Manila Standard - 2021 September 27 - Monday

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

manilastandard.net

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net

Cases climb back over 20k

But OCTA sees ‘genuine decrease’ in NCR cases; MMDA eyeing Alert 3

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Philippines logged 20,755 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday, even as the independent OCTA Research Group touted a “genuine decrease” in cases in Metro Manila.

VOL. XXXV • NO. 224 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sunday's national tally brought total infections to 2,490,858. It was the first time new cases breached the 20,000 level in a week, or since Sept. 18 when 23,075 cases were listed.

For the second day in a row,

no deaths were reported because of technical glitch in the case monitoring system.

The Department of Health (DOH) said the Department of Information and Communications was working to solve the problem and said succeeding Next page

COVID CONTRAST. A local watchman places a warning sign placing Cherry Street in Sampaloc Site II, BF Homes, Paranaque City under granular lockdown due to 300 COVID-19 cases in 13 streets there on Sunday. Meanwhile, patients who recovered and completed the 14 days isolation from mild COVID-19 leave the Manila Mega COVID-19 Field Hospital at Quirino Grandstand in the capital (inset). Danny Pata and Norman Cruz

Senate to push DTI eyes reopening of gyms at 10% capacity in NCR criminal raps vs. By Rio N. Araja Pharmally execs OPPOSITION senators on Sunday said they may recommend criminal and administrative charges against those involved in the government's questionable deals with Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp.

In an interview with ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo, Senator Risa Hontiveros said these could include graft and corruption and gross negligence for buying supposedly overpriced medical supplies from Pharmally.

She said as additional evidence of overpricing and other irregularities surface, the senators could recommend the filing of more criminal and administrative charges.

Hontiveros' statement came as a key witness to the irregularities—a Pharmally executive who testified that she was ordered to tamper with the expiration dates of face shields that were sold to the government—went incommunicado.

Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigating allegations of anomalous deals in the government's purchase of medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Krizle Grace Mago could

TRADE and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez on Sunday said his agency was mulling a proposal to ask anti-COVID authorities to allow reopening of gyms at 10 percent capacity while Metro Manila remained under Alert Level 4 until September 30.

Under this alert level system, only restaurants and salons are allowed to open

at limited capacity.

Meanwhile, the government is aiming to vaccinate all five million tourism workers against COVID-19 before the end of the year, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said Sunday.

NTF Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. has approved an allocation of 20,000 doses per week for tourism workers, with more vaccines arriving in the regions.

Weekly allocations will cover hotel and resort employees, as well as workers in restaurants, airports, and those part of the informal economy doing business in tourist destinations, Galvez added.

Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera on Sunday appealed to authorities to allow the operation of small-time mental health and physical fitness establishments that could not afford “expensive high-tech devices” to meet the Department of Trade

and Industry standards.

“I appeal to the Inter-Agency Task Force, DTI and their panels of experts to keep in mind that the fitness centers, private gyms and wellness centers are mostly small businesses, many without air-conditioning, but can open their wide windows and turn on their electric fans,” she said.

“These small businesses cannot afford

Next page

2,490,858

MARITIME EXERCISE. Members of the Australian Defence Force and the Philippine Navy conduct ‘Exercise Lumbas,’ a bilateral exercise focusing on high-end training and interoperability, before the Australian maritime task group of HMA Ships Canberra, Sirius, and Anzac docked in Manila Harbour on Sunday. On a three-day port visit as part of Indo Pacific Endeavour 2021, the exercise welcomes Philippine Navy Captain Constancio Reyes (right photo, left) as its Deputy Commander, shown aboard HMAS Canberra with Ensign Stacy Villanueva and Lieutenant Chester Ramos. Australian Embassy photo

Next page

20,755

161,447

37,405

0*

2,292,006 24,391 (As of 4 PM, SEPTEMBER 26) * - Tech issues with COVIDKaya system

P1/liter oil price hike seen this week Comelec: Youth

By Alena Mae S. Flores can dictate 2022 election outcome CONSUMERS are facing another oil price hike this week by as much as P1 per liter, reflecting the movement of prices in the world oil market—the fifth consecutive price increase amid a stronger global oil demand.

Unioil Petroleum Philippines on Sun-

MEME-WORTHY.

A woman takes a selfie with the sign of the controversial Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach along Roxas Boulevard behind her on Sunday morning.

Norman Cruz

day said consumers could expect fuel prices to go up next week from September 28 to October 4.

"Diesel will increase by P0.90 to P1.00 per liter. Gasoline will increase by P0.60 to P0.70 per liter," the company said.

On September 21, the oil companies increased prices in domestic oil products,

Next page

Military, cops brace for BIFF attacks CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao— Military and police forces have been placed on heightened alert here as they brace for possible retaliatory attacks from the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division

By Maria Isabel Gallego and Miguel Angelo Magbag

and concurrent chief of Joint Task Force Central, alerted all field units in the province on Sunday to prevent anticipated attacks by BIFF terrorists, who lost three men in twin clashes with the military in Barangay Dasawao, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town this week.

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has urged the youth to vote in the upcoming 2022 polls as they could “dictate much of the outcome of the elections.”

With young voters accounting for up to 52 percent of the whole voting population, the youth could determine the outcome of the election, said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez.

“If the youth can get its act together,

Next page

Next page

A2

News

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PNPA review set after hazing death P “I have already directed the Director, PNPA Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento, and Director, DHRDD (Directorate for Human Resources and Doctrine Development) Brig. Gen. Arthur Bisnar, to conduct the necessary review and adjustments on the existing rules, regulations and academic policies to further strengthen the moral foundation of

our cadets in the PNPA,” Eleazar said in a statement.

Armamento earlier reported that Cadet 3rd Class George Carl Magsayo collapsed inside a dormitory room after he was repeatedly punched in the body by Cadet 2nd Class Steven Ceasar Maingat on September 23.

Magsayo was immediately brought

to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead by the attending physician.

Armamento assured Eleazar that extensive investigation is being conducted to ferret out the truth about what happened, adding that a Special Task Group Magsayo was created to investigate the incident.

“We are assuring the public that the Philippine National Police Academy maintains its strict ‘No To Hazing Policy’ and that the highest values of respect for human life and rights is inculcated among our cadets,” Armamento said.

Magsayo was also subjected to Covid-19 testing that showed negative result.

On Saturday, Eleazar said charges are expected to be filed against Maingat on Monday.

He said similar incidents happened in

Cases...

rising, OCTA said COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila were declining, saying a two-week lockdown helped bring the numbers down.

In an interview with ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo, OCTA Research fellow Guido David the positivity rate had dropped to about 19 percent or 20 percent, while the reproduction rate had dropped to 0.94.

Guido said the decline in cases could quickly be reversed, however.

"We have no assurance it will not change, especially if we're not careful...

There are still ways for the trend to be reversed," he said.

Guido said the decline in cases may also be attributed to the country's vaccination program and the public's observance of health protocols.

The DOH reported 24,391 new recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 2,292,006.

There were 161,447, of which 81.1 percent were mild, 13.4 percent were

asymptomatic, 0.7 percent were critical, 1.6 percent were severe, and 3.18 percent were moderate.

Nationwide, 75 percent of ICU beds, 65 percent of isolation beds, 68 percent of ward beds, and 54 percent of ventilators, were in use.

In Metro Manila, 76 percent of ICU beds, 55 percent of isolation beds, 64 percent of ward beds, and 57 percent of ventilators, were in use.

As of Sept. 23, 19.6 million people in the country have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This represents 25.5 percent of the target population for inoculation.

In other developments: • Another member of the Congregation of the Religious of The Virgin Mary (RVM Sisters) died from COVID-19 on Saturday, a spokesperson said Sunday.

This brought to 10 the number of nuns at the convent who died due to the disease.

On Thursday, the convent said nine out of

62 sisters who contracted the respiratory illness had died. Some 20 percent of those who contracted the disease were in critical or severe condition, said RVM Sister Ma. Anicia Co. The last two of the 50 lay personnel who tested positive are on their way to recovery, she told ABSCBN's Teleradyo.

• Thirty-five villages ibn will be under granular lockdown from 8 p.m. Sunday until Oct. 4 due to increased Covid-19 cases. The order comes after a five-day respite from month-long lockdowns that have affected most villages in the city. The Department of Health reported 125 active cases in the affected areas as of Friday but local officials are still waiting for the confirmatory test results.

Watchmen will be deployed to make sure those below 18 years and above 65, pregnant, and with comorbidities will stay home, but those purchasing essential goods or accessing essential services will be allowed to go out.

close contact.

A wind engineer previously warned that face shields might be a factor in increasing exposure to coronavirus disease because particles of the virus are known to stay in the surrounding air.

Vice President Leni Robredo and Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso have also questioned the requirement and purchase of wearing face shields.

“When the pandemic struck, the nation’s tourism sector took a major hit.

We believe that in order for the industry to get back on its feet and safely open our economy, we need to vaccinate as many members of our workforce as possible,” Galvez said.

He said the government plans to boost its vaccination program for tourism workers in the regions, especially in Cebu where 50% have already been vaccinated, and 99% are expected to be injected before Christmas.

“By providing our workers here in

Cebu with an extra layer of protection against the virus, they will have more confidence to return to their jobs, which in turn, shall encourage tourism operators to increase their operational capacity and result in an economic revival here in the province,” said Galvez.

Out of the 27 million confirmed vaccine doses to be delivered in the country, 20 million have been allocated for the regions — 317,144 doses for the Cebu province; 60,960 for Cebu City; 40,220 for Mandaue City; and 29,310 for Lapu-Lapu City.

Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu President Alfred Reyes, who reaffirmed the group’s commitment to assist the government in its vaccination program, welcomed the inoculation plan.

“Restarting the industry relies on the success of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, which requires voluntary

individual participation to reduce the risk of both host and visitors,” he said.

“Vaccination is one of the key factors that can help revive both domestic and international tourism,” he added.

Meanwhile, Herrera said fitness centers, private gyms and wellness centers as well other small businesses could reopen safely with free and frequent antigen-based testing, proper ventilation, exhaust fans, indoor fans, frequent disinfection, two-meter physical distancing and proper personal hygiene measures.

“Please keep in mind that those hightech gyms are multi-million (peso) operations but the small ones at the barangay level are not,” she stressed.

“Please consider that these fitness centers, private gyms, and wellness centers should be considered essential businesses because what the people badly need now is resilient health against Covid,” she noted.

ments and reportorial templates regarding acknowledgement or registration requirements of downstream oil industry participants in compliance to the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Law. It also governs the required submission of notices and reports by downstream oil industry participants.

Under the circular, participants are required to regularly submit to the Oil Industry Management Bureau of the DOE their monthly, quarterly, and annual reports about their profile, activities, and inventory flow.

Participants are also directed to submit Special Reports regarding maintenance shutdown, oil spill notification, weekly oil spill progress report, as well as calamity or emergency damage assessment and daily progress report on such matters.

The circular takes effect 15 days after publication in two newspapers of general circulation.

To provide a transition period, the use of new formats for notices and monthly reports will be implemented on the second month after the circular took effect, while the use of the new formats for the quarterly report will be implemented on the next quarter following the effectivity of the circular.

Failure to comply with the submission of notices or reports will cause the suspension of the acknowledgement of the offending party as downstream oil participant or its accreditation as a biofuel participant.

It could also result in the cancellation or suspension of any application or request of the concerned party to the DOE in relation to its operations.

Administrative fines ranging from as high as P10,000 to P50,000 may be imposed on a per violation basis, depending on the nature of the offense.

Criminal charges may also be filed against the non-compliant party, separate from the imposition of such fines or the initiation of an administrative action.

The data on such notices and reports will ultimately form part of the Downstream Oil Industry Sector Report in the Philippine Energy Plan which will be useful as reference reports to the downstream oil industry.

Comelec:...

want to vote for before you vote Do not impulsively decide just because you live within the same location, you are in the same group, [or] you know the candidate and so on,” Joaquin said.

Louie Ignacio, the president of the Philippine Sociological Society, said different societal institutions have a significant role in shaping the voters’ decisionmaking in the elections, especially the younger generation.

“They have a huge responsibility to keep youth informed. Today, it is not enough to encourage them to register. It is not enough that they will just vote, they should also vote wisely, they should be informed voters … and they should vote for the candidate that they think fits the position,” Ignacio said.

He, then, advised the youth to keep in mind the acronym “TAMA” in choosing the right candidates for the election— Track record, Advocacy, Morality, and Alay sa Bayan (offering to the nation).

“We should push for qualified candidates, and we should push for people who really have the proper motivation to run the country,” Ignacio added.

The president of Polytechnic University of the Philippines Communication Society, Caroline Picar, said today's youth was aware of societal issues as they have access to information that has developed their sense of awareness and responsibility.

“Just because we’re young does not mean that we are unaware, we are not blinded... Our generation was considered as the forefront advocates and activists for change and we continue to realize that injustices left unchecked will affect us gravely,” she said.

no longer be contacted after agreeing that her employer had swindled the government.

Hontiveros had earlier proposed placing Mago under the Senate's protective custody and Gordon agreed this could be done.

But in a post on Twitter, Gordon said Mago could no longer be contacted by the Blue Ribbon committee. He added that she attended the ninth hearing where senators offered her Senate protection, but she said she wanted to think about it.

Senators earlier said the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) may have favored Pharmally either due to its alleged ties with former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang or because several officials may have been profiting from kickbacks.

Hontiveros said the government still has pending payments to Pharmally and called on the agencies involved to stop transacting with the company.

Senator Franklin Drilon noted that Pharmally, a small startup that had no track record and only P625,000 in paid-up capital, bagged at least P10 billion in supply deals through the PS-DBM since last year.

Senators also learned that Navy ships were used to deliver the medical supplies from Pharmally, which may indicate the President gave the company preferential treatment, Hontiveros said.

“It's clear that they can't say everything was by the book, that nothing anomalous happened,” Hontiveros said in Filipino.

Duterte has insisted that there was no overpricing and defended former PS-DBM director Lloyd Christopher Lao, whom the President admitted he appointed out of a debt of gratitude, and Yang, who introduced him to the owners of Pharmally.

He has also launched personal attacks against the senators, especially Gordon, seeking to revive a case against him from more than 20 years ago, when the lawmaker was still chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

In her weekly radio program, Vice President Leni Robredo said she believed some government officials were involved in the anomalous pandemic contracts with Pharmally.

Robredo said the controversial Pharmally deals would not have been possible if they were not in connivance with government officials.

“What is most painful here is...there are too many of our countrymen who have died (due to COVID-19),” she said.

“How can those people sleep at night?”

She cited the admission of a Pharmally executive that they had “swindled” the government.

Hontiveros, in an interview with Teleradyo, said she had hoped the weekend would have been enough for Mago to think things through.

“They have begun to expose each other. When our witness said Ms. Mago gave the instruction, Mago in turn pointed to Mohit Dargani,” she said in Filipino.

Rio N. Araja

of BIFF men.

“Residents of Dasawao village told military and police officials that the fleeing BIFF terrorists carried away their slain comrades,” Uy said.

He said remnants of the BIFF were trying to show that the surrender of their more than 300 comrades since late last year will not prevent them from continuing their Daesh-inspired struggle.

Daesh is the Arabic name of terrorist group Islamic State/Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant/Islamic

State of Iraq and Syria.

“They are few and we are not letting our guards down as we continue to intensify our campaign. In due time, they will be finished,” Uy said.

The 6ID sent off Sunday morning the remains of Dizon to his hometown in Silos Murcia in Negros Occidental via a Philippine Air Force plane.

More military checkpoints have been set up along major roads going to Maguindanao to thwart any attempt by the BIFF.

HILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Sunday directed the PNP Academy (PNPA) management to review its existing rules and regulations and academic policies following the death of a cadet allegedly punched by his upperclassman as punishment for violating rules.

From A1

reports will include the previous days' backlogs when the issue is resolved.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos said Sunday he is hopeful the National Capital Region would be placed under pandemic alert level 3 in October.

Metro Manila is currently classified under alert level 4 of a general community quarantine until September 30.

In a report on "24 Oras" television, Abalos said the growth and reproduction rates of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila are already decreasing.

"As far as numbers of growth rate is going down, reproduction rate, it is very, very encouraging. Even vaccination itself, we reached high inoculation levels in Metro Manila," he said.

Even as the national figures were

DTI...

From A1

the high-tech anti-COVID devices the DTI has reportedly been looking into,” Herrera added.

Lopez said on Dobol B TV they were proposing to the IATF to allow reopening of gyms “because of the principle of exercise (which) helps increase immunity.”

He added they might also require gyms to put up air purifiers.

As for wearing of face shields, Lopez said the guidelines were already completed but would be released "as soon as possible."

Despite President Rodrigo Duterte's announcement of relaxing the face shields policy, the IATF has yet to publish its guidelines on wearing the face shields.

Duterte said face shields would only be worn in areas closed, crowded, and for

P1/liter...

From A1

specifically P0.80 per liter for gasoline as well as diesel and P0.85 per liter for kerosene.

These resulted in the year-to-date adjustments to stand at a total net increase of P14.55 per liter for gasoline, P12.05 per liter for diesel, and P9.70 per liter for kerosene.

Crude oil prices have been going up as the US Gulf Coast industry is still struggling to resume full production following Hurricane Ida, according to the monitoring of the Department of Energy.

DOE said nearly 28 percent or about 513,000 barrels per day of US production in the area remains offline as of Sept. 16.

In addition to the supply concerns in the US, DOE said driving activity continues to improve in key gasoline-importing nations such as Indonesia.

Meanwhile, DOE issued last week a circular meant to ensure consistent and effective monitoring of the activities of downstream oil industry participants in the country.

Department Circular DC2021-090029 or the “Guidelines on Notices and Reportorial Requirements Pursuant to the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act” was issued after DOE conducted several virtual public consultations with the downstream oil sector.

“This circular strengthens the Department’s mandate to continuously monitor the compliance of the downstream oil industry participants in the implementation of the existing rules and regulations requiring the submission of necessary notices and reportorial requirements pursuant to Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

The circular applies to all refiners, importers, bulk distributors, terminal operators/lessors, bunker traders, haulers and own users of crude oil and finished petroleum products as well as all blenders, marketers and own users of base oils and lubricating products under the downstream oil industry.

The circular provided rules on the submission of documentary require-

From A1

it can become a very significant voting bloc,” he said. “Basically, the youth will be able to dictate much of the outcome of the elections as well as the shape of the government to come.”

Speaking at a forum organized earlier this month by the Philippines Communication Society, Jimenez also said youth engagement could put young leaders in the government and could infuse new ideas into public discussion as well as provide the needs of the younger generation.

The higher vote engagement coming from the youth could further provide passage for more youth-centric laws and policies to implement and may change the current generation’s voting concepts.

“If you were to replace the older generation with a new generation that believes differently, that acts differently, that perhaps acts in a more principled manner, then you see a sea-change in the quality of the voting that you see,” he added.

Jeremiah Joaquin of the Philosophical Association of the Philippines said the youth must vote since it is part of their duty and obligation as members of society.

“It is our obligation to vote, as said in the Philippine Constitution, there is a penalty if you don’t vote,” Joaquin said in Filipino.

He also urged young voters to reflect upon which candidates can represent them well and secure the country's welfare.

“You have to analyze first who you

Military,...

From A1

On Thursday, two BIFF radicals and an Army soldier were killed after an encounter while another BIFF combatant was killed at a 2 p.m. Clash on Saturday, Uy said.

The slain soldier, identified as Sgt. Jungie Dizon of the Army Scout Rangers Battalion, was among the members of JTFC deployed to check on the presence

the PNPA in the past and charges were filed against the violators of the AntiHazing Law. “There have been casualties before, and many have been punished and kicked out of the PNPA for assaulting fellow cadets. So, it is unfortunate that this tragedy happened again because there are still few cadets who are stubborn and do not seem to understand the rules and law especially the Anti-Hazing Law,” he said.

Eleazar reminded all the cadets to stick to the core values of the PNPA. “It is not through physical punishment and beating that the character of a cadet or anyone else is molded but through good teachings, wise exchange of ideas and proper adherence to good manners,” Eleazar said.

2 crew’s bodies recovered near Bantayan Island BACOLOD CITY—The bodies of two of nine missing crew members of F/V St. Peter the Fisherman II have been recovered near Bantayan Island on Saturday night, more than 24 hours after the vessel sank off northern Iloilo and Cebu on Friday morning.

Information from the Philippine Coast Guard-Negros Occidental identified one of the fatalities as fish harvester Rommel Engle, whose body was brought home to Cadiz City, Negros Occidental at around 11 p.m. on Saturday.

The other crew member, Norberto Parlotzo, was a resident of Bantayan Island.

Divers recovered their bodies at around 7:30 p.m., about 44 meters deep.

“Since the seven are not found yet, it is possible that there are survivors,” said Capt. Ludovico Librilla, deputy commander of Coast Guard District Western Visayas, in an interview on Sunday.

Librilla said they have requested for assistance from the PCG central office to conduct a marine casualty investigation.

The seven missing are boat captain Frankie Chavez of Toboso, Negros Occidental; chief engineer Herminio Ronamo of Estancia, Iloilo; third engineer Manuel Auditor; steersmen Renante Forsuelo and Victor Calvo; and cook Julian Dungog, all of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental; and fish harvester Julit Salvo of Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental.

Senate...

From A1

News

A3

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PDEA: Las Piñas busts net P68m worth of shabu

DOG DAY. Pet owners and their pets gather at the first-ever indoor paw park at SM City Masinag in Antipolo City for free check-ups and anti-rabies vaccinations. Cutting the ribbon to open the park are (inset, from left) Jay Araña, SM Supermalls Assistant Vice President for Marketing, Razel Grace Bognot, DVM, Unit Sales Manager of APHC, Philippine pet fashion icon Bernie Alfonso. and SM City Masinag Mall Manager Raymond Bonifacio. Manny Palmero

Solon: P34b allotted for infra right-of-way payments in ‘22

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE national government has allocated up to P34 billion next year for right-of-way (ROW) payments as the Duterte administration lays the groundwork for the sustained construction of large, multiphase public infrastructure projects, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said Sunday.

“The ROW payments next year will assure the full completion of several ongoing projects under the Build, Build, Build Program well into the term of the next administration, mostly between 2024 to 2028,” Pimentel said.

He said the amount is nearly three times the P11.8 billion that the national

government is spending for ROW payments this year.

ROW payments are pursuant to Article III, Section 9 of the Constitution, which prohibits the taking of private property by the government for public use without just compensation to the owner, according to Pimentel.

Pimentel is chairperson of the House strategic intelligence committee, which also has jurisdiction over economic intelligence matters.

In the proposed P5.024-trillion General Appropriations Act of 2022, Pimentel said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has P21.3 billion for ROW acquisition, while the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has P12.7 billion for the same purpose.

Pimentel said the DPWH’s ROW payments are meant to pave the way for the construction of new roads, flyovers, and bridges, such as the 74-kilometer Metro Cebu Expressway Project and the 8.2-kilometer 4th Cebu-Mactan Bridge and

Coastal Road Project.

Meanwhile, the solon said the bulk of the DOTr’s ROW payments will go to property owners affected by the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway Project from Calamba, Laguna to New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac; the 639-kilometer Philippine National Railways South Long Haul Project from Manila to Legazpi City; and the 25-hectare New Cebu International Container Port Project in the Municipality of Consolacion.

ROW expenses are authorized by Republic Act 10752, or An Act Facilitating the Acquisition of ROW Site or Location for National Government Infrastructure Projects.

SC junks petition

by AGHAM over cigarette burning

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by a party-list group, seeking the issuance of a Writ of Kalikasan against government agencies and a Japanese tobacco firm for allegedly violating environmental laws in burning 4.7 million packs of Mighty cigarettes with counterfeit tax stamps in 2017.

In an 11-page en banc decision authored by Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting, the SC unanimously ruled that the writ petition filed by Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya Para sa Mamamayan through its president Angelo Palmones “is not sufficient in form and substance.”

The SC held that petitioner AGHAM failed to show proof that would warrant the issuance of the writ.

“In sum, there is no clear showing that respondents committed an act or omission violative of any environmental law which resulted or will result in an environmental damage of such magnitude that would infringe the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology,” the high court stressed.

Manila DOING THE ROUNDS. Members of the Tabaco City vaccination team headed by Dr. Wax GuillermoStandard conduct house visitations to vaccinate select senior citizens of the city (inset) under the ‘Protektado ang Tabaqueñong Bakunado’ program, while TODAY younger folk line up at their local inoculation center on Sunday. Norman Cruz

Environmental protection order sought Gatchalian: Vintage against illegal dredging at Bucao River

vehicle restoration to boost economy

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

GIVEN the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the Filipino workforce, Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing for the promotion, importation and restoration of vintage cars and motorcycles in the country.

In filing Senate Bill No. 2396 or the proposed “Vintage Vehicle Regulation Act,” Gatchalian believes the vintage car restoration can spur economic activity in the micro, small and medium enterprises and serve a niche market here and abroad.

“As the world is beset by the pandemic and threatened by recession, it is the right time for us to explore the economic opportunity of growing this industry, to create jobs for our skilled Filipino mechanics, tinsmiths, craftsmen, painters, laborers, shop owners, and to support small and medium-sized businesses,” he said.

By Ansbert B. Joaquin OLONGAPO CITY – A beach farm resort owner has asked the Regional Trial Court in Iba, Zambales to bar the alleged illegal dredging activity at the mouth of Bucao River in Botolan town.

Philip Camara sought an Environmental Protection Order against the Environmental Compliance Certificates, permits and clearances issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Public Works and Highways, Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane, and Botolan Mayor Doris Maniquiz-Jeresano against the dredging.

In his complaint, Camara said that in March this year, he noticed the sea level advanced towards his beach property by about 10 meters.

A geodetic engineer he engaged later found out that a 12-meter portion of the beach front is gone and that the sea level abruptly moved forward.

Consequently, Camara learned that the ground water of his property became salty, and that a ground water test conducted by a government testing office confirmed this.

Immediately, Camara said he invited Mayor Maniquiz-Jeresano to his property and showed the receding coastline and the result of the ground water test, but according to him, the mayor just quipped that this is only due to climate change and the melting of the glaciers.

However, Dr. Fernando Siringan, a UP Professor and academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology, in an online forum held on May 10, 2021 explained that while climate change contributes to the rise of sea waters, its actual increase is only by about 1 millimeter for every year.

Siringan added that the dredging activities opposite Bucao River may be a factor in the sudden rise of the local coastline.

The DENR Region 3, on May 26, 2020, had issued an ECC for the dredging of the western river basin of Mount Pinatubo and in the downstream portion of Bucao River in Botolan, and awarded the project to Chosen One Land Development Corp.

Relative to this, the DENR central office issued an Administrative Order on October 24, 2019, rationalizing dredging activities in the heavily silted river channels of Bucao in Botolan, Malona in San Felipe and Sto. Tomas river in San Marcelino.

OPERATIVES of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested two persons and confiscated a total of P68 million worth of shabu in two separate operations in Las Piñas City on Saturday afternoon.

In a report sent to reporters on Sunday, PDEA said suspect Shaikalabi Mimbalawag, 23, resident of Quiapo, Manila was arrested around 5 p.m., leading to the seizure of five kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, along C5 Extension in Barangay Manuyo I, Las Piñas City.

The anti-drug operatives also arrested another drug personality identified as Arabilla Leono, 29, and confiscated another five kilos of shabu in a follow-up operation in Countryhomes, Woodsrow-1, Talon Dos, also in Las Piñas.

Aside from the 10 kilos of shabu worth P68 million concealed in Chinese labeled tea packs, the PDEA agents also recovered the buy-bust money used in the operation and the vehicle used by the suspect.

Confiscated pieces of drug evidence were brought to the PDEA Laboratory Service for qualitative and quantitative analysis.

The suspects who are now temporarily detained at the PDEA jail facility, will be charged for violation of the Republic Act 9165, also known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Boracay task force extension lauded; BIDA GOCC eyed THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Sunday welcomed the term extension of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) until June 30, 2022 via Executive Order 147.

“We thank the President (Rodrigo Duterte) for his trust and confidence in the task force. We shall maximize this term extension to tie up all the loose ends of the island’s rehabilitation. This is our commitment to the Filipino people,” Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, also chairperson of the task force, said.

The BIATF term would end in 2020, two years after its creation, but the President issued Executive Order 115 on May 11, 2020, extending the term of the BIATF until May 8, 2021.

Meanwhile, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Ray Villafuerte is urging the Senate to back a Houseapproved measure to ensure the long-term rehabilitation, development, and preservation of Boracay Island in Aklan, one of the world’s best white sand beaches.

“I am appealing to our senators to act soon enough on their own version of the House-passed measure establishing the Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA) as a governmentowned and -controlled corporation (GOCC) that would oversee the rehabilitation of Boracay and ensure the sustainable development, conservation and protection of the natural resources of this isle renowned for its world-class white sand beaches,” he said.

The House of Representatives passed by a 197-7 vote with no abstention the consolidated bill (House Bill No. 9826) establishing the GOCC to be known as BIDA. Last March 2021, the BIATF urged Duterte to extend its term anew “to allow the task force to complete all its projects that have been stalled by the pandemic,” and the President issued EO 147, extending the task force’s term until June next year.

“The extension is an opportune time to monitor and assess the finished portions of the ongoing rehabilitation to ensure that these not only meet standards but are sustainable as well,” Cimatu said.

“A Boracay Island brought back to its pristine state is the best legacy the task force can leave behind,” he added.

The House committees on local government, and government enterprises and privatization earlier approved the substitute measure HB 9826.

The bill would fulfill President Rodrigo Duterte’s call in his 2020 State-of-the-Nation Address for the Congress to pass a law that will oversee the sound management of the resort island to ensure its environmental sustainability. Rio N. Araja

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES TARIFF COMMISSION NOTICE ON THE ADOPTION OF THE REVISED AND NEW RULES OF PROCEDURE ON TRADE REMEDY INVESTIGATIONS Notice is hereby given that the following Commission Orders shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of this publication and submission of copy to the University of the Philippines Law Center: Commission Subject

Order No.

2021-01

Revised Rules of Procedure for the Conduct of Formal Investigations Pursuant to Republic Act No. 8752

2021-02

Revised Rules of Procedure for the Conduct of Formal Investigations Pursuant to Republic Act No. 8800

2021-03

Rules of Procedure for the Conduct of Formal Investigations Pursuant to Republic Act No. 8751

Queries on the abovementioned Commission Orders may be sent to TC.Assist@mail.tariffcommission.gov.ph or Records@tariffcommission.gov.ph.

Issued this 22nd day of September 2021, at Quezon City, Metro Manila.

MARILOU P. MENDOZA Chairperson (MS-SEPT. 27, 2021)

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Courage, clarity, compassion levels climb in small island developing states before those who profited from the stockpiling of greenhouse gases contribute to the loss and damage that they occasioned rather than asking us to crowd out the fiscal space that we have for development to cure the damage caused by the greed of others? And how many more hurricanes must destroy, locusts devour and islands submerge before we recognize that a hundred LAST week, as the United Nations General As- billion dollars in adaptation is simply not even sembly gathered for its 76th session, world lead- enough.” ers took turns in addressing the country repre“How many more crises must hit before we sentatives present. One stirring and provoking see an international system that stops dividing speech was delivered by Barbados Prime Min- us and starts to lift us up? How many more ister Mia Mottley, who has led the Caribbean times must people come to this podium and island nation since 2018. speak about the plight of the people of Cuba Breaking usual conand Haiti and see very ventions at the UN, being done to The Prime Minister little Prime Minister Motlift the floor of social tley decided to veer of Barbados decided development, to give away from her prepeople the right to veer away from her those pared speech and into pursue legitimate prepared speech and stead spoke off the cuff, ambitions? How many reading from an iPhone nat more crises and natinstead spoke off the in hand. ural disasters before cuff, reading from an Mottley’s impasconven we see that all convensioned and inspiring tions of aid mean that iPhone in hand. remarks at the Unitassistance does not ed Nations are so reach those who need thought-provoking and it most and those who worth listening, that excerpts of it deserve to be are most vulnerable? echoed through this column.

“And how much wealthier must tech firms She began, “If I use the speech prepared for get? The top five tech firms have a market capme to deliver today it would be a repetition, a italization of 9.3 trillion I didn’t say billion, trilrepetition of what you have heard from others lion dollars. How much wealthier must they get and also from me. Equally, how many more before we worry about the fact that so few of times will we then have a situation where we us have access to data and knowledge and that say the same thing over and over and over to our children are being deprived of the tools that come to naught? My friends, we cannot do that they need in order to be able to participate in anymore.” online education?”

Then followed a litany of timely questions, “The answer is that we have the means to “How many more variants of COVID-19 must give every child on this planet a tablet and we arrive? How many more before a worldwide ac- have the means to give every adult a vaccine tion plan for vaccinations will be implemented? and we have the means to invest in protecting How many more deaths must it take before 1.7 the most vulnerable on our planet from a change billion excess vaccines in the possession of the in climate but we choose not to. It is not because advanced countries of the world will be shared we do not have enough it is because we do not with those who simply have no access to vac- have the will to distribute that which we have cines.” and it is also because regrettably the faceless “How much more fake news will we allow few do not fear the consequences sufficiently.” to be spread without states defending the public “This age dangerously resembles that of a digital space? We’ve come together with alacri- century ago a time when we were on the eve of ty to defend the right of states to tax across the the Great Depression, on a time when we fought digital space but we are not prepared to come a similar pandemic and a time when fascism and together with the same alacrity to defend the populism and nationalism led to the decimation of rights of our citizens to be duped by fake news populations through actions that are too horrenin the same digital space.” dous for us to even contemplate. Our world knows “And how many more surges must there be not what it is gambling with and if we don’t control before we ask when the world will take action, this fire it will burn us all down.” that none is safe until all are safe?”

“This is our reality. This is not science fic“How much more global temperature rise tion.” must there be before we end the burning of fossil fuels? And how much more must sea Full version on www.manilastandard.net

Ominous waves in a once-calm sea EvEryman

of reflection and deliberations on peace by ASEAN’s wisest diplomats, experts and leaders are embodied in these pacts while assessing the

By Herman Tiu Laurel current political developments.

Cast against the backdrop of these ASEAN THE Asia-Pacific region where ASEAN is contracts, the nuclear facilities deal of the centrally situated has been a scene of political quiet, harmony and peace as the focal nations of AUKUS should indeed raise concern not only ASEAN and China focus their collective efforts over possible marine nuclear accidents that may on subduing the pandemic and attempting to occur but also the inevitable question of nuclear weapons that may or may not be carried along. prepare the ground for economic recovery.

It is not surprising that three of the most The past few months of 2021 the region have significant stakeholders seen a resurgence in the SCS, including of the COVID-19 Indonesia, Malaysia scourge, although All problems in and China, have its most serious the region have expressed deep concern impact has gradually over the AUKUS been resolved diminished and hopes and, particularly, its of proceeding with through dialogue nuclear submarine economic recovery deal for Australia. The and negotiations programs have Philippine position on gradually been rising. constructively and the matter has been less Out of left than clear. productively. field came the Foreign Secretary announcement of a Teodoro Locsin Jr. is new security alliance quoted saying that the emerging in the AUKUS could be “beneficial in the long term.” region that provoked concern and trepidation.

Australia, the United Kingdom and the United Does it mean it presents some detrimental States have formed a new defense alliance effects in the short term? What is the short-term called AUKUS with a nuclear submarines danger, then?

Locsin says the AUKUS will “restore supply deal for Australia. and keep the balance of power rather than ASEAN and China have handled the South destabilize it.” Has there been an imbalance?

China Sea issue exceedingly well that there has been no perceptible ripple felt the past two Where is the evidence of that? Has there been years, clearing the path forward to the Code an aggressor in the region that has exerted of Conduct for the SCS. Ironically, countries excessive force in any dealings with and among outside the region are stirring turbulent waves ASEAN members, or with the Philippines in particular? and distraction in this quiet neighborhood.

As far as anyone can see, all problems in The project of ensuring the peace and the region have been resolved constructively security of the Asia-Pacific region has been a and productively, through dialogue and subject of collaborative efforts of ASEAN for decades. It has drawn up a set of agreements negotiations.

Locsin says AUKUS introduction into the that sets parameters for the region to insulate it from the corrosive and destructive threats that regional scene will not “destabilize it” — what then is the furor raised by Indonesia and Malaysia, abound in our contemporary age and time.

It is a timely moment to recall the ASEAN and the enraged sentiment we are seeing from Declaration on a Zone of Peace, Freedom, China? In an interview with Australian TV, a preand Neutrality (ZOPFAN) signed in 1971 that eminent Chinese international relations expert sought to ensure the tranquility of the region, vigorously stressed that “brainless” Australia is sovereign existence of all of its states, and making itself a target for nuclear attack with the non-alignment with any major global powers. AUKUS. Locsin claims that without an actual The first major component of ZOPFAN presence of nuclear weapons, the AUKUS was the establishment of the often-forgotten move would not be violative of the SEANFZ SEANWFZ. The Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapons- (Southeast Asian Nuclear Free Zone) of the Free Zone was conceived five decades ago ASEAN ZOPFAN (Zone of Peace, Freedom and signed by the ASEAN governments in and Neutrality) Treaty - as if there are no Bangkok on December 15, 1995. All the years dangers from submarine nuclear reactors or ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

EDITORIAL

A

N employee of controversial company Pharmally Pharmaceuticals admitted during Friday’s Senate hearing that her bosses issued an order to repack substandard face shields for the Department of Health, and that this was tantamount to swindling the government.

In our face grossly overpriced — bought with taxpayers’ money at P122 apiece. That the company repacked yellowing, wet, old, and even dirty products before turning them over to the government is just one of the insults foisted upon a people long suffering from the scourge of the virus.

Are face shields a need in the fight against the virus, or a manufactured necessity meant to benefit a favored few?

The Higher Chamber has been investigating the company for cornering billions of pesos worth of pandemicrelated deals despite the fact that it was only established in 2019 and lacked the financial muscle and track record to justify the sheer amount of said contracts.

The company’s only worthy asset, it appears, is its connection to some powerful decision-makers and the protection it enjoys from the very officials who vowed to stamp out corruption in government.

The face shields were found to be

Face masks were also found to have been sourced from Pharmally at an overprice, when local suppliers were able to able to provide the same specifications at much lower prices.

After last Friday’s revelations, senators asked the employee, Krizle Mago, if she wanted to be placed under the Senate’s protective custody. She replied that she needed time to think things through and would give her answer by the weekend.

Alas, Mago was out of reach on Sunday, not responding to calls and messages, leaving many to wonder where she was, how she was, what she had decided, and whether she had been taken to task for exposing what she knew.

We hope to hear from her again, and soon.

In the meantime, authorities are keeping all of us in suspense on what the next policy regarding face shields in indoor settings will be. These face shields have become a staple in Filipinos’ daily protection gear even as many other countries do not recognize it, much less require its use, in the first place. There is an ongoing debate on its efficacy, and all the revelations are not helping us decide on whether it is truly a need — or just a manufactured necessity meant to benefit, and enrich, a favored few.

Mago asked for time to “think things through” with regard to submitting herself to the Senate’s custody. We, too, should think things through and ask how much more proof we need to acknowledge we have been lied to — and decide how we can correct this, once and for all.

A disjointed and stressed health system I FELT a restrained sense of ire in the voices of the speakers in last Friday’s most recent virtual town hall discussion of think tank Stratbase ADR Institute. Various representatives of health stakeholders, seemingly upset with this regime, presented their perspectives and recommendations on what the next administration should do to solve what even the Department of Health admits is a fragmented health system.

What emerged was a unanimous call to prioritize the full implementation of the comprehensive provisions of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act which Prof. Dindo Manhit, Stratbase ADRi’s President so appropriately kicked off in his opening remarks.

Prof. Manhit stated that the UHC Act, enacted to address decades of problems in the Philippine healthcare system, must be prioritized together with other health laws such as the National Integrated Cancer Control Act and for the government to provide adequate resources to effectively implement.

He called for proactive collaboration in the decision-making process through a wholeof-society approach and emphasized that there must be accountability in healthcare delivery.

Prof. Manhit points out that, “We must demand complete visibility and reckoning of performance. Disruptions brought by the pandemic is a tried excuse that we should no longer tolerate. We need responsive performance and good governance.”

“Filipinos do not need political rhetoric.

We will not be swayed by words anymore,” Prof. Manhit said.

I’ll share with you some notable points

gathered from the powerhouse group of health stakeholders that aired their passionate views and grounded recommendations worthy of being adopted by our next set policy leaders.

Dr. Leni Jara, Executive Director of the Council for Health and Development, lamented on how the crisis has been most hard on the marginalized sector and the “dismal” health situation. One of her points raised was that at the rate vaccination is going, it may take nine months more before we reach 70 percent of the population -- even as experts now say this is not enough because of the Delta variant.

We must remember the lessons of this crisis and choose our next leaders wisely.

Former Health Secretary and current Board Member of Health Justice, Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, said that there must be public-private partnerships with civil society organizations, and the community particularly in the farflung areas. Four issues that he said are being neglected are: Rising teenage pregnancy, stunting of children below 12 years old, tuberculosis (we now rank fifth in the world), and the uncontrolled rise of HIV-AIDS. Philippine Alliance of Patients Organization President, Ms. Maria Fatima “Girlie” Garcia Lorenzo, said that the DOH must be aware of inequities, and must continuously improve itself to overcome them. The agency needs to be more responsive to shifting health priorities.

She called for the empowerment of patient groups and the need for policies that will safeguard their participation with a critical yet generative perspective. She further suggested the DOH’s systems should have patient feedback to greatly improve health systems.

Where is Kapunan coming from? mail mattErs WE wish to set the record straight regarding the latest malicious and baseless attack by Rod Kapunan in his Sept. 25, 2021 column (“The noose is tightening for the opposition”).

First, we wonder where Kapunan is coming from when he said supporters of the “Reforma Party (sic)” would avoid supporting Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson in the 2022 elections - more so if he was referring to the Partido Reporma, where Sen. Lacson is the party’s chairman.

Second, we wonder why Kapunan is trying so hard to discredit the Senate investigation into corruption involving overpriced medical supplies. We taxpayers should care because our money is involved here - unless of course, Kapunan does not pay his taxes.

That said, we wonder what rock Kapunan is hiding under when he claimed Sen. Lacson has no evidence of corruption and the US and its allies ever hiding the presence of nuclear weapons in nuke submarines essentially designed to carry them.

Locsin does not seem to realize the geopolitical tectonic tremors from the AUKUS and nuke sub-deal announcement.

Such insensitivity in a foreign secretary may be suicidal for a country sitting at the pivotal

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

overpricing in the procurement of medical supplies. It was Sen. Lacson who extracted a confession from Pharmally employee Krizle Mago that she acted on instructions to have a warehouseman remove the “Expired” labels dated 2020 from face masks, and replace them with 2021 as the new expiry date. Mago also admitted upon further questioning from Sen. Lacson that she acted on orders from Pharmally treasurer Mohit Dargani.

Finally, we wonder if Kapunan has indeed been working full time in a troll farm: he can’t get his spelling right, he can’t get his facts right, and he cannot get his logic right, by the way he haphazardly composed what he passed to the Manila Standard as a “column.”

Nevertheless, we hope this will clarify matters and enlighten the minds of your readers. Thank you very much.

Dr. Beaver Tamesis, President of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, for his part said it is important for everybody to be vaccinated. Experts are now understanding that we have to deal with two phases of the virus — the viral replication phase, and the overactive immune phase.

Dr. Jaime A. Almora, Philippine Hospital Association President, focused on policy issues touching on ambiguities in the automatic inclusion of all Filipinos in the National Health Insurance Program, the confiscatory provision of the UHC Law, poor financial risk protection for hospitals, copayment issues, among others.

The big panel of patient groups that shared their perspectives and expressed their group’s lamentations and suggestions for health reforms included Ms. Aileen Antolin, Vice President, Philippine Foundation for Breast Care Inc.; Ms. Cynthia K. Madaraog, President, Philippine Society of Orphan Disorders, Inc.; Ms. Cynthia Clemen Y. Duntz, Board Member/ Vice-President, The Philippine Diabetes Support and Awareness Group, Inc.; Mr. Josef de Guzman, Executive Director, Psoriasis Philippines; Ms. Carmen Auste, Chief Executive Officer, Cancer Warriors Foundation; Dr. Johnny K. Lokin, President, The Stroke Society of the Philippines; and Prof. Zenaida F. Velasco, National President, Nutritionist-Dietitians’ Association of the Philippines.

As convenor of UHC Watch and coorganizer of this inspiring gathering of health advocates, I am thankful for these practicable and strategic insights that we will integrate into a people-centered health agenda that we hope a new and better government will adopt.

I recommend that you checkout the full recording of the event posted at Stratbase ADRi’s website. Just search - ADRi vTHD: “Synergy Towards a People-Centered Health Agenda.”

Amidst the palpable rage and frustration on ongoing corruption issues, the common call of the spectrum of health advocates is that we must have good, credible leadership that can cope with the highly mutating demands of our country.

As we are now about to enter a transitional phase in our democracy, we must remember the lessons of this crisis and choose our next leaders wisely.

MORE OPINION ONLINE

(www.manilastandard.net)

Gearing up for ‘22

Joel Locsin Media Relations Officer Office of Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson geostrategic junction of a superpower struggle.

Herman Tiu Laurel is a writer, broadcast and online political-economic educator, and founder of Philippine-BRICS Strategic Studies — a think tank advocating global multilateralism and the creation of a multipolar geopolitical world.

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

Marching on

EvEryman

Prime time for political maneuvering

By Dindo A. Danao

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor

Emil P. Jurado

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

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

TODAY

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES TARIFF COMMISSION COMMISSION ORDER NO. 2021 – 01

Section 10. Formal Requirements. Initial applications/petitions or other documents/ evidence filed with the Commission must indicate the names of all persons in whose behalf the filing is made. Subsequent filings must indicate the case number/docket designation assigned by the Commission.

The original copy of all written submissions shall be signed by the party or authorized representative/s and shall show the contact details of the same. The signature of the party or its representative on any document filed with the Commission constitutes as a certification that the signatory has read and knows the content of the submission and that to the best of the signatory’s knowledge, the information contained therein is based on a well-grounded fact and is warranted by existing law or it is not interposed for any improper purpose.

: REVISED RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE CONDUCT OF FORMAL INVESTIGATIONS PURSUANT TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8752

Unless otherwise required by the Commission, all written submissions, including supporting documents, shall be in hard copies (eight (8) copies of confidential version and two (2) copies of non-confidential version), clearly marked confidential or nonconfidential with accompanying electronic copies in file format acceptable to the Commission.

Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 8752 (Anti-Dumping Act of 1999), as adopted in Section 711 of RA No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRRs), the following rules of procedure are hereby promulgated to govern the conduct of investigations by the Tariff Commission:

Section 11. Modes of Service/Notice. Service of pleadings and notices may be made using personal service, registered mail, special courier, facsimile, or electronic mail. The date of transmission for facsimile or electronic mail shall be deemed to be the date of service. A notice to counsel representing a party is considered notice to the latter.

Section 1. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Order, the following terms are defined as follows:

In case of voluminous pleadings or documents and/or numerous parties, the Commission may, upon proper motion of a party, waive the requirement of service, provided that a copy of such pleadings or documents together with its annexes is filed with the Commission and made available for examination and reproduction and the notice of such filing and availability is duly served on the parties by the party filing it.

SUBJECT

(a) “Anti-Dumping Duty” refers to a special duty imposed on the importation of a product into the Philippines at less than its normal value when destined for domestic consumption in the country of export or origin, it being the difference between the export price and the normal value of such product. (b) “Causal Link” refers to a finding that the material injury suffered by the domestic industry is the direct result of the importation of the dumped product. (c) “Commission” refers to the Tariff Commission. (d) “Comparable Price” refers to the domestic price of the like product in the country of export or origin at the same level of trade, normally at the ex-factory level, and in respect of sales made at the same time as, or as near as possible to, the date of exportation to the Philippines. (e) “Country of Export” is the country where the allegedly dumped product was shipped to the Philippines, regardless of the location of the seller. The country of export and the country of origin may be the same, but not in all instances. (f)

“Country of Origin” is the country where the allegedly dumped product either was wholly obtained or where the last substantial transformation took place.

The country of origin and the country of export may be the same, but not in all instances. In the case of transshipment where a product is shipped from a third country that is not the country where the product was manufactured or processed, the country of origin will be different from the country of export.

(g) “Domestic Industry” refers to the domestic producers as a whole of the like product or to those of such producers whose collective output of the product constitutes a major proportion of the total domestic production of that product, except that when producers are related to the importers or foreign exporters or are themselves importers of the allegedly dumped product, the term “domestic industry” may be interpreted as referring to the rest of the producers.

Producers shall be deemed to be related to importers or foreign exporters only if: 1) one of them directly or indirectly controls the other; or 2) both of them are directly or indirectly controlled by a third person; or 3) together they directly or indirectly control a third person, provided that there are grounds to believe or suspect that the effect of the relationship is such as to cause the producer concerned to behave differently from non-related producers.

For this purpose, one shall be deemed to control another when the former is legally or operationally in a position to exercise restraint or direction over the latter.

If available data does not permit the separate identification of the domestic production of the like product, the domestic production shall refer to the production of the narrowest group or range of products which includes the like product for which the necessary information is available. (h) “Dumped Import/Product” refers to any product which is imported into the Philippines at an export price less than its normal value in the ordinary course of trade for the like product destined for consumption in the country of export or origin, and which is causing or is threatening to cause material injury to a domestic industry, or materially retarding the establishment of a domestic industry producing the like product. (i) “Foreign Exporter” refers to one whose name appears on documentation attesting to the export of the product to the Philippines regardless of the manufacturer’s name in the invoice. (j) “Export Price” refers to (1) the ex-factory price at the point of sale for export; or (2) the freight-on-board (F.O.B.) price at the point of shipment of the allegedly dumped product. In cases where (1) or (2) cannot be used, then the export price may be constructed based on such reasonable bases as the Secretary or the Commission may determine. (k) “Interested Parties” refer to persons or entities which are directly affected by the investigation. They shall include: (1) a domestic importer, a foreign exporter or producer of the product subject to investigation, or a trade or business association a majority of the members of which are importers, foreign exporters or producers of such product; (2) the government of the country of export or origin; and (3) a producer of the like product in the Philippines or a trade and business association a majority of the members of which produce the like product in the Philippines. (l) “Like Product” refers to a product which is identical or alike in all respects to the allegedly dumped product, or in the absence of the former, another product which, although not alike in all respects, has characteristics closely resembling those of the allegedly dumped product. (m) “New Foreign Exporter” refers to a foreign exporter who did not export the allegedly dumped product during the investigation period. (n) “Secretary” refers to the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the case of non-agricultural products, or the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the case of agricultural products, or their duly designated representatives. (o) “Voluntary Price Undertaking” refers to an undertaking executed by the exporter or foreign producer under oath and accepted by the affected industry that they will increase their price or will cease exporting to the Philippines at a dumped price thereby eliminating the material injury to the domestic industry producing the like product. Price increases under such undertakings shall not be higher than necessary to eliminate the margin of dumping.

Other terms and phrases as defined in RA No. 8752 and its IRRs shall be given the same meanings when used herein.

Section 2. Purpose of the Investigation. The Commission shall conduct a formal investigation to determine the following: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

If the subject domestic product is a like product to the allegedly dumped product; If the allegedly dumped product is being imported into, or sold in the Philippines, at a price less than its normal value; and the difference, if any, between the export price and the normal value; The presence and extent of material injury or the threat thereof to the domestic industry, or the material retardation of the establishment of a domestic industry producing the like product; The existence of a causal relationship between the allegedly dumped product and the material injury or threat thereof to the affected domestic industry, or the material retardation of the establishment of a domestic industry producing the like product; and If all the elements above are present, the definitive anti-dumping duty to be imposed and the duration of its imposition.

Section 3. Nature of the Investigation. The investigation of the Commission is factfinding and administrative in nature. It shall be conducted in a summary manner.

However, the Commission may require interested parties to formally present evidence for purposes of determining and clarifying factual matters that are relevant in the conduct of the investigation.

During the course of its investigation, the Commission may issue and apply procedural directions to secure just and expeditious determination of matters in issue.

Section 4. Application of the Rules of Court. In the absence of any applicable provision in this Order, the relevant provisions of the Rules of Court of the Philippines, whenever practicable and convenient, may be applied suppletory or by analogy in the implementation of this Order. However, no dilatory tactics or unnecessary or unjustified delays shall be allowed and the technical rules of evidence shall not be applied.

Section 5. Commencement and Notice of Formal Investigation. Within three (3) working days from receipt of the request and the records of the case from the Secretary, the Commission shall commence its formal investigation.

Within the same period, the Commission shall: 1.

2.

3.

Notify in writing all parties on record on the commencement of its formal investigation and require them to appear for a Preliminary Conference and to submit the name/s of counsels or authorized representative/s on or before the Preliminary Conference to be scheduled by the Commission; Publish in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines the Notice of the commencement of formal investigation and preliminary conference; and Post the Notice on the website of the Commission.

Section 6. Conduct of Preliminary Conference. Within seven (7) working days from the commencement of the investigation, the Commission shall conduct a Preliminary Conference to discuss the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l) (m) (n)

Timelines, schedule of public hearing and other activities; Nature of investigation; Appearances of counsel/s and party/ies; Inclusion and exclusion of parties; Modes of service/notices; Number of witnesses; Notification/s; Accessibility of documents and public file; Confidentiality of information; Submission of position paper/s and memoranda; Submission of comments on the Commission’s Staff Report; Conduct of on-site investigation and/or data verification; Submission of comments on the Essential Facts; and Such other matters/activities as may aid in the prompt disposition of the case (e.g.,voluntary price undertaking at any stage of the proceedings).

Within three (3) working days from termination of the Preliminary Conference, the Commission shall issue an Order of Preliminary Conference setting forth the matters resolved and agreed upon by the parties present during the conference. All interested parties who attended the conference shall be furnished a copy of the Order. Said Order shall also be made available on the website of the Commission and in the public file.

Section 12. Submission of Initial Memoranda/Position Papers. The parties shall, within fifteen (15) working days, or seven (7) working days if the case is certified urgent by the Secretary, from termination of the Preliminary Conference, submit to the Commission their respective memoranda/position papers and documentary evidence and information in support of their position/s. Copies of these submissions not otherwise confidential shall be served to the other parties, subject to the provisions of Section 11 on Modes of Service/ Notice.

Section 24 Termination of the Investigation. The Commission shall terminate its investigation if: (a) There is no domestic like product to the allegedly dumped product; or (b) The provisionally estimated margin of dumping is less than two percent (2%) of the export price or the volume of the allegedly dumped products or injury is negligible, as defined in existing international trade agreements of which the Republic of the Philippines is a party; or (c) The volume of allegedly dumped products or injury is negligible. The volume of the allegedly dumped products from a particular country shall normally be regarded as negligible if it accounts for less than three percent (3%) of the total imports of said product in the Philippines unless countries which individually account for less than three percent (3%) of the total imports of the said product in the Philippines collectively account for more than seven percent (7%) of the total imports of that product; or (d) Parties agreed to a voluntary price undertaking.

The Commission shall give public notice of the termination of the investigation through publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Said Notice shall also be posted on the website of the Commission.

Section 25. Disclosure of Essential Facts. The Commission shall, before a final determination is made, inform all the interested parties in writing of the Essential Facts which form the basis for the decision to apply or not apply definitive measures.

All identified interested parties will be provided a copy of the Essential Facts and within an unextendible period of five (5) calendar days from receipt thereof submit their comments with supporting documents for consideration of the Commission.

Section 26. Submission of Formal Investigation Report. Within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days from receipt of the request and the entire records of the case from the Secretary, the Commission shall submit its Formal Investigation Report and Decision to the Secretary.

Section 13. Recourse to Other Data and Information. The Commission may, in addition to the pertinent documents forwarded by the Secretary and the information and/or submissions by the parties, request additional data and information from other sources, both domestic and foreign, to enable it to support its findings. Without the required submissions from the parties, the Commission shall base its findings on the best available information. If necessary, the Commission may seek the opinion of experts or other resource persons on an issue or subject matter relevant to the present case.

Following the submission of its Report and Decision to the Secretary, the Commission shall furnish all interested parties with copies of the public version of the Report, publish a summary of the Report in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, and post the same on the website of the Commission.

Section 14. Treatment of Confidential Information. Information which is confidential shall not be disclosed to the public without the express authority of the owner of the information.

The parties providing confidential information shall submit two (2) copies of non-confidential summaries thereof to be placed in a public file and made available to all interested parties upon the initiation of the investigation. These summaries must contain sufficient details to permit a reasonable understanding of the confidential information to enable other parties to respond to claims based on such information. In exceptional circumstances wherein summarization of confidential information is not possible, the party must state the reason/s why it cannot be provided.

Subject to the IRRs of RA No. 8752, a motion for reconsideration in writing may be filed with the Secretary within fifteen (15) calendar days from receipt of the Department Order imposing the definitive anti-dumping duty, for one or more of the following reasons affecting the substantial rights of said party:

It is understood that the party claiming confidentiality is required to provide justifications why said information can be considered as such. Should there be an issue on the nature of the information, the Commission shall issue an appropriate Order stating the reasons for its finding/s.

In any case, where any request for confidentiality is not warranted or the party is either unwilling to make the information public or to authorize its disclosure in generalized or summary form, such information may be disregarded by the Commission, unless it can be demonstrated to the Commission’s satisfaction from appropriate sources that the information is correct.

The following information may be considered confidential if so designated by the supplying party: (a) Business or trade secrets concerning the nature of the product or the production process; (b) Production costs but not the identities of the production components, unless these are trade secrets; (c) Distribution costs but not the channels of distribution; (d) Terms of sale but not those offered to the public; (e) Prices of individual sales, likely sales, or other offers but not components of prices, such as transportation, if based on published schedules, dates of sale, order numbers, or product descriptions (other than business or trade secrets described in “a”); (f) Names of particular customers, distributors, or suppliers but not destinations of sale or designation of type of customer, distributor or supplier, unless the destination or designation would reveal the name; (g) Exact amount of the dumping margin on individual sales; (h) Names of particular persons from whom confidential information was obtained; and (i) Any other specific business information which, if released to the public, would cause substantial harm to the competitive position of the supplying party.

Section 15. Maintenance of Public File. A public file shall be maintained by the Commission. Except for confidential information, it shall contain a copy of all submissions from interested parties and all relevant correspondences concerning the investigation including the list of counsels of parties and other interested parties. The Commission may, upon written request, make available for examination and reproduction to interested parties all relevant information in its custody that are not considered confidential.

Section 16. Conduct of On-site Investigations. The Commission may, in the course of the proceedings, conduct on-site investigations, to include ocular inspections and visits, to verify information provided or to obtain further details. Any interested party shall, when required, allow the Commission access to necessary information, or otherwise provide the necessary information to enable the Commission to expedite the investigation. The Commission may also visit other domestic producers, importers, foreign exporters or producers who have not provided a submission to the investigation. Visits or inspections may be conducted by the Commission even without the presence of other interested parties. The Commission, at its option, may issue subpoena duces tecum for the production of documents relevant in resolving the application for anti-dumping duty.

In the case of an on-site investigation involving a foreign exporter or producer, the Commission shall obtain the agreement of the firms concerned. As soon as the agreement of the parties has been confirmed, the Commission shall notify the government of the country of export or origin of the names and addresses of the parties to be visited and the dates agreed upon. Sufficient advance notice shall be given to the parties before the visit is made.

Prior to the scheduled visit, parties shall also be advised of the general nature of the information to be verified and the pertinent documents that may be required during the on-site investigation. However, the Commission is not precluded from conducting further verification and inquiry on other relevant information during the said on-site investigation.

Inquiries or questions by the Commission or the parties shall, whenever possible, be answered before the visit is made.

The procedures described above shall also apply to on-site investigations carried out in the territory of countries other than the countries of export or origin.

Without the required information/inspection/verification, the Commission will base its findings on the best available information.

Section 17. Issuance of Staff Report. At least five (5) working days before the scheduled public hearing, the Commission shall issue a public version of a Staff Report which shall cover, among others, the Commission’s findings on product comparability, price difference, dumping, volume of dumped imports, termination of investigation for exporters with de minimis provisionally estimated dumping margin, and other relevant data and information pertinent to the investigation duly verified.

All identified interested parties shall be provided a copy of the Staff Report and within five (5) working days from receipt thereof, submit their comments on the aspects of product comparability and price difference as these matters will be binding and excluded for discussion in the public hearing. If no comment is submitted, then the factual findings on product comparability and price difference of the Commission contained in the Staff Report will be binding to the party who did not submit its comment.

Section 18. Submission of Affidavits of Witnesses and List of Additional Issues for the Public Hearing. At least five (5) working days before the scheduled public hearing, parties are required to submit to the Commission affidavits of their witnesses which shall serve as the direct examination of the witness, copy the opposing parties. Nonsubmission of issues/affidavits of witnesses as prescribed above shall bar the presentation of the same during the public hearing.

Should a party desire to submit additional issues for the public hearing, other than the issues on product comparability and price difference which are excluded in the coverage of the matters for discussion in the public hearing, the same shall be submitted at least five (5) working days before the scheduled hearing for consideration of the Commission.

Section 19. Issuance of Notice of Public Hearing. The Commission shall notify in writing all identified interested parties on the schedules of the public hearing. The Notice of public hearing shall also be published in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and posted on the website of the Commission.

In case of postponement of the public hearing or the non-conduct thereof, all interested parties will be notified in writing and a Notice will be issued following the same procedure above.

Section 20. Conduct of Public Hearing. The Commission, after due notice, shall conduct a public hearing to give all interested parties who submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the Commission the opportunity to be heard and to present evidence, including the opportunity to respond to the presentations of other parties and to submit their views, among others, on the effect/s of imposing an anti-dumping duty on the welfare of consumers and/or the general public, and other related local industries. The public hearing shall be conducted continuously for not more than five (5) working days unless otherwise determined or earlier terminated by the Commission.

All interested parties may appear at the public hearing and present, under oath, evidence relevant and material to the subject matter of the investigation.

Unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, the sequence of the hearing shall be, as follows: (a) Presentation of evidence by the petitioner or domestic industry; (b) Clarificatory questions/examination by oppositor/s or other interested parties; (c) Presentation of evidence by the oppositor/s or other interested parties; and (d) Clarificatory questions/examination by the petitioner or domestic industry.

A party who did not submit a list of issues may be deemed to have no controversial/ contestable matter to raise and hence, will be given less priority in the order of parties to ask clarificatory questions during the public hearing.

Nothing herein shall prevent the members of the Commission from propounding clarificatory questions to the witnesses and interested parties during the public hearing.

Failure to appear on the scheduled public hearings is considered a waiver to propound clarificatory questions to the witnesses who were presented on that day.

Section 21. Conduct of Executive Session. In the course of the proceedings, the Commission, upon its own determination, or motion of an interested party, may conduct an executive session which, unless otherwise stated in the Order, shall be attended only by the following: (a) The party who is to present confidential information or his duly authorized representative; (b) Authorized officials and employees of the Commission; and (c) Counsel/s or authorized representative/s of opposing party/ies.

Section 7. Appearance of Counsel and Parties. Parties may appear by themselves or through their authorized representative/s or counsel/s. Should parties be represented by counsel/s or authorized representative/s, the necessary authority and the contact details of the counsel/s or representative/s thereof must be submitted to the Commission on or before the scheduled Preliminary Conference.

Unless otherwise ordered by the Commission or by a competent court or required under existing laws, all parties present in the executive session are strictly enjoined from disclosing or discussing any and all subject matters deliberated in the executive session.

Section 8. Authority to Bind Party. Counsel/s or authorized representative/s of parties shall have authority to bind their clients in all matters of procedure.

The Commission shall implement measures to ensure that confidential information are protected from any unauthorized disclosures.

Section 9. Inclusion and Exclusion of Parties. As a general rule, parties who did not submit answers to the required questionnaires during the preliminary investigation conducted by the DTI/DA shall have no legal personality to appear at the public hearings nor participate in the formal investigation to be conducted by the Commission.

Section 22. Submission of Amended and/or Final Memoranda/Position Paper. Parties who earlier submitted their respective memoranda/position papers may submit amended and/or final memoranda/position papers to the Commission within ten (10) calendar days, or five (5) calendar days if the case is certified urgent by the Secretary, from termination of the public hearing.

However, for valid reasons, an interested party may file a written request with the Commission to be included in the formal investigation within thirty (30) calendar days, or fifteen (15) calendar days if certified urgent by the Secretary, from commencement of the formal investigation. Once the request is approved by the Commission, the party shall be required to submit a fully accomplished Commission questionnaire and other relevant data and information that can be subjected to verification, within fifteen (15) working days from receipt of notice, as an indispensable requirement for inclusion of a party in the proceeding.

agreed upon shall be in writing duly signed by the parties and/or their counsels and shall be subject to approval of the Secretary upon the recommendation of the Commission.

Section 23. Voluntary Price Undertaking. At any stage of the formal investigation, price undertaking shall be entertained provided that it is consistent with RA No. 8752 and its IRRs and shall not be prejudicial to public interest.

Whenever practicable, the Commission shall take the initiative to exhaust all available means to effect a fair and reasonable settlement of the case. The parties will be given all the opportunities to present their proposals and/or counter-proposals. The price undertaking

Section 27. Motion for Reconsideration. No motion for reconsideration shall be filed directly to the Commission against the Department Order issued by the Secretary.

(a) Fraud, accident, mistake or excusable negligence which ordinary prudence could not have guarded against and by reason of which such aggrieved party has probably been impaired; (b) Newly discovered evidence, which the aggrieved party could not, with reasonable diligence, have discovered and produced at the public hearings, and which if presented would probably alter the result; or (c) The final anti-dumping duty imposed is excessive, or the evidence is insufficient to justify the final order, or the order is contrary to law.

Such motion for reconsideration shall not be accepted without proof of service thereof to affected parties.

The Commission shall, upon receipt of the motion for reconsideration and the comments thereto from the Secretary, resolve the same within ten (10) working days. Thereafter, the Commission shall transmit its report to the Secretary within one (1) working day from the date of the report.

Section 28. Judicial Review. Any interested party who is adversely affected by the ruling of the Secretary in connection with the imposition of an anti-dumping measure may file with the Court of Tax Appeals a petition for review of such ruling within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt thereof.

Section 29. Interim or Changed Circumstances Review. The Commission may, motu proprio or upon the direction of the Secretary or upon a duly substantiated request, conduct an interim review of the need for the continued imposition of the anti-dumping duty, taking into consideration the need to protect the existing domestic industry against dumping. At least one (1) year should have elapsed since the imposition of anti-dumping duty before the review can be initiated.

In carrying out the review, the Commission may, inter alia, consider whether the circumstances with regard to dumping and injury have changed significantly, or whether existing measures are achieving the intended results in removing the injury previously established. In these respects, account shall be taken of all relevant and duly documented evidence in the final determination.

The Commission shall undertake the review following procedures applicable in this Order and submit its report to the Secretary not later than one hundred fifty (150) calendar days from the date of the initiation of the review.

Section 30. Accelerated or New Shipper’s Review. New foreign exporters may request for an accelerated review provided they are not related to any foreign exporter who is subject to the anti-dumping duty. The application must be submitted to the Commission in writing and must contain: (a) A description of the foreign exporter’s product; and (b) The basis of the request.

The new foreign exporter shall submit its application using the prescribed Form of the Commission together with supporting documentary evidence which must be duly authenticated by the Philippine Consular Office in the country of export. Applications without the required authentication shall not be acted upon.

In case of incomplete submissions, the Commission shall give the exporter fifteen (15) calendar days from receipt of notice to submit the required information. Failure to comply within the prescribed period will result in the dismissal of the application.

The Commission shall, upon receipt of properly documented application from new foreign exporter and payment of filing fee, commence an accelerated review to determine the individual margin of dumping for the new foreign exporters who have not exported the dumped product to the Philippines during the period of investigation (POI) for dumping determination.

Within seven (7) calendar days from the commencement of the review, the Commission shall notify all interested parties which shall include the Secretary, the Bureau of Customs, the domestic industry, identified importers (existing or prospective) of applicant, and the concerned embassy. The Notice shall be posted on the Commission’s website.

Interested parties are required to submit their comments/position papers within fifteen (15) calendar days from receipt of the notice of commencement. The Commission reserves the right to request additional information deemed necessary for the review.

The Commission shall make an assessment and evaluation of the documents. In case of additional information required, the party shall submit the same within fifteen (15) calendar days from receipt of notice.

At any stage of the proceedings, the Commission shall terminate the investigation if the applicant: (a) exported the dumped product to the Philippines during the POI; or (b) is related with any foreign exporter who is subject to the anti-dumping duty; or (c) failed to provide the required information.

Within sixty (60) working days from commencement of the review, the Commission shall submit to the Secretary its Final Report and Decision.

Following the submission of its Report and Decision to the Secretary, the Commission shall furnish the interested parties with copies of the public version of the Report and shall post the same on the website of the Commission.

Section 31. Expiry or Sunset Review. The Commission may, on its own initiative or upon a duly substantiated request made by or on behalf of the domestic industry at least six (6) months prior to the termination/expiry date of the imposition of the definitive antidumping duty, conduct an expiry or sunset review to determine whether the termination of the anti-dumping duty will likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and injury. The anti-dumping duty shall remain in force pending the outcome of such an expiry review.

The Commission shall cause the publication of a Notice of impending expiry of the effectivity of the anti-dumping duty in two (2) newspapers of general circulation on the first quarter of the final year of the period of application of the definitive anti-dumping duty, to give the domestic producers adequate time to lodge a request for an expiry review.

In carrying out the review, the Commission shall require foreign exporters, the representatives of the country of export or origin, and the domestic producers and importers to accomplish the prescribed Commission questionnaires. Interested parties shall be provided with the opportunity to comment on the matters set out in the review request, and conclusions shall be reached with due account taken of all relevant and duly documented evidence presented in relation to the question of whether the expiry of the definitive anti-dumping duty would be likely, or unlikely, to lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and injury.

The Commission shall undertake the review following the procedures prescribed in this Order and submit its Report and Decision to the Secretary not later than one hundred fifty (150) calendar days from the date of the initiation of the review.

Section 32. Transcript of Proceedings. The Commission’s designated secretariat shall record all the proceedings before the Commission, prepare the transcripts thereof, and file the same with the records of the case. The duly approved and signed hard copy of the transcript shall be made available only to interested parties, for a fee.

Section 33. Payment of Fees. Pursuant to the Commission’s relevant issuances, the petitioner shall pay the following: (a) Filing Fee; (b) Legal Research Fund Fee; and (c) Cost of Publication of Newspaper Notices on Commencement of Formal Investigation and Conduct of Public Hearing.

Within five (5) working days from receipt of the Notice of Billing from the Commission and publisher, the petitioner shall pay the required fees hereof.

Failure to pay the fees within the required period shall cause the suspension of the formal investigation.

Section 34. Separability Clause. Should any provision of this Order be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions.

Section 35. Repealing Clause. This Order repeals Commission Order No. 00-01 dated 21 June 2000. All other Commission issuances which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed, amended or otherwise modified accordingly.

Section 36. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and submission of copy to the University of the Philippines Law Center.

Let a copy of this Order be furnished the University of the Philippines Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City.

MARILOU P. MENDOZA Chairperson

ERNESTO L ALBANO Commissioner

MARISSA MARICOSA A. PADERON Commissioner

Date Approved: 22 September 2021

(MS-SEPT. 27, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

A6

World

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

3 dead, dozens hurt as train derails in US

W

ASHINGTON—At least three people were killed and dozens more injured when a US train derailed Saturday afternoon in northern Montana, with rescuers rushing to safely evacuate everyone on board.

Around 141 passengers and 16 crew members were traveling from Chicago towards the Pacific coast when eight of the

thorities are now confirming that three people have lost their lives as a result of this accident,” rail operator Amtrak said, adding that there were also “reported injuries”.

It was not immediately clear what caused 10 cars came off the tracks at around 4 pm the incident.

Footage posted on social media showed (2200 GMT).

“We are deeply saddened to learn local au- people waiting by the tracks, luggage strewn

Manila

Standard

TODAY

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES TARIFF COMMISSION

COMMISSION ORDER NO. 2021 – 02 SUBJECT :

REVISED RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE CONDUCT OF FORMAL INVESTIGATIONS PURSUANT TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8800

Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 8800 (Safeguard Measures Act), as adopted in Section 712 of RA No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRRs), the following rules of procedure are hereby promulgated to govern the conduct of investigations by the Tariff Commission: Section 1. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Order, the following terms are defined as follows: (a) “Adjustment Plan” shall refer to an action plan which a domestic industry is required to submit, that describes a set of quantified goals, specific plans, and timetables that a concerned industry commits to undertake in order to facilitate positive adjustment of the industry to import competition. (b) “Commission” shall refer to the Tariff Commission. (c) “Consumers” shall refer to natural persons or organized consumer groups who are purchasers, lessees, recipients, or prospective purchasers, lessees, or recipients, of consumer products, services or credit. (d) “Directly competitive products” shall mean domestically-produced substitutable products. (e) “Domestic industry” shall refer to the domestic producers, as a whole, of like or directly competitive products manufactured or produced in the Philippines or those whose collective output of like or directly competitive products constitutes a major proportion of the total domestic production of those products. Provided, however, that: 1) In the case of a domestic producer which also imports the product under consideration, only its domestic production of the like or directly competitive product shall be treated as part of the domestic production, or 2) in the case of a domestic producer which produces more than one product, only that portion of its production of the like or directly competitive product may be treated as part of such domestic industry. (f) “Interested parties” shall include domestic producers, consumers, importers, and exporters of the products under consideration. (g) “Like product” shall mean a domestic product which is identical, i.e., alike in all respects to the imported product under consideration, or in the absence of such a product, another domestic product which, although not alike in all respects, has characteristics closely resembling those of the imported product under consideration. (h) “Positive adjustment to import competition” shall refer to the ability of the domestic industry to compete successfully with imports after the termination of any safeguard measure, or to the orderly transfer of resources to other productive pursuits, and to the orderly transition of dislocated workers in the industry to other productive pursuits. (i) “Product” shall refer to an article, commodity or good. (j) “Secretary” shall refer to either the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the case of non-agricultural products or the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the case of agricultural products.

Other terms and phrases as defined in RA No. 8800 and its IRRs shall be given the same meanings when used herein.

Section 2. Purpose of the Investigation. The Commission shall conduct a formal investigation to determine the following: 1.

If the subject domestic product is a like or directly competitive product to the imported product under consideration;

2.

If the imported product under consideration is being imported into the Philippines in increased quantities whether absolute or relative to domestic production;

3.

The presence and extent of serious injury or threat thereof to the domestic industry that produces like or directly competitive product;

4.

The existence of causal relationship between the increased imports of the product under consideration and the serious injury or threat thereof to the domestic industry; and

5.

The definitive safeguard duty to be imposed and the duration of its imposition, if all elements above are present.

Section 3. Nature of the Investigation. The investigation of the Commission is factfinding and administrative in nature. It shall be conducted in a summary manner.

However, the Commission may require interested parties to formally present evidence for purposes of determining and clarifying factual matters that are relevant in the conduct of the investigation.

The Commission may, in the course of its investigation, issue and apply procedural directions to secure just and expeditious determination of matters in issue.

Section 4. Application of the Rules of Court. In the absence of any applicable provision in this Order, the relevant provisions of the Rules of Court of the Philippines, whenever practicable and convenient, may be applied suppletory or by analogy in the implementation of this Order. However, no dilatory tactics or unnecessary or unjustified delays shall be allowed and the technical rules of evidence shall not be applied.

Section 5. Commencement and Notice of Formal Investigation. Within five (5) working days, or three (3) working days if the case is certified urgent by the Secretary, from receipt of the referral by the Secretary with the records of the case, the Commission shall commence its formal investigation.

Within the same period, the Commission shall: 1.

Notify in writing all parties on record on the commencement of its investigation and require them to appear for a Preliminary Conference, and to submit the name/s of counsels or authorized representative/s on or before the Preliminary Conference to be scheduled by the Commission;

2.

Publish in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines the Notice of the commencement of formal investigation and Preliminary Conference; and

3.

Post the Notice in the website of the Commission.

Section 6. Conduct of Preliminary Conference. Within seven (7) working days from the commencement of the investigation, the Commission shall conduct a Preliminary Conference to discuss the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l) (m) (n)

Timelines, schedule of public hearings and other activities; Nature of investigation; Appearances of counsel/s and party/ies; Inclusion and exclusion of parties; Modes of service/notices; Number of witnesses; Notification/s; Accessibility of documents and public file; Confidentiality of information; Submission of position paper/s and memoranda; Submission of Adjustment Plan; Submission of comments on the Commission’s Staff Report; Conduct of on-site investigation and/or data verification; and Such other matters/activities as may aid in the prompt disposition of the case.

Within three (3) working days from termination of the Preliminary Conference, the Commission shall issue an Order of Preliminary Conference setting forth the matters resolved and agreed upon by the parties present during the conference. All interested parties who attended the conference shall be furnished a copy of the Order. Said Order shall also be made available on the website of the Commission and in the public file.

Section 7. Appearance of Counsel and Parties. Parties may appear by themselves or through their authorized representative/s or counsel/s. Should parties be represented by counsel/s or authorized representative/s, the necessary authority and the contact details of the counsel/s or representative/s thereof must be submitted to the Commission on or before the scheduled Preliminary Conference.

Section 8. Authority to Bind Party. Counsel/s or authorized representative/s of parties shall have authority to bind their clients in all matters of procedure.

Section 9. Inclusion and Exclusion of Parties. As a general rule, parties who did not submit answers to the required questionnaires during the preliminary investigation conducted by the DTI/DA shall have no legal personality to appear at the public hearings nor participate in the formal investigation to be conducted by the Commission.

However, for valid reasons, an interested party may file a written request with the Commission to be included in the formal investigation within seven (7) working days, or five (5) working days if certified urgent by the Secretary, after the Preliminary Conference.

Once the request is approved by the Commission, the party shall be required to submit a fully accomplished Commission questionnaire and other relevant data and information that can be subjected to verification within fifteen (15) working days from receipt of notice, as an indispensable requirement for inclusion of the party in the proceedings.

Section 10. Formal Requirements. Initial applications/petitions or other documents/

next to them, with train carriages seen listing off the rails and at least one toppled onto its side.

The National Transportation and Safety Board said it was launching a “go-team” to investigate the derailment.

Amtrak said it had sent emergency personnel to the scene to assist local authorities

evidence filed with the Commission must indicate the names of all persons in whose behalf the filing is made. Subsequent filings must indicate the case number/docket designation assigned by the Commission.

The original copy of all written submissions shall be signed by the party or authorized representative/s and shall show the contact details of the same. The signature of the party or its representative on any document filed with the Commission constitutes as a certification that the signatory has read and knows the content of the submission and that to the best of the signatory’s knowledge, the information contained therein is based on a well-grounded fact and is warranted by existing law or it is not interposed for any improper purpose.

Unless otherwise required by the Commission, all written submissions, including supporting documents, shall be in hard copies (eight (8) copies of confidential version and two (2) copies of non-confidential version), clearly marked confidential or nonconfidential, with accompanying electronic copies in file format acceptable to the Commission.

Section 11. Modes of Service/Notice. Service of pleadings and notices may be made using personal service, registered mail, special courier, facsimile, or electronic mail. The date of transmission for facsimile or electronic mail shall be deemed to be the date of service. A notice to counsel representing a party is considered notice to the latter.

In case of voluminous pleadings or documents and/or numerous parties, the Commission may, upon proper motion of a party, waive the requirement of service, provided that a copy of such pleadings or documents together with its annexes is filed with the Commission and made available for examination and reproduction and the notice of such filing and availability is duly served on the parties by the party filing it.

Section 12. Submission of Initial Memoranda/Position Papers. The parties shall, within fifteen (15) working days, or seven (7) working days if the case is certified urgent by the Secretary, from termination of the Preliminary Conference, submit to the Commission their respective memoranda/position papers and documentary evidence and information in support of their position/s. Copies of these submissions not otherwise confidential shall be served to the other parties, subject to the provisions of Section 11 on Modes of Service/ Notice.

Section 13. Recourse to Other Data and Information. The Commission may, in addition to the pertinent documents forwarded by the Secretary and the information and/ or submissions by the parties, request additional data and information from other sources, both domestic and foreign, to enable it to support its findings. Without the required submissions from the parties, the Commission shall base its findings on the best available information. If necessary, the Commission may seek the opinion of experts or other resource persons on an issue or subject matter relevant to the present case.

Section 14. Treatment of Confidential Information. Information which is confidential shall not be disclosed to the public without the express authority of the owner of the information. The parties providing confidential information shall submit two (2) copies of non-confidential summaries thereof, to be placed in a public file and made available to all interested parties upon the initiation of the investigation. These summaries must contain sufficient details to permit a reasonable understanding of the confidential information to enable other parties to respond to claims based on such information. In exceptional circumstances wherein summarization of confidential information is not possible, the party must state the reason/s why it cannot be provided.

It is understood that the party claiming confidentiality is required to provide justifications for why said information can be considered as such. Should there be an issue on the nature of the information, the Commission shall issue an appropriate Order stating the reasons for its finding/s.

In any case, where any request for confidentiality is not warranted, or the party is either unwilling to make the information public or to authorize its disclosure in generalized or summary form, such information may be disregarded by the Commission, unless it can be demonstrated to the Commission’s satisfaction from appropriate sources that the information is correct.

The following information may be considered confidential if so designated by the supplying party: (a) Business or trade secrets concerning the nature of the product or the production process; (b) Production costs but not the identities of the production components, unless these are trade secrets; (c) Distribution costs but not the channels of distribution; (d) Terms of sale but not those offered to the public; (e) Prices of individual sales, likely sales, or other offers but not components of prices, such as transportation, if based on published schedules, dates of sale, order numbers, or product descriptions (other than business or trade secrets described in “a”); (f) Names of particular customers, distributors, or suppliers but not destinations of sale or designation of type of customer, distributor or supplier, unless the destination or designation would reveal the name; (g) Names of particular persons from whom confidential information was obtained; and (h) Any other specific business information which, if released to the public, would cause substantial harm to the competitive position of the supplying party.

Section 15. Maintenance of Public File. A public file shall be maintained by the Commission.

Except for confidential information, it shall contain a copy of all submissions from interested parties and all relevant correspondences concerning the investigation including the list of counsels/authorized representatives of interested parties. The Commission may, upon written request, make available for examination and reproduction to interested parties all relevant information in its custody that are not considered confidential.

Section 16. Conduct of On-Site Investigations. The Commission may, in the course of the proceedings, conduct on-site investigations, to include ocular inspections and visits, to verify information provided or to obtain further details. Any interested party shall, when required, allow the Commission access to necessary information, or otherwise provide the necessary information to enable the Commission to expedite the investigation. The Commission may also visit other domestic producers, importers, foreign exporters or producers who have not provided a submission to the investigation. Visits or inspections may be conducted by the Commission even without the presence of other interested parties. The Commission, at its option, may issue subpoena duces tecum for the production of documents relevant in resolving the application for safeguard duty.

In the case of an on-site investigation involving a foreign exporter or producer, the Commission shall obtain the agreement of the firms concerned. As soon as the agreement of the parties has been confirmed, the Commission shall notify the government of the country of export or origin of the names and addresses of the parties to be visited and the dates agreed upon. Sufficient advance notice shall be given to the parties in question before the visit is made.

in the evacuation effort.

Montana’s Disaster and Emergency Services coordinator Amanda Frickel told the New York Times that “well over 50 people had been injured”.

She said teams of rescuers were at the scene and multiple hospitals—as well as medical helicopters—were on standby. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

of the Commission.

Section 20. Issuance of Notice of Public Hearing. The Commission shall notify in writing all identified interested parties on the schedules of the public hearing. The Notice of public hearing shall also be published in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and posted on the website of the Commission.

In case of postponement of the public hearing or the non-conduct thereof, all interested parties will be notified in writing and a Notice will be issued following the same procedure above.

Section 21. Conduct of Public Hearing. The Commission, after due notice, shall conduct a public hearing to give all interested parties who submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the Commission the opportunity to be heard and to present evidence, including the opportunity to respond to the presentations of other parties and to submit their views, among others, on the effect/s of imposing a safeguard measure on the welfare of consumers and/or the general public, and other related local industries. The public hearing shall be conducted continuously for not more than five (5) working days unless otherwise determined or earlier terminated by the Commission.

All interested parties may appear at the public hearing and present, under oath, evidence relevant and material to the subject matter of the investigation.

Unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, the sequence of the hearing shall be, as follows: (a) (b) (c) (d)

Presentation of evidence by the petitioner or domestic industry; Clarificatory questions/examination by oppositor/s or other interested parties; Presentation of evidence by the oppositor/s or other interested parties; and Clarificatory questions/examination by the petitioner or domestic industry.

A party who did not submit a list of issues may be deemed to have no controversial/ contestable matter to raise and hence, will be given less priority in the order of parties to ask clarificatory questions during the public hearing.

Nothing herein shall prevent the members of the Commission from propounding clarificatory questions to the witnesses and interested parties during the public hearing.

Failure to appear on the scheduled public hearings is considered a waiver to propound clarificatory questions to the witnesses who were presented on that day.

Section 22. Submission of Amended and/or Final Memoranda/Position Paper.

Parties who earlier submitted their respective memoranda/position papers may submit amended and/or final memoranda/position papers to the Commission within ten (10) calendar days, or five (5) calendar days if the case is certified urgent by the Secretary, from termination of the public hearing.

Section 23. Termination of the Investigation. The Commission shall terminate its investigation if: (a) There is no domestic like or directly competitive product to the imported product under consideration; or (b) If the product is not being imported into the Philippines in increased quantities whether absolute or relative to domestic production.

The Commission shall give public notice of the termination of the investigation through publication in two newspapers of general circulation. Said Notice shall also be posted on the website of the Commission.

Section 24. Submission of Formal Investigation Report. Within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days, or sixty (60) calendar days if the case is certified urgent, from receipt of the request and the records of the case from the Secretary, the Commission shall submit its Formal Investigation Report to the Secretary.

Following the submission of its Formal Investigation Report to the Secretary, the Commission shall furnish all interested parties with copies of the public version of the Report, publish a summary of the Report in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, and post the same on the website of the Commission.

Section 25. Judicial Review. Any interested party who is adversely affected by the ruling of the Secretary in connection with the imposition of a safeguard measure may file with the Court of Tax Appeals a petition for review of such ruling within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt thereof.

Section 26. Monitoring of the Domestic Industry. So long as the definitive measure is in effect, the Commission shall monitor developments with respect to the domestic industry, including the progress and specific efforts made by workers and firms in the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition.

If the initial application of the definitive measures exceeds three (3) years, or if an extension of such application exceeds three (3) years, the Commission shall submit to the Secretary a report on the results of its monitoring not later than the date which is the midpoint of the initial period, and of each such extension, during which the definitive measure is in effect.

The Commission, in the preparation of its monitoring report, shall conduct a public hearing at which all interested parties, including the Department of Labor and Employment, shall be given reasonable opportunity to be present, to present evidence, and to be heard. Public hearing shall be conducted following the applicable procedures prescribed in this Order.

Section 27. Investigation for the Reduction, Modification, of Safeguard Action. The Commission shall, upon receipt of the Secretary, conduct an investigation to determine the merits modification, and termination of the safeguard action pursuant to IRRs of RA No. 8800.

and Termination the request from for the reduction, Section 18 of the

The Commission shall undertake the investigation following the procedures prescribed in this Order and shall submit its report to the Secretary within sixty (60) calendar days from receipt of the request.

Section 28. Investigation for the Extension and Re-Application of Safeguard Duty.

The Commission shall, upon receipt of the request from the Secretary, conduct an investigation to determine if the action continues to be necessary to prevent or remedy the serious injury and there is evidence that the domestic industry is making positive adjustment to import competition.

The Commission shall undertake the investigation following the procedures prescribed in this Order and shall submit its report to the Secretary within sixty (60) calendar days from its receipt of the request.

Prior to the scheduled visit, parties shall also be advised of the general nature of the information to be verified and the pertinent documents that may be required during the on-site investigation. However, the Commission is not precluded from conducting further verification and inquiry on other relevant information during the said on-site investigation.

Inquiries or questions by the Commission or the parties shall, whenever possible, be answered before the visit is made.

Section 29. Evaluation to Determine the Effectiveness of Actions Taken by the Domestic Industry. The Commission shall, after the termination of the application of the definitive safeguard measure, evaluate the effectiveness of the actions taken by the domestic industry in facilitating positive adjustment to import competition. At least one (1) year should have elapsed since the termination of the application of safeguard measure before the evaluation can be initiated.

The procedures described above shall also apply to on-site investigations carried out in the territory of countries other than the countries of export or origin.

The evaluation includes the conduct of a public hearing at which all identified interested parties shall be afforded opportunity to present evidence or testimony. The Commission shall submit its report to the Secretary within one hundred (100) working days from the date of the initiation of the evaluation.

Without the required information/inspection/verification, the Commission shall base its findings on the best available information.

Section 17. Submission of Adjustment Plan. The concerned domestic industry, or other parties representing the domestic industry, shall submit to the Commission their adjustment plan to import competition within forty-five (45) calendar days, or thirty (30) calendar days if the case is certified urgent by the Secretary, from receipt of the notice of submission.

If the Commission makes an affirmative determination of injury or threat thereof, individual commitments regarding actions such persons and entities intend to take to facilitate positive adjustment to import competition shall be submitted to the Commission by any of the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Firm in the domestic industry; Certified or recognized union or group of workers in the domestic industry; Local community; Trade association representing the domestic industry; or Other persons or group of persons.

The adjustment plan shall provide a clear quantification of the domestic industry’s proposed goals and detail the efforts that the domestic industry and other concerned parties will make to place the domestic industry in a more competitive position. The goals shall be presented using objectively verifiable indicators that will cover the period for which safeguard measures are sought. When the application is for a safeguard measure covering more than one (1) year, the adjustment plan shall include specific efforts to be undertaken by the domestic industry for each year of progressive liberalization of the measure. It shall likewise include a timeframe to enable the Commission to monitor their attainment of submitted goals and efforts over the specified period.

Section 18. Issuance of Staff Report. At least five (5) working days before the scheduled public hearing, the Commission shall issue a public version of a Staff Report which shall cover, among others, the Commission’s findings on product comparability, volume of increased imports, and other relevant data and information pertinent to the investigation duly verified.

All identified interested parties shall be provided a copy of the Commission’s Staff Report and within five (5) working days from receipt thereof submit their comments on the aspects of product comparability and volume of increased imports as these matters will be binding and excluded for discussion in the public hearing. If no comment is filed, then the factual findings on product comparability and volume of increased imports of the Commission contained in the Staff Report will be binding to the party who did not submit its comment.

Section 19. Submission of Affidavits of Witnesses and List of Additional Issues for the Public Hearing. At least five (5) working days before the scheduled public hearing, parties are required to submit to the Commission affidavits of their witnesses which shall serve as the direct examination of the witness, copy the opposing parties. Nonsubmission of issues/affidavits of witnesses as prescribed above shall bar the presentation of the same during the public hearing.

Should a party desire to submit additional issues for the public hearing, other than the issues on product comparability and volume of increased imports which are excluded in the coverage of the matters for discussion in the public hearing, the same shall be submitted at least five (5) working days before the scheduled hearing for consideration

Section 30. Transcript of Proceedings. The Commission’s designated secretariat shall record all the proceedings before the Commission, prepare the transcripts thereof, and file the same with the records of the case. The duly approved and signed hard copy of the transcript shall be made available only to interested parties, for a fee.

Section 31. Payment of Fees. Pursuant to the Commission’s relevant issuances, the petitioner shall pay the following: (a) Filing Fee; (b) Legal Research Fund Fee; and (c) Cost/s of Publication of Newspaper Notices on Commencement of FormalInvestigation and Conduct of Public Hearing.

Within five (5) working days from receipt of Notice of Billing from the Commission and publisher, the petitioner shall pay the required fees hereof.

Failure to pay the fees within the required period shall cause the suspension of the formal investigation.

Section 32. Separability Clause. Should any provision of this Order be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions.

Section 33. Repealing Clause. This Order repeals Commission Order No. 00-02 dated 22 November 2000. All other Commission issuances which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed, amended or otherwise modified accordingly.

Section 34. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and submissionof copy to the University of the Philippines Law Center.

Let a copy of this Order be furnished the University of the Philippines Law Center, Diliman,Quezon City.

MARILOU P. MENDOZA Chairperson

ERNESTO L ALBANO Commissioner

MARISSA MARICOSA A. PADERON Commissioner

Date Approved: 22 September 2021 (MS-SEPT. 27, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

TODAY

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES TARIFF COMMISSION

COMMISSION ORDER NO. 2021 – 03

SUBJECT : RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE CONDUCT OF FORMAL INVESTIGATIONS PURSUANT TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8751 Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 8751 (An Act Strengthening the Mechanisms for the Imposition of Countervailing Duties on Imported Subsidized Products, Commodities or Articles of Commerce in Order to Protect Domestic Industries from Unfair Trade Competition, amending for the purpose Section 302, Part 2, Title II, Book I of Presidential Decree No. 1464, otherwise known as The Tariff And Customs Code of The Philippines, as Amended), as adopted in Section 713 of RA No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRRs), the following rules of procedure are hereby promulgated to govern the conduct of investigations by the Tariff Commission: Section 1. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Order, the following terms are defined as follows: (a)

“Commission” refers to the Tariff Commission.

(b)

“Countervailing Duty” refers to a special duty levied for the purpose of offsetting any kind or form of specific subsidy bestowed directly or indirectly upon the exportation or manufacture of any product. The countervailing duty shall be in addition to any ordinary duties, taxes and charges imposed by law on such imported product.

(c)

“Country of Export” is the country where the allegedly subsidized product was shipped to the Philippines, regardless of the location of the seller. The country of export and the country of origin may be the same, but not in all instances.

(d)

(e)

“Country of Origin” is the country where the allegedly subsidized product either was wholly obtained or where the last substantial transformation took place. The country of origin and the country of export may be the same, but not in all instances. In the case of transshipment where a product is shipped from a third country that is not the country where the product was manufactured or processed, the country of origin will be different from the country of export.

“Domestic Industry” refers to the domestic producers as a whole of the like product or to those of such producers whose collective output of the product constitutes a major proportion of the total domestic production of that product, except that when producers are related to the foreign exporters or importers or are themselves importers of the allegedly subsidized product, the term “domestic industry” may be interpreted as referring to the rest of the producers.

Producers shall be deemed to be related to foreign exporters or importers only if: 1) one of them directly or indirectly controls the other; or 2) both of them are directly or indirectly controlled by a third person; or 3) together they directly or indirectly control a third person, provided that there are grounds to believe or suspect that the effect of the relationship is such as to cause the producer concerned to behave differently from non-related producers.

For this purpose, one shall be deemed to control another when the former is legally or operationally in a position to exercise restraint or direction over the latter.

If available data does not permit the separate identification of the domestic production of the like product, the domestic production shall refer to the production of the narrowest group or range of products which includes the like product for which the necessary information is available.

(f)

“Foreign Exporter” refers to one whose name appears on documentation attesting to the export of the product to the Philippines regardless of the manufacturer’s name in the invoice.

(g)

“Interested Parties” refer to persons or entities which are directly affected by the investigation. They shall include: (1) a domestic importer, a foreign exporter or producer of the product subject to investigation, or the government of the country of export or origin, or a trade or business association a majority of the members of which are importers, foreign exporters or producers of such product; (2) a producer of the like product in the Philippines or a trade and business association a majority of the members of which produce the like product in the Philippines; and (3) labour unions that are representative of the industry or coalitions of producers and/or labour unions.

(h)

(i)

(j)

(k)

(l)

(m)

“Like Product” refers to a product which is identical or alike in all respects to the allegedly subsidized product, or in the absence of the former, another product which, although not alike in all respects, has characteristics closely resembling those of the allegedly subsidized product.

“Secretary” refers to the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the case of non-agricultural products or the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the case of agricultural products, or their duly designated representatives.

“Specific Subsidy” refers to the subsidy limited to an enterprise or industry or group of enterprises or industries. A subsidy can be limited to certain enterprises or industries by being available only in particular regions of a country. All exportrelated subsidies and subsidies related to the use of domestic over imported goods are specific. Subsidies can also be specific if they are provided in practice to only certain enterprises or industries even though the law may not explicitly limit their application in such a manner.

“Subsidized Import/Product” refers to any product which is granted, directly or indirectly by the government in the country of export or origin, any kind or form of specific subsidy upon the exportation or manufacture of such product, and which is causing or is threatening to cause material injury to a domestic industry, or is materially retarding the growth or preventing the establishment of a domestic industry producing the like product.

“Subsidy” refers to any specific assistance (e.g., financial contribution, income or price support schemes) provided directly or indirectly by the government of the country of export or origin in respect of the product imported into the Philippines, which confers a benefit to the foreign exporter or producer of said product. Examples of financial contributions are grants, soft loans, guarantees and certain equity infusions, tax credits and goods and services provided by governments. A subsidy can be an export subsidy, aimed at assisting exports, or it can be a domestic subsidy, which provides assistance irrespective of whether the product is exported or not.

“Voluntary Undertaking” refers to an undertaking executed under oath by: 1) the foreign exporter and/or the producer that they will increase their prices or will cease exporting to the Philippines at the subsidized price; or 2) the government of the country of export or origin that it will eliminate or limit the subsidy or take other measures concerning its effects; thereby eliminating the material injury to the domestic industry producing the like product.

Price increases under such undertakings shall not be higher than necessary to eliminate the injury from subsidization. Parties that offer an undertaking shall be required to provide a non-confidential version of such undertaking so that it may be made available to interested parties.

Other terms and phrases as defined in RA No. 8751 and its IRRs shall be given the same meanings when used herein.

Section 2. Purpose of the Investigation. The Commission shall conduct a formal investigation to determine the following: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

If the domestic product is identical or alike in all respects to the allegedly subsidized product, or in the absence of the former, another product which, although not alike in all respects, has characteristics closely resembling those of the allegedly subsidized product; If the foreign exporter or producer of the allegedly subsidized product is conferred benefits through the implementation of a specific subsidy programme by the government of the country of export or origin; The presence and extent of material injury or the threat thereof to the domestic industry, or the material retardation of the growth or the prevention of the establishment of a domestic industry producing the like product; The existence of a causal relationship between the allegedly subsidized product and the material injury or threat of material injury to the affected domestic industry, or the material retardation of the growth, or the prevention of the establishment of a domestic industry producing the like product; and If all the elements above are present, the definitive countervailing duty to be imposed and the duration of its imposition.

Section 3. Nature of the Investigation. The investigation of the Commission is factfinding and administrative in nature. It shall be conducted in a summary manner.

However, the Commission may require interested parties to formally present evidence for purposes of determining and clarifying factual matters that are relevant in the conduct of the investigation.

During the course of its investigation, the Commission may issue and apply procedural directions to secure just and expeditious determination of matters in issue.

Section 4. Application of the Rules of Court. In the absence of any applicable provision in this Order, the relevant provisions of the Rules of Court of the Philippines, whenever practicable and convenient, may be applied suppletory or by analogy in the implementation of this Order. However, no dilatory tactics or unnecessary or unjustified delays shall be allowed and the technical rules of evidence shall not be applied.

Section 5. Commencement and Notice of Formal Investigation. Within three (3) working days from receipt of the request and the records of the case from the Secretary, the Commission shall commence its formal investigation.

Within the same period, the Commission shall: 1. Notify in writing all parties on record on the commencement of its formal investigation and require them to appear for a Preliminary Conference, and to submit the name/s of counsels or authorized representative/s on or before the Preliminary Conference to be set scheduled by the Commission; 2. Publish in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines the Notice of the commencement of formal investigation and Preliminary Conference; and 3. Post the Notice on the website of the Commission.

Section 6. Conduct of Preliminary Conference. Within seven (7) working days from the commencement of the investigation, the Commission shall conduct a Preliminary Conference to discuss the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l) (m) (n)

Timelines, schedule of public hearing and other activities; Nature of investigation; Appearances of counsel/s and party/ies; Inclusion and exclusion of parties; Modes of services/notices; Number of witnesses; Notification/s; Accessibility of documents and public file; Confidentiality of information; Submission of position paper/s and memoranda; Submission of comments on the Commission’s Staff Report; Conduct of on-site investigation and data verification; Submission of comments on the Essential Facts; and Such other matters/activities as may aid in the prompt disposition of the case (e.g., voluntary price undertaking at any stage of the proceedings).

Within three (3) working days from termination of the Preliminary Conference, the Commission shall issue an Order of Preliminary Conference setting forth the matters resolved and agreed upon by the parties present during the conference. All interested parties who attended the conference shall be furnished a copy of the Order. Said Order shall also be made available on the website of the Commission and in the public file.

Section 7. Appearance of Counsel and Parties. Parties may appear by themselves or through their authorized representative/s or counsel/s. Should parties be represented by counsel/s or authorized representative/s, the necessary authority and the contact details of the counsel/s or representative/s thereof must be submitted to the Commission on or before the scheduled Preliminary Conference.

Section 8. Authority to Bind Party. Counsel/s or authorized representative/s of parties shall have authority to bind their clients in all matters of procedure.

Section 9. Inclusion and Exclusion of Parties. As a general rule, parties who did not submit answers to the required questionnaires during the preliminary investigation conducted by the DTI/DA shall have no legal personality to appear at the public hearings nor participate in the formal investigation to be conducted by the Commission.

However, for valid reasons, an interested party may file a written request with the Commission to be included in the formal investigation within thirty (30) calendar days, or fifteen (15) calendar days if certified urgent by the Secretary, from commencement of the formal investigation. Once the request is approved by the Commission, the party shall be required to submit a fully accomplished TC questionnaire and other relevant data and information that can be subjected to verification, within fifteen (15) working days from receipt of notice, as an indispensable requirement for inclusion of a party in the proceeding.

Section 10. Formal Requirements. Initial applications/petitions or other documents/ evidence filed with the Commission must indicate the names of all persons in whose behalf the filing is made. Subsequent filings must indicate the case number/docket designation assigned by the Commission.

The original copy of all written submissions shall be signed by the party or authorized representative/s and shall show the contact details of the same. The signature of the party or its representative on any document filed with the Commission constitutes as a certification that the signatory has read and knows the content of the submission and that to the best of the signatory’s knowledge, the information contained therein is based on a well-grounded fact and is warranted by existing law or it is not interposed for any improper purpose.

Unless otherwise required by the Commission, all written submissions including supporting documents shall be in hard copies (eight (8) copies of confidential version and two (2) copies of non-confidential version), clearly marked confidential or non-confidential with accompanying electronic copies in file format acceptable to the Commission.

Section 11. Modes of Service/Notice. Service of pleadings and notices may be made using personal service, registered mail, special courier, facsimile, or electronic mail. The date of transmission for facsimile or electronic mail shall be deemed to be the date of service. A notice to counsel representing a party is considered notice to the latter.

In case of voluminous pleadings or documents and/or numerous parties, the Commission may, upon proper motion of a party, waive the requirement of service, provided that a copy of such pleadings or documents together with its annexes is filed with the Commission and made available for examination and reproduction and the notice of such filing and availability is duly served on the parties by the party filing it.

Section 12. Submission of Initial Memoranda/Position Papers. The parties shall, within fifteen (15) working days, or seven (7) working days if the case is certified urgent by the Secretary, from termination of the Preliminary Conference, submit to the Commission their respective memoranda/position papers and documentary evidence and information in support of their position/s. Copies of these submissions not otherwise confidential shall be served to the other parties, subject to the provisions of Section 11 on Modes of Service/Notice.

Section 13. Recourse to Other Data and Information. The Commission may, in addition to the pertinent documents forwarded by the Secretary and the information and/or submissions by the parties, request additional data and information from other sources, both domestic and foreign, to enable it to support its findings. Without the required submissions from the parties, the Commission shall base its findings on the best available information. If necessary, the Commission may seek the opinion of experts or other resource persons on an issue or subject matter relevant to the present case.

Section 14. Treatment of Confidential Information. Information which is confidential shall not be disclosed to the public without the express authority of the owner of the information.

The parties providing confidential information shall submit two (2) copies of non-confidential summaries thereof to be placed in a public file and made available to all interested parties upon the initiation of the investigation. These summaries must contain sufficient details to permit a reasonable understanding of the confidential information to enable other parties to respond to claims based on such information. In exceptional circumstances wherein summarization of confidential information is not possible, the party must state the reason/s why it cannot be provided.

It is understood that the party claiming confidentiality is required to provide justifications for why said information can be considered as such. Should there be an issue on the nature of the information, the Commission shall issue an appropriate Order stating the reasons for its finding/s.

In any case, where any request for confidentiality is not warranted or the party is either unwilling to make the information public or to authorize its disclosure in generalized or summary form, such information may be disregarded by the Commission, unless it can be demonstrated to the Commission’s satisfaction from appropriate sources that the information is correct.

The following information may be considered confidential if so designated by the supplying party: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

(f) (g)

(h) (i)

Business or trade secrets concerning the nature of the product or the production process; Production costs but not the identities of the production components, unless these are trade secrets; Distribution costs but not the channels of distribution; Terms of sale but not those offered to the public; Prices of individual sales, likely sales, or other offers but not components of prices, such as transportation, if based on published schedules, dates of sale, order numbers, or product descriptions (other than business or trade secrets described in “a”); Names of particular customers, distributors, or suppliers but not destinations of sale or designation of type of customer, distributor or supplier, unless the destination or designation would reveal the name; Exact amount of the benefit applied for or received by a person or business entity from each of the subsidy programmes under investigation or review, but not descriptions of the operations of such programmes, or the amount included in official public statements or documents or publications, or the countervailable subsidy rate calculated for each country; Names of particular persons from whom confidential information was obtained; and Any other specific business information which, if released to the public, would cause substantial harm to the competitive position of the supplying party.

Section 15. Maintenance of Public File. A public file shall be maintained by the Commission. Except for confidential information, it shall contain a copy of all submissions from interested parties and all relevant correspondences concerning the investigation including the list of counsels of parties and other interested parties. The Commission may, upon written request, make available for examination and reproduction to interested parties all relevant information in its custody that are not considered confidential.

Section 16. Conduct of On-Site Investigations. The Commission may, in the course of the proceedings, conduct on-site investigations, to include ocular inspections and visits, to verify information provided or to obtain further details. Any interested party shall, when required, allow the Commission access to necessary information, or otherwise provide the necessary information to enable the Commission to expedite the investigation. The Commission may also visit other domestic producers, importers, foreign exporters or producers who have not provided a submission to the investigation. Visits or inspections may be conducted by the Commission even without the presence of other interested parties. The Commission, at its option, may issue subpoena duces tecum for the production of documents relevant in resolving the application for countervailing duty.

In the case of an on-site investigation involving a foreign exporter or producer, the Commission shall obtain the agreement of the firms concerned. As soon as the agreement of the parties has been confirmed, the Commission shall notify the government of the country of export or origin of the names and addresses of the parties to be visited and the dates agreed upon. Sufficient advance notice shall be given to the parties before the visit is made.

Prior to the scheduled visit, parties shall also be advised of the general nature of the information to be verified and the pertinent documents that may be required during the on-site investigation. However, the Commission is not precluded from conducting further verification and inquiry on other relevant information during the said on-site investigation.

Inquiries or questions by the Commission or the parties shall, whenever possible, be answered before the visit is made.

The procedures described above shall also apply to on-site investigations carried out in the territory of countries other than the countries of export or origin.

Without the required information/inspection/verification, the Commission will base its findings on the best available information.

Section 17. Issuance of Staff Report. At least five (5) working days before the scheduled public hearing, the Commission shall issue a public version of a Staff Report which shall cover, among others, the Commission’s findings on product comparability, price difference, subsidy, volume of subsidized imports, and other relevant data and information pertinent to the investigation duly verified.

All identified interested parties shall be provided a copy of the Commission’s Staff Report and within five (5) working days from receipt thereof submit their comments on the aspects of product comparability and amount of subsidy as these matters will be binding and excluded for discussion in the public hearing. If no comment is submitted, then the factual findings on product comparability and price difference of the Commission contained in the Staff Report will be binding to the party who did not submit its comment.

Section 18. Submission of Affidavits of Witnesses and List of Additional Issues for the Public Hearing. At least five (5) working days before the scheduled public hearing, parties are required to submit to the Commission affidavits of their witnesses which shall serve as the direct examination of the witness, copy the opposing parties. Nonsubmission of issues/affidavits of witnesses as prescribed above shall bar the presentation of the same during the public hearing.

Should a party desire to submit additional issues for the public hearing, other than the issues on product comparability and price difference which are excluded in the coverage of the matters for discussion in the public hearing, the same shall be submitted at least five (5) working days before the scheduled hearing for consideration of the Commission.

Section 19. Issuance of Notice of Public Hearing. The Commission shall notify in writing all identified interested parties on the schedules of the public hearing. The Notice of public hearing shall also be published in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and posted on the website of the Commission.

In case of postponement of the public hearing or the non-conduct thereof, all interested parties will be notified in writing and a Notice will be issued following the same procedure above.

Section 20. Conduct of Public Hearing. The Commission, after due notice, shall conduct a public hearing to give all interested parties who submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the Commission the opportunity to be heard and to present evidence, including the opportunity to respond to the presentations of other parties and to submit their views, among others, on the effect/s of imposing a countervailing duty on the welfare of consumers and/or the general public, and other related local industries. The public hearing shall be conducted continuously for not more than five (5) working days unless otherwise determined or earlier terminated by the Commission.

ask clarificatory questions during the public hearing.

Nothing herein shall prevent the members of the Commission from propounding clarificatory questions to the witnesses and interested parties during the public hearing.

Failure to appear on the scheduled public hearings is considered a waiver to propound clarificatory questions to the witnesses who were presented on that day.

Section 21. Conduct of Executive Session. In the course of the proceedings, the Commission, upon its own determination, or motion of an interested party, may conduct an executive session which, unless otherwise stated in the Order, shall be attended only by the following: (a) (b) (c)

The party who is to present confidential information or his/her duly authorized representative; Authorized officials and employees of the Commission; and Counsel/s or authorized representative/s of opposing party/ies.

Unless otherwise ordered by the Commission or by a competent court or required under existing laws, all parties present in the executive session are strictly enjoined from disclosing or discussing any and all subject matters deliberated in the executive session.

The Commission shall implement measures to ensure that confidential information are protected from any unauthorized disclosures.

Section 22. Submission of Amended and/or Final Memoranda/Position Paper.

Parties who earlier submitted their respective memoranda/position papers may submit amended and/or final memoranda/position papers to the Commission within ten (10) calendar days, or five (5) calendar days if the case is certified urgent by the Secretary, from termination of the public hearing.

Section 23. Voluntary Price Undertaking. At any stage of the formal investigation, price undertaking shall be entertained provided that it is consistent with RA No. 8751 and its IRRs and shall not be prejudicial to public interest.

Whenever practicable, the Commission shall take the initiative to exhaust all available means to effect a fair and reasonable settlement of the case. The parties will be given all the opportunities to present their proposals and/or counter-proposals. The price undertaking agreed upon shall be in writing duly signed by the parties and/or their counsels and shall be subject to approval of the Secretary upon the recommendation of the Commission.

Section 24. Termination of the Investigation. The Commission shall terminate its investigation if: (a) (b)

(c)

(d)

There is no domestic like product to the allegedly subsidized product; or The provisionally estimated amount of subsidy is de minimis, i.e., less than one percent (1%) of export price. For developing countries, the threshold is two percent (2%) and for least developed countries, it is three percent (3%); or The volume of subsidized imports is negligible. The volume of imports from a particular country is negligible if it accounts for less than three percent (3%) of the total imports of said products in the Philippines, unless countries which individually account for less than three percent (3%) of the average total imports of the said product in the Philippines collectively account for more than seven percent (7%) of the total imports of that product. On the other hand, the volume of imports from a developing country shall be considered negligible if it accounts for less than four percent (4%) of the total imports of the product, unless such developing countries which individually account for less than four percent (4%) of the total imports of the product collectively account for more than nine percent (9%) of the total imports of that product; or Parties agreed to a voluntary price undertaking.

The Commission shall give public notice of the termination of the investigation through publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Said Notice shall also be posted on the website of the Commission.

Section 25. Disclosure of Essential Facts. The Commission shall, before a final determination is made, inform all the interested parties in writing of the Essential Facts which form the basis for the decision to apply or not apply definitive measures. All identified interested parties will be provided a copy of Essential Facts and within an unextendible period of five (5) calendar days from receipt thereof submit their comments with supporting documents for consideration of the Commission.

Section 26. Submission of Formal Investigation Report. Within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days from receipt of the request and the entire records of the case from the Secretary, the Commission shall submit its Formal Investigation Report and Decision to the Secretary.

Following the submission of its Report and Decision to the Secretary, the Commission shall furnish all interested parties with copies of the public version of the Report, publish a summary of the Report in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, and post the same on the website of the Commission.

Section 27. Motion for Reconsideration. No motion for reconsideration shall be filed directly to the Commission against the Department Order issued by the Secretary.

Subject to the IRRs of RA No. 8751, a motion for reconsideration in writing may be filed with the Secretary within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the Department Order imposing the definitive countervailing duty, for one or more of the following reasons affecting the substantial rights of said party: (a) (b) (c)

Fraud, accident, mistake or excusable negligence which ordinary prudence could not have guarded against and by reason of which such aggrieved party has probably been impaired; Newly discovered evidence, which the aggrieved party could not, with reasonable diligence, have discovered and produced at the public hearings, and which if presented would probably alter the result; or The final countervailing duty imposed is excessive, or the evidence is insufficient to justify the final Order, or the Order is contrary to law.

Such motion for reconsideration shall not be accepted without proof of service thereof to affected parties.

The Commission shall, upon receipt of the motion for reconsideration and the comments thereto from the Secretary, resolve the same within ten (10) working days. Thereafter, the Commission shall transmit its report to the Secretary within one (1) working day from the date of the report.

Section 28. Judicial Review. Any interested party who is adversely affected by the Department Order of the Secretary on the imposition of the countervailing duty may fil with the Court of Tax Appeals a petition for review of such ruling within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt thereof.

Section 29. Interim or Changed Circumstances Review. The Commission may, motu proprio or upon the direction of the Secretary, or upon a duly substantiated request, conduct an interim review of the need for the continued imposition of the countervailing duty, taking into consideration the need to protect the existing domestic industry against subsidization. At least one (1) year should have elapsed since the imposition of the countervailing duty before the review can be initiated.

In carrying out the review, the Commission may, inter alia, consider whether the circumstances have changed significantly with regard to subsidization and injury or whether existing measures are achieving the intended results in removing the injury previously established. In these respects, account shall be taken of all relevant and duly documented evidence in the final determination.

The Commission shall undertake the review following procedures applicable in this Order and submit its report to the Secretary not later than one hundred fifty (150) calendar days from the date of the initiation of the review.

Section 30. Expiry or Sunset Review. The Commission may, on its own initiative or upon a duly substantiated request made by or on behalf of the domestic industry at least six (6) months prior to the termination/expiry date of the imposition of the definitive countervailing duty, conduct an expiry or sunset review to determine whether the termination of the countervailing duty will likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of subsidization and injury. The countervailing duty shall remain in force pending the outcome of such an expiry review.

The Commission shall cause the publication of a Notice of impending expiry of the effectivity of the countervailing duty in two (2) newspapers of general circulation on the first quarter of the final year of the period of application of the definitive countervailing duty, to give the domestic producers adequate time to lodge a request for an expiry review.

In carrying out the review, the Commission shall require foreign exporters, the representatives of the country of export or origin, and the domestic producers and importers to accomplish the prescribed Commission questionnaires. Interested parties shall be provided with the opportunity to comment on the matters set out in the review request, and conclusions shall be reached with due account taken of all relevant and duly documented evidence presented in relation to the question of whether the expiry of the definitive countervailing duty would be likely, or unlikely, to lead to the continuation or recurrence of subsidization and injury.

The Commission shall undertake the review following the procedures prescribed in this Order and submit its Report and Decision to the Secretary not later than one hundred fifty (150) calendar days from the date of the initiation of the review.

Section 31. Transcript of Proceedings. The Commission’s designated secretariat shall record all the proceedings before the Commission, prepare the transcripts thereof, and file the same with the records of the case. The duly approved and signed hard copy of the transcript shall be made available only to interested parties, for a fee.

Section 32. Payment of Fees. Pursuant to the Commission’s relevant issuances, the petitioner shall pay the following: (a) Filing Fee; (b) Legal Research Fund Fee; and (c) Cost of Publication of Newspaper Notices on Commencement of Formal Investigation and Conduct of Public Hearing.

Within five (5) working days from receipt of the Notice of Billing from the Commission and publisher, the petitioner shall pay the required fees hereof.

Failure to pay the fees within the required period shall cause the suspension of the formal investigation.

Section 33. Separability Clause. Should any provision of this Order be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions.

Section 34. Repealing Clause. All other Commission issuances which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Order are hereby repealed, amended or otherwise modified accordingly.

Section 35. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and submission of copy to the University of the Philippines Law Center.

Let a copy of this Order be furnished the University of the Philippines Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City.

MARILOU P. MENDOZA Chairperson

All interested parties may appear at the public hearing and present, under oath, evidence relevant and material to the subject matter of the investigation.

Unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, the sequence of the hearing shall be, as follows: (a) (b) (c) (d)

Presentation of evidence by the petitioner or domestic industry; Clarificatory questions/examination by oppositor/s or other interested parties; Presentation of evidence by the oppositor/s or other interested parties; and Clarificatory questions/examination by the petitioner or domestic industry.

ERNESTO L ALBANO Commissioner

MARISSA MARICOSA A. PADERON Commissioner

Date Approved: 22 September 2021

A party who did not submit a list of issues may be deemed to have no controversial/ contestable matter to raise and hence, will be given less priority in the order of parties to (MS-SEPT. 27, 2021)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Leni: Unity talks still on, but will decide if left with no other option

A8

By Rio N. Araja VICE President Leni Robredo on Sunday said much as she is waiting for the unity talks with other opposition bets to prosper, she is ready to make a decision on whether to seek the presidency or not if she is left with no other choice.

Robredo said she still has two weeks to make up her mind whether or not to run for the highest post in next year’s elections.

“I have no choice but to decide before Oct. 8. I have to be ready with my decision. For me, I still have two weeks,” she said.

“Let us see if there is still hope to unite. Maybe there would be some whom we could no longer convince, but the communication lines are open.

I will still pursue them,” she added.

While she recognizes the overwhelming support for her to run for president, Robredo said her final decision would “ultimately” be anchored on the greater good of the Filipinos.

“I hope that the decision of all (to run) is based on what is good for our countrymen. I know the difficulty. All of us have our own supporters,” she said.

Earlier, Robredo said she experienced “heartbreak” following the declarations of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and Sen. Manny Pacquiao that they would run for president in 2022.

“If my assessment was right, we were this close to unification. It was really heartbreaking for me,” she said.

“I am still hopeful that despite their declaration, they are still open for unification, that they don’t shut down the lines of communication, that we can still discuss,” added Robredo.

The opposition coalition 1Sambayan said Friday it would announce its presidential candidate for the May 2022 elections on September 30, a day before the start of the week-long filing of candidacy papers for national positions.

Casiño to lead Bayan Muna bets in party-list race BAYAN Muna party-list is fielding its former representative, Teddy Casiño, as its first nominee in the 2022 elections.

“Despite the attacks, vilification campaign and the challenges posed by the pandemic, Bayan Muna vows to keep and advance its position as a leading party-list group and secure three seats in the May 2022 elections for the upcoming 19th Congress,” the group said in a statement.

Casiño is the party-list group’s spokesperson and ex-secretary general.

The second nominee is incumbent Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite, the former national president of the labor group Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE).

The third nominee is Amirah Lidasan, secretary general of the Moro-Christian People’s Alliance, a SANDUGO convenor and former national president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines.

The fourth nominee is Kristina Conti, a former University of the Philippines student regent and University Student Council councilor at UP Diliman.

The fifth nominee is Pepito Pico, former chairperson of the VisayasInter Regional Ecumenical Fellowship and the Western Visayas Ecumenical Council. Rio N. Araja

News

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Lakas-CMD Party President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez (left) is assisted by party Secretary General and Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay Jr. (2nd from left) in administering the oath taking of new party members. Physically present is San Juan City Councilor Franz William Ernest Belgica (right), while 54 others local officials joined the event via Zoom from the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Sorsogon, Davao Occidental, Occidental Mindoro, Cagayan, Cavite and Valenzuela City.

Two lawmakers, Enrile’s daughter join Lakas-CMD

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE strength of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats in Congress has grown to 50, of which 28 are district representatives and 22 are party-list allies, House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said.

“We welcome our fellow legislators to Vizcaya Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma,

the growing force of Lakas-CMD. In line with our commitment to serve the people, we continue to open our doors to leaders inside and out the House of Representatives,” he said.

La Union Rep. Sandra Eriguel, interparliamentary relations and diplomacy committee chairperson, and Nueva

have recently transferred to the political party.

Businesswoman Katrina Gloria Ponce Enrile, daughter of ex-Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, also joined LakasCMD as she threw her hat into the congressional race in Cagayan.

Others who have recently transferred

to Lakas-CMD were Quezon City Councilors Nikki Crisologo of District 1 and John Defensor of District 3, Christian Ryan Bustamante who will run for mayor in Oas, Albay, and Franz William Ernest Belgica who will run for councilor in San Juan City.

“Our new members. including Representatives Eriguel and Cuaresma, come from diverse backgrounds and locations but we all unite to fulfill one goal: to lead our nation efficiently and competently,” said Romualdez, who is also the president of the Philippine Constitution Association president.

Romualdez said leaders from Luzon, including those coming from Ilocos Norte and Bicol, as well as Mindanao have taken their oath as Lakas-CMD members on Sept. 25.

Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. (right) flashes the V sign as he welcomes the arrival of the 3 million doses of Sinovac vaccines. Galvez said once the full inoculation of about 50 percent of the target eligible population of 70 million is achieved, vaccination of minors aged 12 to 17 years old may start. Avito Dalan

Reporma belies disinformation: Lacson not backing out SENATOR Panfilo Lacson is not withdrawing from his presidential bid in next year’s elections.

Partido Reporma spokesman Ashley Acedillo said contrary to the disinformation campaign on social media claiming that Lacson is withdrawing his candidacy, “nothing could be further from the truth.”

Lacson, a veteran senator and a former

chief of the Philippine National Police, officially declared on September 8 that he will seek the presidency in the 2022 polls, with Senate President Vicente Sotto III as his running mate.

“As the filing of candidacies nears, so is the desperation of the ill-prepared, tentative, or the unwilling candidates. And this latest misinformation campaign just proves that,” Acedillo added.

Both Lacson and Sotto have been laying

Team Lazatin readies lineup ahead of COC filing

By Jess Malabanan ANGELES CITY—Team Lazatin and other political groups in Pampanga eyeing different elective positions in the May 2022 elections have readied their respective lineup and campaign strategies days before the filing of their certificates of candidacy from October 1 to 8.

Team Lazatin said it is fielding reelectionists Pampanga First District Rep. Jonjon Lazatin; Mayor Carmelo Lazatin; Vice Mayor Vicenta Vega; and councilors Joan Crystal Aguas, Marino Banola, Joseph Alfie Bonifacio, Raco Paolo Del Rosario, Danilo Lacson, Jezreel Aaron Pineda, Christopher Joseph Ponce, Jesus Sangil and Arvin Suller.

Rodelio Mamac Jr., son of local businessman and former police officer Rodelio Sr., will also run for councilor under Team Lazatin.

By Rey E. Requejo AMID expressions of support from several political parties for a possible presidential bid, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is keeping all his options open as he prepares for a formidable alliance for the 2022 national elections.

Marcos spokesman and Partido Federal ng Pilipinas executive president Vic Rodriguez a tandem with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio would have been formidable, but it has since been put on hold with the latter’s public announcement that she will run for a local post.

“Right now, his possible tandem with Mayor Sara is already out of the table since a decision has been made.

We are not in a position to speculate or speak on behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte and Mayor Sara, but right now our concern is how to make the best alliance possible – the best partnership,” Rodriguez said.

The Davao mayor said only one Duterte can run for a national post.

President Rodrigo Duterte already accepted the nomination of his party PDP-Laban to run for vice president in next year’s polls.

Rodriguez said Marcos is keeping a low-profile status as he keeps all his options open.

“We understand that there is so much build up and anticipation on his decision and announcement to run for President for next year’s elections. It is not easy as many people are demanding that Bongbong should run for president,” Rodriguez said.

“The wave of support from political parties for Bongbong is continuous.

The more support groups, the better,” he said.

Among the considerations for the former senator, Rodriguez said, is the post-pandemic situation.

“Bongbong thinks carefully about everything. It is not easy to decide.

The issue here is the pandemic government and the post-pandemic situation,” he said.

“His decision will come soon. He just needed to consult some significant individuals and groups,” he added.

The PFP has already endorsed Marcos as its standard-bearer.

The Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), the old political party of the Marcoses, followed suit.

Both nominations, however, were not accepted yet by Marcos, who is a member of the Nacionalista Party.

QC politicians back presidential bid of Mayor Isko

V FOR VAX VICTORY.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Marcos seeks ‘formidable alliance’ amid endorsements

“Members of Team Lazatin shall be filing their CoCs on Oct. 1 for the coming 2022 elections which will be followed by a press conference at Best Western Hotel at Barangay Balibago,” said IC Calaguas, the party’s chief strategist.

Calaguas said the group will attend a Holy Mass in three separate venues before proceeding to the Commission on Elections provincial office in the City of San Fernando for Rep. Lazatin’s COC filing.

Meanwhile, former Angeles City mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said he is not running for the mayoralty post in the 2022 elections.

“I’m not running for mayor. My time to serve my people and the City of Angeles for the umpteenth time ended in 2019. I will continue serving the people of Angeles in a limited capacity,” said Pamintuan in a statement.

Pamintuan is currently the chairman of the state-run Clark Development Corporation.

the groundwork and have demonstrated this early that among those running for the top two highest elected positions of the land, they are the most prepared and the most capable to lead this country, Acedillo said.

The latest Partido Reporma event in Tagum City, Davao del Norte where Lacson and Sotto were present saw more than 200 party members taking their oaths of membership and expressing their solid support to the tandem.

SEVERAL politicians in Quezon City have joined hands to back the presidential bid of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso in the 2022 elections.

IskoQC co-convenor Ariel Inton said the Isko for President movement is gaining ground with more local politicians coming out to support the mayor.

Inton said Quezon City is a vote-rich city for Moreno in the National Capital Region.

“We see Isko as a candidate who can unite the country. We are very polarized now,” he said.

Former councilor Rommel Abesamis, ex-congresswoman Nanette Daza, and other incumbent elected officials have likewise pledged their support for Moreno, Inton said.

Domagoso said he would be a “healing president” even as he vowed to uphold the rule of law.

“While ours will be a government of national reconstruction, it will also be a government of national reconciliation, based on justice and rule of law,” he said. Rio N. Araja

BUSTED.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operatives from Batangas and Cavite jointly conduct a buy bust operation in Imus City where some 500 grams of suspected shabu, with an estimated street value of P3.4 million, were confiscated.

A suspect, identified as Jemuel Papa, 34, was arrested, while another, a certain Anthony Saquilayan, eluded arrest.

JR Josue

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, September 24, 2021

C

OMPANIES plans to hire more workers in the fourth quarter and the next 12 months despite the lingering global health crisis, results of the Third-Quarter Business Expectations Survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

The employment outlook index increased to 6.2 percent for the fourth quarter from 5 percent in the previous quarterly survey. It was also higher for the next 12 months at 24.3 percent, com-

pared to 14.7 percent.

“The higher positive readings suggest that firms are looking forward to hiring more people for Q4 2021 and the next 12 months,” the BSP said.

The third-quarter 2021 Business Expectations Survey was conducted from July 22 to Sept. 15, 2021, with 1,511 firms participating. These included 584 companies in the National Capital Region and 927 firms in areas outside NCR, covering 16 regions nationwide.

Meanwhile, the percentage of businesses with expansion plans for the next quarter dropped to 9.6 percent from 21.1 percent in the second-quarter survey. For the next 12 months, those with expansion targets also declined to 27.3 percent from 27.8 percent in the previous survey.

The percentage of firms that expressed

expansion plans for the next quarter decreased across all industry sub-sectors, except for the agriculture, fishery and forestry sub-sector.

For the next 12 months, more firms from the agriculture, fishery and forestry sub-sector expressed their plans to expand, but the percentage of firms from the manufacturing sub-sector remained relatively unchanged.

The percentage of firms with expansion plans in the mining and quarrying and electricity, gas and water sub-sectors decreased for the next 12 months.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said earlier that more than 3.8 million people dropped out of the labor force in July from the previous month, amid the continuing threat of COVID-19 and the emergence of more virulent strains.

It said the decrease in the labor force

2,113,181,011 94,775

TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES

8,946,938,627.11 103

DECLINES UNCHANGED

79 67

F oreign e xchange r ate

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

B1

could be traced to the economy losing more than 3.4 million in employed persons.

Data showed that while the unemployment rate eased from 7.7 percent in June to 6.9 percent in July, the labor force participation rate in July also fell to 59.8 percent which was equivalent to 44.7 million Filipinos who were either employed or unemployed.

It was the lowest LFPR this year, compared to 60.5 percent in January and 63.2 percent in April. The July 2021 LFPR was also lower than 61.9 percent in July 2020.

Underemployed persons were estimated at 8.7 million in July or 20.9 percent of the 41.7 million employed individuals during the period. This was the highest underemployment rate since April 2020.

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.3720

Japan

Yen

0.009066

0.4567

UK

Pound

1.372200

69.1205

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128447

6.4701

Switzerland

Franc

1.081666

54.4857

Canada

Dollar

0.790264

39.8072

Singapore

Dollar

0.741620

37.3569

Australia

Dollar

0.729400

36.7413

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653224

133.6482

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266631

13.4307

Brunei

Dollar

0.738880

37.2189

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030084

1.5154

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.7149

Euro

Euro

1.174100

59.1418

Korea

Won

0.000851

0.0429

China

Yuan

0.154799

7.7975

India

Rupee

0.013546

0.6823

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239234

12.0507

New Zealand

Dollar

0.706600

35.5929

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036131

1.8200 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Lucena Port expansion completed—PPA chief THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) completed the expansion of Lucena Port that could boost roll-on/roll-off traffic in Quezon, Marinduque and Romblon.

With high concentration of passengers and rolling cargoes bound for Marinduque and Romblon, the new pier facility will address the congestion at the port as it offers additional berthing space for vessels.

PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said the twin developments wouldmake the port and the PMO more capable of handling bigger vessel calls and larger rolling cargoes, as the country transitions to the new normal.

“Lucena port is very vital to the economies of Quezon, Marinduque and Romblon. However, it is bugged by some congestion not only during peak seasons but almost through the whole year thus, choking the growth of the three provinces.

This, we wanted to address swiftly,” Santiago said.

“Now, with the new pier already in place, vessel congestion is expected to ease up and likewise ensure the faster commercial turnaround of vessels. Darwin G. Amojelar

PSEi poised to breach 7,000 points this week

Trade forum. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez leads the ‘International Trade Forum: Benefits of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to the Philippines’ via zoom. Attended by over 300 participants, the forum is the first in a series of webinars on RCEP that the Department of Trade and Industry is spearheading to inform stakeholders of the agreement signed on Nov. 15, 2020 by the 10-member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Australia, China, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.

Restrictive investment laws to jeopardize PH bid in CPTPP

By Alena Mae S. Flores ADVOCACY group Foundation for Economic Freedom warned over the weekend that keeping the telecommunications and transportation industry closed to foreign investments will affect the country’s prospective membership to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The FEF said in a statement that liberalizing more sectors of the economy will make the country more competitive in attracting foreign investment and enable it to take advantage of global opportunities.

“We support the initiative of our economic managers to further open up other sectors of the economy and not discriminate against foreign investors, which is a pre-condition to membership in the CPTTP,” it said.

“The Philippines should not miss is membership in the CPTPP, which is expected to be one of the largest free trade blocs in the world,” the group said.

The CPTTP has 11 Pacific Rim nation-members, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

FEF said several countries have also shown interest to join the trading bloc,

including the United Kingdom, China and Taiwan all of which have recently formally applied to become members.

It is also expected that the United States, which organized the Trans-Pacific Partnership under former President Obama but withdrew under former President Trump, will seek to rejoin the trading bloc in 2022.

“Being a member of the CPTTP is a path towards economic recovery. It will greatly benefit our manufacturing sector, particularly the export sector, and open doors for our MSMEs. It will allow our business sector to participate in global production networks and maximize trade opportunities,” FEF said.

Clorox’s donation.

Clorox Philippines, one of the country’s leading cleaning and disinfecting products providers, teams up with the city government of San Juan to provide safer and cleaner vaccination sites and swabbing centers for the city’s residents.

Under the initiative, the disinfectant brand donated P840,000 worth of Clorox disinfection and hygiene products to support San Juan’s ‘Ako ay San Juaneño Bakunado at Protektado’ vaccination program against COVID-19.

Beginning early August, Clorex doubled its action in promoting the ‘Safer Today Program’ by teaming with local government units.

WESM operator bares plan to launch reserve market next year THE Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines is expected to launch the reserve market by next year, top executives said over the weekend.

IEMOP chief operating officer Robinson Descanzo said preparations were ongoing for the reserve market, which would follow the launching of the Mindanao wholesale electricity spot market in the fourth quarter this year.

The reserve market allows for the trading of ancillary services or services that are necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads, while maintaining the reliable operation of the transmission system.

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2021

Residential real estate prices fell for two quarters THE residential real estate prices of various types of new housing units declined for two consecutive quarters due mainly to the effects of the global health crisis, according to the latest Residential Real Estate Price Index released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas over the weekend.

The nationwide house prices in the second quarter this year contracted 9.4 percent year on year, deeper than the 4.2-percent decline a quarter ago.

“High base effects may also have contributed to the drop in prices given the registered peak of the index in Q2 2020. In contrast, property prices increased by 4.8 percent quarter-onquarter,” the BSP said.

“The contraction in the nationwide residential property prices was driven mainly by the downtrend of property prices in the National Capital Region, which fell by 18.3 percent relative to Q2 2020, marking four consecutive quarters of decline since Q3 2020,” it said.

The decline stemmed from the negative price changes of single detached, condominium and townhouse units in the NCR. In the case of duplex housing, no bank loans were granted and reported to the BSP in the second quarter.

Property prices in areas outside NCR also decreased marginally by 0.6 percent as the drop in single detached/attached houses more than offset the growth in townhouses, duplexes and condominium units. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, house prices grew in NCR by 3.4 percent and AONCR by 5.1 percent following the national trend.

The 9.4-percent year-on-year drop in the nationwide RREPI was primarily driven by the fall in prices of condominium units and single detached/ attached houses at 14.3 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively, in Q2 2021.

This is the fourth consecutive quarter that prices of condominium units declined, owing mainly to the lackluster demand in the NCR. In contrast, prices of duplexes and townhouses increased 28.9 percent and 15.1 percent, respectively.

The number of residential real estate loans (RRELs) granted for all types of new housing units in the Philippines rose by 82.3 percent in the second quarter 2021, but fell 3.6 percent quarter on quarter.

A similar trend was observed in NCR, while the number of RRELs granted in AONCR expanded year on year and quarter on quarter.

Julito G. Rada

6,951.53

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

PH firms plan to hire more workers in Q4

By Julito G. Rada

36.25 PTS.

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

“We’ll try our best to complete it by 2022, but also the important milestones regarding the preparations. We will do them such as the continuous training of participants, trial operation, registration until they become more familiar with the mechanics of the reserve market,” Descanzo said.

Valfia Uy-Gregorio, a senior specialist at the IEMOP market design and business development division, said WESM Mindanao would be implemented prior to the reserve market.

Gregorio said the reserve market would undergo the normal process of rules change process at the Energy Regulatory Commission, Philippine Electricity Market Corp. and the Department of Energy .

She said the price determination mechanism would also need to get an approval from ERC. “Upon the approval is the implementation of reserve market. We’re looking at its implementation in 2022.WESM Mindanao is being targeted hopefully within the fourth quarter of 2021,” Gregorio said.

Energy industry players called for the implementation of the reserve market to provide another market to developers.

AC Energy Corp. president and chief executiveEric Francia said renewable energy development should be complemented by battery energy storage including the establishment of the reserve market. Alena Mae S. Flores

THE bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) is expected to resume attempts to breach the 7,000-point level this week as investors await less restrictive quarantine restrictions amid the recent decline in COVID-19 cases.

Analysts said a shift to a looser alert level 3 next month for National Capital Region could provide a big boost to the market with improving COVID-19 indicators.

The seasonal quarter-end window dressing is also seen to boost market trading this week. However, analysts said investors need more catalysts to support the market’s upward momentum.

“The 7,000 levels remains elusive and reflects a wall of worry (the pandemic, inflation woes, US taper are all just around the corner),” BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said.

“The week’s close at 6,951.53 highlights continued consolidation within the 6,7007,000 levels. Be on the lookout, should the 6,700 levels give way, the next key support is at 6,500 levels,” he added.

The PSEi last week rose 0.6 percent to 6,951.53. Jenniffer B. Austria

D&L beefing up R&D investments FOOD ingredients and plastics manufacturer D&L Industries Inc. said it will beef up investments in research and development (R&D) to help consumers during the pandemic.

D&L president Alvin Lao said the company would use proceeds from a recent P5-billion maiden bond offering to complete a new manufacturing facility in Batangas, which boasts of cutting edge R&D and innovation capabilities.

“Having one of the most extensive R&D investments in the country, our customers, in many ways, see us as an R&D extension of their respective businesses. With our new facility coming online, they can expect more innovative business solutions and product offerings from us,” D&L president and chief executive Alvin Lao said.

“While times have changed especially with the pandemic, our company remains rooted in its core mission of dedicating itself to better lives with R&D and innovation as its main tool,” he added.

Lao said R&D, engineering, and chemistry have been the core of D&L’s business. Jenniffer B. Austria

Tugade expects Quezon segment of PNR Bicol to open by April 2022

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation said over the weekend it expects the partial operations of the San Pablo-Pagbilao segment of the P151-billion Philippine National Railways Bicol by April 2022.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the agency was looking at the partial opening of the San Pablo, Candelaria, Lucena and Pagbilao segments of the PNR Bicol, or PNR South Long-Haul Project, by April. The full operations of the project is expected by 2025.

About 560-kilometers long, the PNR

Bicol railway line runs from Sucat, Parañaque to Matnog, Sorsogon.

Once operational, PNR Bicol is expected to reduce travel time between Manila and Legazpi from 14 to 18 hours to just six hours with regular commuter trains and 4.5 hours with express trains.

Tugade said he instructed to contractors to hire at least 60 percent of their workers from the localities where the project would be built.

Around 25,000 jobs will be generated during the construction phase of the rail project and is expected to generate 10,000 more local jobs once it becomes operational, he said.

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

B2

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Entertainment

New series tackles love and complexity of marriage

D

IRECTOR Don Michael Perez believes that infidelity is not a new subject for a television series, but it’s a topic that needs to be repeatedly discussed on mainstream media.

Perez promises that To Have and To Hold, a series that premieres tonight on GMA-7, will give audiences an immersive experience as if real situation is unfolding before their eyes.

“It would feel like you’re not watching it on the screen. Seeing the series will make you feel like you’re seeing the stories of your neighbors, your relatives, as if you’re part of these relationships,” the director said during a virtual junket held last week.

The series is top-billed by Carla Abellana as Erica Gatchalian, Rocco Nacino as Gavin Ramirez, and beautiful Max Collins as Dominique Ramirez.

The premise follows the story of Dominique (Max) and Gavin (Rocco), a couple who has been married for years but is now on the brink of separation. After an unexpected turn of events, Gavin finds himself unraveling a web of lies and deceit with a woman named Erica (Carla) whose husband, Tony (Rafael Rosell), shares an untold connection with Dominique.

Carla breathes life into the role of Erica, a people-pleaser and submissive

‘To Have and To Hold’ features Carla Abella, Rocco Nacino, and Max Collins in the main cast with Rafael Rossel playing an important part.

housewife who yearns for a happy family even at her own expense.

The actress believes that her character is far from her personality, “She’s more different from me. We both love our families so much and fight for our families, but when it comes to love she loves only with her heart. The circumstances towards the end for Erica were a first for me. It was difficult to bear and accept.”

Rocco, in turn, skillfully portrays the role of Gavin - a gentleman who likes to

take care of his woman. As a chef and an entrepreneur, he takes his responsibilities seriously and is keen on proving his worth.

“This story reveals what goes on a husband’s mind. And how self-esteem affects the decisions of a husband,” Rocco shares. “A boyfriend, fiancé, or a husband will be able to relate because the issues in the scenes we will show are issues men tend to hide or not talk about with their spouse. In a way, this will

open the eyes of men who feel a plateau in their relationship.”

Meanwhile, Max steps into the role of Dominique - a successful interior designer who is smart, an alpha female, has a high sense of worth, and doesn’t like being taken for granted.

Max reveals that in some ways, she relates to her character. “Dominique is brave and confident, but at the same time, she has many flaws and is trying to find herself. I can relate to her

in those aspects,” she quipped. “It’s the first time I’ve ever over-prepared for a role. I embraced every part of her, the good and the bad.”

Completing the cast are Roi Vinzon, Ina Feleo, Valeen Montenegro, Bing Pimental, Gilleth Sandico, Luis Hontiveros, and Athenah Madrid.

To Have and to Hold airs weeknights, right after Legal Wives, on GMA Telebabad.

The shining moment of Shandii Bacolod

The broadcast of ‘Global Citizen Live’ on social media opened with a pre-recorded performance by pop superstar BTS in Seoul.

BTS, global stars lend voices to world-spanning concert for climate, vaccines THE broadcast of Global Citizen Live on social media opened with a pre-recorded performance by pop superstars BTS in Seoul before the show kicked off in Paris with Elton John.

The “once-in-a-generation” music event circled the world Saturday, with a slew of megastars taking the stage in New York and beyond for Global Citizen Live -- 24 hours of shows across the planet to raise awareness on climate change, vaccine equality and famine.

Between star-studded sets of some of the biggest names in music -- including Coldplay, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, and Billie Eilish -- actors, politicians, company executives, royals, actors and activists made appeals or announced donations to tackle major global challenges.

NGO Global Citizen wants one billion trees planted, two billion vaccines delivered to the poorest countries and meals for 41 million people on the brink of starvation.

After the show ended in Paris and handed off to New York, Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, took to the stage to advocate for COVID-19 vaccine access to be treated “as a basic human right.”

“My wife and I believe the way you’re born should not dictate your ability to survive,” the Duke of Sussex said to cheers from the thousandsstrong crowd at Central Park.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex followed pop veteran Cyndi Lauper with a rendition of her «Girls Just Want to Have Fun» dedicated to

Afghan women.

Between sets, funding announcements poured in and calls to action were hammered home, even from the International Space Station.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced in a recorded message the United States would «contribute more than $295 million to countries around the world to stave off famine and extreme hunger, confront genderbased violence and address the urgent humanitarian needs the COVID-19 pandemic is leaving in its wake.»

Global Citizen co-founder and CEO Hugh Evans urged the audience to “take action” to help raise $6 billion needed by the World Food Programme, tackle vaccine inequality and pressure leaders ahead of the UN COP26 climate change conference in November.

“Charity alone... will never be sufficient to end extreme poverty or tackle climate change. The actions of a movement of people is needed to drive lasting change,” he said.

After an appearance by renowned 92-year-old American biologist Edward O. Wilson, the show moved to Los Angeles, opened by pop band 5 Seconds of Summer at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, with Demi Lovato, Adam Lambert, and Stevie Wonder, among others, also billed.

Lead vocalist Luke Hemmings celebrated being in their first concert in almost two years «and for an honorable cause.»

Ed Sheeran was the headliner in Paris alongside Black Eyed Peas and Stormzy. AFP

PEOPLE’S curiosity got aroused with Love At The End Of The World, an ode to loneliness as described by its director Shandii Bacolod.

The director sums up the erotic and suspenseful boys love romance drama as a story that follows four couples and their stories filled of love, sex, betrayal, pain, loss, forgiveness, and redemption in the last seven days of existence.

What audiences will witness are a quartet of men who falls in love with each other. The first are Kristof Garcia and Rex Lantano playing Ben and Sam, respectively, who are in a complicated love triangle with Mike Liwag, playing George.

Next duo, Markki Stroem and Khalid Ruiz as Mark and Kaloy, mighty and meaty provincial hot boys who represent

Shandii Bacolod is a film director and producer. pure love against all odds.

Couple number three are Gold Azeron and Nico Locco, playing Ian and Tony Smith. Gold is a young effeminate flamboyant gay boy abandoned by his family and Nico is an American tourist planning the perfect suicide in the Philippines.

Last pairing are Cris and Renzo portrayed by Yam Mercado and Elijah Filamor who are cocaine addicts on the run.

“It’s an adult queer story,” says Ba-

colod of what make this BL unique. “The main premise that the stories happen during the last seven days on Earth also adds premium to its originality. And since we are not on YouTube, sizzle and scorch are other elements that will surely surprise, shock and titillate the audience.”

“I wrote the material three years ago as a film. In 2020, revived it and turned it into a series. Then co-wrote it with Salvador Lopez. I told myself, if this project gets financed, I will direct it. Hindi pwedeng iba,” Bacolod expounds on his directorial comeback.

“The series is a culmination of my past, fears, desires, love stories and loneliness. This is my heart and soul,”Shandii caries on. “It’s just too personal to let someone direct it. I feel like after 10 years (my last directorial project was 10 years ago), I am finally baring my soul to the world,” the director added.

As a director, Bacolod likens his work ethics to his inspirations including Lino Brocka, Mike de Leon, and Mario O’Hara who he had the privilege of knowing. Read full story on manilastandard.net

Gino Roque falls in love with Heaven Peralejo in ‘Pasabuy’ PASABUY, a WeTV original series, is now streaming for free exclusively on platform. The romantic comedy, which premiered last week streams at 7:00 p.m. and new episodes drop every Friday.

In this six-episode series, Gino Roque and Heaven Peralejo play two strangers who find themselves at the same resort just before the lockdown.

John (Roque) is an aspiring musician trying to heal from a recent heartbreak.

Anna (Peralejo) is a popular vlogger working on her latest video, while hiding her true feelings for her manager.

When they find themselves stranded there

when the borders are closed, they cross paths at the community chatroom while placing their orders for necessities “pasabuy.”

Could love be in the books even under the most unromantic of settings. when the pandemic ends and lives go back to normal, was any of it real?

Joining the cast are PBB Connect alumna Ella Cayabyab, Ralph Malibunas, and Gail Banawis, all of whom add a whole lot of personality and character, pun intended, to the show. Adding just the right touch of comedic flair are MJ Cayabyab as Anna’s energetic producer and bestie Ge, and Tiktok sweetheart Nana Silayro as the extra fabulosa Madame Minchin.

Adding to the feels in this rom-com is the series theme song “Pansamantala,” written and performed by I Belong To The Zoo. The popular band gave a special performance of the song during the recent press conference for the series.

The WeTV Original series Pasabuy is written and directed by Xian Lim, based on a WeTV Original concept. The show is co-produced by Forza Productions.

Gino Roque teams up with Heaven Peralejo for the first time in WeTV original series, “Pasabuy.’

ABS-CBN Foundation delivers food packs and hot meals to Filipinos hit by typhoon and pandemic.

ABS-CBN Foundation continues efforts to help Filipinos in need DESPITE the rains and the community quarantine, ABS-CBN Foundation’s “Pantawid ng Pagibig: Pilipino Para sa Pilipino” continues to be there for Filipinos in need through the support of its donors and partners.

This September alone, over 2,000 Filipino families have already received relief goods composed of food packs, food products, and laundry kits. Among them were 836 families affected by Typhoon Jolina in Ternate and Kawit in Cavite, 450 families in Brgy. Barandal and Brgy. Dila in Laguna, 500 families, and 300 senior citizens in Brgy. San Roque and Minuyan II in Bulacan, 200 families in Brgy. San Isidro, Rodriguez Rizal, and 350 families in Sta. Ana, Manila.

A thousand individuals were also served hot meals and bread products to avert hunger during this time of pandemic in Hagonoy, Taguig City, and Brgy. Aguho, Pateros.

ABS-CBN Foundation continues to accept help from donors and partner organizations to serve more Filipinos whose livelihoods are affected by the pandemic. For more details on how to donate, visit www.abs-cbnfoundation. com or the official Facebook page of ABS-CBN Foundation (@abscbnfoundationinc).

Life

B3

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com

FOOD

China Mommy’s Sotanghon Crabs

SAVORY SINGAPOREAN SPECIALTIES. The Singapore Tourism Board partners with five Philippine restaurants serving Zi Char dishes, such as (from left) HotKiss Kitchen’s Chilli Crab Brioche Burger, Byrd Tubs’ Har Cheong Gai, and Sambar’s Marmite Pork Ribs

STB partners with PH restaurants, unveils second Zi Char web series T

HE Singapore Tourism Board (STB) continues to promote in the Philippines a cooking style popular in the Lion City.

For the second phase of its Zi Char promotion, STB partnered with five restaurants in Metro Manila serving Singaporean dishes. Zi Char, which means “to cook and fry”, is a popular cooking style in Singapore with hints of Malay, Indian, and Peranakan influences. It’s homecooked inspired and comes in large portions.

It highlights Byrd Tubs’ (@byrdtubs) Har Cheong Gai and Salted Egg Fried Chicken,

Comer y Comic’s flavored butters

teaches fellow celebrities how to cook Zi Char dishes for the web series “Zi Char or Char Lang”.

Agustin’s guests include musician-couple Karylle and Yael Yuzon, comedian Victor Anastacio, and former love team partner Jolina Magdangal.

Agustin will teach the guests how to cook Zi Char recipes such as chili crab and pork rib king.

If it’s a success, he will say “Zi Char!”, and if not, then it’s “char lang!”

“I’m so excited for people to see ‘Zi Char or Char Lang’ because I really had fun shooting Zi Char or char lang Following the first YouTube series where Mar- this with my friends and I was able to share my vin Agustin learned how to pronounce “Zi Char” knowledge about Zi Char, thanks to chef Bjorn!” (tse-chah), the actor and restaurateur this time he said.

China Mommy’s (@chinamommyPH) Sotanghon Crabs, I’M Hotel’s HotKiss Kitchen’s Chilli Crab Brioche Burger, Sambar’s (@sambarph) homestyle offerings, and Comer y Comic’s (@ comerycomic) flavored butters.

“Many of us are missing Singapore dishes, and this is an exciting chance to taste our Zi Char favorites as we wait for borders to open,” said Ruby Liu, STB’s area director for the Philippines.

Café Inggo 1587 wins 2021 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for Restaurants

NEW EATS Gochujang joins the Shack gang Shake Shack Korea’s hit chicken sandwich is landing on our shores today, Sept. 27.

Available for a limited time at Shake Shack Philippines, the Gochujang Chick’n features a gochujang-glazed crispy chicken breast topped with sesame seeds that sits over a white kimchi slaw. Gochujang is a red fermented paste made with red chili peppers, sticky rice, fermented soybeans, and salt.

In addition to the chicken sandwich, the gochujang gang includes Korean-inspired Gochujang Chick’n Bites and Gochujang Fries both served with spicy-sweet gochujang mayo sauce. For a sweet ending, Shake Shack offers Black Sugar Shake, made with toasted caramel black sugar hand spun with vanilla frozen custard, and topped with whipped cream and black sugar syrup.

Down them with Blueberry Lemonade, offered free for Gochujang set orders via GrabFood from Sept. 27 to Oct. 1.

Gochujang Chick’n

Honey Beef Rice

Jollibee’s jolly beef Fast food giant Jollibee has recently started the nationwide roll-out of its new beef rice meal.

The Honey Beef Rice features tender beef slices glazed with sweet soy sauce on top of a hot and inviting bed of soft rice. It is available in solo meal, value meal, and family pans for six and for eight.

“We’re glad to share its goodness with all of our Jollibee fans across the country. We’re looking forward to Honey Beef Rice becoming everyone’s new favorite meal,” says Mari Aldecoa, Jollibee’s assistant vice president for core and complementary category.

It is available for takeout, drive-thru, and delivery via the Jollibee Delivery App, JollibeeDelivery.com, #87000, GrabFood, and foodpanda.

WHAT’S COOKIN’ Resorts World Manila reopens al fresco outlets PASAY’S Resorts World Manila has reopened its al fresco spots.

Operating at limited capacity, the Newport Parklet at Newport Boulevard began firing up its grill on Sept. 16 as did Holiday Inn Express Manila’s Jardin. Both outdoor dining spots are open daily, 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Hilton Manila’s dining pods outlet, Vubble has likewise started serving a menu prepared a la minute with wine pairings. Three-course dinner packages for two start at P12,500 nett.

Fully vaccinated diners who want to dine inside can head to Casa Buenas, Silk Road, and Newport Mall dining outlets.

To ensure public safety, patrons are requested to follow the standard health and safety protocols within the property.

Al fresco outlet Newport Parklet is open to diners.

GrabFood expands Luzon delivery coverage

GrabFood now delivers to select areas in Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna.

IN RESPONSE to public requests, Grab widens its food delivery service to select areas in Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna.

GrabFood now delivers in Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Malolos, Baliuag, San Ildefonso, San Miguel, and Pulilan in Bulacan; Tagaytay, Maragondon, Amadeo, and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in Cavite; and San Pablo, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Siniloan, Mabitac, Famy, Pakil, Pangil, Paete, and Magdalena in Laguna.

“We want to serve and empower more of our fellow Filipinos with this expansion,” said Grab Philippines head of deliveries Anton Bautista.

Grab also sees its food delivery service expansion into these new areas as a way to create livelihood opportunities for the local merchant- and delivery-partners.

“Through Grab’s digital platform, expertise, and technology, we can help the residents and local business owners of Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna to unlock new earning opportunities, boost economic activities within the cities, and thereby create a positive impact on their communities,” added Bautista.

The platform will roll out online tools and programs, such as Grab Online Shop, Campaign Packages, Grab’s Annual Merchant Conference, and Grab Merchant Academy, as well as its upcoming literacy program in partnership with International Finance Corporation, to help businesses in these Luzon provinces thrive amid changing market conditions.

Café Inggo 1587 serves the parishioners of Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.

By Joyce Pangco Pañares CAFÉ Inggo 1587 has bagged the 2021 Travelers’ Choice award for Restaurants – a testament to its continuous efforts to delight diners amid the challenges brought about by the pandemic.

“Café Inggo 1587 is pleased at receiving this coveted award from the world’s largest travel community platform, Tripadvisor,” said owner Vic Alcuaz.

Alcuaz said the award, which celebrates businesses that consistently deliver fantastic experiences to diners around the globe, coincided with the restaurant’s fourth anniversary in August.

“I know the past year has been extremely challenging for tourism businesses. What has impressed me is how businesses adapted to these challenges, implementing new cleanliness measures, adding social distancing guidelines, and utilizing technology to prioritize guest safety,” said Kanika Soni, chief commercial officer of Tripadvisor.

“The Travelers’ Choice Awards highlight the places that are consistently excellent – delivering quality experiences time and time again even while navigating changing customer expectations and new ways of working. Based on a full year of reviews from customers, this award speaks to the great service and experience you provided guests in the midst of a pandemic,” she added.

To see diner reviews and popular dishes of Café Inggo 1587, go to www. tripadvisor.com.ph/Restaurant_ Review-g298574-d13124974-Reviews-Cafe_ Inggo_1587-Quezon_City _ Metro_ Manila_Luzon.html Café Inggo 1587 opened on August 8, 2017 as a “concept café” primarily in the service of the thousands of parishioners of Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City, the largest Catholic church in the metropolis.

It serves Filipino and Spanish favorites along with an array of cakes and desserts like bibingka and puto bumbong.

Pork Humba

Pinaasimang Lechon Kawali

7th Heaven Angel cake

Sports

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

B4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Usyk ends Joshua’s reign as champion LONDON—Oleksandr Usyk ended Anthony Joshua’s reign as world heavyweight champion in front of the Londoner’s home crowd with a stunning unanimous points decision victory on Saturday, scuppering hopes of a ‘Battle of Britain’ unification bout with fellow world title-holder Tyson Fury.

Joshua ended the 12th and final round of the contest backed up on the ropes, with the cheers of a crowd of more than 66,000 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium no match for the skills of his challenger.

The impressive Ukrainian triumphed 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 on the scorecards of the three judges in just the former undisputed cruiserweight world champion’s third bout as a heavyweight.

His victory, which extended Usyk’s perfect record as a professional to 19 wins from as many fights, saw him become just the third boxer after Evander Holyfield of the United States and Britain’s David Haye to win both the cruiserweight and heavyweight world titles.

Boxing fans have long looked forward to a clash between Joshua and British compatriot Fury, who defends his World Boxing Council heavyweight title against Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas next month—the third time the pair have fought each other following a splitdecision draw and a win for Fury.

But Joshua had to get past Usyk, the 2012 Olympic heavyweight champion at a London Games where Joshua won the super-heavyweight gold medal.

“This means a lot for me. The fight went the way I expected it to go. There were moments when Anthony pushed me hard but it was nothing special,” said Usyk, who now follows brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko in becoming a Ukrainian world heavyweight champion, via a translator.

“I had no objective to knock him out because my corner pushed me not to do that. In the beginning, I tried to hit him hard, but then I stuck to my job.”

There is a rematch clause, with Joshua—who has now won 24 and lost two of his professional bouts—having previously lost his belts when beaten by Andy Ruiz in New York in June 2019 only to regain the titles in a rematch in Saudi Arabia six months later.

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, told Sky: “I have spoken to him (Joshua) and it was a tough fight. He is devastated. AFP

Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk (left) fights British heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua at the end of their heavyweight boxing match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London. Usyk defeated Joshua on points. AFP

Hotshots whip Painters to zero in on semifinals

By Peter Atencio

T

HE Magnolia Hotshots controlled the boards and limited the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in third quarter to pull off an 81-70 win Sunday in the opener of their their best-of-three 2021 PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals at the DHVSU Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Ian Sangalang was a force under the boards with his double-double output of 19 points and 13 rebounds and in 35 minutes to lead the charge of the Hotshots.

The 6’7” Sangalang struck hard with a layup, a defensive rebound

and a pass to Andy Barroca, who drove in with 9:47 left to tie the count at 44-all, kickstarting a decisive offensive run for the Hotshots in the succeeding minutes.

“We were down in the first half.

But in the second half, we kept

Malditas‘ coach plans to train team in US MEMBERS of the Philippine Malditas national women’s football team did not practice together before they went to Tashkent, Uzbekistan to play in the Group E qualifiers of the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Asian Cup India 2022.

There were squad members, who did virtual training in Manila because of government restrictions while the National Capital Region was in lockdown and in different stages of quarantine restrictions in the past months.

The other half of the team was in Great Park Irvine in Irvine, California in the United States, where tryouts and outdoor practices were held since facilities are already open.

This time around, head coach Marlon Maro is planning to get everyone together in the US to train as a team for their coming competition this January in India.

“If we prepare in the Philippines, nothing will happen because of the government restrictions. So, I’m planning to ask

the Philippine Football Federation to let us do another camp in California,” said Maro.

He said this after the Malditas repulsed Hong Kong, 2-1, in Tashkent on Friday to claim the top spot in Group F and become one of the 12 teams which will be in the India 2022 event.

The Malditas will also have a chance of making qualification for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.

The host country and the top three teams of the previous tournaments in 2018 are automatically qualified.

But the entry of the other eight teams will be decided during the Asian tournament.

While in California, the Malditas will have a chance to have a lot of friendlies and practices in different venues.

In their game last Friday, newcomer Chandler Blue McDaniel broke past the defense and sneaked in the winning goal in the 87th minute.

The 23-year-old Filipino-American

Mariano Araneta

forward from Norco, California found a scoring opportunity when she slipped past her defenders and gave the Malditas a two-game sweep in their bracket.

on executing and that’s the most important thing,” said Hotshots’ coach Chito Victolero after they outrebounded the opposition, 66-43.

Sangalang’s intensity under the boards came as the top-scoring Paul Lee finished with 20 points on 6-for22 shots, to go with four rebounds and three assists.

Sangalang went on to chip in eight points in the last 3:50 of the third period as the Hotshots moved away using a decisive 17-4 spurt to put the third-seeded Magnolia a win away from the semifinals.

A putback from Sangalang at the end of their big blast saw the Hotshots cutting loose at 54-46.

Jio Jalalon came off the bench with The Malditas, who won over Nepal, 2-1, in the opener, took the lead early when Tahnnai Annis headed in a cross from Rochelle Mendano, with her attempt sailing past goalkeeper Ng Cheuk Wai in the 17th minute.

In the second half, Hong Kong captain Chung Pui Ki equalized with a 61st minute free kick, which went to the top corner past skipper and goalie Inna Palacios and into the net from 20 meters.

Already qualified are host India, Japan, Australia, China, South Korea, Japan and Thailand.

The qualified teams in Groups A, B, C and D are still to be decided.

PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta commended the Malditas for their feat.

“We are truly delighted by this remarkable achievement by our Philippine Women’s National Team. Qualification to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup is a testament to the hard work and sacrifice made by the players and the coaching staff and the support of sponsors and stakeholders,” said Araneta. Peter Atencio

HELMETS FOR NATIONAL RIDERS. Members of the national cycling team for road, MTB and BMX receive brand new Lazer helmets from Josephine Santos (left), Marketing Director of Neo Zigma—mother distributor of Shimano Philippines and Lazer—and Interval Gear Events Management president Christian David Alacar (seated right) in ceremonies at the Driftwoods Action Park in Indang, Cavite. Representing Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino are PhilCycling Secretary General Atty.

Billy Sumagui (seated left front row) and Oversight and Commissaires Director Jun Lomibao (seated front row center). In photo are (from left squatting) Edmhel John Flores, Jericho Rivera, George Oconer, Junrey Navarra and El Joshua Carino, and (standing, from left) PhilCycling Deputy Secretary General Kamilla Sumagui, Jermyn Prado, Marella Salamat, Eusebia Nicole Quinones, head coach Ednalyn Calitis-Hualda, Jhon Mark Camingao, Ronald Lomotos, coach Renz Viaje (BMX freestyle), Martin Eday, John Derrick Farr and MTB coaches Eusebio Quinones (crosscountry) and Frederick Farr (downhill).

10 points and added to the Hotshots’ lead with his driving layup in the final 3:20 of the third for a 56-46 count.

Calvin Abueva made only eight points, but he helped Sangalang control the rebounds with 13 boards, to go with his two blocks, an assist and a steal.

Santi Santillan, who had 17 points, kept the Elasto Painters alive with his triple with 3:31 to go in the last period, 67-73.

But a triple and two freebies from Lee kept the Hotshot ahead, 77-67, with 1:20 to go.

Rey Nambatac added 16 points to the Elasto Painters’ bid, while Javee Mocon made 11.

PH bets Frank, Celestino make Four Continents Championships PHILIPPINE representatives Edrian Celestino and Sofia Frank may have missed the cut for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, but their technical scores allowed them to qualify for another meet--the Four Continents Championships.

The 23-year-old Celestino settled for an 18th place overall finish in the men’s singles, while Frank made it as far as 24th spot in the women’s side of the 2021 Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany.

Celestino, who is based on Montreal, Canada, scored a total of 176.10 points after his routine in the free skates, which is the last of the twopart competition He collected 111.78 points, with 47.86 in the technical score and 63.92 in the program components, after Celestino did his routines to the tune of “You & Me” by Aron Wright.

Qualifiers needed to have a minimum technical score of 28.00 in the short program and 46.00 in the free skate to earn a seat in the Four Continents.

During the short program on Thursday, Celestino got 32.69 points in the technical score, finishing at 16th place.

The Four Continents Championship was originally set for January 2022 in Tianjin, China, but was called off due to travel restrictions.

Meanwhile, Sofia Frank ended up 24th overall in the women’s action, after coming up with total of 128.78.

Performing to tune of of “Romeo and Juliet Wedding Vow” by Abel Korzeniowski, Frank checked in with 40.50 points off her technical scores and 44.63 in the program components. Peter Atencio