Manila Standard - 2021 September 16 - Thursday

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Cases seen rising 40K/day

UP Team urges stepped-up tracing, testing in high-risk areas

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Willie Casas, Joel E. Zurbano and Rey E. Requejo

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RANULAR lockdowns can be effective in curbing the spread of COVID-19 if more contact tracing and testing are done in high-risk areas, a member of the University of the Philippines COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team said Wednesday, warning that the daily tally could hit 40,000 a day by late September or early October.

“Based on our projections, the numbers could still be increasing up to the end of September to early October and we might reach 30,000 to 40,000 cases per day, reported through RT-PCR testing,” Professor Jomar Rabajante told ANC’s “Rundown.”

ON A PEDESTAL. His Eminence Jose F. Cardinal Advincula blesses the altar where pictures of medical front liners who have died of COVID-19 are placed during a mass at the San Felipe Neri Parish in Mandaluyong City, September 15, 2021. Over a hundred health workers have perished since the onslaught of the virus pandemic in 2020. Manny Palmero

61 nuns in QC along with 54 COVID-infected

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ICC OKS PROBE INTO DRUG WAR

By Rio N. Araja

STORY BELOW

VOL. XXXV • NO. 213 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DOH budget 8th biggest among 10 agencies; frontline workers unhappy

By Macon Ramos-Araneta HEALTH workers from state hospitals and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) on Wednesday blasted the government for failing to spend enough on people’s safety, protection, welfare and health.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) budget comprises only 4.81 percent of the proposed P5.024 trillion national budget for 2022, said Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) president Robert Mendoza.

The 2022 proposed DOH budget amounting to P242 billion is deceptive, he added, because 33 percent or the P79.9 billion is allotted to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth).

The actual DOH budget under the Office of the Secretary allotment is only

ON THEIR TOES. Following a terror alert initiated by Japan, members of the Special Weapons and Tactic (SWAT) of the Manila Police District make their presence felt along the busy C.M. Recto Avenue in Manila, on September 15, 2021. The Japanese Embassy confirmed that the Tokyo government has issued a warning to alert Japanese people who are living in the Philippines and five other Southeast Asian countries on a possible terrorist attack. Norman Cruz

P157 billion. The budget for the 76 public hospitals that directly provide health services to the people falls under this item.

“Contrary to the Duterte government’s proud claim that the DOH budget ranks fourth, facts showed that Next page

Coronavirus accounts for 104 fatalities

By Willie Casas SOME 104 healthcare workers have succumbed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

Based on the latest situational report of DOH, a total 24,284 healthcare workers have tested positive for the illness as of September 13.

Of this, a total 23,814 have recovered and 366 are still undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, 221 of the active cases are experiencing mild symptoms, 95 are asymptomatic, 21 are in severe condition, 20 are in moderate condiNext page

AT LEAST 114 people, including 61 nuns, from a convent in Quezon City, have tested positive for COVID-19.

The City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, headed by Dr. Rolando Cruz, said four drivers, 18 lay partners, 14 health aides, 13 caregivers, a nursing student, and 61 nuns from the Religious of the Virgin Mary convent in Barangay Kaunlaran New Manila were found to be infected by the virus.

Cruz said 22 of the patients were asymptomatic; 86 were mild cases, four were moderate cases, and two were severe.

The severe cases were admitted to the infirmary’s intensive care unit.

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2,283,011 16,989

170,446

35,742

214

2,076,823 24,123 (As of 4 PM, September 15)

‘Bar Cabinet from probe but not private men’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has legal basis to prohibit members of his Cabinet from attending Senate inquiries, but not private individuals, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.

The senators made the remark after Duterte instructed officials to get his go-ahead before attending

Senate hearings on the government’s alleged anomalous pandemic transactions.

Sotto said Duterte might block his Cabinet men from attending Senate hearings but not his former economic adviser, Michael Yang, and other personalities being dragged into the controversial Pharmally deals with the government.

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IN A HURRY.

Youngsters line up to get registered as voters at the Commission on Elections office on Arroceros Street in Manila, on September 15, 2021. Voters registration for the 2022 national and local elections will end on September 30 and COMELEC stands firm on its decision not to extend the deadline.

Norman Cruz

ON THE BRINK. The Manila Medical Center along United Nations Avenue in Manila hangs a tarpaulin informing the public that the emergency room is temporarily closed for COVID-19 patients on Wednesday, September 15, 2021. Many other hospitals in Metro Manila have reached full capacity and the health care system may be on the brink of a full-blown crisis owing to a steady rise in virus infections. Danny Pata

ICC OKs probe into PH drug war COA chief: No overpricing of face masks, shields JUDGES at the International Criminal Court on Wednesday gave the green light for a full investigation into crimes against humanity during the Philippines’ so-called “war on drugs.”

The court “granted the prosecutor’s request to commence an investigation in relation to crimes within the juris-

diction of the court allegedly committed on the territory of the Philippines” from 2011 to 2019, the Hague-based ICC said in a statement.

“We hope this is the beginning of the end to impunity. No one should be invincible and infallible. There is always a Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Commission on Audit told legislators Wednesday it found no irregularity in the purchase of face masks and face shields under the Duterte administration from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.

At a hearing conducted by the House

of Representatives Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo said most of its audit report on PS-DBM was about “inventory management,” and that there was no overpricing.

“What I can say, your honor, is that there is nothing in the COA report on the PS-DBM that pertains to overpricing,

there’s no statement to that. The observations relate more to inventory management than overpricing,” Aguinaldo told the hearing, headed by Rep. Michael Aglipay of DIWA party-list group.

The Aglipay panel held a parallel probe with the Senate on the procurement of materials for COVID-19 items Next page

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Heed Japan warning—lawmaker

By Maricel V. Cruz

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LAWMAKER said Wednesday the Philippines should heed the Japanese government’s warning of possible terrorist attacks in Southeast Asia.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, chairperson of the House strategic intelligence committee, said: “Our sense is, it is best for all of us to take the alarm seriously and heighten our vigilance. Our security forces should take all the necessary precautions.”

“Hundreds of Japanese corporations are heavily invested in the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia. It goes without saying that Japan devotes considerable intelligence gathering to look after these

interests, including the Japanese citizens working in the region,” he added.

But the Philippine Coast Guard assured the public that it “sees no reason to be alarmed” after the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines warned of possible terror attacks in six Southeast Asian countries.

In a statement, PCG Commandant Vice Adm. Leopoldo Laroya said district commanders across the country have “always been” on intensified border protection and 24/7 seaborne patrol

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among the 10 agencies of the government, DOH only ranks eighth with an allotted budget of only P157 billion,” Mendoza said.

He said the government has put its “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program at the top of its priorities, as the Department of Public Works and Highways has a budget of P686.1 billion, almost four times as much as the DOH budget.

The DOH budget, he said, is akin to allotting only P3.86 per Filipino per day.

“Obviously, the 2022 proposed health budget does not reflect the Duterte government’s serious effort in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the budget showed gross neglect of people’s health and safety in this time of worsening health crisis,” he said.

Millions of pesos in budget cuts in maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) at government-owned hospitals would directly hurt Batanes General Hospital, Regional II Trauma and Medical Center, Bicol Region General Hospital, Mindanao Central Sanitarium at Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, the Lung Center of the Philippines, the Philippine Heart Center, and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.

The MOOE of Philippine General Hospital was also cut down to P130 million.

“Cutting MOOE budget means more burden to poor patients admitted to these hospitals especially now that there is a pandemic,” Mendoza said.

He said patients will have to pay more because hospitals will be forced to increase their fees for laboratory and diagnostics services, medicines, supplies and room rates as part of their income generation efforts.

Even National Referral Laboratories (NRL) have cuts in their MOOE namely: DOH Central Office NRL has a P10 million cut, East Ave Medical Center NRL has P8 million cut and RITM with a P170 million cut.

The Personnel Services (PS) budget for Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital was also cut down by P303 million. The budget for PS is intended for the salaries of health workers or government employees.

Meanwhile, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said the P5.024 trillion national budget for 2022 must be able to keep pace with the COVID-19 pandemic. “[There are] no provisions (in the national budget) for the vaccination of minors, the special risk allowance (SRA) for health workers, and other items related to the government’s response to the COVID-19 variants, including the highly-infectious Delta variant,” said Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee, With the emergence of Delta and the other COVID variants, he said the requirements of frontline agencies are constantly moving. The situation is changing rapidly and so the budget process must keep up, he said.

On the budget for the vaccination program, the Department of Budget and Management noted that the proposed 2022 national budget only contains funding for the purchase of booster shots for individuals who have already completed their jabs in the amount of P45 billion under the unprogrammed fund and not for the inoculation of children aged 12 to 17.

“We still did not include the undetected cases and those detected by antigen tests,” he said.

Rabajante said he believes granular lockdowns are better than region-wide or province-wide lockdowns.

“We’ve seen in the data that very wide lockdowns are not anymore effective compared to the 2020 and March 2021 ECQs,” Rabajante said, referring to the enhanced community quarantines imposed last year and early this year.

With granular lockdowns, Rabajante said health authorities can really target places with very high risk and a high clustering of cases.

However, to be successful, local governments will need to do more contact tracing and implement COVID-related rules strictly. More testing must also be done in areas under lockdown, he said.

Granular lockdowns, he added, will need more people to implement the rules.

“Sadly, I’m working with some LGUs and they don’t have people to do this,” he said.

The head of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI), however, said he doubts if the new alert system will be effective in bringing down new COVID-19 cases.

PHAPI President Dr. Rene de Grano on Wednesday told CNN Philippines they understand the need to shift to a new alert system to allow more economic activities, but he questioned the basis of declaring a general community quarantine with different alert levels based on COVID-19 case transmission and health care utilization.

“The problem I see is the basis for the levels. I’m not sure if health care workers were consulted on the new alert levels,” he said in Filipino.

He said hospital occupancy rate

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Healthcare workers have recently staged protest actions over delayed special risk allowances amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to this, the Department of Budget and Management said it had released an additional P888.12 million to fund the SRA. Earlier this week, an infectious dis-

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From A1 after COA flagged the Department of Health’s (DOH) transfer of P42 billion funds to fight pandemic to various agencies, including PS-DBM. “So it is not correct to say that COA has said the purchase was overpriced because [there was no finding to the effect]. Anyway, we are here to be able to provide clarification to any of the questions the committee members will ask,” Aguinaldo said.

At the Senate, the Blue Ribbon panel led by Sen. Richard Gordon questioned the P8.7 billion funds that went to Pharmally, which only has P625,000 capital, in the procurement of pandemic items.

Pharmally bagged the contracts to supply face masks and face shields to the PS-DBM. President Duterte’s for-

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From A1 time for everything,” said Edre Olalia, president of the National Union of People’s Lawyers that is assisting the group Rise Up for Life and for Rights on its complaint before the ICC. The Hague-based court approved the probe despite the fact that Manila left the court in 2019 following a prelimiease expert called for COVID-19 booster shots for healthcare workers, saying the vaccines they were given at the start of the pandemic could become less effective over time.

Dr. Rontgene Solante, a member of the Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP), said this could be seen on the ground, with health workers catching COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated.

Although most of these cases were mild, Solante said losing these health workers for 14 quarantine days would hurt the fight against COVID-19.

Abu Sayyaf man, kidnap suspect, collared in QC

operations within their areas.

“With the latest pronouncement of the Japan Embassy, rest assured that our men and women will not put their guards down and will continue to be vigilant in conducting precautionary measures for public safety,” Laroya said.

Pimentel, however, said the last time a foreign government openly warned of a possible terrorist attack in the Philippines, “an incident actually happened.”

Pimentel cited the failed attempt by the ISIS-linked Abu Sayyaf Group to kidnap foreign tourists in Bohol in April 2017.

Two days before the Abu Sayyaf incursion in Inabanga, Bohol, the United States embassy in Manila had warned its citizens over “unsubstantiated yet cred-

ible information that terrorist groups may attempt to conduct kidnappings in Central Visayas, which includes both Cebu and Bohol provinces.”

The Bohol raid resulted in clashes that killed 11 militants, along with three Philippine Army troopers and a police officer.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry urged its citizens on Monday to stay away from religious sites and large gatherings in six Southeast Asian nations, warning of a possible attack.

The ministry said it had obtained information that “there are increased risks such as suicide bombings.”

The warning applies to Japanese citizens in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar.

should not be the basis for the alert level because some hospitals treat patients from other provinces.

De Grano also said the government’s data on transmission rate are still unreliable since contact tracing remains slow.

The Philippines logged 16,989 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the fewest in almost two weeks, bringing the total number of infections to 2,283,011.

Wednesday’s number of fresh infections is the lowest since Sept. 2, when the Department of Health (DOH) announced 16,621 cases.

The relatively low number of cases was due to lower laboratory output on Monday, Sept. 13.

The DOH also reported 214 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 35,742.

The DOH also reported 24,123 new recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 2,076,823.

There were 170,446 active cases, of which 85.4 percent were mild, 9.8 percent were asymptomatic, 0.7 percent were critical, 1.4 percent were severe, and 2.7 percent were moderate.

On Sept. 13, the Philippines was able to test 57,034 people, of which 25.9 percent tested positive for the illness.

Nationwide, 77 percent of the ICU beds, 69 percent of the isolation beds, 73 percent of the ward beds, and 57 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

In Metro Manila, 79 percent of the ICU beds, 66 percent of the isolation beds, 73 percent of the ward beds, and 61 percent of the ventilators, were in use.

The DOH reported that, based on its data analysis inMetro Manila and other cities, 80 percent of new cases in the recent two weeks came from 11 percent to 30 percent of barangays.

The DOH added that the analysis supports the move to focus on imposing granular lockdowns on selected

areas rather than wide scale lockdowns of entire provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities, which have hurt the livelihood of Filipinos.

“Additionally, wide scale lockdowns might no longer be effective since data shows that the majority of Filipinos in NCR were mobile during the enhanced community quarantine on Aug. 10 than the previous ECQ last April 2021 as more essential activities and workers were allowed,” said DOH spokesperson Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

The DOH said that the country is moving towards more targeted and recalibrated actions towards high-risk activities, imposing localized or granular lockdowns at the household and barangay level and implementing targeted response strategies to prevent transmission and reduce strain on the livelihood of Filipinos.

The DOH urged LGUs to conduct active case finding, reduce the time for case detection to isolation, and improve vaccine coverage to lowerCOVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, the independent OCT Research Group said Metro Manila’s virus reproduction number dropped slightly this week even as the region continues to average more than 5,000 COVID-19 cases each day.

OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said the reproduction number, which refers to the number of people that each case can infect, stood at 1.34 this week, down from 1.39 seven days ago.

David said the National Capital Region (NCR) had an average of 5,854 daily COVID-19 cases over the past week, with a growth rate of 11 percent.

The Pasay City government said it is preparing food packs and other essential items intended for residents to be affected by granular lockdowns while Metro Manila is under the Alert Level 4.

mer economic adviser, Michael Yang, has been linked to Pharmally.

Like COA, Overall Ombudsman Warren Liong, then director of the PSDBM when the P8.7 billion contract was given to Pharmally, also denied the alleged overpricing.

On March 16, 2020, Liong said the DOH issued a price freeze on face masks, fixing it at P28 per piece. The government. he said, purchased the item at “P27.72, some even lower.”

Liong also explained that PS-DBM complied with the procedure for the emergency procurement under Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan To Heal as One Act of 2020, otherwise known as Bayanihan 1.

Bayanihan 1 exempts the procurement of necessary items from the provisions of the Government Procurement Reform Act. “Under Bayanihan 1, we were allowed to directly negotiate but we still

underwent market price analysis. We chose the one who has the capability to deliver quickly or at least at the nearest possible time, lowest price based on quotations obtained from suppliers who can deliver at the right time and must be compliant with technical specification of the DOH,” Liong said.

Liong also denied that he was close with Senator Christopher Go, saying he never worked under the former Special Assistant to the President.

In related developments, former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang has no drug connections, said Senator Ronald dela Rosa who disclosed Wednesday he investigated him on order of President Rodrigo Duterte, then Davao City Mayor.

Dela Rosa served as Davao City police chief from 2012 to 2013 before he was appointed by Duterte as PNP chief and Bureau of Corrections director.

nary probe into President Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown.

Former ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda had asked judges in June to authorize the full-blown probe into allegations that police unlawfully killed as many as tens of thousands of civilians.

The judges “found there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation, noting the specific element of the crime against humanity of murder,” the court said in a statement.

The court said it appeared that “the so-called ‘war on drugs’ campaign cannot be seen as a legitimate law enforcement operation, and the killings neither as legitimate nor as mere excesses in an otherwise legitimate operation.”

“The available material indicates, to the required standard, that a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population took place pursuant to or in furtherance of a state policy,” it added. With AFP

“The executive department can’t prohibit those who are not government officials. They can prevent Cabinet officials but not Michael Yang. He’s not part of the Cabinet,” Sotto told TeleRadyo.

“It’s up to him (Duterte). However, the Senate will exercise our legislative oversight function over government projects and expenditures that we approved,” the senator added, Lacson said there was a provision in the Constitution that states Cabinet members need the permission of the chief executive to attend hearings but stressed it was “used sparingly.”

He was referring to Section 22, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, that partly states, “The heads of departments may upon their own initiative, with the consent of the President, or upon the request of either House, as the rules of each House shall provide, appear before and be heard by such House on any matter pertaining to their departments.”

Lacson also cited former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Executive Order 464 following the “Hello, Garci” scandal in 2004.

He said the common denominator was “you would only do this because you’re hiding something or there’s something you don’t want to be made public.”

But while it is discretionary upon the President, Lacson said it was the public which would suffer.

“The public will stand to lose, not the Senate, because we’re not inventing facts. The people are facing hardships...

Then they see the government not giving value to public funds,” he said.

He pointed out the Duterte administration would also lose in the court of public opinion.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is investigating the government’s contracts worth P8.68 billion with Pharmally Pharmaceuticals, a company with a starting paid-up capital of less than P625,000.

Jailed Senator Leila de Lima, however, said she was not surprised with Duterte’s effort to prevent the unraveling of the truth about any irregularities in his administration by requiring his clearance before his Cabinet members attend Senate hearings.

De Lima said Duterte’s gag order relative to Cabinet members’ attend-

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will cover houses, buildings, streets or subdivisions.

In the case of a condominium, he said, if there is just one case, the authorities can lock down that floor. A house can be locked down if there is one case; a street if there are two cases.

The 2-week granular lockdown is meant to give way to mass testing, contact-tracing, and isolation. Residents covered by the restriction will automatically undergo swab tests for COVID-19, Olivarez said in a televised briefing.

Authorities will distribute food packs in

areas under granular lockdowns, he said, but there will be no financial assistance.

The Philippine National Police said it is ready to help in the implementation of granular lockdowns and the new quarantine alert level system in Metro Manila starting Thursday.

PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, said the NCR Police Office (NCRPO) personnel have already been instructed to familiarize themselves with the IATF guidelines and continuously coordinate with local government units for the enforcement of rules.

The outbreak at the convent came days after 99 children aged 18 and below from a Quezon City orphanage tested positive for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, who chairs the Metro Manila Council, said just two COVID-19 infections will merit a street’s lockdown.

Fourteen-day granular lockdowns

By Willie Casas THE National Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday the arrest of an Abu Sayyaf member by the operatives of NBI- Counter Terrorism Division (NBI-CTD) in an operation in Culiat, Quezon City for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

NBI Officer-In-Charge Director Eric Distor identified the arrested suspect as Albazir Abdulla a.k.a Abu Saif.

Based on the information received by the NBI-CTD, the suspect, who was involved in the 2001 Golden Harvest Plantation Kidnapping, was sighted in Metro Manila.

A victim-witness identified the suspect in a CTD photo line-up as one of the abductors and a member of the ASG. A series of casing and surveillance operations was conducted by the NBICTD in coordination with counterparts from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to gather more information which revealed the residence of Abu Saif.

On September 10, 2021, NBI-CTD proceeded to the target area in Salam Compound, Brgy. Culiat, Quezon City and apprehended Abu Saif.

The arrested ASG member was then brought to the NBI Detention Facility.

Distor said the suspect was the second member of the ASG to be arrested this year.

On May 7, 2021, Wahab Jamal a.k.a.

Ustadz Halipa was arrested at Maharlika Village in Taguig.

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News Tribesmen call for Makabayan bloc’s ouster A TOTAL of 126 tribes of Indigenous Peoples on Monday called for the resignation of Makabayan Bloc members in Congress.

During the virtual press conference of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict , Gaye Florendo, NTF ELCAC Assistant Spokesperson for Public Affairs and Indigenous Peoples Concerns read the resolutions of the IPS that they will “no longer tolerate and allow Rep. Eufemia Cullamat and all the other members of the Makabayan Bloc in Congress, including Kabataan Rep. Elago and Bayan Muna Rep. Zarate, to misrepresent, manipulate, and use the indigenous communities to serve their violent political agenda.”

“This is actually a call for them to resign from their posts,” Florendo said, “and this call was made after the Makabayan Bloc blocked the budgets of the agencies mandated to provide basic services to IP communities, and particularly because the link and support of these party- list groups to the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s ArmyNational Democratic Front) have become clearer, from statements of former highranking leaders of the CPP-NPA who surrendered and were recruited to the NPA through these partylist groups.

Through the resolutions, the 126-strong IP communities declared Cullamat as a persona non grata. The resolutions also stated that Cullamat does not represent the IP communities and her claim to be an indigenous representative is a grave violation of the indigenous customs and practices.

Florendo is confident that this unified call against Cullamat and the Makabayan bloc is “only the start and will continue.”

On the other hand, Datu Rico Maca, Municipal Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur said, though Cullamat is also an IP member of the Manobo Tribe, she failed to represent them, while receiving no action or support from Cullamat even as they helped Bayan Muna gain a seat in Congress.

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Sputnik V runs out of stock? Solon wary

By Maricel V. Cruz

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round 300,000 Filipinos who took the Russia-made Sputnik V vaccine are still waiting for their second dose, fearing that their first shot would soon lose its efficacy, a House official said on Wednesday.

“I have more than 12,000 of these vaccine takers who received their first jab in June and who were supposed to get the second shot in July. It is now September and there is still no supply,” Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez said.

The representative of Cagayan de Oro City’s second district said hisconstituents “are afraid that the first dose will not be effective anymore because of the long delay in their second dose and their vaccination will not protect them from COVID-19.”

“I suppose this sense of fear, anxiety and uncertainty is shared by the more than 270,000 other Filipinos who had no choice but to take the Russian vaccine because

that was the one delivered to vaccination centers like those in Cagayan de Oro by the Department of Health,” he stressed.

Rodriguez has written Health Secretary Francisco Duque lll and vaccine procurement czar Carlito Galvez pleading for the immediate delivery of Sputnik V to his city and other areas that received their first shipment.

He reminded them that the government has urged Filipinos not to be choosy on their vaccination and that they should get the vaccine that is available.

If there is no Russian vaccine supply that is forthcoming, concerned officials should decide what to do in the case of those who received their first shot of Sput-

nik V, he said.

As this developed, the Department of Health was expected to come up with its position on the issue of COVID-19 booster vaccine in the Philippines within this week.

The All Expert Group has a meeting today to discuss its possible recommendation particularly for health workers who are highly vulnerable and has high exposure to COVID. I think the Department of Health will come up with a position within this week.),” said Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo.

Earlier, the DOH said that the AEG has yet to come up with guidelines regarding the distribution of COVID-19 boosters.

Infectious diseases expert Dr. Rontgene Solante earlier said booster shots should already be given to health workers, most especially those who received Sinovac in March.

This is the data that were trying to complete and the AEG will discuss the need for a booster shot for health workers,” he said. With Willie Casas

Filipino priest named to Pontifical Academy POPE Francis has appointed Filipino Dominican priest, Fr. Albino Barrera, as a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in the Vatican.

The 65-year old US-based priest was appointed to the post on Sept. 14, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines news website said.

Barrera is a moral theologian and professor of economics and theology at Providence College in Rhode Island.

Established by Pope John Paul II in 1994, the Pontifical Academy of

Social Sciences aims to study and discuss the progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.

“The Academy helps offer the Church those elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society,” according to Vatican News.

Born in Manila, Barrera was ordained a priest for the Dominican Order in 1993.

He studied engineering at the De La Salle University in Manila and

earned his doctorate in economics from Yale University in 1988.

In 1994, the priest obtained a degree in sacred theology from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Barrera also authored numerous publications in the field of moral theology, economic ethics, development and international trade.

In 2013, he received a degree of Master of Sacred Theology from Dominican Province of St. Joseph for his “outstanding contribution to the theological sciences.”

One big push for land reform needed—DAR

By Rio N. Araja AGRARIAN Reform Secretary John Castriciones on Wednesday urged the chairpersons of various provincial agrarian reform coordinating committees to push for a stronger implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program nationwide.

The Department of Agrarian Reform is now holding a national conference for the PARCCOM to orient them on its latest and revised guidelines, apprise them on the status of the agrarian reform program implementation and underscore the challenges hounding the implementation of the program.

Castriciones, Presidential Agrarian Reform Council vice chairperson, said the activity plays a significant role in accomplishing President Rodrigo Duterte’s marching orders for DAR. “The President has ordered us to finish the DAR’s land acquisition and distribution balance as soon as possible, distribute all government-owned lands and parcel the collective certificates of land ownership award to our farmer-beneficiaries.

We need your commitment to help us accomplish this,” he said.

Since the implementation of CARP in 1988, the government has 548,564 hectares remaining of lands to be distributed to the agrarian reform beneficiaries, mostly categorized as problematic landholdings.

Through Executive Order No. 75 signed by the President in 2019, the department is mandated to distribute governmentowned lands all over the country.

According to Castriciones, the agency would be subdividing 1.3 million hectares of collective certificates of land ownership award through the implementation of the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT).

“Around 1.1-million farmers would benefit from SPLIT,” he said.

“If we will work hand-in-hand, we can do this,” Castriciones told the PARCCOM. PARC is the highest policy-making body for agrarian reform in the country, while the PARCCOM members are composed of representatives from various sectors such as landowners,

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Gordon blasts Rody: ‘No nation deserves him’ CITING the Chief Executive’s controversial remarks in the past and alleged betrayal of people’s trust, Sen. Richard Gordon on Wednesday said “no nation deserves him, President Rodrigo Duterte.”

“I mean… he cursed the Pope, he cursed God, he told police to shoot women in their vagina, the NPA (New People’s Army),” Gordon said.

“He will keep on picking on us, they will intimidate,” said Gordon, who is leading the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation into the government’s procurement of alleged overpriced medical supplies to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a televised message aired on Tuesday, the President attacked Gordon and wondered what else the senator was looking for since the face masks, face shields, testing kits, and the personal protective equipment sets are already in the government’s hands.

Duterte also chided Gordon for spending long hours on the hearing while requiring people to attend despite not all of them being put to questioning.

Before this, the Chief Executive claimed Senate inquiries led to nothing.

Sen. Leila De Lima, who remains jailed on drug charges the administration brought against her early in Duterte’s term, said the President is on a rampage.

“Despite that, all that he can come up with against Gordon is his ties with the Philippine National Red Cross, which everybody knows,” she said.

With Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, De Lima said Duterte again drew out his fictitious drug accusation against Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog, and that “because Drilon knows the mayor, then he must be guilty too.”

In the same “malicious ad hominem manner,” Duterte also linked Drilon to pork barrel mastermind Janet Napoles, De Lima noted.

“This is the picture of a man desperately flailing in the dark, cursing the ghosts around him that he himself created. If he is really convinced about all the accusations he is throwing at the senators, he has the whole government machinery behind him to file cases,” she said.

“He has already done that to me with fabricated criminal cases. Otherwise, those accusations are just loads of hot air,” said the opposition senator.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

House approves excess rice tariff cash to farmers THE House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved on final reading a proposal authorizing the Department of Agriculture (DA) to use the excess rice tariff revenues under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) for direct cash assistance to farmers.

Voting 195-0-0, the chamber passed on third reading House Bill 9950, or the proposed Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act. ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Eric Go Yap, author of the bill, emphasized the urgency of intervening for farmers in light of the current state of declining palay (unhusked rice) prices and the crippling effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the bill, the DA shall be authorized to use the annual tariff revenues in excess of P10 billion directly remitted from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for direct cash assistance to farmers cultivating two hectares of rice lands until 2024.

“This provision to our farmers shall provide them with immediate aid and assistance, most especially during these difficult times,” Yap said.

The bill directs the BOC to remit to the DA the excess funds.

All import duties collected from rice imports under the RTL go to the annual PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

READY TO OPEN. Workers at a restaurant along Roxas

Boulevard in Manila sanitize the dining area on Wednesday in preparation for its opening on the pilot testing of a COVID-19 alert level system in Metro Manila today. Establishments like dinein businesses and personal care services are allowed to open, apart from mass gatherings, meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibits, and indoor tourist attractions. Danny Pata

Comelec needs P8b more to ensure health protocols

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will need an additional P8 billion budget next year to reduce the number of registered voters per clustered precinct during the 2022 national and local elections.

During the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System hearing, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice raised the need to reduce the number of voters per clustered precinct.

This, Erice said, would ensure that health protocols are followed during next year’s polls, considering the health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, four of 10 possible voter registration days in Metro Manila were lost due to the lockdowns, stressed Senator Francis Pangilinan after the Senate on Tuesday night adopted a resolution urging the Comelec to extend the voter registra-

tion deadline from September 30 to October 31, 2021.

Because of the suspensions, which ran for about five and a half months, Pangilinan said that around 28.3% of voter registration days were lost.

He said this does not include the days when registration was suspended due to the recent typhoons that entered the country.

Erice said there might be problems in observing social distancing even if the poll body extends the voting hours to 12 to 14 hours.

Poll commissioner Marlon Casquejo

then said the Comelec needs additional 10,000 vote counting machines (VCMs) to lower the number of voters per clustered precinct.

So far, the number of existing VCMs are sufficient to cater 1,000 voters per clustered precinct.

“We lack budget for this but we have savings in the Comelec which we can use for the additional 10,000 VCMs,” Casquejo said.

“So, the cost of 10,000 [VCMs] is roughly additional P1 billion plus the manpower for the additional clustered precincts, our electoral boards, and the support and everything, as computed by the finance department we need at least I think P8 billion. I guess ‘yun ang naging computation last time,” he said.

Should the Comelec lower the number of voters per clustered precinct to 600, Casquejo said they need 20,000 additional VCMs.

Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia visits the VAX-i mobile bus vaccination at the Barangay Sum-ag Satellite Market on Wednesday. The bus drive aims to make COVID vaccines more accessible to the public, targeting vendors and public transport drivers who are unable to leave their workplaces for a day to line up at the vaccination centers.

Bacolod City PIO

La Niña forming in last quarter, says PAGASA THERE will be a 70 to 80-percent chance that La Niña—a weather system that sees trade winds getting stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia—will form in the last quarter of 2021, with a higher probability of above-normal rainfall conditions in many areas, the state weather bureau said Wednesday The bureau’s recent climate monitoring and analysis “indicate that La Niña may emerge in the coming months,” Administrator Vicente Malano of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in a statement.

“Based on the latest forecasts by most climate models and expert judgments, there is a 70-80% chance of La Niña forming in the last quarter of 2021 which may persist until the first quarter of 2022,” the PAGASA chief said.

As suggested by rainfall forecasts, the higher probability of above-normal rainfall conditions in the country are also expected in the next several months, Malano said.

This can be attributed to the expected stronger easterlies, enhanced northeast monsoon and tropical cyclone occurrences, he added.

Malano warned of more adverse impacts of floods and landslides in highly vulnerable areas in the eastern sections of the country, which normally receive more rainfall during the last quarter of the year.

NAPOLCOM awards 3 cops, partners on 55th year Salidumay goes THE National Police Commission conferred plaques of recognition to three Philippine National Police Gallantry Awardees through virtual rites on September 10 on the Commission’s 55th Anniversary Program.

NAPOLCOM also conferred awards and recognitions to its community partners, test consultants, and high-performing supervisors and associates.

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go was the Guest of Honor and Speaker.

NAPOLCOM Vice Chairman and Ex-

ecutive Officer Vitaliano N. Aguirre II led the virtual presentation of awards to the three PNP personnel who displayed extraordinary courage and gallantry in the performance of their duty.

PLTCOL William Q. Santos was awarded for his conspicuous bravery in launching a no let-up campaign against Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) and for his notable accomplishments as the Acting Chief, Provincial Investigation Unit, Rizal Provincial Police Office (RPPO).

Another award was given to PLTCOL Hoover T. Antonio, Force Commander of 1st Sultan Kudarat Provincial Mobile Force Company, for his extraordinary gallantry on November 4, 2020 against the group of Jazzer Nilong, an identified bomber and trainer in the areas of Tacurong, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat and General Santos City.

The operation successfully prevented the conduct of bombing operations targeting the City Mall and Public Market of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

Irish Food Board sets ‘East Meets West’

EVERYDAY HEROES. For this year’s National Heroes Day, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. honored the everyday Filipino--- from vaccinated citizens to its station attendants known as Service Champions --- as today’s heroes for their contributions in keeping communities safe and the economy running during the pandemic. Shell launched the “Salamat sa mga Bakunadong Bayani” where the vaccinated can take advantage of special deals and discounts whenever they present their vaccination cards at Shell stations.

THE first and most celebrated online culinary competition during the pandemic year 2020 is back to excite the local gastronomic scene.

The “East Meets West” culinary competition, organized by Bord Bia, the Irish Government Food Board, kicked off on September 1.

This popular online culinary competition aims to raise the awareness of the high quality as well as the unique taste and versatility of European Pork and Beef among the Philippines’ market audience.

EU Pork & Beef Programme Manager Marion Rogan said: “We are excited to launch the 2021 East Meets West culinary competition after a highly successful 2020 competition.”

“The culinary community in the Philippines appears to really appreciate the

chance to compete and showcase their culinary skills to our leading judges, particularly during COVID times,” Rogan said.

“We were all impressed by the high standard of cooking on display and we believe the 2020 competition will inspire many young chefs and culinary students to get creative for this year’s competition,” she added.

The “East Meets West” culinary competition is open to professional chefs, culinary students, food bloggers/influencers and home cooks. Participants are to submit recipes that are high quality restaurant standard inspired by Filipino-fusion cuisine.

“We look forward to seeing some culinary twists to well-loved Filipino dishes from the food bloggers/influencers and home cooks,” Rogan said.

to Manhattan int’l film fest

BAGUIO CITY—After its world premiere at the Cinemalaya 2021 Indie Nation Shorts Section, Abrenian Heritage Film Festival 2021, “Salidumay” has been selected to participate in the 11th International Film Festival Manhattan in New York City.

Cordilleran actress Mai Fanglayan leads “Salidumay,” a short film by Dexter Macaraeg, for the weeklong Sine Abreño, which ended on Sept. 12 in a virtual celebration of the Film Industry Month via Zoom.

Mai portrays Ayo, a Tingguian with mixed Ibaloi blood from Abra, who goes on her first date ever at a Korean restaurant.

Franz (Kenneth Jhayve Bautista), a former seminarian who grew up in Abra but moved to Baguio City, can’t seem to find love through dating apps, and decides to use his culture’s methods to arrange a marriage.

Their differences lead to a small collision of expectation and perspectives, but what it opens up in the tension offers a glimmer of hope for the would-be couple.

Actor and model Kenneth Jhayve Bautista portrays Mai’s love interest, supported by Janet Mondata, Julius Legoen Lumiqued, Seth Wayne, Blas Chacapna, Austin Docyogen, Eric Kelly, and Janet Tayab Soriano.

Opinion Managing the Philippine economy, 1973 to 1983

by Sy-Changco. But he got retained as Budget Commissioner. The newly elected President Marcos said to Sy-Chanco, ‘I want somebody like you.’”

Mr. Paterno on the approval of the PCMP (Progressive Car Manufacturing Program): “I got so incensed by all the things that people in Congress were doing, SEVERAL weeks ago, I wrote about a were saying, that I said in April 1972 that newly published book titled “A Dialogue: I would be prepared to resign my post if I The Economic Managers of the Marcos should be reversed by Congress. That epAdministration.” As its title suggests, the isode lasted until September 1972, when book is a transcript of a round-table discus- martial law was declared. Naubos na lahat sion conducted, between November 2012 yung mga objections one week after marand March 2013, by five members of the tial law was declared, the PCMP was apeconomic management team of the admin- proved. My reaction was, salamat na lang istration of President Ferdinand Marcos. at yung mga problema ko sa Kongreso ay The five economic managers were Cesar natapos na.” (RVR’s note: Mr. Paterno has Virata (Minister of Finance, later concur- passed away). rently Prime Minister), Jame Laya (GovDr. Sicat on getting economic proposernor of the Central Bank of the Philip- als approved by Congress: “We had a realpines), Gerardo Sicat (Director General of ly very difficult system getting decisions the National Economic and Development made in the government. Essentially the Authority), Vicente Paterno (Minister of government was in a gridlock, there was Industry and Board of Investments chair- what we would call transactional deciman) and Placido Mapa Jr. (Development sions based on the trading between varBank of the Philious major players. ippines chairman).

It was not a healthy Estelito Menzdoza The little Here are the words system.

(Solicitor General) time we had in the of the members of was invited to join first few years of the group to provide a martial law, espethe Marcos economic legal-political context cially the first three team. to the discussion. or four years, were As I stated in my characterized by the earlier column, “A removal of the major Dialogue” is a useful and instructive dreadlocks hampering Philippine ecobook for students of Philippine eco- nomic development.” nomic history in general and the PhilMr. Paterno on the presidential instrucippine economy’s management during tion regarding the price of cement:”(O)ne the critical 1973-1983 period in partic- day I was asking the President, ‘Sir, what ular. That period started shortly after do you expect of me in the BOI?’ ’Only Mr. Marcos’s placement of this country one thing,’ he said ‘Do not allow the price under martial law and ended shortly af- of cement to increase because my governter the assassination of former Senator ment is anchored on the basis of infrastrucBenigno Aquino Jr. ture. If you increase the price of cement, In “A Dialogue,” the Marcos admin- you will be sabotaging the government’s istration’s economic managers and Mr. program’.’Sabi ko, yes, sir.’”

Mendoza have placed on record, freely Mr. Virata on the situation of the land and dispassionately, their perspectives on reform (Presidential Decree No.27) managing an economy in a martial-law beneficiaries: “The new owners were environment and their recollections of the highly indebted—indebted for the land roles they played in the Philippine econ- and indebted for the crop loan. Unlike omy’s management at such a momentous before, when the landowner borrowed juncture in this country’s history. Many of a crop loan, if there was a typhoon, he the perspectives and recollections are sur- was the one who suffered. But in this prising, even startling. case the (land reform) beneficiary was So that there will be no loss in trans- the one who suffered.” lation and in order to preserve the qualMr. Virata on the reform of the ity and flavor of the participations of banking system: “As far as fi nance was the six gentlemen in the round-table concerned, banking reform was necesdiscussion, I have decided to simply sary because during the time of Presquote some statements made by them ident Diosdado Macapagal, a number that in my view are deserving of notice of banks were created with very low and remembrance. capitalization. They did not survive the Dr. Sicat on deciding to accept the floating of the rate in 1970.”

NEDA post: “I had already accepted an Dr. Sicat on the mergers of the small appointment at Yale University. I was go- banks: “The raising of capitalization creing to be far away. But I decided eventu- ated tension among the small banks beally to change course because I felt that cause they didn’t have enough money but the challenge of serving the government were required to raise their capitalization was by far more important.” to strengthen their structures. So they Dr. Laya on President Marcos’s ap- had to seek partners from other banks.” pointment of Faustino Sy-Changco as The martial-law economic managBudget Commissioner: “Mr Sy-Chanco ers made numerous other informative had turned him down (for a dollar alloca- and insightful statements in “A Dition). President Marcos never forgot that; alogue,” but they will have to await he remembered how he was turned down another column.

Public duty and accountability

THE oath of office of a public official is a promise or an affirmation of his faithfulness to his duty as a public servant of the country. It is said to be a guarantee that the public official shall use reasonable skill and diligence in the performance of his duties and shall act primarily for the benefit of the public.

Hence, when you take an oath of office, you are bound to serve the Filipino people to the best of your abilities, with utmost integrity, discipline, and efficiency. The general welfare of the public always takes precedence over personal matters or political interests.

This is common and public knowledge, but clearly has been often taken for granted. The pandemic confirmed the truth on this matter. As the entire government is forced to face this crisis head on, common sense dictates that we are all expected to act accordingly.

Everyone knows that local government units have been constantly implementing quarantine measures and health protocols, while also expected to extend the necessary assistance to the affected population.

While this is so, it is very disappointing

there are people in power who remain unreasonably blind and deaf to the situation.

Every day, many Filipinos suffer from the impact of this pandemic. COVID-19 patients endure the long waiting time in hospitals which are already in full capacity, while some traverse cities and provinces just to find bed vacancies. Hospitals, on the other hand, scramble to obtain COVID-19 medicines such as remdesivir and tocilizumab, and oxygen tanks which are all reportedly in short supply.

The general welfare of the public always takes precedence over personal matters or political interests.

Healthcare workers are exhausted; many of them await their proper salaries. Many people have lost jobs and their livelihoods.

Families grieve for their departed loved ones. The number of deaths and confirmed cases, sadly, continues to rise. There is no other crisis more apparent than this COVID-19 pandemic.

Hence, when members of a Sanggunian Panlalawigan fail to pass the proposed COVID-19 budget and continue to refuse to attend sessions or even discuss this matter, this clearly amounts to gross neg-

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EDITORIAL

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What speak for us record of promoting, defending, and fulfilling human rights and the rule of law, especially during the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.”

A lawyers’ group that counts many of Roque’s former colleagues among its members, the Free Legal Assistance Group, added that Roque’s cavalier disregard of the effects of domestic violations of human rights, among others, make him ill-suited for the position he seeks.

RESIDENTIAL Spokesman Harry Roque has not had an easy day since his meltdown during an online meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

As a video of his outburst at two doctors became widely circulated on social media, Roque faced criticism from many sectors and became the subject of ridicule in memes.

People highlighted his boorish behavior and his ill treatment of medical professionals. He was further scored for his unapologetic apology.

Perhaps the most stinging backlash of all came from Mr. Roque’s own school, the University of the Philippines, where he studied, taught, and specialized in human rights law in a previous life.

The UP Diliman Executive Committee objected to the nomination of Roque to the International Law Commission, an advisory body to the United Nations, saying he had “a very poor track

It is how we conduct ourselves as human beings—or don’t.

But if Roque bristled from this hit from his own community, he masked it with his characteristic glibness and arrogance.

“My curriculum vitae speaks for itself regarding my credentials in the field of public international law,” he said.

“The flimsy justification made to object to my nomination and election to the International Law Commission makes it clear that there are some sectors who will do everything to besmirch my good

name, reputation and integrity simply because I do not subscribe to and share their same political beliefs.”

Roque, of course, is entitled to his own beliefs—but the public is not obligated to believe them, or even acknowledge their truth. We have seen so much of this mouthpiece’s actuations in the past months, and his words inspire not comfort, but anger.

This causes us to wonder: What would, ultimately, speak of us when our time of reckoning arrives? This pandemic has led many of us to rethink the way we value success, impact, and legacy. Faced with the prospect of loss and the fragility of life, we believe more strongly that extraneous matters like wealth, power, connections, popularity and titles have little bearing on our person.

What will ultimately speak for us is how we conduct ourselves as human beings—if we are compassionate, fair, honest and are serious about building and maintaining competence to help a larger cause. Then again, dishonesty, entitlement, rudeness and a clear lack of respect for different points of view and for human life speak just as loudly.

The meltdown THE disastrous meltdown of Secretary Harry Roque who berated the president of the Philippine College of Physicians, Dr. Maricar Limpin, in a virtual IATF conference, is coming back to haunt him. Now, his United Nations appointment can be in jeopardy.

Whom did he think he was talking to, anyway? One of his underlings?

To be fair to Roque, he issued an apology. Unfortunately, what he uttered was an apology with a caveat. He said that he was sorry if he hurt some people with his outburst—but his messaging stays. We know of course, that an apology issued with a condition is no apology at all.

What exactly was his message in that outburst of his? The video that the public watched on social media only lasted for about a minute. Roque was seen completely losing control of his faculties, shouting at the doctors calling them people and saying “how dare you think that the government does not care about people’s lives?” He also added that “this group has never said anything good about the government response.” He could have said all those firmly without losing his composure.

Whatever message that the secretary was trying to impart was lost. The video is there for everyone to see and judge. Roque was so livid that it says it all. Limpin, who was thoroughly bewildered by Roque actions, simply said that she did not say or do anything that deserves that kind of outburst from Roque. She did not have to say anything at all to defend herself.

I have also attended similar conferligence, oppression, and abuse of authority.

Despite repeated appeals by the provincial government to the Sanggunian to adopt a budget that can provide more medicines, beds, personal protective equipment, and oxygen tanks, there was nothing done.

Despite attempts of the provincial government to reconcile the alleged issues in the proposed budget that can help mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic to employees, small businesses, and agriculture, no action has been done by the other party.

Despite having been called on by the Department of Interior and Local Government and mayors to immediately act on the budget ordinance, there was a consistent flat refusal to discuss the matter whenever the opportunity came.

Elected public officials must follow the oath they took. The failure to perform their respective sworn duties is not only a violation of this oath, but clearly a breach of pub-

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

ences while still in government. Sometimes, a conference could indeed become heated but I have never seen someone so senior lose composure the way Roque did in that video. In fact, there was a voice in the video cautioning Roque to relax which he ignored. We do not know exactly the personalities attending that virtual conference. We can only assume that they are cabinet rank officials. If so, Roque’s outburst somehow gives us an indication that his clout must have grown tremendously in the intervening months that he can afford to behave that way.

I thought that the President was the only one allowed to rant.

I thought that the President is the only one allowed to rant. If even his subalterns can do that, what sort of executives do we have in our government bureaucracy?

In a conference, attendees must be able to express their views freely without being lambasted. That way, decisions can be arrived at in an intelligent manner.

We need cool, composed and thinking officials.

What happened was unfortunate, of course, but that can partly explain why our government is second to the last when it comes to pandemic response. As I have written earlier, the government is always going for the middle-of-the road solution in its pandemic response by trying to balance the pandemic and the economy.

In New Zealand, the government completely closed the city of Auckland when lic trust. Those who deliberately choose to turn a blind eye to the present situation and the pressing needs of the public in the midst of a crisis for personal interests must therefore be held accountable. The continuous refusal to do their duty deprives the public of the rightful benefits of a COVID-19 responsive budget.

For some, this may seem inconsequential, but to the majority of Filipinos affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the passage of this budget may spell life or death.

Hence, our oath of office must always be upheld, for the Filipinos deserve nothing more than faithful and responsible public servants. With this, I hope the Sanggunian Panlalawigan of Quezon acts on the province’s proposed budget immediately and without any more undue delay. Quezon needs a working and united local government now to save more lives and help more people.

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

one Delta variant infection was detected.

No wonder there was only one death there in four months. Here, the government declares a lockdown but allows many exemptions so that the economy can still function. I can understand that. But that is not prioritizing Filipino lives as Secretary Roque wants us to believe.

This is one reason why over the last several months, infections have not really gone down at all. Instead, infections have increased tremendously to where we are right now. The playing-it-safe solution as we can see is not working as our vaccination rate is not fast enough. Even if we can vaccinate the majority of Filipinos, we are not sure of stopping the spread of the virus. Israel, the country with one of the greatest numbers of vaccinated people on a per-capita basis, cannot stop surging infections that we just banned travelers originating from that country.

We have to make painful decisions in order to lower infections.

Being the mouthpiece of the President, Roque’s main duty is to announce government decisions approved by the President. Whatever personal views he has on issues do not count. It’s not clear whether he was given authority by the President to speak for the Office of the President in that conference but judging by the way he spoke and behaved, he must have been given the authority.

Why else would he speak that way unless he exceeded his instructions?

Whether he did or not, my unsolicited advice is for him to apologize unconditionally. It’s never late to do the right thing. Prudence is the better part of valor—unless the Secretary wants his meltdown to define his legacy.

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EU: Extra $150m in aid for Afghanistan E U chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday vowed to boost humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as she pledged the 27-nation bloc stands “by the Afghan people.”

“We must do everything to avert the real risk that is out there of a major famine and humanitarian disaster,” European Commission president von der Leyen said in her annual State of the European Union address.

“We will do our part, we will increase

again humanitarian aid for Afghanistan by 100 million euros,” she added.

The new promise comes after the European Commission – the EU’s executive – already quadrupled its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan for this year to 200 million euros ($236 million) as the country struggles to stave off collapse after the Taliban’s takeover.

Brussels has said that none of the aid will go to Afghanistan’s new rulers and has demanded the Taliban ensure access for humanitarian workers in the country.

Von der Leyen said the EU would set out in full its “new, wider Afghan support package” in the coming weeks.

The EU is worried a humanitarian

catastrophe in Afghanistan could spark a mass wave of refugees heading to the bloc, similar to the 2015 migrant crisis caused by the Syrian war.

The bloc has set out a raft of conditions on increasing its direct engagement with the Taliban including protecting human rights, allowing people to leave the country, and forming an inclusive government.

An international donor conference in Geneva on Monday ended with pledges of $1.2 billion in aid for Afghanistan, as United Nations chief Antonio Guterres pleaded that the people “need a lifeline.”

As this developed, Von der Leyen said Europe will seek to boost its own mili-

tary capacity after the collapse of the US-backed government in Afghanistan.

“It is time for Europe to step up to the next level,” she said.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron will convene the “summit on European defense” during France’s six-month presidency of the bloc, starting at the New Year, she said.

Paris has been leading the push for the 27-nation union to develop more autonomous military capacities alongside the Western alliance, which is traditionally led by the US. And the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s government at the end of the 20-year-old US-led mission in Afghanistan has intensified debate in Brussels

9 HK activists given jail terms for annual vigil

IN BRIEF Kremlin opposition campaigns from jail

WITH parliamentary elections in Russia around the corner, canvassers in the southern city of Krasnodar are asking passersby to write letters to their candidate, who has no way to meet them.

That’s because Kremlin critic Andrei Pivovarov is behind bars just down the road.

Arrested at the end of May, Pivovarov’s supporters say he was caught in a dragnet that has seen Russia’s opposition dismantled ahead of State Duma elections this weekend.

With household names like Alexei Navalny in prison, his allies in exile and lesser known activists barred from running or jailed like Pivovarov, the Kremlin is set to maintain its stranglehold on the legislature.

In a handwritten letter to AFP from Detention Center No. 1—surrounded by barbed wire topped concrete walls – Pivovarov conceded his election chances were minimal.

He said his campaign—managed by mail via one of his lawyers and run by several dozen volunteers from Krasnodar, Moscow and his hometown of Saint Petersburg—was a platform for his message. AFP

Aussie surrenders almost 30 years after jailbreak

A 64-YEAR-OLD man who escaped from an Australian jail in the 1990s has surrendered after almost 30 years on the run, police said Wednesday.

New South Wales police said the man allegedly used a hacksaw and bolt cutters to free himself from a prison north of Sydney in 1992.

“Between 7 p.m. Friday 31 July and 7 a.m. Saturday 1 August 1992, a 35-yearold man escaped from a correctional centre on Hoof Street at Grafton,” a statement said.

“At the time, efforts to locate the man were unsuccessful.”

The Sydney Morning Herald, which said the man had been jailed on two counts of “cultivating a prohibited plant,” reported he spent his time on the run living on Sydney’s northern beaches.

On Sunday, the man walked into a Sydney police station to hand himself in.

The city’s Daily Telegraph reported he had been homeless.

The man has been charged with escaping from lawful custody and is now back behind bars after being refused bail. AFP

about the EU’s role.

But most EU nations are also members of the NATO alliance and some, particularly eastern states more exposed to threats from Russia, do not want to undermine ties with the United States.

“Witnessing events unfold in Afghanistan was profoundly painful for the families and friends of fallen servicemen and servicewomen,” von der Leyen said.

“We have to reflect on how this mission could end so abruptly. There are deeply troubling questions that allies will have to tackle within NATO. But there’s simply no security and defense issue where less cooperation is the answer.” AFP

RESTIVE. Lava flows down and smoke rises into the air from Mount Merapi, Indonesia’s most active volcano, as seen from Wonokerto in Sleman on Sept. 15, 2021. AFP

Bandicoot species ‘back from the brink’ A SMALL nocturnal marsupial that once roamed the Australian mainland has been brought back from the brink of extinction after a decades-long conservation effort, authorities said Wednesday.

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot populated the grassy plains of Victoria state’s southwest until it was all but obliterated by non-native foxes, feral cats and habitat destruction.

By 1989, there were just 150 animals left in the region, mostly scrounging an existence in rusted-out cars at a rubbish dump.

Over the past three decades, multimillion dollar captive breeding and rewilding programmes have revived the mainland Australian population to an estimated 1,500 – bumping it off the state’s “extinct in the wild” list.

“We are excited to announce the change in conservation status for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot from extinct in the wild to endangered – it is an incredible first for Australia,”

Victoria state Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said.

A closely related sub-species can also be found on the southern island of Tasmania, where it is classified as vulnerable.

The announcement is a rare conservation win in Australia, which environmentalists say has the world’s worst mammal extinction rate.

Amy Coetsee, threatened species biologist at Zoos Victoria, said it offered “hope that with persistence, determination and the support of government, volunteers and communities, we can win the fight against extinction.”

Conservation teams created several predator-free sites for the bandicoots – some fenced and others protected by trained dogs – as well as moving animals to fox-free islands. AFP

NINE veteran democracy activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to between six and 10 months in jail on Wednesday for joining a Tiananmen vigil banned by police last year.

Three others were handed suspended sentences on the same charges of joining an unlawful assembly or inciting others to join.

The sentencing came one week after leaders of the group behind the annual vigil were separately accused of inciting subversion following a police raid at a museum in the city dedicated to Beijing’s Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.

The Hong Kong Alliance had organised three decades of vigils commemorating the victims of the operation.

Once one of the most visible symbols of Hong Kong’s political freedoms, the June 4 event has been banned over the past two years, with authorities citing the coronavirus pandemic and security fears.

But China is also in the process of remoulding the financial hub in its own authoritarian image following huge and often violent democracy protests that had convulsed Hong Kong in 2019.

Prominent democracy figures have been arrested and anyone deemed “unpatriotic” purged.

On Wednesday, Albert Ho, former vice chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance, was handed terms of 10 months for incitement and six months for attending the vigil.

His terms will be served concurrently with 18 months he is already serving related to other cases.

The case over the 2020 vigil involved a total of 26 activists across Hong Kong’s political spectrum.

Two, Nathan Law and Sunny Cheung, had left the city for exile before the group were first summoned to court in September last year.

Joshua Wong, Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen and Janelle Leung were handed jail terms earlier this year for attending the vigil. AFP

Taiwan fighter jets land on highway for Chinese invasion wargame

An armed US-made F16 fighter jet takes off from a motorway in Pingtung, southern Taiwan during the annual Han Kuang drill on Sept. 15, 2021. AFP

FIGHTER jets practised landing on a highway in southern Taiwan on Wednesday as part of an annual live-fire military exercise that simulates defending the island against an invasion by China.

Democratic Taiwan lives under constant threat of invasion by Beijing, which claims the island as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

Military tensions have risen to their highest in decades under President Xi Jinping with China now routinely sending fighter jets and nuclear capable bombers into Taiwan’s air defence zone and state media regularly publicising invasion drills.

On Wednesday morning, various Taiwanese fighter jets as well as an early warning aircraft practised taking off

and landing on a provincial highway in Pingtung county.

The drill, which was watched by President Tsai Ing-wen, is supposed to hone Taiwanese pilot skills if the island’s airstrips are wiped out.

“Such excellent combat skills, precise and swift movements come from rigorous training and demonstrate the air force’s confidence to protect our airspace,” Tsai said in a post on her Facebook.

Part of its annual Han Kuang military exercises, Wednesday’s drill took place on one of five highways that have been deliberately built with long sections that can accommodate planes landing.

An invasion of Taiwan would be a hugely costly and difficult endeavour but Beijing has increasingly closed the

military gap in recent years and Xi has made no secret of his desire to see the island taken.

Senior US generals have publicly warned that China could potentially carry off an invasion and the defence of Taiwan has become a rare bipartisan issue in Washington.

Last year Chinese jets and bombers made a record 380 incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

The number of incursions for the first eight months of this year has already exceeded 400.

In June, 28 Chinese jets breached Taiwan’s ADIZ in the largest singleday incursion. That came shortly after G7 leaders issued a landmark statement urging peace in the Taiwan Strait. AFP

North Korea fires two ballistic missiles: Sokor military NORTH Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the sea on Wednesday, according to the South’s military, as China’s foreign minister visited Seoul – Pyongyang’s second launch in less than a week.

Analysts said the timing was an unmistakable signal to Beijing, the North’s key diplomatic ally and main partner for trade and aid – although at times their relationship has been deeply strained.

Pyongyang is under a self-imposed blockade after closing its borders early last year to protect itself against the coronavirus pandemic.

The nuclear-armed North fired “two

unidentified ballistic missiles” from its central inland area into the sea off its east coast, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

“South Korean and US intelligence agencies are conducting detailed analysis,” they added, without immediately giving details of the missiles’ range.

The launch came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is in Seoul for talks with his South Korean counterpart.

Speaking before the news emerged, Wang hoped that all countries would help “peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” Yonhap news agency reported.

“For example, not only the North,

but also other countries are engaging in military activities,” he added.

“Having said this, we all have to work together toward the resumption of dialogue.”

North Korea is under international sanctions for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, which it says it needs to defend itself against a US invasion.

Talks with the United States have been stalled since the collapse of a 2019 summit in Hanoi between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and thenpresident Donald Trump over sanctions relief – and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in return. AFP

LET IT ALL OUT. Finland’s Sanna Sulin, 50, smashes items in the rage room ‘Raivomoo’ in Helsinki – a new service in Finland allowing clients to vent their postpandemic anger with a baseball bat that is proving to be a smash hit among the Nordic country’s women. AFP

Sports Uphill battle for Gilas Women’s in Jordan

By Lito Cinco

GILAS Women’s Basketball Team head coach Patrick Aquino admits it is going to be an uphill climb for his team at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Jordan, starting this week.

The quality of the competition is high with four Asian countries, which made it to the Top 10 in the last Tokyo Olympics, namely silver medalist Japan, also the defending champion here, China, Australia and Korea, entered in the tournament.

The Philippines is in Group B with Australia and Chinese Taipei.

“Whatever group we were, it would not have made a difference, both groups are equally strong, with Japan and Korea in Group A, plus New Zealand and India.

Honestly, I am not expecting much from this tournament as far as performing well, as long as our players give it their all in every game, I will be happy,” said Aquino.

He also listed the factors against his team.

“We are playing with some of the world’s best teams, we lack preparation because of the pandemic, two weeks lang kami dito sa Lipa City, we have grown smaller with Jack Animam taking a leave and we do not have a Fil-Am player with us now,” he added.

Mai-loni Henson, a 6’1” Fil-Am from Washington University and currently playing as an import in France, was eyed for the team, but her schedule could not allow it.

The only thing that may work for Aquino is the fact he has a several new and young players in the team, who have not been scouted by the opposition.

“We may have grown smaller, but I think we will be faster,” said Aquino, who will be relying a lot on his veterans built around Afril Bernardino, court general Chack Cabinbin and shooter Janine Pontejos, who promised to give their best.

Aquino, however, is hoping this stint can rekindle interest in women’s basketball.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

House, Senate vow to include budget for 4 major international tournaments

T

HE House and the Senate both vowed to include in the 2022 General Appropriations Act a budget for four major international competitions next year, Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino bared on Wednesday.

“House Speaker Lord Velasco and Senate President Vicente Sotto III assured the inclusion of the budget for four major international competitions next year,” Tolentino said. “This after the Department of Budget and Management didn’t allot a single centavo to the Philippine Sports Commission budget for these major events.”

The major international events in 2022, Tolentino said, are the Beijing Winter Olympics (February 4 to 20), Thailand Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (March 10 to 20), Huangzhou Asian Games (September 10 to 25) and Shantou Asian Youth Games (December 20 to 28).

The POC, Tolentino said, would immediately determine the composition (entry by numbers) for the four major events in order to draw how much budget would be allocated by the 18th Congress.

“The budget hearings are coming up so we have to be steadfast,” Tolentino said. “Philippine sports must be unwavering as we have to sustain the momentum of our successful campaign in the Tokyo Olympics.”

Tolentino thanked Sotto and Velasco ahead of the realization of the additional budget, saying both chambers of Congress “are very supportive of Philippine sports.”

POC president Rep. Abraham Tolentino

“We have our sports heroes in gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial and the 15 other athletes who fought

Lito Adiwang, shown in action here, must execute his game-plan to perfection against Chinese foe Hexigetu

YOU’RE only as good as your last fight.

Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang lives by that ode, understanding that people will only rate him based on his last performance.

And as he braces for his long-awaited match against “Wolf of the Grasslands” Hexigetu at ONE: REVOLUTION this September 24, the ONE Super Series winner vows to not only show how much he has learned, but parade the best version of himself inside the ONE Circle.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that Adiwang is coming off a stupendous win against Deep Strawweight Champion Namiki Kawahara at ONE: UNBREAKABLE last January, showcasing his striking prowess with a secondround knockout victory.

“I’m definitely happy with my performance against Namiki,” he shared as he displayed his lethal and pinpoint striking in that match that led to the referee calling for the bell at the 2:03 mark of round two.

It was a magnificent bounce back win for Adiwang, who was coming off a shock split decision loss to Hiroba Minowa at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III in November last year.

Since tasting that setback, the Philippine National Wushu Champion has slowly rebuilt his stock starting from that win over Kawahara, one that he’s leaning in the leadup to this showdown against Hexigetu.

“I can say that I have regained my confidence. Since that win over Namiki, my focus has just been on an uphill climb that I’m so excited to get back and fight inside

the ONE Circle,” he said.

If there’s one thing that Adiwang has picked up from his lone defeat in his previous nine matches, it’s that he has to execute his game plan to perfection, maintaining his deadly striking force while being methodical in his attacks—the perfect embodiment of this new generation of Team Lakay.

And it’s exactly what the Baguio-based striker is looking to unveil in this match against Hexigetu.

“Of course, I want to keep our game plan a secret, but all I can tell everyone is that they can expect that everything we planned for is very solid. Coach Mark [Sangiao] has diligently worked with me in preparing me for this, and like in my past wins, I can say that this will be another highlight win for us,” he said, exuding with confidence.

It also helps that Adiwang has kept himself loose during his training camp, spending more time with his family while keeping his focus as he chose to not be weighed down by the pressure of this upcoming face off.

“I’ve been spending my free time with my family because they are the ones who mean the most to me, especially during these tough times. I’ve also picked up a new hobby which is downhill mountain biking to stay active and that really helped me in my preparations for this fight,” he said.

“I’m just trying to improve myself to be a better me in and out of the ONE Circle.”

Make no mistake, though, Adiwang remains wary of the threat of a stellar grappler like Hexigetu who is on a

three-fight win streak.

The Chinese’s grappling skills are well documented, as seen in his big split decision win over Dejdamrong “Kru Rong” Sor Amnuaysirichoke at ONE: REIGN OF DYNASTIES in October 2020 in Singapore.

Nevertheless, Adiwang’s morale is at an all-time high heading into this clash as he believes that his camp has done everything it could and he has solved the puzzle that is Hexigetu.

“We have already seen his strengths and his weaknesses and I can say that his biggest weakness is facing me,” Adiwang said definitively.

The strawweight bout between Adiwang and Hexigetu will be part of a loaded lead card at ONE: REVOLUTION, where three World Title fights headlining the event.

Reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee is looking to keep his reign alive against an upset-hungry no. 3 contender Ok Rae Yoon of South Korea in the main event.

Capitan also defends his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship for the first time against a dangerous Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Mehdi Zatout, while Adiwang’s fellow Team Lakay stablemate and current ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio makes his long awaited return inside the ONE Circle against his archrival Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta as the two close their storied trilogy.

SEEF DISTRICT, Bahrain—Filipino hard-hitter Rolando “The Incredible” Dy will keep a close eye on the BRAVE CF Lightweight World Championship clash between division kingpin Amin “Fierceness” Ayoub of France and arch-nemesis Ahmed “The Butcher” Amir of Egypt.

Both men are set to collide for the intricately-crafted belt in the main event of BRAVE CF 54, which will be broadcast live from Konin, Poland on September 25—the Bahrain-based promotion’s first live event in the country.

Ayoub has been undefeated since April 2018, racking up eight consecutive victories that saw him capture the BRAVE CF Lightweight World Championship at the expense of Cleiton “Predador” Silva at BRAVE CF 44 in November 2020.

In his last outing, the Frenchman scored a unanimous decision win over Mashrabjon Ruziboev— who accepted the offer to fill in for Amir on short notice—in a catchweight contest at BRAVE CF 50.

On the other hand, Amir is riding high on a two-match winning streak, submitting Yousef Wehbe with a third-round rear-naked choke at BRAVE CF 33 in December 2019 before outpointing Cian Cowley at BRAVE CF 41 in September 2020.

Dy, the organization’s 2020 Fighter of the Year awardee, made a bold prediction on the highly-anticipated Lightweight World Title showdown between Ayoub and Amir.

“Amin [Ayoub] will win easily.

[Ahmed] Amir doesn’t belong there, in my opinion,” he stated. “I truly believe that Amin is stylistically superior over Amir. Amir hasn’t fought someone near the caliber of Amin. It will show on fight night.”

This past April, Dy called out Amir on social media and vowed to give the Egyptian bruiser “a real fight.” However, the latter seemingly brushed off the challenge.

Meanwhile, Ayoub promised the power-punching Pinoy a World Title shot after they both won their fights at BRAVE CF 44.

Lakers are rich and impatient

THE BOTTOM LINE

THE Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA are truly rich and impatient, too, for that matter.

Remember last year when there were teams contemplating throwing in the towel because of the worldwide pandemic that strangled sports?

The Lakers were one of the few teams not worried financially as they knew they could weather the bad storm better than the others.

And the Lakers even crowned themselves champions in the first-ever bubble-type tournament for the league, behind the tandem of LeBron James

mightily in Tokyo,” Tolentino said.

“Their success and how they campaigned changed the landscape of Philippine sports.”

The POC already pegged a 160-athlete delegation which will compete in 21 of the 31 sports in the AIMAG Thailand is hosting in Bangkok and Chonburri—with Team Philippines hoping to surpass the two gold, 14 silver and 14 bronze medals won in the games’ 2017 edition in Ashgabat.

The country booked one of its modest performances in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta where it won four golds that went with two silvers and 15 bronzes.

Figure skaters Edrian Celestino, Sofia Frank and Christopher Caluza, meanwhile, will be vying for qualification for Beijing in an Olympic qualifier in Germany later this month.

The Asian Youth Games were last held in 2013 in Nanjing, China, where the Philippines garnered a 2-4-1 goldsilver-bronze tally.

Dy’s fearless forecast: Amin will win easily

Adiwang lays groundwork vs elite Chinese grappler

LITO CINCO

A7

and Anthony Davis.

But the injuries took its toll on the Lakers after a good start in the next regular season, with LeBron and Anthony alternating on being hurt.

The team certainly did not look like defending champions, but more of depending champions--dependent wholly on the health of their superstars.

The team did not even go past the first round of the playoffs.

And surprisingly, the Lakers even let go of Rajon Rondo, Danny Green, Dwight Howard and Javale McGee -players who helped them win the 202021 finals when they beat a gritty Miami Heat team, led by Jimmy Butler.

This coming season, the team underwent a major revamp, showing how

impatient this team is to win its 18th NBA title.

New major pieces are Russel Westbrook from Washington, and past their prime but still pretty competitive Carmelo Anthony from Portland, ex-Net Deandre Jordan, the returning Howard and Rondo, plus Trevor Ariza.

The Lakers also added young players Kendrick Nunn, Kent Bazemore and Malik Monk and retained Talen Horton Tucker.

Gone were Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schroder, Montrezl Harrel and Wes Matthews, among others.

Question is, is this super team enough to guarantee the Lakers of the next crown?

Sorry, but there are other worthy

teams standing in their way, such as the Nets with their own big three of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks, which practically retained their team, and I would say Utah, Denver, even Miami as contenders. The dark horses being former finalists are Phoenix and Atlanta. Maybe, even the Clippers, Golden State, Boston and New York will make their presence felt.

Plus, can the Lakers avoid what happened to them with player injuries, or will the second team deliver while the first team rests?

A lot of questions certainly and this will guarantee a competitive new NBA season.

On another topic, even as Filipinas or Fil-foreign players are making their presence felt internationally, it is unfortunate that the country is still under a two-year suspension imposed by the International Tennis Federation starting December 2020. As a result, when the Davis Cup competition begins, the Philippines will be in the outside looking in.

Reason? The failure of the Philippine Tennis Association to institute the organizational changes laid down

by ITF to enable new elections to take place.

Why? Sports politics as usual and caught in the middle for the nth time are the athletes.

And that is the bottom line.

Sports

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

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

Malditas motivated to reach ‘23 World Cup

By Peter Atencio A PHILIPPINE national women’s team mixed with young and old players alike went into practice in Tashkent, Uzbekistan yesterday with the goal of making it to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Malditas, who are coached by Marlon Maro, are getting ready for their two matches in Group F of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification this Saturday.

“This is a new and exciting team to watch. They are very motivated. It’s a combination of young and old players, and there’s a lot of scorers,” said Maro in a virtual huddle with scribes before their practice.

Also in the meeting were officials of the Philippine Football Federation, led by their president Mariano Araneta and secretary general Ed Gastanes.

Maro said he is glad that all members of the team tested negative following COVID-19 swab tests that were done on their contingent upon arrival at the airport.

Members of the team came from a player pool of the national squad, which held a training camp and player tryouts last in Orange County, California, United States.

On Saturday, the Philippines, which is ranked 68th in the FIFA Rankings, will have their first games against the 101st ranked Nepal at 3 p.m. at the JAR Stadium.

Then, on Sept. 24, the Malditas will clash with Hong Kong (ranked 78th).

Twenty-two players, spearheaded by team captain and goalie Inna Palacios were called up for the qualifiers.

Veteran Hali Long made it back as the co-captain, with former youth national team players Arianna LePage and Isabelle Mapanao as among the new additions to the squad.

US former professional boxer Evander Holyfield (left) falls during a fight against Brazilian martial artist Vitor Belfort during a boxing fight at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on September 11. AFP

Silva-Belfort duel excites PH fans B

By Randy Caluag

LOCKBUSTER boxing events no longer need to have a title belt on the line to attract the fans.

One perfect example is the Triller Boxing Club, which is fast becoming a trailblazer in setting novelty bouts, pitting legends against either a celebrity blogger or a legend from another combat sport.

Acceptance from the fans is astounding.

The most recent talk of the boxing town were former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield being stopped by Ultimate Fighting Championship star Vitor Belfort and Anderson Silva knocking out cold fellow UFC legend Tito Ortiz last Saturday in Florida, USA.

The bouts were both in the same blockbuster pay-per-view card put up

by Triller, with the Holyfield-Belfort tussle serving as the main event.

What novelty matchup fans want to see next?

If Filipino boxing enthusiasts are to be asked, they’d like to see a rematch between Silva and Belfort, this time atop the boxing ring.

Former Muay Thai champion Ray Biagtan said it should be an exciting fight, with both wanting to finish their opponents via stoppage.

“Para sa akin magandang laban para

sa kanila para mapatunayan kung sino pa rin ang malakas sa mga legends. Halos pareho sila ng mentality sa laban na ang gusto ay maipanalo ang laban sa knockout,” Biagtan said.

For Delfin Boholst, coach and manager of former Olympian and now a professional campaigner Charly Suarez, Belfort has an upperhand if he takes on Silva.

“Maganda ‘pag maglaban sila ni Belfort. Pero kay Belfort ako dito (against Silva),” he said.

Why is Boholst picking Belfort?

“Magaling din naman si Silva and timing niya maganda. Pero may power at galing si Belfort para sakin,” explained Boholst.

Jhack Tepora, former interim World Boxing Association featherweight champion, likewise picks Belfort if ever he faces Silva.

PH skaters get ready for international competitions

TNT nails no. 1 seed, twice-to-beat edge KIB Montalbo unloaded a career-high 22 points and five rebounds for the Talk N Text Tropang Giga on Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Montalbo’s performance yielded for the Talk N Tropang Giga a 102-92 stopping of the NorthPort Batang Pier in the 2021 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The win allowed the Tropang Giga to bag the no. 1 seeding in the playoffs, plus the twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals as well.

The former La Salle Green Archer waxed hot in the second half where the Tropang Giga began fighting their way out of a 49-all deadlock and into their ninth win in 10 games.

The good game of Montalbo came at time when the Batang Pier still played a great game despite the absence of good players like Greg Slaughter and Sean Anthony.

A triple from Montalbo with 6:16 left in third handed the

Tropang Gilas a seven-point spread, 60-53.

“He has been putting the work in practice and it’s showing on the court,” said Tropang Giga coach Chot Reyes.

Mikey Williams showed the way for the Tropang Giga with 29 points. He was at his most potent form when he fired 11 points in the fourth, with his trey in the last 2:19 giving his team a 12-point edge.

Troy Rosario also shot 18 points for Tropang Giga.

Batang Pier, with their 4-4, got 20 points from Paulo Taha.

“I thought we caught a break today because NorthPort was playing very, very good basketball, but the fact that Greg and even Sean Anthony were out tonight, I thought it was big for us,” added Reyes. Peter Atencio

Kib Montalbo challenges two NorthPort defenders.

This is it: Messi gets set for PSG Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi plays a ball during a training session at The Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges on the eve of the UEFA Champions League Group A football match against Club Brugge. AFP

BRUGES, Belgium—Lionel Messi came to Paris to win the Champions League again and on Wednesday he is set to finally make his first start for his new club when they kick off their European campaign in Bruges.

Five weeks have passed since Messi was presented as a Paris Saint-Germain player and declared he was in “the ideal place” to win the biggest prize in club football for the fifth time.

In more than a month he has been seen in a PSG jersey for just 24 minutes as a substitute in a Ligue 1 game at Reims.

The 34-yearold had been expected to make his full debut for the Qatar-owned club last weekend but in the end he was rested against Clermont after returning from international duty with Argentina.

However, PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to finally unleash the six-time Ballon d’Or winner from

“Lamang si Belfort para sakin. Gandang laban ‘yan. Parang na talo na yata ni Silva si Belfort dati?” said Tepora.

Indeed, Silva easily won their first meeting—inside the UFC octagon— using a devastating front kick to the face of Belfort right in the first round of their middleweight championship bout last Feb. 5, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

That was a decade ago, and with those long limbs rendered useless in a boxing match, boxing experts are giving the younger Belfort a slight edge.

Silva, now 49 years old, decisioned boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in his debut before the KO win against Ortiz.

Belfort, 44, definitely has a lot of gas and power left as he had shown in his debut win against no less than Holyfield, the man who once stopped the brass and powerful Mike Tyson.

the start at the Jan Breydel Stadium against Belgian champions Club Brugge in the Group A opener.

If Neymar and Kylian Mbappe start too, it will be the first time the superstar attacking trio will have been on the pitch together for the Parisians.

Expectations are sky-high, both for Messi at his new club and for PSG in the Champions League, a trophy they have yet to win but crave more than anything.

PSG will play Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City—the team that knocked them out in last season’s semifinals—as well as RB Leipzig in a group that could hardly have been tougher, but this is a team built to go all the way.

“It makes me think of Liverpool when I arrived there. Liverpool were building a team to win the Premier League. Here I have joined a team that has been built to win something. I said to myself: ‘This is going to be massive’,” Georginio Wijnaldum, another of PSG’s summer signings, told sports daily L’Equipe.

Lucky?

They should, at the very least, be far too strong for their first oppo-

nents, even if the former European Cup finalists have been Belgian champions in three of the last four seasons.

The last time PSG went to Bruges was in the group stage two years ago.

There was no Messi then, and there was no Neymar either, but Mbappe bagged a hat-trick in a 5-0 win.

This summer Wijnaldum and Messi were joined at the Parc des Princes by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, flying full-back Achraf Hakimi and former Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos, as well as Portuguese prospect Nuno Mendes.

Ramos has not played at all yet, while Messi has been slowly preparing himself, but PSG have still won five games out of five in Ligue 1, scoring 16 goals.

Their recruitment drive, coupled with their decision to knock back up to 200 million euros from Real Madrid for Mbappe even with the France star in the final year of his contract, has had some of their European rivals up in arms. AFP

TWO local-based skaters who have continuously trained at home are set to compete in international competitions this week.

First is 18-year-old Skye Chua, who will carry the Philippine colors in the Krasnoyarsk, Russia leg of the International Skating Union Grand Prix from September 15 to 18.

Philippine Skating Union president Nikki Cheng said there were limitations in her preparations with the coronavirus pandemic. But thankfully, Chua was still able to focus on other things to prepare for the upcoming competition.

“Tuloy pa rin ang pag-training sa elite level. Ito lang iyung developmental pool. Sila iyung hindi makapagtraining ng todo habang may pandemic.

But because they are now doing offline exercises, patuloy ang progression nila,” said Cheng, who discussed the athletes’ preparations in a recent online discussion on Facebook.

PSU officials are also looking at the performance of Christopher Caluza, who is in the US International Classic in Boston.

Over the weekend, Filipina figure skater Sofia Frank claimed a podium finish ahead of her participation in the Nebelhorn Trophy.

Frank settled for third place in the Colorado Springs Invitational held in Monument, Colorado.

With a score of 90.13 in the free skate event, Frank took bronze from a field of 12 competitors.

Courtney Hicks took the top spot (100.53), while Sonja Hilmer ended up second (95.85).

During the short program, Frank was also third out of eight contestants with 45.43.

Hilmer placed first with 61.32 points, while Hicks landed in the second spot with 53.55.

Another Filipino skater in Edrian Paul Celestino will be in the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany on September 22 to 25.

The Nebelhorn Trophy will serve as a qualifying tournament for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Peter Atencio

Business Dominguez urges OFWs to invest in retail dollar bonds

FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III encouraged small investors on Wednesday to invest in the country’s first-ever onshore retail dollar bonds, saying they are a “win-win proposition” that will promote financial inclusion while raising funds for economic investments and comprehensive effort to recover from the pandemic.

Dominguez said the newly-launched RDBs of the Bureau of the Treasury and the digital innovations put in place to make investing in them easier and more convenient would allow Filipinos, especially overseas Filipino workers, to buy government securities without having to pay out “huge commissions to brokers and traders.”

These digital innovations include the Bonds.PH, the mobile applications of the Overseas Filipino Bank and Land Bank of the Philippines and the Treasury’s Online Ordering Facility, he said.

Bond offerings such as the RDBs will also support the development of the domestic capital markets, Dominguez said.

“The retail dollar bonds will offer our small investors an outlet for diversifying their investment portfolios.

They do not need to keep their dollar holdings in deposit accounts that pay minimal interest. With a minimum investment of just $300 or about P15,000, small investors can now grow their US dollar savings,” Dominguez said at the virtual launching of the RDBs. He said shifting the buying and selling of government-issued bonds online made investing in them “seamless and nearly friction-free.”

“I encourage our people to invest their savings in dollar bonds. This is a win-win proposition. Retail dollar bonds provide a safe investment and income opportunity. Buying them will help raise funds for our economic investments and the nation’s comprehensive effort to defeat the pandemic,” Dominguez said.

The Treasury teamed up with the country’s leading banks to let small investors buy the RDBs at easy terms.

Julito G. Rada

DOF approves plan to develop PSALM’s property in Diliman

By Alena Mae S. Flores STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. said Wednesday it received an approval from the Department of Finance to develop the 5.195-hectare Diliman property in Quezon City.

“There is a go signal from DOF to proceed with the development of the Diliman property. However, there are some issues we need to resolve such as the extension of life of PSALM,” PSALM president Irene Garcia said.

The Diliman property hosts the office of National Power Corp. and National Transmission Corp. PSALM in December 2019 awarded the contract for the conduct of the feasibility study on the development of the Diliman property to Isla Lipana & Co. (PwC Philippines).

Garcia said PWC recently completed the feasibility study which PSALM presented to the DOF and which was approved. She said the study was adjusted to take into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic “The pandemic had caused a lot of changes in the real estate development and because of this, we had to do some adjustments on the assumptions of the study,” she said.

The feasibility study will determine the property’s marketability, validate the cost of investment and identify appropriate privatization schemes for the Quezon City property to attract prospective developers.

Garcia said while there is already a gosignal from the DOF to pursue the development of the Diliman property , “it is imperative we first work on the extension of PSALM’s corporate life.”

PSALM’s corporate life is only up to June 2026. PSALM has 25 years from the effectivity of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 to fulfill its twin mandates unless otherwise extended by law.

“For that [Diliman] project, it really is a long-term development. To pursue that, we first have to work on the extension of PSALM’s corporate life. We need to extend it before we can work on the long term plan of developing the Diliman property,” she said.

PSE INDEX CLOSING

Wednesday, September 15, 2021 -40.16 PTS.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

R

emittances from Filipinos working overseas rose for the sixth straight month in July, providing the economy a strong buffer against external volatilities brought about by the global pandemic.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said remittances rose 2.5 percent in July to $2.85 billion, the highest this year, from $2.78 billion a year ago. It was also higher than $2.64 billion registered in June.

It said in a statement remittances in the first seven months also increased 5.8 percent to hit a new record of $17.771 billion from $16.802 billion a year earlier, as travel restrictions eased further and global economies reopened despite the continuing global health crisis.

The Bangko Sentral said the growth in cash remittances in the seven-month period came mainly from the United States, Malaysia and South Korea.

Data showed the US registered the highest share of overall remittances at

40.4 percent from January to July, followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, South Korea, Qatar and Taiwan. The combined remittances from these top 10 countries accounted for 78.6 percent of total cash remittances.

The BSP said the increase in cash remittances in July was due to the growth in remittances from land-based workers and sea-based workers, which rose by 1.6 percent to $2.308 billion from $2.273 billion a year earlier and by 6.9 percent to $545 million from $510 million, Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also improved 2.6 percent to $3.167 billion in July from $3.085 billion a year ago. This brought

1,514,218,881

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE

107,640 7,552,338,342.98

ADVANCES

64

DECLINES UNCHANGED

128 51

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

B1

July remittances climbed 2.5% to seven-month high of $2.85b

By Julito G. Rada

6,880.20

TOTAL VOLUME

the cumulative remittances in the first seven months to $19.783 billion, up 6 percent from $18.658 billion registered in the comparable period in 2020.

The growth in personal remittances in July was due to remittances sent by landbased workers with work contracts of one year or more, which grew by 1.6 percent to $2.506 billion from $2.467 billion in the same period last year, and sea- and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year, which increased by 6.9 percent to $595 million from $557 million a year ago.

“We can expect the uptrend in remittance inflows as travel restrictions ease further and global economies now reopen,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno told a joint general assembly of the Financial Markets Association, Fund Managers Association of the Philippines, Investment House Association of the Philippines, Money Market Association of the Philippines, National Association of Securities Broker Salesmen Inc., and Trust Officers Association of the Philippines on Tuesday.

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.9090

Japan

Yen

0.009116

0.4550

UK

Pound

1.381200

68.9343

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128555

6.4161

Switzerland

Franc

1.087311

54.2666

Canada

Dollar

0.788271

39.3418

Singapore

Dollar

0.744435

37.1540

Australia

Dollar

0.732000

36.5334

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653928

132.4549

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266624

13.3069

Brunei

Dollar

0.741675

37.0163

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030377

1.5161

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.5888

Euro

Euro

1.180800

58.9325

Korea

Won

0.000854

0.0426

China

Yuan

0.155323

7.7520

India

Rupee

0.013583

0.6779

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.240385

11.9974

New Zealand

Dollar

0.709700

35.4204

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036174

1.8054 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF PAL seen stopping NY, London flights DEBT-SADDLED Philippine Airlines will face more turbulence ahead amid the global travel restrictions and may stop three of its longest flights, according to the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation.

“Gaining agreement from its creditors and presumably a smooth passage through bankruptcy court will be major steps for PAL. But it is far from out of the woods yet, and it still has some tough months ahead of it before any meaningful recovery takes hold,” the aviation think tank said in a report.

PAL recently secured an approval from US Bankruptcy Court in New York to access the first $20 million from a $505-million loan facility to support operations. CAPA said PAL plans to cut back its wide-body fleet and long haul network to give itself a better chance of recovery in the postpandemic market.

“PAL will axe its three longest routes to London, New York and Toronto, which were served by the A350s before the pandemic,” CAPA said.

The aviation think-tank, meanwhile said, routes to destinations on the West Coast of North America – Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver – will remain.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Ayala plans returning to global bond market

NEW BUSINESS LEADERS. Converge ICT Solutions Inc. co-founder and chief executive Dennis Anthony Uy (top, center) joins other captains of the industry who are on the lookout for fresh ideas and innovations at The Final Pitch Season 7. With him are (from left, top row) show creator John Aguilar and Rosemarie Ong of Wilcon Depot and (second row, from left) Jay Villarante of 8Ventures, Mayor Bernard Dy of Cauayan, Isabela and David Almirol of MultiSys. Considered a self-made entrepreneur, Uy hopes to provide the next generation of Filipino entrepreneurs with a chance to achieve success, especially those in technologies that can help uplift the country.

2GO investing P150m in new technologies to modernize operations

By Darwin G. Amojelar 2GO, the largest integrated logistics and transportation provider in the country, said Wednesday it is investing about P150 million to modernize its operations to meet future customer demands critical in the new normal.

It said to cater to the growth of the courier and e-commerce business, it invested in a new technology that enhances efficiency, speeds up processing times and allows scalability while improving reliability.

Investments in automated sorting machines in its hub facilities will facilitate the processing of more than 140,000 parcels a day, thereby granting the faster delivery of parcels to consumers.

2GO Express also deployed innova-

tive transport management systems.

These optimize 2GO Express delivery by modernizing destination mapping and vehicle routing. This new technology will allow customers real time tracking of shipments to support their planning and consumption.

“Ultimately, these changes are geared to enhance our customers’ buying experience which has been the central focus of 2GO,” 2GO Group chief operating officer Waldo Basilla.

2GO Logistics said it implemented technology improvements to increase operating output. It completed the deployment of modern warehouse management system to streamline workflows electronically, improve customer integration, order and inventory management, thereby improving ability to

accurately serve customers’ fulfillment requirements.

A new transport management system was also implemented to optimally plan deliveries to the modern trade, improving the number of drops and lowering cost. With the implementation of GPS-enabled trucks, 2GO is now able to offer a transport control tower solution that further provides the ability to track deliveries real time to increase reliability.

The company said that for distribution business, it is enhancing demand planning systems to aid in forecasting and in ensuring the availability of goods on the shelves of retail partners.

2GO is implementing a platform that will allow it to streamline and adapt procurement process to the new normal.

“As a technology professional, I am excited to be part of the digital transformation at 2GO. This allows 2GO to position itself to serve its customers’ evolving requirements,” said 2GO Group chief information officer Gigi Puno.

CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. is returning to the international bond market with the planned issuance of US dollar-denominated senior fixed-for-life perpetual notes.

Ayala said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it mandated BPI Capital Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Singapore Pte. Ltd., Credit Suisse (Singapore) Limited, J.P. Morgan (S.E.A.) Limited, Mizuho Securities (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. and UBS AG Singapore Branch as Joint lead managers and joint bookrunners for the fund raising activity.

The notes will be issued by AYC Finance Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary whose ordinary shares are 100-percent held directly by Ayala Corp. The notes will be unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed

by AC. The conglomerate also reported that it would conduct a tender offer of its $400-million 5.125 percent senior fixed-forlife notes issued in 2017 and $400-million 4.85 percent senior fixed-for-life notes issued in 2019. Jenniffer B. Austria

Arthaland to issue P3-b preferred shares BOUTIQUE property developer Arthaland Corp. plans to raise up to P3 billion from the issuance of preferred shares to repay debt.

Based on the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Arthaland will offer 4 million commutative, non-participating, non-convertible and redeemable preferred shares with an oversubscription option for another 2 million shares. The preferred shares will be sold at P500 apiece.

The company hired BDO Capital and Investments Corp. as the sole issue manager and underwriter for the offering. Net proceeds will be used to redeem the P2billion preferred shares with a dividend rate of 7.0458 percent maturing in December 2021.

A portion of the proceeds will be used to fund additional investments in Cebu Exchange and Savya Financial Center to retain office and retail units that will increase the company’s recurring income base.

The preferred shares will be listed in the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange. Jenniffer B. Austria

88% of smokers look at alternatives—survey

2GO, the largest integrated logistics and transportation provider in the country, is investing P150 million to help modernize the company through enabling technology to meet future customer demands critical in the new normal. Important technological initiatives on digitization and automation have been deployed across the company’s core businesses to considerably improve the group’s competitiveness and achieve long-term goals.

Eighty-eight percent or nearly nine of 10 adult smokers would consider switching to smoke-free alternatives such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, according to a study conducted by an Asian research network.

Results of the study, conducted by ACORN Marketing & Research Consultants and commissioned by consumer advocacy group Vapers PH, show that 70 percent of 2,000 respondents believe that e-cigarettes and HTPs are better alternatives to cigarettes.

“The results of this survey come at a crucial time when the Senate is deliberating on the Vaporized Nicotine Products Bill. We hope that our senators will listen to the voice of Filipino smokers and vapers when we call on them to pass the VNP bill to encourage smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives to cigarettes,” said Peter Paul Dator, president of Vapers PH, a vaping advocacy group in the country.

The Senate is deliberating on Senate

Bill No. 2239, or the Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act, which empowers the government to regulate the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and consumption of vapor (e-cigarettes) and heated tobacco products.

About a million former Filipino smokers have already switched to novel smoke-free products such as electronic cigarettes and HTPs which, according to several scientific studies are less harmful than traditional cigarettes. Studies show that it is the smoke from combustion that releases harmful substances to the body, and not nicotine, which is a food-grade substance.

The Senate bill promotes a balanced policy toward the proper regulation of novel consumer products, using internationally-accepted product standards to protect citizens from the hazards of unregulated and substandard vapor and heated tobacco products being sold in the market.

Business

B2 || THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PSEi SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

TOP GAINERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

BKR AP

1.15 30.3

0.15 1.5

15.00% 5.21%

3

DIZ

6.3

0.29

4.83%

4 5

CPG MONDE

0.475 19

0.02 0.74

4.40% 4.05%

6

WIN

0.265

0.01

3.92%

7 8

GREEN PSE

2.59 235

0.09 7

3.60% 3.07%

9

CNPF

28

0.8

2.94%

10

SM

1015

27

2.73%

TOP LOSERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

HI TCB2A

3.73 1

-0.37 -0.08

-9.02% -7.41%

3

CAT

13.52

-0.98

-6.76%

4 5

PRMX TECHW

1.87 1.53

-0.11 -0.09

-5.56% -5.56%

6

ALLHC

5.05

-0.29

-5.43%

7 8

BLOOM ATNB

6.15 0.55

-0.34 -0.03

-5.24% -5.17%

9

IPO

6.86

-0.37

-5.12%

10

OM

0.375

-0.02

-5.06%

Stocks fall for 3 straight day; Monde Nissin rallies rd

T

HE stock market declined for the third straight day Wednesday on renewed worries over rising COVID-19 infections a day ahead of looser quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 40.16 points, or 0.6 percent, to 6,880.20 on a value turnover of P7.6 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 128 to 64, with 51 issues unchanged.

Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest mobile phone company, retreated 4.2 percent to P3,040, while major property developer Ayala Land Inc. decreased 3 percent to P32.60.

Noodles maker Monde Nissin Corp.,

however, climbed 4 percent to P19, while Aboitiz Power Corp. of the Aboitiz Group advanced 5.2 percent to P30.30.

The rest of Asian markets sank Wednesday as a slowdown in US consumer inflation failed to overcome concerns about the fast-spreading Delta variant, while Hong Kong was dragged by a collapse in casino firms as Macau unveiled a planned crackdown on the sector.

Asian markets were under pressure, with below-par retail sales data further indicating China’s economy continued to slow in August.

Hong Kong led losses, with Macau casino operators collapsing as they became the latest to fall into China’s regulatory crosshairs.

Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta all fell, though Seoul, Bangkok and Mumbai

managed gains.

After a bright start to the month, equities around the world have gone into reverse in recent sessions as confidence is shaken by the virus, with a number of countries seeing a worrying jump in new cases that have forced some, including China, to reimpose tough containment measures.

Investors are also having to grapple with a range of other issues including Federal Reserve plans to taper monetary policy, China’s regulatory crackdown on private enterprises and a possible default by Chinese property giant Evergrande, which is teetering under debts of more than $300 billion.

Data Tuesday showing US consumer prices rose last month at a slower pace than expected soothed concerns that inflation could force the Fed to begin winding down its market-supporting policies earlier than thought. With AFP

MOST ACTIVE 1

CNVRG

VOLUME 18,833,900

VALUE (PHP) 656,010,665

2 3

MONDE ACEN

29,010,700 45,960,300

542,506,548 462,636,907

4 5 6

GLO ALI BDO

138,610 11,272,100 3,251,060

425,240,120 371,557,460 365,617,993

7 8 9

AC TEL SM

394,730 205,070 286,280

319,466,625 304,358,475 289,194,380

10

AP

9,138,600

272,822,960

URBAN FARMING. Vegetable gardens are seen on the roofs of vehicles of a taxi rental garage firm, whose cars are currently out of service due to the downturn in business as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, in Bangkok on September 15, 2021. AFP

Billions wiped from Macau casino shares as city mulls over gambling review HONG KONG, China―Shares in Macau casino operators collapsed Wednesday after officials in the world’s biggest gambling city unveiled plans for a crackdown that would tighten their grip on the already beleaguered industry.

Hong Kong-listed operators Sands China and Wynn Macau both lost around 25 percent, while Melco Entertainment, SJM Holdings, MGM China and Galaxy Entertainment fell around 17 percent― wiping billions off their valuations.

The sell-off came after the Macau government announced a 45-day public consultation on Wednesday, including a proposal for direct supervision over the gambling industry, which has faced

increasing scrutiny from authorities in recent years.

Officials are looking to put government representatives on licensed operators’ boards to oversee their operations, and to criminalize underground banking in the industry.

The move comes as the government in mainland China embarks on a crackdown on a wide range of industries― including tech and private education firms―as it looks to tighten its grip on the world’s number two economy.

President Xi Jinping is also in the midst of a drive targeting the country’s uber-rich and calling for “common prosperity.”

“The casino issues are a continuation

of what’s been a pretty big crackdown,” said Jason Ader, of New York-based investment manager SpringOwl Asset Management.

“There’s a debate over whether China is even investable right now. You never like to see increased regulation, increased taxes, restrained movement.

That all seems to be the status quo,” said Ader, who is also a former member of Las Vegas Sands.

Wednesday’s announcement comes as the six licenses permitting companies to run casinos in Macau―the only place in China where casino gambling is allowed―come up for renewal next June, when the companies will have to bid to hold on to them.

Macau’s casinos usually account for about 80 percent of government revenue and more than half its gross domestic product, with upwards of 82,000 people working in the industry by the end of last year representing almost a fifth of the city’s working population.

The city rakes in more in a single week than Las Vegas makes in a month.

However, the sector has been hammered by the coronavirus, with tourism―the casinos’ lifeblood―wiped out by travel restrictions imposed by the government to prevent the disease spreading.

The industry had been already been struggling for years owing to a graft clampdown by China. AFP

Higher domestic yellow corn production to ease the plight of feed millers

FOOD security is the best protection against rising prices, especially in a pandemic era where shipping woes and supply bottlenecks can easily disrupt global trade.

Geopolitical upheavals, the vagaries of the weather and trade wars often dictate the supply and demand of commodities, like metals, crops and crude oil. Industries mainly dependent on certain commodity imports could experience sharp swings in their production cost and market prices. They have little control over the supply of imported raw materials, unless domestic production is stable and sufficient.

The global supply of grains, particularly corn for instance, continues to tighten while demand steadily increases, jacking up prices and making the market highly volatile.

This situation makes it more imperative for the Philippines to aggressively pursue a comprehensive program to develop an efficient corn farming sector that will ensure self sufficiency in quality corn

supply for food, feed manufacturing and several industrial uses.

Failure to do so will keep the country heavily dependent on imports and highly vulnerable to the global market volatility.

The global supply of corn tightens as production growth slows due to a host of factors, including natural calamities such as drought and flooding in major producing countries like the US and Brazil.

Demand, however, has been increasing markedly, as western countries have been using more corn not only for food and animal feeds manufacturing but also for the production of ethanol and its byproducts. Also, demand from China has increased substantially.

China has been practically buying all available corn in the market to support its own requirements.

In the Philippines, corn production, especially yellow corn or those used by feed millers, has been falling short of the requirements of feed millers and the livestock and poultry sector. Yellow corn is a major ingredient in animal feed manufacturing.

Department of Agriculture data show yellow corn production this year is projected to fall short of the requirement, mainly of feed manufacturers, by 47 percent. The gap in the supply and

demand is expected to widen to more than 63 percent, after removing the portion of the supply that is deemed of poor quality and not fit for animal feed manufacturing.

Yellow corn production this year, according to the data, is projected to reach 5.39 million metric tons, while the requirement for animal feed manufacturing is estimated at 9.25 million MT, up 6.8 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively, from their year-ago levels.

Actual production of yellow corn for feeds in the first half of the year reached 2.614 million MT, but the useable volume available to feed producers was just 2.22 million MT, with a nearly 15-percent fall off rate, or the percentage of output rejected for feed production.

The department has projected the useable yellow corn volume for feed millers for the entire year to end up at only 3.4 million MT, out of the expected yellow corn output of 5.39 million MT. Given the huge gap between local supply and demand, feed millers were left with no other option but to import.

They shipped in 1.19 million MT of feed inputs in the first half of the year, consisting of 128,067 MT of yellow corn and 1.063 million MT of feed

wheat, a corn substitute.

Feed millers and animal feeds users such as livestock and poultry raisers, however, have to contend with the rising global prices of corn. The average price of imported corn jumped from P13.80 a kilo in 2020 to P19.92 a kilo in 2021.

The average price of local yellow corn also increased but at a slower pace, from P15.48 a kilo in 2020 to P16.01 a kilo in P2021. Given this, local yellow corn is deemed competitive, price-wise.

The bigger problem, however, is its availability and consistency in the quality of the local produce.

Increased domestic yellow corn production seems to be a plausible solution to rising import prices. The DA’s proposed yellow corn industry development roadmap is a welcome initiative that could provide the answer to increasing prices.

The roadmap, if wholly supported by the government and with funding, will certainly boost yellow corn production and improve the quality supplied to feed millers. More importantly, the increased local yellow corn output will shield local feed millers from global market uncertainties.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com

Evergrande offers to pay parking spots to investors SHENZHEN, China—Protesters gathered for a third straight day at the offices of teetering developer Evergrande, after a company offer of property and parking spaces instead of cash repayments angered already upset investors.

The troubled property titan has warned it may not be able to service its colossal debts of more than $300 billion, seeding panic across property buyers, bond holders and contractors, and fanning fears of a default that could ripple through the world’s second-biggest economy.

Experts say the Hong Kong-listed developer has more than a million units pre-paid but yet to be built, adding to the sense of dread among Chinese investors, many of them first-time buyers trying to get a foot on the runaway Chinese property market.

The company on Tuesday admitted that it is under “tremendous pressure” and may not be able to meet its liabilities.

Around 60 protesters returned to the Shenzhen headquarters on Wednesday, with more expected later in the day to demand their money back from a privately-owned firm, whose rapid expansion into 280 Chinese cities once armor-plated its reputation.

They briefly surrounded a man who appeared to be a company representative and chanted “Evergrande, give us our money back.”

They were met by a heavy police presence but refused to disperse, moreso after an apparent effort overnight

by Evergrande to repay debts with promises of property, parking spaces and store units soured the mood.

“They offered us shops, kindergartens and parking units... but we can’t use them. None of us agree to this,” said a woman who gave her surname only as Wang and whose financial company in Chongqing is “not really functioning” because of unpaid debts from the developer.

“They are trying to deal with their bad properties,” another investor told AFP, requesting anonymity. “(But) these are products they are unable to sell.”

On Wednesday morning a woman sat on the floor in front of the offices crying, while several officers stood guard nearby and shooed away journalists. AFP

UK inflation hits nine-year peak as economy reopens LONDON—British annual inflation spiked in August to a nine-year peak on the reopening economy, but last year’s figure had been skewed by a restaurant discount scheme, official data showed Wednesday.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) soared to 3.2 percent, the highest level since March 2012, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.

That marked a record acceleration from 2.0 percent in July, but the ONS cautioned that the uplift would be temporary.

Global markets have seesawed this year over concerns that central banks will end COVID support measures to tame inflation, but policymakers insist price hikes would be short-lived.

The Bank of England has however warned inflation would strike 4.0 percent—double its target—in the fourth quarter on reopening economies and a global supply crunch that was sparked by the pandemic.

“August saw the largest rise in annual inflation month on month since the series was introduced almost a quarter of a century ago,” said ONS statistician Jonathan Athow.

“However, much of this is likely to be temporary as last year restaurant and cafe prices fell substantially due to the ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ scheme, while this year prices rose.”

Inflation in August 2020 had been depressed by the discount scheme and temporary tax cuts aimed at boosting the COVID-hit economy.

“The vast majority of August’s rise was due to comparisons with a weak 2020, with last August having seen both the VAT cut for the hospitality sector and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme,” noted EY economist Martin Beck.

The ONS added Wednesday that manufacturers are experiencing huge cost rises. AFP

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

B3

BTS issued diplomatic passports for UN session

The trailblazing septet will deliver a speech ahead of the UN General Assembly.

MEMBERS of K-pop sensation BTS have been granted diplomatic passports ahead of the United Nations General Assembly as they embark on their new roles as presidential special envoys, South Korea's presidential office said.

The trailblazing septet have reached global superstardom,

with their single "Dynamite" entering the Billboard Hot 100 at number one last year, making them the first South Korean act to top the US chart.

They are credited with generating billions for the South Korean economy, and last year their label HYBE made a high-profile stock market debut.

Now Seoul is looking to capitalize on the soft power they represent, with President Moon Jae-in appointing them as his special envoys for future generations and culture.

"It is a great honour to receive this title," BTS leader RM said at a Blue House ceremony Tuesday to present them with their red-covered diplomatic passports—ordinary South Korean passports are green.

Moon told the members that many foreign leaders he meets break the ice by talking about them.

While on official business, they will enjoy privileges such as diplomatic immunity and exemption from airport inspections.

As special envoys, the group will deliver a speech during the Sustainable Development Goals Moment on Monday, ahead of the UN General Assembly, and a performance video will be played. AFP

Match made in new normal N

Singer Nick Vera Perez recorded his sophomore album at the famed CRC Legendary Sound in Chicago.

US-based Pinoy singer Nick Vera Perez drops sophomore record

By Nickie Wang

OT even the challenges of a new YUGEL normal setup could LOSORATA serve as hindrance to maximizing the chemistry between young singers Janine Teñoso and Arthur Nery. The proof came in the form of a digital single smash collaboration and a palpable romantic tension that thrilled fans and showbiz scribes.

During the virtual press conference to promote the song “Pelikula,” seasoned journalists Aster Amoyo and Jun Nardo sounded like they would stop at nothing to get the real score straight from them, as if they’re solving some puzzle from a Dan Brown novel.

That reflected the legitimacy of this love team from Viva Records which released their first duet song last July. Just after two months, "Pelikula" achieved nearly four million Spotify streams and fast-counting. You may bet it will hit past four million by the time this column piece comes out.

“Pelikula” has that classic, feel-good, serenading touch that puts you in a sort of romance trance. In its 3:24 run, you’d feel like the world is just a place to fall in love with, far from the current scenario wherein a virus variant is making basic existence extra challenging for everyone, in love or jaded. It is billed as only the first team-up song of Janine and Arthur. They wrote it together.

The track was produced by Civ Fontanilla, arranged by Janno Queyquep, and mixed-mastered by Joel Mendoza. Joel is a longtime friend and he engineered my band Syato’s debut album 16 years ago. I could imagine his face lighting up upon hearing this song, believing it’s going to be a hit putting into consideration the voices behind it and the way songs are sung for today’s generation.

Soft-spoken Arthur certainly knows how to address the trappings of recording success and being a public figure where

Solo singers Janine Teñoso and Arthur Nery are behind the duet 'Pelikula,' the first of their several projected collaborations.

your personal life may end up as the main subject of an interview.

He said, “We’re focusing on the music kaya hindi namin naiisip kung ano ang nangyayari outside sa music zone.”

He had more than enough superlatives to say about Janine.

“She excels sa lahat ng stages ng songwriting.”

Janine, whose 2018 cover version of Itchyworms’“Di Na Muli,” had already amassed 60 million Spotify streams, chose a couple of words that she felt Arthur made her feel right after they met.

“He’s encouraging and he inspires me,” she said, referring to their working relationship as music collaborators, and, well, “as a friend.”

Arthur’s fame is described as “a slow build explosion” that began with his album “Letters Never Sent” and hit single “Higa.” He has become a leading Filipino male singer of Lo-Fi styled R&B. Executives of Viva Records encouraged this creative partnership in their belief that “Janine and Arthur work extremely well together and there’s magic when they’re together.”

Janine said she sent chord progressions to Arthur who then worked on the lyrics. It was a team effort to deliver the finishing touches. This tandem is bound to make more hits.

Curated selection for art lovers, collectors Unique prints by THE Santuario de San Salvador Dali and Antonio Parish Francisfest John Lennon will joyfully presents also be for sale.

SpectaculART 2: An SpectaculART 2 auction of art, jewelry and also gathers numerous homeware. Both pristine up-and-coming artists and pre-loved pieces are up to give them an for grabs. opportunity to reach The proceeds of the a wider audience and auction shall assist in also to showcase their the numerous Social work. They may just Services and development dominate the scene in ministries of SSAP and its the years to come. sister parishes.

Anita Magsaysay-Ho's masterpiece and 'Emerald Waves' (inset) by Seb Chua A bid on their work SpectaculART 2 will (i are among the curated items up for auction at 'SpectaculART 2.' gives a heartwarming feature Fine Jewelry, sense of validation Estate, Artisan and an assortment of diamonds, pearls, and colored stones. The and accomplishment. A ray of positivity and inspiration during homeware collection will feature European, Asian, and locally these troubled times. A win-win situation.

SpectaculaART kicked off its first edition last year in sourced pieces ranging from antique, vintage, and contemporary response to the pandemic and the quarantine restrictions furniture and home décor.

This year, SpectaculART 2 shall showcase a carefully curated imposed upon us. So let us bid, buy and invest in art, selection of meaningful works created by esteemed artists namely: jewelry, and unique pieces for your home while helping National Artist for Visual Art Carlos “Botong” Francisco, Impy the Santuario de San Antonio Parish Ministries. Support SpectaculART 2.

Pilapil, Romeo Tabuena, and Anita Magsaysay Ho. Online viewing begins Sept. 25 on www.spectaculartph.

Unique pieces by renowned Filipino Visual Artists Gus Albor, Ramon Diaz, Jojo Guingona, Noli Principe Manalang, Isabel com. Preview of selected items starts on Sept. 25 in the San Campa, Ivy Lim, and Marivic Rufino are pooled together in a Antonio Parish Center by appointment. Online bidding is from Oct. 1 to 3 on www.spectaculartph.com. celebration of Philippine Art in the last few decades.

OPM icon Rico Blanco delivers a unifying, Filipino folk music spin to the well-loved Pinoy Big Brother theme song meaningfully renamed “Pinoy Tayo,” 16 years after the song was first heard and eventually became an anthem of empowerment for many Filipinos.

Rico’s special anniversary version of the Orange and Lemons original “Pinoy Ako” will serve as the official theme song of the upcoming Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Kumunity Season 10.

“It’s such an honor to do the song. Just what it stands for.

The original version is so well-loved,” he said. “This is a chance to rediscover it.”

Now with vibrant elements of Filipino ethnic sound, “Pinoy Tayo” is a composition of ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo, Clem Castro, and Rico, who also produced the remake while Jonathan served as the

MUSICIAN Nick Vera Perez has released a new album, his follow up to the record I Am Ready, which earned him a "Best New Male Recording Artist" nomination at PMPC’s Star Award for Music in 2018.

On Sept. 1, the US based artist’s NVP 1.0 NVP 1’s More was released and made available for streaming on numerous digital platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and Google Play.

The album, which has 12 original tracks, was recorded at the CRC Legendary Sound. It's the same studio where some of the biggest stars like Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Chance The Rapper, and Boyz 2 Men, to name a few, prerecorded their songs.

“The songs in the album are a hybrid of English and Filipino and mostly about love. But the twist is, the album is a combination of numerous genres,” Nick shared in a Kumu interview.

The second album draws inspiration from a revolutionary combination of many

YouTube and Smart have teamed up to bring a bigger 'NextUp' with more rewards and opportunities.

Search for the next big Filipino content creators

YOUTUBE and leading mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) have partnered to bring a bigger “NextUp” in the Philippines this year to search for and train the country’s next generation of YouTube content creators.

Launched in 2011, “NextUp” is a contest that aims to spotlight and support the growth of local up-and-coming YouTube content creators through training workshops, networking, and equipment provision.

This 2021, YouTube and Smart have teamed up to bring a bigger “NextUp” with more rewards and opportunities.

The contest will look for 12 Filipino content creators who will each receive equipment stipend worth P100,000, and free data packs. Out of the 12 winners, three will be granted a 12-month endorsement contract with Smart. They are entitled to participate in an online creator camp where they will receive mentorship from industry experts, “NextUp” alumni, and current YouTube content creators about production skills, audience development, and channel growth among others. A series of online training workshops for the non-finalists will be organized as well.

Rico Blanco reimagines iconic

‘PBB’ anthem

genres like rock, ballad, easy listening, contemporary, R&B, jazz, and pop all intertwined.

“This album is more attractive than the first one. It’s all original songs of Adonis Tabanda,” he said.

“I contracted him for 10 albums, so we are now working on album 3. Album 4, will have five songs,” he added.

Nick revealed that releasing a total of 10 albums has been his dream and once they are complete the singer would retire.

“Music is my first love. I became a nurse at the request of my parents. I gave in to their wishes, that’s why I became a nurse. At the same time, I love helping people. I lasted many years at the intensive care unit (ICU). I guess my calling is to help others,” Nick, who is also a registered nurse, admitted.

Music plays a big part in Nick’s journey as an artist during the pandemic.

“I believe that everything you say, everything you sing, has a direct effect on your mental condition and wellbeing,” he ended.

The single cover for Rico Blanco's version of 'Pinoy Tayo.'

“YouTube is all about the content creators and we’re committed to supporting their discovery and growth.

Together with Smart, we will hone their skills and help them seize the economic opportunities that come with having a growing YouTube channel,” said Marc Lefkowitz, Director of YouTube Partner Development and Management, APAC. “With ‘NextUp,’ we are giving them a platform to let their creativity shine and learn from today's top creators so they can take their passion to a whole new level,” said Jane Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

‘NextUp’ has helped over 500 creators in more than 13 countries take their channels to the next level through skill development and a network to help them create compelling content.

In the Philippines, ‘NextUp’ has helped launch the careers of some of the country’s most notable YouTube creators today such as Raiza Contawi, Team Lyqa, and Renee Dominique who has already collaborated with international singersongwriter Jason Mraz.

To join the contest, visit goo.gle/nextup-ph.

supervising producer.

Apart from being this year’s PBB theme song, "Pinoy Tayo" will also serve as the lead single in the expansive 25-track album that will celebrate the music of Jonathan in the last 20 years.

The multi-awarded songwriter and producer remains in awe of how the song has become a statement on Pinoy pride and how it continues to uplift the spirits of generations of Pinoy audiences.

“I’m grateful to hear people saying that this song has become part of the soundtrack of their lives,” Jonathan shared. “As I embark on my 20th anniversary in the music industry this year, an icon, a legend who I look up to helped me kickstart the celebration by re-imagining this song with his genius.”

Meanwhile, Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10 has opened auditions for aspiring adult housemates age 20 to 40 years old until Sept. 30.

Life

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

B4

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

By Monica Sanchez

N

EVER have we ever appreciated open spaces and plants and trees as we have today when our wellbeing benefits so much from them.

Several studies show that exposure to green spaces, fresh air, natural sunlight, and even coastal life offers physical and mental health benefits.

“Spending time in nature certainly makes us feel healthier, but until now the impact on our long-term well-being hasn’t been fully understood,” said Caoimhe Twohig-Bennett, lead researcher of the study about the benefits of spending time outside by the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School.

Living close to nature, the study found, reduces risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, premature death, and preterm birth. Exposure to green spaces also reduces blood pressure, heart rate, and stress.

Alexis Ortiga, senior assistant vice president of projects and sales at Costa Del Hamilo Inc., highlights the new open living concept that its beachresort community in Batangas pursues.

“Approximately 40 percent of the community is dedicated to lush greens, pedestrian pathways, bike lanes, and roads,” Ortiga said of Sola, the first horizontal development of Hamilo Coast and considered the first premiere sustainable lot development in Pico De Loro Cove.

Sola is a gated 2.7-hectare community with access to 1.5-kilometer of white sand beach and a 4-hectare man-made lagoon. The nature-centric development

Open living concept highlights

more greens, bigger outdoor spaces

Houses in the community are surrounded by trees, as seen in this artist rendering.

integrates multiple locators, including a hotel, beach and country club, mid-rise residential buildings, and the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Chapel.

“The Central Parks provide a nuclear amenity

which include serene and functional spaces where time,” Ortiga added. you can take a stroll or jog along tree-lined trails, play The community suits families who desire a seayour heart out at the nature-inspired playground, or side lifestyle. In fact, Origa earlier said, more than 50 just lounge and relax for some well-deserved ‘me’ percent have sold since its launch a few months ago.

BEACH LIVING. A beach resort community in Batangas offers residents tree-lined pathways and bike lanes, and access to nature’s wonders like hiking trails and a 1.5-kilometer white sand beach.

DOMESTIC LIFE From left: Air shower for pets, Nina Ottosson Pet Stages Melon Madness puzzle toy, and Cat Jungle Tree made of compressed wood wrapped in faux fur.

Enjoy movies on streaming platforms or watch shows on local channels using Globe Streamwatch 2-in-1 TV Box.

How to create a pet-friendly home FOR many, pets are family. And family members deserve to live in a place that makes them feel safe and at home. A pet store offers tips to make the living space pet-friendly.

- Create a cozy corner for your pet.

By assigning their place with a comfortable bed, you will be able to train them to stay in their place when they rest and unwind. For small breeds and small pets like cats who like to cling to their pet parents, putting a small bedding area for them in the living room or under the dining space will make feel them secure and safe.

- Have a clean designated dining space for your pet. Do not forget to store pet food that is out of their reach.

Busy fur-parents may get an automated pet feeder so mealtimes are fun and on schedule.

- Organize your pet’s needs and accessories in a shelf or cabinet. Remember to keep it within your reach. Hide their pet bowls and litter box. Cat owners are advised to give their feline friends some privacy by putting a small screen on their litter box in a corner.

- Pet-proof your home. Set up a retractable fence to set boundaries between your and your pet’s space.

- Keep your pets active. Give your dog something to chew on like treats or rubber toys; while cats should have a scratching post or climbing trees. Dogs love to bathe and play in wet areas, so provide them a platform for their muddy paws and a quick wash after a play.

- Keep pet areas clean and sanitized. As you

bathe and groom your pet, you should keep their area clean and germ-free. Use pet-friendly disinfectant and cleaners.

For pet parents who need to buy something for their furry family members, Pet Express has an online store at www. petexpress.com.ph, a call and collect service in select branches, and a “pawsonal” shopper service available through 0917-809-1864.

Keep dogs comfortable with a plush bed.

2-in-1 device turns TV into a smart TV GLOBE At Home launches a new device that ups family entertainment at home.

The Globe Streamwatch 2-in-1 Box Powered by Android TV lets users stream movies and TV shows on Netflix, YouTube, HBO GO, Viu, WeTV, iQiyi, discovery+, and other platforms available on Google Play Store. The family can also download apps to access other sites, turning their TV into a smart TV. It also functions as a regular TV box to access free-to-air local TV channels such as ABS-CBN on A2Z, Knowledge Channel, GMA, and TV5.

Its built-in casting feature allows users to mirror other device screens such as phones, tablets, and laptops on TV. Its voice command function is powered by Google Assistant.

The 2-in-1 TV box is exclusively available to Globe At Home subscribers for a top-up of P149 per month for 24 months or a one-time payment of P3,599. It comes with a three-month subscription access to HBO GO, Viu, WeTV, and iQiyi, and a one-year access to discovery+. Free delivery applies on orders placed at shop.globe. com.ph/globe-at-home-devices.

Bake desserts in air-fryer

iPHOTO 14 Megaworld Lifestyle Malls receive Safety Seal THE ceremonial presentation of the Safety Seal at Newport Mall was led by Resorts World Manila president and chief executive Kingson Sian and Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano (center).

From left: Stephen Reilly, chief operating officer, RWM; Graham Coates, head, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls; Michelle Talavera–Pardo, officer-in-charge, Pasay City Business Permits and Licensing Office; and Gloria Aguhar, director, Pasay City Department of the Interior and Local Government were also present.

In addition to Newport Mall, 13 other Megaworld Lifestyle Malls received the Safety Seal certification. These include its flagship mall Uptown Bonifacio in Taguig City; its first full-scale mall Eastwood City in Quezon City; Lucky Chinatown in Binondo; Arcovia City in Pasig; Venice Grand Canal and Forbes Town both in Taguig; Greenhouse at Village Square Alabang and Alabang West

HOUSEHOLD appliances manufacturer Midea enters the air fryer market with a 3.5L mechanical and a 5.5L digital variants, with the latter offering more functions for more recipes.

Midea says its 5.5L Digital Air Fryer can be used for air-frying, reheating, toasting, grilling, roasting, and baking.

It’s powered by 360-degree air circulation technology and several presets that allow broiling meat in 15 minutes, frying crispy potatoes in 15 to 17 minutes, and baking bread pudding among others.

It is available for P8,495 at www.midea.ph Midea’s 5.5L Digital Air Fryer can be used to roast chicken or bake bread pudding. and on Midea’s Shopee and Lazada stores.

Multi-cooker reduces sugar in rice

Parade both in Las Piñas; Three Central Mall, San Lorenzo Place Mall, and Paseo Center, all in Makati; Southwoods Mall in Biñan, Laguna; and Festive Walk Iloilo in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

TOSHIBA offers a multi-cooker that reduces sugar in rice as it cooks.

The 1-liter Low Sugar Multi-cooker has a “healthy rice” function certified to reduce sugar in rice by up to 35 percent and increase healthy digestive resistant starch by 58 percent. “Your rice is cooked at the right temperature to break down and drain its starch content,” the brand says.

It has a 24-hour preset timer function that automatically cooks rice, and a “keep warm” 3D heating induction technology function that keeps it warm until it’s ready for serving.

It is available for P13,195 on Toshiba’s official Shopee store.

Toshiba’s Low Sugar Multicooker has a function that reduces sugar in rice by up to 35 percent.