Rody ‘abhors’ Ayungin attack Blasts Beijing for unfriendly act in remarks at Asean-China Summit
Xi vows China won’t be a ‘bully,’ seek hegemony
By Vito Barcelo, Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz
P
RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday condemned the latest flare-up in the West Philippine Sea after Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannons at Filipino boats.
CHINA’S President Xi Jinping told leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that Beijing would not “bully” its smaller regional neighbors, two weeks after Chinese coast guard vessels fired water cannons at Filipino boats inside Philippine waters. In the face of Beijing’s growing aggressiveness in the South China Sea, Xi told the ASEANChina summit “we must jointly maintain the stability of the South China Sea and build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation.” But Xi said China would never seek hegemony nor take advantage of its size to coerce smaller
Duterte made the remarks at the ASEAN-China summit hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who vowed his country would “never seek hegemony, and certainly not bully the small.” (See story below.) “We abhor the recent event in the Ayungin Shoal and view with grave concern other similar developments,” Duterte told the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, using the Filipino name for the shoal. “This does not speak well of the relations between our nations and our partnership.” Duterte’s remarks were unusually strong for a leader who has fostered warmer ties with Beijing since taking power in 2016 in the hope of extracting
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THE GOOD OLD DAYS. In this file photo, President Rodrigo Duterte and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, shake hands after a signing ceremony in Beijing in October 2016. Five years later, they meet again virtually during the Asean-China Summit where Duterte criticized roundly the attack on Philippine boats by Chinese Coast Guard vessels in Ayungin Shoal last week. AFP
Next page VOL. XXXV • NO. 281 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
DOH classifies 89% of PH as low or minimal risk, all Alert Level 2 By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta
HOLIDAY FEELS. Officials from the City of Manila led by Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ light a giant Christmas tree and lanterns at the Kartilya ng Katipunan beside the city hall building on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021. Danny Pata
THE Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said 89 percent of the country is already under Alert Level 2 as the government rolls out the nationwide implementation of the alert level system piloted in Metro Manila. “Starting Nov. 22, all areas under the phased implementation of the alert level system will start. For the current week, 89 percent or 108 out of the 121 provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities are under Alert Level 2 and with minimal to low risk classification,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. Catanduanes remains under Alert Level 4, which Gov. Joseph Cua said was due to the high hospital occupancy rate and cases of the more transmissible Delta coronavirus variant in the province.
Twelve areas were under Alert Level 3: Apayao, Baguio City, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Batanes, Nueva Next page
2,826,853 984
19,798
47,288
218
2,759,767
2,229
(As of 4 PM, NOVEMBER 22)
Lacson, Sotto ‘walk the talk,’ submit to drug test PARTIDO Reporma chairman and who initiated that they both take the and explained it was due to the many presidential standard-bearer Panfilo drug test yesterday. challenges they were hearing from so Lacson and his running mate, Senate The Senate President confirmed it Next page President Vicente Sotto III, underwent a voluntary multi-drug test procedure, Monday, the first political tandem to accept the random drug test. NEWS / A2 They went to an unscheduled screening of their urine samples at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) office in Diliman, Quezon City at around 1:00 pm. Lacson told reporters their decision to undergo a random drug test was their “way of walking the talk.” Five hours later, both yielded negative results. “Because there were a lot of challenges [for candidates to undergo voluntary drug testing]. No more words necessary, we just came here today” Lacson told reporters who caught him and Sotto for a brief interview at the PDEA lobby after they took the test. According to Lacson, it was Sotto
DU30 HITS BET ON DRUGS ANEW
THE GOOD KIND OF NEGATIVE. Partido Reporma
standard-bearer Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson and his running mate, Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III, subject themselves to a random voluntary drug test at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency office in Diliman, Quezon City on Nov. 22, 2021. Both tested negative for illegal drugs.
Lawyer’s group asks ICC: Recall EJK probe halt Price cut for gas, diesel, kerosene By Rey E. Requejo
THE Free Legal Assistance Group has asked the International Criminal Court to recall its decision to suspend its investigation of the alleged extrajudicial killings arising from the ongoing anti-illegal drug war of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Next page
rolls out today; fuel subsidy Wed.
By Alena Mae S. Flores
the movement of oil prices in the world market as the government said it will THE country’s oil firms cut pump begin distributing the P1 billion fuel prices by as much as P1.30 per liter ef- subsidy for jeepney drivers this week. Land Transportation and Franchising fective 6 a.m. today (Tuesday) to reflect
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BOOSTER JAB.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III administers a COVID-19 vaccine booster to a senior citizen during the ceremonial rollout for the booster shot program held at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City on Nov. 22, 2021. Manny Palmero
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News
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021
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Du30 hits prexy bet on drugs anew P
RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said the presidential aspirant whom he accused of being a cocaine user has been able to evade arrest because he uses the illegal substance in exclusive places such as a yacht or a private plane. “The police might ask: Why has the President not ordered this person’s arrest yet? What you don’t know is that these rich people do it on a yacht or in the air. That’s where they get high,” Duterte said Monday during the inauguration of infrastructure projects in General Santos City.
“If you believe me, do not let it [happen that this cocaine user gets elected]. Later on, you’ll say I did not tell you,” he added. Duterte last week described the unnamed presidential candidate as having a “very weak” character and leadership. “Why are Filipinos fooled into sup-
porting [this candidate]? I will just ask you, what has he done? He uses cocaine…His character is that of a very weak leader, except for the name. His father—but him, what has he done?” the President said. Presidential bets have urged Duterte to unmask the alleged drug user and file charges as the Palace assured the public there will be no special treatment for the candidate mentioned by the chief executive. But the Commission on Elections said it cannot force candidates in the 2022 na-
tional elections to submit to mandatory drug testing as substance abuse is not a ground for disqualification. The poll body cited a Supreme Court ruling that struck down its previous order as unconstitutional. “Substance abuse is not among the disqualifications provided for by law. In any case, the Comelec did try to require candidates to submit a negative drug test several elections ago. The move was disapproved by the Supreme Court,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.
al actions by vessels of the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea over the past months,” Massrali added. The EU “emphasizes the importance for all parties to respect freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea,” she said. The EU urged all stakeholders involved to resolve disputes through “peaceful means” in accordance with international law, in particular the UNCLOS, including its dispute settlement mechanisms. “In this context, the European Union recalls the Arbitration Award rendered under UNCLOS on 12 July 2016, which found that Second Thomas Shoal lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf,” Massrali said. The EU also backed the effort led by Southeast Asian countries towards a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which “should be effective, substantive and legally binding, and not prejudice the interests of third parties.” Earlier, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he spoke to Chinese ambassador Huang Xilian and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing to protest and condemn the incident in Ayungin Shoal, reminding them that a public vessel is covered by the Mutual Defense Treaty between Manila and Washington. China insisted that its coast guard was just performing “official duties in accordance with the law.” Also on Monday, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon on Monday said more forces are needed to strengthen the Philippines’ claim over the West Philippine Sea amid China’s aggression. Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Esperon said the government needs to send additional forces there from the Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Esperon, who chairs the National Task Force West Philippine Sea, said Filipino soldiers in the area, though their numbers are limited, will not back down from any foreign aggression. that belong to us,” she added. Former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario said the incident was “an affront to Philippine sovereign rights over its continental shelf.” “The arbitral tribunal ruled it unequivocally as part of the Philippine continental shelf which is not subject to territorial claim by any other country. Being not susceptible to a territorial claim by any other country, there can be no territorial dispute on the same. Only the Philippines has the exclusive sovereign rights over its continental shelf, including Ayungin shoal,” he said.
Price... From A1
Rody... From A1
Regulatory Board chairman Martin Delgra III said the subsidy release will likely begin on Wednesday. According to LTFRB Technical Division Chief Joel Bolano, the agency has already submitted a list of beneficiaries to Landbank, including jeepney drivers who were already issued fuel subsidy cards when they received assistance in 2018 and 2019. Over 136,200 jeepney franchise holders are targeted to receive the fuel subsidy, which means each would receive about P7,300. Meanwhile, this week’s price movement is the third consecutive week of rollback for gasoline and kerosene. “Petron will implement the following price rollbacks effective 6 a.m. on Nov 23: P0.85 per liter for gasoline; P1.20 per liter for diesel and P1.30 per liter for kerosene. These reflect movements in the international oil market,” Petron Corp. said in its advisory. Aside from Petron, Seaoil Philippines, PetroGazz, Cleanfuel, Flying V, Chevron Philippines and Total Philippines also cut pump prices. On November 16, the oil companies implemented a price rollback in domestic oil products. Gasoline decreased by P0.90 per liter and kerosene by P0.10 per liter. No movement was effected on the price of diesel. These resulted in the year-to-date adjustments to stand at a total net increase of P20.05 per liter for gasoline, P15.09 per liter for kerosene while that of diesel remains at P17.50 per liter. According to the latest monitoring of the Department of Energy, crude prices rebounded on a positive demand outlook with Saudi Aramco raising the Official Selling Prices (OSPs) of its crudes for Asia, Mediterranean, Europe and US even as supply remains slightly tight. The opening of air travel in the US and strong US job report also boosted world oil prices.
promised investment and trade. It is not clear if Xi was participating in the meeting when Duterte spoke. China claims almost all of the waterway, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, with competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Beijing has ignored a 2016 ruling by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration that its historical claim is without basis. Tensions over the resource-rich sea spiked last week when Chinese coast guard vessels fired water cannon at Filipino boats delivering supplies to Marines in Ayungin Shoal, which is well-within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Manila expressed outrage at the incident, but Beijing said the Philippine boats had entered its waters without permission. The renewed tensions over the waters have drawn international concern. The United States on Friday warned China that an armed attack against Philippine public vessels would invite a US response under its treaty obligations to the Southeast Asian nation. The European Union also called on “all parties to respect freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the supply boats would resume their mission to Ayungin Shoal after China’s ambassador to the Philippines gave assurances they would not be impeded. China controls several reefs in the South China Sea, including Scarborough Shoal -- which Beijing seized from Manila in 2012 -- just 240 kilometers west of Luzon. It has asserted its stance by building up small shoals and reefs into military bases with airstrips and port facilities. After China occupied Mischief Reef in the mid-1990s, the Philippines ma-
rooned a derelict navy vessel atop the nearby Second Thomas Shoal to assert Manila’s territorial claim. Members of the Philippine marines are based there. Duterte, who participated in the special summit of state leaders from the ASEAN and the People’s Republic of China, urged his counterparts to exercise “utmost self-restraint” and to “avoid the escalation of tensions” among sea claimants. He added that stakeholders must avoid the escalation of tension and work towards the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law. “There is simply no other way out of this colossal problem but the rule of law,” the President said. Duterte cited the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award, which he said, “provides legal clarity… pointing us to a just and fair solution to our disputes.” “We must fully utilize these legal tools to ensure that the South China Sea remains a sea of peace, stability and prosperity,” he added. He also urged China to remain committed to the conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. Ayungin Shoal is part of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), which is an integral part of the Philippines, as well as the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and over which the Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction. The European Union on Monday registered its strong objection against “any unilateral actions” that would endanger peace, security and stability in the South China Sea after Chinese coastguard vessels blocked and water cannoned Philippine supply boats in Ayungin Shoal. “The European Union reiterates its strong opposition to any unilateral actions that endanger peace, security and stability in the region and the international rules-based order,” EU spokesperson Nabila Massrali, said in a statement. “This episode follows other unilater-
Xi... From A1
in Ayungin Shoal. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian claimed the Philippines boats were in the wrong as they had no permission to enter the area on Nov. 16, Tuesday. But Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. expressed “outrage, condemnation and protest” to Beijing over the incident as the Philippine boats were traveling to Second Thomas Shoal in the contested Spratly Islands. “Fortunately, no one was hurt; but our boats had to abort their resupply mission,” Locsin said in a statement on
Twitter, describing the three Chinese vessels’ actions as “illegal.” Vice President Leni Robredo, during a meeting with retired military generals, said the aggression must not happen again. “This kind of treatment of Filipinos must stop. WPS [West Philippine Sea] is ours as the arbitration tribunal ruled in July 2016,” Robredo said in a statement. “Our resupply vessels have been harassed again. Filipinos cannot be treated in such a demeaning manner. Our win in the arbitral tribunal already provides us the tool we need to protect the areas
countries, and said it would work with ASEAN to eliminate “interference.” “China was, is, and will always be a good neighbor, good friend, and good partner of ASEAN,” Chinese state media quoted Xi as saying. In the Nov. 6 incident, China insisted that its Coast Guard was upholding its sovereignty over the maritime waters when it sought to stop Filipino boats from resupplying a military contingent
DOH... From A1 Vizcaya, Quirino, Siquijor, City of Isabela, Zamboanga City, Dinagat Islands and Sulu. DOH data showed that nine areas among those in Alert Levels 3 and 4 made improvements in their case and utilization data. On the other hand, Batanes, Apayao, Baguio City, and Mountain Province remain in high and moderate risk classifications. The metrics for Lapu-Lapu City may require escalation from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3, the DOH said. Under Alert Level 2, indoor establishments such as malls can operate at 50 percent capacity with an additional 10 percent capacity if they have a safety seal. For outdoor establishments, 70 percent is allowed. Under Alert Level 3, establishments, or activities, will be allowed to operate or be undertaken at a maximum of 30 percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals only and 50 percent outdoor venue capacity. Under Alert Level 4 are areas with COVID-19 infections that are high or increasing while total beds and ICU beds are at high utilization rate.
Indoor dine-in services are only allowed at a limited 10 percent venue or seating capacity but will cater only to individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while outdoor or al fresco dining is allowed at a maximum of 30 percent venue or seating capacity regardless of vaccination status of customers. Vergeire said all regions in the country are now at minimal to low risk for COVID-19, with the majority of the regions having a total COVID-19 bed and ICU utilization at low risk. Metro Manila belongs to the low risk case classification with a “negative two-week growth rate and an average daily attack rate of 2.69 per 100,000 individuals,” which is higher than the previous 1.48. President Rodrigo Duterte approved the nationwide implementation of the alert level system for determining restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This system limits lockdowns only to areas with high COVID-19 community transmission. The Philippines logged 984 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of infections to 2,826,853. This is the second lowest daily number of cases reported following the 849 infections on Nov.16.
Lacson,... From A1 many people over the weekend. Sotto reiterated they had been submitting themselves to voluntary drug screenings even during previous election seasons out of their own volition, especially him, since he was the principal author of the 2002 Dangerous Drugs Act. The Senate President explained he included a provision for every individual seeking a public office, whether for a national or local position, to submit himself or herself to a random drug test procedure as well but that provision was nixed by the Supreme Court. Lacson said he and Sotto went
Lawyer’s... From A1 In a five-page letter signed by FLAG chairman and senatorial candidate Jose Manuel Diokno addressed to ICC Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan, the lawyers’ group questioned the ICC’s decision to temporarily stop its investigation
IN BRIEF Unvaxxed account for 93% of deaths THE Department of Health said Monday deaths and serious outcomes were more likely to happen among unvaccinated individuals compared to those fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said out of the 216,074 total COVID-19 cases admitted in health facilities from March 1 to November 14, at least 93.49 percent of those who died were not fully vaccinated. Vergeire said deaths are 2.6 times more likely among the unvaccinated, while severe and critical symptoms are 1.75 times more likely to occur among the unvaccinated compared to those fully vaccinated. “Vaccination will be the key in continually reducing our deaths,” she said
39% of target fully inoculated AROUND 33.3 million individuals or 39 percent of the eligible population in the country are fully-vaccinated against COVID-19, the Department of Health said. Vergeire said the DOH had yet to decide if the boosters would be included in this inoculation drive from November 29 to December 1. “We are doing this to increase the number of fully vaccinated individuals in our country before the Christmas season. Our real target is those who are not yet vaccinated,” she said.
Include inmates in vax drive—DOJ THE Department of Justice will ask the National Task Force Against COVID-19 for the inclusion of some 31,000 unvaccinated persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to be part of the government’s 15 million people targeted to be vaccinated during the three-day “Bayanihan, Bakunahan.” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said PDLs detained in various penal farms should be among the beneficiaries of the government’s mass vaccination scheduled next week. Some of the elderly PDLs reportedly have ailments, Guevarra said.
PH seeks more Sputnik Light vax THE Philippines is negotiating with the Russian government for more doses of single-shot Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine to enable the country to continue ramping up its vaccine throughput. “Maybe our Russian counterparts will come here. The good thing is the price is very affordable. We have some inkling that we can negotiate 10 to 20 million doses of Sputnik Light, for next year’s booster shots,” said National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. Galvez was one of the Philippine government officials who welcomed the arrival of the 5,000 doses of Sputnik Light vaccine donated by the Russian government, as well 2.8 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine over the weekend.
through the entire multi-drug test procedure like ordinary individuals going through a comprehensive pre-employment physical assessment. “It was a very tedious and meticulous [process]. Even when we were peeing, the doctor was on guard, insisted that the door was not shut,” Lacson said. It was Lacson who suggested making the test at random to ensure authentic results. Lacson said it is the reason he and Sotto decided to go on an unscheduled visit to the PDEA office Monday afternoon for their own drug screening. The Lacson-Sotto drug test came one day after Philippine National Police chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos urged all presidential candidates to submit to a drug test. “The PNP acknowledges that no law
mandates the candidate to undergo a drug test but doing so will set an example to their countrymen by proving that they aren’t users of illegal drugs,” Carlos said. Carlos’s call came after President Rodrigo Duterte alleged that a presidential candidate he did not name was a cocaine user. Carlos has ordered the PNP’s Drug Enforcement Group to look into President Duterte’s allegation. Presidential spokesman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the Palace was leaving the fate of the alleged illegal drug user to law enforcement agencies. “PDEG has been tasked to work on this info,” Carlos said in a text message sent to reporters.
based on the representation made by the Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands that cited the Department of Justice’s thorough investigation into the 52 killings that took place from 2016 until 2020 in relation to the anti-drug war. The FLAG argued it was misleading to label as “investigation” the action conducted by the DOJ on the 52 cases and that the number covered
only a small fraction of the killings or attempted killings within the scope of the ICC investigation. Of the 52 cases allegedly investigated by the DOJ, the FLAG said, only 36 occurred within July 1, 2016 and March 16, 2019, the period covered by the ICC investigation. The figure is only 0.12 percent to 0.3 percent of the 12,000 to 30,000 persons killed during the period.
News
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Romualdez hails PRC support to typhoon Yolanda victims
Lionair says no transaction with PNP on two choppers
By Maricel V. Cruz
By Rey E. Requejo AIRCRAFT supplier Lionair Incorporated on Monday clarified that it “never had any transaction with the Philippine National Police (PNP)” in connection with the two helicopters, which the private company sold to Manila Aerospace Products Trading or Maptra as second hands units. In a statement, Archibald Po, president of Lionair Inc., stressed that it has nothing to do with the alleged anomalous purchase by the PNP of two second-hand helicopters. “We would like to clarify that Lionair Incorporated never had any transaction with the Philippine National Police. Instead, the two subject helicopters were sold by Lionair to Manila Aerospace Products Trading or Maptra as pre-owned (second- hand) units,” Po said. “On its own, Maptra offered and eventually sold the two helicopter units to the PNP,” Po said. Po made the clarification after the Manila Standard reported that the Supreme Court has upheld the Sandiganbayan’s issuance of a subpoena on the Anti-Money Laundering Council, in connection with the criminal case against former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo for his involvement in the PNP’s alleged anomalous purchase of two secondhand helicopters. In a decision penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the SC’s Third Division dismissed the petition for certiorari filed by the AMLC assailing the March 28, 2017 Resolution and the May 12, 2017 order of the anti-graft court, which denied the AMLC’s motion to quash the subpoena duces tecum and ad testificandum and its subsequent motion for reconsideration. “In sum, there was no showing that the Sandiganbayan gravely abused its discretion in issuing the subpoena duces tecum and ad testificandum and denying petitioner’s motion to quash and Motion for Reconsideration. Instead of avoiding compliance with the Subpoena, petitioner must firmly perform its mandate as an investigatory body and independent financial intelligence unit,” the tribunal ruled.
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ACCIDENT. A person was killed while four others were injured when two vehicles--a brown Suzuki Ciaz with plate number NBB 4345 and a white Toyota Lite ace van with plate number UCB 609-- fell on Obispo Bridge which was under construction on the boundary of Barangays Amaya 2 and Sahod Ulan on Antero Soriano Highway, Tanza, Cavite on Monday. Police identified the dead as Daisy Vale 46, while Antonio Vale 59, their son Dino Vale, 14, and another victim Jaime Tabara, 74, are being treated in a hospital. Jr Josue
Bill extending ‘21 budget approved on 2nd reading T By Maricel V. Cruz
HE House of Representatives on Monday approved on second reading the bill extending the validity of the 2021 General Appropriations Act until Dec. 31, 2022.
In a plenary session, the lower chamber approved through a voice vote House Bill 10373 that seeks to amend Section 62 of the general provisions of Republic Act 11518, the General Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2021 to allow agencies to fully utilize the allocated budget for this year.
Last week, the committee chaired by ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Go Yap, approved House Bill 10373 that seeks to extend the availability of the 2021 appropriations from Dec. 31, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2022, to allow the agencies to fully utilize the allocated budget for 2021. Under the bill, the appropriations
for infrastructure capital outlays, including subsidy releases to government-owned and -controlled corporations for infrastructure projects, shall be valid for obligation until Dec. 31, 2022, while the completion of construction, inspection, and payment shall be made not later than Dec. 31, 2022. The bill also provides that appropriations for maintenance and other operating expenses and other capital outlays shall likewise be valid for obligation until Dec. 31, 2022, while the delivery, inspection, and payment shall be made not later than Dec. 31, 2022.
‘No US extradition if Quiboloy voluntarily surrenders’
SEIZED LOGS. More than 200 pieces of round and half-moon logs were apprehended during one of the continuous monitoring, patrolling, and surveillance operations of DENR CENRO Real along the Magnac River located at Brgy. Maligaya and Canaway, in General Nakar, Quezon. The forest products originated from the timberland areas of General Nakar. The said logs will be hauled and deposited to DENR CENRO Real Impounding Area. Currently, there are 20 identified illegal hotspots within the areas of Real, Infanta, and Nakar.
JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said extradition proceedings are no longer necessary if the person would decide to voluntarily turn himself in to the jurisdiction of the requesting state. Guevarra issued the statement following reports on the possible extradition of Pastor Apollo Carreon Quiboloy to the US after he was indicted by a federal grand jury with sex trafficking along with two co-defendants identified as Teresita Tolibas Dandan and Felina Salinas. “All talks about possible extradition will be mooted if the person sought to be extradited opted to voluntarily surrender to the jurisdiction of the requesting state and defend himself/herself with the assistance of counsel in the appropriate legal proceedings in the requesting state,” Guevarra said, in a text message. But Guevarra immediately clarified that his statement should not be considered as a hint on the possible scenario in the case of Quiboloy. “Just informing you of the theoretical legal framework,” he stressed. Earlier, Guevarra Quiboloy could still
be extradited to the US despite the pendency of the appeal filed before his office in connection with the dismissal of criminal charges for rape, child abuse, illtreatment, trafficking in persons through forced labor, and trafficking in persons through sexual abuse filed against him before the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office by a female complainant. A female complainant in Davao City filed the complaint in 2020 against Quiboloy but the complaint was dismissed by the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office. The complainant has appealed the dismissal before the Office of the Secretary of Justice and is still pending. The Justice secretary stressed that extradition proceedings are a long process that would involve court proceedings. According to him, the Department of Justice and the Department of Affairs would have to evaluate first and determine if the US case is covered by the existing extradition treaty. If it is established that the US case is covered by the treaty, the DOJ will file a petition for extradition before a local court. Rey E. Requejo
HOUSE of Representatives Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez on Monday hailed the continued support of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) led by Chairman and Sen. Richard Gordon for the long-term recovery of the communities gravely hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Tacloban City, Eastern Visayas, and other parts of the country eight years ago. “The PRC led by its Honorable Chairman, Sen. Richard Gordon has been always in the forefront of our recovery efforts in Eastern Visayas. His team was among the brave first responders, which showed ‘malasakit’ by putting others above self during and after the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda. Thank you PRC and Chairman Gordon,” Romualdez, chairman of the House committee on rules, said. Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), said the PRC took part and contributed in the recovery and rehabilitation efforts of the communities severely affected by Yolanda. The group provided comfort and hope to the victims amidst the wrath of devastation, Romualdez stressed. Romualdez gave his hefty salute to PRC, Gordon, and other first responders, including local and international donors “who selflessly and bravely answered the call to protect people and properties despite risking their safety. According to Romualdez, the laudable action of Gordon who continues to oversee the rehabilitation of affected Yolandahit areas is very worthy of support and should be emulated by various groups whose advocacies are centered on building a better Philippines.
DepEd: 18 private schools conduct face-to-face classes THE Department of Education (DepEd) has confirmed that only 18 out of 20 private schools pushed through with the implementation of limited face-to-face classes on Monday. In a video message to reporters, the DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development Director Jocelyn Andaya said the Singapore School Clark and Xavier University Senior High School had to defer their in-person classes “due to their academic calendars”. Andaya visited two private schools in Central Luzon that participated in the pilot run of face-to face classes. She said the schools were prepared for the opening of classes and showed how cooperation between the local government and schools should go for the safe implementation of limited in-person classes. She also explained all the participating private schools have undergone the same School Safety Assessment and Validation as that of the public schools that opened their classes on November 15. The 18 private schools that pushed through with the pilot run include 100 Islands Cowboy Christian Learning Center and Our Saviour’s Foundation (Region 1); Mother of Good Counsel Seminary and Academica de Meridien (Region 3); St. Anthony’s College, Oxmont Memorial Academy, Gamot Cogon Waldorf School Inc. (Region 6); Sisters of Mary Schools Inc. – Boystown, Notre Dame of Abuyog (SHS – TVL track), and Mt. Moriah Christian Academy (Region 7); Metro Dipolog Baptist Academy, Deor & Dune Academe of Technology (SHS – TVL track), and St. Paul’s Institute of Technology (SHS – TVL track), (Region 9); Ato Padada Christian School, BEST College of Polomolok (SHS- TVL track), Banga Evangelical Church Elementary School, Inc., Midsayap Montessori Centre, and New Moriah Adventist ES (Region 11).
Tight watch on unscrupulous Subic firms Prosecution charges Caloocan dads with defamation vs mayor By Jess Malabanan SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Bureau of Customs Port of Subic placed on tight watch some importers believed responsible for sneaking into the Philippine waters smuggled items including agricultural products, after authorities intercepted several containers carrying imported vegetables worth P66 million over the weekend. Port of Subic District Collector Maritess T. Martin said she received information on alleged changing of business name multiple times as modus operandi of smugglers to gain access in the port of destination. “Intelligence reports have it that EMV Consumer Goods changed its name multiple times but was still detected due to the intense profiling of shipments,” Martin said in a statement sent to reporters. She directed the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) to undertake profiling of 22 40-footer container vans consigned to JKJ International Co., and EMV Consumer Goods Trading, both shippers of the
contrabands shipped from China. “On account of the directive of the Commissioner of Customs to be vigilant in protecting the borders against the entry of smuggled goods, the Port of Subic issued a Pre-Lodgement Control Order (PLCO) against the shipments,” said Martin. The shipments include vegetables including broccoli, cauliflowers, carrots and other agricultural products for distribution to local markets if not Intercepted. Last month alone, 18 forty-footer containers vans of imported vegetables were also intercepted at the Port of Subic. The shipment were not claimed by the consignee and left to rot at the BoC compound. Local vegetables traders have been complaining of the imported agricultural products that had been flooding the local markets thus gravely affecting the prices of our local farmers’ products. The conduct of non-intrusive (X-Ray) and physical examination confirmed that the shipments contained assorted agricultural products such as carrots, sweet oats, broccoli, mushroom, and red onions.
By Jun David
GROUNDBREAKING FOR A NEW QUARANTINE FACILITY. A blessing and groundbreaking ceremony of 2-storey Bureau of Quarantine building was held in Brgy. Pawa. The quarantine office will be built on the LGU donated property in the Tabaco City Terminal Complex. To date, the TCCT is home to several government offices which includes the PNP station, BFP station, LTO, BFAR, Disaster Operations Center, Livelihood and Skills Training Center, GSO motor pool, Multipurpose Building/Evacuation Center, and COVID-19 Center.
PROSECUTORS have charged Caloocan Councilors Christopher E. Malonzo, Alexander V. Mangasar, Ricardo J. Bagus, and Marylou N. San Buenaventura Malonzo of defamation. The San Juan City Prosecutor’s Office through Assistant City Prosecutor Marianne Taro said there was “malice” in the statements made by the defendants in their “Mata sa Mata” videos. It has been found that the councilors published several videos alleging that Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan committed irregularities in the procurement and distribution of digital tablets for Caloocan students. Malapitan dismissed the allegations, saying that this is “premature politicking” and that the videos were “used as a platform to promote the candidacy of the councilors.” To protect the integrity of the Caloocan Digital Tablets Program, Malapitan, accompanied by his counsel, Rico Paolo R. Quicho, filed a criminal complaint for cyber libel against the councilors before the Caloocan Prosecutor’s Office. The case was later transferred to San Juan City Prosecutor’s Office, which eventually resolved to charge the councilors with the said offense. The councilors retorted that they were merely acting on the concerns of their constituents who they alleged to have raised concerns regarding the purchase and distribution of the digital tablets.
Abra supporters of BBM-Sara duo up in arms over bad photo edit SUPPORTERS of the BBM-Sara Uniteam in Abra province are up in arms over an altered picture of their “unity ride” on Sunday that came out on social media but was maliciously attributed to Vice President Leni Robredo’s camp. The picture of thousands of Marcos supporters clad in red along the Kalinga National Road in Lagangilang and traversing the Don Mariano Marcos Bridge, the third longest bridge in the country, was posted by supporters of Abra Rep. JB Bernos and Abranian Riders’ Alliance led by Joel Lingbaoan shortly before noon. A few hours later, the same but badly edited picture designed to make the red color appear as pink and tagged with the trademark Leni logo was posted on Facebook under “#Laban Leni 2022, Ilocos.” After receiving reports of the deception, Abra “unity ride” organizers and their followers took to social media and lambasted the fake photo and its attributes. “This is a desperate attempt to hide the truth and a dastardly act to claim what was not theirs,” said a visibly irate Marcos-Duterte supporter. Another BBM-Sara Uniteam follower said the “badly edited picture speaks well of what the Pinklawans are willing to do just to defy and hide the avalanche of support that the Marcos-Duterte duo enjoys.” Shortly before 11 p.m. on Sunday, more than 12 hours after the questioned picture was posted, Robredo’s camp came up with a statement denying that they were behind the posting of the viral photo. A few minutes later, the same statement came out on Twitter under Abra for Leni #DapatSiLeni, but it was too late as the blunder had already been exposed immensely.
Bong Go repeats vow to continue Du30 programs SENATOR and presidential aspirant Christopher “Bong” Go vowed to continue and expand the efforts of the Duterte administration in providing a more comfortable life for all amid the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He assured that he will pursue measures and policies that will help the country’s economy recover and carry on the Duterte legacy. “Continuity of the Duterte legacy is our foremost goal. I pledge to keep the excellent programs that have benefited Filipinos over the last six years going,” Go said Monday. In the face of tremendous obstacles, he said the Duterte Administration has already drawn out real plans to sustain our nation’s successes. “For the sake of our Filipino people, we will continue to enforce, execute and strengthen these programs and initiatives,” he said. Go committed to pursue a speedy and inclusive economic recovery for the country, promising to strive tirelessly to restore the economy’s robustness as his main priority in his first 100 days if elected. “To do so, we must first help the ten million Filipinos who are the poorest of the poor and provide them with the financial assistance they require, including easy-to-access, low-interest loans as well as job opportunities. At the same time, we must strive for at least one college graduate in every family,” he noted. In the meantime, Go also urged the government to fast-track the vaccination program and ensure that every corner of the country is provided with sufficient vaccines to reach population protection and eventually herd immunity He has continuously recommended the provision of cash incentives for members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program to help improve the vaccination rate among the poorest of the poor. Meanwhile, Go noted that many small businesses have suffered losses as a result of the pandemic. Macon Ramos-Araneta
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News Lacson: Review of MDT needed to thwart more PH sea attacks By Macon Ramos-Araneta
CANDIDATE NURSES. Members of the Nurses United Partylist gather in front of the Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, Manila on Monday to urge the agency to approve their party-list group, which they said legitimately represents the marginalized sector of nurses and health workers in Congress. Norman Cruz
AS HE MEETS PATAYAS WORKERS
Isko vows to replicate Manila housing projects By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta
P
RESIDENTIAL candidate Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso has vowed to replicate the housing projects he did in Manila to the rest of the country if he is elected president in 2022 elections.
Speaking to residents and barangay officials at the Material and Recovery Facility in Payatas, Quezon City, Moreno expressed his commitment to take care of the future of children living in informal settler communities by providing them with quality education while their parents go to their jobs to earn a decent living. “If I am lucky, what I did in Manila
about housing, I will do all over the country. I want the dignity of the poor restored. All I can give you is peace of mind,” Moreno told a crowd of mostly garbage workers. Moreno achieved great success in building mass housing projects for the city’s poor residents. Last July, the Manila government awarded 229 townhouse-style units to residents of Baseco in Tondo. Three vertical housing projects named Tondominium 1, Tondominium 2, and Binondominium are expected to be finished and awarded to residents before the end of the year. Similar vertical housing projects are also being built – the Pedro Gil and San Sebastian Residences. Meanwhile, the Manila city government kicked off its Christmas celebration with the lighting of its giant Christmas tree at the Bonifacio Shrine beside the Manila City Hall. Domagoso and Vice Mayor Honey La-
cuna spearheaded the lighting of the giant Christmas tree, which signals the beginning of the Yuletide celebration in the capital city. He also led the groundbreaking of the new Plaza Yuchengco along Muelle del Banco National, another open air promenade in Escolta which is hoped to become a “lovers’ lane.” City Engineer Armand Andres said the new promenade will cover a stretch of about 300 meters covering four streets— Yuchengco, Soda, Pinpin and Burke Streets from Jones Bridge to MacArthur Bridge. It will display the best flowering native trees. It will have a main plaza with markers, 24 double lamp posts, concrete walkways with bike lanes, plant boxes and green spaces and benches, among others. Once a garbage collector himself, Moreno was greeted by around 300 garbage workers and junk shop operators who are all based in Quezon City.
FACE SHIELD EXCHANGE. To promote environmental protection and a more impactful response to COVID-19, members of the Akbayan Partylist on Monday mounted a ‘Palit Face Shield’ booth in Quezon City and encouraged people to turn over their damaged face shields in exchange for free vitamins, face masks and alcohol sprays. Manny Palmero
Gatchalian eyes ‘tandem vote’ bill for President, VP
Ka Leody: Ayungin attack ‘result of Duterte betrayal’ KA LEODY De Guzman, presidential candidate of Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), condemned the recent Chinese Coast Guard’s attacks on Philippine vessels in Ayungin Shoal, which is within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Filipino resupply boats were blocked and water-cannoned by Chinese ships en route to Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal last November 16.
“China’s encroachment on Philippine Territory is the logical conclusion of Duterte’s pandering to China and his betrayal of the country. China is now more confident in ignoring the UNCLOS and disrespect the territory and sovereignty of the Philippines,” Ka Leody said in a statement Monday. The United States Government had released a statement hitting Chinese
“escalation” and reaffirming their commitment to military action under the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. Ka Leody asserted that although our country must remain firm in defending our territory from bullies such as China, we must also be wary of relying on the military support and intervention of other “imperialist” powers such as the United States who he claims have their own interests.
Calls to restore NTF-ELCAC budget mount
PROTEST PEEK. A farmer peeks through his protest placard as indigenous people and peasant groups and their supporters protest in front of the Department of Justice in Padre Faura, Manila on Monday. They expressed their indignation over the alleged repression of people’s organizations and peasants by the Philippine Army and Philippine National Police in Region 2. Danny Pata
THE 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the United States should be reviewed to prevent further attacks against the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, Senator and presidential aspirant Panfilo Lacson said Monday. Lacson made the call after the China Coast Guard fired water cannons at Philippine supply vessels en route to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last November 16. “The timing is now right to revisit the PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty after the US expressed willingness to enhance efforts toward an international law-based maritime order, including freedom of navigation,” Lacson said in a statement. “It is clear that in the West Philippine Sea, our national interest dictates that we exercise our sovereign rights within the exclusive economic zone and our sovereignty within 12 nautical miles [of our territorial sea],” he added. In a separate statement, the Partido Reporma chairman and standardbearer said he has long fought for the country’s rights in the WPS, but people have not listened to him. “They haven’t listened to me for the longest time. I’ve already had a statement on the West Philippine Sea. I don’t even remember when I started speaking out about that. I think in 2016 or even before that,” stressed Lacson, the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation. “They simply aren’t listening, or they just don’t want to listen, or they just want to criticize,” he added in a radio interview Monday morning. President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday condemned the action of Chinese ships attacking Philippine vessels en route to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea via water cannon, saying such action is “abhorrent” (see story on A1—Editors). Under the MDT between Manila and Washington, each party “recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.”
AS LOCAL leaders nationwide continue to express their outrage over the move of senators to cut the budget of the Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), three more governors and a mayor also voiced their concerns over the looming threat of the communist terrorist groups (CTGs) if these funds are denied in 2022. At the weekly virtual NTF-ELCAC press briefing, Abra De Ilog Municipal Mayor Eric Constantino in Occidental Mindoro reported his municipality is again facing the threat of CTGs as the New People’s Army (NPA) headquarters formerly based in Quezon and Laguna provinces has transferred to their province.
Constantino called on the senators “to have a second look” and “consider how effective” the NTF-ELCAC’s BDP is in providing far-flung communities of their basic needs. The mayor added that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) are making “recovery efforts” to take back their province, composed mostly of Indigenous People (IP) communities. “Hear the cries and clamor of the people (especially IPs). You will deny them the service which you have sworn into office,” Constantino requested to senators who wanted to slash the BDP budget, adding that IPs are “the bulk of CPP-NPA-NDF recruitment.”
TO ensure that the team running the government would be “solid,” Senator Win Gatchalian is proposing a bill mandating a “tandem vote” for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, since their platforms are the same. If they are allies, Gatchalian related that in the event something happened to the President, the Vice President can continue his programs. Instead of split voting, selecting a single ticket would be easier for the voters as a vote for a particular presidential candidate would also mean casting a vote for his or her vicepresidential running mate, Gatchalian explained. Considering the next round of poll exercises is just around the corner, the senator said he will pursue the amendment in the 1987 Constitution for future national elections. He said there is no more time for this due to the upcoming polls, he will raise this topic under a new leadership. Gatchalian is seeking another sixyear term in the Senate. He cited the need to have the election for president and vice president patterned after a similar practice in the United States to ensure that the selection of the two highest officials of the country will come from the same political party or affiliation. In choosing a president to vote, the chosen running mate (vice president) should be considered. Under Section 4, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution, “the President and the Vice President shall be elected by direct vote from the people for a term of six years which shall begin at noon on the 30th day of June next following the day of the election and shall end at noon of the same date six years thereafter.” Macon Ramos-Araneta
Opinion Drop the quarantine for them THIS Christmas season is an opportune time for the country to open its doors to international tourism, which can be one of the key drivers in our post-pandemic economic recovery. The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases should, once and for all, use common sense to allow fully vaccinated tourists from “Green and Yellow” countries. There is no sense discriminating against travelers from Yellow-listed nations, particularly the United States, when the Philippines itself would essentially fall under the Yellow category, referring to countries with “moderate risk” for COVID-19 or with decreasing infection incidence.
I am talking about immunized balikbayan, OFWs and foreign tourists On the condition that we admit only fulful ly-vaccinated travelers with a negative result on COVID test taken within three days prior to their arrival in the country, the IATF can reasonably waive the quarantine requirement altogether. This should apply to both returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), balikbayans and foreign nationals on leisure trips. Imagine a completely immunized balikbayan from the US who comes to celebrate Christmas with the family in the Philippines for one or two weeks, and he or she has to go on quarantine for three days and take a repeat swab test. This is very taxing for balikbayan seniors who are otherwise healthy enough and excited to travel to their hometown. The mandatory five-day quarantine should apply only to unvaccinated Filipino citizens who have to take the swab test upon arrival. The airlines should be made aware that only completely immunized foreigners will be allowed entry to the country. Tourism heavyweights Thailand and Indonesia have reopened their borders to international visitors but the Philippines can offer far better
travel experiences in diversely-rich tourist attractions. Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said with improved public health conditions and with health and safety protocols strictly enforced, we can allow foreigners in and let over five million displaced workers go back to their tourism-related jobs. The Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) have done a great job ensuring that most of the “tourism frontliners” have been inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine. We can welcome foreigners and promote responsible tourism in our refreshed tourist destinations like the world-renowned Boracay Island which underwent rehabilitation since mid-2018. Other popular destinations, namely Palawan, Bohol, Siargao and Cebu island provinces must have rejuvenated after almost two-years of respite. These tourist destinations and many others have removed the RT-PCR test as a requirement to enter in their jurisdictions to encourage domestic and international visitors. I hope foreigners and balikbayan will no longer be required to wear the stupid face shield, too. The Turismo Isulong Mo Partylist (TURISMO) also called on the IATF to allow foreigners who long to join their Filipino fiancées. Former Tourism secretary and TURISMO Partylist nominee Wanda Tulfo-Teo said not quite a few foreigners were forced to depart for their home countries during the early weeks of the chaotic Luzon lockdown amid the COVID epidemic last year. “Thousands of couples have suffered long enough having been unable to get back together owing to the IATF travel ban on foreign nationals, excepting only spouses of Filipino citizens with visa and proper documentation,” Teo said. Teo noted that many foreigners, who had stayed in the islands and embraced the Filipino culture, have children with their Filipino partners, built their homes, set up business in various localities or began retirement pending processing of their immigration papers. These couples deserve a chance to get back together under the principle of family reunification. Active COVID-19 cases in the country could go down further but if mobility increases to pre-pandemic level compliance with health standards goes down, active cases may shoot up again in December, said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
JPE on the dismissal of Ongpin’s case
I HAVE read the 12-page decision of the presiding judge, Honorable Romeo E. Agacita Jr. of the First Judicial Region of San Fernando City, La Union, Branch 27, not once but twice. I was impressed by his meticulous and lucid decision on the drug case against Julian Robert S. Ongpin. Actually, he had no choice but to dismiss the drug charges on the accused for alleged violation of Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9165 not only for the lack of probable cause but for the mishandling of the SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) of the case. This gave reasonable doubt on the integrity of what is called “chain of custody rule,” under the law. Santa Banana, here’s the comment of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on the case: “I learned about the case of Julian Robert S. Ongpin for alleged violation of Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9175 - the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002. And I also read thoroughly the decision of the presiding Judge, Honorable Romeo E. Agacita Jr. Of the First Judicial Region of San Fernando City, La Union. I must say that Julian Robert S . Ongpin was fortunate in having such a very judicious and capable judge to be the one to try his case. “The decision is very lucid and well-written. Judge Agacita Jr, meticulously analyzed the case step by step, according to existing and current precedents and jurisprudence, to arrive at his decision to dismiss the case against Julian Robert S. Ongpin for the lack of probable cause to Judge Agacita jr. is truly a meritorious act of justice.” For somebody like Enrile to come out publicly on the decision of the judge on a very prominent case is a big thing. I myself cannot but praise the judge for his step-by-step study leading to the decision to dismiss outright the case for lack of probable cause. Being a lawyer myself, I know that the moment there is reasonable doubt, as in the case of Julian when the chain of custody was broken and violated, the integrity of the whole case collapses. Thus, the judge, as I repeatedly said, had to dismiss it outright, my gulay! As every lawyer knows, the moment there is a reasonable doubt on the integrity of the socalled chain of custody rule as provided for by law, the case cannot be beyond doubt. I might also add that the Department of Justice and the
police SOCO could learn a lesson or two on how to handle crime cases, especially involving drug cases against RA No. 9165. ••• The endorsement of President Duterte of a Bong Go-Sara Duterte tandem, to my mind, is a stupid move. The President may think that he was doing his daughter a favor, but I see it as against Sara. Why?
The former Senate president felt compelled to comment on the case. By endorsing Sara as the vice president of Bong Go, the “alalay” of Duterte, people will find reason that the President is trying to consolidate and monopolize power in Davao City. In the first place, with Bong Go as president, and with Sara as vice president, and with him (Duterte) as Senate president, there would be in Davao City three of the most powerful personalities in the country . The opposition and critics of President Duterte will find cause to attack and criticize him. The tandem of Bongbong Marcos and Sara is formidable. It is a winning combination. For this reason, I believe that the aspiration of a man-servant of Duterte like Bong Go will also hurt and cut into the runaway lead of Bongbong for president as shown in all poll surveys. And with Sara as vice president of Bongbong, as I have been saying in the vernacular, “Tapos na ang boksing.” Wanna bet? I have lost all my respect and admiration for Bong Go. He has been, at best, a faithful alalay. Go, as president, will always be Duterte’s sidekick. That’s not only hilarious, but a big embarrassment for the country. ••• With President Duterte running for the Senate, the Senate race becomes tight. As of now the Magic 12 circle of would-be senators is already very tight. Only four newcomers have so far entered the Magic Circle: broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, Mark Villar, former Vice President Jojo Binay and movie actor Robin Padilla. With the entry of Duterte in the race, there will only be seven slots left available for returning senators and reelectionists. So far, the returning senators who are leading the race are Chiz Escudero, governor of Sorsogon, Loren Legarda, Representative of Antique and deputy speaker, former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, reelectionist Migz Zubiri, Riza Hontiveros, Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva. Clinging to the 12th the 13th place are Dick Gordon, Win Gatchalian and Leila de Lima.
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EDITORIAL
In bad company
“
TELL me who you walk with, and I’ll tell you who you are.”
These words from the Puerto Rican author Esmeralda Santiago are well worth considering as the 2022 elections draw near. Certainly, it is well worth considering that the man that the President sees as his spiritual adviser and friend, the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God,” has just been indicted by the US Justice Department for trafficking girls and women and forcing them to have sex with him under the threat of “eternal damnation.” The victims, aged 12 to 25, were recruited from the Philippines and brought to the United States to work as “pastorals” who cleaned Apollo Quiboloy’s residences, gave him massages and had sex with him as “night duty.” Quiboloy and the administrators of his organization coerced pastorals into performing “night duty” — that is, have sex with him “under the threat of physical and verbal abuse and eternal damnation,” the US indictment says. Three of the nine people indicted have already been arrested, but Qui-
boloy, who maintains large residences in Hawaii, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, is thought to be in Davao City, hometown and bailiwick of President Duterte.
This is something to bear in mind. Although his Justice secretary has said they will cooperate with the US if it seeks extradition, the President himself has been silent so far on the travails of his good friend, who in a get-together in August this year prayed over the Chief Executive’s head and declared that “God is happy with our President.” In 2019, Mr. Duterte said he believed Quiboloy stopped an earthquake that struck Mindanao by simply yelling at it. Duterte, who makes no secret of his close ties to Quiboloy, said he believes the evangelist’s claim and sees nothing wrong about it.
“I believed in Pastor Quiboloy,” Duterte was quoted as saying in 2019. “When he said stop, and the earthquake stopped, what’s the trouble?” he said in a mix of English and Filipino. The President even said he hoped he could possess Quiboloy’s “power” so he could order corrupt government officials to stop. Today, almost six years after he was elected to office, it is apparent that Mr. Duterte does not possess the power to stop corruption in his own government. In the face of irregularities in his administration’s purchase of billions of pesos worth of pandemic supplies, Mr. Duterte has chosen to defend questionable deals and the former government official who was responsible for them. He has also repeatedly defended his former economic adviser—a Chinese national--who bankrolled the small start-up that bagged almost P12 billion in government contracts for face masks and face shields.ß This, then, is the company that the President keeps. It is something to bear in mind as he runs for the Senate and offers his endorsement to the people who have enabled him.
Uniting to push back against disinformation In the launch, it was explained that considering that the social media are being weaponized to suppress dissent and to spread disinformation, our coalition shall strongly form and carry out a nonpartisan and organized campaign on multiple fronts to address this serious social problem. The social media platform, in the context of the pandemic, has become our public square. This is where we get our news, our facts, discuss ideas and develop and shape our opinions and views about society, for example, on whom to vote for as President in 2022. We need to be capacitated and proactive in ensuring that it is not polluted with misleading, and deceiving narratives that distort reality, and that prevent people from making informed decisions.
THIS article is co-authored with Atty. Grace Salonga, a co-convenor of the Movement against Disinformation (MAD) of which I am lead convenor and Chair of the Steering Committee. Last week, on Wednesday, 17 November, we launched online this broad nonpartisan coalition of members from the academe, the legal profession, civil society groups, international and local non-government organizations and other advocacy groups, united to push back against the systematic and unregulated spread of disinformation in social media. Among its members are the Philippine Bar Association, Philippine Chapter-New York Bar Association, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Ateneo de Naga, Ateneo de Davao, Xavier University, Alternative Law Groups, Ateneo Human Rights Center, SALIGAN, Karapatan, iDefend, Fact Check Philippines, Wiki Society of the Philippines, Pinoy Media Center, Foundation for Media Alternatives, Ateneo Sanggunian, and members of the faculty of Ateneo Law. As convenors of MAD, we introduced MAD to the public and the press. We were joined. by the other convenors: Atty. Enrique Domingo of the Philippine Bar Association, SAMASA Chair Atty. Susan Villanueva, Dean Domnina Rances of Ateneo de Naga College of Law, Atty. Ernesto Neri of Xavier University College of Law, Dean Sol Mawis of Lyceum of the Philippines College of Law, Dr. Anton Lim and Josh Mahinay of Now You Vote, Carlos Nazareno of Wiki Society of the Philippines, Albert Pagunsan of Fact Check Philippines, Professors Fred Mison and Grip Bueta of Ateneo Law School, Niza Concepcion of iDefend, Lisa Garcia of the Foundation for Media Alternatives, Gian Miko L. Arabejo of the Alternative Law Groups, student leaders Kara Angan and Tea Abastillas of the ADMU Loyola Schools Sanggunian, and many others. Personally, I would like Dick Gordon to return to the Senate to continue his chairmanship of the Senate Blue-Ribbon committee. Santa Banana, if his “alalay” Bong Go becomes President, and Duterte’s daughter Sara as Vice President and with himself as Senate President, Davao City would corner the three highest national positions of the republic! That is, if the people are crazy enough. ••• OCTA Research Group is predicting that by December next month, Metro Manila may already be on Alert Level 1, the least of health protocols and restrictions. Many people are looking forward to this not only to enjoy the Christmas season but to look forward to a Happy New Year. Frankly, though, I would rather not have Alert Level One: We may just see another COVID-19 surge after the holidays because of overcrowding, and easing of health protocols. I hope not. My gulay, let’s not be complacent about COVID-19, an enemy we cannot see. My wife
Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida
It is a threat to the soul of our country. MAD’s objectives are: (a) to increase awareness about (i) Disinformation, (ii) its manner of spreading (modus operandi), (iii) its enablers and propagators, and (iv) its impact on the citizens and society; (b) to build capacity in spotting and identifying disinformation (i.e., fact checking); (c) to develop means and methods of countering Disinformation (i.e., establish formal/informal channels with the online soc med platforms to discuss and resolve concerns about Disinformation); (d) to engage and collaborate with social media platforms to develop measures that could permanently address the problem about Disinformation; (e)to initiate, draft and lobby proposed legislations and policies that could address, mitigate and control, if not eliminate, Disinformation in social media platforms; (f) to encourage lawyers and those in the legal profession to participate and contribute in mitigating and/or countering Disinformation within the bounds of law; and (g) to organize and mobilize volunteers from various sectors through information campaign and activities that would promote coordination and synergy among various groups. Our first initiative, which is related to the and I at our age would rather stay home. Our shopping days are over and going to malls is an exercise in futility because of the ravages of old age. Leave that to the young and healthy. When it comes to a choice between caution and taking risks, my wife and I are always on the side of extra caution. Yes, the daily cases of COVID-19 are now low but, there’s always the possibility of another surge. ••• The Presidential Communication Operation Office (PCOO) should launch a massive information and education campaign for the benefit of the people now that we are looking into the possible “new normal” next year - what to do and what not to do. I am afraid that with the possibility of going into Alert Level One, people may think that we have already overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. Far from it, in the wake of reports that the COVID-19 pandemic will be with us next year. There is no substitute for caution.
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upcoming 2022 Philippine national elections, is to engage with Facebook, one of the dominant social media platforms in the Philippines. We sent a letter to Facebook’s founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other corporate officials, including its country director in the Philippines, strongly reminding the social media company of its corporate responsibility to respect human rights in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other international human rights norms. During the launch, MAD convenor Atty. Enrique Domingo read the demands of the coalition for Facebook to, among others, consistently and transparently engage with actors from Philippine civil society, media, academia, and election-monitoring groups in creating, improving, and implementing moderation initiatives. We emphasized that engagement and cooperation with trusted partners on the ground should go beyond formal occasional meetings. Facebook should also establish and maintain open communication channels and mechanisms with trusted partners especially during ongoing national emergencies, including election period. The letter to Facebook is a call for action. Facebook has a significant role in ensuring clean and fair elections in the Philippines in 2022. It should not allow itself to be used, exploited, and weaponized against Philippine democracy again. As Atty. Domingo underscored during the launch, we look forward to having a dialogue with Facebook to find ways to collaborate and work together to achieve our common goal to address electoral disinformation in view of the upcoming 2022 Philippine national elections. We concluded the launch by framing disinformation as a threat to the soul of our country. It is not only the truth that is its casualty. Disinformation creates distrust and disunity and abets violence as we have seen in the case of red-tagging human rights and environmental defenders. It undermines and can destroy our democracy. Website: tonylavina.com Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs
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America joins annual list of ‘backsliding’ democracies THE United States has joined an annual list of “backsliding” democracies for the first time, the International IDEA think-tank said on Monday, pointing to a “visible deterioration” it said began in 2019. Globally, more than one in four people live in a backsliding democracy, a proportion that rises to more than two in three with the addition of authoritarian or “hybrid” regimes, according to the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. “This year we coded the United States as backsliding for the first time, but our data suggest that the backsliding episode began at least in 2019,” it said in its report titled “Global State of Democracy 2021.” “The United States is a high-per-
forming democracy, and even improved its performance in indicators of impartial administration (corruption and predictable enforcement) in 2020. However, the declines in civil liberties and checks on government indicate that there are serious problems with the fundamentals of democracy,” Alexander Hudson, a co-author of the report, told AFP. “A historic turning point came in 2020–21 when former president Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election results in the United States,” the report said. In addition, Hudson pointed to a “decline in the quality of freedom of association and assembly during the summer of protests in 2020” following the police killing of George Floyd. AFP
NEW NUCLEAR DEFENSE ALLIANCE
This handout photo taken and released on November 22, 2021 by the Australian Defense Force shows US Chargé d’Affaires Michael Goldman (2nd from left) signing the Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information Agreement as Australia’s Minister for Defense Peter Dutton (2nd from right) and British High Commissioner Victoria Treadell (right) look on during a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra. AFP
US, Australia, UK sign sub deal
A
USTRALIA formally embarked Monday on a hotly-contested program to equip its navy with nuclear-powered submarines in a new defence alliance with Britain and the United States.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton joined US and British diplomats in signing an agreement allowing the exchange of sensitive “naval nuclear propulsion information” between their nations.
It is the first agreement on the technology to be publicly signed since the three countries announced in September the formation of a defense alliance, AUKUS, to confront strategic tensions
in the Pacific where China-US rivalry is growing. The deal will help Australia to complete an 18-month study into the submarine procurement, Dutton said after signing it in Canberra with US Charge d’Affaires Michael Goldman and British High Commissioner (ambassador) Victoria Treadell. Details of the procurement have yet to be decided, including whether Australia
will opt for a vessel based on US or British nuclear-powered attack submarines. “With access to the information this agreement delivers, coupled with the decades of naval nuclear-powered experience our UK and US partners have, Australia will also be positioned to be responsible and reliable stewards of this technology,” Dutton said in a statement. Ahead of the signing, US President Joe Biden said in a memorandum ap-
NZ to scrap lockdowns next month
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Municipal Registry of Quezon City, Metro Manila. REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL Other just and equitable reliefs REGION under the premises are likewise most BRANCH 229, QUEZON CITY Respectfully prayed for.
IN THE MATTER OF THE CANCELLATION Finding the verified petition sufficient OF ANNOTATION AND THE REGISTERED in form and substance, the Court gives AFFIDAVIT OF LEGITIMATION IN THE due course thereto. CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH OF ANTHONY FANUGAO ABALOS, WHEREFORE, let a copy of this Order be published in a newspaper ANTHONY FANUGAO ABALOS a.k.a. of national circulation once a week ANTHONY CABATBAT FANUGAO, for three (3) consecutive weeks at Petitioner, the expense of the petitioner, upon coordination with the office of the -versusClerk of Court, Regional Trial Court of Case No. R-QZN-21-05839-SP Quezon City. Hearing on the Petition is hereby set before this Court on CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL, LOCAL December 1, 2021 at 8:30 o’clock CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY in the morning, at which time and THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY, place, any person having interest in the RODENCIO C. ABALOS, VICTORIA F. Petition may appear. ABALOS AND ALL OTHER PERSONS WHO HAVE OR CLAIM ANY INTEREST IN THE SO ORDERED. INSTANT PETITION, Respondents. July 27, 2021, Quezon City, Metro x------------------------------------------------------x Manila.
ORDER OF HEARING AND PUBLICATION
(Sgd.) CLETO R. VILLACORTA, III Presiding Judge
A verified petition was filed on June 28, 2021 by petitioner through counsel praying that after notice, publication, and hearing, judgment be rendered ordering the respondent Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City and Civil Registrar General to CANCEL the registration of the affidavit of Legitimation of Anthony Fanugao Abalos aka Anthony Cabatbat Fanugao registered at the City /
Cc: Atty. Dongil T. Calugay – PAO, QC Anthony Fanugao Abalos – Door B Iglesia Cruz Compound corner Gutierrez Compound, Sitio Burol, Brgy. San Juan, Taytay, Rizal RTC-OCC, QC
(MStandard-Nov. 16, 23 & 30, 2021)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF MANDALUYONG CITY PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Mortgagee, -versus-
FRE-MC21-1318 EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 AS AMENDED BY 4118
MALAY MEISIN DE LEON TAN, Mortgagor, X----------------------------------------------x
NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE Upon Extra-Judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118 filed by PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK, Mortgagee, against MALAY MEISIN DE LEON TAN, Mortgagor, with given address at (a) Blk 3 Lot 1 Monterey St., Sta. Monica 2 Mission Hills Subd., Brgy. San Roque, Antipolo City, Rizal (b) Unit 2702 Acqua Private Residences, Dettifoss Tower, Coronado, Hulo, Mandaluyong City, to satisfy the mortgaged indebtedness which as of October 7, 2021, amounts to NINE MILLION NINETY FIVE THOUSAND AND EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTY NINE PESOS and 15/100 (Php 9,095,879.15) ONLY, Philippine Currency, plus accruing interest, penalty and other charges, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Mandaluyong City or his duly authorized deputy will at PUBLIC AUCTION to the HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH OR MANAGERS CHECK and in Philippine Currency on the 15th day of December, 2021 at 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter in front of the main entrance of the Hall of Justice Building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, the Condominium unit together with all the improvements existing thereon to wit: CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 008-2021000050 Registry of Deeds – City of Mandaluyong IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the unit identified and described as: DETTIFOSS TOWER FLOOR NUMBER: 27 UNIT NUMBER: 2702 TOTAL UNIT AREA: 110.89 SQM. OF “ACQUA PRIVATE RESIDENCES” CONDOMINIUM PROJECT In the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on Transfer Certificate of Title 2011001016 which embraces and describes the land located at MANDALUYONG CITY with an area of TWO THOUSAND SEVENTY-TWO (2.072) Square Meter, xxxxxx “All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date” “In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on December 22, 2021 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter without further notice.” Prospective bidders or buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the said property and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Mandaluyong City, Philippines, November 8, 2021. FOR THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF BY: (Sgd.) GERMAN R.REYES Sheriff IV Copy furnished: Philippine Savings Bank PSBank Center, 777 Paseo de Roxas corner Sedeño Street Makati City Malay Meisin De Leon Tan (a) Blk 3 Lot 1 Monterey St., Sta. Monica Mission Hills Subd., Brgy. San Roque, Antipolo City, Rizal (b) Unit 2702 Acqua Private Residences, Dettifoss Tower Coronado, Hulo, Mandaluyong City WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriffs Sale on or before the date of Auction Sale under penalty of the law.
(MStandard-Nov. 16, 23 & 30, 2021)
proving the deal on Friday that it would improve the three countries’ “mutual defense posture.” Under the AUKUS deal, Australia would obtain eight state-of-the-art, nuclear-powered but conventionally armed submarines capable of stealthy, long-range missions. It also provides for sharing cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum and unspecified undersea capabilities. AFP
THICK SMOG. Men row a boat amid foggy conditions in Dal lake in Srinagar on Nov. 22, 2021. AFP
Vehicle strikes Austria re-enters COVID restrictions US Xmas parade: as Europe fights dramatic virus surge 5 killed, 40 injured AHEAD of the Christmas holidays, cinated people from venues like resFIVE people were killed and 40 others wounded after a vehicle plowed into a Christmas parade in the US state of Wisconsin on Sunday, police said. Officials said a red SUV broke through barricades at the Christmas parade in Waukesha, a suburb of Milwaukee just after 4:30 pm (2230 GMT), as spectators watched the annual tradition. “We can confirm that 5 people are deceased and 40 are injured. However, these numbers may change as we collect additional information,” the Waukesha Police Department said in a statement on their official Facebook page. Police added they have a “person of interest in custody.” Police chief Dan Thompson had earlier told reporters that “some of the individuals were children” and that officers had recovered the involved vehicle. There were no other threats, officials at the press conference said. A total of 11 adults and 12 children were taken to six area hospitals, Fire Chief Steven Howard told reporters. During the incident an officer fired at the SUV in an attempt to stop it, the authorities added. Schools will not open Monday and roads will remain closed, Thompson said, while the investigation is continuing. President Joe Biden has received a briefing on the situation and the White House is “closely monitoring the situation in Waukesha and our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by this terrible incident,” said an official. AFP
Austria shut its shops, restaurants and festive markets Monday, returning to lockdown in the most dramatic COVID-19 restriction seen in Western Europe for months. The decision has prompted a fierce backlash, with tens of thousands taking to the streets, some blaming the government for not doing more to avert the latest coronavirus wave crashing into Europe. As they wake up Monday morning, Austria’s 8.9 million people will not be allowed to leave home except to go to work, shop for essentials and exercise. The Alpine nation is also imposing a sweeping vaccine mandate from February 1 – joining the Vatican as the only places in Europe with such a requirement. Battling a resurgent pandemic almost two years since COVID-19 first emerged, several countries in the continent have reintroduced curbs, often choosing to ban unvac-
taurants and bars. But not since jabs became widely available has a European Union country had to re-enter a nationwide lockdown. Austria’s decision punctures earlier promises that tough virus restrictions would be a thing of the past. Over the summer, then chancellor Sebastian Kurz had declared the pandemic “over.” But plateauing inoculation rates, record case numbers and a spiralling death toll have forced the government to walk back such bold claims. After taking office in October, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg criticised the “shamefully low” vaccine rate – 66 percent compared to France’s 75 percent – and banned the un-jabbed from public spaces. When that proved ineffective at squelching the latest round of infections, he announced a nationwide lockdown of 20 days, with an evaluation after 10 days. AFP
NEW Zealand will end a three-anda-half-month lockdown in the country’s largest city Auckland early next month as it adopts a new coronavirus control strategy, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday. Ardern said that from 11:59 p.m. on December 2, New Zealand would adopt a new COVID-19 response – first flagged last month – that aims to contain the highly contagious Delta variant, rather than attempting to eliminate it completely. “The hard truth is that Delta is here and not going away,” she told reporters. “While no country has been able to eliminate Delta completely, New Zealand is better positioned than most to tackle it.” Ardern’s coronavirus response until now has strived for “COVID Zero” elimination, with strict lockdowns, rigorous contact tracing and tight border controls. While it has resulted in just 40 deaths in a population of five million, pressure had been building to end a lockdown in Auckland imposed in mid-August when Delta was first detected. Ardern had initially planned to implement the new system when the vaccination rate in the country reached 90 percent, but set the December 2 opening-up date even though the level is currently around 83 percent. Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said he was comfortable with what amounts to the largest revamp of COVID-19 policy since the start of the pandemic. “We’re going into this next phase in, one could argue, the best possible position,” he said. “We’ve got a controlled outbreak, we’re going into summer and we’ve got high and increasing vaccination rates.” Under the new three-tier traffic light system, green has almost no virus controls, while red means businesses can remain open but customers must be vaccinated and observe social distancing. AFP
Ex-hotel driver on trial in France over Rwanda genocide A FORMER hotel driver goes on trial in Paris on Monday accused of complicity in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide by transporting Hutu militiamen who massacred hundreds of Tutsis. Claude Muhayimana, who investigators say also hid Tutsis at risk of death and helped some escape, fled after the genocide and gained French nationality in 2010. He faces a life sentence if convicted. The genocide, one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century, saw 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate members of the Hutu majority slaughtered in just three months, in massacres orchestrated
and inflamed by the authorities. Around 50 witnesses are expected to testify at what will be the third trial of Rwandan genocide suspects in France, whose legal system grants universal jurisdiction to judges prosecuting crimes against humanity. Three people have already been convicted: an army officer sentenced to 25 years in prison, and two mayors who were given life sentences. But Muhayimana will be the first “ordinary” citizen to face justice having been considered “respectable all around” before the killings, said Alexandre Kiabski, a lawyer for the Col-
lective of Civil Parties for Rwanda (CPCR), one of the plaintiffs. He dismissed claims by the defense that Muhayimana had no choice but to obey the Hutu authorities, saying “there were other drivers who refused.” The trial is expected to last a month, and feature dozens of witnesses include 15 from Rwanda. COVID-19 travel restrictions prompted judges to postpone the trial earlier this year. Muhayimana was arrested in France in 2014 after an investigation by Paris prosecutors specialising in crimes against humanity that was prompted by a victims’ association. AFP
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Business
B3
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com
Stocks close flat; Synergy, AllDay advance S PSEi November 22, 2021
TOP GAINERS
1
MBC
LAST PRICE 10.4
% CHANGE CHANGE 1.9 22.35%
2 3 4
PHES MJC MARC
0.54 2.08 1.33
0.08 0.29 0.15
17.39% 16.20% 12.71%
5 6
MFC DITO
1000 5.57
100 0.41
11.11% 7.95%
7 8 9
FAF UPM PHR
0.63 0.0067 0.84
0.04 0.0004 0.05
6.78% 6.35% 6.33%
10
LTG
10.76
0.56
5.49%
HARE prices closed flat Monday, with some investors buying back newly-listed shares that retreated in mild bargain hunting.
The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 2.1 points or 0.03 percent to 7,282.67 on a value turnover of P8.5 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 117 to 71, with 51 issues unchanged. Noodles maker Monde Nissin Corp. advanced 3 percent to P18.62, while LT Group Inc. of tobacco and airline tycoon Lucio Tan climbed 5.5 percent to P10.76. Synergy Grid & Development Phils. Inc., which owns the company that operates the country’s electricity grid, rose 2.4 percent to P15.06, while AllDay
Marts Inc. of the Villar Group increased 2.7 percent to P0.76. The rest of Asian markets were mixed Monday with fears about renewed containment measures to battle a surge in European COVID cases adding to growing speculation that central banks will have to tighten monetary policy quicker to tame a spike in inflation. Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul and Bangkok rose but Hong Kong, Sydney, Wellington, Taipei and Mumbai edged down. Shanghai rose as analysts speculate
that the central People’s Bank of China could unveil some easing measures to kickstart growth in the world’s number two economy, despite a surge in prices in the country. Oil extended losses as major consumers including the United States considered releasing some of their reserves to keep a lid on prices, which have been a key reason for the jump in inflation this year. While the Nasdaq ended at a new record above 16,000 for the first time Friday, the S&P 500, Dow and European markets provided a negative lead after Austria said it would reintroduce lockdowns—and make vaccination mandatory from February—to fight a worrying jump in new infections.
US fund makes ‘friendly’ proposal for Telecom Italia
TOP LOSERS 1
OPM
LAST PRICE 0.01
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MHC MAB MB FERRO MWIDE PCOR BRN WEB KEEPR
0.41 0.0092 0.405 3.25 5.71 3.33 0.8 2.06 1.62
% CHANGE CHANGE -0.001 -9.09% -0.03 -0.0006 -0.025 -0.2 -0.3 -0.17 -0.04 -0.1 -0.07
-6.82% -6.12% -5.81% -5.80% -4.99% -4.86% -4.76% -4.63% -4.14%
MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
MONDE CNVRG KEEPR TEL BDO SMPH ACEN SGP GLO URC
VOLUME 70,329,400 32,567,700 217,363,000 171,405 2,111,600 7,337,400 20,400,100 12,645,700 51,735 1,351,400
VALUE (PHP) 1,298,826,214 1,032,665,690 364,513,040 290,108,530 268,820,800 260,304,180 243,030,600 189,166,068 186,332,830 179,083,447
Other countries including Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Belgium were also bringing in measures. “This of course is not just an Austrian story, COVID infections are rising at an alarming rate around Europe with other EU governments also introducing restrictions with the risk that they may also need to follow Austria’s drastic measures,” said National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril. The announcements added to the downbeat mood on trading floors with investors expecting central banks to continue winding back the ultra-loose monetary policies put in place at the start of the pandemic and which have been crucial to the global recovery. With AFP
REVENGE SHOPPING. A pedestrian carries shopping bags as she walks past a market stall at Walthamstow Market in east London on November 21, 2021. British annual inflation surged close to a ten-year peak in October partly on the back of higher household energy costs, official data showed last week. The annual rate jumped to 4.2 percent, hitting the highest level since November 2011, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. AFP
Brazil’s Nubank jolts market with IPO, funky beats SAO PAOLO, Brazil—With 48 million clients, pop star Anitta on its board and a viral ad set to the beats of Brazilian funk, Nubank, a new digital-only bank, is shaking up the market in Brazil—and now eying a $50-billion entry on Wall Street. Launched in 2013 by an international trio of fintech entrepreneurs, the Sao Paulo neobank will make its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange on December 9, consolidating its meteoric rise. Nubank is hoping to raise some $3 billion in its IPO, for a total valuation of more than $50 billion, which would make it Latin America’s biggest bank, surpassing traditional Brazilian bank Itau Unibanco.
It is the latest headline-grabbing moment for the disruptive upstart, which also wooed a $500-million investment from legendary investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in June. China’s Tencent and Airbnb backer Sequoia are also investors in the firm, which is currently valued at around $30 billion, making it one of the world’s biggest neobanks. Offering free online accounts, credit cards for long-excluded lower-income clients and the mobility of banking by cell phone, Nubank promises a radical break with the high fees and stodgy bureaucracy of Brazil’s traditional banks. It has been a massive success for its founders, Brazilian consultant Cristina
Junqueira, US tech whiz Edward Wible and Colombian investment banker David Velez. Velez, 39, now the company’s chief executive, made Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s billionaires this year, with a fortune estimated at $5.2 billion— most of which he and his wife say they plan to donate. The next step for Nubank, which also has operations in Mexico and Colombia, is to turn a profit: The company reported a net loss of $171.5 million last year, and lost $99.1 million in the first three quarters of this year. Like fellow digital disruptors Banco Inter, Neon and C6 Bank, Nubank is tapping a young, dynamic Manila market segment long Standard neglected by traditional banks.AFP TODAY
ROME, Italy—Telecom Italia (TIM) confirmed Sunday it had received a “friendly,” non-binding expression of interest by US private equity fund KKR that values the Italian operator at around 10.8 billion euros. An emergency meeting of TIM’s board of directors was called to discuss “a possible public tender offer for the entire share capital of the company” offering an initial 0.505 euros a share, the firm said in a statement afterwards. On Friday, TIM shares closed at around 0.35 euros. It said the proposal, aimed at the “delisting” of the company, was subject to around four weeks of due diligence and would only go ahead with the backing of the holders of least 51 percent of both ordinary and savings shares. It would also require clearance by Italian government stakeholders, as TIM’s network is considered a national strategic asset. “The indication of interest was qualified by KKR as ‘friendly’ and aims at obtaining approval by TIM’s directors and support by the company’s management,” the statement said. KKR already has a 37.5-percent stake in FiberCop, a joint venture with TIM and Italian internet provider Fastweb to provide fibre optic broadband across Italy. The takeover proposal comes amid news reports that shareholders—the largest of which is France’s Vivendi—are putting pressure on TIM’s top management following disappointing recent results. A spokesman for Vivendi had earlier denied it was in discussions with any funds, including CVC, which had also been named in speculation about TIM’s future. AFP
Australian fruit farmers face harvest headache By Gregory Plesse NASHDALE, Australia—In nearperfect conditions, thanks to abundant rain and healthy trees, Australian fruit grower Michael Cunial’s cherry orchard looks set to yield a bumper crop. He has just one problem: the harvest. Like many farmers in Australia, during harvests he relies on seasonal workers, many of whom have been shut out of the country since its international borders closed in March 2020 to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Even if he can find workers for the cherry harvest, he may have to pay them more than he has in previous years. In common with most Australian fruit growers, Cunial has paid seasonal workers for what they can pick. But the system has left many workers earning less than the minimum wage, so the rules may be about to change. “The system of a piece rate tends to make sense,” the fruit grower said at his 50-hectare (120-acre) farm, Curinya Orchards, in Nashdale— about four hours’ drive from Sydney. “If you want to have a go, you can actually make really good money. And if you’re hopeless, you don’t.” Cunial said he expects “really big” cherries this year, which will probably be ready for harvest in early- to midDecember. He hires about 50 seasonal workers for the annual harvest and pays them piece rate. But the system has been condemned by the Fair Work Commission, Australia’s industrial relations tribunal. Below minimum wage Ruling on a complaint by the Australian Workers Union, it said seasonal
This picture taken on November 11, 2021 shows a man working at a cherry farm located in the rural New South Wales state town of Nashdale, some 212 kms (131 miles) from Sydney. The vast majority of Australian horticultural farms pay their seasonal workers by output, but this method of payment has recently been called into question. AFP
farm workers should get the minimum hourly wage of Aus$25.41 (US$18.50). “The totality of the evidence presents a picture of significant underpayment of pieceworkers in the horticulture industry when compared to the minimum award hourly rate,” the commission found. Farming federations, which oppose the finding, have until November 26 to appeal. According to a 2018 study of more than 8,000 horticultural farms by the Fair Work Ombudsman, 56 percent of them underpaid a proportion of their workers. Working hard is not always enough. Victor, a young Frenchman who preferred not to be identified by his full name to protect his employment prospects, had to work 88 days in farming to be allowed to stay a second year—a condition of the working holiday visa. “I have worked in the vineyards. I had to wrap the branches around wire. We were paid 11 cents a branch. I was among the top 10 percent and I still only got Aus$9 an hour, less than half the minimum wage,” he said. Cedric Gestin, another French worker who is in his third year in Australia, says he has al-
ways preferred farms that pay by the hour. After three years working full-time in Cunial’s cherry orchard, Remy Genet manages the seasonal workers. “I have got guys who can fill 60 lugs (fruit crates), earn Aus$700 in a day, and others who can only fill nine lugs in the same field. The difference is the motivation,” he said. “Of course, there are farms where even the good ones never earn enough money because there is not enough fruit or the farm is badly run. But where some people can make money, everyone can make money.” ‘Keep an eye on them’ Cunial says he is concerned about the prospect of laying off workers who do not pick enough if there is a switch to hourly pay. “We are going to have to keep an eye on them. And within maybe half a day, we’re going to have to let people go if this decision comes to fruition,” he said. “Cherries have got a window of about five days to a week, if you’re lucky, before you need to get them off a tree. So if you don’t have the pickers, they could just end up going bad on the tree.” AFP
NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING To All Stockholders: Please be advised that the annual meeting of stockholders of BRIGHT KINDLE RESOURCES & INVESTMENTS, INC. (the “Corporation”) will be held virtually on 15 December 2021 (Wednesday) at 2:00 p.m. To ensure and safeguard everyone’s health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no physical venue for the meeting. The meeting will be held virtually via remote communication at https://conveneagm.com/ph/brightkindle, with the Chairman of the meeting presiding from Makati City. The agenda of the meeting is as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Call to Order Proof of Notice and Certification of Quorum Approval of Minutes of the Previous Stockholders’ Meeting Approval of the Management Report and Audited Financial Statements for the year ending 31 December 2020 Ratification of All Acts of the Board of Directors and Management Election of Directors Appointment of the Independent External Auditor Other Matters Adjournment
For purposes of the meeting, stockholders of record as of 15 November 2021 are entitled to receive notice and to vote at the said meeting. Stockholders intending to participate by remote communication should pre-register at https://conveneagm.com/ ph/brightkindle on or before 5 December 2021. Please refer to the Procedure for Participation and Voting at the 2021 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting (attached to the Definitive Information Statement) for detailed information on participation by remote communication and voting in absentia (electronic voting) or by proxy. Pursuant to SEC’s Notice dated 16 March 2021, a copy of the Notice of the meeting, Definitive Information Statement, Management Report, minutes of the previous meeting of the stockholders, and other documents related to the meeting may be accessed through the Corporation’s website https:/ /www.brightkindle.com/and PSE Edge. For any question about the conduct of the virtual meeting, you may refer to the Frequently Asked Questions at https://conveneagm. com/ph/brightkindle or email mdc.bkr@gmail.com Makati City, 19 November 2021
MAILA LOURDES G. DE CASTRO Corporate Secretary * All proxies which have been previously submitted shall remain valid unless revoked. (MS-NOV. 22 & 23, 2021
Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021
Fitch unit sees BSP raising rates by 75 bps in 2022 By Julito G. Rada FITCH Solutions, a unit of Fitch Group, said Monday it expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to keep the record-low policy rate of 2 percent this year before increasing it by 75 basis points to 2.75 percent next year. Fitch Solutions said in a report the BSP’s latest move of keeping the 2-percent policy rate on Thursday was widely expected, given its commitment to support economic recovery from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. “However, with the Philippines still in the process of relaxing domestic COVID-19 restrictions and vaccinating its population, the economic normalization process will stretch into 2022. As such, we believe the BSP will take a gradual approach to monetary policy normalization,” it said. “We at Fitch Solutions forecast the BSP to begin its hiking cycle in 2022, forecasting the policy rate to rise from 2.0 percent as of end-2021 to 2.75 percent by end-2022,” it said. Fitch Solutions said it expected the BSP to look past elevated inflation and to the economic recovery. It said indications of an economic recovery were growing, with mobility data and the Purchasing Managers’ Index showing an expansion in activity in October. It also expects credit demand to pick-up heading into 2022, reducing the need for the unprecedented monetary accommodation from the BSP. The BSP will conduct its final policy meeting this year on Dec. 16, in which Fitch Solutions expects the policy rate to remain on hold. “We continue to watch the reopening of the Philippine economy and the COVID-19 situation, which has the potential to delay the economic recovery again,” it said. Data showed that as of Nov. 17, only 36.7 percent of the Philippine population were fully vaccinated, with issues around vaccine distribution to areas outside Metro Manila and high levels of hesitancy towards the vaccines.
Business US investment firm sells 5.6% stake in Converge for P12.6b By Darwin G. Amojelar
U
S-BASED Warburg Pincus, one of the world’s biggest private equity firms, sold a 5.6-percent stake in Converge ICT Solutions Inc. through a block sale, raising P12.6 billion.
Coherent Cloud Investments B.V., managed by Warburg Pincus, sold 420 million shares or 5.6 percent of the outstanding share of Converge in a block trade at the Philippine Stock Exchange on Nov. 19. The transaction brought Coherent’s stake in Converge down to 10.25 percent from 15.83 percent. “The transaction increases Converge public float from 20.4 percent to 26 percent, putting Converge in a stronger position to be included in the MCSI [Mor-
gan Stanley Capital International] Index at the upcoming index reviews,” Maria Grace Uy, co-founder and president of Converge, said in a virtual briefing. “In fact, this transaction was very well-received both globally and domestically. Demand for the base size of the transaction was well over subscribed. There was strong reception from a high quality investors that enabled us to increase the base size of the transactions and also accommodate the robust investor interest,” she said. Uy said the fundamental operational and financial performance of Converge is stronger than ever. “We will continue to focus on growing the business and delivering value to our customers and our shareholders,” she said. Mathias Vukovich, chief financial officer advisor of Converge, said Warburg Pincus remains a significant shareholder with 10.25-percent stake. “They continue to be active day to day both on the board level and also operational l level in partnering with us,”
he said. “With our investible market cap now expanded by 5.6 percent, we believe that the transaction will improve our trading liquidity, allowing for greater investors,” he said. Converge ICT earlier reported a net income of P5.2 billion in the first three quarters, up 136 percent from P2.2 billion in the same period last year. Consolidated revenues grew by 76.4 percent year-on-year to P18.8 billion as of end-September. The company said residential subscribers grew 75 percent to 1.57 million as of end-September from 900,531 a year ago. Revenues from enterprise also increased 8.5 percent to P2.45 billion. Converge ICT said it deployed more than 13,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable to boost its backbone network. It recently completed its North Luzon fiber optic loop to provide redundant traffic routing in case of a network outage.
LT GROUP’S DONATION.
HOMEGROWN seafood processor Alliance Select Foods International Inc. said Monday it sold its entire 80-percent stake in a New Zealand subsidiary for P266 million (N$Z7.5 million). ASFII said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board of directors approved the sale of its farmed salmon subsidiary Akaroa Salmon New Zealand Ltd. to Ngati Porou Seafoods Limited, Te Kahui O Onuku Charitable Company Limited and Archipelago Capital Management Limited. Alliance Select plans to use pro-
ceeds from the sale to reinvest in the company’s operations and reduce debt. It said the sale was consistent with the company’s long-term objective to focus on Philippine operations and strengthen the company’s balance sheet. “We remain optimistic about the future of ASFII and will continue to invest in our business. We are confident that this latest development will allow us to streamline our operations and improve profitability,” ASFII chief executive Raymond See said. ASFII is primarily engaged in tuna processing, serving over 30 countries worldwide. It also processes the
tor Road (section 1), Skyway Stage 3 Quirino Ramp, Poblacion Water Treatment Plant, CAMANA Water Reclamation Facility, The Estate Makati, Empress and Maven at Capitol Commons and others. It said among the recently completed major contracts were the Anchor Piers for Cebu Cordova Link Expressway together with Acciona of Spain, Ikea Pasay City together with SM Prime, Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Mamplasan to Silang East), Bued Viaduct and Roadway, The Viridian in Greenhills and The Royalton at Capitol Commons. DMCI said that on a stand-alone basis, it recorded a net income of P143 million in the third quarter, a reversal of the P155-million net loss in the same period last year. The construction firm said net income grew 937 percent in the first nine months to P785 million from P76 million recorded a year ago. The dramatic rebound was attributed to higher construction accomplishments owing to easing quarantine restrictions and lower extraordinary costs. Jenniffer B. Austria
2.10 PTS. 7,282.67
TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED
1,058,820,410 112,724 8,469,379,061.44 71 117 51
F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021
Currency
Unit
US Dollar
Peso
United States
Dollar
1.000000
50.3320
Japan
Yen
0.008777
0.4418
UK
Pound
1.345800
67.7368
Hong Kong
Dollar
0.128365
6.4609
Switzerland
Franc
1.077935
54.2546
Canada
Dollar
0.791202
39.8228
Singapore
Dollar
0.734646
36.9762
Australia
Dollar
0.723100
36.3951
Bahrain
Dinar
2.652520
133.5066
Saudi Arabia
Rial
0.266596
13.4183
Brunei
Dollar
0.731957
36.8409
Indonesia
Rupiah
0.000070
0.0035
Thailand
Baht
0.030534
1.5368
UAE
Dirham
0.272287
13.7047
Euro
Euro
1.129200
56.8349
Korea
Won
0.000842
0.0424
China
Yuan
0.156578
7.8809
India
Rupee
0.013453
0.6771
Malaysia
Ringgit
0.239120
12.0354
New Zealand
Dollar
0.700700
35.2676
Taiwan
Dollar
0.035976
1.8107 Source: BSP
IN BRIEF
ACE secures deal for 1,100-MW plant
ACE Exenor Inc., a company controlled by Ayala Group, signed an investment agreement with Buendia Christiana Holdings Corp., Red Holdings B.V., Batangas Clean Energy Inc. and Gen X Energy L.P. to develop a 1,100-megawatt combined cycle power plant. ACE Exenor, BCHC, Red Holdings, BCE and Gen X signed the deal to develop the project that use natural gas and/or green hydrogen as fuel to meet the country’s growing energy demand. The joint venture will be through BCE, the special purpose vehicle company where the AC Exenor and Gen X Energy will each own a 50-percent interest, subject to satisfaction of agreed conditions precedent and execution of further definitive documents. Gen X is a portfolio company of Blackstone Inc., the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Alena Mae S. Flores
A STARTUP application aims to help the Philippine seafaring industry select the right workforce that fits the requirements of foreign ship owners. Seafair, a tech startup, was created to solve such problem and a host of other worker-related concerns efficiently and cost-effectively by serving as the platform linking shipping companies, shipowners and operators of commercial vessels with seafarers from reliable sources worldwide. Established just a year ago in Greece, the veritable superpower global shipping, Seafair is equipped with the technology to resolve the issues besetting both the principals and the seafarers from recruitment to crew management. Founder Agapitos Diakogiannis realized some inefficiencies in the hiring process as seafarers have trouble finding jobs even though their seamanship skills are in high demand in the industry that continues to grow in spite of the pandemic. Diakogiannis said that through the app, which already has offices in New York, Athens and Berlin, fairness is assured in the recruitment process.
Sitel clinches award for wellness program
by-products and scraps from its tuna processing operations into fishmeal and sells these to the domestic feeds market and to traders. The company’s main products include canned tuna, smoked and raw salmon, fishmeal and fish oil. ASFII narrowed its net loss in the third quarter to $214,892 from the $535,205 net loss in the same period last year despite lower revenues. The company widened its net loss in the first nine months to $867,956 from $746,758 net loss a year earlier as revenues dropped 40 percent to $31 million from $52 million amid weak export demand and high freight costs due to the global
shortage of shipping containers that dampened sales. The company said it implemented cost optimization measures to reduce the cost of goods sold and lower selling and administrative expenses. “We are looking forward to a more stable environment as economies across the globe recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve made several adjustments in our business, including streamlining of operations and improving our cost structures, which should allow for better growth coming into 2022,” See said. The share price of ASFII was unchanged at P0.59 on Monday.
DMCI bagged P16.1-b worth of new construction projects in nine months CONSTRUCTION company D.M. Consunji Inc. said Monday it bagged P16.1-billion worth of projects in the first nine months, boosting its total order book to P51.7 billion. DMCI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it won P4.5-billion worth of construction projects and obtained P2.6 billion in additional work from ongoing projects. The new contracts include a mall, medical building, power plants and train depot. “Private construction remains sluggish because of weak economic conditions. Bidding for big-ticket infrastructure projects is starting to pick up, and we hope to benefit from this soon,” said DMCI president and chief executive Jorge Consunji. The company said it has 16 ongoing and prospect bids with a total project cost of P91.17 billion. Most of these projects involve construction of railway, bridges, buildings, power plants, water treatment and reclamation facilities. DMCI’s ongoing projects include the North South Commuter Railway (viaduct and depot), NLEX-SLEX Connec-
Monday, November 22, 2021
New app to help PH seafaring sector
Lucio Tan Group Inc. president and chief operating officer Michael Tan (left), University of the Philippines UP Chancellor Dr. Fidel R. Nemenzo (center) and UP president Atty. Danilo Concepcion lead the turnover of super computers donated by the LTG to UP College of Sciences. From 10 gigabit, the now upgraded high performance data center is fully equipped with mega servers and hardware components with 400 gigabit capacity. Tan says he hopes that the upgrade of the Core Computational Facility or ‘UP Data Commons’ will further strengthen the capacity of the university as a leading research institution in the Philippines.
Alliance Select divests 80% interest in New Zealand unit for P266m By Jenniffer B. Austria
PSE INDEX CLOSING
SITEL Group, one of the largest global providers of customer experience products and solutions, was recognized as part of the 12th Asia CEO Awards 2021 Circle of Excellence for Wellness Company of the Year for their robust health wellness program SitelFit. The program, launched in 2018 in the Philippines, is a global health and wellbeing initiative that encourages Sitel Group associates to make healthy choices, provides wellness information and advice and gives back to the community through charitable fitness challenges. Held annually since 2010, the Asia CEO Awards pays tribute to world-class Filipino talents and companies and recognizes exemplary contributions, inspiring exceptional performance and innovations that drive bigger investments for stronger businesses. The 2021 theme of the awards was, “Recover, Reset, Reignite” as the event highlighted business achievements in making essential changes during the pandemic that allowed businesses to not only survive but thrive during challenging times. “We had over 514 leaders and companies nominated this year which is the highest number we have received,” said Richard Mills, chairman of Asia CEO Awards. “Every entry was incredible and the companies and individuals all deserve to be honored for their contribution to the business sector and the country especially during the global pandemic.”
AYALA DONATION. Ayala Foundation president Ruel Maranan leads the launching of #BrigadangAyala Kaakay in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. The Ayala group kicks off Kaakay, a 12-week food distribution program in several locations across Metro Manila. From November 2021 to February 2022, #BrigadangAyala Kaakay will facilitate a weekly food distribution program that will benefit 10,000 families or 500,000 individuals in urban poor areas across Metro Manila.
Pag-IBIG Fund financed 17,268 socialized homes in first 10 months PAG-IBIG Fund financed more than 17,000 socialized homes for low-income earners in the first 10 months, up by almost 50 percent from the previous year despite the ongoing pandemic, top executives said Monday. The agency said the number of socialized housing units it funded from January to October grew 49 percent to 17,268 from 11,560 socialized units in the same period in 2020. In terms of amount, socialized housing loans amounted to P7.54 billion, or 59 percent higher than the
P4.75 billion released last year. “We are happy to announce that the number of members from minimumwage and low-income sectors who were able to buy or build their homes continues to increase. Even during the pandemic, Pag-IBIG Fund’s affordable housing program provides opportunities for the underserved to secure a home of their own,” said Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, chairman of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.
“This is our contribution to the recovery of our country, which is being led by President Rodrigo Duterte,” said del Rosario who is also the chairman of the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund board of trustees. Pag-IBIG Fund’s AHP is a special home financing program that caters to the needs of minimum-wage and low-income members who earn up to P15,000 a month within the National Capital Region and members who earn up to P12,000 per month outside the NCR.
Sports
LeBron ejected in LA’s road win LOS ANGELES—LeBron James was ejected after bloodying Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart with a swipe to the face in the Los Angeles Lakers 121-116 victory over the Pistons on Sunday night in Detroit. The NBA superstar was thrown out for just the second time in his career after striking Stewart in the face while the pair were battling for rebounding position. Stewart, who was cut above the right eye, tried to confront James. That led to a scrum of players from both teams coming together with several coaches and security people also joining the fray as the Piston player repeatedly tried to get back at James. The incident occurred with 9:18 remaining in the third quarter and the Lakers trailing 79-67. The Lakers came into the contest on a three-game losing streak and a disappointing 8-9 on the season. Anthony Davis, who scored a team-high 30 points, came to the defense of his teammate after the game in which the Lakers came from behind to win. “Everyone in the league knows that (James) isn’t a dirty guy. As soon as he did it, he looked back and told him, ‘My bad. I didn’t try to do it.’ I don’t know what (Stewart) was trying to do. Nobody on our team, 1-15, was having it,” he said. Stewart was initially whistled for a loose ball foul. Following a video review, James was then slapped with a flagrant foul two and sent to the locker room. Stewart was handed two technical fouls and thrown out, and Lakers guard Russell Westbrook was called for a technical foul. James finished with 10 points and five assists. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said he was relieved to see that it didn’t escalate further. “Our guys did a good job of protecting our teammate. You want peacekeepers in those situations. Forming a wall around a teammate and standing up before it turned into something uglier.” The only other time James has been ejected from a game was November 2017 against the Miami Heat. “His eye was cracked open. He (Stewart) was upset for a reason, but I don’t think LeBron is a dirty player,” said Pistons coach Dwane Casey. The Lakers five-game road trip continues Wednesday against Indiana. Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the entry draft, had 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to become the youngest player in Pistons franchise history with a triple-double. AFP
Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021
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Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons is restrained as he goes after LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter of the game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. AFP
PSC HANDS OFF ON ROW
Patafa: Obiena coach Petrov complained of non-payment By Peter Atencio
T
HE Philippine Sports Commission is taking a hands-off stance on the situation surrounding Tokyo Olympic veteran Ernest John Obiena after he was accused of falsifying liquidation reports and reportedly failed to turn over payment for the services rendered to him by his coach Vitaly Petrov. It is now up to a four-man investigating panel which the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association formed last week to look into the matter and decide. “For now, let us allow PATAFA and EJ to sort the matter internally within their NSA, as it should be. The PSC will intervene when it is appropriate,”
said PSC chairman William Ramirez in a statement. All funding related to Obiena’s training activities in Formia, Italy has been suspended. The probe body of the PATAFA is headed by Felix Tiukinhoy and is seeking the full cooperation of Obiena on charges that Petrov has not
received any payment from Tokyo Officials disclosed that the assoOlympian Ernest John Obiena for his ciation acted on a statement signed by services since 2018. Obiena’s coach, Petrov, who inThe Tiukinhoy group told formed the PATAFA that he Obiena in an internal disdid not receive payment for patch that they have the his services to Obiena. authority to decide on This was supported by a his case. signed affidavit by Sergey Obiena learned of Bubka, the former superthe committee’s actions star pole vaulter, who is through a confidential now the President of the memo that they sent to Ukraine Olympic Comhim recently, but which mittee and is also the Seleaked to the media. nior Vice President of World But instead of facing the comAthletics. mittee, Obiena, with, interestingly Ernest John The 24-year-old Obiena adPetrov, organized a virtual press Obiena mitted in a statement that the conference to press “the full and liquidation paperwork on the public withdrawal of the investigation receipt of Petrov’s 85,000 euro funding and a full public apology from the au- allocation has been submitted late and thorities involved” in the probe. Turn to C2
Manila forges winner-take-all match with San Juan AICC Manila outlasted San Juan’s late surge to post a 74-70 victory and forge a winner-take-all match for the FilBasket Subic Championship title at the Subic gym Sunday. Still reeling from an 80-74 Game 1 defeat in their best-of-three championship affair Saturday, the Manila dribblers got back into business with Chris Bitoon and Hesed Gabo leading the assault. Bitoon finished with 13 points, while Gabo chipped
in 12 points for Manila, who led by as many as 17 points, 67-50, in the last 5:54 of the game. But San Juan refused to give up the fight and drained eight straight points led by Paolo Hernandez, Alvin Abundo and Orlan Wamar to cut the deficit to nine, 69-60, with 2:38 left. The Knights even came close in the last 1:40 after Rhenz Abando’s triple to trail 70-65, but the Manila dribblers protected their lead for good as San Juan ran
out of time. Manila and San Juan go for all the marbles Monday night for the inaugural title. Jessie James Collado also contributed 11 points and six rebounds for Manila, while Michael Mabulac added 10 boards on top of seven points. Abando and Adrian Nocum were the only double-digit scorers for San Juan with 16 and 11 points.
Perlas Spikers stay in contention with rout of Baguio City LIPA City—Jho Maraguinot produced her best game in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League as the Tuguegarao Perlas Spikers bolstered its championship hopes with a 25-10, 25-5, 25-14 romp of Baguio City on Monday at the Aquamarine Recreational Center. Maraguinot, who was solid in the service zone with six aces, had 10 points as the Perlas Spikers posted their second straight win after losing to Chery Tiggo on opening day. Coach Rei Diaz was satisfied the way the Perlas Spikers performed in the 68-minute contest. “The most important thing is helping one another. And for everyone to be committed,” Diaz said. “So far, everyone is sticking to our goal. So far, so good.” The Perlas Spikers displayed a balanced attack with Cza Carandang contributing nine points, Roma Joy Doromal adding eight points and Norielle Ipac drilling in six. Nicole Tiamzon chipped in four points to go with eight digs, Jules Samonte scored all of her three points from the service area and setter Fen Emnas tossed in 16 excellent sets and also scored three points. For Maraguinot, who was acquired by the Perlas Spikers earlier this year, the Champions League will serve as a confidence builder for her. “I’m taking it one day at a time. There are still a lot of be fixed but I’m grateful that my teammates are helping me,” she said. Up next for the Perlas Spikers is a Tuesday showdown with F2 Logistics that could be the
Jho Maraguinot leads Tuguegarao Perlas Spikers past Baguio City.
team’s turning point in the tournament that has Rebisco, Pitmaster Foundation Inc., Top Speed, 1Pacman Partylist, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee as platinum sponsors and F2 Logistics, Asics, PLDT, MVP Sports Foundation and Mikasa as gold sponsors and BCDA, Philippine Red Cross, Lipa City, Davis Paint and Emerald PVC Pipes, Fittings and Doors as silver sponsors with PNVF godfather, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Champions League, giving his
full support. “We will give them a good fight,” said skipper Michelle Morente against her former club composed mostly of De La Salle stars. Baguio City dropped to 0-3 won-lost and has yet to win a set. The games are live streamed over the PNVF official website volleyballphilippines.com, iWantTFC for local and international audiences, Puso Pilipinas and Smart Sports Facebook pages and YouTube channels and Gigaplay.
Fil-Am De Jesus’ Blue Devils nip Crimson Tides GRADUATE student Jade Williams struck in the final minute to carry the Duke Lady Blue Devils to a 7471 beating of the University of Alabama Crimson Tides, Sunday afternoon in the Maggie Dixon Classic, at Ed and Rae Schollmeier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Williams knocked in two layups in the last 30 seconds and scored all 14 of her season-high points in the second half to help lead Duke to its fourth straight victory to open the 2021-22 campaign. Junior Celeste Taylor also added a season-high 21 points, while graduate student Lexi Gordon chipped in 11 points in her return to her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. Taylor paced the Blue Devils with 13 points, while Day-Wilson and Filipino-American sophomore Vanessa de Jesus added seven and six points, respectively. With 30 seconds remaining, Williams grabbed an offensive rebound and put back the layup to give Duke a 70-69 lead. Alabama’s Megan Abrams came back with a layup of her own to give the Crimson Tide the 71-70 advantage with 18 seconds left on the clock. After Duke called a timeout, Taylor found Williams for a layup with six seconds remaining to put the Blue Devils ahead for good, 72-71. The Duke defense clamped down on Alabama at the end, forcing Abrams to miss a layup. Freshman Shayeann Day-Wilson added 11 points, three assists and two rebounds for the Blue Devils. Taylor hit 9-of-14 field goals and 3-of-5 from the three-point area. Peter Atencio
C2
Sports
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021
Evangelista sweeps para chess games, wins crown MARK Christian Evangelista swept all his five games including a final round win over Ali Mohamed Charistma to reign supreme in the men’s B2 section of the 2021 Pilipinas Para Games online chess competition done online Sunday night. Evangelista prevailed over Martin Lucero, Ireneo Melchor Pizzaro, Jr., Abraham Peligro and Charles Vincent Talusan to claim the gold medal and pocket the top purse worth P30,000 courtesy of the Philippine Sports Commission. Finishing second and third were Pizzaro and Peligro, who bagged the silver and bronze and P20,000 and P10,000, respectively. Most importantly, the top three will have a chance to make the national para team as they play against the country’s top players before the year ends. “We thank the PSC for supporting our grassroots development program of the national para chess team,” said tournament director James Infiesto. “The future of Philippine para chess could come from this new batch woodpushers.” In the men’s P1 division, John Franz de Asis ruled the section followed by Eric Abanco and Jordaine Tupaz. Other victors were Geronimo Torres, Kenneth Namisato and Emmanuel Closa, Jr. (B1men), Mark Christian Evangelista, Ireneo Melchor Pizzaro, Jr. and Abrham Peligro (B2-men), Aimee Dumagpi and Clarence Orena (P1-women), Siena Mae Requiron, Regina Abogado and Marilou Lucero (B2-women), and Yolanda Pespes, Kyla Jane Langue and Abigail Magno (B1women).
Video of Woods hitting balls excites golf world In this file photo taken on December 13, 2019, US team captain Tiger Woods hits to green during day two of the Presidents Cup golf tournament in Melbourne. Nine months after his serious car accident, Woods publishing a short video on November 21, 2021, in which he appears practicing his swing on a golf course. AFP
L
OS ANGELES—Golf icon Tiger Woods posted video of himself hitting balls on Sunday, nine months after suffering career-threatening leg injuries in a car crash in California. “Making progress,” Woods said in the no-frills caption to the video posted on Twitter. The 45-year-old looks at ease, wearing shorts with a compression stocking on his right leg, which was shattered when the 15-time major champion crashed his SUV in a Los Angeles suburb in February. Woods’s latest injury drama sparked fears for the future of his career, and Twitter erupted with likes, replies and retweets of his video from fans and golf journalists. Fellow PGA Tour pros also took note, with three-time winner Max Homa wryly noting the stir Woods’s two-second video would cause. “I wonder if Tiger and his crew laugh right before they post a swing video knowing the entire free world is about to lose their damn minds #golf,” Homa tweeted. Woods’s friend and fellow pro Justin Thomas offered a heartfelt response. Moments after tweeting how much he loved the passion Rory McIlroy displayed on the European Tour on Sunday, Thomas posted along with the Woods video: “But I think I love this more”.
Thomas said in a podcast recently that Woods was “going to try” to make a comeback. “I know that he’s going to try,” Thomas said on the No Laying Up podcast. “I don’t see him ever playing if he can’t play well. He doesn’t strike me as a guy who’s played at home and he’s shooting a bunch of 75s and 76s and he’s like, ‘OK, I’m gonna give Augusta a try this year’. “That’s not really gonna be him, at least from my understanding, what I know of him.” Woods has returned from careerthreatening injuries before. He had spinal fusion surgery in 2017 and after returning to competition in 2018 won his fifth Masters title, and 15th major crown, at the 2019 Masters. That sensational triumph at Augusta National was Woods’s first major since the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines— where Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a playoff despite playing on a broken leg. He has undergone multiple surgeries on his back and knee over the years in order to extend his career and was recovering from another procedure on his back to alleviate pain when he crashed in February.
A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department probe determined the crash, in which Woods’s car flew off the road and flipped several times, was caused by “unsafe” speed nearly double the 45 mph limit. Woods had indicated in an Instagram post in April that his recovery was progressing slowly. In May, he told Golf Digest that his current injury rehabilitation “has been an entirely different animal” than previous recoveries. “This was more painful than anything I have ever experienced,” he told the magazine, although there were signs of progress that month when a Florida girl posted a picture of herself and the superstar after meeting him in a soccer park, the photo showing Woods on crutches but without a protective walking boot. Earlier this month a Twitter poster had snapped a photo of Woods walking without crutches. But Woods has kept a low profile while focusing on his recovery. ‘LOVE to see it!’ Golf Digest on Sunday offered an instant analysis on its website of the video, which it said “appears to be shot on the driving range of Medalist Golf Club” near Woods’s Florida home. The magazine picked out Woods’s “uninhibited movement” and said the multiple visible divots “would seem to point to a practice session rather than an isolated shot for the camera.” AFP
PH bowling team graces PSA Forum online edition MEMBERS of the Philippine bowling team that won medals in the International Bowling Federation World Championships in Dubai grace the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum this Tuesday. Appearing in the 11 a.m. session are Philippine Bowling Federation secretary-general and Hall of Famer Bong Coo, women’s coach Jojo Canare, and national team stalwarts Rachelle Leon and Merwin Tan. Together, they will talk about their recent campaign in the world meet where both the men and women’s side took home bronze medals, prospects in the coming Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi and chances of bowling being included in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The weekly public sports program is presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, Daily Tribune, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Patafa:... From C1
he apologizes for it. “I admit some of my liquidation paperwork was submitted late and sometimes are in a sloppy fashion. I am a pole vaulter, not an accountant. I am alone in handling all this in a foreign country,” said Obiena, adding he has requested for sports officials to pay his coaches directly. But his requests have been refused in the past. “I have not handled the paperwork well and I am sorry for this,” added Obiena in his statement. According to association records, Obiena has settled obligations with Petrov only recently this month. These payments, late as they were as noted by the PATAFA, were made in tranches through banks based in Dubai, Germany, and Manila. The discrepancy in Obiena’s reports, and the documents from Petrov and Bubka inquiring about the coach’s salary have prompted the PATAFA to call for a probe, which the association said it will continue.
Ko Jin-young roars to LPGA title, Player of Year tiara
Jin Young Ko of Korea poses with the Rolex Player of the Year trophy after winning the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. AFP
MIAMI—South Korea’s Ko Jin-young fired nine birdies in a sensational nineunder par 63 on Sunday to win the LPGA Tour Championship and pip Nelly Korda for Player of the Year honors. Ko’s second straight victory in the season finale was her fifth LPGA title of the year. The $1.5 million winner’s prize pushed her past $9 million in career earnings. “I don’t know what happened out there,” said Ko, who has battled a nagging left wrist injury that limited her practice for much of the season. “This week was amazing.” Ko and Korda had swapped the number one ranking all season, but it was American Korda who came into the event at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, atop the rankings and with a slim lead in the Player of the Year race. Both were among a four-way tie for the lead through 54 holes, and Korda’s tie for fifth wasn’t enough to secure the yearend award. Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who also shared the overnight lead, fired an eight-under
par 64 to finish second on 266. It was four strokes back to Mina Harigae and overnight co-leader Celine Boutier on 270, with Korda heading a trio on 271. Ko opened with three birdies in her first four holes, rolling in a long birdie putt at the first to jumpstart her day. She drained a 30-footer for her sixth birdie of the day at the ninth, seizing a four-shot lead. Hataoka sliced into her lead with birdies at the seventh, ninth, 10th and 11th. But Ko rolled in another long birdie putt at the 11th and birdied the 13th for a three-shot edge. Hataoka kept pressing, with birdies at 15, 17 and 18, but Ko’s final birdie at the 17th was enough to clinch the victory. Ko, 26, now has 12 LPGA titles, and her latest was plenty impressive. The Ko Show Sunday’s round was the third straight in which she hit all 18 greens in regulation. “It was definitely the Jin-young Ko Show today,” said Korda, the Olympic
Avaricio, Uy try to snap LPGT dry spell at Riviera TWO talented players still in pursuit of a breakth rough on the Ladies Philippines Golf Tour seek to finally hit paydirt as Chanelle Avaricio and Daniella Uy step up their drive for the elusive win in the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Challenge beginning tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov. 24) at the Couples course in Silang, Cavite. Avaricio earned a crack at an LPGT diadem twice but got foiled by Princess Superal at Sherwood and Eagle Ridge-Norman last July, settling for a pair of runner-up finishes that only made the Alabama State U alumna, who placed fourth at Eagle Ridge-Aoki last March and wound up fourth and sixth at Eagle RidgeAoki and Tagaytay Highlands, respectively, recently hungrier for recognition. Uy has contended in a number of LPGT chases, even leading a couple of tournaments but just couldn’t put up that strong finishing kick needed to anchor one’s title drive. But after finishing tied for second with multi-titled Chihiro Ikeda in wicked conditions at Highlands, the
former Junior World champion hopes to seal the deal this week. But the rest in the 20-player roster are also going all out for top honors in the P750,000 championship, the first two of bubble events set at Riviera and the third-to-last in a fivetournament swing marking the third restart of the tour put up by ICTSI and held under strict health and safety measures. Riviera’s Langer layout will host the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Championship on Dec. 1-3 before the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.-organized circuit heads back to Tagaytay for the ICTSI Midlands Ladies Classic, which Ikeda ruled via playoff over Pauline del Rosario in 2019. After its first resumption in late 2020, also at the twin Riviera courses, the LPGT held its first tournament in 2021 at Eagle Ridge-Aoki then after another suspension resumed at Sherwood and Eagle Ridge-Norman last July. Like Avaricio and Uy, Harmie Constantino and Sunshine Baraquiel are both all geared up
for another stab at LPGT glory, their confidence boosted by their scary victories at Eagle Ridge-Aoki and Highlands while Ikeda is also going flat out on a course that could prove friendlier than Highlands depending on the wind conditions in the next three days. Five amateurs are also in the hunt, all raring and ready to finally put up over their fancied counterparts after two close cracks by Mafy Singson, who lost by just one to Constantino at Aoki before blowing a first round lead at Highlands to end up fifth. Beefing up the amateurs’ side are Laurea Duque, Anna Kei Fernandez, Eagle Ace Superal and Arnie Taguines while Marvi Monsalve, Lovelyn Guioguio, Sarah Ababa, Pamela Mariano, Apple Fudolin and Korean rookie Jane Jeong along with Sheryl Villasensio, Eva Miñoza, Majorie Pulumbarit and Florence Bisera complete the pro roster in the 54-hole championship.
Chanelle Avaricio
gold medallist who was also going for a fifth LPGA win of the season. Korda finished with four birdies and a bogey in her three-under effort that left her tied with Australian Minjee Lee and American Megan Khang. “It was really cool to witness,” added Korda. “I wish I could have given it a better run, but in all I think I had a great year. “So I’m just going to kind of look back on that and enjoy it. Today, she just played amazing golf. There is not much you can do, just sit back and watch, honestly.” Ko, meanwhile, was going to savor another season-ending victory and her second Player of the Year award in three years, one that she said all week she was unlikely to wrest from Korda. “I tried to play aggressive and I got it and I’m so happy,” she said. “She got gold medal and she had major. She had three more wins this year. She hits it straight and too far and putting so good. “I was a little bit more lucky than her, so I got this.” AFP
Entertainment
Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021
Untangling the complicated twists and turns of romantic affairs
‘My Husband, My Lover’ focuses on the female characters portrayed by Cindy Miranda (right) and Kylie Verzoza.
IS IT possible to have an affair with your own husband? Veteran director McArthur C. ALejandre explores the seemingly impossible setup in his new movie, My Husband, My Lover, written by Ricky Lee. The romantic drama stars Marco Gumabao, Adrian Alandy, Cindy Miranda, and Kylie Verzosa. The story follows Alice (Kylie Verzosa) and Noel (Marco Gumabao) who have a
happy married life. Alice is a very successful woman and a dutiful wife to his kind and intelligent husband, Noel. But she is also a wild partner in bed to Dennis (Adrian Alandy), her kept man. There is nothing wrong with her marriage, but Alice just feels the need to keep both her husband and lover. Everything is going well until one day, Alice finds out that she’s pregnant. Not knowing who the father is, she comes clean to Noel and
Dennis, and this decision completely changes her life. Noel decides to break it up with Alice, and Dennis vows to take care of her and her baby. Noel has settled in a new relationship with a lawyer named Loida (Cindy Miranda), and Dennis is playing the role of a good husband and father to Alice and her son, even if they found out via DNA test that the kid is Noel’s. The kid suffers from a disease and dies pushing Alice to tell Noel the truth.
Spotify bows to Adele, drops ‘shuffle’ as album song-playing default
A worker sorts copies of Adele’s new album “30” in the Sister Ray record store in central London on Nov. 19.
FOR many musicians, like story-telling superstar Adele, the order of songs on an album is a matter of the keenest concern, affecting how a narrative is presented, how listeners react, and ultimately how many albums are sold. That is a big reason why customers of Spotify saw “play” as the album default option Sunday on the world’s largest audio streaming service, so songs will be heard in the order they appear on an album — though users can still elect the “shuffle” option. Adele, whose much anticipated new album 30 shot to the top of the charts within hours of its release Friday, is among the artists who have campaigned for the “play” choice, and in announcing its change Spotify specifically mentioned her. “As Adele mentioned, we are excited to share that we have begun rolling out a new Premium feature that has been long requested by both users and artists to make play the
default button on all albums,” a spokesman for the Swedish company said. “For those users still wishing to shuffle an album, they can go to the Now Playing View and select the shuffle toggle.” Adele took to Twitter to express her thanks. “We don’t create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason,” she said. “Our art tells a story and our stories should be listened to as we intended. Thank you, Spotify for listening.” The English singer and songwriter, winner of 15 Grammy Awards, and 2016’s Billboard Artist of the Year, is known for songs that combine raw, deeply personal feeling with strong musicality. On her album 30, Adele, her voice sometimes breaking, sings about her divorce and the guilt, depression and self-doubt that followed — a story she wanted listeners to hear as she had crafted it. AFP
Qualities Sanya Lopez looks for in a guy IN A recent virtual junket for her monthlong guesting in the top-rating GMA fantasy drama program Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, Sanya Lopez pointed out the qualities she looks for in a guy. The 25-year-old star said having someone who understands and accepts the kind of work she has is “really important.” “It’s a fact that these days, it’s hard to find someone who will understand the d e mands of your work and who will love you no matter what,” she said. Interestingly, her character in the latest installment of Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko titled “Oh My Oppa” is one who is so focused on the qualities she likes in a guy. The alluring actress stressed that in r e a l life, it’s her complete Sanya Lopez
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opposite,” she added. Sanya explained that most people set standards for the person they want to fall in love with. “But when someone who doesn’t possess those characteristics arrives, it changes. When you’re happy and had fallen for that person, you forget the standards you’ve set. And I guess I’m one of those,” she stated. The actress admitted that she hasn’t been into any relationship yet but at this point, she’s open to the possibility. “I’m a certified NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth) but I’m not closing my doors now. It’s just that I’m not aware if someone is really interested in me. I’m clueless when it comes to that. I don’t want to assume,” she confessed. “So, if ever the guy is showing signs of interest, please let me know. Basically, I’m like that. When a guy is close to me, my treatment of him is that of a friend. If he shows me sweet things, I don’t see it a special because we’re friends. So, it’s better if he will be open to me about his feelings. As I’ve said, it’s hard to assume,” Meanwhile, talking about “Oh My Oppa,” which runs on air this whole November, Sanya shares her working relationship with her two leading men in the episode namely, Derrick Monasterio and Gil Cuerva. “I only have good words for both of them. I’m super close to Derrick because we’ve done a lot of projects together before like the soap The Half Sisters plus our launching flick Wildest Dream. As for Gil, we’ve worked twice for Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko in the past. There’s no awkwardness whatsoever with these two guys. I’m very comfortable with them,” Sanya ended.
This meeting ends in passionate sex between the legally married couple, who are both committed to their respective partners. The tables have turned and Noel is now the kept man. And things get more complicated when their partners enter the scene to claim what they believe is theirs. Untangle the complicated twists and turns of relationships and affairs in My Husband, My Lover streaming on Nov. 26 on Vivamax.
From left: GMAAC Assistant Vice President and Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit Simoun S. Ferrer, Rabiya Mateo, Jonas Gaffud, and Mau De Leon
Is Rabiya Mateo closing her doors to pageantry?
A
FTER her semifinalist finish at the 69th Miss Universe in Florida in May, Rabiya Mateo hinted at her intention to join other pageants, which is why she has been constantly asked about her next pageant plans. Will she really join another pageant or will she pursue a totally different path? On Nov. 28, the former Miss Universe Philippines titleholder signed with GMA Network. Prior to her signing, she had debuted on TV via KMJS and The Boobay and Tekla Show. If that’s an indication that she’s retiring from pageantry, then we might be seeing her strut her stuff acnot on the pageant stage but as an ac tress on TV and in movies. “People are asking if I’d join Miss World Philippines. I’m not closing my doors but acting is my main focus now,” she told Manila Standard Entertainment. “Representing the country in an international beauty contest is not an easy task. You need to be 100 percent ready. If ever I’d join any pageant, I want to be Beauty queen Rabiya Mateo explores the unfamiliar showbiz territoty and dips her toes into television acting.
ready and not just because people are asking me to join,” she added. As a GMA artist, 25-year-old model and beauty queen looks forward to honing another set of skills as she continues her royal reign in the Kapuso Network. “I’m very happy today. I can’t believe that I am officially signing with GMA. I can finally say, I’m officially a Kapuso,” said Rabiya. “After Ms. Universe Philippines, I’ve been asking myself, ‘What’s next? What am I going to do? Babalik na ba ako sa pagiging Physical Therapist?’ But I’m just happy that the people here in GMA did see my potential as an actress, as a host, and I’m excited sa mga parating na projects.” The beauty queen also expressed her gratitude to the Kapuso Network for seeing her potential and considers it as the perfect door for her. “My heart is full of endless gratitude to everybody who saw my potential…I just came from a simple life, I had my humble beginnings, I have my struggles. But I realize, I have to go through those hardships because God will open that perfect door for you. Today, I can say that door is my GMA family.” Rabiya was welcomed by GMA executives via Zoom, video messages, and their presence at the Marquee Tent of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel. GMA Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, Executive Vice President and CFO Felipe S. Yalong, GMA Network Films Inc. President and Programming Consultant to the Chairman and CEO Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, Senior Vice President for GMA Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, First Vice President and Head of Regional TV and Synergy Oliver B. Amoroso, and GMAAC Assistant Vice President and Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit Simoun S. Ferrer welcomed Rabiya as part of the Kapuso family. Rabiya’s co-managers from Empire Jonas Gaffud and Mau De Leon were also present during the event. Rabiya is gearing up for her debut series Agimat ng Agila Book 2 and guesting in Wish Ko Lang.
Animator creates memorial for fallen pandemic heroes By Seymour Barros Sanchez
ditions wrought by the present scourge of the COVID-19 virus.” This is only the second time that CCA collaborated with NMC as a group after launching its physical exhibit To Differ, Digitally: Calls for Change Through New Media in 2017. “In this second year of the pandemic, we experience within our communities the harsh outcome of lockdowns: the loss of jobs, the lack of resources for survival, and the basic power to care for our health,
physically and mentally. Overall, we grow more anxious about our future,” Flores explained in the exhibit brief found at CCA’s website (https://www.benildecampusart. com/exhibit/to-differ-digitally). “The museum conceived as a monument by Benjie Marasigan, Jr. presents to us the necessity to both grieve and to never forget those who perished so that others may live,” she added. Read full article on manilastandard.net
FALLEN heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic are at the center of an online animated museum that is part of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Center for Campus Art’s ongoing digital art exhibition. Hall of Heroes is Benjamin Marasigan, Jr.’s contribution to the online art exhibit To Differ, Digitally 2: Love and Dissent in the Time of Pandemic. The CCA led by Architect Gerry Torres and the New Media Cluster headed by Associate Dean Maria Sharon Mapa Arriola called on faculty members for “works in digital media that will venture to engage with and generate new content from its audiences online.” Marasigan, founding chairperson and full-time instructor of the DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts Animation Program, is among 17 artist-educators and industry practitioners who heeded the call. Curator Karen OcampoFlores describes TDD2 as “a fresh opportunity to deliver messages of social commentary through the digital medium” Apart from being a tribute to frontliners and fallen heroes of the pandemic, the artist’s digital creations and “a timely response to con- also serve as his reaction to the government’s response, amid volunteerism and bayanihan efforts.
Life
Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE
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HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021
Urban planner and cycling advocate Aldrin Pelicano’s nonnegotiable biking gear includes helmet, bike lights, repair kit, and comfortable clothes.
Zonnix steel-framed foldable bike
Safety on the saddle B
IKING has become a preferred way of transportation during the pandemic, especially in the early days of quarantine when public utility vehicles were not allowed to ply the roads. It takes people around while letting riders squeeze in a low-impact workout as they pedal their way to their destinations.
Many communities have recognized the benefits of cycling to their citizens and the environment, thereby allocating bike lanes for those who prefer this mode of transportation. But more than a road and a bicycle, those new to biking are advised to make sure they have all the gear to stay safe and be prepared for any mishaps. Urban planner, cycling advocate, and founder of active transport advocacy group MNL Moves Aldrin Pelicano lists down
the essentials needed before hitting the road. Helmet – “Investing in a good helmet is always worth it,” says Pelicano. “When choosing a helmet, always look for the Consumer Product Safety Committee (CPSC) sticker inside. This ensures you’ll be offered a high level of protection if you do end up in a crash.” Bike lights – It is important to see and be seen when you’re out on the road, hence the seasoned cyclist advises to “choose a white bike light in front and red bike light for the back. High visibility (hi-viz) clothes or vest and straps can also help you to be visible especially in low-light conditions or at night.” Repair kit – “Don’t go out on a ride, whether short or long, without your tool kit,” reminds Pelicano. “A good kit should include spare tube/s and/or patch kit, pump, tire levers, and cycling multi-tool.” Bike bag – Pelicano says, “It’s a good idea to bring essentials like IDs, mon-
Half-dome bike helmet and detachable mask and goggles with HD lenses
AXCS Outdoor bicycle LED torch set
ey, mask, food, and water” that can be stashed in a good quality bag. Water bottle – “If your bike has eyelets,” says Pelicano, “it would be good to get a bottle cage so you can bring water bottles for hydration.” Comfortable clothes – How do you dress the part? “You don’t have to wear cycling jerseys to make trips on a bicy-
Healing powers of pulses and LED light program of the Korean government,” he said. The healing process follows the prinSTIMULATING pulses are said to ease ciple of acupuncture, but instead of usmuscle soreness, manipulate nerves, and improve blood circulation. This is ing needles to unblock the chi, or the why massage devices are very popular, energy flow, low frequency waves are they give instant relief and somehow repeatedly used to stimulate energy. Patients can expect improvements afimprove condition. Proper circulation is the key to opti- ter several sessions according to Dr. mal health because aside from keeping Kwang. “If you are sick, minimum of our organs in good working condition, one hour therapy every day, for one it also helps fight infection and diseases month. For wellness, at least 30 minutes because the white blood cells are prop- a day,” he said. A 68-year-old stroke patient could erly transported to areas where they are hardly move her arms and legs when most needed. Certain health conditions that come she was brought to the AinA center. She with age may lead to poor circula- had a daily one-hour therapy, and after tion. For example, atherosclerosis oc- several weeks, there was less numbness curs when there is plaque buildup in in her hands and feet. She was able to the blood vessels. Diabetes can also walk and use her hands. A bedridden diabetic patient was able cause circulation problems, along with blood clots which can lead to heart at- to stand up and walk after several weeks tack. Overweight individuals are also in of therapy. Her treatment required two danger because added weight increases sessions daily. The first hour was for the risk of blood pressure problems and her upper body, and the next hour for her lower body. After a few weeks, she varicose veins. While the pulses in massage devices was able to move and was no longer can provide relief, there is a more ad- confined to her bed. Those who wish to avail of the free vanced method that utilizes LED light therapy can visit the AinA centers and meridian pulse technology. The Smartron combination stimula- in Muñoz, Quezon City; Sucat, Partor (manufactured by AinA) uses pulses añaque; Baliuag, Bulacan; and Davao. and LED light to energize body merid- The centers were established in support ians, promote circulation, strengthen of Dr. Kwang’s commitment to promote muscles, and alleviate pain. To achieve Oriental medicine in the country. Sucthis, patients need to grip the consoles’ cess stories of patients who were cured handles and rest their feet on special can be viewed on the center’s Facebook pads so that low frequency waves can pages. Smartron therapy sessions are also invigorate their body meridians. The offered at Holimedic Clinic in Ortigas vibrations can easily be felt, and the intensity of the pulses can be increased Center, Pasig. Rates start at P300 for 30 depending on the patient’s comfort lev- minutes. Because of the pandemic, clients need to book in advance. The clinic el. The meridian pulse improves circula- also offers acupuncture, moxibustion, tion and strengthen muscles, while the Dorn treatment, neuromuscular theraLED removes inflammation and aids py, and other Oriental and alternative medical treatin cell reproducments. tion. Those who The AinA wish to rent or Smartron was purchase their brought to the own Smartron Philippines by can also inquire Dr. Kwang Bum at Holimedic. By Hur, a physithe way, aside cian and certifrom treating illfied acupuncturnesses, the pulist from South sating waves also Korea. “The have anti-aging Smartron was properties, burn developed unfat, and aid in der the research Dr. Kwang Bum Hur with Smartron devices at cell regeneration. and development Holimedic Clinic in Pasig City.
By Tet Defensor
Pelicano shares his experiences as a bike commuter in Manila on his Facebook page and website, MNL Moves.
cle. As long a s they are comfor t able and will help you ride safely, any clothes should do it,” he says. Also, “don’t underestimate the sun so it’s also good to wear some protection like arm sleeves and sunglasses.” Bike enthusiasts and those trying it out for the first time can visit The SM Store Men’s Accessories Department or go to thesmstore.com to check out available bicycles, safety helmets, multipurpose masks, gloves, repair kits, lights, bags, and cargo nets, among other bike gear and accessories.
Quick-drying cycling arm sleeves
Bicycle handle bar bag
Bringing green and efficiency in
Company offers solutions to indoor environmental concerns By Lito Cinco THE worldwide coronavirus pandemic has certainly changed a lot of things in people’s lives. People are now more aware of personal hygiene and other health protocols to follow, but there is a real need to understand and accept how indoor environmental concerns impact everyday lives and even the future. Factors like level of humidity, quality of air, presence of foul odors are examples of such problems that Gridpoint Technologies Group is presently addressing whether in residences, offices, hotels, public transport, and public areas, according to company chief executive Benjamin Hwang. Hwang, who started the business in 2015, admitted difficulty keeping it open during its first few years. “The main problem was in educating the public on the seriousness of the concerns, a lot of them failed to understand, while some questioned the costs involved, but we would like to maintain that these costs pale in comparison to the value of life and the environment where we live and operate. The truth is
Gridpoint Technologies Group offers innovative solutions to indoor environmental concerns. (File photo)
we almost closed down the business after the first two years,” related Hwang. It was Bill Gates’ prophecy of a future pandemic that convinced Hwang to continue the business, hoping to have a hand in addressing the prediction even before it actually happened. “It was good that there were those who
understood and appreciated what we were preaching then. The hospitality industry, with its given need to assure its guests of the highest level of comfort and safety, responded well. From thereon, we started expanding to other industries, and expanded product lines and services too,” he added. The company launched the Project AirCare program and started looking for solutions to the problems that Hwang found in the course of his previous association with the automation industry. “We were showing our customers these results,” he said, but customers’ need for solutions to indoor environmental concerns led them “to shift directions in my business. I felt we had to fix these problems.” His company’s proposed solutions include air and particulate filtration; portable cooling, heating, and drying; humidity management; fogging and misting; and kitchen exhaust, odor, and grease removal. Presently, there is a higher level of understanding of the concerns Hwang was pointing out, and the executive hopes that this understanding will continue to grow, not just for his business but more importantly for the public and the environment.
Experts say: Joyfulness is the best medicine IN A virtual discussion organized by FWD Life Insurance on Monday, specialists and professionals shared their thoughts on the topic “Joyfulness is the Best Medicine”, and how it relates to holistic health and well-being. According to acclaimed rheumatologist Dr. Ging Zamora, there is a scientific connection between joyfulness and overall health. She said, “Being joyful can have a positive impact on one’s health, by improving the immune system, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and others.” Turning to physical health, fitness consultant and coach Jim Saret affirmed Dr. Zamora’s explanation, quoting various studies that prove joyfulness can influence a person’s health habits. “Studies show that joyful people are more likely to exercise, eat healthy foods, sleep better, and avoid smoking. If you have a good sense of well-being, it’s easier to maintain good habits.” Dr. Shake Hocson echoed Dr. Zamora and Saret’s statements, emphasizing the effect of joyfulness in an individual’s men-
tal, emotional, and social state. “Joyfulness is the best medicine because it is the true and pure delight of your heart and soul that transcends regardless of the person and condition.” Roche Vandenberghe, vice president and head of marketing at FWD Life Insurance, pointed out that financial fitness is an important part of holistic health and wellbeing. FWD’s innovative Health Bundle allows customers to choose a variable universal life (VUL) base plan from either Set for Life or Manifest. These products provide protection against critical illnesses as well as help customers grow and protect their financial investment. KanMend, on the other hand, offers coverage for critical illness and gives cash reward for confinement due to COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccination at an affordable price. Another novel FWD product is Set for Health that offers “zero-waste health protection”. This means every premium paid works for plan owners: they can claim up
Dr. Geraldine‘Ging’ Zamora, rheumatologist
Dr. Sheila Marie‘Shake’ Hocson, psychology expert
Roche Vandenberghe, vice president and head of marketing at FWD Life Insurance
to three times for unrelated major critical illnesses and waives all premiums on the first major critical illness diagnosis so they can focus on their recovery. If they never make a major critical illness claim by age 75, they will get back 100 percent of their paid premiums.