Manila Standard - 2021 August 31 - Tuesday

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PH RECORDS NEW PEAK IN DAILY CASES AT 22,366

By Willie Casas THE Philippines logged 22,366 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, its highest single-day tally since the pandemic began early last year, bringing the total number of infections to 1,976,202.

Health officials said there were 222 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 33,330 — or 1.69 percent of all cases.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported 16,864 new recoveries, bringing to 1,794,278 the number of patients who have recovered from the disease, repre-

senting 90.8 percent of all cases.

That left 148,594 active cases, 95.7 percent of which were mild, 1.7 percent of which were asymptomatic, 0.6 percent of which were critical, 1.1 percent of which were severe, and 0.97 percent of which were moderate.

The positivity rate was at 27.5 percent, the DOH said.

Nationwide, 74 percent of ICU beds, 65 percent of isolation beds, 70 percent of ward beds, and 53 percent of ventilators, were in use.

VOL. XXXV • NO. 197 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Frontliners: All we get is lip service Call on Duterte to hike their pay like cops

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas

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S PRESIDENT Duterte paid tribute to health care workers on National Heroes Day for battling COVID-19, a group of them urged him to double their salaries, just as he did for policemen.

“If President Duterte can double the salary of policemen, I hope during the pandemic,

he will have the political will to double the salary of our health workers,” said Rob-

ert Mendoza, president of the Alliance of Health Workers, which has launched protests to demand the payment of long overdue benefits.

Mendoza said health workers have been risking their own lives in fighting the coronavirus and saving lives of patients.

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FED-UP HEROES. A health worker protestor from UST Hospital reflects the image of his colleagues on his face shield during a picket outside the premises of the private hospital in Manila on Monday. The scene was repeated in other hospitals on National Heroes Day, as frontliners of St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City, the National Kidney Transplant Institute, and elsewhere demanded the release of their benefits under laws to fight COVID-19. Danny Pata, Manny Palmero and Norman

Rody hails Pinoy health workers for selfless duty

By Vito Barcelo and Rio N. Araja

Sept. 1, 2021, another business casualty of the pandemic.

“As we strive to bring a safer and contactless service option for customers, all ticketing transactions and inquiries may be coursed through our Global Contact Centers, which are available 24/7,” the

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte paid tribute to the Filipino frontline workers, calling them the modern-day heroes who have led the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, in his National Heroes’ Day message Monday.

In his message, Duterte thanked health workers, uniformed personnel, government employees, and economic front-liners for their “collective sacrifice” in readily answering the call to serve fellow Filipinos.

“This National Heroes Day, we pay tribute to a new breed of heroes who readily answered the call to fight in a war against one of the greatest threats to our way of life,” he said.

He said that while the heroism of these front-liners will not be given the same prominence such as those etched on any edifice, statues, banknotes or immortalized on the pages of history books, the President expressed confi-

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PEACE TO THE FALLEN. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea leads the commemorative rites during the National Heroes Day celebration, while Philippine Army Technical Sergeant Geronimo Vallecera III offers a prayer before the tomb of his father, also at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City on Monday. Presidential Photo and Danny Pata

HK bans PAL for 2 weeks, Cathay Pacific closes ticket offices in PH

By Joel E. Zurbano and Darwin G. Amojelar

1,976,202 22,366

148,594

33,330

222

1,794,278 16,846 (As of 4 PM, AUGUST 30)

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines is temporarily banned from flying passengers to Hong Kong from Manila after one of its recent flights carried three persons infected with the coronavirus disease.

According to the Centre for Health Protection of Hong Kong’s Department of Health, PAL flight PR-300 had three passengers confirmed to have COVID-19 after testing on arrival on Aug. 27.

This developed as Cathay Pacific announced the permanent closure of its Manila and Cebu ticketing offices effective

‘Abolish DBM buying arm, PITC’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Imee Marcos on Monday said the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service and the Philippine International Trading Corp. should be abolished, as Senator Franklin Drilon said the agencies were aiding “premeditat-

ed plunder” in the mismanagement of the Department of Health’s COVID-19 funds.

Marcos said the PS-DBM and PITC have outlived their usefulness, in the wake of concerns over buying overpriced face masks and face shields amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Tons of hazardous medical waste burden hospitals THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources said more than 630,000 metric tons of medical waste from Philippine hospitals were collected in the first half of 2021 alone.

Data from the Online Hazardous Waste Management System of the DENR showed that from January to June, 634,687 metric tons of healthcare waste were collected from hospitals nationwide.

In an interview Monday, Philippine Hospital Association President Dr. Jaime Almora said this was expected because hospitals were now overwhelmed with Next page

BBM: PAY ‘SRA’ TO WORKERS NOW

SARA ‘MOVEMENT’ GAINS MOMENTUM

NEWS / A4

NEWS / A2

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News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

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NCR mayors eye jabs for non-residents

By Willie Casas, Maricel V. Cruz, and Joel E. Zurbano

M

ETRO Manila, which has vaccinated 45 percent of its target population, is considering accommodating nonresidents for COVID-19 vaccination, Metro Manila Council head Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said Monday.

He told ABS-CBN’S TeleRadyo 80 percent of the target population – 58 million in Metro Manila and nearby provinces – had received their first dose, adding the authorities were studying if the vaccine could be shared with nearby provinces.

Those who live outside Metro Manila must register online and coordinate with the host local government, he added.

“We’re just organizing the online registration because we don’t accept walkins, it will lead to chaos, especially if we accept from nearby provinces,’’ he said.

Parañaque has administered the first dose to 100 percent of its 446,000 tar-

Dr. Rontgene Solante, an infectious disease expert and member of the Vaccine Expert Panel, urged a reassessment of giving COVID-19 booster doses to health workers, stressing that they were at higher risk of infection.

Solante said data “consistently” show

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Frontliners:...

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dence that these anonymous individuals have earned their “rightful place in the pedestal of heroes.”

Duterte said Monday’s celebration should serve not just as a memorial to their extraordinary heroism, but as an “enduring testament” to Filipinos’ capacity to “rise above self-interest” to fight for a greater cause.

“This year, let us consecrate this day not just as a memorial to their extraordinary heroism, but as an enduring testament to our inherent capacity to rise above self-interest to fight for a cause far greater than our own,” he said.

“May we all learn from the valiant example of the past and present heroes and build on them to achieve a stronger future for all,” Duterte added.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) honored Filipino heroes of World War II and their contribution to the country’s freedom with commemorative rites at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea presided over the ceremony that was highlighted by the laying of wreath at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier and the opening of the exhibit “Mga Bayani ng Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig.”

He was accompanied by military host, Maj. Gen. Henry Doyaoen, the AFP Internal Auditor. Also present were National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairman Rene Escalante, Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano, and Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina.

President Duterte, in a video message, honored the sacrifices of the country’s ancestors who fought for its freedom, as well as modern-day heroes who are fighting the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

On Sunday, AFP chief of staff Lt. Gen. Jose Faustino said the life and legacy of the national heroes have become cornerstones of the country’s freedom, independence, and democratic ideals.

“In today’s challenges, let us continue to honor their sacrifices and remember that we can all be heroes in our own respective fields and in our own little ways,” he said.

Vice President Leni Robredo said she believed “every Filipino can be a hero.”

In her message during National Heroes Day, Robredo said “we do not only recognize the heroism, sacrifices and greatness of our famous heroes of our generations, but even many of the Filipino people who have offered their lives for the country. While their names and where they came from were not written in history, they still live within our dreams and labor. One nation is safer, more free and more humane.”

“They are just proof that every Filipino can be a hero. And it is really true, especially amid this crisis, that every

Some health workers, he said, have yet to receive their special risk allowance (SRA) and other benefits, prompting them to hold rallies, noise barrages and walkouts.

“The President calls us heroes, but it’s only up to that point. When it comes to health, safety, and benefits, we don’t receive care from the President and the Department of Health (DOH),” Mendoza said.

Health workers and labor readers on Monday warned that if the Palace continues to back the embattled Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, they will be forced to oust him from office themselves.

The workers in major hospitals held simultaneous protests Monday to demand the immediate release of benefits due them under the Bayanihan law.

The health care workers also demanded the dissolution of the DOH Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) for its ineptitude in fulfilling its mandate to the medical frontliners.

The protests, they said, were only preparatory to their planned National Day of Action for the Protection of Health Care Workers in the first week of September.

Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva said funds for the two special pay allowances for medical front liners should be rolled over to next year’s national budget.

He also suggested a larger allocation for this purpose in 2022, so that health workers can receive larger amounts.

An increase in the appropriations for the SRA and active duty hazard pay (ADHP), he explained, would allow more health workers to receive the benefits they rightfully deserve, said Villanueva, chairman of the Senate labor committee.

He said current rules and fund limitations bar certain types of contractual work-

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From A1 COVID-19 and non-COVID cases.

He added that waste management was difficult for hospitals, since the bulk of the hazardous waste was made up of used intravenous plastic bottles, and there was a separate fee being collected by thirdparty treatment, storage, and disposal facilities for these.

Almora said the DENR and Department of Health had set rules for hospitals to segregate regular hospital waste from COVID-19 waste and hazardous waste.

But he said with the surge in COVID-19 cases, these rules were probably already being neglected by some hospitals.

Environment Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management Benny Antiporda said the DENR in 2020 created a COV-

get population, according to the mayor.

Some 245,000 have yet to receive their second dose, he added.

The World Health Organization, meanwhile, said nations must vaccinate at least 85 percent of their population due to the presence of more transmissible variants.

Booster shots

PH records...

From A1 In Metro Manila, 72 percent of ICU beds, 64 percent of isolation beds, 72 percent of ward beds, and 59 percent of ventilators, were in use.

Health officials a day earlier said they had detected 516 more of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19. Of the total 1,789 known cases of the Delta variant, 38 are still active.

Of the new Delta variant cases, 473 were local cases, while 31 were returning Filipinos from abroad. Twelve were still being verified.

Six of the newly detected Delta cases remain active, five cases have died, 505 cases have been tagged as recovered, while the remaining are being validated by the regional and local health offices, the DOH said.

Over the weekend, the DOH said nearly half of hospitals in the National Capital Region are at high risk as the ID-19 waste management plan, which covered the segregation and treatment of COVID-19 and hazardous waste.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government released a memo circular instructing local government units to adopt the said plan, but not all LGUs may have followed the protocols.

Antiporda said households with identified COVID-19 positive patients should also be strict in segregating regular waste from COVID-19 waste.

As early as last year, the DOH warned that healthcare facilities that improperly dispose of healthcare wastes and used rapid test kits face sanctions.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said healthcare wastes should be placed in a separate container approved by the environment department because its disposal is different from ordinary waste products.

‘HPS’ movement to prod Sara to run for president

that “there is really waning immunity after six months” with the Sinovac vaccine, the brand that most health workers received.

“With two or three hospitals I’m in, there is really a not so high but moderate numbers of healthcare workers who are already getting sick because of this [COVID-19] infection,” Solante told ANC in an interview.

Solante said that most fully vaccinated health workers who contract COVID-19 only have mild symptoms.

“But if you are a healthcare worker and you have mild symptoms, you will undergo 14-day isolation and that in itself can really affect the performance and the way we deliver healthcare in our hospitals,” he said.

mained “minimal” and incomplete.

Despite this, the agency acknowledged that the country would eventually need to roll out booster doses, which is why the government has set a P45billion unprogrammed budget for the shots pending a solid recommendation from experts.

The United States earlier approved the use of booster shots for Americans eight months after getting fully vaccinated.

The World Health Organization, on the other hand, said evidence still does not support the use of booster doses.

ers from getting additional compensation for dangerous work, despite facing the same hazards their colleagues are exposed to.

“The virus does not discriminate. Why does the government distinguish on who to pay or not?” he said.

Villanueva said a bigger appropriation for AHDP and SRA would lead to higher rates and cover more health workers, who should receive them promptly under liberalized rules.

Initially authorized under the Bayanihan laws, AHDP is given to public health workers, while the SRA covers health workers in public and private medical institutions Because a public health worker cannot receive more than P3,000 a month in AHDP, the maximum daily availment is P136 a day, Villanueva said.

In the case of the SRA, the monthly pay out of the ceiling of P5,000 comes up to about P227 daily compensation for “COVID ward duty, which is one of the world’s most dangerous workplaces today,” he said.

Villanueva said such pay rates should now change, the same way that the virus has mutated.

As to how much the increase will be, Villanueva said “the Senate, for sure, will collectively propose it once the supporting data are made available during the hearings for the 2022 national budget.”

But he said “a 100-percent increase” in the SRA and the hazard pay can be the starting point of the discussion.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said this was the second “National Heroes Day” during a pandemic.

With the many heroic deeds of health workers and frontliners, Hontiveros said, they need more than just the clapping of our hands, the salute and recognition.

“Let us compensate for their relentless efforts by pushing their rights and giving benefits due to them,” she said.

She noted that the hazard pay and SRA are more than a list of numbers and decimals in a spreadsheet.

“These are social protections our government promised them for their service, and they are within their rights to demand them,” she added.

“We, at the Senate, are working to correct this financial injustice,” she said, noting that healthcare workers are essential, not sacrificial.

“I am calling on the administration to do what is right by our frontliners and put an end to chronic indifference and ill-conceived policies. Citizens who have done their best to help our country live through this pandemic need more than patronizing words,” she said.

Joining Monday’s protests were unions from St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City, Metropolitan General Hospital, The Medical City, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Cardinal Santos Medical Center and Calamba Medical Center.

As they marked along E. Rodriguez Avenue, Jao Clumia, president of the St. Luke’s Medical Center Employees Association said workers have yet to receive their benefits under the Bayanihan 2 law, but now that has lapsed.

“The investigations held at both chambers of Congress have repeatedly identified the neglect of the Department of Health –Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) and yet Secretary Francisco Duque and his clique have remained unresponsive to our demands,” he said.

Clumia said all they ever hear from Duque are excuses and finger pointing.

“Despite the holiday, we have nothing to celebrate. We have always been referred to as ‘modern heroes’ for our hard work and dedication despite the worsening pandemic are now in the streets to demand benefits for all health care workers,” said Donell Siazon, union president of the University of Santo Tomas Hospital.

“We are outraged at the injustice and systematic neglect inflicted upon us by the government.”

hospital occupancy rate remains between 71 and 85 percent.

The government’s hospital referral hotline is getting at least 500 calls every day, with most callers inquiring about what to do if they have COVID-19 but are asymptomatic, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire had said.

“We are meeting with local governments so that they will be establishing their triaging and navigation systems,” she said. “The local government’s hotlines must be working so the calls won’t always end up at the One Hospital Command.”

He urged people to call their local governments first to identify which facilities they could go to.

The DOH has been urging the public to get vaccinated if they are already eligible for the COVID-19 jabs to avoid severe or critical cases that may need hospitalization.

As of Aug. 25, the Philippines has fully vaccinated 13.37 million people, which is 18.87 percent of the target number of fully inoculated individuals to attain herd

immunity against the disease.

The independent OCTA Research Group said COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila are expected to decline by the middle of September, as there is a threeto four-week lag between the time a lockdown is imposed and when a decline can be observed.

In other developments: * The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said the intensive care units of hospitals in the region have reached 81 percent occupancy. The region has 626 active infections or 6.1 percent out of a total 10,143 COVID-19 cases, said Dr. Amirel Usman, head of BARMM’s Ministry of Health. It has recorded 9,313 recoveries and 393 deaths, he added. * The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) reported that it has breached the 4-million mark in its reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab and saliva testing and has vaccinated 156,709 nationwide in its Bakuna Centers and buses nationwide as of Aug. 29.

Hong Kong-based airline announced last week through its official Facebook page.

Despite the closure of the physical offices, Cathay Pacific assured it will still have flights to Manila and Cebu City.

Passengers may also book flights through their website at www.cathaypacific.com.

In a statement forwarded by the Manila International Airport Authority to members of the media on Saturday, Philippine Airlines management said it would continue the passenger flights from Hong Kong to Manila every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, according to planned schedules.

“In the other direction, while PAL will not be able to carry passengers from Manila to Hong Kong up to September 11 to comply with the restriction, we will continue to operate all-cargo flights into Hong Kong,” PAL stated.

“We reiterate that the top priority of Philippine Airlines has always been the safety and health of our passengers. We consistently comply with industry and regulatory safety protocols in the Philippines and abroad,” PAL spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna said.

PAL said it had stopped flying passengers from Manila to Hong Kong until September 11 to comply with the temporary travel restriction.

PAL officials also assured air travelers that strict safety measures were in place to protect passengers throughout the journey on their flights.

“Our advanced cabin air flow systems ensure a protective air flow inflight, and each plane has onboard HEPA filters to cleanse cabin air from bacteria and viruses. Our cabin crew who serve and assist wear full PPEs as well as face masks and shields. Every aircraft surface is also sanitized and disinfected after every flight,” they said.

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and face masks and face shields are different from each other. There’s really a coverup and as I said this is a planned plunder, a premeditated plunder... They really planned to steal the people’s money,” the opposition senator said.

Drilon also urged the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to look into why electronics companies were able to close P2billion worth of face mask deals with the DBM’s procurement service.

In a virtual briefing, Marcos said she will file for the abolition of the two agencies with a “miserable track record and all this corruption and inefficiencies we keep hearing about.”

Citing PITC documents, Marcos said the agency procured face masks priced at P40, and face shields priced from P180 to P190.

She noted that the documents were incomplete and that these may be per pack.

Under its mandate, PITC engages in both export and import trading of new

or non-traditional products and markets, which are not normally pursued by the private business sector.

It is also tasked to provide a wide range of export-oriented auxiliary services to the private sector.

Meanwhile, the PS-DBM is mandated to purchase, warehouse, and distribute items for resale to agencies of government, including government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).

In a previous Senate blue ribbon committee hearing, Drilon questioned the purchase of face masks and face shields by the PS-DBM, as flagged by the state auditors in the 2020 annual audit report.

It was found that PS-DBM bought face masks at P27.22 apiece and face shields at P120 each, which senators said were overpriced. The suggested retail prices were later set at P2 to P4 per face mask, and P26 to P50 per face shield.

‘Bubble’ proposal

A congressional leader stressed that achieving the daily vaccination target should remain the foremost objective in the country’s pandemic response.

DOH line Rep. Fidel Nograles made the stateLast week, the Department of Health ment amid reports that Metro Manila said it still did not recommend COV- was still falling short of the 250,000 ID-19 booster doses as evidence re- doses daily vaccination target.

Senator Risa Hontiveros also called on the DBM to stop accepting proposals from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., the country’s biggest supplier of medical goods for our COVID-19 response.

She noted that Pharmally Pharmaceutical has close links to Pharmally International Holdings Corporation, a Taiwanese company being charged with financial fraud.

Drilon earlier questioned why Pharmally was able to get P8.68 billion worth of contracts from the government despite only having a capital of P625,000.

He also flagged the DOH’s transfer of P42 billion to the PS-DBM, which was used to buy equipment described by the agency as “common use supplies.”

“I’m not a doctor but I think ballpens

By Maricel V. Cruz THE movement to prod Davao City Mayor Sara “Inday” Duterte into throwing her hat into the 2022 presidential derby is gaining ground, a Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) spokesperson on Monday revealed.

Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera citing the President’s daughter’s “strong, independent personality and obvious reluctance to take on what she knows is a very difficult job.”

“We’ve set up a new citizens movement, called the Hugpong Para ka Sara (HPS), and it is snowballing through the regions as people from all sectors, walks of life, and political inclinations are joining it as we go along,” said Herrera.

This developed as a member of the Makabayan Bloc said President Rodrigo Duterte’s posturing on his 2022 election bid is part of his effort to distract the public from his failure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and the mounting accusations of corruption that went with the efforts to fight the virus.

In a statement, Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite added: “Duterte is obviously just putting on a show, a political circus to distract everyone from the more important issues haunting his corrupt and inutile regime.”

Gaite said the President’s confirmation of his intention to run for vice president in next year’s election “is a diversionary tactic from government agencies flagged by the Commission on Audit over the handling of funds.”

Malacanang earlier said President Duterte decided to run for Vice President in the 2022 elections because he thought his daughter, Duterte-Carpio will not run for president (see related story on A4 – Editors).

HK bans PAL...

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Manning group asks Duterte to lift travel cap for seafarers

HERO’S HEAD. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora leads city officials in a wreath laying ceremony during the celebration of the 125th Pinaglabanan Day at the Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City and as part of the festivities for National Heroes Day. The night before, 3,380 solarpowered lights illuminated the grounds of the shrine to form the image of national hero Andres Bonifacio (inset), done through the partnership of the Local Government and the Liter of Light Foundation. Manny Palmero

Villar pushes higher coconut PH production SAYING “senile” coconut trees can only produce 40 nuts per tree in a year, Senator Cynthia A. Villar is pushing to increase the country’s coconut production.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate agriculture and food committee, noted that producing more coconuts will also expand its export.

To attain its goal, the senator said the committee has allocated at least P1 billion for the development of hybrid coconut seed farms and nursery for planting and replanting. This would be implemented jointly by the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).

“With hybrid coconuts, we are expecting 150 nuts per tree annually. Surely, increased production together with other support in the form of training, insurance provision, crop diversification, research and product marketing, credit facilities, organization empowerment, infrastructure development, scholarship, and health and medical assistance will break our coconut farmers and their family from poverty,” explained Villar during the PCA’s “CocoKwentuhan sa Negosyo” in celebration of the Coco Month.

She also cited the need for continuous education and improving one’s knowledge on new technology regarding the production and post-production of coconut.

“Despite the continuing pandemic which has affected all our lives, we still have many things to celebrate. And among which is the milestone of the passing into law the Coconut Industry Trust Fund Act, or RA 11524,” said Villar. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Poe: PhilHealth ‘puny step’ not easing hospital worries

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

HELVING a circular that would suspend claims payments to hospitals was a “puny step” by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to counter the pressing situation threatening the delivery of healthcare services, Sen. Grace Poe stressed yesterday.

“What we’ve been wanting all along is for the state health insurer to declare that it has reimbursed all valid claims of our hospitals,” she added.

Poe said she expects PhilHealth to enforce a fast turnaround time in settling its dues and improve operational efficiency in processing claims.

She warned that any further delay in the payment of its obligations is untenable amid the raging coronavirus pandemic that puts a heavy strain on the country’s healthcare system.

“How can hospitals give services to our people when they themselves are running out of breath due to depleted funds?” she asked.

However, Senator Christopher “Bong”

Go lauded PhilHealth for positively responding to his appeal and heeding the calls of many stakeholders not to implement the circular, which sought to stop payments to hospitals with claims under investigation.

Go clarified that he supports PhilHealth’s goal of ensuring only legitimate claims are paid but appealed that such mechanisms to safeguard public funds “must not put at risk the stability of the healthcare system especially amid the ongoing pandemic.”

He urged PhilHealth and concerned hospitals to work together to validate legitimate claims while ensuring unhampered delivery of public health services particularly amidst the ongoing public health emergency.

On Sunday, the state insurer reported that it was suspending the implementation of

QC hands out P2.48b in ‘ayuda’ to 2.3m residents

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City government has completely distributed P2.48 billion in financial assistance from the national government to 2,339,420 individuals, five days

earlier than the deadline set by the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“With help from the city department, barangay and law enforcers, we were able to distribute the assistance to our indigent

IN BRIEF African swine fever hits 4 Cagayan towns Four towns in Cagayan province are affected

by African swine fever (ASF), the province’s acting veterinarian said Monday.

Dr. Noli Buen said the spread of ASF in four municipalities was confirmed on July 29. Before that, the last cases in Cagayan were reported on May 21.

Buen said the disease may have reached the towns because municipal officials failed to conduct checkpoint operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Buen said 1,411 hog farmers are affected by the spread of ASF. More than 5,500 hogs have been culled, he added.

He said the province is providing P3,000 per head (for a maximum of three heads) to hog farmers affected by ASF. Buen said the spread of ASF in these four areas is now “under control.”

8th Malikhain confab online in September THE Arts and Research Training Institute in Southern Tagalog, Incorporated (Artist, Inc.) will be launching the 8th Malikhain International Conference on Culture-based Education through online platforms.

Artist, Inc. is an accredited Regional Arts Center in Luzon of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Kalinga sa Sining. It will hold the conference on Sept. 11, 18, and 25 in collaboration with the Linang Arts and Culture Network and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Since 2014, Artist Inc. has spearheaded the conference to convene cultural educators, scholars, artists, and cultural workers from various learning spaces towards sustained cultural education engagement.

This is to provide an avenue for more focused discussion on specific areas of cultural education and strengthen linkage and networks as resources to promote cultural education.

its Circular No. 2021-0013, which halts the “payment of claims that are subject of investigations pertaining to fraudulent, unethical acts, and/or abuse of authority.”

According to PhilHealth Spokesperson Shirley Domingo, the decision to put the circular on hold was the result of the talks last August 23 between the PhilHealth management, the Department of Health, and hospital associations.

Prior to the circular suspension, Go personally reached out to PhilHealth President Dante Gierran, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. to recommend solutions to issues raised by the hospital associations.

Following the senator’s appeal, a “fruitful” dialogue transpired among parties concerned.

He also urged hospitals to follow proper processes and be genuine in their claims, particularly given the current circumstances.

Go then asked PhilHealth to keep moving forward with the settlement of unpaid reimbursements, even if it means hiring more staff to avoid jeopardizing health services, particularly in these times of difficulty.

EMPTY AND CLOSED. Stalls and shops at a mall in Valenzuela City remained shut on Monday as the enhanced community quarantined stretched for another week in Metro Manila and nearby areas, hurting malls and their foot traffic alike (see related story on B1). Boy Bautista

citizens,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

Amid the enhanced community quarantine, the city government gave the cash aid while adhering to minimum health and safety protocols by limiting the number of scheduled beneficiaries per day at each site, she said.

A total of 2,339,420 individuals or 747,520 families claimed their P1,000 to P4,000 aid from different distribution centers in the city.

However, 89,154 households have yet to claim their financial aid, as they did not appear during their schedule.

Belmonte said the city government has already begun the payout of the unclaimed assistance to beneficiaries who had missed their payout schedule.

Fe Macale, Social Services Development Department chief, said days before the distribution, the city had updated the beneficiary list to remove ineligible and duplicate names.

Based on the report of SSDD, 2,782 appeals or complaints were received by grievance committees at the city’s designated payout sites.

Beneficiaries who have yet to get their aid are advised to monitor the official Facebook page of the city government and website for further announcements.

LICENSED manning agencies (LMAs) have elevated their appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to help bring home thousands of Filipinos seafarers, many of them already fatigued from serving beyond their contracts on board international vessels.

The Association of Licensed Manning Agencies or ALMA Maritime Group made the urgent appeal to the Chief Executive after its earlier letter—requesting an increase in inbound flight passenger limits as well as in quarantine facilities—had fallen largely on deaf ears.

In their latest letter to the President, the association of 59 licensed manning agencies in the country expressed their utmost appreciation of the Chief Executive’s strong pro-overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) stance and unequivocal support for the welfare, safety, and employability of Filipino seafarers.

This time, the manning group responsible for deploying 160,000 seafarers has proposed a new tack while addressing the same concerns of relaxing the 2,000-person cap in inbound passengers and providing additional hotel rooms for quarantine, to facilitate return of the country’s beleaguered seafarers.

Specifically, ALMA is echoing the manning industry’s call to extend the spirit of the Philippine Green Lane to returning seafarers.

The Green Lane was adopted to ensure unhampered but safe movement of seafarers up for deployment overseas.

This time, the ALMA Maritime Group’s appeal for the Green Lane is “to facilitate the return of our Filipino seafarers to our home country.”

The group requested the following: 1. That the Philippine authorities automatically accept returning Filipino seafarers even if beyond the passenger seat limits currently imposed. In short, we seek to exempt the Filipino seafarers from the passenger limits without a need for a specific exemption per case.

2. That the Philippine authorities direct the airlines to honor the Filipino seafarers’ marine fare to become cheaper compared to the normal booking rates and fully flexible to changes with zero to minimal rebooking charges.

Police rescue 35, arrest four for trafficking SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—Authorities rescued 35 persons from human trafficking and arrested four suspects during separate entrapment and rescue operations in Nueva Ecija on August 25.

In a statement Monday, PCol Rhoderick B Campo, officer in charge of the Nueva Ecija Provincial Police Office, said joint operatives conducted the entrapment and rescue operation at Lucky Jhey Resort in Purok 2, Brgy. Bakero, Cabanatuan City.

Police Regional Office 3 Director BGen. Valeriano T. De Leon said the rescue operation conducted by joint forces of different police units “strongly sends a message that the Philippine National Police sternly implements its focused police operations to curb all forms of criminality within the four corners of the country.”

Officers of the Regional Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Group 3, Regional Women and Children Protection Desk, Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, and Cabanatuan City Social Welfare department rescued 22 male victims and arrested Ronalyn C. Pascua, alias “Jhazz,” and Mark Victor R. Tiquia, alias “Mica,” both of legal age and residents of Cabanatuan City.

Meanwhile, seven persons more were rescued in a follow-up entrapment and rescue operation conducted at Manson Lodge at San Juan ACCFA, Cabanatuan.

Arrested was Danny Boy Pascual Flores alias “Ashley,” of legal age and a resident of Cabanatuan. Jun David

Leachon hits back at ‘false info’ vax yarn A FORMER medical adviser to the government’s National Task Force Against COVID-19 has debunked allegations he is peddling false information about vaccines and the current state of the country’s vaccination program during last Friday’s Senate hearing.

Dr. Anthony C. Leachon on Monday bewailed the allegations hurled against him by the Department of Health (DOH) because he said he merely urged the government to procure vaccines with higher efficacy rate amidst the threat of the Delta coronavirus variant.

During the last Senate Blue Ribbon meeting into the irregularities in the use of COVID-19 pandemic response funds, Leachon stressed it was not his intention to question the general efficacy of the vaccines against the virus, including Sinovac, which makes up 54% of all vaccines procured by the government.

But with the advent of the more lethal Delta variant, he insisted the government must be forward-looking to find ways to secure more vaccines, which have demonstrated efficacy against the Delta variant based on regulatory documents, published data, and results of clinical trials.

Leachon noted that having a multi-vaccine portfolio mix, composed of the more efficacious vaccines against Delta, is crucial for a country such as the Philippines, which does not have the capacity to produce its own vaccine.

Being dependent on vaccine supplies from other countries, he said the government must be quick to get our country in the priority list of vaccine makers.

He said the unabated rise in the number of cases is an indication that the current plan of action of the DOH/NTF is not working as planned.

As an “epic failure,” he said it time to consider other courses of action and perhaps, learn from the experience of other countries who have dramatically reduced their COVID-19 cases such as India, the source of the dreaded Delta variant.

The health reform advocate lamented that the best way “to cover up for ineptitude, failure of leadership, and the COA-DOH P67-billion fund deficiency” is apparently “to malign those who offer the government sound proposals to curb record-breaking COVID cases.”

“This is truly unfortunate because the presenta-

FARMERS’ STALLS. Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman and Carmela Daet, marketing head of Ayala Malls Legazpi, cut the ceremonial ribbon during the launching of the mall’s ‘Farmer’s Market’ on Sunday. It provides local farmers a space to sell their goods at no cost, Mayor Lagman said. Norman Cruz tion I made in front of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee were well-researched recommendations partly based on statements from members of the country’s Vaccine Expert Panel,” Leachon added. Macon Ramos-Araneta

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Isko hits moves to make politics a ‘family affair’

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

Marcos: Release all benefits due health workers

By Rey E. Requejo FORMER Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday called on the government to promptly address the brewing unrest among healthcare workers by immediately releasing not only their Special Risk Allowances but all pending benefits due them.

Marcos made the call after several HCW groups threatened to conduct mass resignations and stage mass protests over the chronic delays in the issuance of their benefits such as SRA, Active Hazard Duty Pay (AHDP), and Meals, Accommodation and Transport (MAT).

“Apart from the SRA provided by the Bayanihan Act, our healthcare workers must be paid immediately in full, including the hazard pay and Meals, Accommodation and Transport (MAT) benefits,” Marcos said The Alliance of Health Workers, a militant health workers group, earlier announced that they would conduct mass protests if the government fails to release their benefits by Sept. 1.

Marcos also encouraged lawmakers to hasten the amendment of a provision in the Bayanihan Act that mandates SRAs and AHDPs are exclusive to HCWs directly taking care of COVID-19 patients.

“In SRA and AHDP, it should be allinclusive. So we call on our legislators to expedite the amendment to the provision of the law that only states exclusivity for healthcare workers who directly care for COVID-19 patients,” Marcos said.

All frontline HCWs face the same risks in the workplace and all deserve to be treated fairly since they have the crucial task of taking care of the sick in this time of the pandemic, he said.

The former senator called on the Department of Health to spearhead efforts to improve the welfare of HCWs. “Everyone in the healthcare workforce – from doctors, nurses, hospitals staff to janitorial services and contact tracers – are equally at risk posed by COVID-19,” he said.

“We just have to take care of the sick at all times, like today. And the DOH should take the lead in promoting the welfare of healthcare workers,” Marcos added.

The DOH said that it has earmarked P311 million to pay for the SRAs of 20,000 HCWs, but healthcare group Filipino Nurses United says it is not enough considering there are currently 1.8 million healthcare workers in the country.

Meanwhile, AHW is also appealing for a “liberal interpretation of the law” to enable all HCWs to receive the SRAs and AHDPs.

News

A giant billboard of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio bearing the hashtag #SaraAll has been put up along EDSA Kamuning in Quezon City by supporters of the presidential daughter who have been urging her to run for president in next year’s elections.

AS SEN. GO DECLINES PARTY ENDORSEMENT

‘Pacquiao presidential bid a go even w/o PDP’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

ENATOR Manny is ready to run for president as an independent candidate should the Commission on Elections take the side of the PDP-Laban faction led

by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

“He is ready. That is how strong the principles of Sen. Manny Pacquiao are,” said Ron Munsayac, executive director of the PDP wing led by Pacquiao.

“There are several political parties willing to support Senator Manny Pacquiao… but we want to clarify that Sen. Manny will not be joining any other party,” he said.

Over at the Cusi-wing, Senator Christopher officially rejected their endorse-

ment for him to be the standard bearer of PDP-Laban, running in tandem with President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence of the members of the NEC in my capability to run for the presidency in the coming 2022 elections. For a simple man who hails from a city in the South, the endorsement alone by esteemed members and officers of the NEC is a great personal honor for me,” Go said in

his letter to Cusi.

“As much as I wish to respond to the clamor of many of our party-mates, I most respectfully decline the said endorsement. As I have said many times before, I am not interested in the presidency,” he added.

Should Go keep his word, this means the Cusi-led PDP-Laban wing is left without a possible standard bearer, fanning speculations that the ruling party might eventually adopt Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio as its candidate.

The mayor, however, appeared to be not inclined to run in tandem with her father even as she described PDP-Laban’s announcement of a Go-Duterte ticket as an unpleasant event.

Camcam’s Forbes Park mansion dispute remains alive THE legal battle of businesswoman Edna Camcam, the long-time partner of the late Gen. Fabian Ver, to regain ownership of a Forbes Park mansion continues after the Supreme Court set aside the ruling rendered by the Court of Appeals, which declared a certain Dr. Daniel Vasquez as the real owner of the property.

In a nine-page decision, the SC’s Third Division through Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting granted the petition filed

by Camcam seeking the reversal of the CA’ decision on January 26, 2016 and

resolution dated September 16, 2016 that denied her appeal.

The CA decision affirmed the resolutions issued by the Regional Trial Court of Makati City on December 16, 2013 and April 7, 2014 rejecting Camcam’s ownership claim over the mansion.

The trial court granted Vasquez’s motion for summary judgment and declared the latter as the real owner of the property on Cambridge Circle.

In ruling in favor of Camcam, the high court noted that the appellate court’s decision was already affirmed by the Court on

August 24, 2016 and has attained finality.

“The Rules on Civil Procedure provide that the amended complaint supersedes the complaint. Thus, the grant of the Motion for Summary Judgment, and even the Motion for Summary Judgment itself, have no leg to stand on, as they were both based on the superseded complaint,” the SC ruled.

With this, the high tribunal reversed and set aside the CA ruling and ordered the case to be remanded to the RTC to conduct further proceedings based on Camcam’s amended complaint. Rey E. Requejo

Photo shows a boy reacting as he is circumcised during a mass circumcision at a covered court in Silang town in Cavite. The Philippines has one of the highest rates of circumcision in the world, with many seeing the centuriesold practice as key for boys to enter manhood. AFP

MANILA Mayor Isko Moreno, fresh from recovering from COVID-19, took a swipe at politicians who make electoral positions “a family business.”

“I assure you—I will not perpetuate myself [in power.] All things have an end – that is my guarantee,” he said during the groundbreaking of the city’s fifth housing project, the 20-storey Pedro Gil Residences.

“I really do not like that – politicians who think they can apportion power among themselves. It is as if politics is a family business,” Moreno said.

While Moreno did not identify the politicians he was referring to, a Duterte-Duterte scenario has long been floated by some members of the ruling political party PDP-Laban under the faction headed by Energy chief Alfonso Cusi.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said he is inclined to accept the nomination for him to run for vice president in next year’s elections even as he clarified that nothing is final yet. Senator Christopher Bong Go, on the other hand, has declined his nomination to run as the party’s standard bearer.

Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, for her part, said she has yet to make a decision on her 2022 political plans even as she told PDP-Laban to leave her out of its decision-making process.

Moreno likewise criticized those who have been busy looking at his old half-naked photos instead of focusing on the pressing problem at hand – the surging cases of COVID-19.

“Instead of being busy with COVID response, it seems that some people are busy looking at my photo at night – instead of at pictures of sick people, of those who died, of those who cannot be admitted because there are no more hospital beds,” he said.

“Perhaps my brief is more attractive than the problems of the country.

I am honored but I am not happy…

You all know my life story—what else do you want to see from me?

As for me, I will just work because I have an obligation to our people,” the mayor added.

Drug war victims back ICC probe; DOJ preps report THE International Criminal Court has received “overwhelming support” for its potential probe from victims of the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.

“They also bring forward the victims’ views and concerns on the OTP [Office of the Prosecutor] request and on other related matters, including justice, the ICC, the potential scope of an investigation and the impact of the socalled ‘War on Drugs’ has on victims’ lives and their society,” the ICC said in a statement.

The ICC said it received a total of 204 victims’ representations on behalf of around 1,530 individual victims and 1,050 families.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice will submit to President Rodrigo Duterte this week its report on the review it conducted on 52 cases of killings that took place during anti-illegal drugs operations.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said the DOJ has completed its review of the cases that were submitted by the Philippine National PoliceInternal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS).

“We are submitting a report to the President this week regarding the findings of the DOJ on the 52 cases of drug deaths turned over to us by the PNP. The report will include our recommendations,” Guevarra said in a text message.

The PNP-IAS investigated around 6,000 anti-illegal drugs operations with killings that took place since 2016.

Last June, the PNP-IAS submitted to the DOJ the records of 52 cases after finding administrative liability among the policemen who participated in those anti-drugs operations.

Besides the PNP, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) also submitted to the DOJ last June 107 cases of killings that happened during its operations. Rey E. Requejo

‘Circumcision season’ underway after virus delays FOR more than a year, Caspien Gruta has been teased because his circumcision—a rite of passage for boys in the Philippines—was delayed, first by a volcanic eruption and then the coronavirus pandemic.

“I worry if I don’t get circumcised now, I will be shamed,” said Gruta, 12.

The Philippines has one of the highest rates of circumcision in the world, with many seeing the centuries-old practice as key for boys to enter manhood.

Even as circumcision comes under increasing scrutiny elsewhere, with some critics branding it “child abuse,” it is rarely questioned in the Philippines and boys face tremendous pressure to undergo the procedure.

Every year, thousands of pre-teens have the operation for free at government or community-sponsored clinics.

But last year, the “circumcision season” was canceled

for the first time in living memory due to the virus outbreak, delaying the milestone for many boys like Gruta.

Left in limbo—and with their foreskin intact – the boys have been ridiculed by their male relatives and friends.

Gruta was one of the oldest boys to line up at a covered basketball court turned make-shift clinic in Silang, Cavite south of Manila, one of the few provinces that have slowly resumed the free service since May. “I feel like I’m a genuine Filipino now because getting circumcised is part of being a Filipino,” Gruta said after the 20-minute procedure.

Wearing masks and face shields, the boys sat on plastic chairs near a row of wooden tables surrounded by a red curtain.

Some looked excited or did their best to appear nonchalant. Others fidgeted as they waited. AFP

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World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Teachers should be priority group for COVID jabs—WHO

T

EACHERS and school staff should be among the groups prioritized for COVID-19 vaccinations so that schools in Europe and Central Asia can stay open, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef said on Monday.

Measures to ensure that schools can stay open throughout the pandemic “include offering teachers and other school staff the COVID-19 vaccine as part of target population groups in national vaccination plans,” the UN agencies wrote in a statement.

The recommendation, already

made by a group of WHO experts in November 2020 before the vaccination roll-out, should be done “while ensuring vaccination of vulnerable populations,” the statement said.

As schools reopen after the summer holidays, the agencies said it was “vital that classroom-based learning continue

uninterrupted,” despite the spread of the more contagious Delta variant of the virus.

“This is of paramount importance for children’s education, mental health and social skills, for schools to help equip our children to be happy and productive members of society,” the director of the WHO European region, Hans Kluge, said in the statement.

“The pandemic has caused the most catastrophic disruption to education in history,” he added.

The agencies urged countries to vaccinate children over the age of 12

who have underlying medical conditions that put them at greater risk of severe COVID-19 disease.

It also recalled the importance of measures to improve the school environment during the pandemic, including better ventilation, smaller class sizes, social distancing and regular COVID testing for children and staff.

According to the WHO’s recommendations published in early July, testing of children in risk groups who display COVID-19 symptoms should be a priority. AFP

Hurricane Ida pummels US southern states POWERFUL Hurricane Ida battered the southern US state of Louisiana and plunged New Orleans into darkness Sunday, leaving at least one person dead 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city.

Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm but had weakened to a Category 1 by early Monday.

The storm knocked out power for all of New Orleans, with more than a million customers across Louisiana without power, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US. “We have now lost power, citywide!

This is the time to continue to remain in your safe places. It isn’t a time to venture out!!” New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell said on Twitter.

Electricity provider Entergy said it was providing back up power to New Orleans Sewage and Water Board, which operates the pumping stations used to control flooding.

The National Weather Service issued warnings of storm surges and flash floods for several areas, including the town of Jean Lafitte, just south of New Orleans, where mayor Tim Kerner said the levees had been breached by rapidly rising waters.

“Total devastation, catastrophic, our town levees have been overtopped,” Kerner told ABC-affiliate WGNO. “We have anywhere between 75 to 200 people stranded in Barataria,” after a barge took out the swing bridge to the island.

“The winds are still too strong, we can’t put boats in the water to get to them,” he told WGNO. AFP

EVEN DEITIES WEAR A MASK. A child dressed as the Hindu deity Krishna, takes part in the celebration of the birth of Hindu Lord Krishna ‘Krishna Janmashtami’ at Lalitpur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on August 30, 2021. AFP

UN: Nokor appears to have restarted nuclear reactor NUCLEAR-ARMED North Korea appears to have restarted its plutoniumproducing reprocessing reactor in a “deeply troubling” development, the UN atomic agency has said, a possible sign Pyongyang is expanding its banned weapons program.

The development on the 5-megawatt reactor in Yongbyon—North Korea’s main nuclear complex—comes with nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington at a standstill.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered to dismantle part of the Yongbyon complex at a second summit with then US president Donald Trump but not oth-

er sites, in exchange for sanctions relief, and his offer was rejected.

North Korea is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, which have seen rapid progress under Kim. “Since early July, there have been indications, including the discharge of cooling water, consistent with the operation of the reactor,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said in its annual report.

The Yongbyon reactor appeared to have been inactive from December 2018 until then, added the report dated Friday.

IAEA inspectors were kicked out of

North Korea in 2009, and the agency has since monitored it from outside.

The possible operation of the reactor follows a recent indication that Pyongyang is also using a nearby radiochemical laboratory to separate plutonium from spent fuel previously removed from the reactor.

The signs of the reactor and laboratory operations were “deeply troubling,” the IAEA said, adding the activities were a “clear violation” of UN resolutions.

A senior US State Department official said Washington was aware of the report and was closely coordinating with partner countries. AFP

Rockets fired at Kabul airport as American troops pull out ROCKETS were fired at Kabul’s airport on Monday where US troops were racing to complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan and evacuate allies under the threat of Islamic State group attacks.

President Joe Biden has set a deadline of Tuesday to withdraw all US forces from Afghanistan, drawing to a close his nation’s longest military conflict, which began in retaliation for the September 11 attacks.

The return of the hardline Islamist Taliban movement, which was toppled in 2001 but took back power a fortnight ago, triggered an exodus of terrified people aboard US-led evacuation flights.

Those flights, which have taken more than 120,000 people out of Kabul airport, will officially end on Tuesday when the last of the thousands of American troops pull out.

But US forces are now focused chiefly on flying themselves and American diplomats out safely.

The Islamic State group, rivals of the Taliban, pose the biggest threat to the withdrawal after carrying out a suicide bomb attack at the perimeter of the airport late last week that claimed more than 100 lives, including those of 13 US troops.

Biden had warned more attacks were highly likely and the United States said it carried out an air strike on Sunday night in Kabul on an ISprepared car bomb.

That was followed on Monday morning by rockets being fired at the airport.

The White House confirmed there had been a rocket attack directed at the airport, but said operations there were “uninterrupted.”

“The President... has reconfirmed his order that commanders redouble their efforts to prioritise doing whatever is necessary to protect our forces on the ground,” the White House statement said. AFP

Europe virus death toll feared to spike by 236,000 in Dec.

THE World Health Organization said Monday it feared another 236,000 COVID-19 deaths in Europe by December 1, expressing concern about stagnating vaccination rates and low uptake in poorer countries.

“Last week, there was an 11 percent increase in the number of deaths in the region – one reliable projection is expecting 236,000 deaths in Europe,

by December 1,” WHO Europe The measures are part of wider director Hans Kluge told reporters. government reforms of China’s Europe has registered around 1.3 education sector, which include a million COVID deaths to date. crackdown on cram schools – seen Of the WHO Europe’s 53 member by parents as a way to inflate their states, 33 have registered an incidence children’s educational fortunes. rate greater than 10 percent in the past In late July, China ordered all private two weeks, Kluge said. tutoring firms to turn non-profit, and High virus transmission rates barred tutoring agencies from giving across the continent were “deeply lessons in core subjects at weekends worrying, particularly in the light of and holidays, effectively crippling a low vaccination uptake in priority $100 billion sector. populations in a number of countries.”

MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK The aim isCYAN to reduce China’s education Kluge attributed the higher inequality, where some middle-class transmission to the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant, an parents willingly fork out 100,000 yuan “exaggerated easing” of restrictions ($15,400) or more per year on private and measures, and a surge in summer tutoring to get their children into top travel. schools.

While around half of people Many also snag property in schools’ in Europe are fully vaccinated, catchment areas, driving up house prices. vaccination uptake in the region has “There is no other country that slowed, Kluge noted. has such a strong tutoring culture “In the past six weeks, it has fallen (as China),” said Claudia Wang, by 14 percent, influenced by a lack of partner and Asia education lead at access to vaccines in some countries Shanghai-based consulting firm and a lack of vaccine acceptance in Oliver Wyman. AFP others.” AFP

China bans exams for six-year-olds as Beijing retools education system

GOOD JAB. A

BEIJING on Monday banned written exams for six- and seven-yearolds, as part of sweeping education reforms aimed at relieving pressure on pupils and parents in China’s hypercompetitive school system.

China’s exam-oriented system previously required students to take exams from first grade onwards, culminating in the feared university entrance exam at age 18 known as the gaokao, where a single score can determine a child’s life trajectory.

“Too frequent exams ... which cause students to be overburdened and under huge exam pressure,” have been axed by the Ministry of Education, according to new guidelines released Monday.

The ministry said the pressure on pupils from a young age “harms their mental and physical health.”

The regulations also limit exams in other years of compulsory education to once a term, with mid-term and mock examinations allowed in junior high school.

woman arrives at a vaccination center in Melbourne on August 30, 2021, during the city’s sixth lockdown as it battles an outbreak of COVID-19.

AFP

Y

Palestinian president, Israeli defense minister hold rare talks ISRAEL’S defense minister has met Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas for a rare high-level meeting, but a source close to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett insisted Monday his govNOTICE TO THE PUBLIC ernment had no Notice is hereby given that Stock Certificate No. 006 of BAYAN plans to reboot AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES peace talks.

CORPORATION issued in the name of Wayne Y. Lee for One (1) Defense Miniscommon shares of stock has been reported lost and the holder of the ter Benny Gantz said shares have applied to the met Abbas in RaCompany to issue duplicate share certificates. mallah for what Any person who has a claim in were reportedly respect of said shares should first direct lodge the claims or inform the the Company at its registered address within one (1) year from the last talks between an publication of this notice. If no Israeli cabinet claims/ objections are received during this period, the Company member and the shall be free to issue duplicate 86-year-old Palshare certificate.

(MS-AUG. 17/24/31, 2021) estinian leader in

several years.

The meeting, which Gantz’s office said focused on “security policy, civilian and economic issues,” came just hours after Bennett returned from Washington where he met US President Joe Biden.

Biden said he would urge Bennett to find ways “to advance peace and security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians.”

According to a defense ministry statement, Gantz told Abbas that Israel “seeks to take measures that will strengthen the PA’s economy.”

“They also discussed shaping the security and economic situations in the West Bank and in Gaza,” and agreed to “continue communicating further,” it added.

A source close to Bennett said the meet-

ing that he had approved focused on “issues between the defense establishment and the Palestinian Authority.”

“There is no peace process with the Palestinians nor will there be,” under Bennett’s leadership, said the source who requested anonymity.

The Gantz-Abbas meeting included the head of the Israeli military branch responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, Ghasan Alyan, senior PA official Hussein Al Sheikh and Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj.

Gantz’s office said he and Abbas had held “a one-on-one meeting” after the broader talks.

Al Sheikh confirmed the meeting on Twitter but the PA was not immediately available to comment on its substance. AFP

A DARKER SHADE OF ROSE. Photo shows people visiting the Red Beach, so named due to the suaeda salsa plant which grows across the marshland landscape, in Panjin, China’s northeastern Liaoning province. AFP

Business

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Ukraine pins aspirations on Gulf visitors

PSEi August 27, 2021

TOP GAINERS

LVIV, Ukraine—Saudi tourists ride horse-drawn carriages, pose for portraits by street artists and play chess on benches with locals in Lviv, a city in Ukraine more accustomed to hosting European guests.

But with strict COVID-19 travel restrictions still in place across Europe, travelers from the Middle East—especially Saudi Arabia—now rank among the top visitors to the ex-Soviet state.

The trend has given hope to the country’s pandemic-hit tourism industry.

“We need to seize the moment,” says Bogdan Gets, a tour guide on a sightseeing train that ferries tourists along cobbled streets in central Lviv, a city in western Ukraine known for its Middle Eastern tourists sit in a street cafe in Lviv, some 540 km west of Kiev on August 15, 2021. With strict travel restrictions still in place Renaissance architecture.

For Gets and his colleagues at “Chu- across Europe, travelers from the Middle East—especially Saudi Arabia—now rank among the top visitors to the ex-Soviet. AFP do Tour” (Wonder Tour), the unexpected influx of tourists from the Middle East is a chance to recover after a string of lockdowns that put pressure on Ukraine’s struggling economy.

In the first half of 2021, the number of Saudi tourists alone visiting Ukraine skyrocketed to 14,000 compared to just 350 in the same period last year, according to the country’s state tourism agency.

This new cohort are attracted by a visa-free regime enacted in August last worth trillions of dollars—provided sis on decoupling the rate hike decision ONG KONG— year and cheap direct flights. crucial support and helped drive an eq- from... tapering resulted in a risk posiAsian markets rose uity market rally for more than a year. tive market reaction.”

In previous years, the city was mostly visited by Poles, Belarusians, Turks, But traders have for months been deHe added that Friday’s release of Monday following Germans and Britons. bating when the crutch will be removed jobs data for August will be key, with a a record-breaking close on in order to prevent inflation from spi- strong reading raising the possibility of “Last year put the tourism industry in extreme conditions”, the agency Wall Street after Federal raling out of control and the economy a start to tapering in September. said, and “radically changed” how overheating.

“But our sense is that in October the Reserve boss Jerome tourists decide which countries to visit.

And Powell, in a speech to the Jack- (policy meeting) is likely to have a betPowell indicated the central son Hole symposium of central bankers, ter sense of the state of the labor market Before the pandemic 32-year-old Asma, a tourist from Saudi Arabia, soothed concerns about the bank’s ap- following the end of the unemployment bank would be cautious travelled with her husband and two proach, saying “it could be appropriate benefit closing in September, kids back in winding down its ultrasons to various European destinato start reducing the pace of asset pur- at school as well as the impact from tions every year, but never considered loose monetary policy chases this year.”

Delta infections on the labour market.”

Ukraine.

But he added that would not be a sigEli Lee, at Bank of Singapore, said: and was in no hurry to lift Аfter exploring Lviv and the capinal for an increase in borrowing costs to “Depending on the economic data for interest rates. tal Kiev this summer, the family was follow soon after, instead taking into ac- August, the Fed could announce a taper pleasantly surprised. count the impact of the Delta variant on as early as its next meeting in SeptemIn a closely watched speech Friday, the recovery.

“The bars, the food and the coffee— ber, but our base case scenario is that Powell said the world’s top economy all things here in Ukraine are amaz“As widely expected, Fed Chair Pow- the Fed will prime the markets again on was well on the road to recovery from ell’s Jackson Hole speech did not pro- tapering in September and announce in ing,” Asma told AFP outside the iconic last year’s pandemic-induced collapse, vide a definitive answer to the... taper- November that it will begin reducing its Lviv Opera. with millions of jobs recovered and ing decision,” said National Australia asset purchases in December.”

Anna Nayda, the head of the Kregrowth at its strongest in decades. dens Cafe chain, admitted that the loBank’s Rodrigo Catril.

All three main indexes on Wall Street The Fed’s bond-buying program— cal tourism industry experienced some “But his dovish undertones on his rallied, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq and colossal government spending views on inflation as well as the empha- chalking up new records. AFP initial difficulties when catering for their new customers. AFP

Asian markets advance, track Wall Street record H

By Julie Chabanas

Las Vegas roars back to life with record gambling win LAS VEGAS—Barely a year after the Las Vegas Strip was shut down by Covid-19, its world-famous casinos have roared back to a record-breaking summer thanks to a remarkable winning streak.

Nevada pocketed an all-time record $1.36 billion last month from gamblers, who are flooding back to the city nicknamed Lost Wages after months confined at home with little to spend their money on.

“We weren’t anticipating these type of numbers,” said Michael Lawton, senior analyst for Nevada Gaming Control Board.

“In Nevada, a billion dollars in gaming win is kind of a bellwether number. And we’ve recorded a billion dollars in gaming win in five consecutive months.”

July was something of a “perfect storm,” thanks to the presence of major events including a Conor McGregor fight, a Garth Brooks concert at the gleaming new Allegiant Stadium, and the return of musical residencies such as Usher and Bruno Mars at swanky casino theaters.

The month also contained five weekends, including the bonanza Fourth of July holiday.

But the hot streak—and bustling

% CHANGE CHANGE 30 37.50%

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by the Salvad

US grapples with COVID-era bus ne Do small companies driver shortage as schools reopen

People in this file photo gather during the celebratory grand opening of Resorts World Las Vegas hotel and casino on June 24, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

By Andrew Marszal

1

LAST PRICE 110

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crowds on the Strip—point to a renewed confidence in the safety of piling onto slot machines and roulette tables, even as the Delta variant spreads and Nevada has had to reimpose indoor mask mandates.

“The people that come to Vegas don’t really seem too concerned,” said one barman working on the Strip, who asked not to be named.

“They don’t seem super worried about getting sick or anything. I think if you’re paranoid about getting sick, I don’t think those people travel—they probably stay at home.”

Workers at casinos told AFP that many of their customers hail from the US Midwest, Texas and Florida.

“It’s definitely back to pre-pandemic levels,” said Shawn Jones, a promoter at the brand-new Resorts World casino, who said the previous weekend’s pool parties had fully sold out.

“Maybe it’s the pent up energy... if you ain’t able to do something for a while, then there’s a big rush when they are able to get out.”

‘Girls’ trip’ Las Vegas became a ghost town in early 2020, with casinos ordered to close for 78 days, dealing a heavy unemployment blow to the tourism-reliant economy.

Capacity limits remained in place until this June, but even by May the city

had broken its long-standing monthly gambling revenue record set before the global financial crisis that began in October 2007, according to Lawton.

Americans’ reluctance to travel abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have benefited Las Vegas, with domestic tourism surging.

“We had been planning a girls’ trip— we were originally going to Greece in 2020 but it was postponed, so this is like a revamp,” said Karen Utsey, 50, a defense contractor from Michigan.

“Right now I don’t know if I’m comfortable going overseas.”

Total visitor numbers for July hit 3.3 million, just 10 percent below the same month in pre-pandemic 2019 despite the relative absence of international travel.

Numbers arriving by car from California have surpassed pre-pandemic levels all summer.

While Lawton expects August gambling figures to track slightly lower than July, the gradual return of trade conventions that make up a huge slice of mid-week business offers hope for further growth.

In June, the World of Concrete drew headlines as the first major industry convention to return to Las Vegas, and this week saw events including movie theater summit CinemaCon, the JCK jewelry show and Cannabis Conference 2021. AFP

WASHINGTON—It’s back to school time in America after a year of remote learning, but forget about the iconic yellow school bus: because of COVID, there is a shortage of drivers.

The problem—among other issues— is that some drivers oppose maskwearing mandates, and others, who are older and do this kind work after retiring from other jobs, are worried about catching the virus while driving kids around, education officials said.

The Minneapolis area of Minnesota, for instance, has warned that school bus service this year will be sporadic because of what it called a driver shortage being faced by school districts around the country.

“Minneapolis Public Schools is encouraging families who can transport their students to school on their own to do so,” the local school district said.

And one private school in Wilmington, Delaware, the home town of President Joe Biden, is offering parents $700 a year to drive their kids to school.

Back to school day is not uniform across the country; some kids resumed class in late July and others will not do so until September.

THE Pasig City government Because of the transportation probwill implement an Employment lem some districts, like the(EMS) schools in in Management System Pittsburgh, have given kids two weeks its human resource department. of extra vacation while they try to sort Mayor Vico Sotto (whoofficials shouldstill be out the bus issue.

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Due to these office multiple ro occupancy is just 10.3 percent of its totimes that accuracy would suffer. tal capacity in the week ending August of by thisRe-practice 20, Moreover, according to because data compiled tasking, strategic functions of HR such as mit.

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London’s City finance hub mulls over future LONDON, United Kingdom—London’s once bustling City finance district is grinding back to life, but it bears the scars of the deadly pandemic, sparking fresh questions over the future of the so-called “Square Mile.”

The COVID-19 health crisis erupted in April last year, sparking a nationwide lockdown that turned the global financial hub into a ghost town.

City workers were forced to work remotely and some have since adopted hybrid or flexible work that splits time between home and the office.

Britain fully exited lockdown last month, buoyed by speedy vaccination, but many workers appear in no hurry to return to the office amid fears over the Delta COVID variant.

“There remains an underlying reluctance of many to risk exposure to the virus, either in the workplace or on the journey to work,” Remit Consulting’s corporate real estate specialist Lorna

G

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

B4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

Business

PH malls reeling from lockdowns S

By Othel V. Campos

HOPPING malls in the Philippines are bearing the brunt of rigid quarantine rules.

They continue to suffer from slow foot traffic as cases of COVID infections post record levels amid the imposition of strict granular lockdowns and the extended modified enhanced community quarantine in select provinces in Luzon.

Christopher Maglanoc, president of Ayala Malls, a unit of Ayala Land Inc., said foot traffic has never improved and remains at 50 percent to 60 percent lower compared with pre-pandemic levels.

He noted that mall tenants and vulner-

Gov’t unveils move to sell Basay Mining

By Julito G. Rada THE government plans to privatize Basay Mining Corp., formerly CDCP Mining Corp. based in Negros Oriental province, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Monday in an online briefing.

“Regarding the Basay Mines project, I don’t know yet how much the exact valuation is and how we will bid it out. But that is the first mine we are doing,” Dominguez said.

Basay Mining was established in 1970 but its operations were suspended in 1983 because of lack of working and operating funds.

Basay Mining had entered into a deed of assignment of mining claims and leasehold rights with the Philippine National Bank to secure credit and loan accommodations from the bank.

Technical studies by the Privatization and Management Office, an attached agency of the Department of Finance, indicate the Basay mine contains at least 105 million tons of copper ore, and could generate at least P1 billion if privatized.

Dominguez earlier said the DoF was pursuing steps to untangle the legal issues tying down idle mining interests held by the government in an effort to speed up the privatization of the assets and revive their operations.

The PMO said lawsuits filed by the private sector proponents in the operations of these once-flourishing mining assets had hampered efforts by the government to privatize them.

A memorandum by the PMO to Dominguez earlier identified the copper-gold project of Maricalum Mining Corp. (Maricalum Mining) in Negros Occidental, the nickel mines of the Nonoc Mining and Industrial Corp. (Nonoc Mining) in Surigao del Norte and the gold- and copper-rich North Davao Mining Property (North Davao Mining) in Davao del Norte as among the idle mining assets held by the government that have long been under litigation.

able merchants like salon owners, restaurants, gyms and cinemas have not had decent sales for one and a half years now, and adjust operations in compliance with changing quarantine protocols.

Many tenants, he added, had been turning out sales of 30 percent to 60 percent, which is not at break-even level.

Maglanoc said mall operators were more open to the proposed vaccine bubble in which only vaccinated people are allowed to enter the malls freely.

“We welcome the proposal to allow the customers to enter our malls freely and allow the `bakuna bubble’ concept to be implemented at the level of individual shops. So this initiative will certainly help the sectors, not to mention the multiplier effect of restoring employment and further fuel consumption and other

economic activities,” Maglanoc said in a Go Negosyo forum Monday.

He added some merchants are forced not to operate for several days at a time to minimize daily operating costs, even if they are allowed to run.

“Merchants have had to factor in higher costs of doing business due to safety measures, higher material costs and logistic costs, heavy discounting and accumulated losses from lockdowns,”he said.

Despite the losses, Maglanoc said malls are fully supportive of the goals of the government and the business sectors in “cautiously stimulating the economy.”

“The ‘bakuna’ will definitely help impacted segments of the retail industry to give businesses a chance to recover and survive,” he said.

Meanwhile, consumer advocacy

group Laban Konsyumer Inc. on Monday criticized the Department of Trade and Industry for approving and releasing exorbitant suggested retail price increases in the midst of a health crisis.

Referring the new set of SRPs published by the DTI on August 29, 2021, LKI noted that the DTI had deleted six evaporated milk brands from the list.

“More brands are now without SRP and price increases are not monitored

by DTI. In terms of bread, there are no branded breads added to Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy pandesal,” Dimagiba said.

The group also said that while the SRP on breads, bottled water, candles, toilet soap and battery remained unchanged, canned goods adjusted prices. The price of canned sardines in tomato sauce, for one, rose P0.50 to P0.75 per can.

RURAL BANK OF THE YEAR.

Cebuana Lhuillier Bank Inc., a member of the PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, is recognized as Rural/ Cooperative Bank of the Year-Philippines in the recentlyconcluded 2021 Asian Banking and Finance (ABF) Retail Banking Awards. The ABF Retail Banking Awards honors outstanding banks that prove to be game-changers in the industry, especially in coping up with the New Normal. Cebuana Lhuillier president and chief executive officer and Cebuana Lhuillier Bank vice chairman Jean Henri Lhuillier (right) and CLB president Dennis Valdes (left) accept the award.

ALLDAY Marts Inc., the grocery chain of the Villar Group Villar that is set to conduct an initial public offering this year, plans to offer modern grocery shopping to customers as part of a strategy to uplift the local supermarket industry.

AllDay, which operates the AllDay Supermarket brand, said it would banner a global standard in the local supermarket industry by offering premium in-store journey and innovative consumer solutions to customers.

“AllDay has always been proud to hold itself to a global standard in our thrust to compete in the local supermarket landscape,” said Manuel Villar, chairman of AllValue Holdings Inc., the parent company of AllDay. “We have always believed that the Filipino deserves to be able to access a global standard of grocery shopping experience, and we believe that by re-

maining committed to a higher standard, AllDay will continue to enrich this experience for each and every customer,” he added.

AllDay Supermarket has established itself as a leading player in the midpremium supermarket segment. It has 33 stores located across 25 cities in the country to date.

Since its incorporation in 2016, AllDay said has elevated in-store customer experience through aesthetics, comfort, accessibility and convenience, and online integration.

The company has adapted digital innovation after being the first to introduce the self-checkout kiosks to improve health and safety protocols and allow customers to observe social distancing measures within the store.

The supermarket chain also launched a personal shopper service that allows customers to simply send their orders through dedicated hotlines for deliv-

ery direct to their homes. The company has an e-commerce platform to provide secure and fast online shopping experience to customers.

“AllDay will always remain focused on innovating to bring transformation to the local supermarket landscape,” said AllValue president Camille Villar.

“We recognize the importance of digital transformation, and this remains very high on our 2021 business priorities. We have already established an elevated in-store customer experience for the brand. Now, we want to ensure that the same cutting-edge experience translates to our online grocery shopping.”

The company recently introduced a “dark store” concept that functions as dedicated distribution outlets catering exclusively to online shoppers served by last-mile delivery providers.

AllDay said the model would expand its geographic coverage while keeping operating cost to a minimum.

SMC SLEX registers profit of P1.31b, notes gradual vehicle traffic increase

By Darwin G. Amojelar SMC SLEX Inc., formerly South Luzon Tollways Corp., said net income rose by 84 percent in the first half of the year due to a gradual increase in the number of vehicle traffic.

The tollway unit of San Miguel Corp. said net income amounted to P1.31 billion in the January-to-June period, up from P713.3 million in the same period last year.

The company said toll revenue in the first half of the year rose 35 percent to P2.67 billion from last year’s P1.98 billion, reflecting the improvement in traffic volume this year compared to the previous year.

SMC SLEX said the increase mainly showed the impact of the shorter length of the ECQ restrictions of only for 15 days in the first half of 2021 compared to 76 days in the same period in 2020.

“SLEX traffic volume in the first half of 2021 has been showing gradual recovery since the start of the year, and has already started to catch up to preCOVID-19 levels,” the company said.

“This was mainly driven by the ex-

pansion of industrial areas in Southern Luzon which is part of the government’s continuous support in the decentralization drive to stimulate business activities outside the National Capital Region,” it added.

SMC SLEX earlier said it allotted P5.44 billion in capital budget this year, with P4.6 billion earmarked for the Toll Road 4 or (TR4) Project.

The TR4 includes a four-lane toll road from Sto. Tomas in Batangas to Lucena Quezon and the SLEX widening project.

The P26.1-billion toll road will shorten the travel time from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Barangay Mayao in Lucena City from the usual three hours to just 45 minutes.

The project is expected to be completed in 2024.

TR4 is a part of SLTC’s 30-year concession that will last until 2036.

The capital expenditure will also finance the tollway facility improvement, replacement of various toll equipment and preventive maintenance for toll collection system/network enhancement project.

Friday, August 27, 2021

-33.91 PTS. 6,786.62

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES

1,617,505,017 85,522

TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES

6,864,662,140.80 84 100

UNCHANGED

64

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9030

Japan

Yen

0.009088

0.4535

UK

Pound

1.370300

68.3821

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128406

6.4078

Switzerland

Franc

1.089799

54.3842

Canada

Dollar

0.788581

39.3526

Singapore

Dollar

0.738498

36.8533

Australia

Dollar

0.723400

36.0998

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652590

132.3722

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266638

13.3060

Brunei

Dollar

0.735781

36.7177

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.030563

1.5252

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.5872

Euro

Euro

1.175700

58.6710

Korea

Won

0.000854

0.0426

China

Yuan

0.154285

7.6993

India

Rupee

0.013486

0.6730

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.238493

11.9015

New Zealand

Dollar

0.695200

34.6926

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035827

1.7879 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Cebu Pacific says 95% of crew now vaccinated

CEBU Pacific, the Philippines’ leading airline, reported that 95 percent of its flying pilots and cabin crew are now vaccinated, and is on track to completing its employee inoculation by October this year.

CEB on August 26 administered the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines to some employees through its own vaccination program, COVID Protect. The second doses for the remaining employees are expected to be administered in September.

To date, 93 percent of CEB’s total workforce have been inoculated.

The COVID Protect program is part of the Gokongwei Group’s initiative for all its business units. CEB employees receive free inoculation for themselves and their dependents, as well as the airline’s third-party workers.

CEB has also been actively coordinating with various local government units to boost the progress of vaccination for its workforce.

“It is our pleasure to keep doing what we can to ensure that our own people are protected, so our passengers will also be able to fly worry-free with us,” said Felix Lopez, vice president of Cebu Pacific.

Diokno: Bank secrecy bill to protect the public

Villar’s AllDay Marts offers modern grocery shopping

By Jenniffer B. Austria

PSE INDEX CLOSING

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said the interest of depositors will be protected under the proposed Bank Deposits Secrecy Bill.

“Ultimately, the reforms will benefit depositors as the BSP’s capacity to shield them from losses due to fraud and other unlawful activities will be strengthened,” Diokno said Monday.

Provisions of the bill limit inquiries to specified persons only, set parameters for information sharing and protects against political persecution, harassment or attempts to hamper competition in trade and commerce.

Diokno said results of bank inquiries or examinations of the BSP would not be arbitrarily disclosed. But the BSP may share the examination results with the courts and other regulators only if it is necessary to prevent or prosecute an offense or crime.

He also said the proposed reforms would place the country’s deposit secrecy law at par with international standards.

Julito G. Rada

OFB accounts double to nearly 46,000—LBP

DEPOSIT accounts opened through the Overseas Filipino Bank’s digital onboarding system more than doubled to nearly 46,000 as of July of 2021, compared to the number of accounts in December last year.

In a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, state-run Land Bank of the Philippines said new deposit accounts opened through the OFBank’s Digital OnBoarding System with Artificial Intelligence (DOBSAI) totaled 25,648 from January to July 2021, n And along with the 19,887 DOBSAI accounts opened as of December 2020, the total number of deposit accounts opened with OFBank reached 45,535 as of end-July.

The bank’s DOBSAI allows the real-time opening of a mobile banking deposit account on supported iPhone or Android devices.

OFBank, the country’s first branchless and digital-only government bank, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LandBank.

The Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas issued the OFBank’s digital banking license on March 25. Julito G. Rada

DMCI VACCINATION.

A healthcare worker administers the COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination activity at DMCI Homes’ recruitment office along EDSA, Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City on August 19. DMCI Homes is stepping up its vaccination drive for its workers to protect them from the virus due to the increased risk of COVID-19 transmission in construction sites in the wake of new variants.

New research supports interference of foreign NGOs in policies A NEW research by the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) has confirmed that Philippine NGOs were among those that received millions of dollars from the anti-tobacco Bloomberg and Gates foundations to lobby the government for a ban on vaping in the country.

Coming on the heels of a House probe on foreign money allegedly influencing the Department of Health and the Food and Drugs administration without transparency and

proper audit, CAPHRA outlined the money trail that go to lobbying for vested-interest policies devoid of any public disclosure and accountability.

“These foundations dismiss compelling international scientific evidence and apply bullying tactics to unduly influence the public health policies of sovereign nations. While many independent Asia-Pacific countries are delivering progressive and successful tobacco harm reduction policies and programs, big

money and influence–mostly American–are conspiring to demonize their work,” said CAPHRA Philippine representative Clarisse Virgino, who conducted the research.

Virgino revealed that US financial billionaire Michael Bloomberg, through his various philanthropic organizations, provided grants to a number of local organizations, influencepeddling non-government organizations and lobby groups to push Bloomberg’s anti-vaping advocacy.

Sports

Para swimmers Gawilan, Bejino miss finals in Tokyo games TOKYO—Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino missed the finals of their respective events after completing their qualifying heats in the Tokyo Paralympic swimming competitions at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre here early on Monday.

Seemingly spent after his all-out effort the previous day, Gawilan finished sixth and last in the second heat of the men’s 100-meter backstroke-S7 race in a time of one minute and 21.60 seconds, capping his campaign after competing in three events in the sportsfest.

He wound up in 10th place overall in the heats, 12.48 seconds behind Argentine topnotcher Pipo Carlomagno, who led the eight finalists with a personal best time 1:09.12.

Bejino was also cut in the men’s 50-meter butterfly-S6 event, placing seventh in the first heat in 36.14 seconds, and 15th overall among 16 entries, 5.13 seconds behind China’s Wang Jingang, who showed the way to the finals in a time of 30.81 seconds. The top eight qualifiers in both events advance to the finals scheduled later in the afternoon.

While it was Gawilan’s swan song, Bejino still has two more races left in the 400-meter freestyle on Thursday and the 100-meter backstroke the next day in closing out the gallant stand of the Filipino Paralympians, whose participation here is backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.

“Medyo nahirapan si Ernie sa 400-meter freestyle yesterday (Sunday). He was three seconds off his personal best in the backstroke,” noted swimming coach Tony Ong after the Davao City swimmer’s performance.

“I believe that Gary’s time of 36.14 seconds is his personal best if I am not mistaken. Nagbago kami ng stroke because of the new rule in the butterfly event. He still got a very good time,” Ong added.

The coach believed that his wards could have performed much better here if not for the limited preparation time back home due to the restrictive conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our kids (Gawilan and Bejino) are very talented. I just hope we can have a longer training period for next year’s Asian Para Games,” he said of the meet that is slated from Oct. 9 to 15, 2022 in Hangzhou, China. AFP

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

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31 , 2021

C1

China’s Gang Sun (left) and Britain’s Piers Gilliver compete in the wheelchair fencing gold medal match of the men’s foil team between Britain and China during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba, Japan. AFP

World weightlifting body adopts reforms in bid to avoid IOC ban R

By Peter Atencio

EFORMS in the sport of weightlifting will soon be adopted by its world governing body.

And sports officials have high hopes that this will help protect the sport’s future on the Olympic Games’ program, where its expulsion loomed recently.

Majority of the 133 members nations voted for change and the drafting of a new Constitution of the International Weightlifting Federation during an ongoing Congress in Doha, Qatar.

Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella, who attended the meeting in Doha, is hopeful that with the charter changes in place, the sport won’t be suspended from Paris Olympics 2024 Games and will be allowed to prosper under a new leadership.

The IWF has repeatedly been warned in the past months by the International Olympic Committee that its Olympic status is under threat.

The IOC, through the executive board, is studying the possibility of removing weightlifting from the Games in 2024 following numerous corruption scandals and governance failings “that were largely centred around the longstanding problem of doping,” ac-

There were attempts to cording to reports. strengthen eligibility criteria The IWF responded by by imposing an age limit holding a congress in on candidates, but this Doha, where it drafted was not ratified. amendments to its Another important constitution after amendment proposed long-time officials

by British Weight Liftwent into lengthy ing went through, and talks with reformthis concerned the elioriented members. gibility of election canThe proposed amenddidates, who were not ments will give athsupported by their own letes a voice in the way national federation. weightlifting is governed A date for the Electoral and support gender equaliCongress has yet to be set, but ty and independent oversight.

The eligibility for Ex- Monico Puentevella it will most likely be in the ecutive Board members was also one last few weeks of this year and may of the main talking points of the day. again be in Doha.

Zamboanga: Lee will be back stronger than ever Denice Zamboanga announced as the winner in a recent fight.

ONE Championship’s #1-ranked atomweight contender Denice “Lycan Queen” Zamboanga has had her run-ins with reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee in the past. Their social media accounts can attest to that.

But when it comes to a potential showdown between the two, the Filipina fighter now currently based in Bangkok, Thailand, is completely focused on her next matchup and admits she’s not even thinking about facing the champion right now.

Zamboanga is one of eight women who will participate in the upcoming ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix. She faces dangerous South Korean veteran and current #5-ranked atomweight contender Seo Hee Ham in the quarterfinal round of the tournament, which commences at ONE: EMPOWER early next month.

“Lycan Queen” maintains that she is completely focused on her next opponent.

“I have no doubt Angela will be back. She’s the champion for a reason and she’ll be back stronger than ever,” Zamboanga said.

“But right now in this tournament, there’s a lot of work to be done. I have a

very dangerous opponent in Seo Hee Ham, and I am not looking past her.”

Despite Zamboanga’s position at the top of the rankings, many believe Seo is the favorite to win this matchup, with the Filipina coming in as the underdog. In fact, Seo is considered the ‘dark horse’ to win the entire tournament, including Lee. But Zamboanga is no stranger to overcoming adversity and defying the odds. No one expected her to beat highly regarded Malaysian star Jihin Radzuan and former ONE World Title challenger Mei Yamaguchi, either. But she put together some amazing performances to earn her place in ONE’s deep atomweight division.

The winner of the Grand Prix will go on to challenge Lee herself for the World Title, which means Zamboanga will need to get past Seo to get the chance to settle matters with Lee in the Circle.

This next fight is no doubt a very important one for Zamboanga. The 24-year-old reiterates that she is fully fixated on overcoming the odds yet again and taking care of business with Seo, before she even thinks too far ahead into the future.

“I’m not even thinking about the fight with Angela yet. That’s not even on my mind. I just want to prove that I am the number one contender to the title again,” Zamboanga said.

Money talks: Hamilton calls 2-lap Belgian GP a farce SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium—World champion Lewis Hamilton described Sunday’s rain-lashed Belgian Grand Prix as “a farce” and said “money talks” after title rival Max Verstappen was declared the winner at the end of just two laps.

In the shortest race in history—just 14km —and all behind the safety car, the grand prix started three and a half hours late.

But after two laps, and with the spray flying, the race was abandoned with conditions deemed too dangerous at the Ardennes track where Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert lost his life in 2019.

“Money talks. It was only two laps for the race to start - it’s all a money scenario,” said Hamilton who was third behind Verstappen and George Russell in the Williams.

“So since everyone gets their money back, I think the fans should get theirs too because unfortunately they couldn’t see what they came for and paid for.

“I love racing in the rain, but today was different. You really couldn’t see the car in front of you. There was aquaplaning. It was unfortunately just a disaster on the track. You couldn’t really see five metres in front of you, the car in front was disappearing.”

Hamilton, whose lead over Verstappen in the title race is now just three points, continued his criticism later.

“Today was a farce,” the 36-year-old wrote on Instagram.

“The only people to lose out are the fans. We were sent out for one reason and one reason only.

“We should have just called it quits, not risked the drivers and most importantly refunded the fans who are at the heart of all of our sport.”

In a statement, the FIA and Formula 1 said they were “disappointed for all the fans at the track and at home that today’s race could not go to full distance, but the safety of the drivers, marshals and spectators must always be the priority.” AFP

Third-placed Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton (right) talks to second-placed Williams’ British driver George Russell on the podium after the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the SpaFrancorchamps circuit in Spa. AFP

Music video salutes MLBB collab with Transformers ON August 24, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, the most popular mobile MOBA game in Southeast Asia, officially introduced their newest skins in partnership with Transformers.

To commemorate the most exciting Mobile Legends collaboration to date, singer, actress, and Mobile Legends streamer Yeng Constantino released a music video set in the middle of Bumblebee’s installation created by Jerry Santos and Rumble Royale in partnership with Moonton.

Yeng Constantino was initially kidnapped by Joross Gamboa now known as “Megamboa” in order to use her popularity and prowess in his master plan: Death Sonata. Luckily, she was rescued in a fast-paced-action-packed mission by MLBB Streamers Hypebit$, Roadfill of Moymoy Palaboy, Lhea Bernardino, Eric “Eruption” Tai, and ChooxTV. Megamboa’s evil plan to spread 100% negative vibes and 100% win-rate-topone-global-Granger was thwarted, and now the singer is ready to show the world what really happened. Watch the rest of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang x Transformers newest music video by Yeng Constantino here: https://www. facebook.com/MobileLegendsOnlinePH/videos/567183357756991 Additionally, the release of the brandnew Transformers skins on MLBB showcases a life-like 17ft tall installation of the Autobots’ very own Bumblebee, the beloved character from the franchise, for Filipino fans to meet soon.

The Transformers’ most iconic characters, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Bumbleee can be used for Granger, Johnson, and X.Borg. These skins can be unlocked through MLBB’s special in-game events until November 22, 2021.

For more updates, don’t forget to check Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s social media pages: Facebook: @MobileLegendsOnlinePH | YouTube: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Official

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Sports

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

US Open champion Osaka in spotlight

Former IOC chief Rogge dead at 79 PARIS—Jacques Rogge, who spent 12 years as president of the International Olympic Committee, has died at the age of 79, the organisation announced on Sunday.

“It is with great sadness that the International Olympic Committee announces the passing of former IOC President Count Jacques Rogge. He was 79 years old,” said an IOC statement.

Rogge was the eighth president of the IOC, from 2001 to 2013, after which he was succeeded by Thomas Bach.

“First and foremost, Jacques loved sport and being with athletes —and he t r a n s m itted this passion to ever yone who knew him. His joy in sport was Jacques Rogge i n f e c t i o u s ,” said Bach on Sunday.

“He was an accomplished President, helping to modernise and transform the IOC. He was also a fierce proponent of clean sport, and fought tirelessly against the evils of doping.

“Since we were elected as IOC members together we shared a wonderful bond of friendship, and this continued until his last days.

“The entire Olympic Movement will deeply mourn the loss of a great friend and a passionate fan of sport.”

Rogge was an orthopaedic surgeon with a degree in sports medicine.

He also played rugby at international level, winning 16 caps for Belgium and became a world champion sailor.

It was on the water that he took part in three Olympics in 1968, 1972 and 1976.

After his career as an athlete he became president of the Belgian and European Olympic Committees, and was elected president of the IOC in 2001.

After his IOC presidency, he served as a Special Envoy for Youth, Refugees and Sport to the United Nations.

Rogge was married to Anne and he leaves behind a son, a daughter and two grandchildren. AFP

NEW YORK—Naomi Osaka launches her bid for a third US Open title in four years on Monday, aiming to put turmoil behind her as she chases her second Grand Slam title of 2021.

Osaka, who rocketed to fame when she beat superstar Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final, appeared set for a sparkling 2021 campaign after she beat American Jen Brady in the Australian Open final in February to capture her fourth major crown.

But she has played sparingly since, pulling out of the French Open after she was fined for failing to meet mandatory media requirements.

Osaka, who said she believed postmatch news conferences were detrimental to her mental health, opted out of Wimbledon as well, and after the magical moment of lighting the cauldron at the Tokyo Olympics bowed out in the third round.

Although she also lost in the third round at Cincinnati in August, Osaka said she was “pretty happy” with her game heading into the high-pressure atmosphere of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.

As she looked ahead to her Monday opener against Czech Marie Bouzkova Osaka said in a social media post that she wants to start to savor her accomplishments and let go of negative thoughts.

“Recently I’ve been asking myself why do I feel the way I do and I realize one of the reasons is because internally I think I’m never good enough,” she wrote. “I never tell myself that I’ve done a good job, but I do know I constantly tell myself that I suck or I could do better.

“Seeing everything that’s going on in the world I feel like if I wake up in the morning that’s a win,” Osaka wrote. “Your life is your own and you shouldn’t value yourself on other people’s standards. I know I give my heart to everything I can and if that’s not good enough for some then my apologies but I can’t burden myself with those expectations anymore.”

Osaka has already acknowledged that it will take some adjusting after last year’s spectator ban to adjust to the return of fans to the 23,771-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium. AFP

Patrick Cantlay of the United States plays a shot on the 16th hole during the final round of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland. AFP

Cantlay nips DeChambeau in epic duel for BMW crown

W

ASHINGTON—Patrick Cantlay drained a 17-foot birdie putt at the sixth playoff hole on Sunday to deny Bryson DeChambeau and win the US PGA Tour BMW Championship.

Cantlay secured his fifth Tour title —and his third of the year—when DeChambeau was unable to get his own eight-foot birdie attempt to drop, an agonizing defeat for a player who had looks at potential tournament-winning putts at the 72nd hole and first three playoff holes.

“I’m as focused as I can be on every single shot, and I try not to let my mind get past the moment that I’m in,” Cantlay said.

“Then I kind of let the chips fall where they do. I try not to get caught up in being out-driven 45 yards or whatever it is. I just try and lock in and do my absolute best in that moment, and my best is pretty good.”

The last-group playing partners started the day tied for the lead and carded sixunder par 66s to finish on 27-under 261 —four strokes in front of South Korean Im Sung-jae.

The victory in the second of three PGA Tour playoff events sends Cantlay into the concluding Tour Championship atop the playoff standings and in pole

position to claim the FedEx Cup top prize of $15 million.

Cantlay rolled in a 21-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to pull even, piling the pressure on DeChambeau who couldn’t get his 12-foot birdie attempt for the win to drop.

DeChambeau had taken a one-shot lead with a birdie at the par-five 16th, and appeared to be in full control when Cantlay hit his tee shot into the water at the par-three 17th.

But both players ended up with bogey there, Cantlay making a clutch eight-footer to limit the damage as DeChambeau’s poor chip from the greenside rough left him a 10-footer for par that he missed.

The two had been neck-and-neck all day, DeChambeau using his long-hitting aggressive style and Cantlay a more methodical approach.

“My game feels really good,” Cantlay said. “It has for a while now, since the Memorial, and I’m finally starting to putt like me again. It’s really nice.”

DeChambeau had three birdies on the front nine, while Cantlay had four birdies and a bogey as they made the turn tied for the lead at 24-under par.

DeChambeau edged ahead with three birdies in a row at the 10th, 11th and 12th, bombing a 332-yard drive at the 11th and making a five-footer for birdie before rattling in a 10-footer at the par-five 12th.

That kept his nose in front even as Cantlay birdied 11 and 12, but Cantlay pulled level with a 21-foot birdie at the 14th.

A 340-yard drive in the fairway at the par-five 16th set DeChambeau up for another birdie, but Cantlay just wouldn’t go away.

Both were in the fairway at the first playoff hole, the 18th, DeChambeau yards ahead. Cantlay’s second shot put him in deep greenside rough, as DeChambeau was on the green in two. But Cantlay’s chip kissed the cup and holed a five-footer coming back for par.

DeChambeau couldn’t get his long birdie attempt to fall, making his twofooter to send it to the second extra hole.

They returned to the 18th, where DeChambeau again had a golden opportunity to seal the win but couldn’t do so.

Cantlay’s poor approach left him a lengthy birdie try that came up seven feet short. AFP

Messi makes PSG debut, but Mbappe steals show PARIS—Lionel Messi came on as a substitute to make his Paris Saint-Germain debut on Sunday but Kylian Mbappe stole the show by scoring both goals in a 2-0 win against Reims in Ligue 1.

Messi, wearing the number 30 jersey, came off the bench in the 66th minute to replace Neymar at the Stade AugusteDelaune, where fans in the sell-out 21,000 crowd had earlier chanted his name as he emerged to warm up.

The Argentine had not played since arriving in Paris from Barcelona almost three weeks ago, his last appearance in any game dating back to the Copa America final on July 11, when he led his country to victory against Brazil.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner will have to wait for his first goal with his new club, and his first start, which could come when PSG host Clermont in their next match on September 11.

“I’m very happy that he made his debut. It was very important for him,” PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino told broadcaster Amazon Prime after Messi’s lowkey first appearance in a PSG shirt.

“He is still far away from his best form but he has been training well and he will

be fit in the next two weeks, after the international break and, yes, we are waiting for the best from him.”

The week leading up to this game had been dominated not by Messi but by talk of Mbappe’s future, with Real Madrid reportedly having two offers for the France World Cup-winning striker rejected.

The latest of these offers was understood to be worth 180 million euros ($212m), an astronomical amount for a player whose contract expires at the end of the season and who will be free to negotiate a deal with a new club in January without PSG being able to get a transfer fee.

That amount is also equal to what PSG paid Monaco in 2017 to sign Mbappe, who was clearly eager to go out on a high if this was to be his final appearance for the club.

‘Kylian is our player’ With the transfer deadline looming on Tuesday, the 22-year-old did not appear remotely distracted by the talk of a move as he headed in a glorious Angel Di Maria cross in the 15th minute to put the away side in front.

Mbappe then scored his second of the night, and third of the season, just after the hour mark, finishing off an inviting low

cross to the back post by Achraf Hakimi.

“Kylian is our player and you know that in football and in business there is always gossip and rumours,” Pochettino said of Mbappe.

“I think our president and our sporting director were very clear and he is still here. I am really happy to have Kylian.

“He is one of the best, one of the most important players in the world today and for him to be with us is a gift.”

Reims were once France’s pre-eminent club, twice reaching the European Cup final in 1956 and 1959, but it is a long time since the footballing spotlight has been on the city, 150 kilometres north-east of Paris in the Champagne region, to such an extent.

The home side, whose coach Oscar Garcia played for Barcelona in the 1990s, had what they thought was an equalising goal by Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi early in the second half disallowed for offside.

They put up a good fight but the chances of any team in France stopping PSG—even if Mbappe departs—are slim.

Neymar started, making his first appearance of the season, while Di Maria

Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe fights for the ball with Reims’ Guadeloupean defender Andreaw Gravillon during the French L1 football match between Stade de Reims and Paris Saint-Germain at Stade Auguste Delaune in Reims, northern France. AFP

also played in an all-star attack.

They are the only team in Ligue 1 with the maximum 12 points after four games and they lie two points clear of surprise package Angers, who beat Rennes 2-0.

Defending champions Lille recorded their first victory of the Ligue 1 cam-

paign as Yusuf Yazici and Jonathan David scored in a 2-1 win over Montpellier.

Monaco bounced back from their elimination from the Champions League in the play-off round in midweek to win 2-1 at Troyes, Sofiane Diop’s brace securing their first victory of the league season. AFP

Quartararo nears world title with British MotoGP win SILVERSTONE—Fabio Quartararo closed in on his first MotoGP world championship by romping to his fifth victory of the season at the British Grand Prix to stretch his lead in the championship standings to 65 points.

The Frenchman on a Yamaha showed no ill effects from a fall in practice on Friday that left him struggling to walk.

Quartararo started in third and briefly slipped to fourth after a sluggish start, but then quickly moved through the field to hit the front by lap five.

Yamaha French rider He then eased away from the chasing pack to win by 2.6 seconds Fabio Quartararo from Alex Rins of Suzuki with Aleix Espargaro securing Aprilia’s celebrates winning first MotoGP podium in third. the MotoGP race of “During the race I was feeling really comfortable,” said Quartararo. the motorcycling “I overtake step by step and it was nice. Then my pace was really British Grand Prix at strong, I didn’t expect to pull away. I was enjoying it at a good pace Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire, but not going 100 percent.” central England. AFP The 22-year-old now enjoys a commanding lead as the chasing pack in the world championship struggled.

Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati factory team dropped to fourth in Ninth place was enough to edge Suzuki’s reigning world champion Joan Mir into second in the standings with Johann Zarco of Ducati the world championship after finishing 14th.

“It’s a long way to go,” insisted Quartararo. “I’m not thinking about Pramac moving into third by finishing 11th.

it at all right now and that is how you increase your lead.

“Right now I’m over the moon and feel so good on the bike.”

There was a much tighter battle behind Quartararo for a place on the podium as Rins and Espargaro came under late pressure from Jack Miller of Ducati.

The Australian passed Espargaro on the final lap, but the Spaniard recovered to regain his position and was in tears on his bike at the end after ending Aprilia’s wait for a podium in the modern-era of MotoGP and his first since 2014.

“It’s like a dream,” said Espargaro. “Finally to be here is fantastic. We’ve been very competitive, very close to the podium all season and to finally be here is fantastic for everyone at Aprilia and myself.”

Earlier, Romano Fenati led a full Italian podium to win the Moto3 race and keep his world championship hopes alive.

Fenati is still third in the championship standings, but his first win of the season cut Spaniard Pedro Acosta’s lead to 69 points with his first race win of the season.

Niccolo Antonelli was second with Dennis Foggia in third.

Acosta was down in 11th with compatriot Sergio Garcia, who sits second in the world championship standings, finishing 16th. AFP

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

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Hidilyn Diaz raises the bar and makes the Smart move THE Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz joins Team Smart as its newest ambassador, a collaboration aligned with the thrust of the country’s leading mobile services provider to empower and inspire Filipino athletes and its millions of subscribers.

Much like Hidilyn, love of sports has always been deeply ingrained in the Smart DNA. The telco has been doing its share of heavy lifting to provide support for our athletes both at home and on the international stage. In fact, Smart has been a part of Hidilyn’s journey since 2016.

Moreover, the MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) has always been in Hidilyn’s corner, giving constant support from then until now. This partnership with Hidilyn came as no surprise because Smart and Hidilyn are coming

from years of shared passion in heeding TNT to be the latest Katropa champithe call for a stronger nation. oning Filipino values among the youth — simple at totoo, mapangarap, madUplifting the nation in her iskarte, positibo, and makatropa. TNT aims to support local talents and help winning moment “Hidilyn has given us something give them the platform to showcase priceless amidst the challenges we their talent to the world, and the brand all face. In her winning moment, she is also proud to have Hidilyn be a part uplifted all of us and reminded the of their family to spread positivity and whole nation what triumph feels like,” inspire the Filipino youth in chasing and said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of achieving their dreams.

Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

“Andito ako lumala“Hidilyn’s historic success is ban para sa Pilipinas,” said Hidilyn. every Filipino’s success story. She is “I don’t want to give up for myself and committed more than ever to keep on for you because young athletes deserve inspiring Filipinos, and we want to work a role model who doesn’t give up on with her in telling new stories of hope, her dreams. This is one of the reasons inspiration, and excellence. We look why I decided to partner with Smart and forward to a fruitful partnership with TNT, so we may continue to inspire othanother world-class Filipino athlete ers. Smart is also like home to me. It’s a in Hidilyn,” she added. brand that has always been there for me Hidilyn is joining Smart›s value brand from way back.”

Young contemporary dancer Daphne Tamondong

Young lady performer clinches online improv dance battle CONTEMPALABAN: Lockdown Edition, a month-long online competition that challenged performers to showcase their creativity, resourcefulness and skills through a series of improvised challenges, has awarded young contemporary dancer Daphne Tamondong as the Grand Champion.

For her winning act, Tamondong, a resident artist with Hiraya Contemporary Dance Company and a member of Kinection, had to portray a “person who swallowed an atomic bomb”. She explored and maximized her interpretation as she moved to the beats of Lemon World by Australian alternative psychedelic rock band Ocean Valley.

Meanwhile, runner-up Eiana Nova, a Zambales-based hip-hop dancer and a member of powerhouse troupe A-Team PH, was asked to interpret “a hatching snake egg” scenario. The two-time Contempalaban finalist displayed her versatility to the tune of Kailan Tayo Sasayaw by Filipino musical artist Frank Ely. Contempalaban aims to provide a platform for artists of all ages and all genres.

The event wishes to bring and promote the

art form in the digital landscape.

The competition, which started from a pool of participants, underwent a series of qualifying rounds that required the dancers to improvise using the music and props designated by officials.

The challenge was hosted by the awardwinning Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company (SBRDC)-Contemporary, the resident dance team of the De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde.

Contempalaban: Lockdown Edition was judged by a roster of experts including Erl Sorilla, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Dance Workshop resident dancer, teacher and choreographer and long-time Ballet Philippines dancer; Zyda Baaya, former Ballet Philippines company scholar, dance mentor, Daloy Dance Company senior member and SBRDC alumna; and Jom Vidal, dance instructor and former SBRDC company manager.

Watch the final performances on the official Facebook page of SBRDC at https://www.facebook.com/romancondanceco.benilde.

FDCP celebrates inaugural Philippine Film Industry Month BEGINNING this year, the Philippines is Industry Conference (IFIC), First Cut Lab officially celebrating and commemorat- Philippines (FCL PH), FDCP FilmPhiliping the heritage, significance, and legacy pines Incentives Program, and Mit Out of Philippine Cinema through Philippine Sound: International Silent Film Lab. FDCP’s flagship program, the 5th Film Industry Month, an annual monthlong observation mandated by President Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP), returns to the FDCP Rodrigo Duterte.

Channel with its first The Film Development leg, featuring free Council of Philippines screenings from (FDCP), as the lead agency the Sine Kabataan in observing Philippine Short Film ComFilm Industry Month, has petition and Sine lined up a wide array of Isla: LuzViMinda events and programs for the Short Film Cominaugural celebration with petition from the theme “Ngayon ang Sept. 17 to 26.

Bagong SineMula!”

Also screenDue to the COVID-19 ing for free pandemic, the observance on the FDCP of Philippine Film IndusChannel are try Month 2021 will be eight heritage done online on the social films restored media pages of FDCP for FDCP’s Philippine Film enhanced the Opening and Closing Industry Month celebrates or events. Screenings will be and commemorates the by the FDCP Philippine Film hosted exclusively on the heritage, significance, FDCP Channel virtual plat- and legacy of Philippine Archive such as “Insiang” by National Artist form (fdcpchannel.ph).

Cinema.

Lino Brocka and Manila The Opening of Philipby Night by National Artpine Film Industry Month ist Ishmael Bernal for the on Sept. 1, to be streamed on FDCP’s Facebook pages and YouTube whole month of September, and films channel, will feature the launch of the Nood in the special Elwood Perez RetrospecTayo ng Sine Campaign plus important an- tive from Sept. 25 to 30. Read full story nouncements from the International Film on manilastandard.net

bbno$ weighs in on Tiktok fame, virality

By Maria Katrina Segui RISING Canadian star bbno$ (pronounced baby no money) continues to dominate viral Tiktok videos and amass millions of streams with eccentric rap hits that let his whimsical

personality shine through.

The rapper spilled details on what makes up a viral track and working with Rich Brian on a virtual junket on Friday.

Born as Alexander Leon Gumuchian, bbno$ started his music career on the free streaming site Soundcloud before his breakout track “Lalala” featuring Y2K blew up on Tiktok. The hit song has garnered nearly 800 million streams to date.

“If you see ‘Lalala’’ and take it as a poster child for virality, I understand how it blew up because I was like the first person watching it. Everything worked in its favor but the reason is because it’s a good song. I think even if it doesn’t blow up on Tiktok, if the song is good, any single person around the globe can be like ‘Yo I like how this sounds.’ As long

The Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is launched as the newest brand ambassador of Smart Communications.

For Smart’s newest campaign featur- link: https://fb.watch/7EgfYY_uk0/ ing the Olympic medalist, click on this Read full story on manilastandard.net

Alden shares beauty of working with Jasmine M

ULTIMEDIA star Alden Richards is happy with the viewing public’s warm reception to his team-up with Jasmine Curtis Smith in their hit GMA-7 series The World Between Us, which took a season break on Friday.

The 29-year-old star said that he did not experience any difficulties working with his leading lady.

“That’s the beauty about working with her. We’re on the same page when it comes to acting. I see how professional she is. Work becomes easier because Jasmine knows her craft,” he started.

“I consider that as an advantage. We are the love team in the show and we’re very comfortable working with each other. It reflects in the scenes we do. Sometimes, we surprise Direk Dom (Zapata) because we exceed the expectations of the script. Scenes turn out to be better.”

Alden “definitely enjoys” portraying his character in his latest soap. Louie, who is somewhat gray in nature, is a character that challenges him as an actor. He also considers the role as his stepping stones to portraying more mature characters in his next projects.

“I had a word with top management recently to reassess my character in the soap and for future projects as well.

It’s been our observation that our ratings spike when we do unconventional scenes like when Louie fights back and he doesn’t allow himself to be oppressed. I guess the audience gets more interested in it rather than the usual sweet moments. As we see it, they want to see a new version of Alden transitioning into more mature roles,” he explained.

Personally, is he ready to play bad guy characters?

“That’s what we don’t know yet since I haven’t done a full-blown antagonist part yet. I remember doing ‘The Road’

‘The World Between Us’ stars Alden Richards and Jasmine Curtis Smith

in 2011 though, and it was kind of offbeat. I think we can plan the process slowly. We should not be in a hurry. As Warren Buffett said, when you test the water, you don’t test it with two feet but just one,” Alden said. Read full story on manilastandard.net

“Drag Den PH’ raids social media with inclusive call for auditions International drag icon Manila Luzon

UPCOMING first and original drag reality se series, Drag Den Philippines bangs open its doors for auditions for all drag artists across the country. Promoting individuality and inclusivity, the show welcomes all kinds of drag—from “bio queens” (female drag queens) to “drag kings” (women dressing up as men).

Led by the international drag icon, Manila Luzon, Drag Den Philippines joins hand with worldleading short video platform, TikTok, where they launched and are holding their auditions. The Tik TikTok campaign hashtag #DragDenPHAudition hits the top trending topics on the app with over 1.5 mil million mentions and counting.

Going by their catch phrase, ““Dragdagulan na! (a gay slang for ‘Let the drag showdown begin!’)”, the show forefronts the local queer culture and brand of humor, evident with their call for auditions video that is a parody of the viral Filipino meme and modern Pinoy caricature, “Lyn From Las Vegas”, played by no other than the face of the show herself, Manila Luzon.

The video shocked social media and reaped over overwhelming positive responses from Filipinos and fans around the globe, commending Manila Luzon for being brave and “game” to explore the Pinoy variety of spoof.

as it sounds good it’ll do well,” he explained.

“But with Tiktok, I don’t think you can really formulate success on Tiktok. You can’t really artificially make it. That’s the one thing I kinda like about Tiktok but I kinda also hate it. It’s like you’re literally, you’re relying on the people. But at the end of the day that’s how it should be,” he carried on.

With two billion streams under his belt, bbno$ continues to expand his growing catalogue with his upcoming album, Eat Ya Veggies. The album features the freshly-released single “Edamame” with 88rising’s leading act, Rich Brian, whom he cites as one of his major musical influences.

The Vancouver native gushed about working with the popular Indonesian rapper. “I remember when he sent the verse I was like,

The show’s and its creators’ love for the Pinoy drag community extends beyond looping in with zappy jargons: their heart goes for the queens. Drag Den Philippines generously offers their finalists free airfare for participants living outside the National Capital Region, free accommodation throughout the run of the show, and hand-in-hand support with Filipino fashion designers for drag costumes.

Grand cash prizes and cosmetic brand sponsorships are just the finishing razzle dazzle of Drag Den’s bonanza: The show teases a career and livelihood showcase among other queenly perks for the “Philippines’ First Ever Drag Supreme”, courtesy of Cornerstone Entertainment Inc. and WeTV, the show’s official streaming platform partner.

Interested auditionees may submit their entries until Aug. 31, 11:59 p.m. (PH Time) on the show’s official social media affiliate, TikTok. All applicants must be Filipino citizens residing in the Philippines and are at least 18 years of age.

Here is the four-step audition mechanics: 1. Create a video showcasing your drag. Anything goes, and you may use any music you like. Just make sure that your video does not exceed three minutes; 2. Upload your video on TikTok with a brief caption introducing yourself. Use their official hashtag #DragDenPHAudition, and tag @dragden and @wetvphilippines on TikTok; 3. Fill up their audition form on this link: www.bit.ly/ JoinDragDen; and 4.Wait for their call.

Drag Den Philippines is a joint project by CS Studios, Project 8, and WeTV. Follow @dragdenph across social media for all the latest first-hand updates.

“Oh, it’s real,” like that really happened.”

“It was almost like a full circle you know, like you work and you work and you look up to these people and then you meet them and they’re just normal people and you make a song and now you’re on the same level,” he said. bbno$ had his first big break after popular Chinese dance group TFBoys used his song “Yoyo Tokyo,” which allowed him to sell out several tours in China in 2017. To date, the rapper has over 2 billion streams, 10 million Spotify listeners, and over one million Instagram followers. His upcoming album Eat Ya Veggies is set to release next month.

Canadian rapper bbno$ will release his new album ‘Eat Ya Veggies’ next month which features a Rich Brian collaboration.

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

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

By Bernadette Lunas

“T

HERE’S a lot of barriers to building confidence, one of them is personal insecurity [about] how we look, our appearance,” said Vince Marquez, product manager for an anti-dandruff shampoo.

Dandruff, among other persistent health conditions visible to other people, can be a cause of insecurity, especially considering the misconception about its connection to hygiene.

More complex than you think

“It is not something that happens to a person when they don’t shower or because they’re unclean,” emphasized Marquez, adding that dandruff can be caused by a yeast-like fungus malassezia, which, according to dermatologist Amanda Oakley, MD, inhabits the skin of about 90 percent of adults without causing harm.

“Some people are just born sensitive to it or are undergoing challenges or changes in their lives which cause stress that could make us become more sensitive to it,” Marquez added.

While the one true cause remains unclear, a 2005 study found three “most likely” factors leading to itchy and flaky scalp: individual susceptibility (immune system, overall microbial community), sebaceous secretion, and malassezia.

Nonprofit Mayo Clinic adds “dry skin”, “not shampooing enough”, “contact dermatitis”, and “other skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema” as other possible causes of dandruff.

Dandruff is not contagious and is generally mild and controllable with medicated dandruff shampoo.

Selsun Blue, whose formulation includes 1 percent selenium sulfide, slows the growth of the fungus that

Life

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

Confidence flaking off?

Anti-dandruff shampoo gives a boost

ITCHING TO SCRATCH. Dandruff, among other persistent health conditions visible to other people, can be a cause of insecurity.

Selsun Blue’s Upside Down Class Pass features a three-part series of confidence-building health and fitness classes led by (from left) National University Pep Squad coach Ghicka Bernabe, pole and aerial dance instructor Jamaica Jornacion, certified fitness coach Ida Paras, and CrossFit trainer Jigs Mayuga.

causes the infection.

“Since relaunching in 2016, we’ve been able to help people address their dandruff concerns,” said Selsun Blue product manager Marquez.

Distributed to the country by Cam-

Dandruff control shampoo Selsun Blue is formulated with 1 percent selenium sulfide that targets the fungus that causes the infection.

bert Pilipinas, the dandruff control shampoo is available in two variants: Selsun Blue Pro-X with menthol and Selsun Blue PRO 2-in-1 shampoo with conditioner. Both are formulated with French honey extract to provide moisture and hydration.

To treat dandruff using the shampoo, Cambert marketing head Jenny Arcellana recommends twice a week of use. “Gently massage on scalp in circular motion and leave it on for two to three minutes,” she said, stressing to focus on the scalp without scratching it. After rinsing, “use conditioner from mid-hair to tips”.

Arcellana said Selsun Blue would not hasten fading of hair color, and suitable for those who had perm or straightening treatment so long as they wash with regular shampoo first to remove chemical buildup. “Because you only use it twice a week and only on the scalp, it

won’t really have any adverse effect on Studio, teaching the basics of pole and colored hair or chemically treated hair,” aerial dance. she explained.

“Get Confidence on Fleek”, the second episode slated on Sept. 15 is CrossBuilding confidence Fit for beginners led by certified fitness In keeping with its commitment to coaches Jigs Mayuga and Ida Paras of building confidence, Selsun Blue launch- The Movement Studio. es the Upside Down Class Pass. The proNational University Pep Squad coach gram features a three-part series of health Ghicka Bernabe will share an engaging and fitness classes led by experts. exercise routine in the third episode, “The Class Pass program is our way “Pro-fidence”, on Sept. 29. of doubling down on our goal of buildEvery episode will have board-certiing confidence,” said Marquez. “Be- fied dermatologist Miya Dayrit-Castro, cause on top of battling dandruff with MD to discuss ways of dealing with Selsun Blue, a person can build confi- dandruff, and mental health coach Zadence by learning new skills, engaging rah Hernaez to talk about confidence. in new activities, seeking counsel, or The Upside Down Class Pass is availjust being social.” able for free on Selsun Blue Philippines’ The first episode on Sept. 1, titled Facebook page. Selsun Blue Anti-Dan“Confidence 101”, will feature Jamai- druff Shampoo is available at Watsons ca Jornacion, chief executive officer and Mercury Drug, and on Shopee, Laof Beast House Pole and Aerial Dance zada, and, starting September, Zalora.

Nutritionist-dietitian approved self-care regimen SELF-care takes more than doing something that makes you difficult or tedious at first. A registered nutritionist-dietitian happy for a few minutes. Self-care can also mean investing practicing integrative and functional nutrition shares a selfin your overall well-being by doing things that may look care regimen doable even in lockdown.

Cheshire Que recommends looking for online home exercise programs that build strength and endurance. (In photo is Sam Isleta using a kettlebell)

Fuel up with plant-based food While highlighting that plantbased does not mean no-meat or animal products, Que says it emphasizes whole and unprocessed to minimally processed foods. “The idea is to include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts, with minimal consumption of animal products.”

The nutritionist-dietitian highlights cranberry juice as an ideal drink before workout and as “a Plant-based diet focuses on including more whole functional food that may help and unprocessed to minimally processed foods. with UTI prevention and as an oxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This adjunct to treatment”.

“Cranberry juice can provide an in- helps combat oxidative stress.” Fly Ace stant energy boost because it contains Corporation offers Old Orchard cranreadily absorbable simple carbohy- berry juice, available in leading superdrates. It’s also a rich source of anti- markets and drugstores nationwide.

Manage mind and emotions Make time for movement

“Look for a virtual home exercise that you enjoy to get you started,” Cheshire Que, RND suggests. “There are tons of options that you can find on YouTube that require a small amount of space with little or no equipment required.

Consider activities that build strength and endurance to enhance muscle building, as well as online functional fitness training with a professional.”

Que adds, those experiencing uncontrollable pee or can “barely hold” urine when laughing or exerting effort may add Kegel exercise to their routine “to help strengthen the pelvic floor or the group of muscles that give you proper control over your bladder and bowels.”

Here’s how to do it: Make sure that the bladder is empty, then sit or lie.

Tighten the pelvic floor muscles, hold tight and count 3 to 5 seconds. Relax and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10x.

Breathe during the process.

“The body affects the mind and the mind affects the body, that’s why paying attention to our mental health is a crucial step,” Que says.

She suggests yoga and pilates to help keep the body moving and the mind present and calm. Meditation, journaling,

anger, and depression, she says.

“Remember that chronic stress not only impairs the immune system, it can also make us more susceptible to infections and other illnesses when left unmanaged.”

“High levels of the stress hormone cortisol will lead to a compromised immune system. When this happens, the consequence would be Meditate increased susceptibility to into conquer fection from virus, bacteria, or anxiety. fungi,” she explains.

Que emphasizes the importance of addressing infections such as UTI, “because if left untreated, it will affect other parts of the urinary system including the kidneys”.

“This can cause pyelonephritis or inflammation of the kidneys or, worse, permanent damage to it. When bacteria seep into the bloodstream, it can cause blood coloring, cooking, gardening, or other re- infection (urosepsis) and this can be falated activities also help conquer anxiety, tal,” she adds.

Cam Lagmay leads the program’s low intensity training (LIT) and functional fitness workout routines.

Beginner-friendly workout series TO MAKE fitness fun and accessible to all, adidas teams up with a health and fitness app to offer free workout programs.

Available on the REBEL app, the beginner-friendly adidas x REBEL: Watch Us Move program includes a workout series led by female fitness coaches sporting light-support, Primegreen, Aeroready breathable adidas Formotion wear created by women for women.

HIIT by Sam Corrales

The series features two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts: Full-Body HIIT and Core and Booty HIIT. It includes dynamic and explosive movements like high knees, mountain climbers, drop squats, glute bridges, cross jacks, and more.

The adidas x REBEL: Watch Us Move program consists of beginner-friendly fitness classes.

form daily tasks with ease. Dumbbell exercises like thrusters, sumo squat deadlifts, rows, and more comprise this program.

Dance by Ytle Cruzado

These two dance workouts invite participants to let go, let loose, and LIT by Cam Lagmay REBEL’s most popular work- celebrate the ability to move freely out, low impact training (LIT) puts through beat-based and easy-to-folstrength to the test with low impact low dance routines. movements that are easy on the joints Yoga by Kitkat Cuenca but high on results, such as tempo Also available in two parts: the squats, three-way lunges, side plank Full-Body Stretching Flow relieves extensions, and more. tension, while the Silent Stretch Flow clears the mind.

Functional Fitness The eight-part workout is free on

by Cam Lagmay Mimicking everyday movements, the REBEL App via its 30-day free the series’ Functional Fitness workout trial. Download it on the Apple Store aims to strengthen the body to per- or Google Play Store.