Manila Standard - 2021 September 26 - Sunday

Vol. 35

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No.223 No. 223

2 SECTIONS

September 26, 2021 8 PAGES

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IN MET R MANILAO

MASKED SANTA. A man displays a Santa Claus mannequin and other Christmas décor outside his house at Brgy. Malagasang 2C in Imus, Cavite on September 25, 2021. His Santa Claus, however, sports a face shield to highlight the importance of continued vigilance amid the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant. JR Josue

‘Only Comelec can tap AFP’ Poll body, election lawyer: Power to deputize not with President

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n By VITO BARCELO AND MARICEL CRUZ

HE Commission on Elections on Saturday said it is one with the government in ensuring the peaceful conduct of next year’s elections, but stressed it has the sole authority to call on the military to address any threat to the 2022 polls.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez issued the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday warned he is ready to “use the might of the military” to ensure a peaceful and violence-free elections next year.

“The Comelec shares the President’s sentiment and would like to reassure the public that it works very closely with both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to ensure that the elections

are free of violence,” Jimenez said in a statement. “[But] it should also be noted that in those instances where violent incidents threaten the integrity of the elections, the poll body has the authority to take such steps as may be necessary to address the situation, including but not limited to the imposition of Comelec control on specific parts of the country,” Jimenez added.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, for his part, said it is not within the powers of the President to deputize the military during an election period.

“The President has no such power during an election period. That power

DOH wary in lowering NCR alert

is vested under Comelec. Section 52 of the Omnibus Election Code is very clear: Only the Comelec can deputize the Armed Forces of the Philippines in case of terrorism that can affect the conduct of free and honest elections,” Macalintal said in a television interview Saturday.

“That power is not with the President but with the Comelec,” he added.

Asked if a declaration of Martial Law would allow the President to invoke such power, Macalintal said such a declaration would “make it a different story.”

On Friday, the President appealed to the public to “stick to the rule of law and avoid violence.

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The body of a female crew member of the passenger vessel M/V Ferry Lite 3 was recovered early Saturday dawn. The Coast Guard rescued 15 others after the vessel sank off the waters of Ormoc Port in Leyte late Friday evening.

n By JOEL ZURBANO AND WILLIE CASAS THE Department of Health has cautioned against rushing to relax quarantine restrictions in the National Capital Region, saying it was too early to make adjustments as it is still assessing the downtrend in cases.

The DOH issued the warning after Metropolitan Manila Development CONTINUED ON 2A

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1 dead, 15 rescued after vessel sinks in Ormoc

Outbreak hits Tanay monastery

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TWELVE Carmelite nuns in a monastery in Rizal have tested positive for COVID-19.

In a statement, the Tanay Carmelite Monastery said the nuns who contracted the disease were symptomatic but only of mild COVID. “We are 18 Sisters in the monastery and 12 Sisters were tested positive of COVID. At present, we can be considered as mild cases and

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2,267,720 27,121 Recoveries

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No defective face shields given to health workers--DOH NEWS | 2A

Biden seeks ‘free and open’ Indo-Pacific in Quad meet WORLD | 3A

1 dead, 15 rescued after vessel sinks in Ormoc

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

‘No defective face shields given to health workers’

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HE Department of Health on Saturday assured the public that no defective face shields were distributed to health workers following the admission of an officer of Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. that they tampered with the expiration dates of the face shields sold by the firm to the government.

“As fas as the DOH is concerned, whatever we were able to deliver to all of our healthcare workers were all in good condition,” she said in a press briefing.

“We do not accept face shields that are defective or face shields that have discolorations. We do inspections,” Vergeire added.

The Health official confirmed that face shields have a shelf life, and that some parts can deteriorate over time.

“Just like any other medical commodity, it has what we call a shelf life. The face shields

Apply for P1b climate fund, LGUs urged

that we procure, this is not for the community.

This is medical grade and this is used by our medical workers,” she said.

On Friday, Pharmally official Krizle Grace Mago admitted that she ordered the tampering of the face shield certificates based on the instruction given to her by Pharmally corporate treasurer and secretary Mohit Dargani.

Dargani, for his part, denied the allegation.

“Mago is used to receiving instructions from me, but in this case, it was not the case,” he said.

Asked by Senator Francis Pangilinan if she

A FEMALE crew member died while 15 others were rescued after a passenger vessel sank off the waters of Ormoc Port in Leyte late Friday evening.

The Philippine Coast Guard identified the fatality as Raquel Alo, purser of M/V Lite Ferry 3 of Danilo Lines Inc. A resident of Balilihan, Bohol, Alo was trapped inside the vessel after it sank “while conducting a docking maneuver” at Ormoc Port.

Alo’s body was retrieved around 3 a.m. Saturday, found pinned under several pieces of cargo.

The 15 survivors, on the other hand, were turned over to the Ormoc City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for medical assistance.

Coast Guard Eastern Visayas commander Angel Viliran said the vessel arrived in Ormoc from Mandaue Ouano Wharf in Cebu.

The PCG said the ferry likely encountered big waves while on its way to the port.

“Danilo Lines Inc. regret to announce that one of its vessels, M/V Lite Ferry 3, encountered an incident at the Port of Ormoc City moments after its arrival at the said port.

At the moment, the vessel is partially submerged in the water,” Danilo Lines said in a Facebook post.

thinks they were swindling the government, Mago said, “I believe so, Mr. Chairman.”

This emerged as Pharmally bagged more than one-fourth of some P42 billion in contracts with the Department of Budget Procurement Service (PS-DBM) for medical supplies to address the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said.

Lacson cited DBM documents indicating that of 45 suppliers, Pharmally grabbed 26.39 percent of the P42 billion transferred by the Department of Health to the PS-DBM. “Out of 44 other suppliers, Pharmally is No. 1, and you bagged 26.39 percent of the P42 billion transferred by DOH to the PS-DBM even with a P625,000 initial capitalization,” Lacson told Pharmally Director Linconn Ong at the Senate hearing on the matter.

“We’d like to find out from PS-DBM. Is this the culture in PS-DBM to award the bulk of contracts to Pharmally? Is this unusual or is this very special?” he asked.

Protesters hold placards during a rally in support of Afghan women and children at a park in Quezon City on September 25, 2021.

AFP

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

A LEGISLATOR on Saturday said local governments should apply for the funding of their ecology-related activities from the P1 billion still unused appropriation for climate-change projects.

“The fund remains underused even as our communities are perennially laid to waste because of calamities that have become more intense,” Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles said.

“The ill effects of climate change will worsen that is why we have to be serious in implementing projects meant to enhance the safety of our people,” he added.

He advised local governments to “apply more rigor in fulfilling requirements for funding” to avoid the rejection of their applications.

The Climate Change Commission recently revealed that only P164 million of the P1-billion People’s Survival Fund has been disbursed to local governments since 2016.

To date, only six climate adaptation projects have been approved since the PSF was set up through Republic Act No. 10174 in 2012.

A report by the Bureau of Treasury last year said that 129 proponents from local governments and local community organizations had pitched 172 project proposals for the PSF worth a total of P14.57 billion.

However, most applications failed to pass the initial screening due to incomplete documentation or because the project activities were not eligible, the report said.

FromtheFRONTPAGE ‘ONLY...

“Either that we have an election that is free or I will use the military to see to it that the election is free [from any violence].

The military is the guardian of our country and I could call them anytime to see to it that people are protected and elections are freely and orderly exercised,” the commander-in-chief said.

Meanwhile, Jimenez said Comelec can accommodate more than 200,000 new voters should the poll body decide to extend the voter registration by one week.

He said the Comelec en banc is set to meet next week to come up with a decision on proposals to extend the voter registration period which will end on September 30.

The Comelec said more than 60 million Filipinos are eligible to vote in the coming 2022 May national elections.

However, according to senator Francisco Pangilinan, citing the Philippine Statistics Authority, the number of qualified voters for the 2022 elections is 73 million, which means 15 million qualified voters are not yet registered.

“Right now, our expectation is we are probably going to get less than 200,000 more who have not registered yet,” Jimenez said.

44 Marijuana bricks worth P5 million seized in Mabalacat

n By JESS MALABANAN

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Anti-illegal drugs operatives over the weekend seized some 44 bricks of dried marijuana leaves with an estimated street value of more than P5 million neatly concealed in two sacks at the cargo section of a Manila-bound bus at the Mabalacat City Transport Terminal.

For his part, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco urged Comelec to exert all efforts to ensure that every eligible Filipino can vote in next year’s elections.

Velasco made the call after the House of Representatives passed on second reading a bill extending the deadline for voter registration.

“The right to vote in an election is one essential part of the democratic process, and the Comelec is duty-bound to make sure that all eligible voters are able to register and exercise their right of suffrage,” he said.

DOH...

Authority chairman Benhur Abalos said there may be a shift to a looser Alert Level 3 next month as COVID-19 indicators continue to improve.

The DOH said it needs more time to assess the COVID-19 situation in Metro Manila, saying the decline in virus infections could be caused by the use of antigen tests, which is not yet counted in the government tally, instead of RTPCR tests.

“We are studying everything.

We have just finished one week in implementing this pilot so we need a longer period to assess,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

“This is so we see if the decline is organic and we can attribute it to how effective our response is,” she said.

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Three alleged owners of the illegal cargo were invited for questioning by the local police. They were identified as Filmar Robles Lipasano, 44, of Mountain View, Angeles City; and Lianna Jess Maigne Mallari De La Cruz, 18 and Jerthec Cris Alcabaso Lusung, 19, both of Ferreras Compound in Barangay Sta. Teresita, Angeles City.

An employee of the Victory Liner Bus who tipped off the police of the

suspicious cargo told authorities the suspects boarded at Baguio City Terminal with what they claimed were two sacks of fresh vegetables.

The sacks were covered with fresh banana leaves to conceal the contraband, a police investigator said.

Earlier this week, government anti-narcotics authorities seized P7.4 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu weighing

about 1.1 kilos after they intercepted two parcels of a Clark-bound cargo from China via an air courier firm.

Bureau of Customs Port of Clark District Collector Alexandra Lumontad said she issued a seizure detention order against the cargo following reports that suspicious items were neatly concealed inside two air pots consigned to a certain Mary Grace of Angeles City.

Vergeire said the DOH will gradually include antigen results in the daily tally starting next week.

“We will have a qualifier on the number of RT-PCR and antigen tests conducted,” she said.

She said the DOH is investigating the decline in the number of COVID-19 tests conducted by designated laboratories.

One of the factors that they are investigating, Vergeire said, is the use of the antigen COVID-19 test instead of the RT-PCR test.

Earlier, National Task Force deputy chief administrator Secretary Vince Dizon warned the country isn’t out of the woods yet given the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant and the lack of health care workers that has put a strain on hospitals.

“This is I think our biggest challenge now...Even if there seems to be a decline–a slight decline in cases–these cases are still very high.

And our hospitals are still overburdened,” Dizon said amid calls from the private sector and some government officials to further ease restrictions, especially in Metro Manila.

Abalos, for his part, said based on data from the independent OCTA Research Group, Metro Manila could be downgraded to Level 3 from the current Alert Level 4.

“Based on data from OCTA, the reproduction rate from a high of 1.90 on Aug. 8 decreased to 1.39 on Sept. 2, and 1.03 on Sept. 22. We see it is going down,” he said.

“Even the one week growth rate is now negative, that's why the indications are all good. We hope that by the end of the one week, Metro Manila will shift to Alert Level 3,” Abalos added.

Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III, however, said the five-tier Alert Level system will likely be extended until October.

“Based on our meetings, there are indications that we will extend the pilot testing in the NCR. Most probably, the public should expect that we will continue the Alert Level system until October,” he said.

“We are seeing its effects, not to mention, its secondary purpose which is to open the economy and to allow the people to go out for them to be able to earn for their living,” Densing added.

The country on Saturday logged 16,907 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 2,470,235 as four laboratories were not able to submit their data on time.

The DOH also reported no new deaths on Saturday due to technical issues.

“No deaths were reported today due to technical issues in COVIDKaya.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology is currently addressing issues encountered by the system. When the issue is resolved, the succeeding increase in deaths in the following reports will be due to the previous days'

backlogs,” the DOH said.

The DOH also reported that nationwide, 76 percent of the ICU beds, 64 percent of the isolation beds, 70 percent of the ward beds, and 55 percent of ventilators, were in use.

In Metro Manila, 76 percent of the ICU beds, 54 percent of the isolation beds, 68 percent of the ward beds, and 60 percent of ventilators were in use.

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

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

OUTBREAK...symptomatic.

Your prayers will be very much appreciated,” the statement read.

All but one of the monastery nuns are fully vaccinated as she is on oral chemotherapy and could not be inoculated.

In Quezon City, the death toll at the Religious of the Virgin Mary convent has climbed to nine since a COVID-19 outbreak started last week.

All fatalities were bedridden and aged between 80 and 90.

Among the convent’s 62 infected nuns, two have recovered, 38 are still experiencing mild or moderate symptoms, and 13 are severe cases.

Apart from the RVM nuns who contracted the disease, some 52 personnelof the convent also tested positive for the virus.

Some 19 nuns from the Stella Maris Convent, also in Quezon City, also reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

Rolando G. Estabillo Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Joyce Pangco Pañares News Editor Emil P. Jurado

Publisher Jimbo Owen Gulle City Editor Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

WORLD

IN BRIEF SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

VIRUS LOCKDOWN PROTEST. Police speak to pedestrians at Lunar Park in Melbourne on September 25, 2021 during an anti-lockdown rally. Melbourne has been in strict lockdown for seven weeks, as the city struggles to curb an outbreak of the fast-spreading Delta variant. On Tuesday, Melbourne riot police used pepper spray, foam baton rounds and rubber ball grenades to disperse a violent protest against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for construction workers. AFP

QUAD TAKES VEILED DIG AT CHINA

In new summit, Biden seeks ‘free and open’Indo-Pacific

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PRESIDENT Joe Biden and the leaders of Australia, India and Japan promised to work together for a stable, open and democratic Indo-Pacific in a veiled dig at China during their first in-person summit together.

In Biden’s latest effort to cement US leadership in the face of a rising China, the so-called Quad agreed to move ahead on a joint plan to provide COVID-19 vaccines around Asia, launched a new climate initiative and said the four nations would begin holding annual summits.

Without any explicit mention of China, the leaders of the four democracies in a joint statement said they were committed to “promoting the free, open, rules-based order, rooted in international law and undaunted by coercion.”

“We stand for the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes, democratic values and territorial

integrity of states,” they said.

“Free and open” has become code for expressing worry about swelling Chinese economic, diplomatic and military presence – including threats to vital international sea lanes.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, speaking as the talks opened, said that the four “liberal democracies” were working to build a “strong, stable and prosperous region.”

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the summit showed the four nations’ “common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi – whose own track record on minority rights has been controversial at home – hailed the Quad’s “shared democratic values.”

While the leaders carefully avoided public mention of China, Suga voiced “strong concern” during the talks about Beijing’s assertiveness at sea, its trampling of Hong Kong’s special status and its mass incarceration of the Uyghur minority, Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Tomoyuki Yoshida said.

Biden, who often talks about democracies needing to prove their capability in an age of powerful autocracies in Russia and China, sought to show the Quad was about action.

“We’re four major democracies with a long history of cooperation. We know how to get things done and we are up to the challenge,” he said.

India said it would export eight million one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines by the end of next month.

“This is an immediate delivery from the Quad into the Indo-Pacific region,” Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told reporters, vowing to supply “quality and affordable” vaccines. AFP

Huawei official freed in Canada after deal with US prosecutors

HAUNTING AFTERMATH. An aerial picture shows burned vehicles resting at a property in Greenville, California.

The Dixie fire has razed almost 1 million acres and remains at 94 percent containment after burning through 5 counties and more than 1,000 homes. AFP

Fiery clash at UN: Pakistan, India trade extremism charges INDIA and Pakistan clashed Friday at the United Nations as Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan accused the rival of a “reign of terror” on Muslims, drawing a stern rebuke.

Even for Pakistan, which routinely castigates India at the world body, Khan’s speech to the annual summit was strikingly loaded as he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a plan to “purge India of Muslims.”

“The worst and most pervasive form of Islamophobia now rules India,” Khan said in an address, delivered by video due to COVID precautions.

“The hate-filled Hindutva ideology, propagated by the fascist RSS-BJP regime, has unleashed a reign of fear and violence against India’s 200 million-strong Muslim community,” he said.

Khan was referring to Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and the affiliated Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a century-old Hindu revivalist movement with

CODE RED. People

take part in the Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike at Paulista Avenue, in São Paulo, Brazil on September 24, 2021. UN chief Antonio Guterres earlier warned a failure to slash global emissions is setting the world on a “catastrophic” path to 2.7 degrees Celsius heating. AFP

a paramilitary component.

Under Modi, India has rescinded the statehood of Kashmir, its only Muslim-majority region, pushed through a citizenship law that critics call discriminatory and has witnessed repeated flare-ups of religious-based violence.

Speaking on the day Modi was visiting the White House, Khan – who has yet to speak to President Joe Biden – alleged that commercial interests with billion-plus India were allowing it to “get away with human rights abuses with complete impunity.”

While India often ignores Pakistan’s statements at the world body, a young Indian diplomat on the floor exercised the right to respond to Khan.

Sneha Dubey, a first secretary at India’s UN mission, accused Pakistan of sheltering and glorifying Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden who was killed by US special forces in a 2011 raid in the army city of Abbottabad. AFP

HUAWEI executive Meng Wanzhou was headed home from Vancouver on Saturday as two Canadians were released from prison in China, bringing a close to a bitter diplomatic row that has poisoned ties for three years.

Meng and the two Canadians – former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor – are all on their way back to their home countries after years of being detained in what critics have called “hostage diplomacy.”

Meng, the 49-year-old daughter of Ren Zhengfei, the billionaire founder of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, was granted release in a Vancouver court hearing after three years of house arrest in Canada while fighting extradition to the United States.

This came hours after US prosecutors announced an agreement under which fraud charges against her are to be suspended and eventually dropped.

She then quickly boarded a flight to the city of Shenzhen, returning to China for the first time since her arrest at Vancouver’s international airport at the behest of US authorities on December 1, 2018.

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the two detained Canadians had left Chinese airspace, and were on their way home.

Their plane was expected to land Saturday in Canada, Trudeau told a news conference in Ottawa, adding that they had gone through “an unbelievably difficult ordeal.”

The “Two Michaels” were detained just days after Meng on what Ottawa has contended were “trumped up” espionage charges. In turn, Beijing called Meng’s case “a purely political incident.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “the US Government stands with the international community in welcoming the decision” to release the men.

Speaking to reporters before heading to China, Meng said: “Over the past three years, my life has been turned upside down. It was a disruptive time for me as a mother, wife and a company executive.”

She later posted a message on Chinese social media from her plane saying “thank you to the party and government.”AFP

Migrants leave US-Mexico border ALMOST all of the mostly Haitian migrants who had gathered on both sides of the US-Mexico border have left their makeshift camps, ending a standoff that had provoked a major border crisis for the Biden administration.

At Ciudad Acuna on the Mexican side, AFP saw migrants packing up their belongings and getting into vans taking them to a shelter, after a deal was struck with the Mexican government.

Just hours beforehand the United States had announced that the last of the migrants who were camping illegally under a bridge on the Texas side of the border had either left or been removed.

“As of this morning, there are no longer any migrants at the camp underneath the Del Rio bridge,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters at the White House.

Around 2,000 were flown to Haiti on 17 expulsion flights, Mayorkas said, while “others have been moved to processing facilities along the border.”

“Many of them will be returned to Haiti from there,” he said.

The Homeland Security chief said an estimated 8,000 had voluntarily returned across the border to Mexico, some 12,400 individuals will have their cases heard by an immigration judge, and another 5,000 are being processed to determine if they will be removed or not.

In Ciudad Acuna, city council secretary Felipe Basulto said migrants currently at the shelter would not be detained or deported, and that they could move around the city “with complete confidence.”

He said they would be able to try and resolve their immigration statuswhile at the shelter, which is being administered by the National Migration Institute “precisely so that they can offer them an alternative of legally staying in the country.”

The relocation came hours after Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he did not want his country to become “a migrant camp.”

“We want the underlying problem to be addressed,” he said, urging the United States to invest in economic development in Central America so people do not need to flee poverty. AFP

Tiananmen vigil group disbands THE Hong Kong pro-democracy group that organized three decades of annual vigils commemorating the victims of Beijing’s Tiananmen Square crackdown voted to disband on Saturday in the face of China’s sweeping clampdown on dissent in the city.

The Hong Kong Alliance was one of the most prominent symbols of the city’s former political plurality and its dissolution is the latest illustration of how quickly China is remoulding the business hub in its own authoritarian image.

“This is a very painful dissolution,” Tsang Kin-shing, a member of the alliance, said after the group’s leadership voted to dissolve after 32 years.

“The government uses all kinds of laws to force civil society groups to disband,” he added.

Many of the alliance’s leaders are already in jail for taking part inthe city’s democracy movement. Earlier this month, police charged three senior figures with subversion – a national security crime.

That same week, officers raided a shuttered museum the group ran commemorating Beijing’s deadly 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, hauling away exhibits, memorabilia and photographs of the historic event.

Police also ordered the group to take down its website and social media platforms and authorities also vowed to revoke its registration as a company.

In a letter from prison, one of the alliance’s leaders, Chow Hang-tung, urged members not to give up.

“I still hope to show Hong Kong Alliance’s beliefs to the world and continue this movement that has already lasted for 32 years,” Chow said in a letter that was uploaded to her Facebook page.

But two other jailed leaders – Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho – had signed letters calling for the group to disband, citing “the current social environment.”

Huge and often violent democracy protests engulfed Hong Kong in 2019.

China responded with a sweeping crackdown, including imposing a new national security law that has criminalised much dissent and been used to purge any person or political group deemed to be disloyal. AFP

Over 3,000 shark fins confiscated THOUSANDS of shark fins were confiscated

by Colombian authorities before they could be illegally shipped to Hong Kong, officials said.

Bogota “seized 3,493 shark fins and 117 kilos of fish bladders that were en route to Hong Kong,” environmental ministry head Carolina Urrutia said.

The haul highlights the continued demand for shark fin, served at wedding banquets in some Chinese communities and falsely believed to have medicinal properties.

The fins, removed from 900 to 1,000 sharks measuring up to five metres, were found on Friday in five boxes in Bogota’s busiest airport El Dorado.

Taking “more than three species” of shark, the fins were likely harvested in “illegal fishing”, said Urrutia, condemning “the irreversible environmental damage to Colombia’s marine ecosystem.”

National police will handle the investigation, she added.

Shark fishing has been banned in Colombia – which is home to 76 of the 500 known shark varieties – since 2020 in an attempt to stem Asia’s fin trade. AFP

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Meet Evelyn Chua-Ng, the woman leading P&G’s equality and inclusion in the workplace.

Filipina leads P&G’s global equality and inclusion council

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HIFTING a company’s gender ratio to be more balanced, and enabling capable women to assume leadership positions, are two of the most relevant imperatives in modern workplaces. To both ends, Procter & Gamble has made great strides, breaking out of traditional workplace cultures that tend to inhibit an employee’s full potential.

P&G Philippines shares how it has 50-50 gender balance in all management levels, proving that in P&G, a successful career path is possible for anyone.

The multinational consumer goods corporation is committed to doing even more, shares its Equality and Inclusion corporate sponsor, Evelyn Chua-Ng.

A P&G veteran for 20 years, Chua-Ng started in the Philippines in 2001, and assumed international roles across three countries in Asia. One such role was finance manager for P&G Greater China’s Baby Care, Oral Care, Skincare and Cosmetics sector.

She has gone on to be chief financial officer for P&G Philippines, after which in 2016, she became vice president of P&G Asia Pacific Tax Operations and Comptroller for the expansive Asia, Middle East, Africa region in 2019.

She is the highest-ranking Filipino woman in P&G Philippines. She concurrently leads P&G Philippines’ Equality and Inclusion council, the team tasked to nurture an equal and inclusive workplace for employees where performance, skills, and talent are the basis for advancement — not

gender or sexual orientation.

“I’m privileged to work in a company where senior leaders truly live and breathe an inclusive culture. This is a big enabler as it levels the playing field for everyone. Working with the P&G local office and other regional headquarters throughout my career, I never felt like I was not listened to or my ideas were dismissed because of my gender,” said Chua-Ng. She mentioned how important it is that her husband has been a big supporter of her career goals and an involved father to their four girls.

Early on in her career at P&G, she realized that her biggest personal challenges are often self-imposed, allowing cultural and social expectations on women and mothers to get the best of her. Thankfully, the strong P&G equality and inclusion initiatives

helped her understand and overcome these unconscious biases and self-limiting beliefs.

As an example, Chua-Ng was a vocal senior leader advocate for providing well-appointed breastfeeding rooms in their offices to enable P&G mothers to fulfill their parenting duties easily even while at work.

As the E&I Sponsor, Chua-Ng’s vision is to drive and maintain a strong culture of inclusion in P&G Philippines, where everybody can bring their full selves to work every day. She plans on being a strong mentor and advocate for deserving individuals, citing how strong male and female senior leaders mentored and inspired her to courageously step out of her comfort zone and challenge biases.

The company’s E&I efforts are expansive, covering areas such as company policies, programs and practices. This year, P&G launched its Share the Care policy, which expands its paid parental leave policy to a minimum standard of 8 weeks for all P&G parents, not just birthing mothers. This goes beyond the government-mandated 7 paternity leave days, and gives dads an extra seven weeks to share in caregiving of new children.

Enderun student gets hired ahead of graduation AMID the pandemic, this scholar was hired and promoted prior to graduating class valedictorian Sophia Nicole Aquino, Enderun Colleges’ 2021 class valedictorian, is a woman with great ambition, going above and beyond her scholastic achievements to serve others.

“I was given the opportunity to study in Enderun as a scholar. I came from a very humble family. I was raised by a single mother, and our path was full of many challenges,” says Aquino. Nothing stopped her from striving for success. She was grateful to have the opportunity to grow, to lead and to go beyond.

Aquino is an Enderun Industry Partner Grant in Cooperation with Microsoft scholar and a consistent Dean’s Lister. With a GPA of 1.14, she was always at the top of her class. She was also chosen to be part of the P&G Next Business Case Competition.

Now, with a degree in BSBA major in Technology Management, Aquino landed a managerial position at P&G where she did her internship months before her gradu-

Hope leads Mindanao entrepreneur to success “WHEN you feel like there’s no way out, hope is the only way.”

This famous line has become the mantra of an entrepreneur in Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental as she tries to make ends meet amid the challenging economic slowdown.

As the pandemic took its toll and paralyzed the economy, many establishments were forced to stop their operations and close their businesses.

Despite the situation, many Filipinos continued to prove their resilience. In Sta. Maria town, about a three-hour drive from Davao City, a local food hub is making waves on social media. A number of locals and tourists adore this nook because of its gastronomic offerings.

With specialties such as the special halo-halo and best-seller empanada, Ocampo’s Food Haus is a must-visit snack house where people can stop by to satisfy their cravings. It is now considered as the “pasalubong gateway” of the province, especially that it is situated in a prime location along the main road of Poblacion.

The genius behind the success of Ocampo’s Food Haus is a former overseas Filipino worker whose passion is beyond question. Before Arlene Ocampo discovered a jewel in food business, she had to experience some failures first.

She was a trader of “ukay-ukay” or used clothes in the town market. The business started out okay, but she noticed that as time went by, the business slowly dipped until she could no longer bear the losses.

Sophia Nicole Aquino, Enderun Colleges’ 2021 class valedictorian.

ation in August 2021. She has been handling significant initiatives and has been leading key projects in Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa as an IT manager. This milestone has allowed her to “combine business and technical expertise with global leadership” which are competencies she learned in Enderun.

In school, Aquino cultivated a wide range of skills, including those

related to professional development, academic achievement, and social and civic engagement. She was once invited to speak at Girls in STEM MNL, an ecosystem that inspires women to have equal opportunities to excel in male-dominated STEM areas.

A training on rapid app prototyping was taught to over 100 men and women in grades 9-10 from public schools. “Because of this, we were able to increase the interest of participants in STEM from 76 percent to 98 percent.”

The Remote Learning Report Aquino created in 2020 was her most significant contribution to Enderun. The study includes student evaluations from the ideal virtual learning environment. It was a crucial step toward Enderun’s current remote learning feedback.

She also oversaw “Project Pangkabuhayan” a program designed to assist Enderun staff in starting their own sari-sari store and teaching them the fundamentals of the business as a secondary and sustainable source of

income throughout the pandemic.

The project raised funds for two beneficiaries.

According to Dr. Edgardo Rodriguez, president of Enderun Colleges, “In her outstanding years at Enderun, Sophia has not allowed anything to stand in her way to academic excellence, leadership effectiveness, and early professional achievement: not her youth, not the pandemic, not self-concern. Even while still in school, hers has been a life of purpose and helping other students and the wider community’s members in need.”

“Her professional success started early, even before she graduated, achieving an early managerial position at P&G. But, in my mind, what has really defined Sophia, besides her selflessness and grit, is her natural ability to be a leader across all degree programs, not just her own Technology Management program, which she has certainly now brought to the forefront of Enderun’s drive to keep education relevant to the future,” said Rodriguez.

Home developer offers virtual internship WHILE the Philippine economy is still caught in the grip of a pandemic, it is widely acknowledged that the real estate market turned out to be remarkably resilient, rebounding fast despite stringent quarantines and surges in new Covid cases.

Some credit may be given to how property technology companies are helping push the projects of leading developers during the pandemic, but more commendable is how homebuilders transitioned to digital technology even before the onset of the health crisis.

One of the earliest to do so is Bria Homes, one of the country’s top developers of best-value housing. In its drive to provide superior quality homes to ordinary Filipinos, the award-winning developer quickly embraced digital 0 technology to deliver more efficient services to

Bria Homes offers virtual internship to students who are aspiring for a career in real estate.

current and future homeowners.

The real estate company made sure to cover all aspects of the transition: reliable internet connections were set up in all its residential enclaves, property management went on the grid and digital sales strategies were implemented.

Now, BRIA Homes is offering virtual internship to students who are aspiring for a career in real estate. With online marketing and virtual tours replacing onsite ocular trips, the realm of property sales has become more attractive to young people who have the necessary skills to succeed in it.

Motolite Excel employs German technology features MOTOLITE continues to give the Philippine motoring public more reasons to #ExperienceExcel with the infusion of new features that make the acknowledged “best battery in the market” more durable and reliable than ever.

With its German technology and made perfect for tropical application, the new Motolite Excel is packed with innovations that make it last at least 70-percent longer than competing lead-acid batteries.

The Excel’s high-purity electrolyte, specially manufactured at Motolite’s state-of-the-art facility, is formulated to minimize water loss and slow down self-discharge, which are key concerns in tropical applications.

This means that motorists can be confident that their batteries won’t run out of water even if subjected to extreme temperatures under the

hood and excessively hot weather.

Studies have shown that the number of days with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius per year has doubled since the 1980s due to global warming.

The new Motolite Excel also has thick, rigid, and full-framed positive and negative grids with wire architecture optimized for mechanical endurance, high-temperature corrosion resistance, and current delivery.

The Excel also boasts of specially formulated paste to increase cranking capability and cycle endurance. The cell design, meanwhile, increases mechanical durability and prevents internal short-circuits.

Its glass-mat laminated polyethylene separator envelopes secure active masses, preventing shedding even on deep discharges and tough road conditions, resulting in exceptional durability and longer service life.

The cells are designed to have snug-fitting elements, improving the vibration resistance and mechanical durability of the battery. The thicker posts and through-the-partition cell connectors, on the other hand, promote more efficient current flow, helping achieve maximum capacity, delivering exceptional durability, and ensuring longer service.

GCash president and CEO Martha Sazon

6 success tips for women entrepreneurs

ALTHOUGH starting a business can be a difficult undertaking, it may be even more challenging for women. Often, unequal access to funding limits the best business concepts from women to be actualized, despite their skillset and potential for increased revenue.

In a webinar entitled, “Is VC Funding for Women Founders Getting Any Better?” organized by DealStreetAsia, a Singapore-based financial news website, women founders of startups shared their insights on addressing the gender disparity in venture capital funding. Among the panelists was Martha Sazon, president and chief executive of GCash, the Philippines’ leading mobile wallet which saw exponential customer growth during the pandemic and now has 46 million users.

During the event, Sazon shared nuggets of wisdom gained through years of experience in overcoming business challenges and achieving entrepreneurial success. Sazon shared six success tips for aspiring women entrepreneurs.

1. Build your network.

“Everything starts off with connection,” said Sazon. Finding a community of fellow women entrepreneurs can offer you connection, networking and support while going through the ups and downs of starting your business. She explained that it’s important to have someone who holds you accountable while having your back. The GCash leader also acknowledged her network which includes other GCash executives who saw her potential beyond her gender.

2. Build your business’ track record.

Sazon said that although connections matter in gaining access to capital funding, your business track record should tell a good story on how well you can sustain your business. “Your investors should be aware of what you do, what you know and what you stand for,” she said.

3. Substance and credibility make a huge difference.

In order for investors to take notice of your startup, Sazon said it’s important to be thoroughly prepared during business pitches and negotiations.

Although some people might try to be confident and just “wing it,” Sazon advises aspiring entrepreneurs to do their homework, be prepared, and make sure to always have substance and credibility when speaking.

4. Find a mentor.

Mentorship helps women entrepreneurs make better decisions. Sazon said it’s vital to educate women in high school so they take the right course in college, arming them with the tools to eventually start a business. “Young girls should be given more right visual cues that women can succeed wherever they set their mind to,” she said.

5. Support other women.

There are easy ways for women-led startups to thrive, such as creating chat groups or building organizations to support fellow women entrepreneurs. “We need to be more conscious of supporting women and amplify diversity more.”

6. Communicate and believe in your purpose.

Credibility also shows when a woman entrepreneur is rooted in something deeper. “Articulate your purpose and believe in it. It will make you more bulletproof on the hurdles that may come along the way,” said Sazon. She said, “Be unfazed. Trust your capability. Trust your talent and you’ll get there.”

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Lito Adiwang connects a thunderous knee against Hexigetu

Pacio KOs Saruta to retain strawweight title; Adiwang prevails TEAM Lakay’s Joshua Pacio overwhelmed no. 1 contender Yosuke Saruta with a barrage of punches to author an exhilarating first-round knockout in their trilogy match to retain his ONE Strawweight World title in the ONE Championship: Revolution on Friday night in Singapore.

The longtime rivals chose to trade strikes at the center of the Circle from the sound of the opening bell, with the Japanese fighter pushing the pace and the Filipino standout opting to counter. After Pacio hurt Saruta with a left hand, he swarmed his opponent to swiftly complete the finish and retain the golden belt.

Lito Adiwang earlier in the lead card blasted Hexigetu with a blitzkrieg of kicks and pummeled his opponent for three rounds to win a unanimous decision in their strawweight bout as Team Lakay made it 2-0 for the evening.

The Filipino firecracker’s thrilling performance set the tone for an action-packed main card.

Stunning win In the main event, no. 3 lightweight Ok Rae Yoon stunned longtime titleholder Christian Lee to capture the ONE Lightweight World Championship.

Ok came out in his usual counterpunching style. Conversely, Lee was fast, sharp, and powerful to start the bout, connecting with a plethora of right hands while scoring on takedowns. Ok weathered the early storm from the young Singaporean-American, and he got stronger as the bout wore on.

In the third round, Ok rocked Lee, sending him reeling across the Circle. A counter right hand from Lee dropped the South Korean, and toward the end of the frame, “The Warrior” took Ok’s back and locked in a rear-naked choke under the chin.

The South Korean survived that submission attempt and turned it into a war for the final two rounds, with both men having their moments. In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Ok to win by unanimous decision, as the new ONE Lightweight World Champion hoisted the belt up on his shoulders.

In the co-main event, reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Capitan Petchyindee Academy narrowly edged out challenger Mehdi Zatout to capture a close victory on points after five intense rounds.

Capitan was sharp and aggressive, but Zatout was more than willing to engage. The two strikers tagged each other with explosive kicks and punches all throughout the fight. Capitan hurt Zatout at various junctures, which no doubt earned him credit on the scorecards.

In the end, all three judges saw the bout in favor of Capitan to win

by unanimous decision and retain the belt.

Devastating KO Kim Jae Woong scored the biggest win of his career, stopping former two-division ONE World Champion Martin Nguyen in the first round with a concussive right hand.

The two featherweight contenders met at the center of the Circle to start the contest, trading fierce combinations. Nguyen came forward aggressively, but Kim found a home for his counter right, stunning his opponent on multiple occasions. A final right hand ended the fight at the 3:15 mark.

With the victory, Kim earned a crack at ONE Featherweight World Champion Thanh Le. Russian star Anatoly Malykhin maintained his unblemished mixed martial arts record with a scintillating finish of highly regarded wrestler Amir Aliakbari. Malykhin pressured Aliakbari early, dropping and hurting the Iranian with punches in the first round.

The hard-hitting Russian then closed the show with another thunderous shot to the jaw that ended matters instantly. With the victory, Malykhin earned a shot at ONE Heavyweight World Champion Arjan Bhullar.

Teenage sensation Victoria Lee moved to 3-0 as a professional mixed martial artist, earning a TKO victory behind a dominant performance over promotional newcomer Victoria Souza.

The two atomweights traded strikes to open the first round, but it wasn’t long until the action hit the ground, and Lee once again shined. In the second round, the 17-year-old unleashed a barrage of elbows from the top position to force the stoppage.

Kickboxing contender Taiki Naito overcame a knockdown in the first round to battle back and take a split-decision victory over former ONE World Champion Petchdam Petchyindee Academy in their ONE Super Series flyweight Muay Thai contest.

Seventeen-time BJJ World Champion Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida scored a first-round submission in his professional mixed martial arts debut, tapping out Anderson “Braddock” Silva via north-south choke to announce his arrival in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

Petchtanong Petchfergus made a triumphant return to the Circle, dominating former ONE World Title challenger Zhang Chenglong to win a unanimous decision in a kickboxing bout.

With Demetrious Johnson in his corner, American James Yang sizzled in his professional mixed martial arts debut, defeating Roel Rosauro via technical knockout in the second round of a one-sided performance.

And still...the ONE World strawweight champion, Joshua Pacio!

UNDERSTANDING THE METAVERSE:

Let’s PLAY and EARN

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MID the continued rise of unemployment in the Philippines, Filipinos pounce on different opportunities to earn money, one of which is play-to-earn gaming.

With this fundamental innovation in gaming, Filipinos can now earn real money by playing games, disproving the popular belief that gaming is not a career.

Play to earn In play-to-earn games, players use non-fungible tokens (NFTs), unique digital assets that represent internet collectibles, to join the ecosystem.

The in-game rewards won can then be converted into Philippine peso or any other physical currency.

Play-to-earn gaming has started to become popular in Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Negros Occidental, and other provinces in the country, prompting the exponential growth of play-to-earn communities.

One such community, Filipino-led gaming guild Yield Guild Games (YGG), realized their potential impact on the lives of their fellow countrymen by introducing unemployed and low-income Filipinos to the metaverse.

“We aim to bring the benefits of blockchain technology and play-to-earn games to those who need them the most,” said YGG Co-founder Beryl Li. ‘Scholarship’ The gaming guild’s “scholarship” program

Axie Infinity is one of the most popular play-to-earn games in the Philippines.

managers, and the guild, with the scholars taking the largest cut at 70% and managers receiving 20%.

This ensures that 90% of earnings go back to the community, with only 10% going back to YGG to sustain the business model and help more scholars.

To date, YGG has over 4,700 scholars worldwide, 52% of which are residing in the Philippines.

A gaming “scholar” can enjoy playing and earning money at the same time.

(Courtesy of Axie Infiinity Scholarship)

involves lending the recruited “scholars” NFTs so they can start playing and earning without any upfront costs.

In the case of Axie Infinity, one of the most popular play-to-earn games in the country, players would need a team of at least three NFTs, costing upward of PHP 35,000, to play and earn the in-game currency Smooth Love Potion (SLP) that is convertible to real cash.

In YGG, in-game rewards are shared among the scholars,

For family “Anyone can be a scholar, as long as you have an internet connection, a mobile phone, or a computer that can support the game, and time to play,” said YGG Country Manager Luis Buenaventura.

“While we do accept anyone interested in earning an income through play-to-earn games, YGG prioritizes the unemployed and the marginalized.”

Depending on their time spent playing, the number of wins, and their gaming skills, scholars can earn higher than the national monthly minimum wage, ranging between P15,000 to P20,000.

As such, many Filipinos have turned to play-to-earn to finance their basic needs. Besides the great earning potential, its purely digital ecosystem allows for flexible “work” hours and eliminates the risk of COVID-19 exposure.

Gaming communities such as YGG enhance the play-to-earn experience of Filipinos who are trying to make ends meet.

“While fairly new, play-to-earn’s meteoric rise, especially in the Philippines, may mean that it is addressing many concerns locally.”

Li quipped.

“YGG looks forward to how play-to-earn will evolve and how our guild will adapt and continue its mission of providing opportunities to the community through gaming.”

YGG has over 4,700 scholars worldwide, more than half are from the Philippines.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Where to get TV show-inspired merch

By Ellicia Frentzen Del Mundo FOR avid fans and those who just discovered (after hours of binge-watching) and fell in love with medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, quirky sitcoms Brooklyn 99 and Big Bang Theory, and '90s all-time favorite Friends, and would love to have a piece of their beloved shows and characters even off the screen, we listed five local Instagram stores selling TV show-inspired merchandise at affordable prices.

Perk up mugs

HAVE YOUR PIE AND EAT IT TOO.

Flight attendant-turned-pastry chef Paul Pamaran Zamora is able to survive after being laid off from his job, and at the same time keep his late mother’s legacy alive with his online pastry shop Lulu’s Pie.

Fixed by pie

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Grey’s Anatomy tote bags

Retrenched cabin crew picks himself up with the pastry he baked with his mom

AUL Pamaran Zamora used to wake up to the smell of the butter crust of the apple pie her mom baked early in the morning. It is the same scent that helped him move forward following back-to-back setbacks.

In 2019, Zamora’s mom succumbed to cancer just as his career as cabin crew for Philippine Airlines was beginning to take flight. The following year, when the COVID-19 pandemic grounded air travel, Zamora was laid off and had to let go of one of his dreams.

Despite these heartbreaking challenges, he moved on, pursuing another dream that has been shelved to make way for another.

With a degree in Culinary Arts from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and various apprenticeships under his belt, he eagerly picked up where the beloved matriarch left off – he started making and selling the apple pie recipe his mom developed to suit the Filipino palate.

It has become a way to survive and keep his mother’s legacy alive.

“Baking my mom’s apple pie is the best way for me to honor her. Much more than a recipe, I share [with] you the experience I had eating her apple pie when I was a child,” Zamora said in an Instagram post.

The business gained the initial push it needed with the help of social media.

His heart-touching story reached several thousands.

“Being a retrenched cabin crew who started a business served as an inspiration to many,” shared pastry

Friends mugs

@mari.maarte Mari Ma-Art-E is an online Etsy shop known for its creative illustrated merchandise inspired by American television shows, Korean dramas, and Kpop groups.

Its best-selling Friends mug features an illustration of the six cast members sitting on the iconic orange couch and a logo of Central Perk on top. It also offers mugs featuring the famous door of Monica and Rachel’s apartment.

Compliment my tote bag

@fanshackph Grey’s Anatomy fans can score tote bags with hand-drawn cartoon illustrations of the characters and their iconic lines.

For P280, you can get Christina Yang and her fierce statement “Screw beautiful.

I’m brilliant. If you want to appease me, compliment my brain.” Score a cloth bag with Derek Shepherd, referred by fans as “McDreamy” and his inspiring line “It’s a beautiful day to save lives.”

Cool, cool, cool... bag

@pintura.co Carry that Nine-Nine pride anywhere with hand-painted canvas tote bags from Pintura & Co. This arts and crafts shop has an array of designs featuring Brooklyn 99, The Office, Friends, and more. It also accepts custom design orders.

Brooklyn 99 tote bag

Bazinga! stickers

Lulu’s Pie’s (clockwise) Chicken Pie and Apple Pie, Mango Ensaymada, ensaymada variants, and Quezo de Bola Rolls.

chef Zamora.

He founded Lulu’s Pie after his mom, Marilou “Lulu” Pamaran-Zamora, with her apple pie at the heart of the business. Zamora assembles and bakes them in food-grade, round aluminum cans for easy transport during delivery.

“We aim to wow everyone with our mom’s apple pie made with natural ingredients with the right amount of sugar and cinnamon spice,” he said. Vegan apple pie is also available upon request.

Following positive feedback, Zamora then started offering new baked goods, beginning with Chicken Pie made with cornmeal crust filled with his mom’s roux and mirepoix chicken a la king.

He also developed his cheese rolls recipe for Quezo Rolls, as well as ensaymada, which he has in four flavors (Classic Ensaymada, Ube Ensaymada, Dulce de Leche Ensaymada, and Torched Ensaymada). He also offers limited edition ensaymadas, including Milky Strawberry Ensaymada and the new Mango Ensaymada.

Zamora remains grateful for loyal and supportive customers who inspire him to do more. “We are committed to goodness,” he said.

Those who like to try Lulu’s Pie’s may order through its Facebook (luluspie) or Instagram (@LulusApplePie) account or via 0956-053-9480.

@fandomfeelsph Craft store Fandom Feels caters to those who love to collect and decorate their notebooks, phone cases, or laptops with colorful stickers. Its wide selection includes TV series, films, and K-pop and Thai artists, among many others.

One of its popular sticker sets is the Big Bang Theory bundle featuring Sheldon Cooper and his iconic lines “Bazinga”, “Was that sarcasm?”, and “I’m not insane, my mother had me tested!”

The Big Bang Theory sticker set Its products are also available at the Common Room in Alabang Town Center, Rockwell, Glorietta, and Ayala Malls Manila Bay.

Modern mouse pad

@figmentsmemora Tired of your plain mouse pad?

This local online store offers mouse pads and other merchandise with Chibi head vector images of characters from TV shows Modern Family, La Casa de Papel, Grey’s Anatomy, Friends, and more.

Modern Family mouse pad

Gen Zs online: Receptive, passionate, open-minded GENERATION Z (those between the ages of 24 and 9) or Gen Z is the voice of the new generation online.

These digital natives, the first social generation to have grown up with access to the Internet and mobile devices, spend most of their time online to pursue their interests and passions. According to social media site Twitter, 61 percent of “zoomers” on the platform use it on a daily basis, like a diary where they share their thoughts “with raw honesty and revealing conversations”.

The social media site offers more insights into Gen Z’s activities online.

They keep an open mind

Freedom of expression is essential to them, this results in their openness and optimism towards learning and understanding different topics such as mental health, gender identity, sexuality, equality, self-expression, youth, and climate change.

“Gen Zs have always been active on Twitter, but there are still plenty of things to learn and discover about them because their interests are so diverse,” said Chandan Deep, Twitter’s head of emerging business in Southeast Asia.

With their openness to just about anything under the sun, they are also a generation that accepts diverse points of view. Majority or They check news on social media 81 percent of Gen Zs describe themselves as Half of Gen Zs on Twitter read news stories “open-minded”. to stay on top of current events. In addition to news, they also spend time on the platform They are driven by passion learning about #WhatsHappening and what’s Their enthusiasm for new experiences and new, from pop culture to Internet trends. It connections lead them to pursue multiple also serves as their inspiration for things or passions, which, Twitter says, drive converplaces to buy or visit. sations on the platform. Based on topics dis-

cussed by Gen Zs, their interests include gaming and tech, food and beauty, and music.

Gen Zs also appreciate brands who fuel and empower their passions. Filipino Gen Zs shared that they mentioned brands that provided authentic experiences and foster connections with communities that share common interests and passions.

“We see a trend wherein Gen Zs rule conversations and are active in engaging with brands especially if they gravitate towards the things that matter to them,” shared Deep.

They are highly receptive to advertisements

Based on Twitter’s data, this generation is highly receptive to buying brands they have seen advertised and is the first to try new things.

To capture this market, the social media site suggests brands appeal to their interests and advocacies, to provide a space for participation, and to make them laugh. “Don’t be afraid to tap into good humor or use memes!”

Data from Twitter reveal Gen Zs access the social media site to read news, discuss and discover new passions and interests, and try brands that advertise on the platform.

SEPTEMBER 26. 2021

HOW

CLINTON KANE

BGYO remains on Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart RISING P-pop group BGYO continues to make waves on the international front after being a consistent spot holder at both global charts, Billboard’s Next Big Sound and Next Big Sound’s Pandora Predictions Chart.

Days before the group released their comeback single, “The Baddest,” the five-member act soared to the no. 1 spot in the Next Big Sound’s Pandora Predictions Chart for the week of Aug.16 and has never left the international chart. They also stayed on top the week after. Now on its 6th consecutive week, “The Baddest” currently holds the chart’s 10th spot.

On the other hand, BGYO also showed a strong presence in Billboard’s Next Big Sound and re-entered at No.1 after the group debuted at the sixth spot last May. Like the other global chart, they continued their reign on top in its second week. They were able to secure the 2nd spot on the third week; the 4th spot on their fourth week; and the 14th spot this week.

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

As BGYO steadily makes their name on the global stage, they are preparing for their historic sibling concert with BINI slated this Nov. 6 to 7. Tickets are now available on KTX.PH. To those who want to meet both of the groups and watch the concert, SVIP tickets are sold for P1950 or US$39.90 while VIP tickets are priced at P1490 or US$29.99 and fans can already watch the 2-day concert.

FOUND HIS VOICE

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■ By NICKIE WANG

ROWING up between Perth, Australia, and The UK, self-taught singer, guitarist, pianist, and drummer Clinton Kane ultimately found solace in music. Writing and performing quelled growing anxiety and stress as he went from popular YouTube covers to a prolific series of independent originals.

“I was around 18 or 19 when I started writing my own songs. Back then I didn’t really know what my music was or how to write music. I guess I was just singing someone else’s song and I thought it was cool. But when I started songwriting, I told myself, ‘Wow, this is me.

This is my own lane. This is my music and my message to the world,” the rising NorwegianFilipino singer and songwriter told Manila Standard Entertainment on how he found his voice as a musician.

Signing to Columbia Records, Clinton turned heads with his this is what it feels like EP in 2019. In 2020, he lent his voice to Martin Garrix’s smash “Drown” followed by original solo songs “i don’t want to watch the world end with someone

else” and “Fix It To Break It.” After amassing more than 245 million global streams and receiving acclaim from NME, Billboard, and more, he inspired music fans to live a little louder with new music led by “remember the mornings,” and “Chicken Tendies.”

Now, Clinton professes his heart’s desire with his passionate new single “I Guess I’m In Love,” released via Columbia Records.

The self-taught multi-instrumentalist brings heartfelt emotion to the track, detailing the winding journey and range of feelings that come with finally finding true love. Accompanying the track is an intimate official music video that celebrates love in all its many forms.

“This song was inspired by a former lover.

I released the song Aug. 20 and she broke up with me the next day. I wrote the song when I was in a relationship for about nine months.

The song is basically about love,” the singer admitted.

“I didn’t expect the breakup that’s for sure. I just walk up one night and felt that I really love her so I wrote the song for her,” Clinton carried on adding that he wrote the song for 20 minutes while on the piano.

“I Guess I’m In Love” has been building fan fever since Clinton began teasing the track on his social media. With the song racking up pre-saves and over 40k fan-made TikTok videos using the sound, Clinton has finally shared the love song of 2021 that listeners everywhere have been waiting for.

Amidst the buzz surrounding the new single, Clinton revealed that he will embark on his first-ever tour “I’m Not Toxic, I Swear” this fall. Kicking off Nov. 28 in San Diego, CA, and wrapping on Dec.19 in Atlanta, GA, pre-sale tickets for the North American run of dates sold out within a matter of hours.

See full routing below and visit https://www. clintonkanemusic.com/ for tickets and more information.

STANDARD’S CHOICE

Miss Universe Philippines 2021 fearless forecast ■ By ETON CONCEPCION FIVE phenomenal women are neck and neck in the battle for the most coveted crown on the local pageant stage—the Miss Universe Philippines title.

It’s indeed a tight race as the 2021 edition heads to its coronation night on Sept. 30 in Bohol province with these five heavy favorites who, after a series of pageant activities, emerged to be top contenders ready to wear the Miss Philippine sash at the world’s most popular beauty pageant.

Here is Manila Standard’s fearless forecast:

Steffi Pearson Aberasturi This Fil-Spanish-Australian beauty already has a few titles under her belt. She was Miss Beauché International 2015, Miss Mandaue 2011, and Sinulog Festival Queen 2011. A cum laude Tourism Management graduate, Steffi has the face of a Miss Universe winner. Using the words of her mentor Rodgil Flores, “Steffi, she is vibrant, so smart and beautiful.”

Leren Mae M. Bautista

Maureen Wroblewitz

Katrina Jayne Dimaranan This Fil-Am model and actress is no stranger to the pageant scene. She won Miss Supranational first runner-up in 2018. A Business Management graduate, pageant fans rave that she’s a total package. Being a pageant veteran is her edge, it’s a sure no less than a Top 5 finish for her in case she wins and represents the Philippines in Miss Universe.

This Fil-German beauty could pull a big surprise on the coronation night. The former Asia’s Next Top Model winner stands out with her vibrant personality and strong stage presence. If her tourism video and catwalk videos were the basis, she can already fly out of the country wearing the Miss Universe Philippines sash.

In every pre-pageant activity, she showcased her beauty, poise, charisma, and killer body honed through her previous pageant outings. As a former winner of Miss Tourism Queen International (2015), Leren exudes the aura of a Filipina goddess whose goods fit the Miss Universe criteria.

Victoria Velasquez Vincent This Irish-Filipina beauty, architect, and heritage conservationist trampled her co-candidates in the interview round. Her universal look, not to mention her killer legs, makes her a standout. She has the aura of former Miss Universe 2017 Demi Leigh Nel Peters.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

A dehumidifier is safe

for pets but…

A small dehumidifier can be placed on top of a table where it is out of reach of pets and children inside the house when humidity is too high which makes breathing difficult.

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OST of us furparents treat our pets as our babies or members of the family. Thus, we always check if the stuff we want to bring inside our home are safe for pets too. So when we want to bring home a dehumidifier, we want to know if this will not harm our pets, right?

Stray cat Efren, still unapproachable but he doesn't run when we go to the terrace anymore, loves resting beside the plants. He has a bowl of water which we change often during summer days. Plants and flowers are the best calming tools, and we all know that a calm mind creates a healthy body. So please keep taking care of those plants for healthy air, specially around your house.

The best place for the most healthy air is of course where there are lots of trees and the grass is green and lush. Do take time to bring out your pets to the garden if it is not too hot outside, sometime 7 to 8 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Here are rescued dogs Mags (white) and Burton of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL Inc) enjoying a walk in a farm.

Yes, your pet and your dehumidifier can co-exist but with a few exceptions.

It is safe for dogs and cats, but a very Condensation arises from water low humidity level can be dangerous heating, cooking, baths, and showers. for birds and reptiles.

Initial signs of condensation include streaming mirrors and windows. LatBut first, what is a er, you will notice shrinking of wood, dehumidifier?

In “What is a Dehumidifier Used For? damp patches on walls, and peeling of (Answers That Could Help)” in home- wallpapers. You can prevent these by products.com, here are the uses of a installing a dehumidifier.

6. Better Overall Health dehumidifier: A dehumidifier removes extra moisture 1. To remove dampness Dampness can cause respiratory from the air which is good for your health. tract infections like pneumonia, bronchitis, coughing, or even lead to muscle But is it good for a pet’s health?

Michael Badin, in “Are Dehumidifistiffness and ache.

The dehumidifier absorbs excess ers Safe for Pets??” in the Family Safety moisture in the air, and thus reduces and Security website, stressed that we humidity level. This keeps the air drier need to understand how “humidity and reduces discomfort because it is levels impact our pets, and how we can protect them, is key to keeping our easier to breathe. lives – and our pet’s lives – stress-free.”

2. Combats Musty Smells Your pet’s reaction to the humidity A musty odor comes from mold and mildew which proliferate rapidly when level in the area depends on where you live. “Some animals indigenous to those the level of humidity rises. various areas also need different humid3. Curbs the Growth of Dust Mites Dust mites thrive in a humid place ity levels to stay healthy,” Badin said.

In general, a dog, a cat and a hamster and can cause asthma or other allergic reactions. A dehumidifier depopulates all get dry skin when they are in a dry, arid area. They all “suffer from the effects of dust mites. oppressive summer humidity, “ Badin said.

4. Gets Rid of Mold and Mildew “Our pets do not sweat the same way A damp room is the best place for mold and mildew to thrive. When there we do, so it is more difficult for them to are molds and mildew, some health regulate their body temperatures. Air concerns will arise such as asthma, conditioners and dehumidifiers can nasal stuffiness, wheezing, throat ir- contribute to our pets’ health when ritation, coughing, skin irritation, and the humidity is high,” Badin explained.

When a dog is panting, it is because allergic reactions. he or she feels very hot. It is equivalent 5. Curtails Condensation

to sweating in a human. A dog can not cool his or her body as quickly or as easily. “ Humans have our entire bodies to regulate heat. Dogs only have their tongues,” Badin said.

During summer, you will observe that your cat cleans herself. A cat regulates her body temperature through her fur. “By licking themselves, cats are managing how they sweat and are trying to get relief from that awful humid air,” Badin said.

Reptiles and birds, on the other hand, need a more humid environment. They need moisture in the air.

Badin enumerates certain environments wherein a dehumidifier may be required: · The humidity is high that you feel uncomfortable, or · You do not want mold or mildew invading your home. Generally, moisture level in a home should be between 30-50 percent. Above 60 percent, the mold/ mildew will invade your home.

How to keep snakes and birds safe

Always remember to spray some water – or to mist— your birds and reptiles a couple of times a day. “This will keep their skin moist and help protect them from dehydration. There are also automatic enclosure misting systems that you can add to their environment to make sure they regularly get the moisture they need, “ Badin said.

Make sure there is plenty of water

where they are placed to keep themselves hydrated and help their skin produce the moisture it needs.

Water from the dehumidifier is not safe to drink.

“The water from your dehumidifier has been exposed to chemicals on the coolant coils or the material used to absorb the excess moisture. Think of this water the same way you would if you were camping in an RV. It is the same as your dirty dishwater – it’s considered gray water,” Badin said.

You can use the water for your plants or to clean the deck, Badin said.

Other ways to help pets

Badin enumerates several things one can do to help pets regulate their body temperature during times of high humidity: · Make sure cool water is available for them to drink. · Provide a fan and angle it in a way that it will blow on the pet to give a satisfying breeze. · Put a cool (not cold), damp towel on the floor near their bed so they can lay down and get cooler. Put a trash bag under the towel to prevent damage to the floor. · Let your pet swim or take a bath. · Give your pet a small ice cube to chew on or lick. (Many dogs love to do this!) · Do not over exercise your pet.

“Strenuous exercise in excessive heat and humidity is not only dangerous

for humans, it’s also hazardous to our pets’ well-being,” Badin said.

Safety tips

1. Do not let pets sleep beside a dehumidifier.

“Like any other electronic unit, dehumidifiers can overheat. Allowing your pet to lounge on or against the unit may cause it to malfunction which could result in a fire.,” Badin warned.

A pet’s fur may also get inside the unit and can cause a malfunction, Badin added.

To keep them away, get a small dehumidifier you can put in high areas in your home.

2. Some pets are rattled by the rumbling of a dehumidifier. The “noise” can cause anxiety in a pet.

“To help your pet adapt to this unwelcome trespasser of its space, coax your pet to that area while the unit is running,” Badin said.

“Give your pet tons of praise for how brave it is and let it explore the ‘danger’ while it sees that you’re there to keep it safe. It may still be nervous around the unit, but it should help it adapt to the new, intrusive object,” Badin added.

It is safe to use a dehumidifier, Badin reiterated, as long as the pet has access to lot of clean water.

“By taking a few precautions, you will be able to keep your pets safe. You can use your dehumidifier and will be able to comfortably live through those times of high humidity,” Badin stressed.

Say Goodbye to Food Fights

By The Pet Food Institute WITH millions of Filipinos owning more than one pet, it is clear that the country is home to many animal lovers. Though having multiple pets can be fun, there can be challenges in terms of providing each pet’s distinct needs, especially during mealtimes.

It is important for pet owners to ensure order and to set rules during feeding time to prevent aggressive behavior and food fights among their pets.

Committed to educating the Filipino pet community on proper pet care, here a few tips on how pet owners can manage multi-pet mealtimes.

Mealtime Rules

Setting rules during feeding time is the best and

These rescues were stray dogs who were infested with ticks and fleas, and almost died due to the deadly erlichia. While they lacked food and were severely undernourished on the streets in 2016, they are now healthy and love being treated as pets and with burgers to boot! If you want to help provide food for these rescued dogs, please message Save ALL in Facebook.

easiest way to prevent aggression and food fights among pets. Owners may train their four-legged companions to follow simple commands such as “sit” or “wait” as they prepare each pet’s food and bowl. Though it may take some time for pets to master these commands, doing so will make for a more organized feeding system and each pet will receive a well-balanced diet.

Designated Bowl and Feeding Area

Some pets become territorial and eat faster or show aggression when other pets approach them while eating. If owners do not correct this negative behavior, it will cause conflict and chaos within the household. If meals are served in a big bowl in one go, dominant pets may overconsume food and leave lesser portions for other dogs and cats.

Especially when feeding pets of various breeds and different life stages, this set up will not provide the sufficient amount of nutrients if servings are not portioned accordingly.

Providing each dog or cat their own food bowl and eating area is a possible solution to this problem. In doing so, their food bowl and surrounding area becomes a familiar space, and will make pets feel more secure. This can also help each pet associ-

ate their own space with their own meals, and help eliminate the need to be aggressive towards other pets and their owners.

Mindful Feeding Helps Keep Pets Healthy

Beyond food fights, pet owners can remember some additional tips to help keep their beloved pets in good health. Food-motivated pets may seem to always come up with creative ways to get more food. Though it may not seem like a serious issue, owners must remember that overfeeding or “over-treating” may cause serious health issues such as obesity and heart problems.

It is also important for pet owners to avoid letting dogs and cats eat each other’s food. The nutritional requirements of cats are very different from a dog’s nutritional requirements. For example, cats require certain essential nutrients that may not be found in the correct levels in dog food. Feeding food to a different specie means that a pet may miss out on the nutrition that support their healthy vision or skin, or that helps them convert food into energy for their body.

Therefore, pet owners are encouraged to properly store their pets’ food to prevent such inci-

These rescued dogs of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL Inc.) know they will all get a bowl of food. They never fight over food.

dents from happening. Owners may put pet food in separate containers with labels to avoid mixing them and should place them on a shelf, away from their pets’ reach. * * * The Pet Food Institute (PFI) is committed to educating pet owners about proper pet nutrition to keep pets healthy and happy. Through its local initiative, Well-Fed, Well-Nurtured campaign in partnership with the Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP), PFI seeks to advocate responsible pet ownership to the evergrowing Filipino pet community.

Since 1958, the Pet Food Institute has been the voice of the U.S. pet food industry. PFI is the industry's representative before Congress and state legislatures, as well as state and federal agencies; public education and media relations resource; organizer of seminars and educational programs; and liaison with other organizations. PFI represents the companies that make 98 percent of U.S. dog and cat food, an industry with more than $20 billion in U.S. retail sales and $1.3 billion in exports in 2015.

Pretty , Cindy and Braveheart have been trained to finish the foo on their bowl, and not to eat from another dog's bowl. These dogs respect one another.