president or to be the tandem partner of Mayor Sara.

However, right now, it’s such a mixup,” Imee Marcos said.

She said her brother is also perfectly happy to run for the Senate, if that’s what’s more likely.

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THE government’s task force leading the COVID-19 pandemic response has endorsed to President Rodrigo Duterte the expansion of limited in-person classes for several other college programs, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said Thursday.

By Willie Casas THE government may move away from regional or province-wide lockdowns in favor of granular lockdowns limited to subdivisions, streets, or several houses, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday.

DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing said in a televised briefing that the shift was based on the recommendation of a sub-technical working group led by the Department of Health (DOH).

Under a granular lockdown, even authorized persons are barred from leaving their homes, which will lessen public mobility and the chances of COVID-19 spreading, Densing said.

The national government will help local authorities provide food assistance in areas under granular lockdowns, he added.

“There will be a policy shift because we know this way is more effective,” he said in Filipino.

Densing said the national government would still have the option to declare a wide lockdown, but this would be a last resort.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said the shift was “approved as a principle” and said the government had been moving in this direction.

The Philippines on Thursday logged 16,313 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 1,899,200.

The tally was the highest since April 19. It is also the 16th straight day that new cases topped 10,000.

There were 236 new fatalities on Thursday, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 32,728.

1,899,200 16,313

DILG eyes shift to granular lockdowns

CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera said he asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to allow in-person classes for students taking up engineering, hotel and restaurant management, and maritime courses.

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HARRIS FIRES NEW TIRADE AT CHINA NEWS / A2

CALABARZON GETS 40M VACCINE DOSES NEWS / A4

Marcos digs up ‘strange‘ list of DBM suppliers

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz THE Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS) has accredited “strange” suppliers for the procurement of medical equipment during the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Senator

Imee Marcos disclosed Thursday.

She said four suppliers that were allegedly tapped by the DBM-PS for the medical equipment supply are Bowman Technologies, Inc., Nikka Trading, Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation and Sunwest Construction.

“Of course, Sunwest Construction

stood over the others,” Marcos added, while questioning how a building and construction firm suddenly became a medical equipment supplier.

“That is really suspicious. A really strange list,” she stressed.

The DBM-PS awarded more than P9 Next page

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Harris fires new broadside vs. China U

S VICE President Kamala Harris launched a new broadside against China as she ended her Southeast Asian tour in Hanoi, Vietnam on Thursday, warning the United States would continue to push back against Beijing’s claims in disputed Asian waters.

ensure that the COC’s content would “supplant” the 2016 arbitral award to preserve its 9-dash line claim in the disputed waters.

If this happens, the Philippines will no longer be able to invoke the landmark ruling and all gains from the win “will be wasted” in favor of China’s expansionist goals, said the retired diplomat.

But Harris has instead emphasized American commitment to the region by opening a Southeast Asia branch of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Hanoi and donating a million COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam.

“In the years ahead we will be back time and time again,” she told journalists Thursday.

Harris insisted Thursday that the US did “not seek conflict” with Beijing, but it would “do what we can to make sure

that we stay committed to our partners” on issues such as the South China Sea. Four Southeast Asian states have competing claims over the waterway through which trillions of dollars in shipping trade passes annually.

China has been accused of deploying military hardware including antiship and surface-to-air missiles there and ignored a 2016 international tribunal decision that rejected its historical claim over most of the waters.

In Singapore, Harris said Beijing “continues to coerce, to intimidate” in the South China Sea -- prompting China to shoot back that the US was guilty of its own “bullying, hegemonic behavior.”

The following day Harris warned the US would “find new ways to pressure Beijing.” With AFP

chronic neglect, gross incompetence, and lack of empathy to the exhaustive and dangerous work that frontline health workers have been enduring since PGH became a COVID referral center on March 30, 2020.

“We have been torn long enough! This is not the first time we have to protest just so DOH can pay attention and address our justifiable concerns. At this point when more is being asked from us because of the surge of COVID-19 cases again, we expect the same from DOH. But all we get are lame excuses and finger-pointing especially with regards to our benefits.

This angers and demoralizes us!” Karen Mae Faurillo, union president, said.

The union was referring to the benefits stipulated under Republic Act 11494 or Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. The following benefits were not yet provided by the DOH to PGH health workers: * SRA amounting to a total of P90 million. About 3,000 health workers did not get their SRA for the period of Dec. 20, 2020 to June 30, 2021. SRA is pegged at P227.27/duty-day of every health worker.

Quarantine days due to COVID-19 exposure and infection are excluded. * Active Hazard Duty Pay (AHDP) of P86.4 million. AHDP is pegged at P136.36/day. Around 4,800 health workers did not receive their AHDP for the period of Dec. 20, 2020 to June 2021. * Meals, Accommodation and Transportation (MAT) Allowance deficiency of P115.2 million pegged at P24,000 per health worker for the period of Sept. 15, 2020 to Dec. 19, 2020.

Total amount of DOH unpaid benefits to PGH health workers is P291.6 million, they said.

The union said all PGH workers should get the benefits, not just those working directly with COVID-19 patients.

“As a COVID referral center, we are all exposed and at-risk to the virus and we do not subscribe to the COVID and non-COVID dichotomy. We say everyone should get the benefits,” Faurillo added.

PGH has seen a steep increase in COVID-19 admissions since the last week of July, prompting it to increase bed alloca-

tion and recently, to close some of its services such as the out-patient department, elective surgeries, and its emergency room department to focus on the care of COVID-19 cases.

The DOH said Thursday that the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) for the P311 million-worth of SRAs has now been distributed to its Centers for Health Development (CHDs).

The funds will benefit an additional 20,208 health care workers, the department said.

These funds transferred to the CHDs will then be released to their respective local government units and private health facilities in the next few days.

The P311 million is the first batch of fund transfers for the grant of SRA to hospitals and health facilities that had earlier submitted an additional list of eligible health workers.

Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega told the health care workers groups not to worry because they will soon download more SRA funds for the rest of the workers and that they are now coordinating with local government units and private hospitals through the CHDs. “We are appealing with the hospitals and health facilities to help their CHDs in submitting requirements. Our Centers for Health Development are ready to guide you. Help each other,” Vega said.

Also on Thursday, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara reminded the DOH that apart from the SRA, health workers are entitled to hazard allowance as frontliners in the battle against COVID-19.

The senator said health workers, including the nurses should be provided with the hazard allowance already using the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers, which was authored by his father, the late former Senate president Edgardo Angara, as the legal basis.

Angara brought up the issue of the hazard allowance after it was noted during the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearings on the use of funds by the DOH that the grant of SRA to health workers ended when the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 expired last June 30.

“We will pay that next week, we know the hardships of hospitals. At present, we have the Debit-Credit Payment Method,” Gierran said.

The Palace and 20 major business groups on Wednesday also urged PhilHealth to pay private hospital claims as soon as possible and clean its ranks of erring personnel.

This came after private hospitals had threatened to cut ties with PhilHealth by next year due to the state-run corporation’s refusal to pay the claims of hospitals and healthcare institutions or providers that are subject to investigations.

In the same hearing, Gierran has lamented how the state-run agency was hurting from the recent controversies hounding it, including the unpaid hospital claims.

Gierran told the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability looking into PhilHealth’s unpaid

claims to healthcare facilities: “I will tell you: We are hurt. I’m opening my heart, we are really hurting.”

Vega said the reimbursements would sustain the operations of private hospitals, which are suffering revenue losses due to lower patient footfall and lower non-COVID-19 admissions, he said.

Last week, the state insurer issued Circular 2021-0013, which suspends payment of claims “subject of investigations pertaining to fraudulent, unethical acts, and/or abuse of authority” for a period of 120 days.

The DBM, which saw Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado resign last week over health reasons, has yet to react to the senator’s statements at presstime.

In a related development, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman on Thursday voiced concern over what he called as the “mystery” shrouding the prices of the various vaccines procured by the government.

Lagman was referring to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez’s admission that suppliers insisted on a “non-disclo-

sure clause” or else “they will not sell to the government.”

Dominguez made this admission upon the inquiry of Lagman during the budget briefing by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).

The Finance chief further claimed that the government was constrained to agree to the condition imposed by the suppliers.

Lagman said the oversight function of the Congress on how funds appropriated for the purchase of vaccines are utilized

includes the government’s submission on how much the purchase of vaccines amounted to.

“If private companies and the private sector disclose the total amounts they have allocated for the purchase of the subject vaccines, why can’t the government do the same for purposes of accountability and transparency,” Lagman added.

The Budget department was also asked to explain why it wait-listed P45 billion earmarked for COVID-19 booster shots.

president might seal the deal.

The President initially asked Panelo if he was sure the endorsements he was receiving were “coming from the heart” and not just political machinations.

Despite keeping his options open, Duterte said whatever decision he will make will be for the interest of the Filipino people.

“The Filipino nation can be very sure that whatever statement that I will give, it will always be for the benefit and interest of the country. I have no personal interest there except to serve,” the President said.

Earlier in the day, Roque said Duterte would run for vice president next year as he had “unfinished business” after six years in the country’s most powerful position.

“This is what the President said: Things are clear now. I will run for vice president,” Roque quoted the President as saying after his address to the nation late Tuesday evening.

During the same address to the nation, Duterte said he and his close aide, Senator Christopher Go – the projected presidential bet of one faction of the ruling party -- could drop out of the race in favor of his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

This part of Duterte’s address Tuesday night, however, was edited out by Malacanang, as it was “a family matter,” according to Roque.

Roque also claimed Duterte will ditch a 2022 vice presidential run if House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez will run for the same post, as what the President had promised to the lawmaker in June last year.

“If Congressman Romualdez will run, then the President will support him. But there is no indication that Congressman Romualdez will run for Vice President at this point,” the Palace spokesman said.

sions of research proposals “to reinforce the link of research to education processes through utilization, dissemination, and advocacies.”

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the research proposals “will help DepEd address pressing issues that we are encountering, especially in relation to the delivery of quality education.”

“The chosen proposal will be given a grant of up to P500,000, which will be distributed in 3 tranches, under the Basic Education Research Fund (BERF).

The initiative aims to improve the policies, programs, and activities relevant to the implementation of the BE-LCP,” the statement read.

The research proposals, DepEd said, should carry the theme: “Supporting

and Assessing Learning Continuity and Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education Materials and Development.”

In a report dated August 25, UNICEF Philippines said the country was one of the five in the world that have not started in-person classes since the beginning of the pandemic.

“While new variants are causing a rise of infections, UNICEF is advocating for a phased reopening of schools, beginning in low-risk areas. This can be done on a voluntary basis with proper safety protocols in place,” it said.

De Vera made the appeal after CHED discovered there was little COVID-19 infection among medical and allied health students, who were the first to be allowed to attend limited in-person classes.

The comments came on the final day of a regional trip in which Washington has sought to reset relations in Asia after the turbulent Donald Trump years and stress its commitment to Southeast Asian allies.

During the trip, Harris had already accused Beijing twice of bullying its neighbors in the resource-rich South China Sea -- and on Thursday she again took aim at the Asian giant.

“We’re going to speak up when there are actions that Beijing takes that threaten the rules-based international order... such as activity in the South

China Sea,” Harris said.

“Freedom of navigation... is a vital issue for this region.”

This developed as former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be vigilant of China’s alleged attempt to undermine the Philippines’ arbitral win on the South China Sea. ASEAN and China are crafting a Code of Conduct (COC) to manage tensions in the disputed waters.

Speaking in a virtual lecture, Del Rosario accused China of wanting to

DILG...

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Frontliners:...

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The DOH also reported 9,659 persons who recovered recently, bringing the total recoveries to 1,734,551.

There were 131,921 or 6.9 percent active cases, of which 96.1 were mild, 1.1 percent were asymptomatic, 0.6 percent were critical, 1.2 percent were severe, and 1.03 percent were moderate.

The positivity rate is at 24.9 percent, based on test results of samples from 65,903 individuals last Tuesday.

Nationwide, 75 percent of the ICU beds, 63 percent of the isolation beds, 69 percent of the ward beds, and 54 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

In Metro Manila, 77 percent of the ICU beds, 61 percent of the isolation beds, 71 percent of the ward beds, and 58 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

The DOH warned the new cases would continue to break records in the coming weeks.

DOH Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea De Guzman said the increase in cases earlier this year started in late February to early March, but only peaked in the first week of April.

“In the next few days and weeks, we’ll probably [be] seeing additional peaks,” she said in an online forum.

De Guzman said the increase in cases is no longer coming from just NCR Plus or Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

“It’s actually more challenging now because the increase in cases is not centered on that area alone. It’s actually across [the] whole of Luzon and selected regions in Visayas and Mindanao,” she said.

The DOH had said it would take around two to three weeks after the lifting of the ECQ for the effects of the lockdown to become evident.

Metro Manila was under an ECQ only until Aug. 20 and was placed under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), along with Laguna and Bataan until the end of the month.

De Guzman admitted it is difficult to predict exactly when cases would peak again since the numbers change weekly.

The Philippines logged a record-high 18,332 new COVID-19 cases on Aug. 23, the latest in a string of all-time highs registered this month alone.

The Philippines averaged 15,537 new cases daily from Aug. 19 to 25, higher than its average of 12,897 new infections in the week before.

The more virulent Delta variant of COVID-19 has been found in all regions of the country, except for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Health workers were not happy with the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing into the DOH’s spending of its pandemic funds on Wednesday, Mendoza said, because they focused only on the special risk allowance (SRA) and did not touch on other benefits.

“It’s possible public and private health workers will unite to show government their dismay,” he said.

“They are not paying all the benefits and health workers are dismayed. They owe us a lot.”

The government’s COVID-19 hazard pay covers public health workers, while the SRA is for health workers in both public and private facilities.

On Wednesday, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced that it released P311.79 million but only for the long overdue SRAs. But Mendoza said the DOH has yet to provide the P38,000 worth of meal and transportation allowances for December 2020 to June 2021, as well as the P3,000 monthly active duty hazard pay.

Meanwhile, St. Luke’s executive vice president and chief medical officer Dr. Benjamin Campomanes said health workers in their hospitals in Quezon City and Taguig City are resigning at a time when they are at full capacity.

He said their hospital usually has 66 nurses in its emergency rooms, but this went down to 43. Most of their health workers had already left the country and taken jobs abroad.

Campomanes also said some of them had been infected by the coronavirus and their co-workers were put under quarantine as protocol.

Also on Thursday, the All U.P. Workers Union-Manila again decried the non-payment of COVID-19 benefits under Bayanihan Act 2 of about 4,800 health personnel of the largest and leading COVID referral center in the country, the Philippine General Hospital.

The union assailed the DOH in its

Marcos...

From A1 billion worth of contracts to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation alone.

She said these were all sorts of strange suppliers. “Clearly, the DBM-PS accredited people that we’ve never heard of before,” said Marcos, adding she was questioning the compliance of the company to the procurement rules set by the law.

Imee...

From A1 Saying she doesn’t want to be presumptuous, Sen. Marcos said she doesn’t think the Davao mayor has decided to run nationally, but the lawmaker “certainly kept in touch and we’ll remain friendly nevertheless and allied to the President (Rodrigo Duterte). That’s for sure.”

Sought for comment on reports that former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo negotiated the tandem of the Davao mayor and her brother, Sen. Marcos said: “There’re so many rumors flying around. As you know there are so many names being bandied about

Ex-US diplomat ordered arrested

by Pasay RTC

PhilHealth...

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also from Lakas as vice presidentiables. Everything’s possible.”

Responding to the query in an interview on ANC if she wants a Sara-BBM tandem, Sen. Marcos replied, “Why not?”

“I think it would be great. It would be fun. I’m used to running with Sara. I have been accustomed to her. I’m used to motorcycles although I don’t know how to drive one. I’m used to it. We campaigned in 2019. So, I’m perfectly comfortable and happy to join her. It’s fun,” said Sen. Marcos.

During the 2019 elections campaign, Sen. Marcos was with the Davao mayor, as her Nacionalista Party was allied with Duterte’s regional party Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP).

IATF...

From A1 This, as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is asking governments worldwide for the “phased reopening” of schools as soon as possible, citing the various effects of missing in-person classes on students.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) is calling on experts to submit their proposals in a bid to “strengthen” the agency’s basic education learning continuity plan (BE-LCP) to address the country’s quality of education.

DepEd said its policy research and development division had opened submis-

By Rey E. Requejo A PASAY City regional trial court on Thursday ordered the arrest of former United States foreign service officer Dean Edward Cheves, who has been charged with sexual abuse of a 16-year-old Filipina and possession of pornography.

Judge Christian Castaneda of Pasay City RTC Branch 109 issued the arrest warrant against Cheves, who had served in the Philippines.

The Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office filed the complaint against the American diplomat for violating Section 5(b) of Republic Act No. 7610, the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, and Section 4(b) of RA 9775, the AntiChild Pornography Act of 2009.

The court directed law enforcement to arrest Cheves and “bring him forthwith before this Court to be dealt with according to law” and recommended P200,000 as bail.

With the issuance of the arrest order, the Department of Justice is seriously considering the extradition of Cheves, who is now in the United States where he was indicted by a grand duty in Virginia last August 3 for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and possession of pornography.

Cheves served at the US Embassy in Manila from Sept. 2020 to Feb. 2021.

He left for the US last March.

The resolution, which paved the way for the filing of the case before the Pasay City RTC, was signed by Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Alan A. Mangabat and approved by City Prosecutor Elmer Cris L. Rillo.

It stated that the Philippine National Police-Women and Children and Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) endorsed the complaint of the minor’s mother to the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office after the victim’s school “discovered that she has illicit activities online and she meets older men offline.”

Duterte...

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Megaworld’s three most-awarded townships now home to around 200,000 BPO workers

By Joel Lacsamana

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NDREW Tanled Megaworld Corporation has reaped major recognitions for three of its biggest townships in Metro Manila and Iloilo City.

Eastwood City in Quezon City, McKinley Hill in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, and Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao, Iloilo lead the long list of the property giant’s most distinguished developments that have been feted by several prestigious local and international property organizations as the best in their respective classes.

So what makes these townships stand out?

EASTWOOD CITY: A GOLDEN ADDRESS The 18.5-hectare Eastwood City, the Philippines’ first-ever cyberpark, has played a very instrumental role in the unprecedented growth of the country’s It-BPO sector. In 2015, it was awarded as the “Most Outstanding Township Development” at the Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards by FIABCI Philippines, further cementing its status as an unparalleled address for its complete live-work-play offerings.

The township recently welcomed its newest high-profile resident in Hidilyn Diaz, the first-ever Filipino to win an Olympic gold medal. The weightlifting champion has just moved into her twobedroom condominium unit at One Eastwood Avenue, a gift from tycoon and Megaworld Chairman Dr. Andrew L. Tan. “Noong nakita ko ‘yung location, sabi ko wow, ang daming restaurants dito. Convenient siya kasi andoon na ang bangko, nandoon na ang supermarket, eh yun ang kailangan na basic ng bawat Pilipino (When I first saw the location, I said wow, there’s a lot of restaurants here. It’s very convenient because there are banks, there are supermarkets, and that’s among the basic needs of every Filipino),” the 30-year-old Tokyo gold medalist shared in an interview.

Even topnotch BPO and multinational companies have also chosen to stay in Eastwood City for decades. These include IBM, which has been there for 20 years, and Accenture and NTT Data (formerly Dell), which have been in the township for more than a decade already.

Eastwood City has attracted companies to stay there because it is easily accessible to Ortigas, to the rest of Quezon City, Marikina, and even Bonifacio Global City since it is along C5 Road. The township offers complete convenience to residents, workers, businesses, and even the casual visitors since it has a lifestyle mall, a hotel, retail and commercial outlets, as well as its own fire station, medical clinics, police station, and many more.

MCKINLEY HILL: COMMANDING THE WORLD-CLASS ATTENTION McKinley Hill is currently Megaworld’s biggest township in Metro Manila at 54-hectares. With its perfect live-work-play ambiance, gorgeous architecture, vast dining options, and international inspirations, there is no denying that one can find the best of the metro in this thriving Fort Bonifacio township.

Just two years ago, the township was awarded as the “Best MixedUse Development in Luzon” at The Outlook Awards 2018 by Lamudi Philippines. It also bagged two prestigious international recognitions

Townships like Eastwood City in Quezon City offer residents a complete and exciting lifestyle as everything they need, from essentials to restaurants, banks, and more, is conveniently within their reach.

McKinley Hill’s accessibility to major thoroughfares, like C5 Road and the South Luzon Expressway, make it an attractive destination for topnotch BPO firms and multinational companies.

At the 2018 Philippines Property Awards, Megaworld was the most-awarded real estate company.

in 2016 when it was named the “Best Mixed-Used Development” in both the Industrial and Masterplan categories at the 2016 FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Awards.

The township features a variety of vertical and horizontal residential developments, including the McKinley Hill Village, an exclusive, gated village.

The township’s safety is also a huge factor that attracted the foreign embassies of the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Italy, and the United Kingdom, as well as international schools to decide to be inside the township.

McKinley Hill’s strategic location makes it an attractive address for

Megaworld’s provincial townships are favored by BPO companies because of their tried and tested “live-work-play” development concept.

businesses and residents because it’s just beside C5 and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx), which connects it to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Eastwood City, and other major business districts. A proposal to build a monorail connecting the Metro Rail Transit’s Guadalupe Station to Bonifacio Global City, will also further improve McKinley Hill’s accessibility. Meanwhile, a station of the Mega Manila Subway, will also be built within the periphery of the township to complement the existing public transport hub inside McKinley Hill.

The future headquarters of two major branches of the government—the Philippine Senate and the Philippine Supreme Court—will soon be located within the McKinley Hill district.

ILOILO BUSINESS PARK: A THRIVING BUSINESS HUB IN WESTERN VISAYAS The 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park is undoubtedly Megaworld’s most successful township outside the National Capital Region (NCR). In 2018, it was recognized as the “Best Township Development in Asia” at the prestigious Asia Property Awards

by PropertyGuru. This distinction came after the township also ruled the Philippines Property Awards

as the country’s “Best Township Development” just months prior.

During the same year, Iloilo Business Park also added another recognition under its belt when it was named the “Best Mixed-Use Development for Visayas and Mindanao” at The Outlook 2018 Awards.

Today, this award-winning township is home to the most modern central business district in Iloilo. In fact, it shone the brightest for Megaworld during the lockdown last year as it covered around 20% of the company’s total office lease transactions in 2020.

In addition, the company’s total leasable office portfolio of 100,000 square meters inside Iloilo Business Park has been fully leased out last year.

This enabled Megaworld to further cement its leadership status in the Iloilo office leasing market with a 70% market share.

A dynamic business landscape is only a fraction of what Iloilo Business Park offers as the township carries Megaworld’s signature live-work-play lifestyle concept within its very DNA. Currently, the township plays host to themed residential condominiums, world-class hotels Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo and Richmonde Hotel Iloilo (and soon Belmont Hotel Iloilo), the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC), the three-level Festive Walk Mall— dubbed as the most beautiful mall in Western Visayas—the 1.1-kilometer Festive Walk Parade, and the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA).

These three award-winning townships—which is home to more than 200,000 BPO workers—also host all 10 assets currently included in the portfolio of MREIT, Inc., the company designated by Megaworld to operate as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). Interestingly, MREIT’s portfolio only comprises about 16% of the total assets of Megaworld.

“With Megaworld being the market leader in terms of office spaces in the country, we believe that we are in the position to create the best office REIT in the Philippines. Our goal is to be one of the largest REITs in Southeast Asia in terms of floor area. We are very confident that we can do this because we have the assets and we have the portfolio to achieve it,” says Kevin L. Tan, president and CEO, MREIT, Inc.

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Marcos seeks inclusion of food workers in vax priority

By Rey E. Requejo FORMER Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday urged the government to include essential workers, especially those who are assigned in the food chain business and basic service utilities, in its list of priority groups for vaccination.

“We categorized them as authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) and allowed them to go out for a living, that’s why we must have them vaccinated,” Marcos said.

The former senator was reacting to reports that while there are local government units, particularly in urban centers, that have reached their vaccine rollout to category A4 or the essential workers, a bigger part of the essential industry manpower remained unvaccinated.

An earlier report by the Department of Health showed that of the more than 28 million essential workers being targeted for vaccination, only a little less than two million have been vaccinated.

“We also need to keep in mind that many of the essential workers are focused on earning a living and a large number of them are daily wage earners so they will not be able to simply be absent from work because their salaries will be reduced,” Marcos said.

He said that having them vaccinated will remove their fear of being infected with COVID-19 and dash any hesitation to go out and work for the daily sustenance of their family.

700 rookie cops told: Be brave but responsible

By Joel E. Zurbano THE National Capital Region Police Office has recruited more than 700 new officers as the police force strengthens its thrust to be more professional and responsive amid the coronavirus pandemic.

NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said the 709 new police officers will boost their intensified campaign against any form of criminality.

The new set of officers will undergo the s Recruit Course (PSBRC) training at the National Capital Region Training Center and Cordillera Administrative Region Training Center.

“I hope in the future, you will all be members of ERA (Example, Responsible and Accountable) police officers. In so doing, you would always be giving good service, with bravery and compassion to the Filipino people,” Danao said.

The oath taking ceremony of the new recruits came a day after Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar ordered the creation of a database of rogue and dismissed cops to prevent their reinstatement in the force.

Eleazar tapped the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management to create a database of personnel removed from the police service and ordered that all motions for reconsideration filed by dismissed police personnel be immediately resolved.

RECOVERED AT LAST. Women take their personal belongings and leave the COVID-19 Field Hospital at the Rizal Park in Manila after successfully recovering from the novel coronavirus disease. Norman Cruz

Tarlac court convicts killer cop Nuezca

By Rey E. Requejo A REGIONAL trial court in Tarlac has convicted dismissed Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca for double murder after finding him guilty for killing 52-year-old Sonia Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony five days before Christmas last year, and sentenced him to suffer 40 years imprisonment.

In an 18-page joint decision, Paniqui, Tarlac RTC Branch 106 Judge Stella Marie Gandia-Asuncion found Nuezca guilty beyond reasonable doubt for two counts of murder.

“We commend the prosecution and the honorable judge for the speedy disposition of this case. It shows that if we all put our hearts into it, we can really make the administration of justice a little more efficient,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

For the murder of the elderly Gregorio, the RTC judge ordered the former cop to pay the victim’s heirs P100,000 of civil indemnity, P100,000 as moral damages, P100,000 as exemplary damages, P126,280.00 as actual damages, and P50,000 as temperate damages with interest rate of six percent per annum from the finality of the decision until fully paid.

The lower court also required Nuezca to pay the same amounts of compensation to the heirs of 25-year-old Frank Anthony.

Citing the established facts, Judge Asuncion ruled it was clear that there was treachery in the commission of the crimes.

“The attack made by the accused was so swift and sudden that the victims were not able to defend themselves. The shots fired were made in quick succession.

Hence, the attack made is treacherous.

The attack came unexpectedly at a time where the accused is holding the shorts of victim Frank Anthony and while victim Sonia is embracing Frank Anthony,” the court said.

Calabarzon to get 20m vaccine doses

By Joel Zurbano

T

HE Calabarzon region will receive some 20 million COVID-19 vaccine doses starting next month until the last quarter of the year after a governor appealed for more supply amid the spike in cases.

“The government is really planning to deploy most of the vaccines to provinces near Metro Manila, the ‘Plus’ areas, and areas with a surge in cases,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said, adding that the National Capital Region is already close to vaccinating 50 percent of its target population.

Calabarzon, Roque said, will get 3.8 million vaccine doses in September and another 17.4 million doses in the fourth quarter of the year, which Roque said was the “biggest allocation” out of all the regions outside NCR.

Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla earlier said his province needs at least 6 million vaccine doses to inoculate 70 percent of its residents, but it has only received about 1 million.

Pfizer shipment The Philippines received on Wednesday night the latest batch of government-procured Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines consisting of 362,700 doses, bringing to 4.95 million the total doses of the Pfizer brand the country received since June.

From the shipment, Cebu and Davao received 50,310 doses each while the

File photo shows fomer police officer Joel Nuezca, who was convicted Thursday by a Tarlac regional trial court for the murder of Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony.

Paniqui Municipal Police Station

10 Maute terrorists meted 40-yr jail term for abduction, murder THE Taguig Regional Trial Court sentenced 10 members of the extremist Maute Group to up to 40 years imprisonment for the kidnapping of six saw mill workers, two of whom were beheaded, in Butig, Lanao del Sur in 2016.

Among the 10 found guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with murder was Dr. Russell Langi Salic, a physician who was ordered extradited to the

United States in 2018 for alleged involvement in terrorist activities.

Presiding Judge Marivic Vitor of Branch 266 also sentenced to 20 to 40 years imprisonment Ominta Romato Maute (alias Farhana), Mashuri Abdul, Sohayle Mohammad Cader, Jomar Labay, TJ Tagadaya Macabalang, Wendell Apostol Facturan, Musali Mustapha, Zack Villanueva Lopez, and Ausa Abdullah Ma-

masapano.

It was not indicated if Salic is still in the US while the others are detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan.

Mustapha, Facturan, Mamasapano, Lopez and Macabalang were also convicted on Sept. 29, 2020 for the 2016 bombing of the Davao Night Market that killed at least 15 people.

Complainants Gabriel Tomatao Permi-

tis, Alfredo Sarsalejo Cano-os, Esperanza Permitis, Adonis Antipisto Mendez, and Julito Permitis Janubas were told they were abducted on suspicion that they were government spies.

Two of their co-workers, Jaymart Capangpangan and Salvador Janubas, were beheaded six days later.

Their remains were recovered inside sacks in Barangay Bayabao Poblacion.

remaining 262,080 doses were brought to Pharmaserv Express’ cold-chain facility in Marikina City before being deployed to Metro Manila.

As of August 25, a total of 48.8 million COVID-19 vaccines have arrived in the country.

Japan halts use of 1.6m Moderna doses Japan will halt the use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine after reports of contamination in several vials, drugmaker Takeda and the health ministry said.

Takeda, which is in charge of sales and distribution of the Moderna shot in Japan, said it had “received reports from several vaccination centres that foreign substances have been found inside unopened vials.”

“Upon consultation with the health ministry, we have decided to suspend the use of the vaccine” from three batches from Thursday, it added.

GOCC, GFI workers appeal for salary hike EMPLOYEES of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs) have reiterated their appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to carry out their salary hike that has been put on hold for several years now.

In a virtual press conference, officers of the Kapisanan ng mga Manggagawa sa GOCCs at GFIs (KAMAGGFI) asked Duterte to implement the Compensation and Position Classification System (CPCS) that he suspended in 2017.

Nanette Jarino, KAMAGGFI secretarygeneral, said they are hoping the President will acknowledge their contributions to the government and heed their appeal.

“We are hoping that the government will see our efforts and contributions as public workers,” she said.

Virginia Cabonce, vice chairwoman of the group, said GOCC and GIF workers are also considered frontliners.

The group has 100,000 members from over 200 GOCCs and GFIs that are engaged in public utilities and commercial activities for profit, enabling the government to earn and deliver basic services.

Mandirigma: Not the usual history book

By Mike Villa-Real SOME months back, we witnessed the launch of the coffee-table Book “Mandirigma—Uniforms and Equipment of The Filipino Warrior, 1935-1945.”

Packed with high-resolution, large format photographs, featuring both re-enacted scenes shot from 2009 to 2021 and actual vintage World War II pictures, this is a book that many Filipinos would appreciate, whether you’re young or old, a history buff or a student.

Unlike the stories from the Philippine Revolution, many of us still don’t have an idea of how the Filipino soldier in the Battle of Bataan looked like or the gear they carried with them, or the guerrilla fighting in the mountains of Mindanao. The truth is that they were as diverse as Filipinos are today. From the educated boys in urban cities, to the bolo men of North Luzon and the tribesmen in South Mindanao, our Filipino defenders were as diverse as we are today. What brought them together was the cause to fight for freedom and the defense of the motherland.

The book gives us a glimpse into the lives of hun-

dreds of thousands of men and women who served and gave their lives for the country during World War II. Unknown to many, there were numerous military units such as the USAFFE, the Philippine Army, the Philippine Constabulary, the Philippine Scouts, as well as hundreds of guerrilla groups all around the archipelago from the Commonwealth period, the Japanese Occupation and the Liberation period.

Mandirigma is written by history enthusiasts Albert Labrador, Tony Feredo, Donn Fernandez and Dondi Limgenco; and edited by Dr. Ricardo T. Jose of the UP History Dept. The World War II era photographs were vetted by several experts including Dr. Jose and BGen. Resty Aguilar (retired) who is now Executive Director of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP). Having seen many monuments and re-enactments of World War II battle scenes by well meaning groups, there are usually more than a few inaccuracies. I suppose it’s not their fault as many of us don’t have a reference to guide us.

With each of the uniforms researched and studied meticulously, Mandirigma can be a great reference

for schools or organizations, even production houses, that want to do historical re-enactments. For the ordinary reader, the book gives an overview of the tumultuous decade that began with the establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth up to the end of World War II. It even has a section on the Japanese soldiers’ uniforms and equipment.

As the nation celebrates National Heroes Day, the book Mandirigma should give us some great reading material as we remember our World War Heroes.

Most of them after all were simple folk, farmers, fishermen, teachers who bravely responded to the call to defend their country.

Unfortunately, copies of Mandirigma quickly sold out after the first printing run. The good news is plans to do a second printing are happening as we speak.

It would be best to reserve a copy at the Mandirigma Facebook page just to be sure.

(Mike Villa-Real is currently the National Executive Vice-President of the VFP Sons & Daughters Association Inc. (VFP-SDAI), an organization composed of direct descendants of Filipino World War II veterans.)

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ISIS cell threatens Kabul airport evacuation

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ABUL—Western nations warned their citizens Thursday to immediately leave the surrounds of Kabul airport over a terrorist threat, as thousands of people try to reach a dwindling number of evacuation flights.

Nearly 90,000 Afghans and foreigners have fled Afghanistan via the US-led airlift since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took control of the country on August 15.

Huge crowds are gathered in and around the airport, becoming increasingly desperate as some foreign nations cease flights ahead of Tuesday’s dead-

line by President Joe Biden to end the evacuations and withdraw the US troops overseeing it.

One reason for the hard deadline cited by Biden and his aides this week was an “acute” terrorist threat from the regional chapter of the Islamic State group.

The US government and its allies raised the alarm further

BIRTHDAY BLESSING. A devotee touches a picture of Mother

Teresa seeking blessings on the occasion of her 111th birth anniversary, at the Mother House in Kolkata on August 26. AFP

Germany’s ‘eternal’chancellor Merkel prepares to step down BERLIN—She was called “the leader of the free world” as authoritarian populists were on the march in Europe and the United States, but Angela Merkel is wrapping up a historic 16 years in power with an uncertain legacy at home and abroad.

In office so long she was dubbed Germany’s “eternal chancellor”, Merkel, 67, leaves with her popularity so resilient she would likely have won a record fifth term had she wanted to extend her mandate.

Instead, Merkel will pass the baton as the first German chancellor to step down entirely by choice, with a whole generation of voters never knowing another person at the top.

Her supporters say she provid-

ed steady, pragmatic leadership through countless global crises as a moderate and unifying figure.

Yet critics argue a muddlethrough style of leadership, pegged to the broadest possible consensus, lacked the bold vision to prepare Europe and its top economy for the coming decades.

What is certain is that she leaves behind a fractured political landscape, with the question of who will govern Germany next wide open just weeks before the September 26 election.

Assuming she stays on to hand over power, she will tie or exceed Helmut Kohl’s longevity record for a post-war leader, depending on how long the upcoming coalition negotiations drag on. AFP

IN BRIEF Urgent search for COVID origins ‘stalled’

PARIS—The search for the origins of the Covid pandemic that has killed millions and crippled economies is at a standstill even as time is running out, scientists charged with the task by the UN warned Wednesday.

An initial report by the team of independent, international experts sent to China by the World Health Organization in January concluded that it was most likely that the SARS-CoV-2 virus jumped from bats to humans via an intermediate animal.

A competing hypothesis that the virus somehow leaked from a lab, like the specialised virology laboratory in Wuhan, was deemed “extremely unlikely”.

But in a comment in the journal Nature, 11 of the 17 scientists on that mission said it was only intended as a “first step in a process that has stalled.”

“The search for the origins of SARS-CoV-2 is at a critical juncture,” they wrote. AFP

Navalny gives first interview from jail

WASHINGTON—Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has given his first interview from prison, comparing it to a Chinese labor camp and saying he is forced to watch eight hours of state television a day.

Navalny, who built his political career on exposing corruption in Russia, is being held in a maximum security prison colony in Pokrov, 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Moscow.

He told The New York Times the days of heavy labor in Soviet gulags were over—replaced by what he called the “psychological violence” of brainwashing and propaganda.

“You might imagine tattooed muscle men with steel teeth carrying on with knife fights to take the best cot by the window,” Navalny was quoted as saying in the interview, published Wednesday.

“You need to imagine something like a Chinese labor camp, where everybody marches in a line and where video cameras are hung everywhere. There is constant control and a culture of snitching.”

He said guards monitored them as they watched hours of state propaganda, not allowing them to read or write and waking inmates up if they fell asleep. AFP

Porn star Jeremy charged with rapes

LOS ANGELES—Porn star Ron Jeremy was formally charged with the rape or sexual assault of 21 women and girls, US prosecutors said Wednesday.

Jeremy, who has appeared in more than 1,700 X-rated films since the 1970s, has been the subject of criminal allegations within the adult industry for years.

In June 2020 he was accused of raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth, and his appearance at a Los Angeles court sparked a wave of further allegations.

The charges date back to 1996 and involve 21 alleged victims between the ages of 15 and 51, Los Angeles county prosecutor George Gascon said Wednesday.

Jeremy, who has previously declared himself “innocent” on Twitter, denied all charges. He faces life in prison if convicted.

The 68-year-old—whose real name is Ronald Jeremy Hyatt—appeared in famous adult movies including “Deep Throat II” and “John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut.” AFP

on Thursday with a series of coordinated and specific advisories warning their citizens to avoid the airport.

“Those at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate now should leave immediately,” said the US State Department, citing unspecified “security threats”.

Australia’s department of foreign affairs said there was an “ongoing and very high threat of terrorist attack”.

“Do not travel to Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport. If you’re in the area of the airport, move to a safe location and await further advice.”

London issued a similar warning, adding “if you can leave Afghanistan safely by other means, you should do so immediately”.

No specifics of the threat were given in the advisories, but Australian Defence Minister Andrew Hastie later referred to suicide bombings.

“The situation has deteriorated so much now that the US, Australia and other countries have told people moving to the airport to turn back because the risk of a suicide bomber is so high the threat situation is increasing,” Hastie told 6PR radio in Australia.AFP

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Employers told: Pay employees proper wages

By Vito Barcelo

MORE DOSES. Some 362, 700 doses of the US-made Pfizer vaccine arrive at the NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Wednesday evening August 25, 2021, the latest shipment to come in the government’s bid to speed up the vaccination program. Avito Dala

LION’S SHARE GOES TO SOCIAL SERVICES

House sets off P5-t budget debate S

By Maricel V. Cruz

PEAKER Lord Allan Velasco on Thursday called for swift and smooth passage of the proposed P5.024trillion national budget for 2022 to avoid a reenacted spending program and ensure continuous government operations amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Velasco issued the statement as the House committee on appropriations began deliberations on the last fullyear budget to be enacted under the administration of President Duterte.

“We, in the House of Representatives, need to get our act together to ensure swift and smooth passage of the 2022 national budget in order for the government to continue operating and provide much-needed services to

‘No contact’ penalty plan for motorists in QC nixed

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Councilor Winnie Castelo on Thursday rejected a proposed ordinance mandating a no-contact apprehension program for traffic violations in Quezon City.

“In principle, I agree with the program and its objectives, but it should be implemented in normal times, not during this pandemic when our people need jobs or should keep their jobs,” he said.

Castelo raised fear that the program could add economic burden to public utility vehicle drivers and private motorists.

He urged the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety “whose office has millions of pesos at their disposal for traffic control” to use its manpower, resources and logistics in the apprehension of traffic violators.

“Let us instead keep these employees who need their jobs, especially at this time. Let us use whatever surplus funds we have for ‘ayuda’ or financial assistance for those in special concern lockdown areas and other residents rendered jobless or deprived of means of livelihood by the pandemic,” he emphasized.

The proposal coming from some of his fellow councilors would also duplicate the no-contact apprehension project of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority along major roads in Metro Manila, including Quezon City, he said.

“We can perhaps call on the MMDA to expand it, but let us not copy this expensive program,” he added.

He also questioned the proposed measure’s recommended “excessive” fines for violations ranging from P500 to P5,000.

the Filipino people as it is expected to,” Velasco said.

The committee chaired by ACTCIS Partylist Rep. Eric Yap kicked off the budget debate “Our aim is to pass the House version of the 2022 national budget by September 30 to give the Senate ample time to go over the budget and come up with its own version in time for the October filing of certificates of candidacy for all elective positions for the

May 2022 elections,” Velasco said.

Velasco said the ultimate goal is for President Duterte to sign the 2022 General Appropriations Act by December to prevent a reenacted budget that could slow economic growth and hamper the delivery of government services.

The budget deliberations began three days after President Duterte—through the Department of Budget and Management—submitted to Congress the National Expenditure Program (NEP), which would assist the legislature in the review and deliberation of the government’s spending plan for next year.

The proposed 2022 national budget is focused on getting the Philippines back on the road towards full recovery from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.

The P5.024 trillion is equivalent to 22.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product and is higher by 11.5 percent than the current 2021 national budget.

By sector, social services sector receives the biggest chunk of 2022 NEP with P1.922 trillion, which will fund health-related services such as continued implementation of the Universal Health Care Act, purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, procurement of personal protective equipment, among others. Education-related programs, including the implementation of the Universal Access to Tertiary Education, is also prioritized.

Next is the economic services sector, which gets P1.474 trillion largely to support flagship programs under the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.

PSA asked: Explain ‘loss’ of half of QC populace QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte is asking the Philippine Statistics Authority to correct its “impossible” 2020 census data, saying several barangays supposedly lost 50 percent of their population.

She urged the PSA to validate its 2020 census in its report that the city’s population grew by only 23,932 from 2015 up to last year.

She also appealed to the House of Representatives to step into the matter and “help the city get to the bottom of this mystery.”

“We hope this disservice to the people of the city be given immediate attention,” she said.

She was referring to the PSA’s 2020 census indicating that the city’s population increased by just 23,932 or 0.17

percent from 2,936,116 to 2,960,048 in a five-year span.

“The result of its census is too impossible. How did it happen that our population increased by just that much against the data gathered by our Civil Registry Department?” she asked.

“This is very far from the 2015 projections for 2020 by statisticians that our city’s population will increase by 1.17 percent or to 3.112 million,” she cited.

Based on latest records from the City Civil Registry Department, the city mayor said there were 333,468 registered births and 115,810 deaths from 2015-2020.

“Even if you subtract the deaths, we have a difference of more than 200,000. That is the big question here,

where did the PSA get those numbers,” she said.

“There is no mass exodus that ever happened among our QCitizens in the last five years as far as I know,” she added.

She stressed the need for accuracy, saying the numbers presented by the PSA are not merely statistics, but would ultimately impact the services that the city provides to its citizens, especially when it comes to financial assistance provided by the national and city governments.

“We pity those small barangays and their residents. They would get less fund but reality check, they have a bigger population within their communities,” she said.

CASH FOR WORK. At least 554 beneficiaries from 12 barangays of Tabaco City in Albay province receive their Emergency Shelter Assistance and Cash for Work Allowance on Aug. 25, 2021, distributed by the Department of Social Welfare and Developm,ent- Region V. Norman Cruz

Senate resets 2022 Bangsamoro polls, extends transition until 2025

By Macon Ramos Araneta VOTING 18-1 with two abstentions, the Senate approved on second reading the bill that seeks to postpone next year’s parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and extend the transition period in the region until 2025.

Senate Bill 2214 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) by postponing

THE Department of Labor and Employment called on employers and business owners to observe the proper pay rules during the special nonworking and regular holidays in August.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said despite the imposition of community quarantines across the country, private companies that require their workers to report for work are obliged to observe the proper payment of wages during the holidays under the Labor Code.

Bello issued Labor Advisory No. 15, series of 2021 for proper payment of wages on August 21, 2021, declared a special non-working holiday under Proclamation No. 1107; and on August 30, 2021, National Heroes Day, a regular holiday.

Bello said if the employee did not work, the “no work, no pay” principle shall apply, unless there is a company policy, practice, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special day.

For work done during the special day, employees shall be paid an additional 30 percent of their basic wage on the first eight hours of work.

For work done in excess of eight hours, employees shall be paid an additional 30 percent of their hourly rate on the said day.

For employees who work on a special holiday that falls on his/her rest day, he/she shall be paid an additional 50 percent of his/her basic wage on the first eight hours of work.

the next year’s polls in the region and extend until 2025, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

The BTA currently serves as the interim BARMM parliament in compliance with the Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

Senator Francis N. Tolentino, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government and the principal sponsor of SB 2214, welcomed its approval. He said it will ensure the swift implemen-

tation of the political and normalization tracks which were agreed during the peace talks between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)—under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

Explaining why he cannot accept the amendment of Senator Imee Marcos to postpone the first regular elections of BARMM to a period of one year, he stressed this is unconstitutional.

He cited Supreme Court decisions,

including the case Osmena vs. Comelec where the Supreme Court equivocally stated that the Constitution has mandated synchronized, national and local elections.

“If we postpone the BARMM elections for less than three years, it would run counter with several Supreme Court decisions, it would run counter with the constitutional command that local and national elections should be synchronized.,” explained Tolentino.

She urged the PSA evaluators to closely coordinate with village officials after the agency reported that some barangays lost a significant portion or between 30 to 54 percent of their population.

“The buildings and houses are still there and there are ongoing constructions. Where are the people? Unrealistic that up to 54 percent of the population vanished. And this happened in not just one barangay but multiple barangays,” she said. Rio Araja

Sports

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

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PSC names facilities after sports heroes

Pacquiao open to rematch with Ugas

By Peter Atencio THE Philippine Sports Commission has approved the renaming of selected sports facilities it manages after sports heroes in honor of their unparalleled athletic achievements, while deciding to give the Ninoy Aquino Stadium its old name back, the Philippine Sports Commission Multi-Purpose Gym. For instance, the PSC’s weightlifting gym will now be named the Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Gym, named after the Filipina lifter who made her mark in Philippine sports history as its first Olympic gold medalist during the recent Tokyo Games.

The board also approved the renaming of the Rizal Memorial Tennis Court into the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Court, the swimming pool area into the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool, and the Rizal Memorial Track Stadium into the Simeon Toribio Track Stadium.

“These athletes have given honor to the country with their work in sports, we hope to keep their legacies alive for this and next generations. We want to pique the interest of the people, who will read about or visit the facility. Who is Teofilo Yldefonso? What did Felicisimo Ampon do that this venue is named to him?” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez.

Meanwhile, the agency is planning to put a statue or a marker to commemorate the achievements of Diaz.

Commissioner Ramon Fernandez said they plan to do this at the soonest time possible.

For now, the PSC is thinking this over, taking into consideration on what would be an appropriate medium to honor the 30-year old Olympian.

“It’s not final yet. It could be a statue or just a marker in front of the gymnasium. We’ll see what’s appropriate,” said Fernandez.

Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines speaks during a press conference after his defeat to Yordenis Ugas of Cuba in the WBA Welterweight Championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. AFP

L

OS ANGELES—Manny Pacquiao has refused to rule out a rematch with WBA champion Yordenis Ugas following his upset defeat to the Cuban last weekend, which nudged the Filipino boxing star ever closer to retirement.

Pacquiao, 42, told The Athletic website that he may consider fighting Ugas again in January following his unanimous decision loss to the 35-year-old in Las Vegas on Saturday.

“Yes, I can come back in January. I will see about it,” Pacquiao told the website. “I know I can rematch him if I want. I’ll just need to tell (promoter) Al Haymon. That would be no problem.”

Ugas said in the aftermath of his win on Saturday, where he clinically picked off Pacquiao from long range to score a deserved victory, that he would be willing to offer the eight-division world champion a rematch.

Pacquiao—who is mulling a bid for the presidency of the Philippines—said on Saturday he might not fight again after the eighth loss of his glittering 26-year professional career.

Marcial’s 2nd pro fight an 8-rounder

By Randy Caluag

SEAG karate champ Lim on Rise Up Shape Up SOUTHEAST Asian Games’ karatedo gold medalist Jamie Christine Lim will banner Saturday’s webisode of the Philippine Sports Commission’s Rise Up Shape Up. Lim, a national team standout, also used to compete in the Women’s Martial Arts Festival and will share her journey and experiences which helped her achieve where she is right now.

The SEA games titlist will be joined by the next generation of karatedo champions who recently won in the 7th Women’s Martial Arts Festival at 10:30 a.m.

Seventeen young karatekas, who bagged gold in different event categories will personally share their stories and inspiration in the sport.

“The PSC is in full support of the Women’s Martial Arts Festival as this contributes to strengthening the country’s excellence in sports especially highlighting women empowerment,” said Women in Sports oversight commissioner Celia H. Kiram, who will also talk about and give insights on the history of karate in her K-Isport.

Last week’s guest in the web series that highlights women empowerment through sports was Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nesthy Petecio of boxing.

“What a time to be alive for Filipina athletes!

We have female athletes who are history-makers, showing the whole world that women in sports are also capable of making names in the greatest Olympic stage,” Jamie said Kiram.

Christine Lim

However, he told The Athletic he could be tempted by a second Ugas fight, admitting he was still baff led by the nature of last weekend’s loss.

“I will think about it because I can’t believe that one of the easiest opponents I ever faced did that,” said Pacquiao, who has blamed cramping in his legs for his leaden-footed performance.

“He shouldn’t have touched me. When I moved here (to the right), I had nothing. You know how I move. You’ve seen it so many times. “(Ugas) only had one style, and I should’ve been able to easily move away—you’ve seen how I have moved in my fights before. I couldn’t move in this fight. My legs just stopped.” AFP

Eumir Marcial

IN a bid to hasten his ascent to bigtime boxing, Tokyo Olympics’ bronze medalist Eumir Marcial is looking at an eight-round bout as his second professional fight, which his handlers are planning before the year ends.

“Magda-dagdag na kami ng rounds. Eight rounds na daw ‘yung susunod kong laban” Marcial told Manila Standard, admitting that his outfit, MP Promotions, is lining him up for a second professional fight in December.

In a previous interview, Sean Gibbons, president of the Manny Pacquiao-led MP Promotions, has confirmed that they hope to bring back Marcial to the United States to start his training for a possible fight in December.

“He’s going to be in the ring, having another pro fight by the end of the year.

That’s for sure,” said Gibbons.

A few months after signing up with MP Promotions, Marcial hurdled his first pro assignment on a bright note, winning via unanimous decision over American Andrew Whitfield in their

four-round tussle on Dec. 16, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.

Marcial is being trained by the legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach.

As a national athlete, Marcial performed his task with aplomb by bagging a bronze medal in the middleweight men’s boxing competition at the recent 2020+1 Olympics in Tokyo.

And although he is looking forward to a promising professional boxing career, Marcial said he will continue to chase the Olympic gold.

But this early, he has to set his priorities.

If he will be looking at December fight, he this would mean he will not be able to the join the national squad that will see action in the 2021 AIBA World Boxing Championships set on Oct. 6 to Nov. 26 in Belgrade, Serbia.

National coach Ronald Chavez said the national boxing team will soon resume its bubble-type training at the Philippine Sports Commission Training Center in Baguio City.

It has not been discussed yet if Marcial will join them.

Bejino dead last in swimming; Gawilan plunges into action TOKYO—Swimmer Gary Bejino struggled in his Tokyo Paralympic Games debut on Thursday, finishing dead last among six entries in the second heat of the men’s SM6 200-meter individual medley event and exited early at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre here.

The first Pinoy campaigner to plunge into action, Bejino seemed awed by the moment as he clocked three minutes and 17.9 seconds in the heats, 34.12 seconds behind Colombia’s Nelson Crispin Corzo, a Rio Para Games double silver medalist, who led seven others into finals with a time of 2:43.07.

He also placed last among the 17 swimmers who saw action in the race, a lackluster showing that coach Tony Ong attributed to the pressure and nerves felt by the 23-year-old athlete after his opening stint in the quadrennial sportsfest for the cream of para-athletes in the world.

“First time ni Gary to be in the Paralympics and he is still young, masyado ding pressure sa kanya na ‘yung first event (ng team) sa kanya. I still need to talk to him about it so he can settle down

for his successive events,” Ong noted.

The coach said that while Bejino did well in the 50-meter butterfly leg of the event, overall, they still lacked enough time to prepare despite the month’s workout they had at the Philippine Science High School indoor pool.

Ong was hopeful that his ward would be able to redeem himself in his three remaining events: the men’s 50-meter butterfly on Aug. 30, 400-meter freestyle on Sept. 2, and 100-meter backstroke on Sept. 3.

Stepping up to the plate next for the PH Paralympic squad are swimmer Ernie Gawilan and wheelchair racer Jerrold Gawilan, who will compete on Friday in the stint supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Both veterans of the 2016 Rio Para Games, Gawilan dives into the pool in the men’s SM7 200-meter individual medley race at 10:03 a.m. (9:03 a.m. in Manila) in the first of three heats where the top eight advance to the finals at 6:22 p.m. (5:22 p.m.)

Mangwilan, who was the country’s flag-bearer during the opening ceremonies of the meet last Monday, wheels

Brazil’s Gabriel Geraldo dos Santos Araujo bites to stable his body to start during the final of men’s 100m backstroke (S2) at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo. AFP

into play in the T52 men’s 400-meter run also in the opening heat 10:43 a.m.

(9:43 a.m. in Manila) at the Japan National Stadium.

The top three finishers from each of

the two heats plus the two next fastest wheelchair racers among the 13 entries will complete the eight-man cast in the finals scheduled at 10:16 pm. (9:16 p.m. in Manila).

Business Electronic sector keeps 7% export growth forecast

By Othel V. Campos THE Philippine semiconductor and electronics manufacturing industry is keeping its 7-percent growth target for 2021 on strong global demand for electronics.

Semiconductor and Electronics Industry of the Philippines Inc. said the global demand was putting pressure on the supply side, but the Philippines was ready to rise to the challenge.

“Given all the global and local trends and conditions, the board of trustees evaluated the condition of the semiconductors/electronics industry here in the Philippines at our last board meeting. The consensus opinion is that it will be about 7-percent growth forecast for the year,” SEIPI chairman Glenn Everett said during the 3rd quarter general membership meeting Thursday.

He said the growth forecast could have been more on the upper side, if not for the shifting quarantine lockdowns.

“The strict lockdowns have caused impacts and reduced potential [of the industry]. Hopefully, conditions will improve and restrictions will be reduced, then we will be able to live up to a larger potential,” he said.

Electronics exports in June grew by 8.9 percent to $4.03 billion, accounting for 61.9 percent of the Philippines total export for the month. Hong Kong, China, the US and the European Union were the top destinations in June.

Global semiconductor sales reached $41.8 billion in April, or 1.9 percent higher than the March sales of $41 billion.

SEIPI said it was also looking forward to the creation of a wafer fab hub that would be housed within the proposed National Science and Technology Center inside the Department of Science and Technology compound in Bicutan City.

The creation of the micro-electronics wafer fab would wean the Philippines from its dependence on Taiwan for fabricated devices.

“So, to protect the intellectual property, shorten the process lead time and hopefully reduce the cost, we have put together a lab scale wafer fab and hopefully, in a couple of years we can build that to support IC design industry for prototyping needs, all in our DOST backyard,” said SEIPI president Dan Lachica.

NGCP receives options on initial public offering

By Alena Mae S. Flores GRID operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines can conduct its initial public offering or substitute it with the listing of any company in the stock market which owns at least 30 percent of its outstanding capital stock, the Energy Regulatory Commission said in an order.

“After careful evaluation of the foregoing allegations of NGCP vis-à-vis the pertinent provisions of R.A. No. 9511, the Commission hereby clarifies that NGCP can undertake public listing or in substitution, submit proof of the listing of any company in the PSE which owns or controls at least 30 percent of its outstanding capital stock... ,” the ERC said in an order promulgated on Aug. 20.

The ERC issued the clarification after NGCP on July 2 sought a clarification of an order. NGCP asked if it could be allowed to list “any company which directly or indirectly owns or controls at least 30 percent of the outstanding shares of stock of NGCP, which can be achieved through the share swap transaction and follow-on offering of 20 percent of Synergy Grid & Development Phils.

Inc.’s shares, as an alternative mode of compliance under Section 8 of NGCP’s legislative franchise.”

NGCP informed the commission of the status of the share swap transactions between Synergy Grid and OneTaipan Holdings Inc. and Pacifica21 Holdings Inc. NGCP said once all necessary approvals from the different government agencies were obtained, this could be considered as substantial compliance to its public offering requirement.

NGCP said it is partly-owned by Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp. and Calaca High Power Corp., with each company owning 30 percent plus one share in the issued shares of NGCP. OneTaipan and Pacifica21 own 100 percent of MOGRC and CHPC. One Taipan is 67-percent owned by Henry Sy Jr. while Pacifica21 is 65-percent owned by Robert Coyuito Jr.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, August 26, 2021 -1.62 PTS.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

B1

Pre-pandemic economic level seen by end of 2022 T HE National Economic and Development Authority said Thursday the economy will likely return to pre-pandemic level by the end of 2022 or early 2023, after the economy grew 11.8 percent in the second quarter, despite the quarantine restrictions and the lingering impact of the pandemic Economic Planning Secretary and NEDA director-general Karl Kendrick Chua said during the budget hearing at the House of Representatives that the prospects for 2021 remained encouraging and “will allow us to recover to prepandemic levels sometime at the end of 2022, if not early 2023.”

The Development Budget and Coordination Committee met last week and revised the country’s growth targets for 2021 to a range of 4 percent to 5 percent, down by 2 percentage points from the original goals.

“Next year will be 7 percent to 9 percent before moderating to our longterm growth of around 6 percent to 7 percent. The enablers of our recovery hinge on acceleration of the vaccination program, the continued safe reopening of the economy while adhering to the

health protocols and the full implementation of our recovery package, which includes the present 2021 budget, the CREATE law, and the FIST law,” Chua said, referring to the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act and Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer Act. Chua said the COVID-19 vaccination program was on track, with 48.5 million doses arriving in the country and 31.1 million already administered as of Aug. 22.

NEDA also cited the importance of the safe reopening of the economy and the need to balance both the COVID-19 risk and the non COVID-19 risk, which includes the people’s other sickness, their need for income to address joblessness and also hunger.

“The imposition of the MECQ in high-risk areas, including NCR at this

6,820.53

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

time of the year is our proactive response to balancing the needs of the people and addressing the spread of the more contagious Delta variant. The present status of the economy and employment as of the week of Aug. 21 to the end of August is that 54 percent of the economy is currently under MECQ,” Chua said.

He said while there are no more areas under ECQ at this point, several areas remain under MECQ. Fifteen percent of the economy are in GCQ with heightened restriction while the rest are in GCQ or MGCQ, he said.

“In terms of the number of workers affected, even under the MECQ, our estimate is that around 15.647 million workers are affected by the MECQ. And we will continue to work to enhance the implementation or enforcement of the minimum health standards to allow us to reduce the risks of the Delta variant to allow us to further reopen the economy at the appropriate time,” he said.

He said impact of the ECQs on the economy was staggering. “When we had the ECQ last week in the NCR+ area, the impact of the economy was estimated at P144 billion per week; 161,000 to 242,000 more poor people, and 607,000 estimated to be unemployed,” he said.

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

2,484,514,489 115,814 9,058,183,546.31 94 102 53

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.0740

Japan

Yen

0.009093

0.4553

UK

Pound

1.376200

68.9118

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128464

6.4327

Switzerland

Franc

1.095050

54.8335

Canada

Dollar

0.794407

39.7791

Singapore

Dollar

0.739317

37.0206

Australia

Dollar

0.727200

36.4138

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652590

132.8258

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

13.3520

Brunei

Dollar

0.736594

36.8842

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030503

1.5274

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.6337

Euro

Euro

1.177300

58.9521

Korea

Won

0.000860

0.0431

China

Yuan

0.154419

7.7324

India

Rupee

0.013493

0.6756

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237982

11.9167

New Zealand

Dollar

0.697400

34.9216

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035880

1.7967 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF

D&L gets nod to sell P5-b worth of bonds

THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the application of food ingredients and plastics manufacturer D&L Industries Inc. to sell P5 billion worth of fixed-rate bonds.

D&L plans to issue up to P3 billion of Series A bonds due 2024 and Series B bonds due 2026, with an oversubscription option for another P2 billion.

Net proceeds from the offering will be used to finance the expansion of the food and plastic manufacturer’s plant in Batangas and for the partial repayment of bridge loans.

The bonds will be offered at face value, and will be listed and traded on the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. The offer period will be from Sept. 1 to 6, with listing on the PDEx slated on Sept. 10, according to the latest timetable submitted to the SEC. D&L tapped China Bank Capital Corp. as the sole issue manager, lead underwriter and sole bookrunner for the fund raising activity.

Jenniffer B. Austria

DOTR upgrades Siquijor port, airport

THE Department of Transportation on Thursday inaugurated two vital transport infrastructure projects in Siquijor to boost economic and tourism growth in the province.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the upgrading of Siquijor Airport, which started on March 1, 2018, was completed on July 30, 2021. Siquijor Airport’s new passenger terminal building can now accommodate 60 passengers at any given time. Prior to the upgrade, the PTB of the Siquijor Airport could only accommodate 10 passengers.

He said the repair and maintenance of the perimeter fence and construction of concrete pathwalk, runway provision, taxiway and apron markings were also completed ahead of time. More developments are eyed for the airport including the asphalt overlay and extension of the runway.

Another project the agency inaugurated was the upgraded Siquijor Port. The project covers the construction of an RC Wharf with Ro-Ro ramp, a back-up area and a port lighting system. Tugade said the seaport project was started on March 10, 2018 and was completed on March 23, 2021.

Darwin G. Amojelar

FILINVEST VACCINATION. An estimated 924 employees and third-party hires from EastWest Bank’s branches in Cebu and nearby areas are set to be vaccinated in the Visayas leg of Filinvest COVID-19 Vaccination Program. Following the successful Luzon legs of its FILVAX nationwide vaccination program in Muntinlupa City and Clark, Pampanga, EastWest will officially kick off the Visayas leg in Cebu City and other provinces on Aug. 27, 28 and 30.

Fiscal discipline needed to save country from global crisis

By Julito G. Rada FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Wednesday that fiscal discipline will save the country from the worst economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dominguez said in an online Development Budget Coordination Committee hearing at the Senate that with fiscal discipline and economic reforms that work, the Philippines came fully prepared to meet the global health crisis head-on.

“When the pandemic struck, we were financially ready. Our strong fiscal position, buttressed by our tax reforms and better tax administration, served us well,” Dominguez said.

He said the government collected revenues of P12.4 trillion from 2016

to 2020, 20 percent or P2 trillion more than what the previous administration ]raked in during its six-year term.

Dominguez said the enacted tax reform measures, such as the TRAIN law, new sin taxes and the Tax Amnesty Act collectively added P347 billion to the coffers from 2018 to 2020. They translated into more than P100 billion in additional taxes collected annually, he said.

He said that from 2016 to 2020, the Duterte administration’s revenue effort climbed to 15.9 percent of the gorss domestic product from an average of 14 percent of GDP during the previous administration.

“In fact in 2019, we achieved a twodecade high revenue effort of 16.1 percent.

This underscores the improved efficiency and professionalism of our revenue col-

lection agencies. Despite the pandemic, revenue effort remained at 15.9 percent of GDP in 2020,” Dominguez said.

Meanwhile, he said the total dividend remittances collected from governmentowned or -controlled corporations reached P317.5 billion under President Duterte’s term. The amount includes dividend contributions retained by state banks to boost their capital requirements.

“The Duterte administration maintained a prudent deficit level notwithstanding our large investments in the Build, Build, Build program, which is the President’s main strategy to help Filipinos lift themselves out of poverty. From a meager 2.9 percent of GDP in 2015, infrastructure spending nearly doubled to 5.4 percent of GDP in 2019,” he said.

W Group unit taps power from First Gen

A SUBSIDIARY of property developer W Group Inc. signed partnership with First Gen Corp. of the Lopez Group for the supply of renewable energy to its manufacturing facility in Laguna province.

“We are very excited to embark on this new journey to diversify and broaden our efforts to champion sustainability across our subsidiaries. It is high time that we explore other initiatives beyond the operation and development of our iconic green properties in Bonifacio Global City as we push further towards achieving our environmental goals in the company,” said W Group chief executive Francis Wee. The move reaffirms W Group’s commitment to environmental sustainability through its seaweed and carrageenan subsidiary W Hydrocolloids, Inc. The deal under WHI’s carrageenan exporter arm Philippine Bio-Industries, Inc. is expected to enhance the company’s operations and contribute to the firm’s thrust for sustainability and environmental efficiency.

The move also aligns WHI and W Group’s efforts with the sustainability efforts of its multinational customers overseas and makes PBI the first carrageenan factory in the Philippines to run on 100-percent clean energy.

Alena Mae S. Flores

AC Energy, Singapore solar firm finalize venture THE executive committee of AC Energy Corp., the energy unit of Ayala Corp., said Thursday it approved the joint venture with ib vogt Singapore Pte Ltd. to develop solar projects in the Philippines, with an initial target of 300 megawatts of capacity.

AC Energy said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the executive committee approved the transaction during a video conference on Aug. 25. It did not provide additional details.

The Singapore company is an affiliate of ib vogt GmbH, a German company focused on developing and delivering high-quality large-scale turnkey photovoltaic plants worldwide.

The executive committee also approved the capital expenditure budget for AC Energy’s proposed 288-MW solar project in Buguey and Lal-lo, Cagayan, and a capex budget for the proposed 275-MW expansion of its Gigasol Palauig solar project in Zambales.

AC Energy on April 27 said the 63-

MW Gigasol Palauig solar farm started operations.

AC Energy announced this week it would sell its power barge assets to SPC Power Corp. and Prime Strategic Holdings Inc. The company will sell Power Barge 101 to Prime Strategic or its designated affiliate or subsidiary, and Power Barges 102 and 103 to SPC Power or its designated affiliate or subsidiary.

Power Barge 101 is an operating power plant while Power Barges 102 and 103 are non-operating units.

“The sale of the power barges is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to satisfaction of agreed conditions precedent, including obtaining the applicable regulatory approvals,” AC Energy said earlier.

AC Energy is the listed energy platform of the Ayala Group. It aims to be the largest listed renewables platform in Southeast Asia, with a goal of reaching 5,000 MW of renewables capacity by 2025. Alena Mae S. Flores

COCA-COLA’S COMMITMENT. Coca-Cola Philippines, the country’s leading beverage company, takes seriously its commitment to make a greater impact on communities with its 2030 water strategy. Water stewardship has long been a business imperative for Coca-Cola, but the company aims to do more to increase efficiency in the production of its beverages and help communities address local water resource challenges such as the availability of clean water. Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines’ Agos Program since 2011 has been instrumental in making safe water accessible to underserved communities.

Business

B2 || FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021 extrastory2000@gmail.com

South Korea hikes rates for 1st time since pre-pandemic

PSEi August 26, 2021

TOP GAINERS 1 2

GLO MAHB

LAST PRICE 2948 2

% CHANGE CHANGE 348 13.38% 0.2 11.11%

3 4

ALLHC DITO

4.86 8.96

0.48 0.78

10.96% 9.54%

5 6 7

V TEL LFM

0.95 1449 29

0.07 104 1.8

7.95% 7.73% 6.62%

8 9 10

FRUIT CLI NOW

1.25 3.3 2.14

0.07 0.18 0.11

5.93% 5.77% 5.42%

TOP LOSERS 1 2

OV I

LAST PRICE 0.01 1.23

% CHANGE CHANGE -0.001 -9.09% -0.09 -6.82%

3 4

PRIM LRW

2 0.47

-0.14 -0.03

-6.54% -6.00%

5 6 7

TECHW DWC PHA

1.75 2.33 1.15

-0.1 -0.13 -0.06

-5.41% -5.28% -4.96%

8 9 10

UPM ZHI JGS

0.008 0.191 64.95

-0.0004 -0.009 -2.7

-4.76% -4.50% -3.99%

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

GLO TEL CNVRG AC DITO MPI ACEN GTCAP MONDE JGS

VOLUME 569235 807315 22162700 571580 44930600 79735000 23039300 385910 12798800 3017840

VALUE (PHP) 1614645150 1158166630 686787555 438345710 393585932 308333300 212952628 211950510 209077518 198848981

Qantas records $1.33-b loss in ‘diabolical’ year SYDNEY, Australia—Australian airline Qantas on Thursday posted more than US$1 billion in annual losses, after what it described as a “diabolical” year caused by pandemic travel restrictions.

The national flag carrier reported Aus$1.83 billion (US$1.33 billion) in underlying pre-tax losses for the 12 months to June 30, rising to Aus$2.35 billion (US$1.7 billion) when including one-off costs such as redundancy payouts and mothballing aircraft.

It comes on top of almost US$2 billion in statutory pre-tax losses reported in the previous financial year, when airlines globally were hit with the initial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce predicted the airline’s revenues will have plunged more than Aus$20 billion (US$14.5 billion) by the end of 2021 as a result of COVID-19.

“This loss shows the impact that a full year of closed international borders and more than 330 days of domestic travel restrictions had on the national carrier,” he said in a statement.

“The trading conditions have frankly been diabolical.”

The airline said periods of open borders within Australia in early 2021 had briefly boosted revenue, but a return to internal restrictions after a prolonged Delta variant outbreak in Sydney has forced the widespread cancellation of flights.

Australia, which has recorded almost 47,000 infections and 986 deaths to date, is battling a resurgence of coronavirus that has left more than half the country’s population under lockdown.

In addition to thousands of pilots and cabin crew being stood down or made redundant in 2020, Qantas recently announced 2,500 more would be stood down in response to the latest outbreak.

Qantas now hopes to return to international flights by the end of 2021, naming countries with high vaccination rates such as the United States, Britain and Singapore as potential early destinations.

However, none of the airline’s previous optimistic predictions on the revival of overseas travel has been met and the government is yet to announce when Australia’s strict border controls will be eased. AFP

Pedestrians walk through the Myeongdong shopping district in Seoul on August 26, 2021, after South Korea’s central bank announced first rate hike in three years. AFP

Stock market closes flat; Globe, PLDT extend rally

T

HE stock market ended flat Thursday, with bouts of profit taking on select issues capping the early gains of the benchmark index.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 1.62 points, or 0.02 percent, to 6,820.53 on a value turnover of P9 billion. Losers edged gainers, 102 to 94, with 53 issues unchanged.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group fell 4 percent to P64.95, while SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group dropped 2.8 percent to P982.

Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest mobile phone company, however, advanced 13.4 percent to P2,948, while PLDT Inc., the leading telecommunications firm, climbed 7.7 percent to P1,449.

Asian markets mostly fell Thursday as hopes for the global recovery and signs of a possible slowdown in new virus infections play off against China’s

regulatory clampdown and the prospect of an end to Federal Reserve largesse.

Equities and oil have by and large enjoyed a positive week, helped by full US approval of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine and speculation the Fed will take its time in removing its ultra-loose monetary policy whenever it begins to do so.

However, while Wall Street continued to chalk up new records, Asian investors shifted a little more cautiously as they assessed the outlook.

Asian investors struggled to maintain Wall Street’s rally.

Hong Kong and Shanghai each fell more than one percent as tech firms were dragged down by weak earnings results that came as China embarked on its crackdown on the industry, while Sydney, Wellington, Bangkok and Jakarta also declined. However, Tokyo, Singapore, Taipei and Mumbai eked out gains.

Seoul was also in the red after South Korea became one of the first major economies to start lifting interest rates since they were cut to record lows last

year to battle the coronavirus impact.

Top of the agenda this week is Fed boss Jerome Powell’s speech Friday to the Jackson Hole symposium of central bankers and economists, which will be closely followed for any indication about its policy plans in light of rising inflation and the economic rebound.

The bank is widely expected to begin easing back on its vast bond-buying program by the end of the year, though the spread of the Delta variant and its impact on growth has some observers and even hawkish Fed members rethinking the wisdom of doing so.

Analysts said the speed and timing of a pullback could be crucial.

“When the Fed actually announces the taper, it will likely also give some degree of information on what pace it will take and how flexible or inflexible they want to be with the process,” Guneet Dhingra, at Morgan Stanley, said.

“That could provide a key signal for the rate-hike cycle—particularly with regard to the pace of the hikes.” With AFP

Mountain biking rivals skiing in Austria as Alps warm

Simon Hanl, CEO of easyLoop System (left), and CEO of WEXL Trails Karl Morgenbesser pose in front of the bike lift in St. Corona am Wechsel, Lower Austria on July 23, 2021. AFP

By Denise Hruby SANKT CORONA, Austria—A village in the Austrian Alps known for its familyfriendly ski resort has been forced to adapt to waning snow due to climate change, turning to a new downhill sport— mountain biking.

Bikers as young as three ride over landscaped jumps and curved forest trails, breathing new life into Sankt Corona am Wechsel, around an hour’s drive from Vienna, and offering a model for other struggling resorts.

“We used to be a 100-percent winter destination. Now, we have to think about climate change, and summers are booming,” said Karl Morgenbesser, who runs the adventure park in Sankt Corona.

As the coronavirus pandemic increases enthusiasm for outdoor activities, many Austrians hope mountain biking and other summer sports can make up for winter losses in the Alpine nation, where skiing accounts for around three percent of the GDP. Nearly a month of snow cover has been lost in the Alps at low and medium altitude in half a century, according to a March study published in The Cryosphere scientific journal.

And a recent report by the UN’s

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that in the Alps the snow cover will decrease in areas below 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) throughout the 21st century.

Lift pulls bikers up Situated at an altitude of nearly 900 meters, Sankt Corona dismantled its winter infrastructure in 2014 after years of losses as annual visitor numbers fell to 25,000 from 70,000 some 20 years earlier.

A rollercoaster-like summer toboggan and climbing space soon opened, but the 400-resident village’s fortunes truly turned when it devised a network of mountain-biking trails.

While most mountain biking destinations boast steep slopes, Sankt Corona’s undulating trails suit professionals as well as children relying on training wheels, and now draw about 130,000 visitors per season.

“We really like to come here as a family,” said 33-year-old Lisa Goeschl, who used to ski in Sankt Corona as a child and whose husband is an avid mountain biker.

“I think summer is a bigger hit with people (than winter) because there are so many activities on offer.”

This June, a new T-bar lift—which pulls bikers up the slope—opened, as a shuttle

bus service taking riders to the top could no longer keep up with demand.

“I wanted the T-bar lift to be as simple as possible,” Simon Hanl, a local mountain biker who conceived the system to pull up the bikers, told AFP. ‘Inspirational’ Former snowboard instructor Morgenbesser hosts delegations from some of the world’s biggest ski resorts, curious to see how the tiny, low-lying village has adapted so well to a possibly snowless future.

“It’s extremely inspirational,” said Marlene Krug, in charge of bike development in Saalbach, Austria, which frequently hosts mountain biking world cup races, and has now modeled part of its kids’ area after Sankt Corona’s.

Ski resorts first reacted to the lack of snow by investing to make it artificially.

But temperatures have become so warm that resorts across the Alps will have to look into other options, says Robert Steiger, a University of Innsbruck expert on the impacts of climate change on tourism.

“Diversifying into summer is necessary for all of them, and mountain biking is definitely something everyone’s interested in,” Steiger says. AFP

SEOUL—South Korea on Thursday became one of the first major economies to hike interest rates following the coronavirus pandemic, as authorities try to rein in growing household debt and a frenzied housing market.

The central Bank of Korea raised its key rate to 0.75 percent from a record low 0.5 percent—where it had been since May 2020—with officials asserting the economy was experiencing a “sound recovery.”

A few countries have begun to lift borrowing costs, among them Brazil, Russia, Chile and Mexico, and investors around the world are watching closely for when the US Federal Reserve will start to taper its huge stimulus programs.

It was its first rate rise since November 2018 and came as authorities in the world’s 12th-largest economy grapple with surging household debt and an overheated housing market, which analysts warn could threaten economic stability.

South Korea’s household debt rose 41.2 trillion won ($35.3 billion) during the April-June period to a record high 1,806 trillion won, roughly equivalent to the country’s GDP. “Household loan growth has accelerated and housing prices have continued to increase rapidly in all parts of the country,” the BOK said in a statement.

The country has continued “sound recovery,” it said, adding that “exports have sustained their buoyancy and facilities investment has shown a robust trend.”

But analysts cast doubts over the pace of the recovery and the impact of the rate hike.

“Most advanced economies haven’t raised their rates yet and I don’t think South Korea’s economic situation has improved,” said Joo Won, a researcher at Hyundai Research Institute.

The increase appeared to be aimed at cooling off the housing market, Joo told AFP, adding higher interest rates will “greatly increase the burden on the vulnerable.” AFP

China reopens world’s 3rd busiest port after partial virus stoppage BEIJING, China—China reopened a key terminal at the world’s thirdbusiest cargo port Wednesday, after a shutdown to control the coronavirus caused backlogs through supply chains—but disruptions at a major airport are now sending transport costs soaring.

Several cargo aircraft workers at Shanghai Pudong International Airport tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week, sparking a suspension in freight operations.

That has led to a spike in air freight rates of “around 30 percent,” SEKO Logistics told AFP. The company added that it has rerouted cargo to different airlines and airports to avoid delays, after the current suspension starting last Friday.

“The closure is currently estimated to last around seven to 14 days,” it said.

There have been flight cancellations at Pudong while in the industry, staff resignations following tighter quarantine rules have dragged handling times and created a “backlog for upcoming flights,” said logistics company Ligentia in another recent statement.

The situation piles stress on already-stretched global supply chains.

The shipping network is still reeling from recent port closures, as exporters work to meet soaring demand for goods from Western consumers and comply with strict domestic virus controls.

The air cargo disruptions come shortly after a partial halt at the eastern Ningbo-Zhoushan port, starting two weeks ago when a worker at its Meishan terminal tested positive for the coronavirus.

The terminal handles a fifth of the container volume at NingboZhoushan and the hold-up forced ships to other Chinese ports, which were left facing their worst levels of congestion in seven years, reported Chinese media outlet Caixin this week.

The Ningbo-Zhoushan port handled almost 1.2 billion tons of goods in 2020. AFP

Entertainment VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

B3

Why ‘The World Between Us’ is taking a season break F ANS were surprised when they learned early this week that The World Between Us, which features the small screen reunion of Alden Richards and Jasmine Curtis Smith, was having a season break and the last episode before it goes off-air for two months will be tonight.

Primetime series The World Between Us, starring Alden Richards and Jasmine Curtis Smith, is taking a season break and will return in November.

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

In a virtual conference attended

by Alden and senior cast members Dina Bonnevie and Jaclyn Jose, series director Dominic Zapata explained why the fans will have to wait a little longer to know how the “epic love story” of Louie and Lia will end.

“First and foremost, safety really comes first. We really understand that as a network, as people the audience looks up to, we have to show the same kind of responsibility we expect from each and every Filipino,” the director told Manila Standard Entertainment.

“It’s a welcome break for all of us. It’s an opportunity for us to take a step back and for the actors to reassess their characters. It’s a nice break in the story where everyone, the characters, has already evolved,” he carried on adding that the show will return on Nov. 15.

KZ, Darren Espanto, Mimiyuhh, other online creators take on latest TikTok trend CELEBS and online creators put their raprap ping skills to the test by taking on the latest TikTok trend, the #TNTYanAngPinoy#TNTYanAngPinoy OneBreathChallenge featuring the mobile brand's anthem of TNT’s ‘Yan ang Pinoy

by Asia’s Soul Supreme KZ Tandingan.

Tandingan “Yan Ang Pinoy” is the latest campaign of mobile brand TNT, which aims to reigreig nite Filipino pride amid the challenges we face and encourage everyone to keep on chasing their dreams. Through the camcam paign, TNT and KZ also seek to positively impact especially the Kabataang Pinoys who may be looking for reassurance in pursuing their dreams.

KZ kicked off the #TNTYanAngPinoyOneBreathChallenge on TikTok, an increasingly popular platform among Filipinos who want to promote and share good vibes through creative content like fun challenges and trends. For the chalchal lenge, KZ rapped "Yan Ang Pinoy" in only one breath.

With this fun and proudly Pinoy chalchal lenge, the #TNTYanAngPinoyOne#TNTYanAngPinoyOne BreathChallenge has inspired other celebrities like Darren Espanto, Mimiyuuuh and, other creators to take on it and showcase the talent of Kabataang Pinoys.

TNT lets you spread fun, good vibes, and inspiration on TikTok and all your favorite apps with TNT Double GIGA Stories. For only Php99, TNT subscribsubscrib ers get 2 GB per day for Facebook, InsIns tagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Kumu for seven days, plus 2 GB of open-access data — for a total of 16 GB of data for social media.

TNT is powered by Smart, the PhilipPhilip pine’s fastest 5G network and widest LTE as cited by Ookla®, the global leader in internet testing a n d analysis.

The director also underscored that pursuing the show despite the ECQ will compromise its quality and integrity.

“We also understood na kung ipilit namin ito, we may be sacrificing a little too much in terms of not only our health but also probably the integrity of the show and that was also part of the consideration.

Of course, foremost was everyone’s safety,” he pointed out Meanwhile, Alden and Jasmine also see this development as a way to give their audience more reason to further fall in love with their characters.

Like the director, the stars consider the two-month break as a way to give their respective roles a different flavor by examining their core and the direction that story is taking them.

“There are so many turning points that my character will have to face and that’s what we are trying to navigate. Louie is a character that doesn’t live in fantasy, he considers all the situation and the people around him. But just like in every story, everything will be resolved and I think that’s what people should expect in Louie as a character. ” Alden said.

The series lead cast with Tom Rodriguez

Kanye West files to legally change name to ‘Ye’ Chicago-raised rapper and record producer Kanye West

MUSIC icon Kanye West has filed to legally change his name to his longtime nickname "Ye," US media reported Wednesday, citing documents filed in a Los Angeles court.

The 44-year-old wants to change his full name— name—Kanye Omari West—to West the two-letter Ye, with no middle or last name, according to NBC News and other US media.

The change was requested for "personal reasons" and must be approved by a judge, NBC said.

West has already been calling himself Ye for some time, tweeting in 2018 that he was "the being formally known as Kanye West. I am Ye."

By Robbie Pangilinan

Darren Espanto and other online creators take on latest TikTok trend inspired by ‘Yan ang Pinoy’ anthem performed

by KZ Tandingan.

“For me as an actor, this season break will allow me to recalibrate the maturity of my character. The story begins in 2011 and we jump into different timelines.

And I don’t want to give the same interpretation of my character because as the story progresses, my character also matures,” Jasmine shared in a separate interview.

The World Between Us, which also features other star actors such as Tom Rodriguez, Sid Lucero, Kelley Day, and Alyanna Asistio, follows Louie (Alden) and Lia (Jasmine) who grow up together and find themselves falling in love yet the world around them is keen on keeping them apart.

THE advent of digital equipment has democratized film and music production, allowing people with a limited budget to realize their creative vision. This has led to the growth of independent cinema and independent record labels in the past years.

However, unbeknownst to many, the actual shoot and recording take up a small portion of a creative project. The bulk of the process comes afterward, with editing, mixing, postprocessing, and mastering taking up to several months depending on the scope of material. This also entails the use of high-quality equipment to dial in the exact end product – equipment that can be prohibitively expensive for most individuals.

Director, producer, actor, and councilor Hero Bautista is keenly aware of this fact, having worked in the film and entertainment industry for decades. Hero, along with his siblings, put up Heaven’s Best Entertainment in 2005 to address this pain point. Aside from producing their own films, the company offers a slew of services for producers and directors, from audio mixing to color grading, film editing, music recording, and equipment rental.

“We wanted to offer end-to-end services to our clients who want the full package. We cater to small-scale, independent outfits, we also work with large networks and mainstream film companies,” he shared.

In the beginning, the company offered only equipment rentals.

“During that time, we only offered equipment and production, no post-production. We started offering post-production services in 2019. My siblings and I were discussing the costs of having to outsource our own post-production after doing shoots for our

He released an album by the same name that same year.

The Chicago-raised rapper and record producer has won 21 Grammys. He burst onto the rap scene on his production chops before delivering a string of critically acclaimed studio albums, selling over 20 million copies.

The spotlight recently has shone on West more for his personal life than his art, after his partner of nearly a decade, Kim Kardashian, filed for divorce earlier this year.

Before the news broke, their union had been dogged for months by reports of marital difficulties. West has battled with mental health issues, and last year launched an improbable and controversial foray into US presidential politics.

A one-stop-shop for producers and directors Directorproducer and councilor Hero Bautista (right) with siblings Herbert and Harlene

films. We decided to put up a post-production facility that we can use for our films and at the same time offer our services to our friends in the industry,” he said.

Today, the post-production arm of Heaven’s Best Entertainment now has a new home in Scout Castor.

“We moved here in November 2020. It is a much bigger area and it allows us to make a better facility to provide to the needs of our clients.” Read full story on manilastandard.net

Mrs. Universe Philippines 2021 frontrunners

Mrs. Universe Philippines frontrunners Monique Cantalejo Rivera (right) and Michelle Lucas

PAGEANT veteran and former Mrs. Southeast Asia Monique Cantalejo Rivera and multifaceted Michelle Lucas are two of the most anticipated faces in the ongoing 2021 Mrs. Universe Philippines, a pageant for married women.

A dedicated mother of two with husband Joven, Rivera, a 39-year-old Laguna native became a breadwinner at a young age after their family-owned business closed down. She worked her way through college by taking on odd jobs at Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. She finished a degree at the Laguna College of Business and Arts.

Rivera has always wanted to become a beauty queen since she was a child. At twenty, she joined the “Beautiful Girl” contest-segment in GMA’s noontime TV show Eat Bulaga in 2002 and won Dream Girl 2nd runner up. She was crowned Mrs.

Laguna 2 0 1 8 and was sent to compete ETON in Mrs. CONCEPCION Southeast A s i a 2018 in Singapore and was able to bring home the title.

Her winning made her realize that a title and crown can be used as a platform to influence others towards a worthy cause.

She grabbed the opportunity that came to be involved in a volunteer charity initiative at Onessimo Foundation, a private organization for the welfare of disadvantaged and at-risk children and youth, which provides counseling, shelter, skills, and proper schooling.

PAGEANT CONCEPT

Now a successful entrepreneur, Rivera is a volunteer worker for disadvantaged children.

She wants to pursue being an advocate of mental health issues that have affected many Filipinos during this time of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Lucas blew away the pageant press with her eloquent, witty, and almost perfect answers to the questions thrown at her during the virtual meet-and-greet session.

Lucas, 43, is a single mother from the province of Rizal, is competing in her first-ever beauty pageant.

A graduate of Interior Design at the University of the Philippines and currently the president of ECOP Rizal, Lucas intends to deliver and make more meaningful the platform of the Mrs. Universe Philippines Foundation, Inc. if she wins the title. Read full story on manilastandard.net

Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

The City of Gentle People

@MStandardLIFE

B4

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

W

HAT do I know about Dumaguete? Well, I know that its name is coined from the Cebuano word which means “to snatch”, because the city is supposed to have the power to attract and keep visitors permanently.

My limited knowledge on the city is based on what I saw during my one and only visit in 1970, which was upon the invitation of my first cousin, Thelma Bauzon (now Schmidt) who was assigned to teach in one of the schools there. She was raving about the place so, ever-energized by the travel bug, I made the trip for a few days from Cebu City, where I was still based then.

Aside from being awed by the 120-yearold Silliman University and its beautiful campus, I do remember the city teeming with tricycles, with the endless cacophony of their motors giving the city a festive atmosphere. I also remember my daily leisurely walk along the city’s beautiful seaside boulevard, while enjoying the fresh, cool sea breeze continuously blowing from all directions.

I would always cap the day with good food and great music at North Pole, the city’s most popular fun destination then.

Because I was there every evening, I eventually became friends with the amiable owner, Nene Wuthrich, who made sure I was efficiently served by his staff, while he briefed me on many other interesting facts about the capital city of

The city’s most popular spot for photo ops

PEOPLE PERSONS. Dumaguete is known for many things, one of which is

that its people are noted for their friendly and welcoming behavior.

(Photo by Angel Baldapan, Jr. during the 2019 Sandurot Festival / Facebook)

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Negros Oriental. somebody who speaks my dialect. I ernment has taken great strides in preEveryone I met during my visit was promised him I’d make my second visit serving its cultural heritage by retainvery friendly, ever-ready to help any to his city soon. ing structures that reflect its old world visitor, probably, a reflection of their Meantime, I just learned that the city charm. The old City Hall, built in 1937 genteel upbringing in a laid-back ambi- is now a preferred retirement place be- by eminent architect Juan Arellano, was ence, endearing them to first-time visi- cause of its perfect blend of countryside recently restored and is now a branch of tors like me. No wonder the city earned lifestyle and urban amenities. A few the National Museum. The new Panithe moniker which I’m using longon marker at the bayside as the title of this column. was unveiled early this year Fast forward to recent to commemorate the 500th YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE days, I met the Mayor of anniversary of the MagellanQUESTION: What do you call a super articulate dinosaur?

Dumaguete, Felipe Antonio Elcano expedition, which ANSWER: A Thesaurus.

Remollo, in Clark at a sports made a brief stop in 1521. tourism event late last year But what I’m really excitwhen quarantine restrictions ed about is Mayor Remollo’s eased up and travel was alworld-class township prolowed. He was named Top Sports Tour- years back, it was named by the pres- ject along the boulevard. It will be a ism Personality because his city has been tigious Forbes Magazine as the world’s 174-hectare development, starting with a popular venue for regional, national, and fifth best place to retire and was award- a wave protection system and wastewaSoutheast Asian sports events, which did ed by the Philippine Retirement Au- ter treatment plant to improve the water wonders to its economy. thority as top Retirement Area Deemed quality of the bay, making it more suitAs expected, he was very friendly as Retiree-Friendly (RADAR), which able for recreation and aqua sports.

Touted as a “smart city”, the project and, because we were seated at the same measures compliance to standards set table at the event, I enjoyed conversing by the United Nations, the World Health will have earth-friendly building systems, with him in Cebuano, something I al- Organization, and International Living. futuristic information technologies, and ways look forward to every time I meet It is also laudable that the local gov- electric-powered vehicles suited for mod-

The postcard-pretty seaside boulevard where I used to do my leisurely walk every afternoon during my short visit to the city.

ONLINE CONCERT

From left: Viola player Lance Morrison Tulagan, violinists Jeanne Rafaella Marquez and Emmanuel John Villarin, and cellist Justin Louis Talusan of the Manila Symphony Junior String Quartet.

MSJO string quartet serenades virtual audience

MAKATI-based senior recreation center Sunshine Place turns the spotlight on the Manila Symphony Junior String Quartet in its latest online concert series.

The young string musicians are part of the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO), the youth orchestra program of the Manila Symphony Orchestra formed in 2014.

The quartet features violinists Jeanne Rafaella Marquez and Emmanuel John Villarin, violist Lance Morrison Tulagan, and cellist Justin Louis Talusan. They will be performing selections from Beethoven’s “Razumovsky string quartets”, Johan Halvorsen’s “Passacaglia”, and Antonin Dvorak’s “American Quartet”.

Filipino compositions arranged by Jeffrey Solares like Angel Peña’s “Iyo Kailan Pa Man”, Antonio Molina’s “Hating Gabi”, and Eudenice Palaruan’s “Cebuano Medley” are also part of the quartet’s set.

Marquez, the MSJO’s concertmas-

Life

ter, is the first prize winner of the 2018 National Music Competitions for Young Artist (NAMCYA) Junior Strings Category. Sixteen year-old violinist and former “Promil Kid” Villarin is a multiple prizewinner at NAMCYA, most recently winning the first prize last year, the same edition where violist Tulagan won the second prize.

Completing the ensemble is Talusan, a pioneer member and principal cellist of MSJO in 2014.

The concert is available on Sunshine Place Recreation Center’s YouTube channel. Package ticket rates are available for all five concerts, four, three, or solo concert. Contact Mariel Ilusorio at 0917-709-2255 or marielilusorio@hotmail.com to book tickets.

An email will be sent to paid and registered audience containing the program’s YouTube link. Each concerto will be available for viewing throughout the year, for as many times as the viewer wants.

Dragon boat racers are often seen practicing their skills in the bay.

ern master-planned communities. There will also be a mixed-use business park, a marina and esplanade, fish ports, as well as public facilities for health, housing, education, sports, and transportation. And just like the city’s retirement village positioning, it will have mid-rise residential condominiums, tourism establishments, lifestyle and retail shops, green parks, and open spaces.

The visionary mayor sees this development as a P23 billion economic zone, and will initially employ 12,000 people in the city, and those from the neighboring towns of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and southern Cebu. Once completed, the township will catapult Dumaguete into the league of highly urbanized cities in the country.

So, will the city’s new moniker soon be “The Futuristic City of Gentle People”? I’d certainly like to be among the first to visit when that happens.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

One of the recently restored heritage structures in the city

Artist hub pays homage to Behn Cervantes A FACTORY-turned-cultural center in Quezon City recently unveiled a memorial plaque in honor of noted Filipino artist and activist Behn Cervantes.

Cervantes was known for his activism against the Marcos dictatorship, during which he directed the 1976 film Sakada whose copies were seized by the military.

Erehwon Center for the Arts unveiled the plaque during the inaugural meeting of the Erehwon Art Policy Council.

A Cervantes sculpture, made by Jose Al Giroy, is located at The Roofdeck, a hangout area for members.

Attendees included author and playwright Bonifacio Ilagan of the Tag-Ani Performing Arts Society, Almira Astudillo Gilles of the Chicago Field Museum and the American Museum of Philippine Art Foundation, and artists Giroy, Grandier Bella, and Emmanuel Nim. Also present were representatives of partner organizations under the Art Council, including film producer Film Dogs, Fides Cuyugan Asensio Institute of Music and Arts, vocal ensemble PASIPO, Erehwon Jazz Orchestra, Erehwon Rondalla, and Erehwon Dance Company. Also part of the council, albeit not in the meeting, is MUSIKA, headed by Heber Bartolome.

A Behn Cervantes sculpture made by Jose Al Giroy stands outside The Roofdeck, a hangout area for Erehwon Art Council members.

Erehwon founder Rafael Benitez discussed the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, which he believed meant pursuing the development of artistic pursuits through new digital media.

The center launched films.com, with its inaugural short film, “Rizal and the Secret of the Light”, available for public viewing on Erehwon’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Erehwon Art Policy Council members convene at the center for its inaugural meeting and unveiling of a memorial plaque in honor of Behn Cervantes.