Manila Standard - 2021 November 28 - Sunday

(Story on A4)

DUTERTE CHIDES CHINA FOR ‘BULLY’ ACTION IN SOUTH CHINA SEA (See story below) Vol. 35

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November 28, 2021 10 PAGES

IN MET R MANILAO

BORDER CONTROL.

A Personnel from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) checks the health declaration and other documents of a newly-arrived balikbayan at the Terminal 1 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Paranaque City on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.

Overseas Filipino workers begin arriving im the country to spend the Christmas holidays with their families and relatives here as the government moves to tighten border controls amid the new COVID-19 variant of concern Omicron. Danny Pata

OMICRON GRIPS WORLD

DOH seeks HK flights halt; Alert Level 2 in Dec. eyed

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WHO tags it ‘most troubling variant of concern as Delta’

THE World Health Organization has declared the recently-discovered B.1.1.529 strain of COVID-19, first detected in southern Africa, to be a variant of concern and renamed it Omicron.

The classification puts Omicron into the most-troubling category of COVID-19 variants, along with the globally-dominant Delta, plus its weaker rivals Alpha, Beta and Gamma.

Nations rushed to ban flights to slow the spread of Omicron on Friday, while stock markets and oil prices plunged on fears surrounding the variant, potentially dealing a heavy blow to the global economic recovery.

Dutch health authorities said Saturday that 61 passengers aboard two KLM flights from South Africa tested positive for COVID-19 and the results were being examined for the new Omicron variant.

The positive cases – more than one tenth of the 600 people on the two planes – were now being quarantined in a hotel near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s biggest international air travel hubs.

n By B VITO BARCELO

HE Department of Health recommended expanding the travel ban to Hong Kong after the detection of the coronavirus variant of concern Omicron in the territory.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he has already submitted a formal recommendation to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to include Hong Kong in the list of countries covered by the ban, which currently covers South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique.

“We are waiting for the approval of our recommendation. We have many OFWs [overseas Filipino workers] who would want to come home for Christmas,” Duque said as Hong Kong recorded Thursday its first two cases of Omicron, which has been

found to have 32 spike protein mutations compared to the 13 to 17 seen in the Delta variant.

A member of the independent OCTA Research Group on Saturday also appealed to the government to keep the entire country under Alert Level 2 until January next year amid the threat of the Omicron variant.

“If we can remain at Alert Level 2, that would make us ready just in case [we detect the presence of Omicron in the country] and we can contain the spread,” OCTA member Dr. Guido David said.

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Drug firm Moderna to develop booster shot against new threat THE US pharmaceutical company Moderna said it will develop a booster shot against the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

It is one of three strategies the company is working to address the new threat, including a higher dose of its existing vaccine, Moderna said.

"The mutations in the Omicron variant are concerning and for several days, we have been moving as fast as possible to execute our strategy to address this variant," said Moderna CEO

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Meanwhile, an anti-COVID pill developed by Merck has proved effective in treating the disease, the US Food and Drug Administration said in a much-awaited preliminary report.

But the report, from an FDA advisory panel, cautioned that pregnant women should not use the drug, known as molnupiravir, saying the potential benefits do not outweigh the risks for those patients.

The report is meant to provide guidance to an FDA experts panel convening Tuesday to consider whether to authorize emergency use of molnupiravir.

Approval, analysts say, would represent a major step forward in thebattle against the global pandemic, handing healthcare professionals a powerful new tool to help those infected.

Merck released the full results of the drug's clinical trial Friday, which found the pill would reduce by 30 percent – much lower than its initial figure – the rate of hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk COVID patients who took it soon after infection.

The preliminary FDA report confirmed the drug's effectiveness in patients with mild to moderate COVID or at risk of hospitalization.

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In Germany, a regional official said Saturday that health authorities have identified the first suspected case in the country of the Omicronvariant in a person who returned from South Africa.

“The Omicron variant has with strong likelihood already arrived in Germany,” Kai Klose, social affairs minister in the western state of Hesse, tweeted, referring to the strain first detected in southern Africa.

Klose said that tests late Friday on the traveler who had returned to Germany from South Africa revealed “several mutations typical of Omicron.”

The WHO said it could take several weeks to complete studies of Omicron to see if there are any changes in transmissibility, severity or implications for COVID vaccines, tests and treatments.

“Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology... the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern (VOC), named Omicron,” the UN health agency said in a statement.

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40% LESS. A lack in syringes for the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 has prompted the government to slash its target during the three-day National Vaccination Days from 15 million jabs to only 9 million.

Lack of syringe lowers Nat’l Vax Day target n By VITO BARCELO AND JOEL ZURBANO DUE to a shortage in ancillary supplies, particularly syringes for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, the government adjusted its target of 15million jabs to only 9 million for the three day National Vaccination Days from Nov. 29 to

Dec. 1, the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 said.

To achieve the goal of completely inoculating 54 million Filipinos by yearend, the NTF and National Vaccination Operations Center set another three-day inoculation drive on Dec. 15 to 17.

In a statement, the NTF and the NVOC said they adjusted the target after consulting local chief executives

Duterte chides China for ‘bully’ act in SCS n By VITO BARCELO

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said there can be no real peace if strong nations bully the weak

as he reminded fellow leaders participating in the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting that the rule of law should prevail in areas where there are maritime disputes.

“There can be no real peace if the strong trample on the weak – just because it can,” Duterte said without naming China, whose Coast Guard vessels CONTINUED ON 3A

of provinces, cities, and municipalities, as well as their resource management and logistics team.

PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE

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INBRIEFS

Oil firms set to cut pump prices by P1/l

NOVEMBER 28, 2021

Lakas-CMD dares Belgica: Stop playing dirty politics

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n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

HE Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) political party on Saturday slammed Butch Belgica of the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) for sowing intrigues after the latter accused administration allies of conspiring against President Rodrigo Duterte.

Lakas-CMD turned the tables on Belgica, challenging him to stop playing dirty politics instead.

“Mr. Belgica should stop sowing intrigues that divide forces loyal to the President. Itigil na po niya ang maruming pulitika (He should stop dirty politics),” Lakas-CMD said in a statement.

Belgica accused Duterte allies of conspiring

against the chief executive after the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Lakas-CMD, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) forged a coalition Thursday for the 2022 presidential elections under the UniTeam Alliance.

Citing supposed greed for power and without mentioning any names, Belgica said these allies

n By MARICEL CRUZ

have allegedly undermined Duterte.

“Mr. Butch Belgica of PDDS equates years of public service by former Presidents as greed for power. He might be speaking based on his own experience. Baka iyon lang po kasi ang nagtutulak kay Mr. Belgica para pumasok sa gobyerno (Perhaps that is what pushes Belgica to join government): Greed,” Lakas-CMD said.

The party also reaffirmed once again its unequivocal support to Duterte.

“The Lakas-CMD and its partners in the UniTeam Alliance have made it clear: we are in full support of President Duterte and his administration,” the party said.

Lakas-CMD chairperson and vice presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has declared that her father, President Duterte, is the number one senatorial candidate of her party.

BBM-Sara tandem gains support of 44 Cebu mayors

PH halts processing of domestic workers bound for Saudi

n By REY REQUEJO THE presidential tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, dubbed as the BBM-SARA Uniteam, has gained strong support and endorsement from 44 Cebu mayors as their official bets in the upcoming 2022 national elections.

The endorsement came when Marcos and Duterte were in Cebu on Friday as guests of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines during their regional planning conference.

"On behalf of all the 44 mayors of the province of Cebu, particular to the mayors of the 5th district, as well as my fellow mayors in the Visayas, for whom I am the national vice-president, we hereby express our unequivocal support to you, for your candidacy and we will do everything in our power to ensure an unequivocal victory in the coming elections," LMP-Cebu Chapter President Mayor Christina Frasco said.

The crucial endorsement from the LMP-Cebu mayors came a day after Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Lakas-CMD, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) forged a four-party grand alliance to support the BBM-SARA Uniteam.

Marcos thanked the Cebu mayors for supporting him and Duterte-Carpio.

UNITEAM SUPPORTERS. Presidential aspirant former Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (seated, third from right) and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio (seated, third from left) are flanked by Cebu leaders and members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines during the Governor’s Ball celebration in Cebu City. Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia (seated, center) hosted the event, which was also attended by Liloan Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco (seated, second from left), League of Municipalities of the Philippines National President and Narvacan Mayor Luis Chavit Singson (seated, second from right) and House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD Party President Martin Romualdez (seated, right). Ver Noveno

Lacson alarmed over gambling-related suicide SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan—Partido Reporma standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson acknowledged that some Filipinos’ growing addiction to online gambling warrants serious attention from the national government amid reported cases of suicide and destruction of families because of it.

Lacson was referring to the popular electronic cockfight betting or “e-sabong” that was aided by the rise of digital wallets in the country, which he said has now become a “social problem” as it left many compulsive gamblers in deeper financial ruin after losing so much money on their bets.

In a press conference prior to his

“Online Kumustahan” gathering in Bulacan Saturday, the veteran lawmaker cited the case of a father who reportedly committed suicide after he could no longer pay back P600,000 he owed due to e-sabong.

“We learned about this father in Pampanga whose debt reached P600,000 because of e-sabong. He committed suicide, left his children behind.

So, there are indeed social problems attached to the issue,” he said.

The presidential aspirant likewise said it is easier for people to get addicted to online gambling as transactions are purely made online, with no cash on hand. This makes the industry much harder to regulate for

the government because of the limited coverage of existing laws.

“You know, when you are betting online, you don’t see the actual cash coming out. You keep gambling – let Batman take care of the consequences – and there goes the social problem.

So, we really need to look into it, not only for e-sabong but all types of online gambling,” he said.

While Lacson recognized the need to supervise the industry, authorities have to reconcile it with the Constitution first because e-sabong is not considered a public utility. He said it is the reason applications to grant legislative franchise for e-sabong firms remain pending at the Senate Committee on Public Services.

Isko bats for strategic food plan n By REY E. REQUEJO

PAINT THE TOWN PINK. A supporter of presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo strikes a pose in front of a mural painted at the Leni-Kiko Volunteer Center along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said his government will implement what he called a “Food Production Strategic Plan” – a blueprint for agricultural development and securing the country’s food security during his administration.

“Because food security is extremely important and we are not producing enough food for the most basic needs of our people. We must, starting 2022, have a Food Production Strategic Plan which will be the guide for the budget of all departments and other agencies directly involved in food production,” Moreno said in a town hall meeting in San Pablo City, Laguna attended by

coconut farmers and their families.

Moreno was referring to the Department of Agriculture, his proposed Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Department of Agrarian Reform and other agencies related to food production and distribution.

“Because at present now, yearly support for agriculture changes. You need a food production plan. There must be a direction for government spending. And this is the full five-year medium term spending to support food production,” he said.

The Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet said the 5-year plan must involve the different major stakeholders in food production so that their problems and solutions are properly taken into consideration in crafting the food production strategy.

Ka Leody seeks P1 trillion COVID recovery plan PRESIDENTIAL candidate Leody De Guzman said he will pursue a P1-trillion COVID recovery plan funded by a one-time 20 percent wealth tax “on the richest 500 families” in the country.

“I propose a state-driven economic recovery plan that regards the welfare of labor and the Filipino people as the foundation of the economy. Focus on the welfare, health, and rights of ordinary people, not the profit margins of the billionaires. People before profit,” De Guzman said.

The ambitious plan is composed of a P475-billion public jobs generation program, a P400-billion health stimu-

lus, and a P125-billion stimulus for the micro, small and medium enterprises.

De Guzman said the plan seeks to generate 2.45 million jobs and impose a “fixed wage subsidy for 1 million workers in MSMEs.” These include slots for 200,000 barangay health workers, 50,000 forest rangers and forest biodiversity caretakers, 300,000 teaching assistants and school personnel, and 500,000 agriculture workers, 200,000 construction workers, and 200,000 public works workers to be assigned to various agencies.

The program also aims to institu-

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THE country’s oil firms are expected to cut pump prices by as much as P1.10 per liter effective 6 a.m. Nov. 30 (Tuesday) to reflect the movement of oil prices in the world market.

Unioil Petroleum Philippines said this week’s round of fuel price adjustment is the fourth consecutive week of rollback for gasoline and diesel.

Based on the forecast, pump prices for gasoline will decrease by P1 to P1.10 per liter while diesel will go down by P0.50 to P0.60 per liter.

Last week’s movement of pump prices resulted in year-to-date adjustments to stand at a total net increase of P20.05 per liter for gasoline and P15.09 per liter for kerosene, while that of diesel remained at P17.50 per liter.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, is determined to pass legislation reducing excise taxes on certain petroleum products despite the continued downward trend in oil prices.

According to House Deputy Majority Leader and Rep. Jesus Suntay of Quezon City, the House wants to give the Filipino people a reprieve from the twin challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and soaring oil prices in previous months.

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Poll bet among 2 killed in Pampanga n By JESS MALABANAN CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – Two persons were killed, including an aspirant for councilor, in San Simon, Pampanga while another was seriously injured when they were waylaid by unidentified heavily armed men along the Ninoy Aquino Byway at Barangay San Miguel yesterday.

Police Major Jessie James Domingo, San Simon police chief, identified the fatalities as Rogelio Esguerra Salvador, Jr., 42, candidate for councilor in San Simon, and Joel Manuel Salvador.

Critically injured was the victims’ driver, Arnel Caparas.

The victims, according to Domingo, were on board a sport utility vehicle on their way to Brgy. San Miguel when their vehicle was strafed at around 7 a.m.

Domingo said both Salvadors suffered multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of their bodies and died on the spot while Caparas was rushed to nearby hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.

Roadblocks and similar police checkpoints were established in primary and secondary roads within the town of San Simon.

“We are still facing a blank wall as to the motive of the incident,” Domingo said.

FESTIVE COLORS. Residents take selfies before colorful Christmas decorations at the City Plaza of Imus, Cavite Friday night.

Norman Cruz

tionalize the jobs generation program and include a P90-billion fund for an unemployment insurance program that will provide a P500 daily allowance to 1.3 million involuntarily unemployed workers for six months.

“The continuing program for 2023 onwards will seek to institutionalize the jobs generation program via a P500 billion per year employment guarantee to employ 2 million workers a year at a P750 daily wage and to be funded by recurring wealth tax on financial assets, from 1 percent to 5 percent based on a tiered tax rate and a wealth threshold,” De Guzman said.

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

THE country has temporarily suspended the verification of new household service workers (HSWs) bound for Saudi Arabia in the wake of the abuses committed by a retired general against Filipinos.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said in a Facebook post on Saturday that it will abide by the order of Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III for Philippine Overseas Labor Offices in KSA to temporarily stop processing documents of newly hired HSWs until new guidelines are issued.

The memorandum was addressed to Labor Attaches Fidel Macauyag, POLORiyadh; Hector Cruz Jr., POLO-Al Khobar; and Roel Martin, POLO-Jeddah.

“In the interest of the service, you are hereby instructed to temporarily suspend the verification of new hires domestic workers effective immediately pending the issuance of the new guidelines by the POEA,” the directive issued on November 25 said.

“As such, a new order shall be issued for the resumption of the processing of documents once the new guidelines have been finalized and fully implemented.”

The memorandum does not cover HSWs with renewed contracts and the hiring of skilled workers.

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

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

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

WORLD

INBRIEFS NOVEMBER 26, 2021

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WTO postpones big conference due to deadly new virus variant

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EXT week’s World Trade Organization ministerial conference, the global trade body’s biggest gathering in four years, was postponed at the last minute Friday due to the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.

People walk under Christmas decorations as the Strasbourg Cathedral is seen in the background during the opening day of the traditional Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Nov. 26, 2021. AFP

AT LEAST 19 people taking part in a religious pilgrimage in Mexico died in a bus crash on Friday, authorities said.

The victims, from the western state of Michoacan, were heading to a Catholic shrine, a senior official in the central State of Mexico said.

“Nineteen people have unfortunately lost their lives,” Ricardo de la Cruz Musalem told the Milenio television station.

About 20 others were injured and taken to nearby hospitals.

Images published by local media showed that the front of the bus was practically destroyed after hitting a house.

Deadly road accidents are not uncommon in Mexico. AFP

Calm at Solomons capital after riots CALM returned to the Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara Saturday after days of rioting left at least three dead and reduced sections of the city to smouldering ruins.

Petrol stations, shops and other businesses began to reopen, with Honiara residents flocking to buy basic provisions as the violence ebbed.

“The situation is very tense and anything could happen anytime,” said Audrey Awao, a working mother who worried there would soon be no food left in the shops.

What began as a small protest on Wednesday quickly descended into a violent free-for-all, with poor Honiara residents joining anti-government protesters to rampage through the shattered glass and burnt-out remains of businesses for things to eat or sell.

For three straight days, angry mobs cut through the usually sleepy seaside capital, demanding the removal of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. AFP

Epstein associate Maxwell goes on trial for sex crimes

FromtheFRONTPAGE DOH..Health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon likewise discouraged the government from downgrading the community quarantine system to Alert Level 1.

“We are still in the early phase of administering booster shots and we also have to inoculate children. We should take it slow. A merrier and safer Christmas is the better choice so let’s keep it at Alert Level 2 so we have a really safe holiday season. We can shift to Alert Level 1 by January 2022 because by then we would have already vaccinated at least 50 percent of the population,” Leachon said.

Duque said Omicron could be a game changer even for a country like the Philippines where there is already a downward trend in COVID-19 infections.

“The downward trend might change if we find out that the variant is really dangerous. That is why we have to take precautions. Proper precaution includes stricter international border controls,” the Health chief said.

DOH Health Promotion Bureau/ Disease Prevention and Control Bureau Director Dr. Beverly Ho said it would take time for experts to determine if the new variant would have an effect on the efficacy of existing vaccines.

“Even the World Health Organization said it will take time for us to know because it will still be studied in laboratories,” Ho said.

“But for infectious diseases like this, it is impossible for us to close our borders permanently. Eventually, the variant will

LEGENDARY Broadway songwriter Stephen Sondheim, widely credited withrevolutionizing American musical theater, died Friday at the age of91.

Sondheim – a lyricist and comSTEPHEN SONDHEIM poser known for works including “West Side Story” and “Sweeney Todd” – died suddenly in his Connecticut home the day after celebrating Thanksgiving with friends, his attorney F. Richard Pappas said.

The publicist for the ongoing Broadway production of Sondheim’smusical “Company” at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Rick Miramontez, confirmed the news to AFP. AFP

19 pilgrims killed in Mexico crash

The WTO hoped the four-day gathering in Geneva would breathe new life into the crippled organization, which has been stuck for years trying to make progress on resolving issues like fishery subsidies.

New director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was also hoping, against the odds, to make progress towards a deal on lifting COVID vaccine patents, proving the WTO had a relevant role to play in combating the pandemic.

But the conference was postponed four days before it was due to start, hours after Omicron was declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization.

Fears surrounding the spread of the variant saw countries banning flights from southern Africa, where the strain was first detected on Nov. 9.

“This has not been an easy recommendation to make,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

“But as director-general, my priority is the health and safety of all MC12 participants – ministers, delegates and civil society. It is better to err on the side of caution.” AFP

OPENING statements Monday are set to launch the much-anticipated sex crimes trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite charged with recruiting and grooming underage girls for the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The 59-year-old daughter of the late newspaper baron Robert Maxwell faces an effective life sentence if convicted in New York of sex trafficking minors for Epstein, her former lover who killed himself in prison over two years ago.

Following the death of Epstein – a multimillion-dollar money manager who befriended countless celebrities, including Britain’s Prince Andrew – prosecutors vowed to pursue co-conspirators, resulting in Maxwell’s arrest in July 2020.

She has since been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where she has complained of unsanitary and inhumane conditions.

Maxwell’s alleged crimes occurred between 1994 and 2004, and relate to four unnamed women, including two who say they were just 14 and 15 years old when they were sexually abused.

AFP

Broadway composer Sondheim dies, 91

Josephine Baker: First black woman immortalized in France’s Pantheon JOSEPHINE Baker, the French-American dancer, singer and actress who mesmerised France with performances mocking colonialism and later joined the French Resistance, will become the first black woman to be immortalized in France’s Pantheon mausoleum Tuesday.

Baker will be just the sixth woman to join the around 80 great national figures of French history in the secular temple on Paris’s Left Bank.

She will also be the first showbiz figure to be honoured with a symbolic spot in the secular sanctuary, final resting place of a long list of luminaries from the worlds of politics, culture and science, including Victor Hugo, Emile Zola and Marie Curie.

The “pantheonization” of the world’s first black female superstar, who campaigned for civil rights alongside Martin Luther King, caps years of campaigning by her family and a group

enter, as evidenced by the Delta variant, which has spread around the world. So it was not a matter of whether it could enter, but really a matter of when,” she added.

Ho said variants of concern like Omicron are often more transmissible and have “higher chances” of causing severe COVID-19 among the infected.

“But in any case, our sure protection against this is getting the vaccine, good ventilation, wearing of mask, avoiding crowds, and washing of hands,” she said.

The Philippines on Saturday reported 899 new COVID-19 cases – the fourth consecutive day when the daily tally stood at below 1,000 infections.

Active cases stood at 17,052.

DRUG... In adding a caution against the drug's use by pregnant women, the report noted that no pregnant women were included in the clinical trials.

But it said tests involving pregnant rats and rabbits found higher rates of developing underweight and malformed fetuses after taking the drug.

It cited "both known and possibly unknown risks ... in pregnant or lactating individuals and pediatric patients."

Merck, in its authorization request, said its data stemmed from trials conducted in partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics in people with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 and with at least one additional risk factor.

They were given the drug within five days of symptoms first appearing.

Merck initially said the drug, in a clinical trial, had been found to halve the rate of hospitalizations and deaths, before decreasing the rate in Friday's full results.

Those interim results were produced on

of intellectuals for her to be given the rare posthumous honour.

French President Emmanuel Macron in August finally granted the request “because she’s a woman who was born black and American in a closed society... who became the incarnation of the Enlightenment values of the French Republic throughout her life,” his office explained this week.

“She’s a woman whose whole life was dedicated to the twin quest forliberty and justice,” an official at the presidency added.

Born Freda Josephine McDonald into extreme poverty in Missouri in 1906, Baker left school at 13.

After two failed marriages – she took the name Baker from her second husband – she managed to land herself a place in one of the first all-black musicals on Broadway in 1921.

AFP

the basis of studying slightly more than 700 patients, half of whom received the pill and half of whom got a placebo.

The finding – a 48 percent reduction rate – was statistically significant, and considered persuasive enough that an independent data review committee decided, in consultation with the FDA, to halt the drug trial ahead of schedule.

The full results were based on analysis of more than 1,400 patients, resulting in the more modest reduction rate of hospitalization and death. (See full story online at

manilastandard.net)

DUTERTE...recently attacked Filipino

boats in Ayungin Shoal, which is well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

“Ours is a region full of promise but fraught with potential flashpoints. These include disputes in one of the world’s most important sea lanes of communication.”

On Thursday, the Philippines rejected China’s demand that it remove the grounded BRP Sierra Madre ship from the Ayungin Shoal, saying it was the Chinese who were trespassers in the West Philippine Sea. The statement came after China demanded the Philippine government "honor its commitment" and remove the grounded ship, which is used by Philippine marines stationed there.

"As far as I know there is no such commitment. That ship has been there since 1999. If there was (a) commitment it would have been removed a long time ago," Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.

"Our EEZ was awarded to us by the 1982 UNCLOS which China ratified. China should

JOSEPHINE BAKER

LACK... The Department of Health said the scheduled shipment of procured supplies made through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has been delayed due to the current global shortage of syringes for the Pfizer jab.

“As we know, sufficient ancillary supply for each of the vaccine brands is essential in the conduct of the National Vaccination Days as a significant number of those who will be vaccinated will include the younger population or those aged 12 to 17 years old,” the NTF and NVOC said.

The Food and Drug Administration has only approved COVID-19 vaccine brands Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for minors.

The same vaccine brands are also used for booster shots and third doses for healthcare workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities.

Meanwhile, the British government has promised to supply the Philippines with 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in 2022.

UK Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils announced the commitment following the arrival of 288,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday donated by Britain through the COVAX Facility. (See

WHO... The change in classification came after a quickly-assembled virtual meeting of the WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution.

The variant was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on Wednesday.

The first known confirmed Omicron infection was from a specimen collected on November 9. In recent weeks, infections in South Africa have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection.

“This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning,” the WHO said, pointing to worrying characteristics.

“Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs.” It said the number of Omicron cases appeared to be increasing in almost all provinces of South Africa.

The United States, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Thailand, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia were the latest countries to restrict travel from southern Africa, where Omicron has been discovered.

The strain reached Europe with one confirmed case in Belgium after being found in South Africa, Botswana and then in Hong Kong.

Anxious tourists in Johannesburg rushed to the airport to catch a last flight out as nations across the globe started shutting their doors, while many worried the new variant could be more resistant to vaccines. AFP (See full story online

full story online at manilastandard.net)

at manilastandard.net)

abide by its international obligations that it is part of," he said in a Facebook post.

"Furthermore, the 2016 Arbitral award ruled that the territorial claim of China has no historic nor legal basis. Ergo, we can

do whatever we want there and it is they who are actually trespassing," he added. AFP (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

By Othel V. Campos

A

Tagged as the Philippines’ most beautiful memorial park is Golden Haven Park in Cebu.

Developer builds vast green spaces in Visayas memorial parks

GOLDEN Haven Memorial Park, a trusted name in the Philippine deathcare industry, spares no efforts in creating and curating the country’s most beautiful memorial parks situated in expansive green spaces.

With 30 premier locations and counting, Golden Haven takes particular pride in three key sites in the Visayas region: Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod. Apart from elegant architectural themes, these memorial parks feature vast open spaces marked by lush, verdant greenery, spurring families to come and enjoy picnics in the park, jogging or brisk walking. Teens and other youngsters may take all the selfies they want and shoot photos for their Instagram and Facebook posts.

Outdoor fun is not all there is to it.

Golden Haven memorial parks are refreshingly conducive to quiet pursuits such as reading a book in the shade of a tree, savoring ‘alone time’ or simply relishing the relaxing vibes.

While all these await park visitors, Golden Haven in Iloilo has its main attraction—the Gardens of America. Visiting families may bring their children to enjoy the butterfly garden and other recreational facilities at Golden Haven Bacolod, the newest Golden Haven project in the Visayas.

LADY lawyer is launching the Parlon Beauty Festival—an online event featuring over 150 deals from popular salons and wellness centers nationwide.

The festival runs from Nov. 20, 2021 to Jan. 8, 2022 to help the industry bounce back from almost two years of strict lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Parlon Beauty Festival is one of the many plans we had to put on hold because of the pandemic. So, we’re very excited to finally make this happen before we close the year,” said Parlon founder and chief executive Kristine Claire Ongcangco.

Parlon is a technology company that provides an online platform for customers to book and buy services by beauty salons and wellness centers.

Parlon, a hybrid of parlor and salon, has been in the bucket list of Ongcangco since her college days at Ateneo de Manila University. She is a partner at Ongcangco Ponce and Associates Law. “I’ve always asked myself, why is the salon industry left out in terms of digitalization. Many have asked and wonder why there has not been any online booking for reservation in a salon. It’s been a problem not only in the Philippines, but throughout Southeast Asia. So in 2019, me and my partner Miko decided to step-up and built our own start-up salon,” she said.

“I love beauty and wellness and this is just a start of hopefully, a beautiful and liberating journey, for all of us who love to pamper ourselves and just, for some, go for the basics like haircut, nails and the like,” Ongcangco said.

“From there, I had specific plans. I wanted to digitalize the salon industry,

NOVEMBER 28, 2021

Lady lawyer digitalizes

parlor and salon industry launch booking, launch deals. In fact in March 2020, we had our first stint of women’s festival. We just tried, just to enter the market. But after two days, we all know what happened. The Philippines went on lockdown,” she recalled.

Parlon managed to continue being connected to salon owners and waited for the perfect timing to revolutionize the beauty industry.

Despite salon services being tagged as non-essentials at the height of pandemic, at least 30 salons and wellness centers signed up to join the Parlon Beauty Festival, including global brands Browhaus, Strip, and Bloas as well as celebrity favorites Emphasis Salon, Creations by Lourd Ramos, The Secret Lounge, The ColorBar, Bellezza Aesthetics and Marqed Salon. Homegrown beauty salons and wellness centers in Pampanga, Pangasinan, Bacolod and Cebu are also joining the event.

Exclusive deals and discounts on brows, lashes, hair, mani-pedi, aesthetics, massage services and more are available at beautyfestival.parlon. ph. Those who are planning to get a year-end makeover or a well-deserved pamper time can get up to 60-percent off and save as much as P15,000.

Perfect for the holidays, e-vouch-

ers can also be purchased as gifts and recipients will conveniently be notified via email and SMS. “This is just the beginning for Parlon.

As cashless transactions accelerated during the pandemic, adding more payment options is important for us.

We highly value the security of your transactions and that your experience in booking and buying salon and wellness services is seamless and fun,” said Parlon chief technology officer and co-founder Miko Cornejo.

From appointments to payments, booking salon and wellness services has become contactless and convenient with Parlon. It’s now possible to discover, book and buy beauty services in less than a minute. Customers can also download the Parlon app available on iOS and soon on Android. To manage the booking and transactions, salons and wellness centers are equipped with a Merchant Partner Hub, an easy-touse software specially designed and developed by Parlon.

“We are offering a wonderful beauty and wellness lifestyle and not just an app or a website. It has always been our mission to revolutionize the beauty and wellness services industry,” Ongcauco said.

Expats reinvent dormitories in PH

BigPat Development CEO Alfonso Bigeriego Patiño

TWO European travelers who visited the Philippines for a vacation five years ago discovered the huge opportunities in the local residential rental market. They saw the need to fill the demand for affordable accommodation and built medium-rise dormitories with thousands of bed spaces.

In five years, BigPat Development became known as an affordable high-rise developer and is on its way to completing its third and fourth projects—Araro and Honda Buildings that are mid-rise budget accommodations in Makati and Bonifacio Global City. The facilities are expected to help boost the country’s long-term rental industry as the Philippines navigates

through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nestled within the accessible Makati area, Araro Building provides efficient living conditions fit for discerning young professionals and the growing workforce being asked to report back to their offices. Araro Building features a mid-rise boutique enclave with 90 studio units spread across seven stories, perfect for those looking for accessible accommodations for both short and long-term stays and within easy commute from major thoroughfares. Araro Building is located at 3933 Araro St. in Makati.

Meanwhile, Honda Building, which is supposed to house 70 studio units

across seven stories, is set for groundbreaking before end of the year. Honda is located at 3549 Honda Street in Makati and is close and accessible to both EDSA and Bonifacio Global City.

BigPat Development co-founder and chief executive Alfonso Bigeriego Patiño said the company’s goal is to build and offer safe, yet affordable accommodations to Filipinos. “Our strategy is to continue investing and building affordable housing opportunities at ideal spaces and locations to ensure that our target market would be able to experience the convenience of location that is accessible to everything within the metro,” Patiño said.

Parlon founder and CEO Kristine Claire Ongcangco

RECOVERY While the rental business has dwindled a bit since the pandemic, BigPat Development believes that the industry is slowly on its way to recovering and that the property industry will rebound in the next few months.

“We understand how hard and how bad the Philippines was hit during the onset of the pandemic and we are doing our best to able to cope with the effects.

But as the country faces improvement on the numbers of COVID cases, we are optimistic that there will be a steady growth again for the property industry that can catapult our business into helping more individuals who are looking for both short and long-term accommodations,” said Jaime González, co-founder and chief operating officer of BigPat Development.

MPIC commits towards enabling MSMEs recovery Shares Corporate-Wide Strategy at GCNP Sustainability Summit

METRO Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), one of the country’s leading infrastructure investment companies, is taking strides to further its purpose of uplifting the lives of all the Filipinos it serves, including enabling micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through the key services it provides.

Pioneering a strong sustainability thrust for Philippine companies, MPIC’s Chief Finance, Sustainability, and Risk Officer Chaye A. Cabal-Revilla shared its corporate-wide strategy through the United Nations Global Compact Network Philippines (GCNP)’s Sustainability Summit held last November 17-18 entitled “From Ambition to Action: Accelerating MSMEs Recovery through the 10in-10 Agenda”.

Gustavo Gonzalez, UN Resident Coordinator for the Philippines, spoke at the plenary where he recognized, “People are at the centre of the UN’s Socio-economic and Peace Framework (SEPF), particularly the ones most at risk for being left behind. The emphasis is on transitioning to a healthier, resource-efficient green and circular economy, health and education systems that are fit for purpose and deliver services better to all, and sustainable social peace”.

The two-day online event, joined by 21 speakers and seven CEOs, launched the 10-in-10 Private Sector Champions, an initiative formed to transform into concrete action the 10-in-10 Business Ambition, a recovery and sustainability roadmap to support MSMEs. As GCNP Chairman Yayu Javier emphasized, “This is the time to make the difference in the way we operate our products and employees, to build resilience and sustainability of MSMEs.” MPIC’S ROLE IN EMPOWERING MSMES With assets in key utilities such as power, water, transportation, and healthcare, MPIC is poised to be a partner in nation-building,

with a progressive goal to create a bigger impact and play an integral role in enabling a viable future – primarily for its many stakeholders such as its customers, employees, investors, and the rest of the communities that it engages, including MSMEs. “We have developed our sustainability thrust to answer the imperative questions of why we do what we do, who we are doing it for, what outcomes we aim to achieve, and how we can achieve them,” says Cabal-Revilla. “We really feel that enabling MSMEs and improving the lives of Filipinos and the communities that we serve as part of our purpose, is also really enabling our business because they are our customers as well.

If we empower them and they thrive, this benefits all of us - their families, our businesses and our country’s economy.”

Aside from providing key services integral to the operations of MSME business owners, MPIC, along with the entire Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) Group of Companies has pushed for Gabay Kabuhayan, one of their six Gabay Advocacies for a Sustainable Philippines.

Alongside Gabay

Kalikasan, Gabay Kabataan, Gabay Karunungan, Gabay Kalusugan, and Gabay Komunidad, this advocacy serves the purpose of creating meaningful impact to the lives of all Filipinos.

Gabay Kabuhayan opens more doors for small and medium entrepreneurs through microfinancing, capacity building, livelihood training programs, distribution of tools and equipment needed for businesses, among others, geared by the belief that it is Filipino nature to persevere, rise above poverty, and take hold of their futures.

The Gabay advocacies round out the holistic sustainability approach that MPIC and the entire MVP Group aims to achieve throughout all its operations, with the intention of generating longterm benefits for the business, the stakeholders, and the environment.

“As a conglomerate, we are staunch advocates for innovation and social responsibility across all our businesses, driven by our responsibility in making a positive impact that contributes to the sustainable development of our country, our people, and our planet,” says MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

PUSHING TOWARDS TRANSFORMATION Segmented per subsidiary, MPIC’s businesses already address sustainability and generate significant impacts per company. However, coming in as a conglomerate with an integrated sustainability strategy, positions MPIC to do more for the country—and ultimately, the planet— as opposed to its contributions individually.

At the forefront of its sustainability thrust is business transformation and the accelerated transition from risk management to digital resilience. Even prior to the pandemic, the group has already explored opportunities for the improvement of its operations, zeroing in on how leveraging technology will push its sustainability agenda to a higher level.

Covering all aspects of EESG, digital resilience is the tool by which the conglomerate aims to attain financial, climate, organizational/ operational, and reputational resilience, through continuous innovation, the use of technology

to protect the planet, the use of technology to improve customer relations and service, and strengthened enterprise security and data privacy.

MPIC President and CEO Jose Ma. K. Lim highlights the need for these advancements. “MSMEs make up a significant portion of our customer base and it is crucial for us to continuously innovate and develop our services to address their changing needs, so in turn, they can fulfill the needs of their businesses.”

All of MPIC’s businesses have pivoted towards capitalizing the digital sphere to further improve its operations and services: the Tollroads’ new subsidiary MPT Mobility offers solutions for a variety of customer needs and provide life conveniences via a digital interface; Meralco’s Customer Centricity Transformation Program that improves customer service by digitalizing payment transactions, service applications, customer channels, and feedback management; Maynilad’s stateof-the-art, fully-automated control rooms that get real-time water info levels at any part of their concession areas, monitor raw water resources in dams like Angat and Laguna Lake with precision, and forecast production against water resource availability against demand; the mWell telemedicine app, the country’s first fully integrated health and wellness app that provides an allaround digitized platform for all healthcare needs; and Landco’s digital platforms that offer services with real-time, seamless, and cashless transactions using the Milli app.

With its end-to-end approach integrated into both its business and corporate social responsibility DNA, MPIC as an organization aims to utilize the breadth of its purpose to be able to protect the planet and strive towards sustainable national development.

NOVEMBER 28, 2021

MORE THAN JUST A PODCAST:

T

Wushu champion Agatha Wong wants to bring more awareness about her sport to the Filipino youth

HE Goal Diggers PH, a podcast series by sports marketing organization XMPLR, kicks off another season of sharing life lessons with its newest program, The Goal Diggers YOUTH.

The latest iteration of the series features a diverse lineup of new generation athletes with stories of hope and motivation, to empower the young Filipino audience in realizing their full potential to succeed in life.

“Last year, we had the great privilege of sharing the wonderful stories of different sports personalities and athletes from our two previous seasons of The Goal Diggers. This time around, we’re dedicating a whole new season for the youth and rightfully so, by the youth,” said XMPLR’s Chief Sports Advocate Robbie de Vera.

“We believe in the power of the youth and The Goal Diggers YOUTH is dedicated to helping uncover the potential of our audience, coming from the relevant stories and tips from our conversations, to help inspire and motivate them to #DigIn and succeed. I’m very proud of the work my team has done in order to continue to be proactive and value-adding in these trying times not just to our organization but to our fellow Filipinos and the sports community as well.”

The Goal Diggers YOUTH follows the success of the Goal Diggers’ 2020 campaign that featured inspiring stories of top sports personalities that touched on meaningful topics such as

mental health and parenting.

“The pandemic has made it extremely difficult for the younger generation to cope with their mental and social struggles to pursue their aspirations. And this is why we are launching The Goal Diggers YOUTH,” said Raya Villon, one of the Project Managers of The Goal Diggers YOUTH. “We genuinely believe in the immense potential of every Filipino—that the Filipino is world-class and can achieve that, given the motivation and guidance, Gen Z is at the right moment to make that difference.”

Youth On Spotlight Proving that new generation athletes can spark positive change through impactful stories, the Goal Diggers YOUTH features a wide roster of athletes. Among them are Agatha Wong, Sacho Ilustre and Kat Tan who have willingly shared their advocacies and experiences in overcoming challenges in today’s pandemic setting.

“I’d like to engage more people in bringing awareness to wushu, the sport I am in.” said Wong, who is driving a personal cause that will put spotlight on the lives of National athletes through her own YouTube Channel, The Athlete Life.

Ilustre, who made waves in the swimming discipline since he was a kid, said that it has been his goal to join the Olympics and eventually leave a mark in Philippine swimming.

“I want to make a mark, and to be the representative of my sport, which I hope will inspire the younger Filipinos,” he said.

Tan, the One-Armed Mamba, meanwhile shared that hope is always on the horizon despite the setbacks in life. “My second chance to live again is my motivation,” she said.

“It means that I still have a story

Goal Diggers empowers PH youth

to tell. I hope the kids will see that there is always hope in our lives, and no circumstances stop them from doing what you love.”

The Goal Diggers YOUTH was also headlined by Pauline Lopez who guest starred in the pilot episode, as well as elite athletes Chloe Daos and Seb Wong.

Volleyball superstar Bea de Leon will also form part of the show’s roster of upcoming guests, as well as top athletes Kaizen dela Serna, Meggie Ochoa and Jarvey Gayoso.

Hosted by veteran sports host Vince Velasco, Bey Pinlac, ZanD Bajarias, Louisa Tagulinao, and Goal Diggers’ very own de Vera, every episode captures stories of perseverance and determination by highlighting the passions, advocacies and challenges of the athletes during the pandemic.

“The Goal Diggers YOUTH features an amazing pool of young sports personalities who are the elite in their respective fields and have stories that will truly inspire the younger generation,” said Patee Reyes, Co- Project Manager of The Goal Diggers YOUTH. “We are proud to have a lineup of guests that can share very diverse perspectives and experiences in their life journeys that, we hope, many young Filipinos will relate to.”

The Goal Diggers YOUTH streams LIVE every Saturday at 8:00pm and will run until December 18.

Pitching In For More In an effort to drive further its commitment in making positive impact to communities through sports, the Goal Diggers, through its advocacy program, Pitch In PH,

The Goal Diggers YOUTH features an amazing pool of young sports personalities who are the elite in their respective fields

will be raising funds for the Mangyan Community in partnership with Likhang Puso, to provide sports kits, which will include equipment for different sports such as basketballs, badminton sets, and volleyballs, as well as tablets and pocket wi-fis for virtual sports clinics.

This initiative aims to provide more children and communities access to equipment and alleviate the lack of holistic learning, specifically in sports.

“As athletes ourselves, we believe in the power of sports in promoting not only physical and mental health but also values such as teamwork and perseverance.

Our goal is to give each person an equal opportunity to discover and develop their skills and passions in sports through providing different communities with sports kits,” stressed Keito Ong, Project Manager of Pitch In PH. Since its launch in 2020, Pitch In PH has been working actively with individuals and organizations to help Filipinos in need.

Early on in the pandemic, through the help of generous individuals,

Pitch In PH was able to raise funds for Gretchen Ho’s Donatea-Bike, Save-a-Job Campaign that provided 10 deserving front liners from Novaliches City with brand new bicycles.

For the hard-hit victims of typhoon Ulysses, Pitch In PH worked with an Oakland California-based company, Chunky Butt Ice Creamery to raise 3000 USD, and local brand Bata.ph, in providing complete hygiene kits for 300 families in barangays in Marikina.

Additionally, with the help of RockEd Philippines, the team also provided hygiene kits to the Women’s Correctional Facility in Muntinlupa City Jail.

For more information on the Goal Diggers PH and its advocacy, Pitch In PH, like and follow The Goal Diggers PH page on Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/TheGoalDiggersPH/, and subscribe to The Goal Diggers PH YouTube channel: https:// www.youtube.com/channel/ UCi02to-LukmlRBERrUbZ1Hw. Listen in on Spotify @the Goal Diggers PH.

CCE champ Lyceum ready to lead Esports wave WINNING the inaugural Collegiate Center for Esports (CCE) Mobile Legends: Bang Bang 5-on-5 Varsity Cup (MVC) is just the beginning for Lyceum of the Philippines University.

Championing its responsibility for academic excellence, LPU is determined to attract a larger interest and participation to its historic Bachelor of Science in Esports program while preparing to assemble and hone a capable roster for the official CCE season featuring regular students next year.

LPU introduced this year the first official Esports course in the country, making its CCE win a fitting start for a goal of transforming Esports to an academically and socially accepted program – as well as a viable profession down the road.

“It’s a big thing but we still have a lot of work to do. It’s definitely a good push for the campaign to improve the acceptance of Esports,” said school

athletic director Hercules Callanta following LPU’s perfect CCE championship run.

Composed of Yancy Remulla, Lorenzo Navarro, Alvin Baetiong, Carlo Abadeza and Shawn Umali, the Pirates ran through nine other colleges and universities in Metro Manila highlighted by a 4-2 win over Mapua University in the best-of-seven finale of CCE that streamed on CALM Network with Alaxan FR, Bio-Agrownica, Rebel Sports Pilipinas, Efficascent Relaxscent Oil, Tagaytay Pura Vida Resort and Hotel, SMDC Malls, and Smart Communications, Inc., as sponsors.

The event was participated by varsity basketball players first as a launching event of CCE before rolling out its season-by-season calendar next year featuring enrolled students from the pioneer member schools.

Included in the mission of LPU and the rest of the schools as they begin

to test the Esport waters is addressing and fixing the negative stigma of online gaming for the students, their parents, and the community as a hindrance to academic responsibility.

“There is a stigma in terms of Esports as far as the students are concerned. There must be programs that should address this particular stigma so that it can be resolved and can help the athletes come up with academic excellence,” added Callanta.

CCE’s plan to be a new, staple part of the collegiate sports scene next year is also expected to coincide with the return of the traditional sports that have been on an extended hiatus due to the restrictions of the pandemic – which would be a good thing to co-exist according to Callanta.

“Esports will always have a place in the sports world today. The development will go on. It will not hurt to widen the base. Maybe aside from the existing Esports events, there might

The LPU champion team composed of Yancy Remulla, Lorenzo Navarro, Alvin Baetiong, Carlo Abadeza and Shawn Umali.

be some short-term leagues as well to further keep the interest in Esports alive as it is now,” said the amiable school official.

The end goal though is producing a bevy of Esports professionals more than just gamers as the school’s contribution to the booming Esports industry.

“The BS Esports is after producing people who are at

the background of Esports. Of course, It will be a boost if we have a very competitive if not a champion team, especially made up of students in the BS Esports program. That’s definitely a plus but we’re after producing developers, organizers, shoutcasters, and the likes that will boost the Esports industry as a whole,” said Callanta.

Kapatagan halts Basilan’s win streak in ‘Chooks’ Vismin Super Cup

Edrian Lao of Kapatagan attacks the hoop in this piece of the action

PAGADIAN, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR -- Kapatagan handed Basilan BRT its first loss in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup history, 77-71, at the Pagadian City Gymnasium here on Saturday.

The Peace Riders entered the game with a 16-game winning streak in the country’s southern-based professional league, sweeping the first conference 13-0 and was riding a three-game winning streak to start the Mindanao Challenge.

And the Buffalos had to fend off the Peace Riders’ endgame spurt to take this one.

Trailing by nine midway through the fourth quarter, Basilan scored six straight points courtesy of Jorem Morada and Dennis Daa to chip within three, 70-73.

But Edrian Lao completed a reverse layup and drained two free throws to seal the deal as Kapatagan’s defense held on en route to an even 2-2 slate.

“Malaking boost ‘yung matalo ‘yung Basilan kasi madadala namin ‘yung kumpyansa sa remaining games namin,” said Kapatagan head coach Jaime Rivera.

Mark Daanoy led the Buffalos with 21 points, 15 in the second half, alongside nine rebounds, three steals, two assists, and a block.

KD Ariar added 13 points, six assists, and four rebounds, while Lao finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.

Junjie Hallare paced Basilan with 16 points, but was limited to two in the second half, to go with five rebounds, four assists,

and two steals.

Daa and Morada connived for 33 points but needed 28 shots to do so as the Peace Riders fell to 3-1.

Both squads will be back in action tomorrow. Kapatagan will face MisOr at 4 pm while Basilan will meet Roxas at 6:30 pm.

The Scores: Kapatagan 77 - Daanoy 21, Ariar 13, Lao 12, Puerto 9, Bonganciso 9, Kwong 8, Saga 3, Rodriguez 2, Torres 0, Sollano 0, Caburnay 0.

Basilan 71 - Hallare 16, Daa 12, Morada 11, Salim 9, Saliddin 5, Soliva 4, Panganiban 4, Julkipli 3, Luciano 3, Solis 2, Lunor 2, Goloran 0, De Joya 0.

Quarterscores: 18-14, 43-34, 63-55, 77-71.

NOVEMBER 28, 2021

JUST A BREATHER. From working at coffeehouses, Noreen Bharwani now contends with working in a small area at home until 1 o’clock in the morning.

(Photo courtesy of Bharwani)

Living through the shift

How the pandemic has altered our lives at home

By Jessica Asprer

A

S the country continues to grapple with a pandemic, attempts to bounce back to normal remain an uphill climb.

While much of the world is changing, so are our homes.

In a lockdown, chances for a change of pace are almost elusive as people are left with little to no choice but to continue living life within the confines of their homes. Although restrictions have been eased in the meantime, the possibility of being restricted again is just another case surge away.

Life upended and altered

The not-so-great shift of homes into workspaces demands even greater adjustments to get in the right headspace and allow creative juices to start flowing again.

This is true for Noreen Bharwani, 21, a 3rd year multimedia arts student from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

Used to working at local cafés, “being stuck in one space is very emotionally draining”, she lamented. “Especially as artists, it’s hard to find new things to create when the inspiration you are surrounded with is very limited.”

From an inconsistent sleeping pattern, she gets up at 10:00 a.m. or later, she steps into her kitchen, cooks lunch early and then prepares for a day of cascading workload from schoolwork to freelance jobs.

Classes do not start until 1 o'clock in the afternoon, before which, she would be catching up with other requirements and tasks from The Green Grocer, Bebo’s Conversation Cuisine, and other multimedia projects for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church where she is also a youth leader.

Having more control over her time is a

By Rory J. Bolivar and Robespierre L. Bolivar CATHY Rentzenbrink’s delightful Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books and Nick Hornby’s entertainingly irreverent Stuff I’ve Been Reading, two insightful memoirs on a lifetime of reading for pleasure, reminded us of how reading books saved us during the pandemic.

Years from now, long after the proverbial dust of these lost years has settled, we may find ourselves waxing poetic about how the pandemic changed the world. But at this time, it is difficult – some would even say unbearable – to think of the freedoms we lost and even the regular things we had to forego while COVID-19 raged.

Like you, we went through stages of grief when the pandemic hit: first incredulity; followed shortly by fear and uncertainty; then a grudging acceptance, or what you may call resignation; and, finally, hope.

Somewhere in between all of those emotions, when staying home became the norm, we took solace in the company of old friends.

In the pre-pandemic business of everyday life, we weren’t able to read as much as we wanted. But stripped of the usual outings, we rediscovered the joys of reading.

From early 2020 to this day, when the world pendulated between lockdowns and some semblance of normalcy, reading became our lifeline. It was therapeutic, soothing our soul and empowering us to sort through our thoughts, work out our anxieties, and verbalize our feelings.

Reading was liberating, allowing us to wander into a larger world, even if only through our imaginations. Books allowed our minds to be refreshed, sweeping away the cobwebs of intellectual inertia, indifference, and isolation. They reminded us that there is still much to look forward to in life even if the loss and longing we felt at times was acute. Through reading, we remembered that the world is a colorful place filled with amazing stories we could enjoy together.

Most of all, books enabled us to reconnect with ourselves and with each other.

Reading, conversing, and writing about books strengthened our relationship as only a shared passion could.

We have been readers for most of our lives and sampled books from many genres. Eventually, we settled on the classics, historical and literary fiction, coming-of-age novels, and poetry, with a dash of fantasy and science fiction.

Allow us to share with you some of our all-time favorites. These are books we have read and re-read many times, and which we rediscovered during those long stay-at-home periods: Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. Written in an Austen-like style

‘‘

Gabriel Go and his now wife got married amid a pandemic, in December 2020, with their young son in tow. (Photo courtesy of Go)

double-edged sword: she would spend less hectic days reading, she said, as “it helps to not only feed your mind but to also feed your soul [...] it’s good to take a step back and grab a book and just relax.”

But because everything became routinary, she said, she struggled with the tendency to push back and procrastinate.

Before the turn of events, being outside of her home was Bharwani’s kind of normal, spending the entire day at school then heading to church fellowship in the evening and bonding with people over food.

“I guess I would say that I miss people the most,” Bharwani said, “I miss getting that morning coffee with my friends before heading to class; I miss the deep conversations in coffee shops and milk tea shops that took hours and hours; I miss the road trips that led us to new adventures and places with the people we love; and I miss the hugs important people gave on difficult days.”

IN AND OUT OF ARMOR. Dr. Minda Uy dons PPE when meeting patients (left), and wears shirt and pants as she sorts through medical supplies. (Photos courtesy of Marvin Uy)

“I'm hoping that everything will be back to normal after we surpass this crisis.”

— Sherry Ann Bael

Making ‘room’ for gratitude

Having one space for everything is a different kind of burden as distractions make it difficult to stay focused and perform the way you are expected, shared Sherry Ann Bael, 31, who is currently working the night shift as a su-

pervisor for a corporate travel account at Teleperformance.

“I can no longer separate the stress from work even [if] my shift already ended, or even if I’m on rest day, or on leave since my workplace and my rest place [are] now in one room,” she said.

Daily duties at home are divided between her and her husband, since her nine-hour work timetable has been turned upside down, her day ending in the morning.

Bael, not a fan of online shopping, prefers to acquire the basic goods by going to the marketplace directly, setting aside non-essentials.

She has found creative ways to keep active while managing her household – home DIY projects to complete and new recipes to try out, especially ones for dim sum, pastries, and pasta, she said.

Out of town travels, team building activities, planned and unplanned dinners with her colleagues and friends af-

How reading books saved us during the pandemic

'84, Charing Cross Road'

by Helene Hanff

'All The Light We Cannot See'

by Anthony Doerr

'Possession'

by A.S. Byatt

'Remarkable Creatures'

by Tracy Chevalier

'The Historian'

by Elizabeth Kostova

'The Hours'

by Michael Cunningham

'Anne of Green Gables'

by Lucy Maud Montgomery

'Thank You For Smoking'

by Christopher Buckley

'The Uncommon Reader'

by Alan Bennett

'Emma'

by Jane Austen

'The Future of Life'

by Edward O. Wilson

'Walden'

by Henry David Thoreau

ter a long and tiring week at work – all these went out the window.

But Bael likes to see some of the good in the work-from-home set up as the hours spent on a pre-pandemic commute are now traded for sleep, more time for herself and for family.

“Although I can’t think of anything that I want to stop post-pandemic,” she said, “I’m hoping that everything will be back to normal after we surpass this crisis.”

Despite the stress and the pressure, home, Bael said, was a reminder of why gratitude should still persist.

“Home is still my resting place where I can take time to re-organize my thoughts, re-energize myself, and take a look [at] the things that I should be grateful for,” she said. “There were times that I almost forgot how blessed I am despite of what’s happening.”

Read the full story at www.manilastandard.net

(Jane Austen does make a cameo in the story), this excellent historical fiction novel heralds women’s landmark contributions to the science of evolutionary biology, geology, and paleontology. Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot are neighbors in the British seaside town of Lyme Regis. They are also fossil-hunters. Mary hunts to earn a living. Elizabeth collects out of scientific curiosity. Unfortunately, in the 19th century, science was still a male-centric endeavor. Despite their amazing fossil discoveries which find their way into the British Natural History Museum collections and onto scientific papers written by men at the time, Mary and Elizabeth remained uncredited for years. A stunning novel based on true events, Remarkable Creatures is a sublime exploration of the critical role of women in science, the importance of intellectual integrity, and the power of friendship.

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. This novella is a love letter to books wrapped in a lighthearted story about how Queen Elizabeth II discovers, and becomes preoccupied with, reading for pleasure. She eventually neglects many of her daily obligations in favor of alone time with a good book. While this story is fictional, fans of the hit Netflix series The Crown will no doubt see its parallels with the season 1 episode entitled “Scientia Potentia Est” – which is largely based on historical fact – where the Queen hires a private tutor to complement her frustratingly incomplete education. Within its modest 124 pages, The Uncommon Reader entertains while encouraging us to discover the wonders of reading.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This novel about a spunky and charming orphan girl adopted by middle-aged siblings living in Prince Edward Island, Canada is endearing. Anne Shirley cannot seem to get her head out of the clouds enough to finish her schoolwork or house chores. This vexes adoptive parent Marilla Cuthbert to no end, but enchants Marilla’s brother Matthew who indulges Anne’s penchant for adventure and fantasy. As Anne settles into provincial life in the town of Avonlea, her uncanny ability to find magic in the everyday wins over her best friend Diana, her classmates, and us readers. The immense popularity of this book spawned an anthology of sequels called The Anne Books, as well as adaptations on stage, television, animation, and film. While considered a children’s classic, Anne of Green Gables appeals to readers of all ages and offers more wisdom and pathos than many of today’s novels.

Read the full story at www.manilastandard.net

NOVEMBER 28, 2021

Dreams do come true for

W

Cinderella & Maureen

E’VE grown accustomed to seeing a rousing homecoming of a Filipina from winning Miss International or Miss Universe, but it’s rare to watch two international winners standing side by side on one occasion. It was surely a treasured moment when Binibining Pilipinas Cinderella Faye Obeñita and Maureen Montagne, both stunning in their blue gowns, took the stage of Novotel Manila for their Double Victory Homecoming celebration hosted by Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. on Tuesday.

second Miss Globe crown and I’m so glad that both our dreams came true,” Montagne enthused.

The two homecoming queens were welcomed by Binibining Pilipinas International 2021 Hannah Arnold, widely predicted to win our seventh Miss Internation-

“I’m so overwhelmed. This feels surreal. We had our send-off together, and now we’re here on our homecoming, together with the crowns. I’m very happy,” Obeñita exclaimed.

“I feel so grateful. I’m so proud to bring home our

Binibining Pilipinas recently held a double victory homecoming for Miss Globe 2021 Maureen Montagne (left) and Miss Intercontinental 2021 Cinderella Obenita.

al title, together with next-in-line queens Gabrielle Camille Basiano and Meiji Cruz, and Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental 2019 Emma Tiglao who was the lovely host of the event.

“I would describe my journey in Miss Globe as a ‘marathon’ because it was so much hard work. But from competing in the US, here, and in Egypt, it was all about not giving up. I want to do better and to push new heights.

While it’s a marathon, the end result is the most rewarding I’ve ever done,” Montagne said eliciting laughter among the media people.

“It’s magical just like my Cinderella story. Pageants can be stressful and draining, but with all the creativity and collaborative efforts, being with the kind and right people who believe in me, this would not have been possible,” Obeñita said to describe her Miss Intercontinental journey.

Montagne and Obeñita also were the second Filipinas to bring home the crowns from their respective pageants following Miss Globe 2015 Ann Lorraine Colis and Miss Intercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman.

They are expected to do appearances in charity events and travel abroad as they fulfill the duties as titleholders.

“With this crown, I have both influence and responsibility. I want to use of this opportunity to advance my advocacy to promote cervical cancer awareness and prevention. I hope to bring my cause internationally,” said Obeñita.

“I don’t know yet how much Miss Globe does, but I think it’s a pageant that needs a little more love, and attention because I believe the pageant is doing good things,” said Montagne.

From left: BBP 2nd runner-up Meiji Cruz, BBP International 2021 Hannah Arnold, Miss Globe 2021 Maureen Montagne, Miss Intercontinental 2021 Cindy Obenita, BBP 1st runner-up Gabby Basiano

P-Pop Kings stage 3rd anniversary concert EVERY so often, there are stars that shine so bright that they break through barriers. Such is the story of P-Pop superstars SB19.

As a tribute to its fans on its third anniversary, the group will be giving them two nights of over-the-top musical performances with Our Zone: SB19 3rd Anniversary Concert which streams live at 5:00 p.m. today on WeTV. The two-night concert started last night.

It was in September 2019 when the guys of SB19 first got noticed via their synchronized dance video that went viral. Fast forward to 2021, and the band has been making waves in both the local and international music scenes. Thanks to the solid support of their fanbase, A’TIN, the boys have reinvented P-Pop through their upbeat tracks, which include the hit single MAPA and their recent release “Bazinga.”

SB19’s hard work has not gone unnoticed, winning them a number of Awit Awards and Myx Awards trophies, plus nominations in this year’s Billboard Music Awards and MTV

Europe Music Awards.

The two-night concert caps off their month-long anniversary celebration which also includes special content, docu-series, and exclusive merch.

The two-night show features a unique musical extravaganza with stellar live performances, special guests, games, fan-favorite hits, and surprise collaborations.

Make a weekend of it and stream SB19’s Our Zone Anniversary Series on WeTV. The limited series showcases the acting chops of Justin, Stell, Pablo, Josh, and Felip in six unique and moving stories.

Stay tuned to the WeTV Philippines social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for exclusive updates and news on the biggest P-Pop shows and performances on WeTV, plus some cool giveaways.

Starting with the One Dream: Bini & Bgyo Concert, and SB19: Our Zone, P-pop fans can expect bigger shows streaming their way soon.

SB19, consisting of Josh, Pablo, Stell, Felip, and Justin, debuted in 2018.

They were trained for three years

by ShowBT Philippines, beginning in 2016.

Sarah G, Matteo G concert on ktx this December POP Star Royalty Sarah Geronimo is returning on stage on Dec. 18, this time with husband Matteo Guidicelli in Christmas with the Gs. The concert will stream on ktx.ph.

Also, the hottest and brightest OPM performers led by Ben & Ben, BGYO, BINI are ready to light up the holidays with exciting concerts that will be streamed on the platform.

Concert aficionados should also catch the streaming of the first-ever back-to-back musical festivals, 1MX Dubai and 1MX Manila priced at P499 on Dec. 3 (Friday).

Catch the performances of fast-rising P-Pop groups BGYO and BINI, Moira dela Torre, Gigi de Lana, and a lot more.

On Dec. 5 (Sunday), Ben & Ben holds its first major online concert, Kuwaderno, also streaming live from the Big Dome. A “Tinatangi” ticket worth P8,000 gets a fan a one-onone Harana Session on Zoom with Ben & Ben and a chance to go to the Ben & Ben house

after watching the concert.

The “Mahiwaga” ticket, priced at P5,500, includes a virtual backstage tour, the “Magka-ibigan” ticket at P3,500 offers Ben & Ben merchandise, while the “Kaibigan” ticket at P1,000 enables access to the online concert.

Also watch out for the concert treats of Nina called Nina: The Live Edition on Nov.30 (Tuesday) to Dec.1 (Wednesday), Sponge Cola, Aegis, and CLR’s “Salubong” on Dec.10 (Friday) to Dec.11 (Sunday), Ex Battalion’s Evoluxion on Dec. 11 (Saturday), Ogie Alcasid and Ian VenerVener acion’s Christmas concert, Christmas with the Stars this Dec. 11 (Saturday), Holiday Serenade of WWF on Dec. 17 (Friday) to Dec. 19 (Sunday), Basil Valdez’s Sundin ang Loob Mo on Dec. 18 (Saturday) to Dec. 19 (Sunday), and The Company’s The Company: The Christmas Roadtrip on Dec. 25 (Saturday) to Dec. 26 (Sunday).

THE Gs. Power couple Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli will share the concert stage together via a holiday concert streaming on Dec. 18.

Netflix launches ‘Top10’ website ‘Hellbound’ records 43.48 million hours viewed and ranks in the Top 10 list in 71 countries

NETFLIX will publish its new weekly “Top 10 on Netflix” every Tuesday based on hours viewed from Monday to Sunday the previous week for both original and licensed titles.

The lists are broken as follows: global Top 10 lists for Films (English), TV (English), Films (non-English) and TV (non-English), as well as rankings for over 90 countries. The website is currently

available in English and Spanish, with more languages to come next year.

These weekly lists are in addition to the daily country “Top 10 rows” that was introduced on Netflix last year, which will now also be based on hours viewed. So whether you’re searching for Top 10 on Netflix or browsing directly on our service, it’s incredibly easy to see what other people are watching.

Netflix also knows that fans love to track the most popular films and shows of all time. So, the streaming giant will also update the overall lists, which was first published last month, as new titles become mega hits. These lists are based on the total hours viewed in a title’s first 28 days on Netflix.

You can read more about the new Top 10 on Netflix’s blog.

NOVEMBER 28, 2021

SAVING ANIMALS OF LOVE AND LIGHT

They are very hungry, these cats in Pasig. They were fed by admin Maricel Mondejar

Feeding stray dogs and cats E

VERYONE can save a life because there are many ways to help animals in need. Here are some ways to do so: 1. You can take good care of your own pet, and you save your pet from a life of misery, malnutrition and illnesses, and even early death, due to bad food, lack of vitamins, and lack of vaccination, among others. Be a responsible pet owner and your pet will do well in life.

2. You can have your pet spayed or neutered so he/she will no longer have pups or kittens who may end up abandoned or neglected. You will also spare your female pet from the possibility of having breast or cervical cancer, and your male dog from having problems with the adrenal gland.

3. You can adopt a rescued dog or cat, instead of buying one, so that the rescue groups and rescuers can save other dogs and cats.

4. You can like or follow pages of animal welfare groups. Did you know that some companies donate dog food, cat food, vitamins and other pet-related products to groups with a lot of followers or likers because they will get to promote their company’s products more?

5. You can share posts asking for the rescue of a dog or cat, looking for an adopter of a rescued animal, appealing for help to have a rescue treated in a clinic, looking for a missing dog or cat, and looking for owners of pets found wandering in the streets, among others.

6. Always, please be kind to them.

7. Please, if you can not rescue animals in need, do not hurt them.

8. You can feed a stray dog or cat, and 9. Give the strays water, specially during summer.

Feeding stray dogs and cats saves lives.

Sharing your blessings to stray animals saves lives.

This is why Save Animals of Love and Light – Save ALL feeds strays as often as officers and volunteers can. Donated dog and cat food are shared with stray dogs and cats. Save ALL rescued dogs and cats also need food but most were former stray dogs and cats so Save ALL humans saw the damage done to their small bodies by living on the streets.

Thus, we share some of the donations to stray animals through our continuous feeding project, and to rescued dogs and cats in shelters who have no food.

Strays have no home to feel safe and be loved. They sleep on hot pavements or cold floors or muddy places.They can not sleep the deep, restful sleep of

These two dogs were seen in San Mateo, Rizal. The cream-colored dog was so hungry. The black one waited for his companion to eat before he himself feasted on the dog food.

These cats in a cemetery in Marikina came out of nowhere when they Save ALL admin Maricel Mondejar feeding cats.

Such a skinny dog!

Freeyah Demavee saw him in Pasay and gave him a lot of dog food.

Dulce P. Tuazon feeds stray cats daily in the Ortigas area in Pasig.

This cat in the Marikina cemetery savored a handful of cat food.

Rescuer Rowena David saw this black kitten in Makati. If you can adopt this kitten, please message Save ALL and Ms. David can help you get this kitten off the street.

Vanessa Ann Gonzales feeds stray cats in Makati.

Marden L. Estero feeds dogs and cats in Manila.

Miks Lim, Save ALL admin, feeds stray animals in Paranaque and Las Pinas.

Tet Santos, an independet rescuer, feeds strays in Quezon City with son Gab.

many. For at any given time, they can be caught, or doused with hot water, or hit with any hard object to drive them away.

So they always have to be alert.

They have no food or clean water.

They scavenge in garbage piles for food scrap, and eat even spoiled food.

They drink water form canals.

For they need a little food, a little water, and a little rest to survive the day, to run as fast as they can when pound catchers or abusive men try to get them. They need a little food and water to nourish their bodies so that they can walk miles again the next day to look for whatever little food or water LIFE can throw their way.

They are also always in danger of

catching fatal diseases, or being hit by vehicles. They will most likely die on the streets alone, even if a human sees them suffering on the road.

This is their life. Every moment, they do their best to survive.

Sharing a little food and water to stray dogs and cats can save a life. Can you share a little for these poor animals who only wish to live just like you and me?

Do feed a stray whenever you can.

Tomorrow starts the week-long 8th anniversary (Nov. 29-Dec. 6) of Save ALL. During this week eight years ago, Save ALL saved 36 dogs and cats from being killed in a pound.

Since then, Save ALL has saved and assisted in the rescue of over 400 dogs

and cats, and has had hundreds of dogs and cats spayed and neutered to lessen the number of unwanted pups and kittens who end up as strays.

Save ALL has fed dogs and cats in several pounds, and is now feeding strays wherever officers and volunteers can. Save ALL continues to do what it can. Save ALL feeds as many as it can.

Save ALL is thankful to admins and volunteers Maricel Mondejar, Miks Lim, Juls Rodriguez, Cynthia Barcial Santos, Rowena David, Dulce P. Tuazon, Dr. Pam Claveria, Tet Santos, Freeyah Demavee, Niko Salgado, Marden L. Estero, Nancy L. Marial, Laika Mae Lim, Loribert Sobrio Bersabe, and Xien Basa who have been feeding the strays.

To help Save ALL with its work and to continue caring for rescued dogs and cats in its care, please message at https://www.facebook.com/saveanimalsofloveandlightPH or send donations to: BDO 006540103300 Save ALL BPI 4449004634 Roberta Nicole C. Benedito Gcash 0927 4079152 Niko S.

SPIRITUAL HARMONY WITH PETS

By Mariana Burgos EVERY November, we remember our saints and our dearly departed. Before the pandemic, we would usually plan on when we will be going to the cemeteries to clean the tombs of our dead loved ones. After the cleaning up, we would have a little picnic-like activity right there with the dead and reminisce the good old days with them.

Since the pandemic started, all those who had this kind of a plan last year had to scrap it all because no one was allowed to go out. The only burial spots each family could visit then were the graves of their pets right there in their own backyards.

That was kind of a good thing that happened ( at least, for animal lovers like us) because most people hardly remember to visit their dead pets’ graves anymore. Some do not even think it is worth a second of their time because they say, they are just animals, they do not have souls. But don’t they really?

For our family, November also means that we would be watching scary movies or videos because it is the month of ghosts anyway. Just a few days ago, my daughter and I saw these spooky videos of ghosts of dead animals/pets caught on camera and videos about famous animal ghosts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUqOX2OCg0; https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zBTiF9Yfuks; https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=wWNcS5dMuSA; https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=NSrQKqqjzUU; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLJwYCEcCO0; https://www.

youtube.com/watch?v=yzvy3yNRotY). Having seen these videos, it is kind of hard to believe that animals do not have souls. I, for one, would really like to believe that when I go on to the next life, I would see not just my departed “human” loved ones but my beloved pets, too. Wouldn’t it be great if that is true?

Of course, when we talk about souls and spirits, which better institution can one inquire with than the religious, right? Catholic, Protestant, whichever religion you have. I am a Catholic and as one, I know of one saint we have who, actually for us, is the patron saint of all animals----St. Francis of Assisi. He was a Catholic monk whom they say had a gift of being able to talk to and understand all animals. Long before Dr. Dolittle, there was St. Francis and he was no fictional character, mind you! For as long as I can remember, I have always prayed to St. Francis every time a pet of ours got sick or had a really bad accident and would need intensive medical care. Even when I would just be gone for a few days, I automatically would pray to St. Francis to take care and protect my pets from all kinds of harm while I was away. It has become a habit of mine, I guess. And it is because of this that I thought, all the while, that our church believes animals do have souls like ours.

Little did I know that the topic is continuously being discussed by the church leaders up to this time. So, I googled on with what the Catholic church says about this matter now.

Recent popes have said different things about the possibility of animals having souls and re-

turning back to God in the afterlife. In 2014, there was sort of a big commotion about what Pope Francis mentioned about the topic. Or so they thought he mentioned one. They thought he affirmed that animals who have passed away do go back to paradise. There was a huge stirring with many news media outside Italy and in the social media because of this. It turned out, however, that he never made such comments on the topic and, according to Frances Kerry and Philip Pullella’s article with Rueters published on December 14, 2014, “the news stories were based on a misreading of remarks Pope Francis made at his weekly general audience at the Vatican on Nov. 26 and on a comment that a past pope did make several decades ago. “ Some say they think that maybe the reason why this happened is because people tend to think synonimously that just because Pope Francis took the name of St. Francis, he would automatically agree that all pets go to heaven. For animal lovers, the thought is cute and endearing even. But I think we should be wiser than that.

When reporters finally asked the Vatican clearly of what the Pope thinks of the issue, Father Benettini said that from the general tone of his speeches and gestures “it is clear that he is in spiritual harmony with all of creation.”

I was able to read other articles on the matter and I was able to find some pretty interesting write-ups. One particular article I like is Marianne Widmalm’s, Do Animals Have Souls? What the Bible Says (https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/do-

Author with her dogs. "Spiritual harmony with all of God's creation is important, " she says.

animals-have-souls-what-the-bible-says/). I must say she really did some extensive reading with the Bible in this one because it helped me understand better what it means to be “in spiritual harmony with all of (God’s) creation.”

In the end, what is important is to acknowledge a spiritual connection with all beings knowing they too can feel and were created by our Higher Being. And as we live our lives, let us try to live in spiritual harmony with all of God’s creation. Being kind to animals is one way to do so.