Manila Standard - 2021 November 14 - Sunday

New twist: Sara to run for VP Marcos party adopts her, seals their tandem for top two posts

Vol. 35

No. 272 No.272

2 SECTIONS November 14, 2021 10 PAGES n

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ARM IN ARM. Davao City Mayor

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IN MET R MANILAO

Sara Duterte-Carpio takes the arm of former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at a wedding they recently attended as principal sponsors in Silang, Cavite last week. Duterte-Carpio filed her candidacy for vice president as a substitute on Saturday through her lawyer Reynold Munsayac, as she replaces Lakas-CMD bet Lyle Fernando Uy (inset photos). Manman Dejeto and Jam Sta Rosa, AFP

D RODY’S GUY. President Rodrigo Duterte (left) raises the hand of Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go after he filed his candidacy for president in the 2022 elections at the Commission on Elections in Manila. Inset shows Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa, explaining why he withdrew as presidential bet of ruling party PDP-Laban. AFP, News 5 photo

More twists: Rody for VP, Go for prexy, Bato out n By JIMBO GULLE PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday he would run for vice president in the 2022 elections, as dominos fell in the administration party in the wake of his daughter throwing her hat into the national political arena and the deadline for party substitutions nearing on Monday.

“Magba-vice (For vice president),” Duterte told reporters at the Commission on Elections main office in Manila when asked if he would look to run for the Senate, as earlier pushed by his allies.

The President said this as he accompanied Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, who withdrew his certificate of candidacy for vice president under the PDP-Laban party.

Go in turn filed a COC for President under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan

(PDDS), hours after Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, through a representative, made a substitution to run for Vice President under Lakas-CMD (see related story – Editors).

Meanwhile, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa dropped out of the presidential race, withdrawing his own COC. The former national police chief was picked as standard-bearer of the PDP-Laban faction under Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi via a last-minute filing, purportedly to hold the door open for Sara to join the administration party as a substitute and hopefully succeed her father as President.

However, the elder Duterte’s move would put him on a collision course with his daughter, who had topped most presidential surveys since the unofficial campaign period began in earnest this year.

The President, however, seemed unaware of this development.

“I don’t know. Nag-file ba (Did she file her candidacy already)?” he said when asked if he was planning to run against Mayor Sara.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President would file his COC for vice president on Nov. 15, the deadline for withdrawal and substitution for national and local election aspirants.

“On Monday, the President will return to the Comelec to file . . . for vice-president. Let’s wait for the next chapter. We all know that this is a developing story. Let’s wait for them to finish,” Andanar told reporters.

The original plan of the PDP-Laban Cusi wing was for Duterte to run for vice president, with Go as the presidential bet. The President even accepted his party’s nomination but changed his mind on October 2 when he announced he would be retiring from politics.

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n By MARICEL V. CRUZ AND REY E. REQUEJO

AVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, will run for vice president in the 2022 elections, the government’s election monitor said Saturday, after months of speculation she would seek the top job.

The Commission on Elections announced on its official Facebook page that Sara would be running for the country’s second-highest office, replacing another candidate.

“This is to confirm that Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, through her representative, has filed her Certificate of Candidacy for Vice President under Lakas-CMD (party),” her spokeswoman Christina Garcia Frasco said on Facebook.

Her decision came just before the November 15 deadline for candidates to make a late entry into the May 9 elections.

She was immediately endorsed by the party of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to be his running mate in the poll.

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Mayors to allow contact sports n By B JOEL E. ZURBANO

HOOPS ALLOWED. Young men play 3-on-3 basketball at the Th3rd Floor Gym along Roces Avenue in Quezon City on Saturday. Contact sports like basketball are now allowed in areas under Alert Level 2, including Metro Manila. Manny Palmero

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ONLY FULLY vaccinated individuals will be allowed to play or watch contact sports in Metro Manila.

This was the recommendation of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) on Saturday to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for the conduct of contact sports in the metropolis amid the declining cases of COVID-19 in the country.

MMC chairman and concurrent Metropolitan Manila Development Authority head Benjamin Abalos Jr. said there is a need to recommend to

the IATF the unified and official stand of mayors in the National Capital Region on the conduct of contact sports, subject to the IATF's evaluation and consideration.

"A technical working group, headed

by Department of Health-NCR Regional Director Dr. Gloria Balboa, was created to study the possible conduct of contact sports. It underwent a very tedious process," said Abalos.

“Since players are susceptible to physical proximity with one another while spectators are inclined to cheer or chant in a crowd, having them fully vaccinated will reduce risk of transmission,” he added.

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6A 1B 3B 4B

Judge dissolves Britney Spears guardianship NEWS | 5A

Makati Subway Project job vacancies opened NEWS | 2A

COVID-19 PH AT

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2,815,080 1,997

29,382

45,272

238

2,740,426

1,696

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Active

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(As of 4 PM, NOV. 13)

Comelec slashes poll workers’ honoraria NEWS | 2A

Boost vax drive, NTF asks pros; 1.27m Moderna vaccines arrive

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

First wave of Subway Project job vacancies on, says Makati

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n By JOEL E. ZURBANO

HE Makati City government on Saturday announced the opening of the first wave of job opportunities for the city’s Subway Project.

“As promised earlier, the Makati Subway will be generating jobs and providing an additional source of income for our Makatizens and their families. This project will forever change the landscape of Makati, and it is an honor for me and my administration to leave our beloved city this legacy,” said Mayor Abigail Binay.

The Subway project, also called the Makati Intra-city Subway or (MkTr), is an 11-kilometer underground rapid transit line that will link establishments across the Makati business district.

The system will have two tracks, 10 underground

stations, and air-conditioned coaches which can accommodate 200 persons per car. It has a train yard, maintenance depot, and central command center at ground level.

The project is well underway, and construction and planning stages are in full swing. This is why, Mayor Binay noted, the Makati Subway project is looking for skilled and experienced engineers and other professionals to help complete the project.

Among the job vacancies are BIM Specialist of Engineering Technology Department, Manager of

Engineering Technology Department, Engineering Technician, Surveying Engineer, Electrician, and Engineering Technicians.

Binay said city residents will be prioritized in the job hiring, but the 22 job vacancies may also be filled by non-Makati residents who are qualified for the roles.

The Makati Subway project also needs administrative personnel, an office driver, logistics personnel, and a chef.

Binay explained that additional skilled employees are required to expand the project team and ensure the orderly development of the project. Interested applicants may send their resumes to Mr. Danny Liang at liang_diyu@163.com.

The city chief executive earlier said the project will create 10,000 new jobs for the construction and operation of the train system alone. This does not include additional jobs which will be created as a result of the efficient transport system in the city.

Solon pushes 30-yr. transport infra roadmap

SHINING BRIGHT.

A family takes a selfie underneath the Tunnel of Lights, one of eight major attractions that make up Venice Grand Canal’s newly-opened Christmas Trail in McKinley Hill, Taguig City on Friday. Meanwhile, another family rests on the steps leading to the giant Christmas tree at BGC Central Square also in Taguig. Norman Cruz and Manny Palmero

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ A CONGRESSIONAL leader on Saturday pushed for the enactment of a bill that seeks to legislate a 30-year National Transportation Program (NTP) dubbed “The Future of Mobility in the Philippines Act.” Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, chairman of the House committee on transportation, cited the need to create a long-term transportation infrastructure roadmap that would depoliticize the funding, implementation, and prioritization of all transportation-related projects.

Sarmiento authored House Bill 9468 which has already been approved by his committee.

He said the bill’s enactment would codify the direction of the country’s transportation infrastructure roadmap and ensure uninterrupted implementation of all projects that are included in the 30-year NTP even with the changing of administrations.

ELCAC belies Senate claims on BDP reports

Carlos names Sermonia to old post

NOT FORGOTTEN. Relatives visit the tomb of a loved one killed by Super Typhoon

Yolanda at a mass grave for victims following the eighth anniversary of the November 8, 2013 disaster, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, in Tacloban City on Saturday. Imelda Magbutay / AFP

FromtheFRONTPAGE NEW...The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas on Saturday said it had adopted Duterte-Carpio as its vice presidential candidate and endorsed her as the running mate of its standard-bearer “Bongbong” Marcos.

The Executive Committee of the PFP adopted a resolution following Duterte-Carpio’s filing with the Comelec of her certificate of candidacy (CoC) for vice president.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said her filing makes her the official candidate of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats for the second highest office.

“It’s final. Mayor Sara Duterte is now the official candidate of the Lakas-CMD for Vice President in the 2022 national election,” Romualdez, representative of Leyte’s first district and president of Lakas-CMD, said in a statement.

Romualdez said Lakas-CMD will work hard to ensure her victory as the country’s next VP. “We are honored that Mayor Sara accepted the challenge to help lead the party at a crucial time when the nation desperately needs a steady leader who can inspire us all to bounce back from the ravages of the pandemic,” said the lawyer from the University of the Philippines and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa).

“We — her partymates in the Senate, House of Representatives, Provincial Governments, City Governments and Municipal Governments— are all committed to work double time to ensure Mayor Sara’s victory as the country’s

next Vice President,” Romualdez added.

Sara had been widely expected to run for president in a bid to succeed her father, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a second six-year term and is facing an investigation by the International Criminal Court into his deadly drug war.

For months, she had insisted she wanted to serve another term as Davao City mayor, the family’s southern bailiwick, despite consistently leading in surveys of voter preferences for the next president.

Speculation about her plans intensified this week after she suddenly withdrew from the mayoral contest, quit her regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, and joined Lakas-CMD, the national political party of her close ally and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“I thank my supporters. I hope whatever happens in the next few days, I will be able to give them what they want,” she told reporters Thursday on the sidelines of a wedding.

Sara’s decision to run for vice president leaves Marcos Jr. in a strong position for the presidency. He has been in the second spot –behind Duterte-Carpio -- in voter surveys, ahead of celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso, boxing great Manny Pacquiao, and incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo.

There was speculation Sara had sought to persuade Marcos Jr. to slide back into the vice presidential race and create a formidable alliance between the two clans.

In the Philippines, the president and vice president are elected separately.

The Marcos family stronghold stretches across the country’s north and centre, while the Dutertes enjoy widespread support in the south.

But Marcos Jr., who was at the same wedding on Thursday and was seen walking arm-in-arm with Sara, told reporters: “I will continue with my plan. I entered this

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NEW Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos has ordered the immediate reorganization in the Command Group and Directorial Staff, as he designated two senior police officials to higher posts.

Carlos, who assumed the top PNP post from Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Friday, designated Maj. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia as acting chief of the Directorial Staff, the fourth highest post in the Command Group.

It was a post previously held by Carlos.

All movements are effective Saturday.

Sermonia will supervise the 11 Directorial Staff in administering functional operations of all National Support Units and Police Regional Offices.

Brig. Gen. Valeriano De Leon, who was recently Civil Security Group Director, will be Acting Director for Operations to replace

Sermonia.

Lt. Gen. Joselito Vera Cruz, deputy chief for administration, and Lt. Gen. Ephraim Dickson, deputy chief for operations, retained their posts.

Eleazar, Vera Cruz, and Dickson belonged to the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1987, while Carlos was their junior.

Carlos said he talked to the officials of the Command Group and requested them to continue their roles.

“I requested Sir Jojo (Vera Cruz) and Sir Bong (Dickson) and then I requested the incoming TCDS (The Chief of Directorial Staff) if he needs big brother help, he can ask me now. I think we will have another team that can continue what was started by the previous chiefs of the PNP,” Carlos told reporters after he assumed command of the 220,000-strong police force on Friday afternoon.

race to run for president.”

“Duterte running for the vice presidency... more or less seals Bongbong Marcos’ position as the top contender, the candidate to beat in these elections,” political analyst Richard Heydarian told AFP. The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas resolution also stated the party did not issue Certificates of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) and had no official candidates for Vice President and Senators for the upcoming polls.

It also added that party chair and standard-bearer Marcos Jr. was given “full power and authority” to choose his vice presidential running mate and a senatorial line-up.

Marcos, advocating for a unifying leadership brand, has remained humble amid malicious moves to derail his candidacy for the 2022 polls, his party said. with AFP

Based on MMDA Resolution No. 21-28, all 17 mayors of Metro Manila areunanimous in recommending the following policy guidelines: 1. Emphasis is laid on the venue capacity limitations, vaccination status, observance of minimum public health standards, and contact tracing; 2. Considering that, in the conduct of a contact sport, the players are prone or susceptible to physical proximity with one another while the spectators are inclined or given to cheer, jeer, shout, chant, or sing collectively or in a crowd, only fully-vaccinated adults and minors shall be allowed to play or watch in an Organized or Unorganized Event. This is to “incentivize” persons to get vaccinated.

However, players or spectators who are symptomatic shall not be allowed to play or watch the event.

Further, the Local Government Unit shall have the prerogative to allow or disallow spectators in any contact sport event as the circumstances may require; 3. The players shall have the option not to wear face masks while playing.

However, when not playing, the players must wear face masks and observe social distancing. On the other hand, spectators and all other persons shall wear face masks and observe social distancing at all times; 4. In an organized event, for both public and private and indoor and outdoor venues, the organizer and/or venue owner or operator thereof shall apply for the necessary permit from the concerned LGU and declare the nature of the event, number of participants, and duration, and further ensure and undertake that venue capacity limitations, vaccination requirements, and minimum public health standards are strictly enforced.

MAYORS...In other developments: • The Philippines on Saturday recorded 1,997 more COVID-19 infections, the third straight day the daily tally fell below the 2,000-mark, DOH data showed.

• The probability of the NCR deescalating to Alert Level 1 will be based on the metrics, as the government continues to ramp up efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic, the DOH said Saturday.

• Authorities have reached an agreement on the much-debated requirement for face shield use in public places, which has already been submitted for the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte, the health department said Saturday.

• The DOH assured parents that safeguards would be in place should the Department of Education (DepEd) identify schools in Metro Manila for the pilot testing of face-to-face classes.

The MMC, composed of the 17 mayors in NCR, is the governing board and the policy-making body of the MMDA.

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

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

THE government is inviting medical professionals to participate in the national vaccination drive.

Aside from doctors and nurses, even dentists and those licensed to inoculate may help out in administering jabs against the coronavirus disease 2019, Assistant Secretary Wilben Mayor, head of the strategic communications on current operations of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, said Saturday.

“Let’s make a contribution to our country and help in the vaccination efforts so that we can attain the herd immunity of at least 54 million by December,” Mayor said during the arrival of the government-procured 1.279 million doses of the Moderna vaccine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.

“Maybe they can share their time, at least a day or two, in a week to help vaccinate the people. Their contributions would be a big help.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday urged localities to tap their regional offices in addressing an apparent shortage in syringe meant for COVID-19 vaccinations, as some local governments reported the problem.

The agency said local government units (LGUs) should reach out to their regional offices so syringes for mRNA vaccines could be distributed or bought, as some of the agency’s funds are lodged there.

The 0.3ml syringe is specifically used to administer mRNA-type vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 shots.

Mayor reported that at least 123 million doses of the life-saving jabs have reached the Philippines so far.

“More are coming on Monday.

Once again, we see the steady arrival of the vaccines and we encourage our countrymen to get vaccinated,” he added.

THE National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has submitted to the Congress the required accomplishment reports of the Barangay Development Program (BDP) for the first to third quarter of 2021.

NTF-ELCAC Vice Chairman Hermogenes Esperon Jr. stressed that the P16.44 billion total fund of the BDP were utilized, monitored, and disseminated by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) with transparency.

Esperon made the statement in response to the documents shown by Senate finance committee in a budget deliberation that only 26 of the total 2,318 projects under the NTFELCAC Barangay Development Fund worth P16.4 billion have been completed.

“I categorially state that the NTF-ELCAC has not been remiss in its reportorial requirements in connection with the P16.4 billion.

Nonetheless we will continue to reach out and explain to our lawmakers the progress of the implementation of the BDP,” he said.

“Our mandate to the people includes not just the facilitation of inclusive development and sustainable peace initiatives, but also transparency and accountability to the people whose taxes have funded this nationwide undertaking,” Esperson said. Maricel V. Cruz

MORE..This came after a Social Weather Stations poll found that a majority of Filipinos believed that a president running for vice president in the next election would violate the 1987 Constitution.

Go, a first-term senator, substituted Grepor Belgica, the original PDDS standard bearer.

In a GMA News report, both Belgica’s son Greco and Cusi explained that Go had to run under PDDS to avoid “legal complications” in light of the infighting within PDP-Laban.

PDP-Laban secretary general Melvin Matibag said in a statement: “Nevertheless, PDP Laban and PDDS are united in carrying one team for both our national and local candidates.”

“The Alliance of PDP Laban and PDDS is strong and will work tirelessly to push for continuity of President Rodrigo Duterte’s brand of leadership, which includes a tough stance against criminals, grafters, drug lords, and terrorists, on the one hand, and a genuine concern for the masses, on the other,” he added.

As to who will be Go’s running mate under PDDS, Greco Belgica said, “We’re waiting for what the party will decide.”

The Comelec has yet to resolve the petition filed by the Cusi group in September seeking to declare Senators Manny Pacquiao and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III as illegitimate representatives of their party.

President Duterte met with Pacquiao last Tuesday at Malacanang, months after their public word war on corruption and tensions within PDP-Laban, as spokesperson Harry Roque described it as “short and cordial.”

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

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

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Birthday Greetings TO FERDINAND MARTIN ROMUALDEZ

“A man of hope, a man with integrity and a compassionate Congressman of the First District of Leyte, Cong. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Happy Birthday! In behalf of the Barangay Council and constituents of Bgy. 95-A, Tacloban City, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for all the projects and programs given to us.”

Kap. ALBERT EVIOTA Brgy. 95-A, Tacloban City “ Happy birthday Cong. FM Romualdez! Our model public servant. We, the Barangay Officials of Bgy. 60 and all the other barangay officials are very happy that you are always there to help us improve our barangays, especially in times of crisis. When typhoon Yolanda struck us, you were really a big help to us. Your programs and projects are a great help to us. Thank you very much and Happy Birthday!“ Kap. MILAGROS BAOY Brgy. 60, Tacloban City

“For and in behalf of Babatngon II District, we would like to thank our Congressman FM Romualdez for the Risograph machine given to Pagsulhugon National High School and Pagsulhugon Central School. Thank you very much! Happy Birthday! We love you!”

MYRNA F. CAÑETE, Dev. Ed.D District Supervisor, Babatngon II Central School

“Dahil sa Tulong Dunong Program, nabawasan ang gastusin ng aming pamilya dahil sinagot na ng TDP ang expenses ko sa aking pag-aaral. I am very thankful na napabilang ako sa mga grantees ng Tulong Dunong Scholarship Program through Cong. FM Romualdez and his wife Tingog Partylist Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez. Thank you for all your efforts and doing your best. On your birthday, I wish that our Almighty Father bless and guide you always. We need a leader like you. A leader who is responsible, kind and humble. A leader who is always ready to help everyone especially those in need. Happy Birthday!”

RAYMUND ALMONTECINA 3rd Year, Bachelor of Elementary Education Visayas State University, Alangalang Campus

“Para sa ating aktibo at may malasakit sa bayan – ating mahal na Congressman Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, maraming salamat po sa mga tulong na binabahagi mo dito sa First District of Leyte at patuloy mong binibigay sa ating mga kababayan dito. Maraming salamat po at God bless to you and your family. Happy Birthday to you Sir!” Kap. ANDRES IAN R. SEVILLA Brgy. Luntad, Palo, Leyte

“Para sa aming minamahal na Congressman ng First District ng Leyte – Alam po naming na mahalaga po sa inyo ang araw na ito.

Una po sa lahat, an gaming pasasalamat sa lahat po ng mga tulong at pagmamahal mo sa aming mga taga-Tolosa at sa buong distrito ng Leyte. Gaya po ng mga mahahalagang proyektong binigay nyo sa amin – tulad ng farm-to-market roads, paaralan, multi-purpose building, covered court, livelihood programs at lalong-lalo na ang TUPAD na malaki ang naitulong sa mga tao lalo’t nasa pandemiya tayo. Hindi po matatawaran ang mga tulong na binigay nyo po sa amin. Ang aming taos-pusong pasasalamat at walang hanggang pasasalamat sa inyo. At sa kaarawan ninyo, tanggapin po ninyo ang pagbati ng buong lokal na pamahalaan ng Tolosa. Nawa’y biyan pa po kayo ng mahabang buhay at mabuting kalusugan para mapagpatuloy pa ninyo ang mga magagandang hangarin para sa ating bayan. Lubos ang pasasalamat namin sa inyo at sa inyong pamilya. Mula sa kaibuturan ng aming puso, maligayang kaarawan po at mabuhay po kayo!”

JOSE MARI ILDEFEONSO “JOY” C. ROA Councilor, Tolosa, Leyte

Long-term plan for Taal area needed—BBM

4A NOVEMBER 14, 2021

n By REY E. REQUEJO

CHAMPS ON STAMPS. World-renowned bowler Paeng Nepomuceno and chess grandmaster Eugene Torre (inset)pose as they hold framed commemorative stamp bearing their image during the launching at the Philpost grounds in Lawton, Manila on Saturday. Other famous Filipinos honored through stamps were innovator and entrepreneur Diosdado Banatao, NBA Player Jordan Clarkson, furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, fashion designers Monique Lhuillier and Josie Natori, singer and thespian Lea Salonga, pool player Efren “Bata” Reyes, and iconic burger mascot Jollibee.

Danny Pata

Comelec slashes poll workers’ honoraria, will add allowances

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OWING to budget constraints, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has cut the honoraria it earlier approved for teaching and non-teaching personnel who will serve as poll workers in the 2022 elections.

Based on Comelec Resolution No. 10727 promulgated November 10, persons rendering election-related service are entitled to the following honoraria: Chairperson of Electoral Board (EB) - P7,000; EB Members - P6,000; DepEd Supervisor Official (DESO) - P5,000; Support Staff - P3,000; and Medical Personnel - P3,000.

These rates, however, are lower compared to the remuneration the poll body approved in June, in response to the Department of Education’s (DepED) request for increase in poll workers’ honoraria.

The pay rates approved by the Comelec in June were Chairperson of the EB - P9,000; Members of EB - P8,000; DESO - P7,000; and Support Staff - P5,000.

Comelec’s proposed P41.992 billion budget for 2022 was trimmed down to P26.497 billion.

“The DBM’s deep cut into the Comelec’s proposed budget will significantly impact how the Comelec will conduct the 2022 National and Local Elections,” poll body spokesperson James Jimenez said in a press statement last August.

But the Comelec, in its latest resolution, included provisions for travel allowance amounting to P2,000 for the chairperson and members of the EB. Medical personnel as well as Emergency Accessible Polling Place (EAPP) and Isolation Polling Place (IPP) support staff likewise are entitled to P1,000 travel allowance only for Election Day. A communication allowance of P1,500 for DESO and DESO Technical Support Staff will also be provided.

An anti-COVID-19 allowance amounting to P500 will also be given to members of the EB, DESO and their respective support staff, medical personnel, and EAPP support staff.

According to the Comelec, a minimum of five days service credit shall accrue to all government officials and employees serving as EB, DESO, medical personnel and support staff.

Cabuyao mayor praises Isko for Manila progress CABUYAO City Mayor Rommel Gecolea on Friday extolled Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso for his outstanding work in transforming Manila into a beautiful and progressive city in just two years.

In a speech he delivered as he welcomed Moreno and the rest of the Aksyon Demokratiko candidates who visited their city as part of the group’s listening tour and dialogue with ordinary people, Gecolea said the 47-year old local chief executive is the epitome of a person who grew up in poverty but strived hard and did his best to improve and succeed in life.

Joining Moreno in the Laguna provincial sortie were Aksyon Demokratiko vice presidential bet Dr. Willie Ong and senatorial bets Moro civic leader and women’s rights advocate Samira Gutoc, former Quezon City councilor Jopet Sison, and radio host and entrepreneur Carl Balita. Rey E. Requejo

FOGGY PARK. Tourists pose on horses with the foggy beautiful morning as their backdrop at the Peoples Park in the Sky in Tagaytay City on Saturday. Only adults can enter the leisure park as health protocols are observed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. JR Josue

Lacson, Senate bets to push free irrigation PARTIDO Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and his senatorial slate will again push for free irrigation for small farmers nationwide, noting Saturday that the law he authored in the Senate is not being implemented correctly.

In an interview with Radyoman Serge Santillan on RMN’s DYHB 747 in Bacolod City, Lacson said even as he authored Republic Act 10969 or the Free Irrigation Service Act, only two-thirds of the country’s 3.12 million hectares of irrigable land is being watered.

In contrast, Lacson said Vietnam and Thailand, which have over 10 million hectares of farmland, have completely irrigated theirs, “but as for us, we’ve been left behind but we can’t even irrigate our lands completely.”

Senatorial candidate Manuel Monsour Del Rosario, who co-authored RA 10969 as a representative of Makati City when the measure was signed into law in 2017 during the 17th Congress, echoed Lacson and said he will push for its full implementation once elected in the 2022 polls.

“Irrigation is so important, and as Monsour said, we will pursue that,” added Lacson, who is in Bacolod with his Partido Reporma team for the sixth leg of their “Online Kumustahan” talks.

Under the Free Irrigation Service Act, farmers with landholdings of eight hectares and below are exempted from paying irrigation service fees (ISF) for water derived from national irrigation systems (NIS) and communal irrigation systems (CIS) maintained by the National Irrigation Administration and other government agencies.

Pangasinan Lakas-CMD leaders honored to have Sara on board

‘Presidential bets should reconsider pivot to Beijing’ n By MARICEL V. CRUZ A NEWLY organized think tank on Saturday said presidential aspirants should reconsider the current government’s tilt towards China and review all pending projects and funding from that country and focus on multilateral cooperation instead of relying on bilateral arrangements with superpowers.

Infrawatch PH, identified with the legal left, said presidentiables for the May elections should think of this with controversies brought about by President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to the communist giant.

“With Beijing having failed to make good of its commitment to help the country develop in the last five years, presidential bets should reconsider whether to continue Duterte’s pivot to China,” Infrawatch PH convener Terry Ridon said.

The former chairman of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, Ridon said this during a virtual forum that discussed public policy proposals that should be considered by presidential aspirants.

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., on Saturday said he will push for the crafting of a long-term plan not only to protect local communities living under the constant threat of Taal volcano’s eruption, but also to guarantee the immediate reconstruction and economic recovery of areas affected or destroy by its explosions.

Marcos, who is the standard-bearer of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, (PFP) standard-bearer, made the statement during his meeting with local officials and supporters in Batangas who organized a series of activities there.

When asked by the media about his opinion on how the government can help Batangueños prepare should the Taal Volcano show signs of seismic activity or eruption, “BBM” said that the government must produce a long-term action plan to avoid devastation in the province.

“Let’s keep a close eye on the activity of the volcano. And while we wait, let’s plan,” Marcos said in an interview over a local radio station.

He also said he draws inspiration from the plans and preparations made for the province of Leyte following the devastation brought by Yolanda in 2013.

Yolanda was the strongest typhoon to hit the country and left more than 6,000 residents dead.

“I just came from the Yolanda celebration; I saw that they have already prepared for the next one in case there is another typhoon. Maybe the designs of the house, maybe it’s time for us to think about how to mitigate its impact and in case it explodes again will not be destroyed, even if we take them to the evacuation center,” Marcos explained.

Vice Gov. Mark Lambino

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan – Leaders of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) in the province of Pangasinan are elated by and honored with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s joining the party.

In an interview Friday, Vice Governor Mark DG. Lambino expressed their happiness over the decision of “Inday Sara.”

“The Lakas-CMD members of Pangasinan are very grateful and honored that we have an exceptional chief executive who has” Lambino stated.

Lambino and former Board Member Ranjit Shahani hosted a press conference

after the latter filed his candidacy for board member for the sixth district of Pangasinan, as substitute to Antonio Febre. “(Sara is) a very able leader; as chief executive, her leadership style will bring new direction in public service which can be emulated by the next leaders here in the province,” he added.

Duterte-Carpio officially joined Lakas-CMD on November 11. Lakas-CMD President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez administered her oath as member of the party in Silang, Cavite, with Lakas-CMD chairman Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. as witness.

On whether she is going to run for President or Vice President, Lambino said they will fully support her (see related story on A – Editors).

“The Alyansang Guico-Lambino (AGuiLa) group will respect whatever position she chooses to run for this coming 2022.

Susuportahan naming sya. Pagdating ng araw na siya ay nakapagpili na kung saan sya tatakbo at kung ano ang kanyang magiging direksyon, all-out din ang suporta ng grupo dahil yon naman talaga ang tinutulak natin – for her to run and for our group to follow the direction that Inday Sara is choosing,” Lambino said.

Roque loses bid for law body seat PRESIDENTIAL spokesperson Harry Roque has failed to obtain a seat in the 34-member International Law Commission (ILC), the body of experts that help develop and codify international law.

Roque on Saturday thanked the people who showed their “unwavering” support for his nomination.

“My candidature at the ILC was a challenging campaign throughout but we met it head-on. Unfortunately, we did not succeed,” he said in a press statement.

According to reports, Roque received the least number of votes among 11 candidates from the Asia-Pacific bloc seeking to be part of the eight-seat ILC. Nominees from the Asia-Pacific states bracket who secured ILC seats include

those from India, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Cyprus, and Mongolia.

Roque’s ILC bid was met with strong opposition from Filipino lawyers.

Less than a week before the ILC election, about 152 Filipino lawyers urged United Nations member-states to reject Roque’s ILC nomination, saying they are “scandalized” by Roque’s “spins and reinvention of basic legal principles and concepts in his zealousness to repackage President (Rodrigo) Duterte’s pronouncements of questionable legal and constitutional bases.”

Despite his defeat, Roque thanked Duterte and the Philippine government for his nomination to the ILC post.

READY FOR CLASS.

Teachers at St. Mary’s Elementary School place duct tapes on seats on Saturday to maintain physical distance among students who will participate in the pilot face-to-face classes in Marikina City. The Office of the President approved the implementation of pilot face-to-face classes on Nov. 15 for public schools and Nov.22 for private schools. Manny Palmero

WORLD

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

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COP26 negotiations stumble on climate cash‘cliffhanger’

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LASGOW—Nations were trying to rebuild bridges at the COP26 summit on Saturday after talks faltered overnight, when rich emitters refused a request to help developing economies meet mounting financial losses from climate change.

Delegates from some 200 countries are in Glasgow to try to hammer out how to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement goals to limit temperature rises to 1.5-2.0 degrees Celsius.

But the issue of finance -- how vulnerable nations are supported to green their grids and brace against climate impacts -- has stalked the two-week negotiations, after wealthy nations failed to stump up the $100 billion annually they promised over a decade ago.

The deadlock pushed COP26 past its scheduled end on Friday evening, with the summit’s UK presidency confirming that a new draft text would only be published for scrutiny on Saturday.

Countries already battered by climate disasters such as record-breaking drought, flooding and storms are demanding they be compensated separately for “loss and damage” and have made it a red line.

However, a proposal to include the creation of a dedicated facility to administer loss and damage support was quashed by historic emitters, led by the United States, delegates said.

Amadou Sebory Toure, head of the G77+China negotiating bloc, told AFP the proposal was “put forward by the entire developing world, representing six of every seven people on Earth”.

He said separate finance was needed “to

effectively respond to our needs to address the loss and damage being inflicted on our peoples, our communities, our economies, by the impacts of climate change”.

Alden Meyer, senior associate at climate policy thinktank E3G, said loss and damage talks were a “cliffhanger moment” for the entire summit.

“The people on the frontlines are not the ones who caused the problem, we have an ethical responsibility to help in a problem they didn’t create,” he said.

Developing nations say it is unfair for the summit to produce an unbalanced agreement on “mitigation” -- how economies can ditch fossil fuels by 2050.

They want specific instruction on how they can meet the bill of decarbonizing while also adapting to the natural disasters supercharged by global warming.

Before Friday night’s deadline came and went, more than 100 indigenous and other protesters marched through the summit venue demanding the rich world honor its promises. AFP

FREEDOM FROM COVID. Activists and

members of the Freedom and Rights Coalition perform a haka during a protest march to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions and mandatory vaccination in Christchurch on November 13. AFP

Blow to media: Oz scribe visa to HK nixed HONG KONG has refused to renew the visa of an Australian correspondent from The Economist, the newspaper’s chief editor said, as authorities in the Chinese city tighten a crackdown on free speech and dissent.

Sue-lin Wong is at least the third foreign journalist working in Hong Kong to be forced out in recent years.

Press freedoms in the once-outspoken city have been reined in as China remoulds Hong Kong, following huge democracy protests in 2019 and Beijing’s imposition of a strict national security law last year.

Wong, who is not currently in Hong Kong, was refused permission to return to work in the city, Zanny Minton Beddoes, the London-based weekly’s chief editor, said in a statement on Friday.

“We regret their decision, which was given without explanation,” she said.

“We urge the government of Hong Kong to maintain access for the foreign press, which is vital to the territory’s standing as an international city,” she added.

Beijing has been at loggerheads with both Britain and Australia in recent years over issues including trade and support for Hong Kong’s democracy protesters. AFP

MAFIA EVIDENCE. This image grabbed from a video handout on November 12 by the Guardia di Finanza, the Italian law enforcement agency, shows a watch found by members of the Guardia di Finanza dog squad from Nicolosi, Catania, in a lava cave on the Etna volcano near Zafferana Etnea, Sicily. Half a century after investigative journalist Mauro De Mauro disappeared in Sicily, the discovery of a body in a cave has raised fresh hopes of cracking one of Italy’s mafia mysteries. AFP

Musk sells $6.9b in Tesla shares after Twitter poll NEW YORK —Tesla CEO Elon Musk sold more than $6.9 billion worth of shares in the electric carmaker this week, according to regulatory filings released Friday.

The 50-year-old South African billionaire sold more than 5.1 million Tesla shares, of which about 4.2 million were held in a trust.

Musk is the world’s richest person, worth $294 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

His massive disposal hit Tesla’s share price, which slumped 15.4 percent over the week.

Tesla last month became the latest US tech giant to hit $1 trillion in market value.

Musk’s selloff came days after he created a Twitter poll -- in which millions voted -- asking whether he should sell 10 percent of his huge stake in the electric carmaker.

On Saturday, Musk tweeted: “Much is made lately of unrealized gains being a means of tax avoidance, so I propose selling 10% of my Tesla stock. Do you support this?”

In the poll, almost 58 percent of the 3.5 million votes cast were in favor of him proceeding with the sale.

Tesla shares had plummeted at the Wall Street opening on Monday and have fallen further since.

The stock Musk disposed of this week was sold at a significantly lower share price than if he had sold before his tweet.

Regulatory filings showed the tech entrepreneur had initiated the sale of at least some of these shares ahead of the Twitter poll.

According to the latest filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Musk still holds about 167 million Tesla shares.

Musk’s stock sale will be liable for capital gains tax of at least $1.4 billion.

His tweets followed a proposal by US Congressional Democrats to tax the super wealthy more heavily by targeting stocks, which are usually only taxed when sold. AFP

Judge dissolves Britney Spears guardianship LOS ANGELES -- A Los Angeles judge Friday terminated the controversial guardianship that has controlled pop star Britney Spears’ life for the past 13 years, handing back her freedom along with control of a multi-million-dollar estate.

The ruling, greeted with raucous cheers and showers of pink confetti by Spears’ fans outside the downtown courthouse, ends a conservatorship long overseen by her father, and which the “Toxic” singer has described as abusive.

“Best day ever... praise the Lord... can I get an Amen,” wrote Spears on Instagram, using the hashtag “#FreedBritney.”

“I can’t freaking believe it!” she added.

The formal end to the guardianship comes after the pop princess’s father Jamie Spears was removed from his position in charge of her finances and estate at a hearing in September.

Both sides reiterated their support for swiftly ending the guardianship at the start of Friday’s brief hearing.

“Effective today... the conservatorship of the person and estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated. And that is the order of the court,” said Judge Brenda Penny.

Friday’s hearing capped a long campaign by Spears and her legion of global fans to end a conservatorship that began after her highly public 2007 breakdown, when the star attacked a paparazzo’s car at a gas station.

Judge Penny agreed with Spears’ request for the arrangement to end without need for a mental evaluation -- on the basis that “this was a voluntary conservatorship” and that “all parties agree.”

“The court finds and determines that the conservatorship of the person and estate of Britney Jean Spears is no longer required,” she ruled.

- ‘Perfectly capable’ Fans outside the courthouse who had been campaigning for the conservatorship to end for years could hardly contain their joy and relief.

AFP

Honduras president backs Taiwan on visit to island Putin: US, NATO Black Sea drills a dare to Russia

TAIPEI -- Outgoing Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez on Saturday reaffirmed his support for Taiwan during a visit to the island, ahead of elections in which his successor may switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing.

China considers self-ruled Taiwan to be a part of its territory to be taken one day, by force if necessary, and has ramped up pressure on Taipei in recent years.

It has also poached Taiwan’s diplomat-

ic allies, including three in Latin America -- Panama, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic. Honduras is among only 15 countries that recognize Taipei over Beijing.

“It’s in difficult times that you get to know your friends better,” Hernandez said. “In this moment of tensions in the region, Honduras is here, always close to Taiwan.”

But Hernandez’s three-day visit to Taiwan comes just weeks before his country

elects a new leader.

The main opposition party has vowed to switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing.

Latin America has been a key diplomatic battleground for decades between Taiwan and China since they split in 1949 after a civil war.

Taipei has recently also accused Beijing of trying to lure away its allies in that region by offering COVID-19 vaccines.

AFP

Outback flooding strands family SYDNEY -- Torrential rain has left a family stranded in the Australian Outback, with authorities warning the rescue could take days.

The family of two adults and two children was travelling through the remote Simpson Desert in the centre of Australia when their campervan became bogged down on Friday.

Responding to an emergency beacon, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) had to airdrop a satellite phone to communicate with the family due to flooding and the isolation of the area, about 150 kilometres (93 miles) northwest of the small town Oodnadatta.

“AMSA made contact with the heavily bogged campervan about 2:30 pm (Friday) and confirmed there were no injuries and had adequate supplies,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Police told national broadcaster ABC that although conditions were easing, overflowing rivers meant the family might be stuck until at least Monday.

“As the weather continues to improve, we will assess the best time to coordinate the recovery of the family and vehicle,” police said.

Severe storms have swept through Australia recently, with the desert town of Alice Springs receiving its highest daily rainfall since 2001 earlier this week, turning the usually dusty Todd River into a swelling stream.

Wild weather has also triggered flooding and warnings in large parts of the country’s south and east.

In the past few years, Australia has suffered increasingly extreme climate-fueled droughts, wildfires, and floods. AFP

SOLO MARCHER. Cuban dissident and leader of Archipiélago movement

Yunior Garcia, poses for a picture during an interview with AFP in his house of San Agustin neighborhood in Havana, on November 12, 2021. Yunior was warned by Cuban police that he will be jailed if he decides to stage a solo march on a central Havana street on November 14, in protest against the government. AFP

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview aired Saturday that Moscow considered recent Black Sea exercises by the US and other NATO ships as a serious challenge.

“The United States and its allies in NATO are carrying out unplanned exercises in the Black Sea. Not only is a rather powerful naval group involved in these exercises, but also aviation, including strategic aviation. This is a serious challenge for us,” he said in an interview with state broadcaster Vesti.

His comments came after Washington this week raised alarms over Russian military activities close to Ukraine’s border.

Putin said that his defense ministry “had a proposal to hold its own unplanned exercises in the same waters.”

“But I believe that this is inappropriate and there is no need to further escalate the situation there,” he said.

On Wednesday, US top diplomat Antony Blinken warned Moscow against making another “serious mistake” on Ukraine as Washington sought clarity about troop movements near the border. AFP

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

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Investa unlocks financial opportunities for Filipinos Investa team

I

NVESTA, a finalist in the 2020 Emerge X Startup Competition, launched an innovative investment platform built on Microsoft Azure to provide Filipinos with inclusive access to low-cost investment opportunities and financial benefits.

More Filipinos have been investing in the stock market, with the rise of financial technology and online trading platforms, making investing more convenient and accessible. Despite this increase, only 1.27 percent of Filipinos invest in equities partly because of insufficient financial awareness and education.

“We started Investa with the aim to empower Filipinos to achieve financial freedom,” said Airwyn Tin, co-founder and chief technology officer of Investa.

“Investing in the stock market is a viable way to augment income towards financial security and success, but most people lack

the knowledge and skills needed in stock trading. There is also a lack of user-friendly and affordable investment platforms, which ultimately led us to build our own. Investa aimed to address these gaps by providing a wide array of learning resources, tools, analytics, and now, the new Investa app has evolved into a first investment platform designed for every Filipino,” Tin said.

In its initial deployment, Investa was a learning tool, giving users access to investment strategies, insights and even a virtual trading platform to simulate the experience of buying and selling stocks without actual financial

last year, and were chosen as a finalist. This kickstarted a yearlong mentorship program with Microsoft for Startups designed to help them scale and accelerate their growth.

Microsoft also helped Investa set up its cloud infrastructure on Microsoft Azure, allowing the platform to handle more users and workloads without compromising speed or performance, even during peak usage.

Investa also utilizes Azure DevOps and Azure Application Insights to help detect errors in advance, so the platform gets fixed immediately. To ensure data security, Investa harnessed a wide array of Microsoft Azure’s security options, which are configurable and can be customized based on their specific security requirements. Microsoft Azure’s offering for financial services is also designed to enhance risk management and counter fraud.

With their platform powered

by Microsoft Azure, Investa is well-positioned to onboard more users as it looks to expand its reach further in the country and abroad.

“Awareness and literacy are critical to any positive financial outlook. Investa’s easy-to-use platform enables Filipinos to learn how to invest their money in a smart way. Moreover, as more individual investors participate in the stock market, they help new and established enterprises raise capital to open new business opportunities, accelerating the country’s economic recovery. We will continuously support the growth of Investa so that more people can have these opportunities fully and inclusively,” said Abid Zaidi, chief marketing and operations officer at Microsoft Philippines.

The app is now in beta phase with ongoing registration for early access at http://invs.st/ NewInvestaApp.

Money transfers make difference on OFW families

First Circle chief executive Patrick Lynch (third from right), together with Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and First Circle team members

PH fintech firm cuts interest rates THE lending industry has steadily contracted since the start of the pandemic, with modest signs of recovery only starting to show in September this year. It’s a good sign, but progress is sluggish as banks remain understandably cautious with their loan books.

Amid this seemingly unanimous apprehension, First Circle—the financial technology company that supports growing SMEs—announced that it will cut interest rates for their flagship loan product to as little as 1.39 percent per month. The move comes as part of an aggressive plan to provide business loans at 0.99 percent by 2022, which would be some of the cheapest non-collateral financing available to local SMEs. When asked what prompted the decision, First Circle chief executive Patrick Lynch said: “We have seen first-hand the strength and resilience of business owners across the Philippines who have stared defeat in the face and come out stronger on the other side”.

risks. The platform also provides updates on publicly-listed companies and facilitates a community of traders where members can share news and insights.

Today, Investa has over 1 million users and averaging 20 million views per month and has evolved into a full-fledged investment platform, catering to all Filipinos.

“With the new Investa app, anyone can invest in the best-performing mutual funds in the country and even abroad, even with minimal funds. People can do so according to their risk profiles and financial goals. Whether they be conservative investors or high risk-takers, they can choose the funds that suit their lifestyle,” said Tin. Looking to create a scalable and secure platform, Investa teamed up with Microsoft. They joined Microsoft’s regional Emerge X competition, which was held at the Philippine Startup week

“Families and communities across the Philippines rely on these businesses for their livelihood, and today First Circle is taking a huge step to ensure SMEs can bounce back quickly,” said Lynch.

In addition to First Circle’s ambitious plan to drop rates below 1 percent by 2022, they are planning to make more than P2 billion of fresh capital available for SMEs before the year ends—a move that stands in stark contrast to what’s going on in the rest of the lending sector.

“Making it out of this recession is going to be a long game, and we know that. But the -ber months always present businesses with unique opportunities that just can’t wait. We are confident in our underwriting capabilities, so we don’t feel the need to be as conservative as other lenders. Our customers are smart business owners who have a very healthy mindset towards taking credit,” said First Circle head of customer success Marcus Erlano.

“It was painful to leave my family because REMITTANCES from overseas Filipino workers are Filipinos are very family-oriented,” said Glenn, expected to increase as the holiday season a recent Filipino immigrant in Canada. For approaches.

Glenn, being able to provide for his family The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported a was his main motivation for moving 5.1-percent increase in remittances in August abroad. which would likely be sustained through the “I think Filipinos are generous fourth quarter, with the Christmas holiday because of the collectivist culture. season traditionally one of the busiest We always want to stick together, and times to send money overseas. family is first. Sending money back More than contributing to the home is a way of giving back to your economic recovery of the Philippines, family, and you just feel very good about remittances have positively impacted yourself that you’re helping your family countless Filipino lives on a personal level. and the community,” he said.

Despite the hurdles of being away from Earl Melivo, country director for the home, OFWs continued to provide for their Philippines at WorldRemit, said: “We at loved ones, contributing to their education, Remittances positively impact healthcare and the establishment of their countless lives on a personal WorldRemit understand the transformative power of remittances and how they own businesses. level. improve the lives of Filipinos everywhere.

Melchor Galeon, a Filipino living in Canada who founded and manages FV Foods, a successful Filipino Through remittances, Filipinos have improved different food business in Toronto, said: “I know a lot of Filipinos aspects of their lives from providing quality education who are always ‘looking back home’. For them, Canada is to their children, to starting their own businesses a second home and the Philippines is still their main home. and for many, building their dream home. We remain committed to supporting them on their journey to better That’s because many of them have family back there.”

Galeon said he has worked hard to provide for his family opportunities.”

WorldRemit provides Filipinos working overseas a in Toronto but also to take care of his 86-year-old mother who lives in the Philippines. He sends money to her every fast, convenient and secure way to send money to their month through digital payments service WorldRemit to loved ones in the Philippines. Over the last 11 years, the pay for her medication and caregivers and other everyday company has worked to ensure that OFW’s hard-earned money goes further and empowers them with more needs.

“We’ve been working with WorldRemit since the freedom to fulfill their dreams and ambitions.

Liebe Ann, a Filipina living in Bavaria, Germany, has beginning really. I’ve used the WorldRemit services ever since they started promoting themselves to the Filipino supported her siblings’ education by sending them community,” he said, adding that the brand has provided money through WorldRemit. “We all know how important him and his family with trustworthy and reliable service for education is. It is one of the most important things that our parents and loved ones can pass onto us, and we more than a decade.

For many Filipinos abroad and especially those who have should cherish it and thank them for the sacrifices they made to give us an education,” she said. migrated on their own, the transition has not been easy.

Bria goes to General Santos FULLY-VACCINATED Filipinos are gradually regaining their mobility and the power to restore normalcy at work, business and livelihood.

A place that is fast adapting to life, postpandemic, is General Santos City in the province of South Cotabato. Touted as one of the most highly urbanized, first-class cities in the Soccksargen region, General Santos is home to bustling businesses in Mindanao.

Gensan’s younger generation of professionals and entrepreneurs are no longer eyeing relocation to distant places for a productive

life. Finding abundant opportunities right in the place of their birth, they seek modern and comfortable homes in General Santos where they may remain close to their families as they stay close to the action.

Gensan-born overseas Filipino workers are also embracing the prospect of coming back not only to their old hometown but to settle down in a safe and secure residential community in their beloved city. As a reward for their years of hard work, buying a beautiful home as their retirement place or as a wise investment is top of mind.

Bria Homes General Santos City offers highquality living spaces for families of all sizes.

For them, there’s no better home of choice than the finely built and well-designed dwellings found in Bria Homes General Santos.

Red Rosales, president of Bria Homes, agrees and sees Bria General Santos as a home of choice of OFWs and longtime Gensan residents. “Bria has always encouraged Filipinos to come home to roost,” says Rosales. “Whether they left to toil abroad or simply relocated to the big cities to find success, Gensan’s old-time locals have Bria General Santos City to come back to.

Bria will always see to that.”

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

Team Philippines on top of the team standings

Team PH tops Tong-Il Modo Online World Mastership tilt

T

n By CHARLES MYUNG SHIN GAVARAN AND YEONPHIL DONNA JUMAWAN

HE Philippines emerged the overall champion in the TongIl Modo Online World Martial Arts Mastership tournament, hoisting the Filipinos’ indomitable spirit and skills with a total haul of three gold, two silver, and three bronze medals.

Team Philippines’ Jennifer Bertulfo displays her skills in the Female Individual Bon.

Raymark Bais of the Philippines performs in the Male Individual Bong.

There used to be actual combat competitions before the Covid19 pandemic where Filipinos can display their endurance, courage, and passion.

With the use of online technology, the best in the world has a platform to display their wares.

Participants came from 13 different competitive regions in the world including the reigning world champion, Korea. The competition started in October and all Filipino participants qualified for the top eight finalists.

Winning gold for the Philippines were Jennifer Bertulfo in Female Individual Bon; Jennifer Bertulfo, Rogelyn Valdez, and Jhonie Buagas in the Mixed Team Bon; Jonel Decosto and Jemwel Peralta in the Male One Step Sparring.

Bagging silver medals were Rogelyn Valdez, Jennifer Bertulfo, and Wendy Atilla in the Female Team Bon and the pair of Valdez and Bertulfo in the Female One Step Sparring.

Taking the bronze medals were Raymark Bais in the Male Individual Bon; Bertulfo, Ceniza, Larga, Buagas, and Sayam in the Mixed Team Gi-Choom; and the duo of

Francis Ebatabos, Jonathan Ebatabos in the Male One Step Sparring The Online Worlds Martial Arts Mastership was officiated by the outstanding officials and world leaders of Tong-Il Moo Do; The Founder of TIMD - Great Grandmaster Dr. Joon Ho Seuk, the International President of World Tong-Il Moo Do Federation - Grandmaster Dr. Takamitsu Hashiko, The Executive VP and Gen Sec of WTMF - Grandmaster Dr. Venus Agustin and the Asia-Pacific TIMD President - Master Bernardino Villagante.

Dedication and hardwork The feat required months of dedication and hardwork in training.

In an interview with their Assistant Coach Dea Subingsubing, she said, “It was quite challenging to participate because of the Covid-19 restrictions in our respective areas. But these didn’t stop our players from representing our country.”

She added that the key to their victory is their ‘constant online communication and evaluation’ based on the standards and criteria provided by the World Martial Arts Mastership Committee (WMC). “Whenever

our players need to clarify something, they will immediately let us know and we tried to help them in the best way we could”.

Bertulfo shared her best practices after notching two gold and a silver medal, “First, time management sa online class ko and sa training. I always prepare myself kahit walang events. Kahit pagod ka na kailangan mong pilitin ang sarili mo. Willing din talaga ako sa mga ginawa ko kaya okay lang na mahirapan.”

(First of all, time management in an online class and martial arts training. I always prepare myself even if there are no prior events. Even if you are tired, you have to push through your limits. I’m also willing and passionate about what I’m doing so I don’t find it hard.)

She also advised aspiring martial artists to ‘continue what you wanted to do in your life and be who you are… accept your weaknesses and have the willingness to do what you’re doing.’

Strength and Values Tong il Moo Do is not just a martial art, it’s a unified way of life. It balances and unifies both the physical and spiritual aspects of

life. It has all what it takes to lead a meaningful life; passion, dedication, discipline, and will.

An art that practices unarmed self-defense techniques, Tong-Il Modo strengthens one’s mental and spiritual strength through building a sound character.

In Korea, “Tong-Il” means “unification” and “Moo Do” is often translated as “martial art”, so it literally translates as “Unified Martial Art.” In a unified martial arts system, circular movement is the subject and linear movement is the object, and it gives meaning and value to both movements.

The Unification Principle where TIMD is rooted can be learned through its training and felt and implemented through the body.

The Unification Principle is the absolute universal values based upon the heart, true love, and conscience, which unifies spiritual and material values. Its core idea is the idea of “Loving Heaven, Loving Humanity, and Loving the Nation”. It is a new principle that can unify the mind and the body, help one to create a happy family, and to achieve a peaceful world with true love.

On January 5, 1979, Grand Master Joon Ho Seuk founded the ‘way of the unified martial arts’ or Tong-Il Moo Do, which was originally called Wonhwa-do, which meant “The Way of Circular Harmony,” but it was later renamed.

Originally inspired by the teachings of Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon. Over the years, it has maintained its mission of educating martial arts practitioners who are not only physically and technically proficient but also equipped with spiritual values like self-discipline, filial piety, and service to others.

During the early 1980s, Dr. Seuk gave lectures on Unification Thought and organized exhibitions of Tong-Il Moo-Do on American university campuses.

There were many leftist ideologies exposed to university students in the United States during this time. When the first martial arts tour took place leftist students attempted to hinder the tour in any way they could. A great number of students, however, showed a great deal of interest in the lectures.

Growth in PH One of the university student in America, a Filipino named Gerry Servito, found a unique way to teach values and was inspired by his time on the tour to become an instructor of TIMD. He became a TIMD instructor and later was sent to another country to build the foundation for TIMD. His first mission was to go to the Philippines where he began teaching Tong-Il MooDo in the mid-80s and produced more than 100 young black belts.

They began to proliferate TIMD in the country and got thousands of students.

In a bid to provide instruction for all these students who want to learn TIMD, a Manila Headquarters was established.

Additionally, several new branches were opened across the Philippines so that individuals could not just concentrate in one area.

Philippine TIMD students have grown into instructors and have shared a mission to spread the art throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.

Tong-Il Moo Do Federation Philippines launched its “Zero to Hero” project in 2017, targeting out-of-school youths to undergo three series of 120-day Tong-Il Moo Do Instructors Training Programs and Peace Studies within one year.

It was created with the goal of raising pioneer TIMD instructors who were assigned to 81 provinces in the Philippines, then to Asia, and eventually, the world.

“The growth of TIMD in the Philippines was a product of a total investment by those who understand the philosophy of TIMD because those I consider pioneers never give up and they understood in heart clearly the long term contribution of TIMD not only its potential contribution in sports but more importantly in the character development of the youth and the adult alike,” said TIMD Grandmaster Dr. Venus Agustin, adviser of the World Tong-Il Modo Federation.

Despite the difficulties in the Covid19 pandemic, TIMD-Philippines continues to grow and prosper. There are more and more online competitions locally and internationally, online access has made it easier to train.

“I have the hope that TIMD can make a difference when it comes to martial arts. I am looking forward that being one of the co-founders of the World Martial Arts Championships Committee (WMC) based in Chungju, Korea which was recognized by UNESCO as an NGO, we will become a member of GAISEF and recognized by IOC, and with its membership expanded in all continents.

And also hoping that TIMD will soon become an official member of Philippine Olympic Committee.”

dsfd

Parañaque, Glutagence lead WNBL semis series Games Sunday (Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center) 11:15 a.m. – Glutagence vs. Taguig 1:15 p.m. – Quezon vs. Paranaque

THE Paranaque Lady Aces and the Glutagence Glow Boosters moved one win away from arranging a finals match-up after taking Game 1 of the Pia Cayetano WNBL Season 2021 semifinals at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center on Saturday.

The Lady Aces defeated the Quezon Lady Spartans, 98-56, while the Glow Boosters won over the Taguig Lady Generals, 62-53, to draw first blood in the best-of-three semifinal series.

Allana Lim led Paranaque with 21 points and seven rebounds as her team started the game with a 12-0 run and never looked back in winning Game 1.

Raiza Palmera-Dy had 20 points

for Glutagence including key baskets in the fourth to stave off a rally by the Lady Generals in the series opener.

Paranaque and Glutagence can close out the series on Sunday at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

Marydyn Tingcang scored 17 points for the top-seed Lady Aces as they even took a 42-point lead in the contest against the fourth-seed Lady Spartans.

Khate Castillo scored 14 points but the third-ranked Glutagence saw its lead down to two points, 41-39, early in the fourth but Palmera-Dy took command and buried a crucial triple in a 7-0 run to protect the advantage.

Chicky Faraon led Quezon with 13 points and eight rebounds for the Lady SparTAN as they look to bounce back in Game 2.

Lorraine Capilit had 15 points for

Taguig, whose gallant stand after coming back from a 19-point deficit fell short due to the heroics of Palmera-Dy. Scores:

Nowhere to go for Eliezza Dianne Ventura in the face of the clamping defense of the Paranaque Aces

First game Paranaque 98 – Lim 21, Tingcang 17, Castro 10, Solis 7, Gloriani 6, Ventura 6, Reyes 4, Bahuyan 4, Tolentino 4, Galicia 4, Siat 4, Dela Merced 4, Santos 3, Alcoy 2, Angeles 2.

Quezon 56 – Faraon 13, Ventura 11, Taroja 9, Jimenez 6, Valenzuela 5, Razalo 4, Araja 4, Nadres 3, Iida 1, Naynes 0, Tupaz 0, De Austria 0.

Quarterscores: 30-8, 50-24, 73-40, 98-56.

Second game Glutagence 62 – Palmera-Dy 20, Castillo 14, Sangalang 6, Figuracion 5, Lualhati 4, Gula 4, Claro 4, Cancio 3, Salapong 2, Garcia 0, Tan 0, Cainglet

0, Hufanda 0.

Taguig 53 – Capilit 15, Del Carmen 8, Sison 6, Hortaleza 6, Duazo 5, Gandalla 5, Bacaro 4,

Positos 2, Gonato 2, Chan 0, Ventura 0, Manuel 0, Felisarta 0.

Quarterscores: 16-9, 31-18, 4138, 62-53.

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

MOVIE DATE. Cinemas in Metro Manila and other parts of the country are reopening with new rules in place — (from left) Bonifacio High Street Cinema employees clean seats and other surfaces after every screening, Power Plant Mall Cinema implements a ’socially distanced’ seating arrangement, BHS Cinema only allows eating at the space in the lobby, and Megaword Lifestyle Malls encourages patrons to purchase movie tickets online.

Cinemas are open again, what to expect if you are going

By Monica Sanchez

I

T HAS been almost two years that we here in the Philippines were deprived of watching movies on the big screen.

Sure, there are large televisions that money can buy, but there is nothing quite like the whole experience of dressing up and going to the cinema, buying snacks and eating them during the previews, and enjoying a film and sharing that moment with friends.

But the very essence of this shared experience – in an enclosed space no less – could make many moviegoers reluctant to do it again amid a pandemic.

Following the easing of restrictions in Metro Manila and other parts of the country, cinemas are slowly reopening their doors to the fully vaccinated public. On Nov. 10, Bonifacio High Street Cinemas started screening movies again. Dune and A Quiet Place Part 2 were screened at the reopening.

This time, however, the experience is slightly tweaked to meet current health protocols. Moviegoers will be asked to show their vaccination cards (with completed dosage) upon entry. Temperature

dining space in the cinema lobby for those who want to eat before or after the movie screening.

BHS uses UV light before and after screening to clean and disinfect the areas. Hand sanitizers and alcohol are also available for guests’ use.

As per the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines’ (CEAP) protocols, hand washing every 30 minutes is mandatory for cinema employees, deep cleaning of seats and other surfaces is conducted after every screening, and theaters must have improved air ventilation.

BHS cinemas are open every Wednesday to Sunday only. Ticket reservations and purchases can be done from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily.

According to CEAP, other cinemas now open in Metro Manila aside from BHS include Century City Mall, Circuit, Glorietta 4, and Power Plant in Makati; Fishermall in Malabon; Cinerama and Lucky Holding hands Chinatown in Manila; Festival Mall in Muntinlupa; and kissing are not Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque; Newport allowed in cinemas Mall in Pasay; Cloverleaf, Eastwood, Fairview Teras moviegoers sit races, Fishermall, Gateway, and TriNoma in Queseparately and wear zon City; Greenhills and Santolan Town Plaza in face masks while San Juan; and Market! Market!, Uptown, and Venwatching. ice in Taguig.

Sta. Lucia in Rizal; Southwoods in Laguna; Fora will be checked and health declaration forms must Face masks must be worn while inside, and in Tagaytay; Magic Star in Tarlac; Festive Walk in be filled out before purchasing tickets. Contactless food and drinks (except water bottles) are tem- Iloilo; and Alturas, Bohol Quality, and Island City transactions via QR codes are in place. porarily not allowed. BHS has instead created a in Bohol have also reopened.

Girl group sings about women empowerment RIYO, Ruri, Reina, and Risa of girl group R Rules are set to make a splash in the music scene with empowering songs.

Formerly known as Japh Dolls, the fourpiece girl group recently joined MCA Music, Inc. and is currently training to hone their skills and continue inspiring fans.

“Through our music, we want to showcase women empowerment,” says the group. “Women can work hard and still enjoy life. We want to express how we can be independent and still be happy with our lives.”

They add, “In terms of music genre, we are pop. But more importantly, we will sound like our goals, visions, and anything that inspires them.”

Previously signed under a different label, R Rules’ compelling story and unique vision caught the attention of MCA Music. “We found about R Rules through my co-A&R Daddy A of Def Jam Philippines,” relates Lloyd “Tiny” Corpuz, senior A&R (artists and repertoire) manager - pop label at UMG Philippines.

“He endorsed the ladies to the team,

Riyo, Ruri, Reina, and Risa of the P-pop girl group R Rules are fluent in Filipino, English, and Japanese.

The ‘Double Pandemic, Deadly Combination’ infotainment video tackles the danger of trans fats.

Teen talks about ‘twindemic’ in online exhibit and we happily took them in because of from scratch. We want to guide them evtheir story. They were a girl group before ery step of the way.” with a different name. But we want to The group will be releasing its official approach things differently by starting debut single under MCA Music soon.

Filipino Sign Language app to be launched A MOBILE application that serves as a The app, dubbed FSL Buddy 2.0, was students enrolled in the De La Salle-College guide for Filipino Sign Language (FSL) created for those interested in FSL, and to of Saint Benilde FSL Learning Program.

FSL, the natural sign language used by serve as a supplementary e-resource for will soon be available. the majority of the Filipino Deaf individuals, hearing interpreters, and allies, is a form of visual and manual communication with its own linguistic features such as grammar and syntax.

The user-friendly app allows learners to easily search or browse through categories. It includes sensitivity and awareness orientation about the Deaf, complemented with lessons on foundational visual-gestural communication.

The first edition released in 2018 had over 200 FSL signs that ranged from the alphabet, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs to numbers such as time, months, and years. FSL Buddy 2.0 is set to include more requested signs and phrases.

The current version likewise provides interpretations for family members, animals, places, food, and colors. It contains educational videos with a Deaf signer demonstrating variations of the FSL signs with the equivalent words and phrases.

FSL Buddy will soon launch a second edition with more signs and phrases. The current version has educational videos with a Deaf signer demonstrating the variations of the FSL signs.

A SCIENCE high school graduate ened immune systems, older warns of a “double pandemic” in a people and those with underlying short infotainment video for a digi- medical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and tal art exhibition.

In “Double Pandemic, Deadly diabetes are also more likely to deCombination”, Elizah Bacani talks velop critical COVID-19.

“We can actually avoid the presabout the danger of trans fatty acence of trans fats in our country. Alids or trans fats.

The project, which attempts to though greatly reduced, they have describe trans fats in simple terms yet to be eliminated completely in through the visual medium, was our food supply. Laws should be originally written by filmmaker and enacted to declare that these fats content producer Seymour San- are no longer generally recognized chez under the “(Un)Covering Trans as safe. A deadline must be set for Fats Media Training and Fellowship them to be banned,” he added.

“Double Pandemic, Deadly ComProgram Cycle 3” by Probe Media bination” is part of To Differ, DigitalFoundation, Inc. and ImagineLaw. ly 2: Love and Sanchez’s Dissent in the personal exTime of Panperience, demic (TDD2) along with of the De La his knowlSalle-College edge of the of Saint Beconnection nilde’s Center between for Campus trans fats and Art. cardiovascuCurator lar disease, Karen Ocaminspired the po-Flores exidea.

“My The teen characters talk about the plained that father-in-law ‘double pandemic’.

TDD2 “is not died last May only a fresh due to sepsis opportunity after getting the virus. He also had heart prob- to deliver messages of social comlems, which forms a deadly combi- mentary through the digital medium; it is also a timely response to nation with COVID-19,” he shared.

“I got a severe case of COVID last conditions brought by the present August and fortunately survived scourge of the COVID-19 virus”.

“Seymour Sanchez presents the ordeal despite my comorbidities,” revealed Sanchez. “As a kid- through the language of docuney transplant recipient, I am im- mentary video his own arguments munocompromised. My condition and inquiry into politics and public is a known comorbidity of COVID, health,” Flores said in describing which makes me more susceptible the works in the art exhibit available to severe symptoms of the disease.” for viewing at www.benildecampuAside from persons with weak- sart.com.

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

A taste of P world-class P-Pop

INOY Pop sensations BINI and BGYO made their triumphant debut as concert headliners in their epic two-night One Dream: The BINI & BGYO Concert, which showcased their talent, grit, and growth as P-pop groups since officially being launched only this year.

BINI, BGYO stage solid two-night virtual show

The concert trended worldwide on Twitter as both groups stunned fans with explosive non-stop performances of over 40 songs – complete with multiple wardrobe changes and unique choreography for each song – that stretched for four hours over two nights.

“One Dream,” which streamed worldwide last weekend (Nov. 6 and 7), saw the two groups gliding through the singles and deep cuts off of their debut albums, BGYO’s “The Light” and BINI’s “Born to Win.” Apart from performing some of their songs live for the first time, both groups also bonded with fans in a virtual post-concert fan meet, where they exchanged stories, played exciting games, and took pictures and videos.

They were also joined by KZ Tandingan for their live collaborations of “Labo” and “Marupok.” BINI performed “B HU U R” with rapper Kritiko, while AC Bonifacio lit up the stage with BGYO for an epic dance showdown.

Aside from sub-unit performances featuring the groups’ vocalists, dancers, and rappers, BINI and BGYO delivered a medley of Sarah Geronimo’s hits “Sa Iyo,” “Tala,” and “Kilometro,” Smokey Mountain’s “Better World” and “Paraiso,” and Pinoy Christmas classics “Christmas Party,” “Pasko sa Pinas,” and “Araw ng Pasko.”

ACEs and BLOOM, the groups’ official fandoms, were all praises for BGYO and BINI with “BINIxBGYO SIBLING CONCERT” trending worldwide and #OneDreamBINIxBGYOd2, #OneDreamBINIxBGYOconcertD1, “BGYO ANOTHER LEVEL CONCERT,” and “ONEDREAM THE BINI&BGYO CONCERT” making the trending list in the Philippines.

After their successful sibling concert, BGYO and BINI are now gearing up to perform in front of their international fans for the 1MX Ultimate Music Festival in Dubai where they will be joined by other Filipino acts on Dec. 3 at 10:00 p.m. (Manila time).

Fans can also look forward to the 1MX Ultimate Music Festival Manila with Filipino artists AC Bonifacio, Angela Ken, Carlo Bautista, FANA, Jayda, Jeremy G, Kritiko, Lian Kyla, Nameless Kids, SAB, and Trisha Denise on Dec. 4 at 11:00 a.m.

(Manila time). Tickets to the livestreaming of the first ever back-to-back musical festival are available on KTX.ph for P499 or $20 for viewers outside of the Philippines.

BINI and BGYO made their triumphant debut as concert headliners in their epic two-night ‘One Dream: The BINI & BGYO Concert’ last weekend.

Virgin at 16

Established in 2005, the Virgin Labfest is the premier playwrights festival in the country producing untried, untested, and unstaged works.

THIS y e a r ’s Virgin Labfest, hosted by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Writer’s Bloc, and Tanghalang Pilipino, Virgin Labfest on the digital platform anew, will focus on education, with festival components on FFF – Fair, Fellowship, and Flashback.

The festival will be streamed from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5 on the CCP, VLF, and Tanghalang Pilipino Facebook Pages.

The Playwrights Fair features conversations with playwrights from all over the country at 8:00 p.m. The Fair recognizes the works and life of the late artists/ playwrights who passed during this time of pandemic.

The event also features current

playwrights, their challenges, efforts, and experiences through virtual platforms used to cope with the situation the pandemic brings to the theater community, and to get updates about local and USbased theater communities, and actions they’ve been doing to cope with our current situation.

The Writing Fellowship Program will be conducted from Nov. 16 to Dec. 5 under the tutelage of award-winning playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas. The Culminating Activity which will be streamed for public viewing on Dec. 5 will be directed by Dennis Marasigan.

While the conditions of the pandemic precluded the staging of new works, for Flashback, the festival will feature some of the

best works from VLF 1 – 15, culled from the extensive archives of the CCP. For 2021, the festival takes on “Yakap” (embrace) as its catchphrase.

This year, the festival strives to emem brace the artistic commucommu nity as it strives to survive the terrible pandemic; emem brace new possibilities and new narratives emboldened by the times, and embrace the audience with works that have provided comfort and enjoyment in the past.

Established in 2005, the Virgin Labfest is the premier playwrights festival in the country producing untried, untested, and unstaged works. It is known for programming and providing support for the development of plays that dare define and defy the times.

For more information, follow VLF on CCP Social Media platforms, or visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.

MSFTZ drops debut EP SOUTH Korean singer-songwriter msftz (pronounced “misfits”) arrives today with her very first EP ‘Belief’ via Sony Music EnEn tertainment Korea.

From the beginnings of putting out her work on SoundSound Cloud, msftz now captures the attention of many estabestab lished Korean musicians today. Drawing influences from her classical music background, msftz isn’t shy about crossing genres of pop, ballad, R&B, and Hip-hop when creating her music. Having recently collaborated with SingaporSingapor ean singer-songwriter Sezairi for the single “Blue”, msftz continues to push her boundaries musically.

Comprised of six tracks in total, msftz paints her perper ception of “belief” in each of the songs from the EP. As a fellow “Gen Z”, she presents a relatable story that the youth can connect to with her crafty lyrics and tunes.

“I felt that I wouldn’t be the only one having all these worries and complicated emotions, so I thought that it’d be interesting to express this musically,” says msftz. “I hope all those who are listening to my album don’t overthink. I hope that they could freely express themselves and believe in themselves.”

This EP will be an embodiment of msftz growth as a musician, which aims to showcase her skills in not only producing, arranging but also lyric writwrit ing. Her lead track “Heart” is a medium pop track that talks about falling into an inescapable one-sided love. It expresses the singer’s thoughts and perceppercep tions of the youth’s way of love through her playful lyrics. The track is accompanied by a video that stars the musician herself as a pure-hearted girl who has fallen in love.

Prior to her debut, msftz was known on SoundCloud as a singer-songwriter under the name ‘Chicken’ with an established following of fans.

Justin Bieber transforms into avatar in futuristic show

Justin Bieber is set to perform as an avatar in an upcoming interactive online concert.

GLOBAL superstar Justin Bieber has announced he is partnering with Wave, the leader in virtual entertainment, to bring fans inside his virtual universe with Justin Bieber - An Interactive Virtual Experience.

The groundbreaking collaboration will give fans a futuristic look into the metaverse, merging gaming, real time motion-capture, and live musical performance into an immersive interactive experience.

Audiences will go on an epic and intimate musical journey with Bieber and

see him perform songs from his #1 album Justice before kicking off his 2022 Justice World Tour.

Fans can sign up on wave.watch and experience the event for free on Nov. 18 at 6:00 p.m. PT/9:00 p.m. ET. Rebroadcasts will follow on Nov. 20 and 21 for audiences worldwide.

Wave’s technology will allow Bieber to transform into a digital avatar and perform a full live show for the first time in the metaverse.

Justin Bieber - An Interactive Virtual Experience offers audiences a

front-row seat to Bieber’s most immersive experience to date. Audiences will be able to engage with the Justin Bieber live experience like never before. They will have a chance to appear live on stage alongside Bieber during dedicated fan moments and influence his performance and environments in real-time.

“Justin Bieber is not only one of the world’s biggest artists, he is also one of the most forward-thinking. This partnership allows for limitless, virtual opportunities for him and his fans,”

said Adam Arrigo, CEO of Wave.

“By combining Wave’s technology with Justin’s creativity, we’ve created a unique, interactive experience that complements his upcoming physical tour,” he added.

“I am a big believer in Wave and love the platform as a new way for me to engage with my fans. I’m excited to be using this technology to bring people together and connect with fans from all over the world. I can’t wait for them to check out this interactive performance,” said Bieber.

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

Laying down negativity to rest in a pet cemetery

A

NIMAL Kingdom Foundation CLAWS PROTECTION

BY GREG SALIDO QUIMPO (AKF), in its nearly two decades of AND HEIDI MARQUEZ protecting and rescuing maltreated animals, especially the dogs that are slaughter-bound, has seen the worst atrocities inflicted on the Filipino dogs and cats. No doubt that man’s negative treatment of these animals have caused enormous suffering, or worse, their lives.

In the early days of rescuing the slaughterbound dogs, the dog traders crammed the hapless animals, about 70 to 100 of them restrained and tightly muzzled in a false-floor of a mini-van, and the dogs had to endure the seven-hour travel from south to the north of Luzon.

Half of them died in transit.

The horrendous cruelty to these animals starts from the moment they are kidnapped, snared, muzzled, restrained and kept in ridiculously cramped spaces until the moment they are bludgeoned to death.

AKF provides a burial ground, a garden of flowers and plants, inside its rescue center in Capas, Tarlac.

AKF’s Pet Cemetery of Negativity was built to give these maltreated animals a decent final resting place.

At the AKF cemetery lie the most loving creatures to walk the earth: the dogs. Some of them have names while the rest were recovered lifeless as victims of the dog meat trade.

It is said that dogs are angels with four paws and furs. As disguised heavenly creatures, dogs bring so much joy and benefits into our lives.

They guard us, make us exercise, listen to us and provide us endless companionship. They make us laugh and snuggle with us when they

see us sad. They give out all beneficial positive energies while we dump negative vibes on them.

They embrace even our dislikable selves.

Yet cruelty is inflicted on these gentle creatures. Many are hurt, stoned, stabbed, and even shot.

Buried here at the AKF cemetery with the dogs are some of the negativity that we wish the living dogs would never experience.

Here lies Kruel Ty, may he rest in peace and not bother any animal again.

Anne Wan Ted is here, too, buried so that all dogs will not feel discriminated, unloved and hurt.

Thin Tin, neglected, ignored and treated insignificantly, is buried here. May her experience of mistreatment remain in this burial place to spare other dogs of such painful fate.

The dogs suffered too much from human hands in various forms of cruelty, maltreatment, and neglect.

Hence, we thought it is best to use the cemetery as a way to bury all together these negative acts through the messages/names so that people can learn from these mistakes with a view of ending it too,” she added.

This is AKF's Cemetery of Negativity, may negativity remain buried here forever.

ADOPT LOVE THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON THERE are many individuals whose hearts are filled with love that they can love cats and dogs too.

I hope the person reading this is an animal lover who can adopt LOVE, a cat or a dog who are also bundles of joy.

Rescued dogs and cats need a family, a home where they are loved, fed, cared for, and are safe. While each human years for love and safety, so does each and every cat and dog on the street, in the pound, or in abusive environments.

I do hope you will consider adopting a rescued cat or dog, instead of buying one.

To adopt one of the rescues of Save ALL - Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL Inc.), please message them in Facebook. Here are two of them.

Gali, Mia and Borhap are siblings who were left on the side of the busy Commonwealth Avenue about four years ago. They were just days old. Save ALL fed them and gave them water every two hours, warmed them, and took care of all their needs like burping and stimulating (using cotton buds) their pooping and urinating because they had no mama.

Now they are healthy and well, and Save ALL hopes someone can adopt them, together or separately.

Macky is a pure breed Belgian Malinois whose owner died of cancer in 2019.

He was 3 years old then. He is now neutered and fully vaccinated. He is such a sweet dog. Save ALL is looking for an adopter with a big running area so this baby can expend his excess energy.

He is too sweet to be a guard dog though.